إسألُونِيask me عَمَّاabout what رَأيتُI saw بِعَينِيwith my eye
إسألُونِي عَمَّا رَأيتُ بِعَينِي
إنif تَشَاؤواyou wish الحَديثَthe account عنabout بَسيُونيBasyuni
إن تَشَاؤوا الحَديثَ عن بَسيُوني
Ask me about what I saw with my own eyes,
Ask me what I saw with my own eyes,
if you wish to hear about Basyuni.
If you wish to hear the tale of my wanderings.
قَدindeed أقَمنَاwe stayed بِمَكَّةٍin Mecca واجتَمَعنَاand we gathered
قَد أقَمنَا بِمَكَّةٍ واجتَمَعنَا
بعدُafterward فِيin مَسجدِthe mosque of النَّبِيِّthe Prophet الأمِينِthe trustworthy
بعدُ فِي مَسجدِ النَّبِيِّ الأمِينِ
We stayed in Mecca and came together
We stayed in Mecca and congregated
later in the mosque of the trustworthy Prophet.
Afterwards, in the mosque of the honest Prophet.
والتَقَينَاand we met بِجَدَّةٍin Jeddah وَرَكِبنَاand we boarded
والتَقَينَا بِجَدَّةٍ وَرَكِبنَا
زمزماًZamzam بعدُafterward فَخرَthe pride of كُلِّall سَفينِships
زمزماً بعدُ فَخرَ كُلِّ سَفينِ
And we met in Jeddah and boarded
We met in Jeddah, then rode
Zamzam afterward, the pride of all ships.
The well of Zamzam, pride of every ship.
وَسَأَحكِيand I shall recount مَاwhat قدalready رَأيتُI saw إلَيكمto you
وَسَأَحكِي مَا قد رَأيتُ إلَيكم
صَدِّقُونيbelieve me فِيin القَولشthe telling (apparent typo) أَوor كَذِّبُونِيcall me a liar
صَدِّقُوني فِي القَولش أَو كَذِّبُونِي
And I shall recount to you what I have seen:
And I will recount to you what I saw,
believe my words, or call me a liar.
Believe me in my words, or call me a liar.
مَاnot تَراهُyou see him بِمَوضِعٍin a place حَلَّhe settled إِلاَّexcept
مَا تَراهُ بِمَوضِعٍ حَلَّ إِلاَّ
وتَرىand you see حَولَهaround him مِئينَhundreds المِئينِhundreds
وتَرى حَولَه مِئينَ المِئينِ
You never see him settled in a place
Wherever he stayed, you would see
without seeing hundreds upon hundreds around him.
Hundreds of thousands around him.
فُوفودso delegations الأعيَانِnotables مِنfrom مِصرَEgypt والشَّاand Syria (first part)
فُوفود الأعيَانِ مِن مِصرَ والشَّا
مِSyria (completion) وهِندٍand India ومَغربٍand the Maghreb والصِّينِand China
مِ وهِندٍ ومَغربٍ والصِّينِ
Delegations of notables from Egypt and Syria,
Delegations of nobles from Egypt, Syria,
and India, the Maghreb, and China,
India, Maghreb and China.
وسِوَاهمand others besides them مِمَّنamong those who أتَوهُcame to him لِيَجنواto reap
وسِوَاهم مِمَّن أتَوهُ لِيَجنوا
منfrom حدِيثٍconversation يُسليconsoles فؤادَthe heart of الحَزينِthe sorrowful
من حدِيثٍ يُسلي فؤادَ الحَزينِ
and others who came to him to glean
And others who came to him, to gain
from talk that consoles a sorrowful heart.
A conversation that comforts the grieving heart.
ثمَّthen مُنتَظِرٌone waiting لِحَفلٍfor a gathering دَنَاdrew near وَقtime (first part)
ثمَّ مُنتَظِرٌ لِحَفلٍ دَنَا وَق
تُهits time (completion) والوَقتُand time ثَمَّthere جِدُّvery ثَمينِprecious
تُه والوَقتُ ثَمَّ جِدُّ ثَمينِ
Then someone awaits a gathering whose time draws near,
Then waiting for a gathering that drew near,
and time there is very precious.
