جَرَّدَunsheathed الأفْقُthe horizon صَارِمَthe keen sword of الفَجْرِdawn
جَرَّدَ الأفْقُ صَارِمَ الفَجْرِ
مِنْfrom جَفِيرِthe scabbard of الغَسَقْnight-darkness
مِنْ جَفِيرِ الغَسَقْ
The horizon unsheathed dawn's keen sword
The dawn stripped the horizon of the severity of first light
From the scabbard of darkness;
From the mantle of dusk,
فَتَوَارتْso hid أزَاهرُthe blossoms of الزُّهْرِthe bright stars
فَتَوَارتْ أزَاهرُ الزُّهْرِ
فِيin كِمَامِthe calyxes of الشَّفَقْtwilight
فِي كِمَامِ الشَّفَقْ
So the blossoms of the bright stars hid
And the flowers of delight took cover
In the calyxes of twilight.
In the veil of the gloaming.
نَسَخَerased الصُّبْحُmorning آيَةَthe verse of الدَّجْنِgloom
نَسَخَ الصُّبْحُ آيَةَ الدَّجْنِ
بِنُصُولِwith the blades of الخِضَابْdye
بِنُصُولِ الخِضَابْ
Morning erased the verse of gloom
Morn copied the verse of slumber
With the blades of dye.
With the emergence of kohl,
وَجَلاَand displayed الشَّمْسَthe sun مُبْدِعُthe creator of الحُسْنِbeauty
وَجَلاَ الشَّمْسَ مُبْدِعُ الحُسْنِ
فِيin خِمَارِthe veil of السَّحَابْclouds
فِي خِمَارِ السَّحَابْ
And beauty's creator displayed the sun
And the beauty-creating sun shone
In the veil of clouds.
In the veil of cloud.
وَرَقَىand ascended الطَّيْرُthe birds مِنْبَرِthe pulpit of الغُصْنِthe branch
وَرَقَى الطَّيْرُ مِنْبَرِ الغُصْنِ
وَأجَادَand excelled in الخِطَابْthe address
وَأجَادَ الخِطَابْ
And the birds ascended the branch's pulpit
The birds took the branch's pulpit,
And delivered their address with skill.
And song flowed freely,
وَجَرَىand flowed دَمْعُthe tears of مَقْلَةِthe eye of القَطْرِrain
وَجَرَى دَمْعُ مَقْلَةِ القَطْرِ
لابْتِسَامِat the smile of الأفُقْthe horizon
لابْتِسَامِ الأفُقْ
And tears from the rain's eye flowed
And a tear from the bud's eye
At the horizon's smile;
Smiled at the horizon.
وَالْتَوَىand curled فَوْقَabove وَجْنَةِthe cheek of النَّهْرِthe river
وَالْتَوَى فَوْقَ وَجْنَةِ النَّهْرِ
صُدْغُthe temple-lock of ظِلّthe shadow of الوَرَقْthe leaves
صُدْغُ ظِلّ الوَرَقْ
And over the river's cheek curled
And above the leafy bank of the river
The temple-lock of the leaves' shadow.
Leaned the cheek of the bough's shade.
أطْلَعbrought forth الرَّاحُwine فيin سَمَاءِthe sky of الطَّاسِthe bowl
أطْلَع الرَّاحُ في سَمَاءِ الطَّاسِ
نَيِّرَاتِthe luminaries of الحَبَبْthe bubbles
نَيِّرَاتِ الحَبَبْ
Wine brought forth in the bowl's sky
The zephyr opened in the sky of the grapevine
The luminous stars of bubbles.
Clustered fruits,
وَقَدِand already افْتَرَّparted in a smile مَبْسَمُthe smiling mouth of الكَاسِthe cup
وَقَدِ افْتَرَّ مَبْسَمُ الكَاسِ
عَنْfrom ثَنَايَاthe front teeth of الضَّرَبْwhite honey
عَنْ ثَنَايَا الضَّرَبْ
And the cup's smiling mouth had parted
As the smile of the goblet burst forth
To reveal front teeth of white honey;
From between compressed lips.
