أَيَطمَعُdoes it aspire أَنto يُساجِلَكَvie with you السَحابُthe cloud
أَيَطمَعُ أَن يُساجِلَكَ السَحابُ
وَهَلand is there فيin الفَرقِthe difference بَينَكُماbetween you two اِرتِيابُdoubt
وَهَل في الفَرقِ بَينَكُما اِرتِيابُ
Does the cloud aspire to vie with you?
Does the cloud aspire to rival you?
Can anyone doubt the difference between you two?
And is there any doubt about the difference between you two?
إِذاif رَوّىwaters الشِعابَthe ravines فَأَنتَthen you تَروىwater الthe
إِذا رَوّى الشِعابَ فَأَنتَ تَروى ال
شُعوبُpeoples بِجودِwith the bounty of كَفِّكَyour hand وَالشِعابُand the ravines
شُعوبُ بِجودِ كَفِّكَ وَالشِعابُ
When it waters the ravines, it is you who water—
If it waters the ravines, you water the
whole peoples through the bounty of your palm, as well as the ravines.
peoples and the ravines with your hand's bounty.
يُقِرُّacknowledge لَكَyou الحَواضِرُthe cities وَالبَواديand the desert lands
يُقِرُّ لَكَ الحَواضِرُ وَالبَوادي
وَيَشكُرُكَand thank you المَحانيthe winding valleys وَالهِضابُand the plateaus
وَيَشكُرُكَ المَحاني وَالهِضابُ
Town and countryside acknowledge your due,
Cities and desert lands acknowledge you,
and valleys and hills offer you thanks.
and winding valleys and plateaus thank you.
وَأَنواءُand the rainstorms of الغِمامِthe clouds تَجودُgive generously غَبّاًintermittently
وَأَنواءُ الغِمامِ تَجودُ غَبّاً
وَجودُكَand your bounty لاnot يَغِبُّskips a day لَهُfor it اِنسِكابُoutpouring
وَجودُكَ لا يَغِبُّ لَهُ اِنسِكابُ
Rain clouds pour only at intervals,
The clouds' rainstorms give only now and then,
but the downpour of your bounty never ceases.
but your bounty's outpouring never skips a day.
وَجارُكَand your neighbor لاnot تُرَوِّعُهُfrighten him اللَياليthe nights
وَجارُكَ لا تُرَوِّعُهُ اللَيالي
وَسَرحُكَand your grazing herd لاnot يَطورُprowl بِهِaround it الذُيابُthe wolves
وَسَرحُكَ لا يَطورُ بِهِ الذُيابُ
Your neighbor is never terrified by the nights,
Your neighbor is not frightened by the nights,
nor do wolves venture upon your grazing herds.
and wolves do not prowl around your grazing herd.
إِذاwhen دُعِيَتis called out نَزالِTo battle! فَأَنتَthen you لَيثُlion of الthe
إِذا دُعِيَت نَزالِ فَأَنتَ لَيثُ ال
شَرىShara وَإِذاand when دَجاdarkens خَطبٌa calamity شِهابُa shooting star
شَرى وَإِذا دَجا خَطبٌ شِهابُ
When challenged to combat, you are the lion of—
When 'To battle!' is called, you are the lion of al-
al-Sharā; when crisis darkens, you are a blazing meteor.
Shara; when calamity darkens, a shooting star.
فَماso not تَنفَكُّcease فيin حَربٍwar وَسِلمٍand peace
فَما تَنفَكُّ في حَربٍ وَسِلمٍ
تَذِلُّbow لِعِزِّbefore the might of سَطوتِكَyour power الرِقابُnecks
تَذِلُّ لِعِزِّ سَطوتِكَ الرِقابُ
Never, in war or peace, do you cease
In war and peace alike, ever
making necks bow before the might of your power.
necks bow before the might of your power.
تُظِلُّكَshade you أَوor تُقِلُّكَcarry you سابِقاتٍswift racers
تُظِلُّكَ أَو تُقِلُّكَ سابِقاتٍ
هَواديhoming ones الطَيرِthe birds وَالجُردُand the sleek steeds العِرابُArabian
هَوادي الطَيرِ وَالجُردُ العِرابُ
Full coats of mail shade you, or you are borne by swift—
Swift racers shade you or carry you—
vanguards, fleet as birds, and sleek, purebred Arabian steeds:
homing birds and sleek Arabian steeds.
