أَلأَجرَعٍis it for a sandy tract تَحتَلُّهُinhabits it هِندُHind
أَلأَجرَعٍ تَحتَلُّهُ هِندُ
يَندىgrows dewy النَسيمُthe breeze وَيَأرَجُand gives fragrance الرَندُthe laurel
يَندى النَسيمُ وَيَأرَجُ الرَندُ
Is it for a sandy tract where Hind dwells
that the breeze grows dewy and the laurel fragrant?
وَيَطيبُand grows sweet واديهِits valley بِمَورِدِهاwith her coming to water
وَيَطيبُ واديهِ بِمَورِدِها
حَتّىuntil اِدَّعىclaimed فيin مائِهِits water الوَردُthe rose
حَتّى اِدَّعى في مائِهِ الوَردُ
And its valley grows sweet with her coming to water,
until the rose claims its waters for its own.
نِعمَhow excellent الخَليطُthe companion نَضَحتُI sprinkled جانِحَتيmy breast
نِعمَ الخَليطُ نَضَحتُ جانِحَتي
بِحَديثِهِwith his words لَوif only يَبرُدُwould cool الوَجدُlonging
بِحَديثِهِ لَو يَبرُدُ الوَجدُ
How fine a companion! I have sprinkled my breast
with his words—if only longing would cool.
يُحييكَgreets you مِنfrom فيهِhis mouth بِعاطِرَةٍwith a fragrant utterance
يُحييكَ مِن فيهِ بِعاطِرَةٍ
لَوif فاهَspoke عَنهاon its behalf المِسكُmusk لَمnot يَعدُgo beyond
لَو فاهَ عَنها المِسكُ لَم يَعدُ
He greets you from his mouth with a fragrant utterance:
were musk to speak for it, it could not surpass it.
ياO سَعدُSa'd قَدindeed طابَhas grown sweet الحَديثُthe tale فَزِدso give more
يا سَعدُ قَد طابَ الحَديثُ فَزِد
مِنهُof it أَخاthe companion of نَجواكَyour private conversation ياO سَعدُSa'd
مِنهُ أَخا نَجواكَ يا سَعدُ
O Sa'd, the tale has grown sweet; give more
of it to your confidant, O Sa'd.
فَلَقَدfor indeed تَجَدَّدَwas renewed ليfor me الغَرامُardent love وَإِنand even though
فَلَقَد تَجَدَّدَ لي الغَرامُ وَإِن
بَلِيَhas aged الهَوىpassion وَتَقادَمَand grew distant العَهدُthe old days
بَلِيَ الهَوى وَتَقادَمَ العَهدُ
For ardent love has been renewed in me, though
passion has aged and the old days grown distant.
ذِكرٌa memory يَمُرُّpasses عَلىover الفُؤادِthe heart كَماjust as
ذِكرٌ يَمُرُّ عَلى الفُؤادِ كَما
يوحيsignals إِلَيكَto you بِسِقطِهِwith its falling spark الزَندُthe fire-stick
يوحي إِلَيكَ بِسِقطِهِ الزَندُ
A memory passes over the heart, just as
a fire-stick signals to you with its falling spark.
وَإِذاand when خَلَوتُI am alone بِهاwith her تَمَثَّلَappears ليto me
وَإِذا خَلَوتُ بِها تَمَثَّلَ لي
ذاكَthat الزَمانُtime وَعَيشُهُand its life الرَغدُof ease
ذاكَ الزَمانُ وَعَيشُهُ الرَغدُ
And when I am alone with her, there appears to me
that time and its life of ease.
وَلِقاءُand meeting جيرَتِناour neighbors غَداتَئِذٍthat morning
وَلِقاءُ جيرَتِنا غَداتَئِذٍ
مُتَيَسِّرٌeasy وَمَرامُهُمand reaching them قَصدُclose at hand
مُتَيَسِّرٌ وَمَرامُهُم قَصدُ
And meeting our neighbors that morning
was easy, and they were close at hand;
وَخِيامُهُمand their tents أَيّامَin the days of مَضربِهاtheir pitching
وَخِيامُهُم أَيّامَ مَضربِها
سِقطُSiqt اللِوىal-Liwa وَكَثيبُهُand its dune الفَردُsolitary
سِقطُ اللِوى وَكَثيبُهُ الفَردُ
and their tents, in the days when they were pitched,
stood at Siqt al-Liwa and its solitary dune.
