أَعيدواrestore صَباحيmy morning فَهوَfor it is عِندَwith الكَواعِبِthe budding-breasted maidens
أَعيدوا صَباحي فَهوَ عِندَ الكَواعِبِ
وَرُدّواand restore رُقاديmy sleep فَهوَfor it is لَحظُthe glance الحَبائِبِof the beloveds
وَرُدّوا رُقادي فَهوَ لَحظُ الحَبائِبِ
Restore my morning, for it is with the budding-breasted maidens.
Give back my dawn, for it resides with maidens fair,
And restore my sleep, for it is the beloveds' glance.
And restore my slumber, stolen by the gazes of the dear.
فَإِنَّfor indeed نَهاريmy day لَيلَةٌa night مُدلَهِمَّةٌpitch-dark
فَإِنَّ نَهاري لَيلَةٌ مُدلَهِمَّةٌ
عَلىto مُقلَةٍan eye مِنfrom بَعدِكُمafter you فيin غَياهِبِdeep darkness
عَلى مُقلَةٍ مِن بَعدِكُم في غَياهِبِ
For my day is a pitch-dark night
For truly my day has become a pitch-black night,
to an eye in deepest darkness since you left,
Upon an eye left wandering in shadows since you left.
بَعيدَةِwide ماthe space بَينَbetween الجُفونِthe eyelids كَأَنَّماas though
بَعيدَةِ ما بَينَ الجُفونِ كَأَنَّما
عَقَدتُمyou tied أَعاليthe tips كُلِّof every هُدبٍeyelash بِحاجِبِto an eyebrow
عَقَدتُم أَعالي كُلِّ هُدبٍ بِحاجِبِ
its lids held far apart, as though
My eyelids are kept wide apart, as though
you had tied each eyelash's tip to an eyebrow.
You knotted every lash's tip unto the brow above.
وَأَحسَبُand I think أَنّيthat I لَوif هَويتُloved فِراقَكُمparting from you
وَأَحسَبُ أَنّي لَو هَويتُ فِراقَكُم
لَفارَقتُهُI would surely part from it وَالدَهرُand Time أَخبَثُthe vilest صاحِبِcompanion
لَفارَقتُهُ وَالدَهرُ أَخبَثُ صاحِبِ
And I think that, if I loved parting from you,
I deem that were I to desire our parting now,
I would part from it—Time is the vilest companion.
I would have parted, for Fate is a spiteful friend.
فَياah, then لَيتَwould that ماwhat بَينيbetween me وَبَينَand between أَحِبَّتيmy beloveds
فَيا لَيتَ ما بَيني وَبَينَ أَحِبَّتي
مِنَof البُعدِdistance ماwhat بَينيbetween me وَبَينَand between المَصائِبِcalamities
مِنَ البُعدِ ما بَيني وَبَينَ المَصائِبِ
Ah, would that the distance between me and my beloveds
Oh, would that the distance between me and those I love,
were the distance between me and calamities.
Were as vast as the gulf between myself and misery.
أَراكَI see you ظَنَنتِyou thought السِلكَthe necklace-thread جِسميmy body فَعُقتِهِso you barred it
أَراكَ ظَنَنتِ السِلكَ جِسمي فَعُقتِهِ
عَلَيكِupon you بِدُرٍّwith pearls عَنfrom لِقاءِtouching التَرائِبِthe breastbones
عَلَيكِ بِدُرٍّ عَن لِقاءِ التَرائِبِ
I see you took the thread for my body and barred it,
You thought, it seems, the necklace thread my wasted body was,
with pearls you wear, from touching your breast.
And so you barred the pearls from resting on the breast.
وَلَوand if قَلَمٌa pen أُلقيتُI were cast فيinto شَقِّthe slit رَأسِهِits nib
وَلَو قَلَمٌ أُلقيتُ في شَقِّ رَأسِهِ
مِنَfrom السُقمِsickness ماnot غَيَّرتُI would alter مِنany of خَطِّthe handwriting كاتِبِof a writer
مِنَ السُقمِ ما غَيَّرتُ مِن خَطِّ كاتِبِ
And if I were cast into the slit in a pen's nib,
If, like a pen, I were cast into the nib’s split cleft,
so wasted by sickness, I would not alter a writer's script.
