كُفّيCease القِتالَthe fighting وَفُكّيand undo قَيدَthe bonds of أَسراكِyour captives
كُفّي القِتالَ وَفُكّي قَيدَ أَسراكِ
يَكفيكِIt suffices you ماwhat فَعَلَتhave done بِالناسِto people عَيناكِyour two eyes
يَكفيكِ ما فَعَلَت بِالناسِ عَيناكِ
Cease the fighting and undo your captives' bonds.
Cease fighting and free the chains of your captives,
What your eyes have done to people is enough for you.
Suffice what your eyes have done to people.
كَلَّتGrew weary لِحاظُكِyour glances مِمّاfrom what قَدalready فَتَكتِyou have slaughtered بِناamong us
كَلَّت لِحاظُكِ مِمّا قَد فَتَكتِ بِنا
فَمَنThen who تُرىI wonder فيconcerning دَمِthe blood of العُشّاقِlovers أَفتاكِgave you a ruling
فَمَن تُرى في دَمِ العُشّاقِ أَفتاكِ
Your glances have grown weary from the slaughter you have wrought upon us.
Your cheekbones have become lean from annihilating us,
Who, I wonder, gave you leave to shed lovers' blood?
So who do you think is more destructive in shedding the blood of lovers?
كَفاكِEnough for you is ماwhat أَنتِyou بِالعُشّاقِto lovers فاعِلَةٌare doing
كَفاكِ ما أَنتِ بِالعُشّاقِ فاعِلَةٌ
لَوIf أَنصَفَdealt fairly الدَهرُTime فيwith العُشّاقِlovers عَزّاكِwould offer you condolences
لَو أَنصَفَ الدَهرُ في العُشّاقِ عَزّاكِ
Enough of what you are doing to lovers!
You have done enough to lovers,
Had Time dealt fairly with lovers, it would have offered you condolences.
If fate were fair with lovers, it would honor you.
كَمَّلتِYou perfected أَوصافَthe qualities of حُسنٍbeauty غَيرِnot ناقِصَةٍlacking
كَمَّلتِ أَوصافَ حُسنٍ غَيرِ ناقِصَةٍ
لَوIf أَنَّthat حُسنَكِyour beauty مَقرونٌjoined بِحُسناكِto your kindness
لَو أَنَّ حُسنَكِ مَقرونٌ بِحُسناكِ
You would have perfected beauty's qualities, with none lacking,
You have completed the traits of flawless beauty,
if your beauty were joined to your kindness.
If only your beauty were coupled with your compassion.
كَيفَHow اِنثَنَيتِdid you turn إِلىtoward الأَعداءِthe enemies كاشِفَةًrevealing
كَيفَ اِنثَنَيتِ إِلى الأَعداءِ كاشِفَةً
غَوامِضَthe mysteries of السِرِّthe secret لَمّاwhen اِستَنطَقواthey elicited speech from فاكِyour mouth
غَوامِضَ السِرِّ لَمّا اِستَنطَقوا فاكِ
How did you turn to the enemies, revealing
How could you incline towards the enemies revealing
the secret's mysteries when they made your mouth speak?
The secrets when they interrogated you?
كَتَمتُI concealed سِرَّكِyour secret حَتّىuntil قالَspoke فيكِabout you فَميmy mouth
كَتَمتُ سِرَّكِ حَتّى قالَ فيكِ فَمي
شِعراًverse وَلَمand did not يَدرِknow أَنَّthat القَلبَthe heart يَهواكِloves you
شِعراً وَلَم يَدرِ أَنَّ القَلبَ يَهواكِ
I concealed your secret until my mouth spoke of you
I concealed your secret until my mouth
in verse, unaware that my heart loved you.
Said poetry about you without knowing that my heart adores you.
كِدتِYou schemed against المُحِبَّthe lover فَماyet not أَنتِyou بِطالِبَةٍseeking
كِدتِ المُحِبَّ فَما أَنتِ بِطالِبَةٍ
فَناthe death of مُحِبُّكِyour lover مَعalong with إِشماتِmaking others gloat أَعداكِyour enemies
فَنا مُحِبُّكِ مَع إِشماتِ أَعداكِ
You have schemed against the lover, yet you do not seek
You almost killed the lover but you do not seek that,
your lover's death, along with your enemies' gloating.
So despite the gloating of enemies, your lover's death would sadden you.