Its time precious indeed.
ذَاكَthat one مُستَمنَحٌseeking a gift بِلُطفٍgently وهذاand that one (first part)
ذَاكَ مُستَمنَحٌ بِلُطفٍ وهذا
كَthat (deictic ending) بعُنفٍharshly كَدائِنِlike a creditor لِمَدينِto a debtor
كَ بعُنفٍ كَدائِنِ لِمَدينِ
That one asks for a gift gently; another
One begging gently, another
harshly, like a creditor with a debtor.
Roughly like a creditor to a debtor.
وسِوَاهُand another besides him كأنَّهُas though he were عَسكَرىٌّa soldier
وسِوَاهُ كأنَّهُ عَسكَرىٌّ
سَائلٌasking عَنabout تَوزِيعِهhis distribution لمؤونِof provisions
سَائلٌ عَن تَوزِيعِه لمؤونِ
And another is like a soldier,
Another like a soldier,
asking about his distribution of provisions.
Asking about distributing provisions.
وَرَسُولٌand a messenger منَfrom المَلِيكِthe king أتَاهُcame to him
وَرَسُولٌ منَ المَلِيكِ أتَاهُ
سَائِلاًasking أَنthat يُجِيبَهُhe answer him فِيat الحِينِthe moment
سَائِلاً أَن يُجِيبَهُ فِي الحِينِ
And a messenger from the king came to him,
A messenger from the king came to him,
asking that he answer him at once.
Asking him to respond immediately.
وَهوَand he مَاin the interval بَينَbetween ذَاthis one وذاكَand that one تَرَاهُyou see him
وَهوَ مَا بَينَ ذَا وذاكَ تَرَاهُ
فِيin ابتِسَامٍa smile وطَلقَةٍand cheerfulness مِنof جَبِينِthe brow
فِي ابتِسَامٍ وطَلقَةٍ مِن جَبِينِ
And between this one and that, you see him
And he, between this and that, you would see him
smiling, with a cheerful brow,
Smiling openly, with a clear brow.
مُرسِلٌuttering تِلوَafter نكتَةٍa joke نُكتةًa joke أُخanother (first part)
مُرسِلٌ تِلوَ نكتَةٍ نُكتةً أُخ
رىanother (completion) مُجيباًanswering عَنabout كُلِّall تلكَthose الشُّؤونِmatters
رى مُجيباً عَن كُلِّ تلكَ الشُّؤونِ
offering one joke after another,
Sending one joke after another, responding to all those affairs,
responding to all those matters.
And he, for one who complained of his condition, consoling,
وَهوَand he مِنfrom مُعوِزٍa needy man لِحَالِهِabout his condition شاكٍcomplaining
وَهوَ مِن مُعوِزٍ لِحَالِهِ شاكٍ
جابِرٌmending صَدعَthe breach of مُعوِزٍa needy man مِسكِينِdestitute
جابِرٌ صَدعَ مُعوِزٍ مِسكِينِ
And for a needy man complaining of his plight,
Comforting the poor and destitute.
he mends the breach for that poor, destitute man.
Satisfying everyone, so that you would not see,
فَيُرضِيso he pleases خَوَاطرَthe hearts of الكُلِّeveryone حَتىuntil
فَيُرضِي خَوَاطرَ الكُلِّ حَتى
لاَnot ترَىyou see غَيرَother than شاكِرٍa thankful person مَمنُونِgrateful
لاَ ترَى غَيرَ شاكِرٍ مَمنُونِ
Thus he pleases everyone's heart, until
Anyone but grateful and obliged.
you see only the thankful and grateful.
