أكذاis it thus? يكونis مجاورa neighbor of الغزلانِthe gazelles
أكذا يكون مجاور الغزلانِ
عينٌan eye مسهدةٌsleepless ودمعٌand tears قانيblood-red
عينٌ مسهدةٌ ودمعٌ قاني
Is this how one who dwells beside gazelles fares?
Thus is a neighbor of gazelles
A sleepless eye, and blood-red tears.
An eye asleep and a crying tear
وكذاand thus يكونis نزيلa guest of أربابmasters of البهاbeauty
وكذا يكون نزيل أرباب البها
حيalive الصبابةpassionate longing ميتdead السلوانforgetfulness
حي الصبابة ميت السلوان
And thus fares a guest of beauty's masters:
And so is an inhabitant of the abodes of delight
Alive with longing, dead to forgetting.
Alive in youth but dead in siesta
إنif شئتyou wish تسلمto be safe لاdo not تحلَّsettle بحلةٍin a camp
إن شئت تسلم لا تحلَّ بحلةٍ
آرامهاits gazelles وليوثهاand its lions صنوانtwins
آرامها وليوثها صنوان
If you wish to remain safe, do not settle in a camp
If you wish safety do not adorn with an adornment
whose gazelles and lions are twins.
Whose tranquility and lions are idols
واطردand drive ركابكyour mounts عنaway from خيامthe tents of نواعمtender ones الthe
واطرد ركابك عن خيام نواعم ال
أبدانbodies تدركyou attain رحمةthe mercy of الرحمنthe All-Merciful
أبدان تدرك رحمة الرحمن
And drive your mounts away from the tents of those with tender
And drive away your riding camels from tents
bodies, and attain the mercy of the All-Merciful.
Of soft bodies who attain God's mercy
إنindeed القلوبthe hearts القاسياتhard جميعهاall of them
إن القلوب القاسيات جميعها
مخلوقةٌcreated لنواعمfor tender ones الأبدانthe bodies
مخلوقةٌ لنواعم الأبدان
Indeed, all hard hearts
Verily the harsh hearts altogether
are made for those with tender bodies.
Are created for the soft bodies
منwhoever لاdoes not يصدقbelieve أنthat بيin me ظمأَthe thirst of القطاthe sandgrouse
من لا يصدق أن بي ظمأَ القطا
فيin الصيفsummer ينزلlet him lodge فيamong بنيBanu (sons of) الريانal-Rayyan
في الصيف ينزل في بني الريان
Whoever doubts that I have the sandgrouse's thirst
Who does not believe that thirst overwhelms me
in summer, let him lodge among Banu al-Rayyan.
In summer descends among the sons of Rayyan
فحسانfor the beauties of ذاكthat الحيthe clan يمنعنwithhold اللمىdusky lip-color
فحسان ذاك الحي يمنعن اللمى
ويجدنand are generous بالياقوتwith rubies والمرجانand coral
ويجدن بالياقوت والمرجان
For the beauties of that clan withhold their dusky lips,
So beauty of that alive who prevents me the torment
yet lavish rubies and coral.
And finds in ruby and coral
فيهنamong them منone who لوif طوحتshe cast aside بلثامهاher veil
فيهن من لو طوحت بلثامها
لنأىwould recede الدجىthe darkness وتثلثand would become three القمرانthe sun and moon
لنأى الدجى وتثلث القمران
Among them is one who, if she tossed aside her veil,
In them one whom if her mouth cover is removed
would make darkness flee and sun and moon number three.
Darkness will be avoided and the two moons eclipsed
بدويةa Bedouin woman عشاقهاher lovers الثقلانhumankind and jinn
بدوية عشاقها الثقلان
فيin فرعهاher tresses وجبينهاand her forehead المَلَوانnight and day
في فرعها وجبينها المَلَوان
A Bedouin woman, whose lovers are humankind and jinn;
Bedouin lovers heavy in their branches
in her tresses and forehead dwell night and day.