So thin am I from sickness, I would not change the script.
تُخَوِّفُنيshe frightens me دونَless than الَّذيwhat أَمَرَتshe commanded بِهِwith it
تُخَوِّفُني دونَ الَّذي أَمَرَت بِهِ
وَلَمand did not تَدرِknow أَنَّthat العارَdisgrace شَرُّthe worst العَواقِبِof outcomes
وَلَم تَدرِ أَنَّ العارَ شَرُّ العَواقِبِ
She frightens me with less than what she urges on me,
You frighten me with perils to stop me from your command,
not knowing that disgrace is the worst of outcomes.
Yet know not that disgrace is the foulest end of all.
وَلاand no بُدَّescape مِنfrom يَومٍa day أَغَرَّwhite-blazed مُحَجَّلٍwhite-stockinged
وَلا بُدَّ مِن يَومٍ أَغَرَّ مُحَجَّلٍ
يَطولُwill be long اِستِماعيmy listening بَعدَهُafter it لِلنَوادِبِto mourning women
يَطولُ اِستِماعي بَعدَهُ لِلنَوادِبِ
And a day must come, white-blazed and white-stockinged,
There surely comes a blazing day, glorious and bright,
after which I shall listen long to mourning women.
After which my ear shall long endure the mourners’ wail.
يَهونُis a small thing عَلىfor مِثليone like me إِذاwhen رامَhe seeks حاجَةًa desire
يَهونُ عَلى مِثلي إِذا رامَ حاجَةً
وُقوعُthe falling العَواليof lances دونَهاbefore it وَالقَواضِبِand keen swords
وُقوعُ العَوالي دونَها وَالقَواضِبِ
For one like me, when he seeks a goal, it is a small thing
For one like me, when seeking glory’s prize,
to face the blows of lances and keen swords barring the way.
Cares not for clashing spears or the falling of the sword.
كَثيرُmuch حَياةِof the life المَرءِof a man مِثلُis like قَليلِهاa little of it
كَثيرُ حَياةِ المَرءِ مِثلُ قَليلِها
يَزولُit passes away وَباقيand what remains عَيشِهِof his life مِثلُis like ذاهِبِwhat is gone
يَزولُ وَباقي عَيشِهِ مِثلُ ذاهِبِ
A man's long life is like his short life:
A long life for a man is just the same as brief existence,
it passes, and what remains of his life is like what is gone.
It passes, and the days to come are like the days now gone.
إِلَيكِaway with you فَإِنّيfor I لَستُam not مِمَّنamong those who إِذاwhen اِتَّقىguards against
إِلَيكِ فَإِنّي لَستُ مِمَّن إِذا اِتَّقى
عِضاضَthe bites الأَفاعيof vipers نامَsleeps فَوقَupon العَقارِبِscorpions
عِضاضَ الأَفاعي نامَ فَوقَ العَقارِبِ
Away with you, for I am not one who, to escape
Away! For I am not a man who, fearing viper bites,
vipers' bites, sleeps upon scorpions.
Would choose instead to slumber upon a bed of scorpions.
أَتانيthere reached me وَعيدُthe threat الأَدعِياءِof the pretenders وَأَنَّهُمand that they
أَتاني وَعيدُ الأَدعِياءِ وَأَنَّهُم
أَعَدّواthey mustered لِيَagainst me السودانَthe black men فيat كَفرِKafr عاقِبِAqib
أَعَدّوا لِيَ السودانَ في كَفرِ عاقِبِ
The pretenders' threat reached me, and word that they
The threats of false pretenders have reached my ears, claiming
had mustered black troops against me at Kafr Aqib.
They mustered troops against me in the lands of Kafr ‘Aqib.