كافَيتِنيYou requited me بِذُنوبٍfor sins لَستُI do not أَعرِفُهاknow them
كافَيتِني بِذُنوبٍ لَستُ أَعرِفُها
فَسامِحيSo forgive وَاِذكُريand remember مَنone who لَيسَdoes not يَسلاكِforget you
فَسامِحي وَاِذكُري مَن لَيسَ يَسلاكِ
You have requited me for sins of which I know nothing;
You have blamed me for sins I do not recognize.
so forgive, and remember one who does not forget you.
So forgive me and remember one who cannot resist you.
كَلَّفتِنيYou charged me with حَملَcarrying أَثقالٍheavy loads عَجَزتُI proved powerless بِهاunder them
كَلَّفتِني حَملَ أَثقالٍ عَجَزتُ بِها
وَحَبَّذاAnd how welcome ثِقلُهاtheir weight إِنif كانَit had أَرضاكِpleased you
وَحَبَّذا ثِقلُها إِن كانَ أَرضاكِ
You burdened me with loads I lacked the strength to bear;
You tasked me with burdens too heavy to bear,
and welcome is their weight, if it has pleased you.
Yet I wish their heaviness pleased you.
كاfirst part of 'I endured' بَدتُremainder of 'I endured' هَولَthe terror of السُرىnight travel فيthrough البيدِthe deserts مُكتَسِباًearning
كا بَدتُ هَولَ السُرى في البيدِ مُكتَسِباً
مالاًwealth وَماand not كُنتُI was أَبغيseeking المالَwealth لَولاكِbut for you
مالاً وَما كُنتُ أَبغي المالَ لَولاكِ
I braved the terror of night travel through the deserts, earning
How the terrors of journeys appeared to me while seeking
wealth—and I would not have sought wealth but for you.
Wealth when I never desired money except for your sake.
كَلّاNo indeed وَلابِتُّnor did I spend the night أَطويtraversing كُلَّevery مُقفِرَةٍwasteland
كَلّا وَلابِتُّ أَطوي كُلَّ مُقفِرَةٍ
وَمَهمَهٍand trackless desert لَمdid not تَسِرtravel فيهِthrough it مَطاياكِyour mounts
وَمَهمَهٍ لَم تَسِر فيهِ مَطاياكِ
No indeed; nor would I have spent the night crossing every wasteland
No, I will traverse every desolate wilderness,
and trackless desert where your mounts have never traveled.
In which your camels have not tread.
كَأَنَّAs though فيهِin it السَماheaven وَالأَرضَand earth واحِدَةٌone
كَأَنَّ فيهِ السَما وَالأَرضَ واحِدَةٌ
وَنوقُناand our she-camels نُجبُthoroughbreds of نورٍlight تَحتَbeneath أَملاكِangels
وَنوقُنا نُجبُ نورٍ تَحتَ أَملاكِ
As though heaven and earth were one there,
As if the sky and earth are one in it,
and our she-camels were thoroughbreds of light beneath angels.
And our camels are steeds of light under your possession.
كَبَتStumbled مِنَfrom الأَينِweariness فيهِin it ناقَتيmy she-camel فَغَدَتso she began
كَبَت مِنَ الأَينِ فيهِ ناقَتي فَغَدَت
تَشكوcomplaining إِلَيَّto me بِطَرفٍwith a gaze شاخِصٍstaring باكِweeping
تَشكو إِلَيَّ بِطَرفٍ شاخِصٍ باكِ
My she-camel stumbled there from weariness, then began
My camel stumbled over rocks within it and became
to complain to me with a staring, tearful gaze.
Complaining to me with a neck stretched out crying.
كَوماءُHigh-humped تَسحَبُshe drags مِنfrom سُقمٍsickness مَناسِمَهاher footpads
كَوماءُ تَسحَبُ مِن سُقمٍ مَناسِمَها
كَأَنَّAs though أَرجُلَهاher legs شُدَّتwere bound بِأَشراكِwith snares
كَأَنَّ أَرجُلَها شُدَّت بِأَشراكِ
High-humped, she dragged her footpads in her sickness,
Like a pregnant camel dragging its abdomen,
as though her legs were bound in snares.
As if its legs are tied with fetters.