And foreheads decorated
يقصيكkeeps you away منذرُMundhir (warner) لحظهاher glance الفتاكdeadly عنfrom
يقصيك منذرُ لحظها الفتاك عن
ماءwater السماthe sky منfrom ثغرهاher mouth النعمانيNu'man-red (anemone-red)
ماء السما من ثغرها النعماني
The Mundhir of her deadly glance keeps you away from
Munzir looks keeps you away
the sky-water from her Nu'man-red mouth.
From the water of the sky from her sweet mouth
لوif حلsettled قيصرCaesar تحتbeneath رايةthe banner of خدهاher cheek
لو حل قيصر تحت راية خدها
ماwould not عابfault كسرىChosroes عابدworshipper of النيرانfire
ما عاب كسرى عابد النيران
If Caesar settled beneath her cheek's banner,
If Ceasar camps under her cheek's flag
he would not fault Chosroes, the worshipper of fire.
Kisra worships fire no longer incapacitated
منwho ليfor me بنغبةwith a sip طائرٍa bird منfrom ريقهاher saliva
من لي بنغبة طائرٍ من ريقها
يفنىis extinguished بهاby it حرقيmy burning anguish الذيwhich أفنانيconsumed me
يفنى بها حرقي الذي أفناني
Who will give me a bird's sip of her saliva,
Who will I get a fragrant bird from her saliva
to end the burning that has consumed me?
To destroy my burning that distressed me
ومنand who الذيthe one who يعطاهis given it منby عربيةٍan Arab woman
ومن الذي يعطاه من عربيةٍ
لاdoes not تنثنيdepart عنfrom عادةthe custom of العربانthe Bedouins
لا تنثني عن عادة العربان
And who could receive it from an Arab woman
And who will give him from an eloquent Arab woman
who never departs from the Bedouins' custom?
Who does not deviate from the ways of Arabs
تدعوshe invites الفتىthe young man لجفانهاto her bowls وتذودهand drives him away
تدعو الفتى لجفانها وتذوده
عنfrom ريقهاher saliva بصوارمwith the keen swords of الأجفانthe eyelids
عن ريقها بصوارم الأجفان
She invites a youth to her bowls, yet drives him
She invites the youth to her eyelids and wards him off
from her saliva with the keen swords of her eyelids.
From her saliva with the swords of her eyelashes
ماwhat حيلتيmy recourse وأسنتيand my spearheads وصوارميand my swords
ما حيلتي وأسنتي وصوارمي
ماhave not دافعتdefended عنيon my behalf عيونthe eyes of غوانيbeautiful women
ما دافعت عني عيون غواني
What can I do, when my spearheads and swords
My tricks, my tongues, my swords
have not shielded me from beautiful women's eyes?
Did not defend me from the eyes of temptation
ونبالand the arrows of قوسيmy bow لاdo not تصدrepel أساوراًserpents
ونبال قوسي لا تصد أساوراً
لسعتstung بهاwith them كبديmy liver شعورthe tresses of حسانbeautiful women
لسعت بها كبدي شعور حسان
And my bow's arrows cannot repel the serpents
And arrows of my bow do not block bracelets
with which beauties' tresses have stung my liver.
That wounded my liver, feelings of beauty
أتخالdoes she suppose? ذاتshe who has الخالthe beauty mark أنthat معاطفthe swaying forms of الthe
أتخال ذات الخال أن معاطف ال
فتياتmaidens دونinferior to ذوابلthe slender spears of الفتيانthe young men
فتيات دون ذوابل الفتيان
Does the mole-adorned beauty think that the swaying forms of
Do you think she of the birthmark that clothes
maidens are inferior to young men's slender spears,
Of girls are below waist-wrappers of youths
وصوارمand the keen swords of القومthe men الصحاةthe wakeful أضرmore harmful منthan
وصوارم القوم الصحاة أضر من
أضرارthe harm of صارمthe keen sword of لحظهاher glance الوسنانdrowsy
أضرار صارم لحظها الوسنان
and the keen swords of wakeful men more harmful than
And swords of valiant men more harmful
the harm from the keen sword of her drowsy glance?
