نَباwas unyielding بِهِto him الوِسادُthe pillow
نَبا بِهِ الوِسادُ
وَاِمتَنَعَand stayed away الرُقادُsleep
وَاِمتَنَعَ الرُقادُ
The pillow gave him no ease,
The pillow lamented his absence,
and sleep refused to come.
Sleep was denied.
وَصادَهُand caught him غَزالٌa gazelle
وَصادَهُ غَزالٌ
يُرمىis shot at فَماyet not يُصادُis caught
يُرمى فَما يُصادُ
And a gazelle caught him—
A gazelle he hunted, though uncatchable,
one shot at, yet never caught.
Alas! I'm sick, nothing restores me,
وَيليwoe to me أَناI مَريضٌill
وَيلي أَنا مَريضٌ
مالِيَwhat ails me لاnot أُعادُI am visited
مالِيَ لا أُعادُ
Woe is me! I am ill.
My heart weeps, lacking heart,
Why am I not visited?
Though weeping avails nothing here,
أَبكيI weep عَلىfor فُؤاديmy heart
أَبكي عَلى فُؤادي
إِذwhen ذَهَبَwent away الفُؤادُthe heart
إِذ ذَهَبَ الفُؤادُ
I weep for my heart,
Absence would make it weep.
now that the heart has gone.
I wake to strife, for love is strife.
وَلَوand if بَكىwept لِشَيءٍfor anything
وَلَو بَكى لِشَيءٍ
بَكىwould weep لِيَfor me البُعادُseparation
بَكى لِيَ البُعادُ
And if it wept for anything,
My killer, my undoing,
separation would weep for me.
Your rectitude found no guidance.
أَصبَحتُI have become فيin جِهادٍa struggle
أَصبَحتُ في جِهادٍ
إِنَّindeed الهَوىpassionate love جِهادُa struggle
إِنَّ الهَوى جِهادُ
I have come to live in struggle;
You've addicted me, I'm sated with habit.
indeed, love is a struggle.
You've burdened me beyond all burdening.
ياO قاتِليmy slayer وَقَتليand killing me
يا قاتِلي وَقَتلي
فيin غَيرِهِother than it السَدادُright conduct
في غَيرِهِ السَدادُ
O my slayer! As for killing me,
Why kill me, without appointment?
the right course lies elsewhere.
My youth was filled with joy
صَرَمتَنيyou cut me off وَمِنّىand from me
صَرَمتَني وَمِنّى
صَفاwas pure لَكَfor you الوِدادُaffection
صَفا لَكَ الوِدادُ
You cut me off, though from me
Unequalled in its gladness,
love for you was pure.
And many delights I lived,
عُوِّدتُI was repeatedly visited مِنكَbecause of you حَتّىuntil
عُوِّدتُ مِنكَ حَتّى
قَدalready مَلَّنيgrew weary of me العُوّادُthose visiting the sick
قَد مَلَّني العُوّادُ
Because of you I have been visited so often
With leisure and rest.
that my visitors have grown weary of me.
Coffee from the blackened valley,
حُمِّلتُI was made to bear مِنكَfrom you مالاًwhat ... not (mā lā)
حُمِّلتُ مِنكَ مالاً
تَحمِلُهُbear it الأَطوادُthe mountains
تَحمِلُهُ الأَطوادُ
From you I was made to bear what
Made in Noah's day, or by ancient Aad,
the mountains cannot bear.
I've coloured them, though matchless,
مِمَّfrom what cause وَفيمَand for what purpose قَتليkilling me
مِمَّ وَفيمَ قَتلي
أَماis there not لَكُمfor you مَعادُa final return
أَما لَكُم مَعادُ
Why, and to what end, am I killed?
My gifts made them excel.
Have you no hereafter?
Their words of it are nothing
ليI have فيin الصِباyouthful passion اِرتِيادٌa quest
لي في الصِبا اِرتِيادٌ
ماnot مِثلُهُlike it اِرتِيادُa quest
ما مِثلُهُ اِرتِيادُ
My quest for youthful passion
But song and intonation.
is a quest without equal.
