أعَرَفتَhave you recognized? رَسمَthe traces of الدارِthe dwelling أمor لمnot تَعرِفِrecognize
أعَرَفتَ رَسمَ الدارِ أم لم تَعرِفِ
بينَbetween العَقيقِal-Aqiq وبينَand between دارَةِDarat (circular tract) رَفْرَفِRafraf
بينَ العَقيقِ وبينَ دارَةِ رَفْرَفِ
Have you recognized the dwelling's traces, or have you not?
Did you recognize the abode between Aqiq and Darat Raf Raf
Between al-Aqiq and Darat Rafraf.
An abode we knew as pastureland for deer
دارٌa dwelling عَهِدناهاwe once knew it مَراتعَgrazing grounds للظِّباfor gazelles
دارٌ عَهِدناها مَراتعَ للظِّبا
فغَدَتْthen it became مَسارحَroaming grounds للضواريfor beasts of prey الخُطَّفِthe swift-snatching ones
فغَدَتْ مَسارحَ للضواري الخُطَّفِ
A dwelling we once knew as grazing grounds for gazelles,
Now it became theaters for eloping lovers
Now turned to roaming grounds for beasts that snatch their prey.
Its panels were scratched by winds so
خَطَّتْinscribed صَفائِحَهاits pages الرِّياحُthe winds فنَقَّطتthen dotted
خَطَّتْ صَفائِحَها الرِّياحُ فنَقَّطت
أيديthe hands of السَحائبِthe clouds غُفْلَundotted تلكَthose الأحرُفِthe letters
أيدي السَحائبِ غُفْلَ تلكَ الأحرُفِ
The winds inscribed its pages; then dots were set
Hands of clouds negligently dripped on its letters
By the clouds' hands upon those undotted letters.
You see its patterns looming around its lines
فترَىso you see الرُسومَthe traces تَلوحُgleam حولَaround خُطوطِهاits lines
فترَى الرُسومَ تَلوحُ حولَ خُطوطِها
مِثلَlike الجَداولِthe ruled borders حولَaround خَطِّthe script of المُصحَفِthe Qur'an volume
مِثلَ الجَداولِ حولَ خَطِّ المُصحَفِ
Thus you see the traces gleaming around its lines,
Like streams around verses of the Holy Book
Like ruled borders around the script of a Qur'an.
And I stood at the dwellings and paused
ولقدand indeed وَقَفتُI stood علىat المَنازلِthe dwellings وَقفةًa halt
ولقد وَقَفتُ على المَنازلِ وَقفةً
نَصَبَتْset up لِعَينيbefore my eye هَوَلَthe terror of يومِthe day of المَوقِفِthe final gathering
نَصَبَتْ لِعَيني هَوَلَ يومِ المَوقِفِ
And indeed I halted at the dwellings—a halt
As if facing the horrors of Judgment Day
That set before my eye the terror of Judgment Day.
I called upon it like a beseecher
نادَيتُهاI called to them كالمُستجيرِlike one seeking refuge وإنَّماbut in truth
نادَيتُها كالمُستجيرِ وإنَّما
ماذاwhat يفُيدُbenefits نِداءُa call to قاعٍa plain صَفصَفِflat and bare
ماذا يفُيدُ نِداءُ قاعٍ صَفصَفِ
I called to them like one seeking refuge; but
But what use is calling an empty ruin
What good is calling to a bare, level plain?
O people who endured, did the confidant's heart weigh on you
ياO أيُّهاyou الرَّكبُthe caravan riders الذينَwho تَحَمَّلواhave departed
يا أيُّها الرَّكبُ الذينَ تَحَمَّلوا
هلquestion marker كانَwas يُثقِلُكمweigh you down فُؤادُthe heart of المُدنَفِthe lovesick one
هل كانَ يُثقِلُكم فُؤادُ المُدنَفِ
O caravan riders who have departed,
He followed the caravan but couldn't catch up
Would the lovesick man's heart have weighed you down?