وَلَوand if صَدَقواthey spoke truth فيabout جَدِّهِمtheir forefather لَحَذِرتُهُمI would have feared them
وَلَو صَدَقوا في جَدِّهِم لَحَذِرتُهُم
فَهَلso is فيَّabout me وَحديme alone قَولُهُمtheir claim غَيرُnot كاذِبِfalse
فَهَل فيَّ وَحدي قَولُهُم غَيرُ كاذِبِ
Had they spoken truth about their forefather, I would have feared them;
Had they been true in courage, I might have taken heed,
are their words truthful only in my case?
But are their words, for me alone, exempt from being lies?
إِلَيَّtoward me لَعَمريby my life قَصدُthe aim كُلِّof every عَجيبَةٍmarvel
إِلَيَّ لَعَمري قَصدُ كُلِّ عَجيبَةٍ
كَأَنّيas though I عَجيبٌa marvel فيin عُيونِthe eyes العَجائِبِof marvels
كَأَنّي عَجيبٌ في عُيونِ العَجائِبِ
Every marvel seeks me out, by my life,
By my life, every wonder aims its path toward me,
as though I were a marvel in the eyes of marvels.
As if I were a marvel in the eyes of marvels too.
بِأَيِّthrough what بِلادٍlands لَمhave not أَجُرَّI dragged ذُؤابَتيmy forelock
بِأَيِّ بِلادٍ لَم أَجُرَّ ذُؤابَتي
وَأَيُّand what مَكانٍplace لَمhave not تَطَأهُtread it رَكائِبيmy riding camels
وَأَيُّ مَكانٍ لَم تَطَأهُ رَكائِبي
Through what lands have I not trailed my forelock,
In what far land have I not trailed the locks of pride?
and what place have my riding camels not trodden?
And what place has not felt the tread of my traveling mounts?
كَأَنَّas though رَحيليmy departure كانَhad been مِنfrom كَفِّthe palm طاهِرٍof Tahir
كَأَنَّ رَحيلي كانَ مِن كَفِّ طاهِرٍ
فَأَثبَتَso he secured كوريmy camel-saddle فيon ظُهورِthe backs المَواهِبِof gifts
فَأَثبَتَ كوري في ظُهورِ المَواهِبِ
As though my departure had been from Tahir's palm,
It is as if my journey sprang from Tahir’s generous hand,
and he had fastened my saddle upon the backs of gifts.
Who fixed my saddle firmly upon the backs of gifts.
فَلَمso not يَبقَremained خَلقٌa creature لَمnot يَرِدنَthey entered فِنائَهُhis courtyard
فَلَم يَبقَ خَلقٌ لَم يَرِدنَ فِنائَهُ
وَهُنَّand they لَهُhis شِربٌa drinking herd وُرودَcoming as to المَشارِبِwatering places
وَهُنَّ لَهُ شِربٌ وُرودَ المَشارِبِ
No creature was left whose courtyard they had not entered,
No creature remains who has not sought his courtyard out,
while they, his drinking herd, came as to watering places.
Gathering there like thirsty herds seeking the watering hole.
فَتىًa young man عَلَّمَتهُtaught him نَفسُهُhis soul وَجُدودُهُand his forefathers
فَتىً عَلَّمَتهُ نَفسُهُ وَجُدودُهُ
قِراعَclashing with الأَعاديenemies وَاِبتِذالَand freely spending الرَغائِبِprecious possessions
قِراعَ الأَعادي وَاِبتِذالَ الرَغائِبِ
A young man whose soul and forefathers taught him
A youth whose noble soul and sires have tutored him
to battle foes and lavish precious things.
To strike down foes and freely grant whatever hearts desire.
فَقَدfor indeed غَيَّبَhe made absent الشُهّادَthose present عَنfrom كُلِّevery مَوطِنٍplace
فَقَد غَيَّبَ الشُهّادَ عَن كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ
وَرَدَّand sent back إِلىto أَوطانِهِhis homelands كُلَّevery غائِبِabsentee
وَرَدَّ إِلى أَوطانِهِ كُلَّ غائِبِ
For he has made those present vanish from every place,
He has eclipsed all present men in every gathered place,
and returned every absent man to his homeland.
And brought the exile safely back to his ancestral home.