أَعدوI race بِهاacross it طَوراًat times وَرُبَّتَماand often
أَعدو بِها طَوراً وَرُبَّتَما
رُعتُI startled الفَلاthe wastes وَاللَيلُwhile the night مُسوَدُّpitch-black
رُعتُ الفَلا وَاللَيلُ مُسوَدُّ
At times I would race across it, and often
I startled the wastes while night was pitch-black,
لِكَواكِبٍtoward stars هِيَthey فيin تَراكُبِهاtheir clustering
لِكَواكِبٍ هِيَ في تَراكُبِها
حَلَقُrings الدُروعِof armor يَضُمُّهاjoins them السَردُthe interlinking
حَلَقُ الدُروعِ يَضُمُّها السَردُ
toward stars that, clustered together,
are rings of mail held together by their linking:
مِنof كُلِّevery أَروَعَsplendid warrior حَشوُthe contents of مِغفَرِهِhis helmet
مِن كُلِّ أَروَعَ حَشوُ مِغفَرِهِ
وَجهٌa face أَغَرُّradiant وَفاحِمٌand jet-black hair جَعدُcurly
وَجهٌ أَغَرُّ وَفاحِمٌ جَعدُ
each a splendid warrior whose helmet holds
a radiant face and jet-black curls.
ذُكِرَwas mentioned الوَزيرُthe vizier الوَقَّشِيُّal-Waqqashi لَهُمto them
ذُكِرَ الوَزيرُ الوَقَّشِيُّ لَهُم
فَأَثارَهُمso stirred them لِلِقائِهِto meet him الوُدُّaffection
فَأَثارَهُم لِلِقائِهِ الوُدُّ
The vizier al-Waqqashi was mentioned to them,
and affection stirred them to meet him,
مُتَرَقِّبينَeagerly awaiting حُلولَarrival in ساحَتِهِhis courtyard
مُتَرَقِّبينَ حُلولَ ساحَتِهِ
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though لِقاءَهُmeeting him الخُلدُeternal life
حَتّى كَأَنَّ لِقاءَهُ الخُلدُ
eagerly awaiting arrival in his courtyard,
as though meeting him were life everlasting.
قَدindeed رَنَّحَتهُمhas made them sway مِنfrom شَمائِلِهِhis virtues
قَد رَنَّحَتهُم مِن شَمائِلِهِ
ذِكَرٌaccounts كَماas يَتَضَوَّعُwafts fragrance النَدُّblended incense
ذِكَرٌ كَما يَتَضَوَّعُ النَدُّ
Accounts of his virtues have set them swaying,
as blended incense wafts its fragrance.
نِعمَhow excellent الحَديثُthe tale الحُلوُsweet تَملِكُهُpossess it الthe (continued next line)
نِعمَ الحَديثُ الحُلوُ تَملِكُهُ ال
رُكبانُriders حَيثُwherever رَمىcast بِهاthem الوَخدُswift camel-striding
رُكبانُ حَيثُ رَمى بِها الوَخدُ
How fine the sweet tale, borne by the
riders wherever swift camel-strides carry them!
ياO صاحِبَيَّmy two companions أَخُبرُهُis the report of him عَجَبٌa marvel
يا صاحِبَيَّ أَخُبرُهُ عَجَبٌ
لَكُماfor you both عَلىin ظَمَأٍthirst بِهِin it وِردُa watering-place
لَكُما عَلى ظَمَأٍ بِهِ وِردُ
My two companions, is the wondrous tale of him
a watering-place for you both in your thirst?