وَصَغَتْand inclined أذْنُthe ear of يَانِعِthe flourishing الآسِmyrtle
وَصَغَتْ أذْنُ يَانِعِ الآسِ
لِسَمَاعِto hear الطَّرَبْmusical delight
لِسَمَاعِ الطَّرَبْ
And the ear of the flourishing myrtle inclined
And the ear of gorgeous youth
To hear joyous music.
Harkened to hear music,
وَعَلَىand upon العُودِthe bough هَاتِفُthe calling one القُمْرِيthe turtledove
وَعَلَى العُودِ هَاتِفُ القُمْرِي
بِالْهَوَىof love قَدْindeed نَطَقْspoke
بِالْهَوَى قَدْ نَطَقْ
And on the bough the calling turtledove
While the moon-praising voice on the lute
Had spoken of love;
Spoke of love,
وَتَهَادَتْand swayed gracefully عَرَائِسُthe brides of الزَّهْرِthe blossoms
وَتَهَادَتْ عَرَائِسُ الزَّهْرِ
فِيin حُلِيّthe jewels of النَّسَقْthe ordered array
فِي حُلِيّ النَّسَقْ
And the brides of the blossoms swayed
And the brides of the flowers
In the jewels of their ordered array.
Swayed in the jewelry of order.
رُبَّmany a بَدْرٍfull moon أضَاءَshone فِيin جُنْحِthe dusk of
رُبَّ بَدْرٍ أضَاءَ فِي جُنْحِ
خَدّهhis cheek المُذْهَبْgilded
خَدّه المُذْهَبْ
Many a full moon shone in the dusk of
The full moons shining on their cheeks!
His gilded cheek;
The branches of emo-blossoms
غُصْنُa branch of بَانٍa bān tree أبَانَrevealed عَنْfrom صُبْحِthe dawn of
غُصْنُ بَانٍ أبَانَ عَنْ صُبْحِ
ثَغْرهhis mouth الأشْنَبْfresh, white-toothed
ثَغْره الأشْنَبْ
A bān-tree branch revealed the dawn of
Showing from their rose-tinted lips!
His fresh, white-toothed mouth.
Their suns rising on their spears,
طَلَعَتْrose شَمْسُهُhis sun عَلَىupon رُمْحِa spear
طَلَعَتْ شَمْسُهُ عَلَى رُمْحِ
فَانْجَلَىso cleared الغَيْهَبْthe deep darkness
فَانْجَلَى الغَيْهَبْ
His sun rose upon a spear,
Vanquishing gloom!
So the darkness cleared.
Beauty crowned their red cheeks
كَلَّلَcrowned الحُسْنُbeauty خَدَّهُhis cheek الجَمْرِيember-red
كَلَّلَ الحُسْنُ خَدَّهُ الجَمْرِي
بِلآلِيwith pearls of العَرَقْsweat
بِلآلِي العَرَقْ
Beauty crowned his ember-red cheek
With natural pearls,
With pearls of sweat,
And built up their lids on the bend
وَبَنَىand set جَفْنَهُhis eyelid عَلَىupon الكَسْرِdrooping
وَبَنَى جَفْنَهُ عَلَى الكَسْرِ
لانْتِصَابِfor the erectness of الحَدَقْthe pupils
لانْتِصَابِ الحَدَقْ
And set his eyelid in a languid droop
Of the eyelashes.
For the pupils to stand erect.
O the one with shoulders erect in his prime,
يَاO لَهُfor him شَادِناًa young gazelle ثَنَىbent عِطْفَاa flank
يَا لَهُ شَادِناً ثَنَى عِطْفَا
جَارَwas tyrannical فِيin الإعْتِدَالْperfect poise
جَارَ فِي الإعْتِدَالْ
Ah, what a fawn, bending a flank
Moving with poise!
That tyrannized in its perfect poise!
The charmer in him showed more
أظْهَرَrevealed الدَّلُّcoquetry مِنْهُin him مَاwhat أخْفَىhid
أظْهَرَ الدَّلُّ مِنْهُ مَا أخْفَى
حُسْنُthe beauty of ذَاكَthat الدَّلالْcoyness
حُسْنُ ذَاكَ الدَّلالْ
Coquetry revealed in him what was hidden by
Than what his charm hid.