And longed to turn back but found no exit
تَبِعَit followed الرِّكابَthe mounts فماbut not استَطاعَwas able لحاقَهاcatching up with them
تَبِعَ الرِّكابَ فما استَطاعَ لحاقَها
وبَغَىand sought الرُّجوعَto return فلمbut did not يجِدْfind منْany مَصْرِفِway back
وبَغَى الرُّجوعَ فلم يجِدْ منْ مَصْرِفِ
It followed the mounts, but could not catch them,
The abodes are empty, expecting no hospitality
And sought to return, but found no way back.
Nor a son of generosity to the guest
خَلَتِbecame deserted الدِّيارُthe dwellings فلاso no كَرامةَhospitality عِندَهاin them
خَلَتِ الدِّيارُ فلا كَرامةَ عِندَها
تُرجَىis hoped for ولاnor ابنُa son of كَرَامةٍKaramah (honor) للمُعتَفيfor the seeker of bounty
تُرجَى ولا ابنُ كَرَامةٍ للمُعتَفي
The dwellings are deserted; no hospitality there
Alas, the son of generosity has settled
Can be hoped for, nor Karamah's son for the seeker of bounty.
In the abode of the Caliphate, in the noblest place
هَيهاتِfar away! إنَّindeed ابنَthe son of الكَرامةِal-Karamah (honor) حَلَّsettled فيin
هَيهاتِ إنَّ ابنَ الكَرامةِ حَلَّ في
دارِthe seat of الخِلافةِthe caliphate بالمَقامِin the station الأشرَفِthe most exalted
دارِ الخِلافةِ بالمَقامِ الأشرَفِ
Far away indeed! Karamah's son has settled in
Glory to the Lord of the Glorious Throne, for in
The seat of the caliphate, in the most exalted station.
Ibrahim's being appeared Yusuf's image
سُبحانَglory be to ذيthe possessor of العَرشِthe Throne المَجيدِthe glorious فقدfor indeed بَدَتْhas appeared
سُبحانَ ذي العَرشِ المَجيدِ فقد بَدَتْ
فيin شَخصِthe person of إبراهيمَIbrahim صورةُthe likeness of يُوسُفِYusuf
في شَخصِ إبراهيمَ صورةُ يُوسُفِ
Glory to the Lord of the glorious Throne! For there has appeared
With the fire of his separation, my heart prayed and found
In Ibrahim's person the likeness of Yusuf.
No coolness or peace there to extinguish
أَصلَىhe scorched بنارِwith the fire of فِراقِهِparting from him قلبيmy heart ولاand no
أَصلَى بنارِ فِراقِهِ قلبي ولا
بَرْدٌcoolness هُناكَthere ولاnor سَلامَpeace فتَنطفِيso it may die out
بَرْدٌ هُناكَ ولا سَلامَ فتَنطفِي
He scorched my heart with the fire of parting from him; and no
That generous man, son of the generous whose
Coolness is there, nor peace, to put it out.
Famed mention and gentle subtly
ذاكthat الكريمُthe generous one ابنُson of الكِرامِthe generous ones ومَنْand one who لهُto him الذْthe… (word continues)
ذاك الكريمُ ابنُ الكِرامِ ومَنْ لهُ الذْ
ذِكرُrenown الشَهيرُthe well-known ومنْand one who لهُto him اللُطفُkindness الخَفِيthe hidden
ذِكرُ الشَهيرُ ومنْ لهُ اللُطفُ الخَفِي
That generous man, son of the generous, whose
Inherited generosity from his father and grandfather
Name is renowned, and whose kindness is discreet.
Yet he does not suffice with preserving it
وَرِثَhe inherited الكَرامةَnobility عنfrom أبيهِhis father وجَدِّهِand his grandfather
وَرِثَ الكَرامةَ عن أبيهِ وجَدِّهِ
لكنَّهُbut he بتَليدِهاwith its ancestral legacy لاnot يكتفِيis content
لكنَّهُ بتَليدِها لا يكتفِي
He inherited nobility from his father and grandfather,
The Turks and Arabs alike testified to his merit
Yet he is not content with its ancestral legacy.
With no pretense or affectation
شهدَتْtestified لهfor him الأتراكُthe Turks بالفضلِto merit الذيwhich
شهدَتْ له الأتراكُ بالفضلِ الذي
شهدَتْtestified بهto it الأعرابُthe Bedouin Arabs دونwithout تكلُّفِaffectation
شهدَتْ به الأعرابُ دون تكلُّفِ
The Turks have testified to his merit, which
He attained what he deserved, and even beyond
The Bedouin Arabs have attested without affectation.