فَيَوماًso one day لِلجِيادِfor the steeds مُسَوَّماتٍmarked
فَيَوماً لِلجِيادِ مُسَوَّماتٍ
عَلىupon صَهَواتِهاtheir backs الإُِسدُthe lions الغِضابُthe wrathful
عَلى صَهَواتِها الإُِسدُ الغِضابُ
one day, marked for battle,
One day is for the marked steeds,
with furious lions mounted on their backs;
with wrathful lions upon their backs;
وَيَوماًand one day لِلحَمامِfor the pigeons مُرجَّلاتٍfeather-footed
وَيَوماً لِلحَمامِ مُرجَّلاتٍ
عَلىover وَجهِthe face of السَماءِthe sky لَهاfor them نِقابُa veil
عَلى وَجهِ السَماءِ لَها نِقابُ
another day, loosed toward death,
another day is for the feather-footed pigeons,
their dust a veil across heaven’s face.
their veil spread across the face of the sky.
خِفافٌlight فيin مَراسِلِهاtheir joints شِدادٌstrong
خِفافٌ في مَراسِلِها شِدادٌ
عَلىdespite ضَعفِthe weakness of الرِياحِthe winds بِهاagainst them صِلابُsturdy
عَلى ضَعفِ الرِياحِ بِها صِلابُ
Light when sent coursing, yet hard and strong—
Light in their joints, yet strong,
though winds grow feeble, they remain unyielding.
sturdy, with the winds powerless against them.
لَهاfor them مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَهلِكَةٍdeadly danger نَجاءٌescape
لَها مِن كُلِّ مَهلِكَةٍ نَجاءٌ
وَكُلِّand every تَنوفَةٍwilderness قَذفٍfar-flung إِيابُa return
وَكُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ قَذفٍ إِيابُ
From every deadly danger they find escape,
They escape from every deadly danger,
and from every far-flung wilderness, a way home.
and return from every remote wilderness.
إِذاwhen أَوفَتrise above عَلىover أَرضٍa land طَوَتهاfold it up
إِذا أَوفَت عَلى أَرضٍ طَوَتها
عَواشِرُهاtheir outer flight feathers كَماas يُطوىis folded الكِتابُthe scroll
عَواشِرُها كَما يُطوى الكِتابُ
When they cross a land, they fold it up—
When they rise above a land, it is folded
with their tenfold strides—as a book is folded.
by their outer flight feathers, as a scroll is folded.
كَأَنَّas though جَوائِزَthose crossing الغاياتِthe finish lines مِنهاamong them
كَأَنَّ جَوائِزَ الغاياتِ مِنها
عَلىupon أَكتافِهاtheir shoulders ذَهَبٌgold مُذابُmolten
عَلى أَكتافِها ذَهَبٌ مُذابُ
It is as though the prizes of their races
As though those among them that cross the finish lines
were molten gold upon their shoulders.
bore molten gold upon their shoulders.
تَنالُattain بِجَدِّكَthrough your good fortune الطَلَباتِthe goals sought حَتماًunfailingly
تَنالُ بِجَدِّكَ الطَلَباتِ حَتماً
فَليسَso not يَفوتُهاeludes them مِنهاamong them طِلابُa sought goal
فَليسَ يَفوتُها مِنها طِلابُ
Through your earnest purpose, every quest is surely attained;
By your good fortune they unfailingly reach their goals,
no object of pursuit escapes them.
and none of those sought goals eludes them.
وَتَصدُرُand depart عَنfrom مَراحِلِهاtheir stopping places سِراعاًswiftly
وَتَصدُرُ عَن مَراحِلِها سِراعاً
كَماas يَنقَضُّplunges down لِلرَجمِto strike الشِهابُthe shooting star
كَما يَنقَضُّ لِلرَجمِ الشِهابُ
They return swiftly from their stages,
They speed away from their stopping places,
like a meteor hurtling down to stone the demons.
as a shooting star plunges down to strike.
تَخوضُwade through دِماءَthe blood of أَفئِدَةِthe hearts of الأَعاديthe enemies
تَخوضُ دِماءَ أَفئِدَةِ الأَعادي
فَمِنهُso from it عَلىon مَعاصِمِهاtheir wrists خِضابُdye
فَمِنهُ عَلى مَعاصِمِها خِضابُ
They wade through the blood of enemy hearts,
They wade through the blood of enemies' hearts,
and from it their forelegs take their crimson dye.
so their wrists are stained with its dye.