Its tools are water pure
وَرُبَّand many a لَذَّةٍpleasure ليfor me
وَرُبَّ لَذَّةٍ لي
يَتبَعُهاfollows it القِيادُwilling submission
يَتبَعُها القِيادُ
Many a pleasure has been mine,
Its clothes only wool.
with willing surrender in its wake.
Near fire it shudders in fright.
أَحيَيتُهاI brought it to life وَإِلفيand my familiar companion النَstart of 'the bliss'
أَحيَيتُها وَإِلفي النَ
عيمُend of 'bliss' وَالسُهادُand sleeplessness
عيمُ وَالسُهادُ
I brought it to life, my companions being
Our hearts are swords in sheaths
bliss and sleeplessness.
Our feast has no end.
وَقَهوَةٍand wine شَمولٍheady
وَقَهوَةٍ شَمولٍ
مَنشَؤُهاits birthplace السَوادُal-Sawad
مَنشَؤُها السَوادُ
And many a heady wine,
Our cups brim and pour.
whose birthplace is al-Sawad,
With slender necks the gazelles we hunt,
كانَتit was بِعَهدِin the age of نوحٍNoah
كانَت بِعَهدِ نوحٍ
أَوor عَصَّرَتهاpressed it عادُʿAd
أَو عَصَّرَتها عادُ
dated from the age of Noah,
Swift steeds we mount and ride.
or was pressed by ʿAd.
A girl we own, the stakes adorn themselves for her.
سَبَأتُهاI bought it وَحَوليand around me
سَبَأتُها وَحَولي
خَضارِمٌmagnanimous lords أَنجادُvaliant men
خَضارِمٌ أَنجادُ
I bought it, with around me
A fawn whose glance ensnares.
magnanimous, valiant men.
His palm pours bounty, home to grace,
لَيسَthere is no لَهُمfor them نَديدٌpeer
لَيسَ لَهُم نَديدٌ
وَلاand no لَهُمfor them أَندادُequals
وَلا لَهُم أَندادُ
They have no peer,
Like a rod planted in the meadows green.
nor have they any equals.
He never stopped sustaining us,
سَوَّدتُهُمI made them lords بِفَضليthrough my excellence
سَوَّدتُهُم بِفَضلي
وَسُؤدَديand my eminence فَسادواand so they became lords
وَسُؤدَدي فَسادوا
I made them lords through my excellence
Till he lay dead, my hand his pillow.
and my eminence, and lords they became.
As if his drinkers in the market trailed ropes.
كَلامُهُمtheir speech عَلَيهاover it الthe
كَلامُهُم عَلَيها ال
غِناءُsinging وَالإِنشادُand poetic recitation
غِناءُ وَالإِنشادُ
Their talk over it was
Muhammad son of Mansur, that noble steed,
song and poetic recitation.
None after him so generous, sought for generosity.
حُلِيُّهاits ornaments مِنof ماءٍwater
حُلِيُّها مِن ماءٍ
وَلُبسُهاand its garment الإِزبادُfoaming
وَلُبسُها الإِزبادُ
Its ornaments are of water,
Of ample dew, his wisdom heals all rancor.
and its garment is foam.
His glory the full moons cannot match.
إِذاwhen دَنَتit drew near مِنto نارٍfire
إِذا دَنَت مِن نارٍ
جَلَّلَهاenveloped it اِرتِعادُtrembling
جَلَّلَها اِرتِعادُ
When it draws near fire,
He revived a people, though now gone,
trembling cloaks it.
Their inheritance Ziyad secured.
قُلوبُناour hearts سُيوفٌswords
قُلوبُنا سُيوفٌ
لِسِرِّناfor our secret أَغمادُsheaths
لِسِرِّنا أَغمادُ
Our hearts are swords,
If he lacked wealth, his hands would give.
sheaths for our secret.
Swords praise his palms that forged them.