And at times he would quietly slip away from them,
وَببَعضِand at some الأحيَانِtimes يَرسُبُsettles مِنهمfrom among them
وَببَعضِ الأحيَانِ يَرسُبُ مِنهم
كمmany a ثَقِيلٍbore كأَنَّهas though he were ريبُthe calamities of المَنونِdeath
كم ثَقِيلٍ كأَنَّه ريبُ المَنونِ
And sometimes there settles among them
As if wanting rest from the heaviness, like the approach of death.
many a bore, like the scourge of death.
But it fills his soul as he reckons,
فِيلىُelephantine الرُّوحِin spirit وهوَwhile he يَحسِبُhe thinks أنَّthat الرُّthe soul (first part)
فِيلىُ الرُّوحِ وهوَ يَحسِبُ أنَّ الرُّ
وحَsoul (completion) منهُof him فِيin خِفَّةِthe lightness of الأُكسِجِينِoxygen
وحَ منهُ فِي خِفَّةِ الأُكسِجِينِ
Elephantine in spirit, though he thinks his soul
That his soul is light as oxygen.
has the lightness of oxygen.
An hour with them cannot avail him,
ليسَnot تُجدِيهِbenefits him مَعهُمُwith them ساعةٌa watch تُخis taken out (first part)
ليسَ تُجدِيهِ مَعهُمُ ساعةٌ تُخ
رَجُtaken out (completion) مِنfrom جَيبِthe pocket of صَدرِهِhis chest كلَّevery حِينِmoment
رَجُ مِن جَيبِ صَدرِهِ كلَّ حِينِ
A watch does him no good with them, though brought out
As it emerges from his chest at every moment.
of his breast pocket again and again.
Perhaps it would rest a little,
ربَّماperhaps رَاحَتit went تَستَرِيحُit rests قَلِيلاًa little
ربَّما رَاحَت تَستَرِيحُ قَلِيلاً
ذَاكthat ظَنِّيmy guess وقدand perhaps تَخيبُprove wrong ظُنُونيmy guesses
ذَاك ظَنِّي وقد تَخيبُ ظُنُوني
Perhaps it has gone to rest a little—
That is my guess, though guesses may be wrong.
that is my guess, and my guesses may be wrong.
And in every gathering he would deliver,
وهوand he فيat كلِّevery مَحفِلٍgathering كانwould يُلقيhe delivers
وهو في كلِّ مَحفِلٍ كان يُلقي
مِنsome خطابٍspeech كَاللُّؤلُؤِlike pearls المَكنُونِkept hidden
مِن خطابٍ كَاللُّؤلُؤِ المَكنُونِ
And at every gathering he would deliver
A speech like hidden pearls.
a speech like hidden pearls,
In eloquence and in the sweetness of diction,
فِيwith بَيانٍeloquence وفيand with عُذُوبةِthe sweetness of لَفظٍexpression
فِي بَيانٍ وفي عُذُوبةِ لَفظٍ
فَتَرىso you see النَّاسَthe people فِيin تَثَنِّيthe swaying of الغُصُونِbranches
فَتَرى النَّاسَ فِي تَثَنِّي الغُصُونِ
with eloquence and sweetness of expression,
You would see people swaying like branches.
so you see the people swaying like branches.
I almost forgot, the car dove
كِدتُI almost أنسىforget بهِbecause of him السيارةُthe car غَاصتsank
كِدتُ أنسى بهِ السيارةُ غَاصت
بينَbetween مستورةٍMasturah وبئرِand Bi'r (well) الحصينِal-Husayn
بينَ مستورةٍ وبئرِ الحصينِ
I almost forgot, because of him: the car sank
Among the dunes and the well of Al-Hussein.
between Masturah and Bi'r al-Husayn,
In mountains of sand, though it dove
فِيin جِبَالٍmountains منَof الرِّمَالِsand وإِنand if غَاit sank (first part)
فِي جِبَالٍ منَ الرِّمَالِ وإِن غَا
صتsank (completion) فَماthen no غَيرُother than راكِبٍa passenger منany (emphatic) معينِhelper
صت فَما غَيرُ راكِبٍ من معينِ
in mountains of sand; and when it sank,
Yet there was no rider but a helper.
no one but a passenger was there to help.