كَأَنَّكَas though you مُقسِمٌhave sworn فيin كُلِّevery أَمرٍtask
كَأَنَّكَ مُقسِمٌ في كُلِّ أَمرٍ
مَرومٍsought أَنthat يَلينَyield لَكَto you الصِعابُdifficulties
مَرومٍ أَن يَلينَ لَكَ الصِعابُ
It is as though, in every undertaking, you have sworn
It is as though you have sworn, in every task
that whatever you seek must make the difficult yield.
pursued, that difficulties shall yield to you.
يُحَصِنُهاshelter them ذُرىًheights شَمّاءُlofty يَعنوbow
يُحَصِنُها ذُرىً شَمّاءُ يَعنو
لَهاbefore them القُلَلُthe peaks الشَوامِخُthe towering وَالهِضابُand the plateaus
لَها القُلَلُ الشَوامِخُ وَالهِضابُ
Lofty, proud summits fortify it; before them,
Lofty heights shelter them, and before these bow
the towering peaks and hills bow down.
the soaring peaks and plateaus.
سَمَتrose أَبراجُهاtheir towers شَرَفاًin grandeur فَأَمسىso now
سَمَت أَبراجُها شَرَفاً فَأَمسى
إِلىto فَلَكِthe celestial sphere of البُرُجِthe zodiac لَهاfor them اِنتِسابُkinship
إِلى فَلَكِ البُرُجِ لَها اِنتِسابُ
Its towers have risen to such nobility that
Their towers have risen in grandeur, and now
they claim kinship with the sphere of the zodiac.
they have kinship with the sphere of the zodiac.
وَأَجرَيَتand you made flow العَطاءَlargesse بِهاthere فَأَضحىso it became
وَأَجرَيَت العَطاءَ بِها فَأَضحى
لِجودِكَfor your bounty فيin نَواحيهاits quarters عُبابُa swelling flood
لِجودِكَ في نَواحيها عُبابُ
You sent gifts coursing through it, until
And you made largesse flow there, so now
your bounty surged like a sea throughout its quarters.
your bounty billows through its quarters.
فَتَحسُدُهاso envy it النُجومُthe stars عُلاًelevation وِفَخراًand glory
فَتَحسُدُها النُجومُ عُلاً وِفَخراً
وَيَحسُدُand envy كَفَّthe hand of بانيهاits builder السَحابُthe clouds
وَيَحسُدُ كَفَّ بانيها السَحابُ
The stars envy it for loftiness and pride,
The stars envy its height and glory,
and the clouds envy the hand of its builder.
and the clouds envy the hand of its builder.
إِذاwhen نَهَضَtake wing الحَمامُthe pigeons بِهاthere فَدونَthen before
إِذا نَهَضَ الحَمامُ بِها فَدونَ
الغَزالَةِمِنthe sun, from خَوافيهاtheir inner flight feathers حِجابُa veil
الغَزالَةِمِن خَوافيها حِجابُ
When its doves rise, before the—
When the pigeons take wing there, before
sun their dark feathers form a veil.
the sun lies a veil of their inner flight feathers.
سَواجِعُcooing birds يَنتَظِمنَline up مُغَرِّداتٍwarbling
سَواجِعُ يَنتَظِمنَ مُغَرِّداتٍ
حِفافَيهاits two sides كَماas اِنتَظَمَformed ranks السَحابُthe clouds
حِفافَيها كَما اِنتَظَمَ السَحابُ
Cooing birds arrange themselves in singing ranks
Cooing birds line up, warbling,
along its two sides, as clouds draw into ordered bands.
along its two sides, as the clouds are arrayed.
كَأَنَّas though آعاليthe tops of الشُرُفاتِthe battlements مِنهاof it
كَأَنَّ آعالي الشُرُفاتِ مِنها
غُصونُbranches of أَراكَةٍan arak tree خُضرٌgreen رِطابُfresh
غُصونُ أَراكَةٍ خُضرٌ رِطابُ
The highest battlements appear
As though the tops of its battlements
like fresh green boughs you caused to grow.
were fresh green branches of an arak tree.