وَخُلدُناand our eternity مُقيمٌabiding
وَخُلدُنا مُقيمٌ
لَيسَthere is no لَهُfor it نَفادُend
لَيسَ لَهُ نَفادُ
And our eternity endures,
Dispeller of predicaments, burdened yet able.
with no end to it.
He spent the surplus bounty judiciously.
أَكواسُناour cups مِلاءٌfull
أَكواسُنا مِلاءٌ
صادِرَةٌgoing out وُرّادُcoming in
صادِرَةٌ وُرّادُ
Our cups are full,
If but a day he were absent, the lands would wither.
going out and coming in.
Rain of munificence, the lands thrive through him.
لَهاthey have مِنَfrom الظِباءِthe gazelles الthe
لَها مِنَ الظِباءِ ال
أَعناقُnecks وَالأَجيادُand the graceful throats
أَعناقُ وَالأَجيادُ
They have the gazelles'
He honors each promise and date.
necks and graceful throats.
His forebears excellent, his descendants glorious.
وَعِندَناand with us فَتاةٌa maiden
وَعِندَنا فَتاةٌ
تُزهىare made proud بِهاby her الأَعوادُthe lutes
تُزهى بِها الأَعوادُ
And with us is a maiden
Many misers by his handshake turned generous.
in whom the lutes take pride.
He's the ever-living, whom seekers don't blame.
وَعِندَناand with us غَزالٌa gazelle
وَعِندَنا غَزالٌ
بِطَرفِهِwith his glance يَصطادُhe hunts
بِطَرفِهِ يَصطادُ
And with us is a gazelle
His giving sets the pattern.
who hunts with his glance.
His sea surges, the drawers praise.
مِنfrom كَفِّهِhis palm إِصدارُthe sending forth النَstart of 'the bliss'
مِن كَفِّهِ إِصدارُ النَ
عيمِend of 'bliss' وَالإيرادُand bringing in
عيمِ وَالإيرادُ
From his palm come the outflow of
His goal fulfillment, his means conviction.
bliss and its inflow.
Lavish his bounty, fiscal his deed.
كَأَنَّهُas though he were قَضيبٌa slender branch
كَأَنَّهُ قَضيبٌ
فيin غَرسِهِits planting-place مَيّادُswaying
في غَرسِهِ مَيّادُ
He is like a slender branch,
He spread the bounty, even foes love him.
swaying where it is planted.
The people at his door like troops arrayed.
فَلَمso he did not يَزَلcease يَسقيناgive us drink
فَلَم يَزَل يَسقينا
صِرفاًunmixed wine لَهاit has اِتِّقادُa fiery glow
صِرفاً لَها اِتِّقادُ
So he kept pouring us
By him Mansur gained victory, when the steeds raced.
unmixed wine, burning bright,
He came when absent, led or almost led.
حَتّىuntil اِنثَنىhe sank down صَريعاًovercome
حَتّى اِنثَنى صَريعاً
كَفِّيmy palm لَهُfor him وِسادُa pillow
كَفِّي لَهُ وِسادُ
until he sank down overcome,
My praise of him and Muhammad the guided.
my palm a pillow for him.
In brotherhood with him, my belief holds.
كَأَنَّas though شارِبيهاits drinkers
كَأَنَّ شارِبيها
فيon سوقِهِمtheir shins أَقيادُfetters
في سوقِهِم أَقيادُ
It was as though its drinkers
When fortune frowns or fate conspires,
had fetters on their shins.
Or treacherous skies or luck runs out.
مُحَمَّدُMuhammad اِبنُson of مَنصوMansur (first part)
مُحَمَّدُ اِبنُ مَنصو
رٍMansur (ending) الفَتىthe young man الجَوادُthe generous one
رٍ الفَتى الجَوادُ
Muhammad, son of Mansur,
Rule of Quraysh confined to Hashim.
the generous young man.
Our pillar, you are the pegs.
ماno بَعدَهُbeyond him جَوادٌgenerous man
ما بَعدَهُ جَوادٌ
لِجودِهِfor his generosity يُرتادُis sought out
لِجودِهِ يُرتادُ
Beyond him, no generous man
is sought out for his bounty.