كَذاsuch are الفاطِمِيّونَFatima's descendants النَدىbounty فيin بَنانِهِمtheir fingertips
كَذا الفاطِمِيّونَ النَدى في بَنانِهِم
أَعَزُّmore resistant اِمِّحاءًto erasure مِنthan خُطوطِthe lines الرَواجِبِof the finger-joints
أَعَزُّ اِمِّحاءً مِن خُطوطِ الرَواجِبِ
Such are Fatima's descendants: bounty in their fingertips
Thus are the Fatimids: the dew of grace upon their hands
is harder to erase than the creases of their finger-joints.
Is more indelible than lines engraved upon their palms.
أُناسٌa people إِذاwhen لاقَواthey meet عِدىًfoes فَكَأَنَّماthen as though
أُناسٌ إِذا لاقَوا عِدىً فَكَأَنَّما
سِلاحُthe weapons الَّذيof the one whom لاقَواthey met غُبارُthe dust السَلاهِبِof rangy steeds
سِلاحُ الَّذي لاقَوا غُبارُ السَلاهِبِ
A people who, when they meet foes, make it seem
A people who, when meeting foes upon the battlefield,
that their foes' weapons are the dust of rangy steeds.
Make the opponent’s arms seem naught but dust of galloping steeds.
رَمَواthey hurled بِنَواصيهاwith their forelocks القِسِيَّthe bows فَجِئنَهاso they reached them
رَمَوا بِنَواصيها القِسِيَّ فَجِئنَها
دَواميbloodied الهَواديthe necks سالِماتِunscathed الجَوانِبِthe flanks
دَوامي الهَوادي سالِماتِ الجَوانِبِ
They drove their steeds' forelocks at the bows, and the steeds reached them,
They charge the bows with horses' brows, which rush against the aim,
with bleeding necks and unscathed flanks.
With bleeding necks, yet unscathed flanks, they plunge into the fray.
أولَئِكَthose men أَحلىsweeter مِنthan حَياةٍa life مُعادَةٍrestored
أولَئِكَ أَحلى مِن حَياةٍ مُعادَةٍ
وَأَكثَرُand more ذِكراًremembered مِنthan دُهورِthe years الشَبائِبِof youth
وَأَكثَرُ ذِكراً مِن دُهورِ الشَبائِبِ
Those men are sweeter than life restored,
These men are sweeter to the soul than life restored anew,
and more often remembered than the years of youth.
And more remembered than the days of fleeing, golden youth.
نَصَرتَyou championed عَلِيّاًAli ياO اِبنَهُhis son بِبَواتِرٍwith cleaving blades
نَصَرتَ عَلِيّاً يا اِبنَهُ بِبَواتِرٍ
مِنَof الفِعلِaction لاno فَلٌّnotch لَهاfor them فيat المَضارِبِthe striking edges
مِنَ الفِعلِ لا فَلٌّ لَها في المَضارِبِ
You have championed Ali, O his son, with cleaving blades
You vindicated Ali, O his son, with severing blades,
of action, unnotched at their striking edges.
Of deeds that know no dullness when they strike the target true.
وَأَبهَرُand the most dazzling آياتِof the miracles التِهامِيِّof the man from Tihama أَنَّهُthat he
وَأَبهَرُ آياتِ التِهامِيِّ أَنَّهُ
أَبوكَyour father وَأَجدىand the most beneficial مالَكُمwhat you possess مِنof مَناقِبِvirtues
أَبوكَ وَأَجدى مالَكُم مِن مَناقِبِ
And the Tihami's most dazzling miracle is that he
The Prophet’s most resplendent sign is that he is your sire,
is your father—and that is your most rewarding distinction.
And that your wealth serves virtue’s cause more than mere hoarded gold.
إِذاif لَمdoes not تَكُنbe نَفسُthe soul النَسيبِof the wellborn man كَأَصلِهِlike his ancestry
إِذا لَم تَكُن نَفسُ النَسيبِ كَأَصلِهِ
فَماذاthen what الَّذيis it that تُغنيavail كِرامُnoble المَناصِبِorigins
فَماذا الَّذي تُغني كِرامُ المَناصِبِ
If a wellborn man's soul does not match his ancestry,
For if the noble scion’s soul reflects not his descent,
then what good can noble origins do?