إِذاif خافَتfear بُغاثُthe weak ones among الطَيرِthe birds يَوماًone day
إِذا خافَت بُغاثُ الطَيرِ يَوماً
كَواسِرَهاtheir predators يِخَوِّفُهاfrightens them العُقابُthe eagle
كَواسِرَها يِخَوِّفُها العُقابُ
If one day the birds within their grove fear
If ever the weaker birds fear
its birds of prey, the eagle circles protectively around them.
their predators, the eagle frightens them.
فِداؤُكَyour ransom كُلُّevery نِكسٍbase weakling لاno عِقابٌpunishment
فِداؤُكَ كُلُّ نِكسٍ لا عِقابٌ
لِمُجتَرِمٍfor a wrongdoer لَديهِin his presence وَلاnor ثَوابُreward
لِمُجتَرِمٍ لَديهِ وَلا ثَوابُ
May every base coward be your ransom—one who has no punishment
May every base weakling be your ransom—one with no punishment
for an offender and no reward for worthy service;
for a wrongdoer in his presence, nor any reward;
قَصيرِshort of الباعِreach لاno جودٌbounty يُرجىَّis hoped for
قَصيرِ الباعِ لا جودٌ يُرجىَّ
بِمَجلِسِهِat his gathering وَلاnor بَأسٌmight يُهابُis feared
بِمَجلِسِهِ وَلا بَأسٌ يُهابُ
a man of stunted reach, from whose assembly
short of reach, with no bounty to be hoped for
no bounty is hoped for and no valor feared.
at his gathering, nor might to be feared.
تُسالِمُyou make peace with مَنone whom يُحارِبُهُwages war on him المَناياdeaths
تُسالِمُ مَن يُحارِبُهُ المَنايا
وَتَرحَمُand you pity مَنone whom يُؤَمِّلُهُfills him with hope السَرابُthe mirage
وَتَرحَمُ مَن يُؤَمِّلُهُ السَرابُ
Death itself makes peace with the man who fights him,
You make peace with one whom death assails,
and even the mirage shows mercy to whoever hopes in him.
and pity one whom a mirage fills with hope.
بَعَثتُI sent إِلَيكَto you آمالاًhopes عِطاشاًthirsty
بَعَثتُ إِلَيكَ آمالاً عِطاشاً
كَماas سيقَتare driven إِلىto الوِردِthe watering place الرِكابُthe riding camels
كَما سيقَت إِلى الوِردِ الرِكابُ
I sent my hopes to you, parched with thirst,
I sent thirsty hopes to you,
as camel trains are driven toward the watering place.
as riding camels are driven to water.
عَدَلتُI turned aside بِهِنَّwith them عَنaway from ثَمَدٍa scant pool أُجاجٍbriny
عَدَلتُ بِهِنَّ عَن ثَمَدٍ أُجاجٍ
إِلىto بَحرٍa sea مَوارِدُهُits watering places عِذابُsweet
إِلى بَحرٍ مَوارِدُهُ عِذابُ
You turned them away from a brackish puddle,
I turned them from a scant, briny pool
toward a sea whose watering places are sweet.
to a sea whose watering places are sweet.
يُطارِحُvies with جودُهُhis bounty شُكريmy gratitude فَمِنّيso from me الthe
يُطارِحُ جودُهُ شُكري فَمِنّي ال
ثَناءُpraise وَمِنand from مَواهِبِهِhis gifts الثَوابُthe reward
ثَناءُ وَمِن مَواهِبِهِ الثَوابُ
Your generosity and my gratitude contend with one another: from me comes—
His bounty vies with my gratitude: from me comes the
the praise, and from your gifts comes the recompense.
praise, and from his gifts comes the reward.
فَتىًa young man أَمسىhas become لَهُfor him الإِحسانُdoing good دَأباًa habit
فَتىً أَمسى لَهُ الإِحسانُ دَأباً
وَماand no ليfor me غيرَother than شُكرِthanking نَداهُhis bounty دابُhabit
وَما لي غيرَ شُكرِ نَداهُ دابُ
A young man for whom beneficence has become a constant habit,
A young man for whom doing good has become a habit,
while I have no habit but thanking his largesse.
and I have no habit but thanks for his bounty.