Than harm of the sword of her tempting glance
لاlet not تطلبseek العشاقthe lovers ثارvengeance for محبهاher lover
لا تطلب العشاق ثار محبها
منfrom ربa wielder of سيفٍa sword قاتليmy killer سيفانtwo swords
من رب سيفٍ قاتلي سيفان
Let lovers not seek vengeance for her lover
Lovers do not seek vengeance for her love
from a swordsman: two swords have killed me.
From the Lord of a killing sword, two swords
كلٌeach لهit has جفنانtwo eyelids فوقهماabove them both معاًtogether
كلٌ له جفنان فوقهما معاً
قوسانtwo bows حظيmy share منهماfrom them both سهمانtwo arrows
قوسان حظي منهما سهمان
Each has two eyelids, and above them both together
Each has two eyelids above which
two bows; my share from them is two arrows.
Two bows, my luck from them two arrows
لمdid not ألقI find أقتلdeadlier منهماthan them both إلّاexcept نوىparting from ابson (beginning)
لم ألق أقتل منهما إلّا نوى اب
ن(completes 'son') القطبthe spiritual Pole عبدAbd (servant of) القادرal-Qadir (the All-Powerful) الكيلانيal-Kilani
ن القطب عبد القادر الكيلاني
I have found nothing deadlier than those two, save parting from the son
I have not met more deadly than them
of the spiritual Pole, Abd al-Qadir al-Kilani.
Except the son of the Qutb Abdul Qadir al-Kaylani
بازfalcon of الإلهGod الأشهبthe gray المتناولwho gathers الthe
باز الإله الأشهب المتناول ال
حمدpraise المطيبperfumed منfrom ربىthe highlands of الأذهانthe minds
حمد المطيب من ربى الأذهان
God's gray falcon, who gathers the
The Godly flying gripper, praiser of
perfumed praise from the highlands of minds,
Excellent Muhammad who cultivated minds
بسماحةٍwith generosity معنيةٍlike Ma'n's وبلاغةٍand eloquence
بسماحةٍ معنيةٍ وبلاغةٍ
قسيةٍlike Quss's وبمنطقand with speech حسانيlike Hassan's
قسيةٍ وبمنطق حساني
with generosity like Ma'n's, and eloquence
With merciful eloquence, harsh rhetoric
like Quss's, and speech like Hassan's.
And excellent logic
قمرٌa moon سماsurpassed الأقمارthe moons برّأَfreed ذاتهhis being الرthe All- (continued)
قمرٌ سما الأقمار برّأَ ذاته الر
رحمنMerciful (completing the name) منfrom كلفdark spots ومنand from نقصانimperfection
رحمن من كلف ومن نقصان
A moon above the moons, whose being the All-
A moon the moons asked about his essence
Merciful has freed from dark spots and imperfection.
The Merciful pardoned him of burden and negligence
عمhe filled الوجودexistence بجودهwith his bounty فتخوفتso feared
عم الوجود بجوده فتخوفت
منهfrom him الوفودthe delegations غوائلthe ravages of الطوفانthe flood
منه الوفود غوائل الطوفان
His bounty filled existence, so fearful were
He benefited existence with his generosity so
the delegations of the ravages of a flood from him.
Delegations feared him floods of calamity
ورستand anchored علىat أعتابهhis thresholds سفنthe ships of الرجاhope
ورست على أعتابه سفن الرجا
فنجتso escaped بهاat them منfrom آفةthe scourge of الحرمانdeprivation
فنجت بها من آفة الحرمان
The ships of hope anchored at his thresholds,
And ships of hope landed
and there escaped the scourge of deprivation.