He gathered the pushers, exerting effort,
جَمَعَhe gathered الدَّافعينَthose pushing يَبُذلُhe exerts جُهداًeffort
جَمَعَ الدَّافعينَ يَبُذلُ جُهداً
وشِمالٌand a left hand لمdid not تُغنِهِsuffice him عنin place of يَمينِa right hand
وشِمالٌ لم تُغنِهِ عن يَمينِ
He gathered those pushing, exerting himself,
While the left did not avail over the right.
and his left hand was no substitute for his right.
I almost forgot the visit to Al-Toor when
كِدتُI almost أنسىforget زيَّارةَthe visit to الطُّورِal-Tur لَمَّاwhen
كِدتُ أنسى زيَّارةَ الطُّورِ لَمَّا
زَارَhe visited مِنَّاof us فيin الطورِal-Tur كُلُّevery خَدينِcompanion
زَارَ مِنَّا في الطورِ كُلُّ خَدينِ
I almost forgot the visit at al-Tur, when
He visited us in Al-Toor, every cheek shone.
he visited every companion of ours at al-Tur.
It was truly in Al-Toor, by God it was,
هِىَit حَقًّاtruly فيin الطورِal-Tur واللهِby God كَانتwas
هِىَ حَقًّا في الطورِ واللهِ كَانت
مِنfrom سَجينٍa prisoner زِيارَةٌa visit لِسَجينِto a prisoner
مِن سَجينٍ زِيارَةٌ لِسَجينِ
There at al-Tur, by God, it truly was
Like a prisoner visiting a prisoner.
a prisoner's visit to a prisoner.
From him we were like pearls around a full moon,
مِنهُin relation to him كُنَّاwe were كَهَالَةٍlike a halo حَولَaround بَدرٍa full moon
مِنهُ كُنَّا كَهَالَةٍ حَولَ بَدرٍ
ثُمَّyet هَذاthis التَّشبيهُcomparison لاَnot يَكفِينيis enough for me
ثُمَّ هَذا التَّشبيهُ لاَ يَكفِيني
We were to him like a halo around a full moon,
Yet this comparison does not suffice me.
yet this comparison is not enough for me.
He was to us like a bracelet on the wrist,
كانَhe was منَّاin relation to us كَمِعصَمٍlike a wrist مِنin relation to سِوَارٍa bracelet
كانَ منَّا كَمِعصَمٍ مِن سِوَارٍ
بِهِaround him طُفنَاwe circled طَوَافَthe encirclement of سورٍa wall مَتينِsturdy
بِهِ طُفنَا طَوَافَ سورٍ مَتينِ
He was to us like a wrist to a bracelet;
With which we circumambulated the mighty wall.
we encircled him like a sturdy wall.
What is it to me to say curiously,
أنَاI مَاليwhat have I وَلِلفُضولِand with meddling بِقَولِيby my saying
أنَا مَالي وَلِلفُضولِ بِقَولِي
إنَّthat هذَاthis الفضولَmeddling لاَnot يَعنِينيconcerns me
إنَّ هذَا الفضولَ لاَ يَعنِيني
What have I to do with meddling, when I say
When this curiosity does not concern me?
that this meddling is no concern of mine?
Curiosity is like a sneeze, not intentional,
كَالعُطاسِlike sneezing الفُضُولُmeddling لاno مِنany (emphatic) مَرَدٍّrepelling
كَالعُطاسِ الفُضُولُ لا مِن مَرَدٍّ
لهُfor it إنif جاءَcomes to رَبَّهُits master فاعذِرونيso excuse me
لهُ إن جاءَ رَبَّهُ فاعذِروني
Meddling is like sneezing: there is no repelling it
If it comes excuse me.
if it comes upon its master—so excuse me.
Partial English translation: 59 of 60 Arabic lines translated.