أَمor ذِكرُهُremembrance of him تَتَعَلَّلانِyou two console yourselves بِهِwith it
أَم ذِكرُهُ تَتَعَلَّلانِ بِهِ
إِذاsince لَيسَthere is not مِنهُfrom it لِذيfor one with فَمٍa mouth بُدُّan escape
إِذا لَيسَ مِنهُ لِذي فَمٍ بُدُّ
Or is it his remembrance with which you console yourselves,
since no one with a mouth can do without it?
شَفَتَيكُماyour lips, both of you فَالنَحلُfor the bees جاثِمَةٌare settled
شَفَتَيكُما فَالنَحلُ جاثِمَةٌ
مِمّاbecause of what يَسيلُflows عَلَيهِماover them both الشَهدُhoney
مِمّا يَسيلُ عَلَيهِما الشَهدُ
Guard your lips: the bees are settling,
because honey flows over them.
رَجُلٌa man إِذاwhen عَرَضَare presented الرِجالُthe men لَهُbefore him
رَجُلٌ إِذا عَرَضَ الرِجالُ لَهُ
كَثُرَis great العَديدُthe number وَأَعوَزَand is lacking النِدُّan equal
كَثُرَ العَديدُ وَأَعوَزَ النِدُّ
A man who, when other men are measured against him,
finds their number great, but an equal lacking.
مِنfrom مَعشَرٍa people نَجَمَarose العَلاءُeminence بِهِمthrough them
مِن مَعشَرٍ نَجَمَ العَلاءُ بِهِم
زَهَراًas bright stars كَماas يَتَناسَقُis harmoniously strung العِقدُa necklace
زَهَراً كَما يَتَناسَقُ العِقدُ
From a people through whom eminence has risen
as bright stars, arrayed like a necklace.
لَبِسواthey donned الوزارَةَthe vizierate مُعلَمينَmarked with distinction بِهاby it
لَبِسوا الوزارَةَ مُعلَمينَ بِها
وَمَعَand with الصَنائِفِornamental borders يَحسُنُlooks fine البُردُthe mantle
وَمَعَ الصَنائِفِ يَحسُنُ البُردُ
They donned the vizierate, distinguished by it—
a mantle looks fine with ornamental borders—
مُستَأنِفينَrenewing قَديمَancient مَجدِهِمُtheir glory
مُستَأنِفينَ قَديمَ مَجدِهِمُ
يَبنيbuilds الحَفيدُthe grandson كَماas بَنىbuilt الجَدُّthe grandfather
يَبني الحَفيدُ كَما بَنى الجَدُّ
renewing their ancient glory:
the grandson builds as the grandfather built.
حُمِدواthey were praised إِلىback to جَدٍّa forefather وَأَعقَبَهُمand followed them
حُمِدوا إِلى جَدٍّ وَأَعقَبَهُم
حَمدٌpraise بِأَحمَدَthrough Ahmad ماnot لَهُit has حَدُّa limit
حَمدٌ بِأَحمَدَ ما لَهُ حَدُّ
They were praised back to their forefather; after them
came praise through Ahmad that knows no bounds.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though فاقَsurpassed الأَنامَhumankind بِهِمthrough them
وَكَأَنَّما فاقَ الأَنامَ بِهِم
نَسَبٌa lineage إِلىto القَمرَينِthe sun and moon يَمتَدُّextends
نَسَبٌ إِلى القَمرَينِ يَمتَدُّ
It is as though, through them, mankind were surpassed
by a lineage extending to the sun and moon.
فَيَرىand so considers وَليدُهُمُtheir infant المَنامَsleep عَلىupon
فَيَرى وَليدُهُمُ المَنامَ عَلى
غَيرِother than المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way أَنَّهُthat it is سُهدُwakefulness
غَيرِ المَجَرَّةِ أَنَّهُ سُهدُ
Their infant considers sleep upon
anything but the Milky Way to be wakefulness.