جَزلُabundant النَدىbounty تُداوىare healed
جَزلُ النَدى تُداوى
بِحِلمِهِby his forbearance الأَحقادُthe grudges
بِحِلمِهِ الأَحقادُ
Lavish in bounty; healed
by his forbearance are grudges.
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon لَيسَnot يَغتاdiminishes (first part)
كَالبَدرِ لَيسَ يَغتا
لُdiminishes (ending) طولَهُhis stature النِجادُthe sword-belt
لُ طولَهُ النِجادُ
Like the full moon; not diminished
by the sword-belt is his stature.
أَحياrevived فِعالَthe deeds of قَومٍa people
أَحيا فِعالَ قَومٍ
كانواthey once were هُمُthey themselves فَبادواthen they perished
كانوا هُمُ فَبادوا
He revived the deeds of a people
who once were, then perished.
وِراثَةًas an inheritance إِيّاهاthose very deeds
وِراثَةً إِيّاها
وَرَثَّهُbequeathed to him زِيادُZiyad
وَرَثَّهُ زِيادُ
As an inheritance, those very deeds
Ziyad bequeathed to him.
إِذاwhen شَكاهُcomplained of him مالٌwealth
إِذا شَكاهُ مالٌ
لَهُbelonging to him بِهِwith it يُجادُis given lavishly
لَهُ بِهِ يُجادُ
When wealth complains of him,
it is his, and is lavished away.
أَثنَتpraised عَلىupon يَدَيهِhis two hands الthe
أَثنَت عَلى يَدَيهِ ال
قَواطِعُcutting blades الحِدادُthe sharp ones
قَواطِعُ الحِدادُ
His two hands are praised by
the sharp, cutting blades.
دَفّاعُa staunch repeller مُعضِلاتٍgrave difficulties
دَفّاعُ مُعضِلاتٍ
لِحَملِهاto bearing them مُعتادُaccustomed
لِحَملِها مُعتادُ
He wards off grave difficulties,
accustomed to bearing them.
أَفنىexhausted طَريفَthe newly acquired ماwhat يَمhe owns (first part)
أَفنى طَريفَ ما يَم
لِكُhe owns (ending) النَدىthe bounty التِلادُancestral
لِكُ النَدى التِلادُ
His newly gained possessions have been exhausted
by his ancestral generosity.
لَوif فَقَدتهُit lost him يَوماًone day
لَو فَقَدتهُ يَوماً
لَاِغبَرَّتِwould turn dust-gray البِلادُthe lands
لَاِغبَرَّتِ البِلادُ
Were he lost for a day,
the lands would turn gray with dust.
غَيثٌlife-giving rain سَماءُa sky of جودٍgenerosity
غَيثٌ سَماءُ جودٍ
تَحياlive بِهِthrough him البِلادُthe lands
تَحيا بِهِ البِلادُ
He is rain, a sky of bounty;
through him the lands live.
لَيسَthere is no لَهُfor him إِخلافٌbreaking of promises
لَيسَ لَهُ إِخلافٌ
وَلاand no لَهُfor him ميعادُappointed time
وَلا لَهُ ميعادُ
He never breaks a promise,
nor sets a time for giving.
آباؤُهُhis forefathers أَنجادٌvaliant men
آباؤُهُ أَنجادٌ
أَبناؤُهُhis sons أَمجادُillustrious men
أَبناؤُهُ أَمجادُ
His forefathers are valiant men;
his sons are illustrious.
كَمhow many مَعشَرٍa company شِحاحٍmiserly
كَم مَعشَرٍ شِحاحٍ
صافَحَهُمhe shook their hands فَجادواand so they became generous
صافَحَهُم فَجادوا
Many a miserly company
he shook hands with, and they grew generous.
هُوَhe الحَياthe life-giving rain الَّذيwhich لاnot
هُوَ الحَيا الَّذي لا
تَذُمُّهُcriticize it الرُوّادُthe pasture scouts
تَذُمُّهُ الرُوّادُ
He is the rain that is not
disparaged by seekers of pasture.
