1. The separation erased what eyes of tenderness had left of me,
So I grew old but did not fulfill my youthfulness.
١. مَحَا الْبَيْنُ مَا أَبْقَتْ عُيُونُ الْمَهَا مِنِّي
فَشِبْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ اللُّبَانَةَ مِنْ سِنِّي
2. Misery, despair, yearning and estrangement,
Oh how severely it cast me in the course of time and swindled me!
٢. عَنَاءٌ وَيَأْسٌ وَاشْتِيَاقٌ وَغُرْبَةٌ
أَلا شَدَّ مَا أَلْقَاهُ فِي الدَّهْرِ مِنْ غَبْنِ
3. So if I depart from homelands, my heart will remain,
Led astray by eyes of tenderness from me.
٣. فَإِنْ أَكُ فَارَقْتُ الدِّيَارَ فَلِي بِهَا
فَؤَادٌ أَضَلَّتْهُ عُيُونُ الْمَهَا مِنِّي
4. I sent it on the day of parting, trailing after a glance,
But destiny dropped it in the traps of beauty.
٤. بَعَثْتُ بِهِ يَوْمَ النَّوَى إِثْرَ لَحْظَةٍ
فَأَوْقَعَهُ الْمِقْدَارُ فِي شَرَكِ الْحُسْنِ
5. Is there a gentleman in this world who will unite us both?
For neither of us can do without the other.
٥. فَهَلْ مِنْ فَتَىً فِي الدَّهْرِ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا
فَلَيْسَ كِلانَا عَنْ أَخِيهِ بِمُسْتَغْنِ
6. And when we stood for farewell, and our tears
Poured over our cheeks like rain,
٦. وَلَمَّا وَقَفْنَا لِلْوَدَاعِ وَأَسْبَلَتْ
مَدَامِعُنَا فَوْقَ التَّرَائِبِ كَالْمُزْنِ
7. I tried to arm myself with patience, to no avail,
And called on my forbearance, but it was of no use.
٧. أَهَبْتُ بِصَبْرِي أَنْ يَعُودَ فَعَزَّنِي
وَنَادَيْتُ حِلْمِي أَنْ يَثُوبَ فَلَمْ يُغْنِ
8. In a flash, the ships had carried us
Away from the coasts of the beloved region.
٨. وَلَمْ تَمْضِ إِلَّا خَطْرَةٌ ثُمَّ أَقْلَعَتْ
بِنَا عَنْ شُطُوطِ الْحَيِّ أَجْنِحَةُ السُّفْنِ
9. So many sighs have I heaved in the heat of passion,
And so many tears have I shed in the darkness of night!
٩. فَكَمْ مُهْجَةٍ مِنْ زَفْرَةِ الْوَجْدِ فِي لَظَىً
وَكَمْ مُقْلَةٍ مِنْ غَزْرَةِ الدَّمْعِ فِي دَجْنِ
10. Never before had I experienced parting like this,
It nearly finished me off with grief.
١٠. وَمَا كُنْتُ جَرَّبْتُ النَّوَى قَبْلَ هذِهِ
فَلَمَّا دَهَتْنِي كِدْتُ أَقْضِي مِنَ الْحُزْنِ
11. But I summoned my patience and it corrected me,
Guiding me back to wisdom.
١١. وَلَكِنَّنِي رَاجَعْتُ حِلْمِي وَرَدَّنِي
إِلَى الْحَزْمِ رَأْيٌ لا يَحُومُ عَلَى أَفْنِ
12. Were it not for buildings I erected and my white hair
I would not have reproached myself for my lost youth.
١٢. وَلَوْلا بُنَيَّاتٌ وَشِيبٌ عَوَاطِلٌ
لَمَا قَرَعَتْ نَفْسِي عَلَى فَائِتٍ سِنِّي
13. So be patient, my heart, for perhaps
The bird of destiny will shift in our favor.
١٣. فَيَا قَلْبُ صَبْرَاً إِنْ جَزِعْتَ فَرُبَّمَا
جَرَتْ سُنُحاً طَيْرُ الْحَوَادِثِ بِالْيُمْنِ
14. For branches can bloom again after their fading
And the moonlight reappears in the darkness of gloom.