وَيَرىand he sees الحَياlife-giving rain فيin مُزنِهِits rainclouds فَيَرىand so thinks
وَيَرى الحَيا في مُزنِهِ فَيَرى
أَنَّthat الرَضاعَsuckling لِرِيِّهِto quenching his thirst صَدُّa hindrance
أَنَّ الرَضاعَ لِرِيِّهِ صَدُّ
He sees life-giving rain in its clouds and thinks
that suckling hinders the quenching of his thirst.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though وُلِدواthey were born لِيُكتَفَلواto be fostered
وَكَأَنَّما وُلِدوا لِيُكتَفَلوا
حَيثُwhere السَناradiance وَالسُؤدَدُand nobility العِدُّan unfailing spring
حَيثُ السَنا وَالسُؤدَدُ العِدُّ
As though they were born to be fostered
where radiance and nobility are an unfailing spring.
فَعَلَتso rose كَرائِمُهُمtheir noble qualities بِهِمwith them وَعَلاand rose
فَعَلَت كَرائِمُهُم بِهِم وَعَلا
فَوقَabove السِماكِal-Simak النَهدُupward striving وَالجُهدُand exertion
فَوقَ السِماكِ النَهدُ وَالجُهدُ
Their noble qualities bore them aloft, and there rose
above al-Simak their upward striving and exertion.
سَتَرىyou will see الوَزيرَthe vizier وَمَجدَهُand his glory فَتَرىand so behold
سَتَرى الوَزيرَ وَمَجدَهُ فَتَرى
جَبَلاًa mountain يُلاذُrefuge is sought بِهِin it وَيُعتَدُّand is counted upon
جَبَلاً يُلاذُ بِهِ وَيُعتَدُّ
You will see the vizier and his glory, and behold
a mountain to shelter in and rely upon.
وَتَرىand you see مَآثِرَglorious deeds لاno نَفادَexhaustion لَهاfor them
وَتَرى مَآثِرَ لا نَفادَ لَها
بِالعَدِّby counting حَتّىuntil يَنفَدَis exhausted العَدُّcounting
بِالعَدِّ حَتّى يَنفَدَ العَدُّ
And you will see glorious deeds that cannot be exhausted
by counting, until counting itself is spent.
ضَمِنَguaranteed النَوالُbounty بِأَنthat تَروحَcome at evening إِلَيto
ضَمِنَ النَوالُ بِأَن تَروحَ إِلَي
هِhim (completes preceding word) العيسُthe pale camels مُعلَمَةًmarked with distinction كَماjust as تَغدوthey set out at dawn
هِ العيسُ مُعلَمَةً كَما تَغدو
Bounty has pledged that at evening there will come to
him pale camels, marked with distinction, as at dawn.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَرانيI see myself بِالبِلادِin the lands وَآand (beginning of 'hopes')
وَلَقَد أَراني بِالبِلادِ وَآ
مالُ'hopes' (completion) البِلادِof the lands بِبابِهِat his gate وَفدُa delegation
مالُ البِلادِ بِبابِهِ وَفدُ
Indeed, I see myself out in the lands, while the
hopes of the lands form a delegation at his gate.
وَهِباتُهُand his gifts تَصِفُportray النَدىgenerosity بِيَدٍwith a hand
وَهِباتُهُ تَصِفُ النَدى بِيَدٍ
عَلياءَexalted أَقدَمُthe oldest وَفرِهاits wealth المَجدُglory
عَلياءَ أَقدَمُ وَفرِها المَجدُ
His gifts portray generosity through a hand
held high, whose most ancient wealth is glory.
خَفَقَتflashed بِهاin it فيupon الطِرسِthe parchment بارِقَةٌa lightning-flash
خَفَقَت بِها في الطِرسِ بارِقَةٌ
حَدَقُthe eyes القَناof the spears مِنfrom دونِهاbefore it رُمدُbleary-eyed
حَدَقُ القَنا مِن دونِها رُمدُ
A lightning-flash flickered in it upon the parchment,
before which the eyes of spears are bleary,
مَحمولَةٌborne حَملَas one carries الحُسامِthe sharp sword وَإِنand although
مَحمولَةٌ حَملَ الحُسامِ وَإِن
خَفِيَis hidden النِجادُthe baldric هُناكَthere وَالغِمدُand the scabbard
خَفِيَ النِجادُ هُناكَ وَالغِمدُ
borne like a sharp sword, though
the baldric and scabbard are hidden there.