On his doorsteps, saved from deprivation
قالواthey said امتدحpraise سبطthe descendant of الرسولthe Messenger محمدٍMuhammad
قالوا امتدح سبط الرسول محمدٍ
فأبوهfor his father قطبthe Pole of العالمthe world الروحانيthe spiritual
فأبوه قطب العالم الروحاني
They said: 'Praise the descendant of the Messenger Muhammad,
They said he praised the grandson of the Messenger
for his father is the Pole of the spiritual world.'
So his father the Qutb of the world spiritual
أفبعدthen, after ...? ذلكthat يبتغيdoes he seek منfrom مادحa panegyrist
أفبعد ذلك يبتغي من مادح
مدحاًpraise كفاهsuffices him بذاwith this ثناًcommendation وكفانيand suffices me
مدحاً كفاه بذا ثناً وكفاني
After that, does he seek from a panegyrist
After that does a praiser seek
praise? This tribute suffices him, and suffices me.
Praise, that sufficed me with praise and sufficed me
حبlove of ابنthe son of عبدAbd (servant of) القادرal-Qadir (the All-Powerful) ابنson of محمدMuhammad ابson (beginning)
حب ابن عبد القادر ابن محمد اب
ن(completes 'son') القطبthe spiritual Pole شانٌa distinction شقَّsplit قلبَthe heart of الشانيthe hater
ن القطب شانٌ شقَّ قلبَ الشاني
Love of the son of Abd al-Qadir, son of Muhammad, son
Love of the son of Abdul Qadir son of Muhammad
of the Pole, is a distinction that split the hater's heart.
Son of the Qutb a distinction that split the hater's heart
ولطافةٌand kindness لماwhen محاhe erased جورthe tyranny of الأسىgrief
ولطافةٌ لما محا جور الأسى
عنيfrom me وحيّانيand greeted me بهاwith it أحيانيhe revived me
عني وحيّاني بها أحياني
And such kindness! When he erased sorrow's tyranny
And subtlety that erased the injustice of sorrow
from me and greeted me with it, he revived me.
From me, gave me life at times
لمnever ألقI met بدراًa full moon قبلهbefore him يمشيwalking علىon
لم ألق بدراً قبله يمشي على
قدمٍfoot ولاnor جبلاًa mountain بظهرon the back of حصانa horse
قدمٍ ولا جبلاً بظهر حصان
I had never before him met a full moon walking on
I have not met a full moon walking
foot, nor a mountain upon a horse's back.
On a foot nor mountain on a horse's back
يحييhe revives المساكنthe dwellings حيثwherever حلhe settles ويودعand plants الthe
يحيي المساكن حيث حل ويودع ال
أشواقlongings بينbetween أضالعthe ribs of السكانthe inhabitants
أشواق بين أضالع السكان
He revives dwellings wherever he settles, and plants
That gives life to dwellings where it stayed and bids farewell
longings between the inhabitants' ribs.
To passions within the ribs of residents
تدعوهcalls him خاتمةthe last of الفرائضthe prescribed duties للصفاto purity
تدعوه خاتمة الفرائض للصفا
بينbetween الصفاal-Safa ومراكعand the prayer-places of العدنانيthe Adnani
بين الصفا ومراكع العدناني
The last of the prescribed duties calls him to purity
The conclusion of duties calls him to clarity
between al-Safa and the Adnani's places of prayer.
Between Al-Safa and Marwah of Adnan
فتهزهso they shake him الأشواقthe longings هزةwith the tremor of عاشقٍa lover
فتهزه الأشواق هزة عاشقٍ
لمdid not يصغheed قطever لعاذلto a reprover ميّانlying
لم يصغ قط لعاذل ميّان
Longings shake him with a lover's tremor,
So yearning shakes him the shaking of a lover
who never once heeded a lying reprover.