The beauty of that coyness.
He felled a lion though it roared,
صَالَcharged لَيْثاًas a lion وَقَدْand indeed رَنَاgazed خَشْفَاas a fawn
صَالَ لَيْثاً وَقَدْ رَنَا خَشْفَا
وَتَبَدَّىand appeared هِلاَلْas a crescent moon
وَتَبَدَّى هِلاَلْ
He charged like a lion, yet gazed like a fawn,
And the crescent was shining.
And appeared as a crescent moon.
The full moons rise on his cheeks,
فَبِخَدَّيْهِso in his two cheeks طَالِعْthe rising of البَدْرِthe full moon
فَبِخَدَّيْهِ طَالِعْ البَدْرِ
لَمْnot يَكُنْwas مُخْتَلَقْinvented
لَمْ يَكُنْ مُخْتَلَقْ
So the full moon's rising in his cheeks
This was no pretense;
Was no invention;
And by his eyes the sign of sorcery -
وَبِعَيْنَيْهِand in his two eyes آيَةُthe sign of السِّحْرِmagic
وَبِعَيْنَيْهِ آيَةُ السِّحْرِ
إنَّمَاindeed السِّحْرُmagic حَقْis real
إنَّمَا السِّحْرُ حَقْ
And in his eyes is the sign of magic:
Sorcery here is true.
Magic is indeed real.
I sacrifice soul and being for him
أفْتَدِيهِI ransom him بِالرُّوحِwith my soul والْمَوْجُودِand all I possess
أفْتَدِيهِ بِالرُّوحِ والْمَوْجُودِ
مِنْfrom أعَادِيthe enemies of الوُجُودِexistence
مِنْ أعَادِي الوُجُودِ
I would ransom him with my soul and all I possess
From the enemies of existence.
From the enemies of existence.
He belongs solely to my blissful lord,
إنَّمَاonly هِيit لِمَالِكِيfor my master المسعُودِfortunate
إنَّمَا هِي لِمَالِكِي المسعُودِ
بَدْرِthe full moon of أفْقِthe horizon of السُّعُودْgood fortune
بَدْرِ أفْقِ السُّعُودْ
It is for my fortunate master alone,
Moon of the dawn of fortune,
The full moon of fortune's horizon,
First in merit, goal of desire,
مُبْتَدَاthe origin of الفَضْلِexcellence غَايَةِthe ultimate limit of المَقْصُودِwhat is sought
مُبْتَدَا الفَضْلِ غَايَةِ المَقْصُودِ
رُكْنِthe pillar of حَجّthe pilgrimage of الوُفُودْthe delegations
رُكْنِ حَجّ الوُفُودْ
The origin of excellence, the ultimate object of desire,
Pillar of pilgrim throngs.
The pillar of the delegations' pilgrimage,
Who has the sea surging to give him drink
مَنْhe who يِكَفَّيْهِin his two palms (apparent textual error) زَاخِرُthe swelling البَحْرِsea
مَنْ يِكَفَّيْهِ زَاخِرُ البَحْرِ
بِالنَّوَالwith gifts انْدَفَقْsurged
بِالنَّوَال انْدَفَقْ
He in whose two palms the swelling sea
In cascades released?
Surged with gifts;
By his sublime features the pride
وَبِعَلْيَاهُand through his eminence أوْجُهُthe faces of الفَخْرِglory
وَبِعَلْيَاهُ أوْجُهُ الفَخْرِ
عُوَذَتْwere protected بِالْفَلَقْwith 'The Daybreak'
عُوَذَتْ بِالْفَلَقْ
And through his eminence the faces of glory
Takes refuge in daybreak.
Were protected with 'The Daybreak'.