لَهُhe has سِجلانِtwo brimming buckets مِنof جودٍbounty وَبأسٍand might
لَهُ سِجلانِ مِن جودٍ وَبأسٍ
وَفيand in أَخلاقِهِhis character شُهدٌّhoney وَصابُand bitter sap
وَفي أَخلاقِهِ شُهدٌّ وَصابُ
He possesses two great registers: generosity and valor;
He has two brimming buckets, of bounty and might,
and in his nature are both honey and bitter gall.
and in his nature, honey and bitter sap.
فَذابِلُهُso his slender spear وَوَابِلُهُand his downpour لِحَربٍfor war
فَذابِلُهُ وَوَابِلُهُ لِحَربٍ
وَجَدبٍand drought حينَwhen تَسأَلُهُyou ask him جَوابُan answer
وَجَدبٍ حينَ تَسأَلُهُ جَوابُ
The honey lies in his giving, while his scourge is reserved for war;
His spear and his downpour—for war
and drought itself, when it questions him, receives an answer.
and drought—answer you whenever you ask.
يُريكَhe shows you إِذاwhen اِنتَداsits in assembly لَيثاًa lion وَبَدراًand a full moon
يُريكَ إِذا اِنتَدا لَيثاً وَبَدراً
لَهُfor him مِنfrom دَستِهِhis dais فَلَكَa celestial sphere وَغابُand a thicket
لَهُ مِن دَستِهِ فَلَكَ وَغابُ
When he presides in council, he appears a lion and a full moon;
When he sits in assembly, he shows you a lion and a full moon,
his dais supplies him with both a firmament and a thicket.
his dais serving as his celestial sphere and thicket.
دَعوتُكَI called upon you ياO عِمادَImad (pillar) الدينِal-Din (the faith) لَمّاwhen
دَعوتُكَ يا عِمادَ الدينِ لَمّا
أَضاعَتنيforsook me العَشائِرُthe clans وَالصَحابُand the companions
أَضاعَتني العَشائِرُ وَالصَحابُ
I called upon you, Pillar of the Faith, when
I called upon you, O Imad al-Din, when
my kinsmen and companions had abandoned me,
clans and companions forsook me,
وَأَسلَّمَنيand surrendered me الزَمانُTime إِلىto هُمومٍcares
وَأَسلَّمَني الزَمانُ إِلى هُمومٍ
يَشيبُturns gray لِحَملِfrom bearing أَيسَرِهاthe lightest of them الغُرابُthe raven
يَشيبُ لِحَملِ أَيسَرِها الغُرابُ
and Time had surrendered me to sorrows,
and Time surrendered me to cares
whose lightest burden would turn the raven white.
whose lightest burden would turn a raven gray.
وَأَلجَأَنيand forced me إِلىto اِستِعطافِbeg compassion from جانٍa wrongdoer
وَأَلجَأَني إِلى اِستِعطافِ جانٍ
أُعابِتُهُI reproach him فَيُغريهِso goads him on العِتابُreproach
أُعابِتُهُ فَيُغريهِ العِتابُ
It forced me to seek kindness from an offender
and forced me to beg compassion from a wrongdoer;
whom I reproach, only for reproach to wound me further.
I reproach him, but reproach only goads him on.
صَوابيmy rightness عِندَهُin his eyes خَطَأٌerror فَمَنso who ليfor me
صَوابي عِندَهُ خَطَأٌ فَمَن لي
بِخلٍwith a friend عِندَهُin his eyes خَطايmy error صَوابُrightness
بِخلٍ عِندَهُ خَطاي صَوابُ
What is right in my eyes is wrong in his; so who will grant me
My right is wrong in his eyes; who can find me
a friend in whose eyes even my error may be right?
a friend to whom my wrong is right?
إِلىuntil كَمhow long تَمضغُchew الأَيّامُthe days لَحميmy flesh
إِلى كَم تَمضغُ الأَيّامُ لَحمي
وَيَعرُقُنيand strip me to the bone لَهاbelonging to them ظُفُرٌa claw وَنابُand a fang
وَيَعرُقُني لَها ظُفُرٌ وَنابُ
How long will the days go on gnawing my flesh,
How long will the days chew my flesh,
raking me with claw and fang?
and their claw and fang strip me to the bone?
تُقارِعنيbatter me خُطوبٌcalamities صادِقاتٌreal
تُقارِعني خُطوبٌ صادِقاتٌ
وَتَخدَعُنيand deceive me مَواعيدٌpromises كِذابُfalse
وَتَخدَعُني مَواعيدٌ كِذابُ
Genuine ordeals keep challenging me,
Real calamities batter me,
while lying promises continue to deceive me.
and lying promises deceive me.