Who never listened to a blamer defaming
ياO كعبةKaaba of الدينthe religion الحنيفthe upright ولجةand ocean of الthe
يا كعبة الدين الحنيف ولجة ال
علمknowledge الشريفthe noble وعروةand handhold of الإيمانfaith
علم الشريف وعروة الإيمان
O Kaaba of the upright religion, ocean of
O Kaaba of the religion, the Hanif, and haven of
noble knowledge, and handhold of faith,
Noble knowledge, and handhold of faith
والكوكبand the star الساريtraveling by night لينصرto uphold رايةthe banner of الthe
والكوكب الساري لينصر راية ال
باريCreator ويكسرand shatter هامةthe head of الشيطانSatan
باري ويكسر هامة الشيطان
and star that journeys by night to uphold the banner of
The orbiting planet to victoriously raise the
the Creator and shatter Satan's head,
Creator's flag and break the devil's arrogance
لمhas not يبقleft جودكyour bounty للعفاةfor petitioners مسالكاًpaths
لم يبق جودك للعفاة مسالكاً
لتواصلbecause of the succession of الإحسانkindness بالإحسانwith kindness
لتواصل الإحسان بالإحسان
your bounty has left petitioners no paths,
Your generosity no longer left for the poor
for kindness follows upon kindness.
Ways to continue benevolence with benevolence
فامسكso hold back يمينكyour right hand مرةًonce لتبينso there may appear منfrom
فامسك يمينك مرةً لتبين من
أنوارthe lights of وجهكyour face جنةthe Garden of الرضوانdivine favor
أنوار وجهك جنة الرضوان
So hold back your right hand once, that there may appear from
So restrain your right hand once to show
the lights of your face the Garden of divine favor.
From the lights of your face, Paradise of Joy
لوif تدريknew مكةMecca أنكthat you are الساعيthe one hastening لهاto her
لو تدري مكة أنك الساعي لها
لسعتshe would hasten إليكto you وحولهاand around her الحرمانthe two sanctuaries
لسعت إليك وحولها الحرمان
If Mecca knew that you were hastening to her,
If Mecca knows you are its courier
she would hasten to you, with the two sanctuaries around her.
It would rush to you though around it deprivation
ولقبلتand would kiss أركانُthe corners of بيتthe House of اللَهGod منof
ولقبلت أركانُ بيت اللَه من
يدِكyour hand النقيةpure أشرفَthe noblest of الأركانthe corners
يدِك النقية أشرفَ الأركان
And the corners of God's House would kiss
And the corners of God's house would kiss
the noblest corner of your pure hand.
From your pure hand the most honorable corner
فاِدلجso journey by night لبيتto the House of اللَهGod دلجةthe night journey of خيِّرٍa virtuous man
فاِدلج لبيت اللَه دلجة خيِّرٍ
يرجوhoping for الثوابreward لهfor himself وللخلانand for the companions
يرجو الثواب له وللخلان
So journey by night to God's House, as a virtuous man
So light up for God's house the lighting of one
hoping for reward for himself and his companions.
Who hopes for reward for it and the servants
واحمدand give thanks وودِّعand bid farewell والتفتand turn لمنازلٍtoward dwellings
واحمد وودِّع والتفت لمنازلٍ
تاقتyearned لرؤيةto see وجهكyour face النورانيradiant
تاقت لرؤية وجهك النوراني
And give thanks, bid farewell, and turn toward dwellings
And praise, bid farewell, and turn to dwellings
that yearn to see your radiant face.
That yearn to see your luminous face
السلمpeace فيin الدنياthis world سرورٌa joy واحدٌone
السلم في الدنيا سرورٌ واحدٌ
فاسلمso be safe فباسمكfor in your name للعلاfor glory سلمانSalman (pun: two peaces)
فاسلم فباسمك للعلا سلمان
Peace in this world is a single joy;
Safety in the world is one happiness
so be safe: your name, Salman, gives glory twofold peace.
So be safe for by your name safety