كَفَّتShe stopped عَنِfrom السَيرِtraveling لِلمَرعىfor pasture مُحاوَلَةًseeking
كَفَّت عَنِ السَيرِ لِلمَرعى مُحاوَلَةً
فَقُلتُSo I said سيريgo on إِلىtoward مَرعىthe pasture of النَدىbounty الزاكيflourishing
فَقُلتُ سيري إِلى مَرعى النَدى الزاكي
She stopped traveling, seeking pasture;
It stopped attempting to walk to the pasture,
so I said, "Go on to the pasture of flourishing bounty."
So I said walk to the pasture of fresh dew.
كَرَّتShe turned back وَقالَتand said إِلىto مَنwhom ذاthat فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her
كَرَّت وَقالَت إِلى مَن ذا فَقُلتُ لَها
إِلىTo أَبيAbu الفَتحِal-Fath مَولاناour master وَمَولاكِand your master
إِلى أَبي الفَتحِ مَولانا وَمَولاكِ
She turned back and said, "To whom, then?" So I told her:
It turned and said to whom? So I said:
"To Abu al-Fath, our master and yours:
To Abu Al-Fath, my master and your master.
كَهفُRefuge of الضُيوفِthe guests وَوَهّابُand bestower of الأُلوفِthousands وَجَدand first part of 'severer'
كَهفُ الضُيوفِ وَوَهّابُ الأُلوفِ وَجَد
داعُremainder of 'severer' الأُنوفِnoses وَأَمنُand safety for الخائِفِthe fearful one الشاكيthe complainant
داعُ الأُنوفِ وَأَمنُ الخائِفِ الشاكي
refuge of guests, bestower of thousands, and severer
The cave of guests, giver of thousands, who has
of noses, and safety for the fearful complainant.
An auspicious lineage that restores the soul if you decide
كَريمُNoble of أَصلٍlineage يُعيدُrestores الروحَthe soul مَنظَرُهُthe sight of him
كَريمُ أَصلٍ يُعيدُ الروحَ مَنظَرُهُ
فَلوSo if قَضَيتِyou died بِإِذنِby the leave of اللَهِGod أَحياكِhe would revive you
فَلو قَضَيتِ بِإِذنِ اللَهِ أَحياكِ
Noble in lineage—the sight of him restores the soul;
To meet him, by God’s permission, he will revive you.
so were you to die, he would revive you by God's leave.
I will clothe you in silk brocade robes,
كَساكِHe clothed you مِنfrom سُندِسِfine silk of الإِنعامِbounty أَردِيَةًrobes
كَساكِ مِن سُندِسِ الإِنعامِ أَردِيَةً
حَتّىUntil كَأَنَّas though جِنانَthe gardens of الخُلدِeternity مَأواكِyour home
حَتّى كَأَنَّ جِنانَ الخُلدِ مَأواكِ
He has clothed you in robes of bounty's fine silk,
As if the gardens of eternity are your dwelling.
until it seems the gardens of eternity are your home.
Eat assured and sleep untroubled
كُليEat هَنيئاًwith pleasure وَناميand sleep غَيرَwithout being جازِعَةٍafraid
كُلي هَنيئاً وَنامي غَيرَ جازِعَةٍ
فيIn مَربَعٍa spring meadow فيهِin it مَرعاناour pasture وَمَرعاكِand your pasture
في مَربَعٍ فيهِ مَرعانا وَمَرعاكِ
Eat with pleasure, and sleep without fear,
In a meadow in which we and our camels graze.
in a spring meadow where our pasture and yours lie."
Hope of meeting him would console me
كانَWas الرَجاءُthe hope بِلُقياهُof meeting him يُعَلِّلُنيconsoling me
كانَ الرَجاءُ بِلُقياهُ يُعَلِّلُني
وَحادِثاتُand the calamities of اللَياليthe nights دونَin the way of إِدراكيmy attainment
وَحادِثاتُ اللَيالي دونَ إِدراكي
The hope of meeting him kept consoling me,
While nocturnal tribulations occurred beyond my comprehension.
while the nights' calamities stood in the way of my reaching him.
Thus, O soul, are the seekers of loftiness unattainable,
كَذاThus طِلابُthe pursuit of العُلىhigh honor ياO نَفسُsoul مُمتَنُعٌhard to attain
كَذا طِلابُ العُلى يا نَفسُ مُمتَنُعٌ
فَإِنThen if صَبَرتِyou persevere لَهُfor it نالَتهُwill attain it كَفّاكِyour two hands
فَإِن صَبَرتِ لَهُ نالَتهُ كَفّاكِ
Thus the pursuit of high honor is difficult, O my soul;
But if you endure patiently, you will attain your desire.
yet if you persevere for it, your hands will attain it.