Of what avail are high degrees and ancient pedigree?
وَماand not قَرُبَتhave grown close أَشباهُthose like قَومٍa people أَباعِدٍdistant
وَما قَرُبَت أَشباهُ قَومٍ أَباعِدٍ
وَلاnor بَعُدَتhave grown distant أَشباهُthose like قَومٍa people أَقارِبِrelated
وَلا بَعُدَت أَشباهُ قَومٍ أَقارِبِ
And those like distant folk have not grown close,
The likenesses of distant folk do not grow kin by chance,
nor have those like close kin grown distant.
Nor do the traits of kinsmen fade, though they be far apart.
إِذاif عَلَوِيٌّan Alid لَمnot يَكُنis مِثلَlike طاهِرٍTahir
إِذا عَلَوِيٌّ لَم يَكُن مِثلَ طاهِرٍ
فَماthen not هُوَhe إِلّاexcept حُجَّةٌan argument لِلنَواصِبِfor those hostile to Ali
فَما هُوَ إِلّا حُجَّةٌ لِلنَواصِبِ
If an Alid is not like Tahir,
If any Alawid falls short of Tahir’s towering height,
he is nothing but an argument for the Nawasib.
He serves but as an argument for those who hate his line.
يَقولونَthey say تَأثيرُthe influence الكَواكِبِof the stars فيupon الوَرىmankind
يَقولونَ تَأثيرُ الكَواكِبِ في الوَرى
فَماthen what بالُهُis his case تَأثيرُهُhis influence فيupon الكَواكِبِthe stars
فَما بالُهُ تَأثيرُهُ في الكَواكِبِ
They speak of the stars' influence upon mankind;
Men say the stars exert their force upon the world of men;
then what of him, whose influence is upon the stars?
How is it then his influence commands the very stars?
عَلاhe mounted كَتَدَthe withers الدُنياof the world إِلىtoward كُلِّevery غايَةٍgoal
عَلا كَتَدَ الدُنيا إِلى كُلِّ غايَةٍ
تَسيرُit travels بِهِwith him سَيرَat the pace of الذَلولِa docile mount بِراكِبِwith a rider
تَسيرُ بِهِ سَيرَ الذَلولِ بِراكِبِ
He has mounted the world's withers toward every goal;
He mounted the world’s shoulders to attain the highest peak,
it bears him as a docile mount bears a rider.
Which bears him gently, as a mount submissive to its lord.
وَحُقَّand it is fitting لَهُfor him أَنto يَسبِقَoutstrip الناسَmankind جالِساًwhile seated
وَحُقَّ لَهُ أَن يَسبِقَ الناسَ جالِساً
وَيُدرِكَand attain مالَمwhat ... did not يُدرِكواthey attain غَيرَwithout طالِبِseeking
وَيُدرِكَ مالَم يُدرِكوا غَيرَ طالِبِ
And it is his due to outstrip mankind while seated,
It is his right to strip the field while seated at his ease,
and attain, unsought, what they have not attained,
And grasp what others fail to reach, without a breath of toil.
وَيُحذىand be shod with عَرانينَthe noses المُلوكِof kings وَإِنَّهاand indeed they
وَيُحذى عَرانينَ المُلوكِ وَإِنَّها
لِمَنindeed, relative to قَدَمَيهِhis two feet فيin أَجَلِّthe loftiest المَراتِبِstations
لِمَن قَدَمَيهِ في أَجَلِّ المَراتِبِ
and be shod with kings' noses; indeed, they
The noses of the kings are shorn to shoe his royal feet,
are in the loftiest station at his feet.
For feet that tread so high a path deserve the proudest soles.
يَدٌa favor لِلزَمانِfrom Time الجَمعُbringing together بَينيbetween me وَبَينَهُand between him
يَدٌ لِلزَمانِ الجَمعُ بَيني وَبَينَهُ
لِتَفريقِهِfor his separating بَينيbetween me وَبَينَand between النَوائِبِcalamities
لِتَفريقِهِ بَيني وَبَينَ النَوائِبِ
Time did me a favor by bringing me together with him,
Time granted me a favor when it joined my life with his,
for he has parted me from calamities.