فَكَيفَso how رَضيتُdid I accept دارَa home of الهَونِhumiliation داراًas a home
فَكَيفَ رَضيتُ دارَ الهَونِ داراً
وَمِثليwhile one like me لاnot يُرَوِّعُهُfrightens him اِغتِرابُexile
وَمِثلي لا يُرَوِّعُهُ اِغتِرابُ
How could I accept the house of humiliation as my home,
How, then, did I accept a home of humiliation as my home,
when one such as I is not frightened by exile?
when one like me has no fear of exile?
مُقيماًstaying put لاnot تَخُبُّtrot بيwith me المَطاياthe mounts
مُقيماً لا تَخُبُّ بي المَطايا
وَلاnor تَخديstride swiftly بِآماليwith my hopes الرِكابُthe riding camels
وَلا تَخدي بِآمالي الرِكابُ
Here I remain, while no mounts race away with me,
Staying put, while no mounts trot with me,
and no caravans hasten onward with my hopes.
nor riding camels hurry along with my hopes.
كَأَنَّas though الأَرضَthe earth ماnot اِتَسَعَتhad room لِساعٍfor a striver
كَأَنَّ الأَرضَ ما اِتَسَعَت لِساعٍ
مَناكِبُهاits shoulders وَلاnor لِلرِزقِfor sustenance بابُa gate
مَناكِبُها وَلا لِلرِزقِ بابُ
It is as though the earth had no broad shoulders
As though the earth had no space for a striver
for anyone who strives, and livelihood no open gate.
upon its shoulders, nor sustenance any gate.
لَحىmay curse اللَهُGod المَكاسِبَearnings وَالمَساعيand endeavors
لَحى اللَهُ المَكاسِبَ وَالمَساعي
إِذاwhen أَفضىleads إِلىto الضَرَعِhumiliation اِكتِسابُearning
إِذا أَفضى إِلى الضَرَعِ اِكتِسابُ
God curse all earnings and exertions
May God curse earnings and endeavors
if what they earn ends at the udder of dependence.
when earning leads to humiliation.
أَفِقawake ياO دَهرُTime مِنfrom إِدمانِpersisting in ظُلميwronging me
أَفِق يا دَهرُ مِن إِدمانِ ظُلمي
وَإِعناتيand tormenting me فَقَدfor already حَلِمَhas become worm-eaten الإِهابُthe hide
وَإِعناتي فَقَد حَلِمَ الإِهابُ
Awaken, O Time, from your persistent oppression of me
Awake, O Time, from your ceaseless wronging of me
and your torment—for my hide has learned forbearance.
and tormenting me: the hide is already worm-eaten.
مَتىwhenever اِستَطرَقتُI encounter نائِبَةًa calamity فَعِنديthen I have
مَتى اِستَطرَقتُ نائِبَةً فَعِندي
لَهاfor it صَبرٌpatience تَليدٌlong-established وَاِحتِسابُand hope of God's reward
لَها صَبرٌ تَليدٌ وَاِحتِسابُ
Whenever, through you, a calamity comes knocking at my road,
Whenever I encounter a calamity, I have
I meet it with sweet patience and trust in God’s reward.
for it deep-rooted patience and hope of God's reward.
تَنَوَّعَتِhave varied المَصائِبُafflictions وَالرَزاياand calamities
تَنَوَّعَتِ المَصائِبُ وَالرَزايا
وَأَمريand my plight فيamid تَقَلُّبِهاtheir reversals عُجابُastonishing
وَأَمري في تَقَلُّبِها عُجابُ
Disasters and afflictions have assumed every form,
Afflictions and calamities have taken many forms,
and the changes in my fortune are a wonder:
and my plight amid their reversals is astonishing:
بِعادٌdistance وَاِقتِرابٌand nearness وَاِجتِماعٌand reunion
بِعادٌ وَاِقتِرابٌ وَاِجتِماعٌ
وَتَفريقٌand separation وَوَصلٌand union وَاِجتِنابُand avoidance
وَتَفريقٌ وَوَصلٌ وَاِجتِنابُ
distance and nearness, gathering together,
distance, nearness, coming together,
separation, union, and withdrawal.
separation, union, and avoidance.