Like the stars of rain except that when
كَواكِبُStars of القَطرِrain إِلّاexcept أَنَّthat راحَتُهُhis palm
كَواكِبُ القَطرِ إِلّا أَنَّ راحَتُهُ
إِنIf أَمسَكَholds back القَطرُthe rain لاdoes not تَعباcare بِإِمساكِabout withholding
إِن أَمسَكَ القَطرُ لا تَعبا بِإِمساكِ
Stars of rain—yet his palm,
The rain holds back, it feels no distress in holding back.
if the rain holds back, pays no heed to withholding.
A palm described the downpour of rain and its downpour
كَفٌّA palm حَكىimitated وابِلَthe downpour of الأَنواءِthe rain-bearing stars وابِلُهاits downpour
كَفٌّ حَكى وابِلَ الأَنواءِ وابِلُها
حَتّىUntil غَداcame to يَحسُدُenvy المَحكِيَّthe imitated original لِلحاكيfor the imitator
حَتّى غَدا يَحسُدُ المَحكِيَّ لِلحاكي
A palm whose downpour imitated that of the rain-bearing stars,
Until the describer envied the narrator.
until the original came to envy its imitator.
How much the whites of his palms made me cry when he laughed,
كَمHow often أَبكَتِmade weep البيضَthe white blades فيin كَفَّيهِhis two hands إِذwhen ضَحِكَتthey laughed
كَم أَبكَتِ البيضَ في كَفَّيهِ إِذ ضَحِكَت
عَيناًan eye وَأَضحَكَand made smile سِنّاًa tooth مالُهُhis wealth الباكيwhich weeps
عَيناً وَأَضحَكَ سِنّاً مالُهُ الباكي
How often the white blades in his hands, as they laughed, brought tears
Making an eye laugh and teeth of its laugher cry.
to an eye, while his weeping wealth made teeth smile!
All people are thankful for what he bestowed on them
كُلُّAll الأَنامِmankind لِماfor what أَولاهُhe bestowed شاكِرَةٌare grateful
كُلُّ الأَنامِ لِما أَولاهُ شاكِرَةٌ
فَماSo there is no لَهُagainst him غَيرُother than بَيتِthe house of المالِwealth مِنany شاكِcomplainant
فَما لَهُ غَيرُ بَيتِ المالِ مِن شاكِ
All mankind is grateful for what he has bestowed,
Yet none but the public treasury complains of him.
so none complains of him but the treasury.
Be however you wish in the safety of God as king,
كُنBe كَيفَas شِئتَyou wish بِأَمنِin the safety of اللَهِGod يامَلِكاًO king
كُن كَيفَ شِئتَ بِأَمنِ اللَهِ يامَلِكاً
أَضحَتHave become عَزائِمُهُhis resolves أَقطابَthe axes of أَفلاكِcelestial spheres
أَضحَت عَزائِمُهُ أَقطابَ أَفلاكِ
Be as you wish, safe in God's keeping, O king
His resolves have become the axis of the celestial spheres.
whose resolves have become the axes of celestial spheres.
We have sufficed from you favor that if described
كَفَيتَناYou have met our needs مِنكَfrom you مَنّاًbounty لَوif وُصِفتَyou were described بِهِby it
كَفَيتَنا مِنكَ مَنّاً لَو وُصِفتَ بِهِ
لَظُنَّwould surely be deemed ذَلِكَthat مِنّاon our part نَوعَa kind of إِشراكِascribing partners to God
لَظُنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنّا نَوعَ إِشراكِ
You have met our needs with such bounty that, were you described by it,
We would think it a form of idolatry.
that would be deemed a kind of ascribing partners to God on our part.
Just so you continue to suffice every embodied being
كَذاكَThus لاnever زِلتَmay you cease تَكفيshielding كُلَّevery ذيpossessor of جَسَدٍa body
كَذاكَ لا زِلتَ تَكفي كُلَّ ذي جَسَدٍ
فَتكَthe deadly assault of الخُطوبِcalamities بِعَزمٍwith resolve مِنكَfrom you فَتّاكِdeath-dealing
فَتكَ الخُطوبِ بِعَزمٍ مِنكَ فَتّاكِ
Thus may you ever shield every living being
And defeat calamities with your decisive annihilation.
from calamities' deadly assaults, with your own death-dealing resolve.
Partial English translation: 57 of 58 Arabic lines translated.