يَسطوhe strikes بِهاwith it فَأَقولُso I say ياO عَجَباwonder
يَسطو بِها فَأَقولُ يا عَجَبا
ماذاwhat يُريreveals to عَلياءَهُhis eminence الجَدُّgood fortune
ماذا يُري عَلياءَهُ الجَدُّ
He strikes with it, and I exclaim, 'How wondrous!'
What wonders good fortune shows his eminence!
حَتّىeven اليَراعَةُthe reed pen بَينَbetween أَنمُلِهِhis fingertips
حَتّى اليَراعَةُ بَينَ أَنمُلِهِ
ياO قَومُmy people مِمّاof what تَطبَعُforges الهِندُIndia
يا قَومُ مِمّا تَطبَعُ الهِندُ
Even the reed pen between his fingertips,
my people, is of what India forges!
وَكَفىand it is enough بِأَنthat وَسَمَhe marked النَدىgenerosity سِمَةًa mark
وَكَفى بِأَن وَسَمَ النَدى سِمَةً
لَمnot تَمحُهاerased it الأَيّامُthe days مِنfrom بَعدُafterward
لَم تَمحُها الأَيّامُ مِن بَعدُ
It is enough that he has set on bounty a mark
that the days since have not erased,
بِعَوارِفٍthrough favors عَمَرَhe made flourish البِلادَthe lands بِهاwith them
بِعَوارِفٍ عَمَرَ البِلادَ بِها
فَاِخضَرَّso turned green مِنهاfrom them الغَورُthe lowland وَالنَجدُand the upland
فَاِخضَرَّ مِنها الغَورُ وَالنَجدُ
through favors with which he made the lands flourish,
so lowland and upland turned green from them.
وَالأَمرُand the matter أَشهَرُis more evident فيconcerning فَضائِلِهِhis virtues
وَالأَمرُ أَشهَرُ في فَضائِلِهِ
ماnot إِنat all (emphasis) يُلَبِّسُهاobscures them لَكَfor you البُعدُdistance
ما إِن يُلَبِّسُها لَكَ البُعدُ
The truth of his virtues is plain:
distance cannot obscure them for you.
هَيهاتَfar from possible يَذهَبُshould vanish عَنكَfrom you مَوضِعُهُhis standing
هَيهاتَ يَذهَبُ عَنكَ مَوضِعُهُ
هَطَلَpoured الغَمامُthe clouds وَجَلجَلَand rolled الرَعدُthunder
هَطَلَ الغَمامُ وَجَلجَلَ الرَعدُ
Never could his standing escape you:
the clouds poured, and thunder rolled.
أَعرَبتُI made clear عَنconcerning مَكنونِthe hidden سُؤددِهِhis nobility
أَعرَبتُ عَن مَكنونِ سُؤددِهِ
ماas long as تُعجِمُutters wordlessly الوَرقاءُthe gray dove إِذwhen تَشدوshe sings
ما تُعجِمُ الوَرقاءُ إِذ تَشدو
I have made his hidden nobility plain,
for as long as the gray dove sings its wordless song,
سُوَراًchapters مِنَof الأَمداحِpraise مُحكَمَةًfirmly wrought
سُوَراً مِنَ الأَمداحِ مُحكَمَةً
مِنamong آيِهِنَّtheir verses الشُكرُthanksgiving وَالحَمدُand praise
مِن آيِهِنَّ الشُكرُ وَالحَمدُ
in firmly wrought chapters of praise,
whose verses include thanksgiving and acclaim.
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps ماwhat يَخفىremains hidden وَراءَbehind فَميmy mouth
وَلَعَلَّ ما يَخفى وَراءَ فَمي
مِنof وُدِّهِaffection for him أَضعافُmany times ماwhat يَبدوappears
مِن وُدِّهِ أَضعافُ ما يَبدو
Perhaps what stays hidden behind my mouth
of affection for him is many times what appears.
Translation model: Sol 6.1