That it might sever me from all the sorrows I have known.
هُوَhe اِبنُthe son رَسولِof the Messenger اللَهِof God وَاِبنُand the son وَصِيِّهِof his legatee
هُوَ اِبنُ رَسولِ اللَهِ وَاِبنُ وَصِيِّهِ
وَشِبهُهُماand like them both شَبَّهتُI likened him بَعدَafter التَجارِبِthe tests
وَشِبهُهُما شَبَّهتُ بَعدَ التَجارِبِ
He is the son of God's Messenger and of his legatee,
He is the scion of God's Messenger and his Trustee,
and like them both—I made the comparison after testing him.
The image of them both, as proved by trials and by time.
يَرىhe holds أَنَّthat ماnot ماwhat بانَis exposed مِنكَof you لِضارِبٍto a striker
يَرى أَنَّ ما ما بانَ مِنكَ لِضارِبٍ
بِأَقتَلَany deadlier مِمّاthan what بانَis exposed مِنكَof you لِعائِبِto a faultfinder
بِأَقتَلَ مِمّا بانَ مِنكَ لِعائِبِ
He holds that what you expose to a striker
He shows a visage to the foe who strikes him in the fight,
is no deadlier than what you expose to a faultfinder.
More deadly than the face he turns to one who brings him blame.
أَلاLo! أَيُّهاO المالُwealth الَّذيwhich قَدindeed أَبادَهُhe annihilated it
أَلا أَيُّها المالُ الَّذي قَد أَبادَهُ
تَعَزَّtake comfort فَهَذاfor this فِعلُهُhis doing فيamong الكَتائِبِthe battalions
تَعَزَّ فَهَذا فِعلُهُ في الكَتائِبِ
O wealth that he has laid to waste,
O wealth, which he has utterly destroyed by giving alms,
take comfort—this is what he does to battalions.
Take comfort! For he treats his foes exactly as his gold.
لَعَلَّكَperhaps you فيat وَقتٍsome time شَغَلتَdistracted فُؤادَهُhis heart
لَعَلَّكَ في وَقتٍ شَغَلتَ فُؤادَهُ
عَنِfrom الجودِgenerosity أَوor كَثَّرتَyou swelled جَيشَthe army مُحارِبِof an enemy
عَنِ الجودِ أَو كَثَّرتَ جَيشَ مُحارِبِ
Perhaps you once distracted his heart
Perhaps, O wealth, you briefly dared to occupy his heart,
from generosity, or swelled an enemy's army.
Distracting him from charity, or swelling enemy ranks.
حَمَلتُI brought إِلَيهِto him مِنfrom لِسانيmy tongue حَديقَةًa garden
حَمَلتُ إِلَيهِ مِن لِساني حَديقَةً
سَقاهاwatered it الحِجىreason سَقيَas the watering الرِياضَof meadows السَحائِبِby clouds
سَقاها الحِجى سَقيَ الرِياضَ السَحائِبِ
I brought him, from my tongue, a garden
I brought to him a garden woven by my tongue and mind,
which reason watered as clouds water meadows.
Which intellect has watered as the clouds revive the bloom.
فَحُيِّيتَso may you be saluted خَيرَbest اِبنٍson لِخَيرِof the best أَبٍfather بِهاwith it
فَحُيِّيتَ خَيرَ اِبنٍ لِخَيرِ أَبٍ بِها
لِأَشرَفِof the noblest بَيتٍhouse فيamong لُؤَيِّLu'ayy بنِson of غالِبِGhalib
لِأَشرَفِ بَيتٍ في لُؤَيِّ بنِ غالِبِ
So be saluted with it, best son of the best father,
Be greeted by my verse, O noblest son of noblest sire,
of the noblest house in Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib.
The glory of the highest house of Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib.
Gemini 3.5 Flash is a user-supplied attribution. The original record does not identify its model.