وَكُلُّand every رَزيَّةٍcalamity مادامso long as عِنديwith me
وَكُلُّ رَزيَّةٍ مادام عِندي
أَبوAbu (father of) نَصرٍNasr (victory) يَهونُis eased بِهاin it المُصابُthe suffering
أَبو نَصرٍ يَهونُ بِها المُصابُ
Yet every loss is made easier to bear so long as
And every calamity, so long as I have
Abu Nasr remains with me to lighten the blow—
Abu Nasr beside me, becomes easier to bear.
فَتىًa young man فيin كَفِّهِhis hand لِلذَبِّto defend عَنّيon my behalf
فَتىً في كَفِّهِ لِلذَبِّ عَنّي
حُسامٌa keen sword لاnot يُفَلُّis blunted لَهُits ذُبابُedge
حُسامٌ لا يُفَلُّ لَهُ ذُبابُ
a young man in whose hand generosity possesses a flowing spring,
A young man whose hand, to defend me, holds
and a sword whose edge can never be blunted;
a keen sword whose edge is never blunted.
خِضَمٌّa mighty sea لاnot تُضَعضِعُهُdeplete it العَطاياgifts
خِضَمٌّ لا تُضَعضِعُهُ العَطايا
وَعَضبٌand a keen blade لاnot يُثَلِّمُهُnotch it الضِرابُblows
وَعَضبٌ لا يُثَلِّمُهُ الضِرابُ
a quarrel that gifts cannot settle,
A mighty sea that gifts cannot deplete,
and a rebuke that sword-blows cannot dent.
and a keen sword that blows cannot notch.
لَهُhe has وَالسُحبُwhile the clouds مُخلِفَةٌbreaking their promise جِفانٌgreat bowls
لَهُ وَالسُحبُ مُخلِفَةٌ جِفانٌ
مُذَعذَعَةٌspread about وَأَفنِيَةٌand courtyards رِحابُspacious
مُذَعذَعَةٌ وَأَفنِيَةٌ رِحابُ
He and the clouds possess gardens of many kinds—
He has, while clouds break their promise, great bowls
darkly luxuriant, with spacious shelters.
spread far and wide, and spacious courtyards.
فَدونَكَso take مُحصِناتٍchaste maidens مِنfrom ثَنائيmy praise
فَدونَكَ مُحصِناتٍ مِن ثَنائي
نَواهِدَbudding-breasted لَمnever تُزَنَّare suspected وَلاnor تُعابُfaulted
نَواهِدَ لَم تُزَنَّ وَلا تُعابُ
So take these eulogies fashioned from my praise,
Take, then, chaste maidens from my praise,
young and full-breasted, neither adorned nor open to reproach.
budding-breasted, never suspected or faulted.
ثَناءٍpraise مِثلِlike أَنفاسِthe breaths of الخُزاميlavender
ثَناءٍ مِثلِ أَنفاسِ الخُزامي
أَرَبَّlingered عَلىover حَواشيهِits margins الرَبابُlow clouds
أَرَبَّ عَلى حَواشيهِ الرَبابُ
My praise is like the breath of lavender,
Praise like the fragrant breaths of lavender,
over whose borders the white rain clouds hover.
with low clouds lingering over its margins.
صَريحٌpure لاnot يُخالِطُهُmingles with it رِياءٌinsincerity
صَريحٌ لا يُخالِطُهُ رِياءٌ
بِمَدحٍthrough praising فيconcerning سِواكَanyone but you وَلاnor اِرتِيابُdoubt
بِمَدحٍ في سِواكَ وَلا اِرتِيابُ
It is sincere, unmixed with hypocrisy;
Pure, with no insincerity mixed into it
in praising any but you, I would indeed be in doubt.
by praise of anyone but you, nor any doubt.
تَزورُكَvisits you فيat المَواسِمِfestivals وَالتَهانيand congratulations
تَزورُكَ في المَواسِمِ وَالتَهاني
بِمَدحِكَwith praise of you غادَةٌa graceful maiden مِنهاfrom it كِعابُbudding-breasted
بِمَدحِكَ غادَةٌ مِنها كِعابُ
It visits you at festivals and times of congratulation,
At festivals and occasions of congratulation, you are visited
as is its custom, bearing a book filled with your praise.
by a graceful, budding-breasted maiden from this praise, lauding you.