عَطاؤُهُhis giving اِبتِداءٌunprompted initiation
عَطاؤُهُ اِبتِداءٌ
مُكَرَّرٌrepeated مُعادُrenewed
مُكَرَّرٌ مُعادُ
His giving comes unasked,
repeated and renewed.
وَبَحرُهُand his sea فَيّاضٌoverflowing
وَبَحرُهُ فَيّاضٌ
يَحمُدُهُpraise it الوُرّادُthose coming for water
يَحمُدُهُ الوُرّادُ
And his sea overflows;
those who come for water praise it.
وَهَمُّهُand his aim إِمضاءٌaccomplishment
وَهَمُّهُ إِمضاءٌ
وَفِعلُهُand his action اِعتِمادُfirm purpose
وَفِعلُهُ اِعتِمادُ
And his aim is accomplishment,
and his action is purposeful.
وَسَيبُهُand his largesse إِسرافٌextravagance
وَسَيبُهُ إِسرافٌ
ماno مَعَهُwith it اِقتِصادُmoderation
ما مَعَهُ اِقتِصادُ
His largesse is extravagance,
with no moderation in it.
بَثَّspread النَوالَthe gifts حَتّىuntil
بَثَّ النَوالَ حَتّى
أَحَبَّهُloved him الحُسّادُthe envious
أَحَبَّهُ الحُسّادُ
He scattered gifts until
even the envious loved him.
كَأَنَّماas though الأَنامُmankind
كَأَنَّما الأَنامُ
بِبابِهِat his door أَجنادُtroops
بِبابِهِ أَجنادُ
It is as if mankind
were troops at his door.
جَرىran بِهِwith him مَنصورٌMansur
جَرى بِهِ مَنصورٌ
إِذwhen بَلَّدَgrew sluggish الجِيادُthe noble steeds
إِذ بَلَّدَ الجِيادُ
Mansur ran the race with him,
when the noble steeds grew sluggish.
فَجاءَso he came حينَwhen فاتَwent ahead
فَجاءَ حينَ فاتَ
يَسبُقُhe overtakes أَوor يَكادُnearly does
يَسبُقُ أَو يَكادُ
So he came when the other had gone ahead,
overtaking, or nearly so.
مَدَحتُهُI praised him وَمَدحيand my praising
مَدَحتُهُ وَمَدحي
مُحَمَّداًMuhammad رَشادُsound judgment
مُحَمَّداً رَشادُ
I praised him, and my praise
of Muhammad is sound judgment.
عَلىto الإِخاءِbrotherly loyalty مِنهُfrom him
عَلى الإِخاءِ مِنهُ
يُمسِكُهُbinds him اِعتِقادُfirm conviction
يُمسِكُهُ اِعتِقادُ
To his brotherly loyalty,
a firm conviction binds him.
إِذاwhen جَرَتblew شَمالٌa north wind
إِذا جَرَت شَمالٌ
أَوor وَقَعَfell الصُرادُthe frost
أَو وَقَعَ الصُرادُ
When a north wind blows,
or frost falls,
أَوor أَخلَفَتfailed to give rain سَماءٌa sky
أَو أَخلَفَت سَماءٌ
أَوor أَصلَدَتyielded no spark زَنادُfiresticks
أَو أَصلَدَت زَنادُ
or the sky withholds its rain,
or firesticks yield no spark.
المُلكُsovereignty فيamong قُرَيشٍQuraysh
المُلكُ في قُرَيشٍ
لِهاشِمٍto Hashim مُنقادُsubmissive
لِهاشِمٍ مُنقادُ
Sovereignty among Quraysh
is obedient to Hashim.
فَهُمso they لَهُfor it رُواقٌa pavilion
فَهُم لَهُ رُواقٌ
وَأَنتُمُand you أَوتادُtent-pegs
وَأَنتُمُ أَوتادُ
So they are its pavilion,
and you are its tent-pegs.
Partial English translation: 68 of 126 Arabic lines translated.