So look to either and judge with fairness
قدindeed نالَhas attained ماthat which هُوَhe أهلُworthy of ماthat which هُوَit فَوقَهُabove it
قد نالَ ما هُوَ أهلُ ما هُوَ فَوقَهُ
فانظُرْso consider لأيِّهِماfor which of the two الهَناءُcongratulations وأنصِفِand judge fairly
فانظُرْ لأيِّهِما الهَناءُ وأنصِفِ
He has attained a rank, though he is worthy of one higher;
A sign befitting him, so excellent is the Chosen One
So see which of the two merits congratulations, and judge fairly.
Who was favored with it, so excellent the Choosing One
سِمَةٌa distinction تليقُis fitting بهِfor him فنِعمَso excellent is المُصطَفىthe chosen one
سِمَةٌ تليقُ بهِ فنِعمَ المُصطَفى
منَّbestowed a favor الكريمُthe generous one بهاwith it فنِعمَso excellent is المُصطَفِيthe chooser
منَّ الكريمُ بها فنِعمَ المُصطَفِي
A distinction befitting him—how excellent the chosen one!
Oh traveler, if only his abodes
The generous one bestowed it—how excellent the chooser!
Could journey to him without stopping
ياO راحلاًdeparting one لوif تَستطِيعُcould دِيارُهُhis dwellings
يا راحلاً لو تَستطِيعُ دِيارُهُ
رَحَلَتْwould journey إليهِto him بحيثُso that لمdid not تَتَوقَّفِstop
رَحَلَتْ إليهِ بحيثُ لم تَتَوقَّفِ
O departed one! If his dwellings could,
If you turned your face away from us
They would journey to him without ever stopping.
Your memory with us has not turned
إنif كُنتَyou were أنتَyou yourself صَرَفْتَyou turned وَجهَكَyour face نائياًgoing far away
إن كُنتَ أنتَ صَرَفْتَ وَجهَكَ نائياً
عَنّاfrom us فذِكرُكَthen your memory عِندَناamong us لمhas not يُصرفِbeen turned aside
عَنّا فذِكرُكَ عِندَنا لم يُصرفِ
If you yourself have turned your face, withdrawing
From me to you, a message in whose wrapping
From us, your memory among us has not been turned aside.
Is the longing of the confidant and the loyalty of the sincere friend
منّيfrom me إليكto you رِسالةٌa letter فيin طَيِّهاits folds
منّي إليك رِسالةٌ في طَيِّها
شَوقُthe longing of الشَّجِيthe sorrowful one وتَحيَّةُand the greeting of الخِلِّthe close friend الوَفِيthe faithful
شَوقُ الشَّجِي وتَحيَّةُ الخِلِّ الوَفِي
From me to you comes a letter; in its folds are
I loaded it like a ship within a ship
The sorrowful one's longing and the faithful friend's greeting.
On a sea, to a delightful sweet-watered sea
أشحَنتُهاI loaded it كالفلكِlike the celestial sphere فيin فُلكٍa ship علىupon
أشحَنتُها كالفلكِ في فُلكٍ على
بحرٍa sea إلىto بحرٍa sea لذيذِsweet المَرشَفِthe draught
بحرٍ إلى بحرٍ لذيذِ المَرشَفِ
I freighted it, like the firmament, in a ship upon
It knew the heart has set out to you
A sea, toward a sea whose draught is sweet.
So it hastened after it like a pursuer
عَلِمَتْit knew بأنَّthat القلبَthe heart نحوَكَtoward you قدalready مَضَىhad gone
عَلِمَتْ بأنَّ القلبَ نحوَكَ قد مَضَى
فسعَتْso it hastened علىalong آثارِهِits tracks كالمُقتَفِيlike a tracker
فسعَتْ على آثارِهِ كالمُقتَفِي
It knew that the heart had already gone toward you,
So it hastened along its tracks like a tracker.
Partial English translation: 42 of 44 Arabic lines translated.