Unique one of the age, second in glory,
وَاحِدُthe unique one of العَصْرِthe age ثَانِيa second المَجْدِglory
وَاحِدُ العَصْرِ ثَانِي المَجْدِ
ثَالِثْa third beside النَّيِّرَيْنْthe two luminaries
ثَالِثْ النَّيِّرَيْنْ
The age's unique one, a second glory,
Third of the two lights,
A third beside the two luminaries;
Ultimate request, furthest goal,
مُنْتَهَىthe utmost fulfillment of السُّؤْلِdesire غَايَةُthe ultimate end of القَصْدِthe quest
مُنْتَهَى السُّؤْلِ غَايَةُ القَصْدِ
عُمْدَةُthe mainstay of الامْنَيْنْtwofold safety
عُمْدَةُ الامْنَيْنْ
The utmost wish, the ultimate aim,
Base of the two pillars,
The mainstay of twofold safety;
Delight of the eye, place of help,
تُحْفَةُthe treasure of العَيْنِthe eye مَجْمَعُthe gathering place of الرّفْدِbounty
تُحْفَةُ العَيْنِ مَجْمَعُ الرّفْدِ
بَهْجَةُthe joy of المَشْرِقَيْنْthe two easts
بَهْجَةُ المَشْرِقَيْنْ
The eye's treasure, the meeting place of bounty,
Rapture of the two easts,
The joy of the two easts;
Proof of merit, Kaaba of victory,
حُجَّةُthe proof of الفَضْلِexcellence كَعْبَةُthe Kaaba of النَّصْرِvictory
حُجَّةُ الفَضْلِ كَعْبَةُ النَّصْرِ
تَاجُthe crown of هَامِthe heads of الفِرَقْthe companies
تَاجُ هَامِ الفِرَقْ
The proof of excellence, the Kaaba of victory,
Crown of resolution’s protector,
The crown upon the heads of the companies;
Supporter of the kingdom, owner of command,
عَاضِدُthe upholder of المُلْكِsovereignty مَالِكُthe master of الأمْرِcommand
عَاضِدُ المُلْكِ مَالِكُ الأمْرِ
حَازَwon فَضْلَthe honor of السَّبَقْprecedence
حَازَ فَضْلَ السَّبَقْ
The upholder of sovereignty, master of command,
Won precedence deserved.
He won the honor of precedence.
O refuge of the destitute, my succor,
يَاO مَلاَذَrefuge of العُفَاةِthose seeking bounty يَاO غَوْثَايْmy succor
يَا مَلاَذَ العُفَاةِ يَا غَوْثَايْ
يَاO رَجَاhope of مَطْمَعِيmy yearning
يَا رَجَا مَطْمَعِي
O refuge of those seeking bounty, O my succor,
O hope of my wishes,
O hope of my yearning!
My pillar, healing my afflictions
يَاO عِمَادِيmy support وَيَاand O شِفَاcure for بَلْوَايْmy affliction
يَا عِمَادِي وَيَا شِفَا بَلْوَايْ
مِنْfrom جَفَاthe harshness of المَرْبَعِthe dwelling
مِنْ جَفَا المَرْبَعِ
O my support, and O cure for my affliction
From the harsh square house!
From the dwelling's harshness!
Your slave Ibn Khallouf spoke
عَبْدُكَyour servant ابنson of الخلوفal-Khaluf يَاO مَوْلاَيْmy lord
عَبْدُكَ ابن الخلوف يَا مَوْلاَيْ
قَالَsaid فِيin الْمَطْلَعِthe opening verse
قَالَ فِي الْمَطْلَعِ
Your servant Ibn al-Khaluf, O my lord,
At the beginning, saying:
Said in the opening verse:
The dawn stripped the horizon of the severity of first light
جَرَّدَunsheathed الأفْقُthe horizon صَارِمَthe keen sword of الفَجْرِdawn
جَرَّدَ الأفْقُ صَارِمَ الفَجْرِ
مِنْfrom جَفِيرِthe scabbard of الغَسَقْnight-darkness
مِنْ جَفِيرِ الغَسَقْ
The horizon unsheathed dawn's keen sword
From the mantle of dusk.
From the scabbard of darkness;
And the flowers of delight took cover
فَتَوَارَتْso hid أزَاهِرُthe blossoms of الزُّهْرِthe bright stars
فَتَوَارَتْ أزَاهِرُ الزُّهْرِ
فِيin كِمَامِthe calyxes of الشَّفَقْtwilight
فِي كِمَامِ الشَّفَقْ
So the blossoms of the bright stars hid
In the veil of the gloaming.
In the calyxes of twilight.
Partial English translation: 73 of 74 Arabic lines translated.