١٤. فَقَدْ تُورِقُ الأَغْصَانُ بَعْدَ ذُبُولِهَا
وَيَبْدُو ضِيَاءُ الْبَدْرِ فِي ظُلْمَةِ الْوَهْنِ
15. What sword has no nicks from the blows,
And what lance does not bend from repeated stabs?
١٥. وَأَيُّ حُسَامٍ لَمْ تُصِبْهُ كَهَامَةٌ
وَلَهْذَمُ رُمْحٍ لا يُفَلُّ مِنَ الطَّعْنِ
16. Who contends with the days will tire of their bitterness
And prolonged strife will leave him weak and frail.
١٦. وَمَنْ شَاغَبَ الأَيَّامَ لانَ مَرِيرُهُ
وَأَسْلَمَهُ طُولُ الْمِرَاسِ إِلَى الْوَهْنِ
17. Man in his world is but a wayfarer
Whose paths are not devoid of ease and misery.
١٧. وَمَا الْمَرْءُ فِي دُنْيَاهُ إِلَّا كَسَالِكٍ
مَنَاهِجَ لا تَخْلُو مِنَ السَّهْلِ وَالْحَزْنِ
18. If the world has turned away its goodness,
Then think little of a fleeting world.
١٨. فَإِنْ تَكُنِ الدُّنْيَا تَوَلَّتْ بِخَيْرِهَا
فَأَهْوِنْ بِدُنْيَا لا تَدُومُ عَلَى فَنِّ
19. I have endured the humiliation of favors
For to live in humiliation is worse than prison.
١٩. تَحَمَّلْتُ خَوْفَ الْمَنِّ كُلَّ رَزيئَةٍ
وَحَمْلُ رَزَايَا الدَّهرِ أَحْلَى مِنَ الْمَنِّ
20. And be a man, even if destiny has deemed you
To fall between swords and spears in valor.
٢٠. وَعَاشَرْتُ أَخْدَانَاً فَلَمَّا بَلَوْتُهُمْ
تَمَنَّيْتُ أَنْ أَبْقَى وَحِيداً بِلا خِدْنِ
21. For there is no good in life when a man does not live
Formidable, seen by the eye like fire in the darkness.
٢١. إِذَا عَرَفَ الْمَرْءُ الْقُلُوبَ وَمَا انْطَوَتْ
عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْبَغْضَاءِ عَاشَ عَلَى ضِغْنِ
22. Do not fear dangers in seeking loftiness,
For one who fears the thorns of bees returns deprived of gains.
٢٢. يَرَى بَصَرِي مَنْ لا أَوَدُّ لِقَاءَهُ
وَتَسْمَعُ أُذْنِي مَا تَعَافُ مِنَ اللَّحْنِ
23. Were it not for enduring adversities, the merits
Of mankind would not emerge between valor and cowardice.
٢٣. وَكَيْفَ مُقَامِي بَيْن أَرْضٍ أَرَى بِهَا
مِنَ الظُّلْمِ مَا أَخْنَى عَلَى الدَّارِ وَالسَّكْنِ
24. If you do not find what you wish in the cities,
Then wander, for deserts are better than cities.
٢٤. فَسَمْعُ أَنِينِ الْجَوْرِ قَدْ شَاكَ مِسْمَعِي
وَرُؤْيَةُ وَجْهِ الغَدْرِ حَلَّ عُرَا جَفْنِي
25. Deserts where a man lives by his sword,
Proud and unyielding among foes.
٢٥. وَصَعْبٌ عَلَى ذِي اللُّبِّ رِئْمَانُ ذِلَّةٍ
يَظَلُّ بِهَا فِي قَوْمِهِ وَاهِيَ الْمَتْنِ
26. What life is there for a man in a country
Where he lingers between the ruins and ashes?
٢٦. إِذَا الْمَرْءُ لَمْ يَرْمِ الْهَنَاةَ بِمِثْلِهَا
تَخَطَّى إِلَيْهِ الْخَوْفُ مِنْ جَانِبِ الأَمْنِ
27. By my life, a hut of branches in a wasteland
Is dearer to my heart than a mansion.
٢٧. فَلا تَعْتَرِفْ بِالذُلِّ خِيفَةَ نِقْمَةٍ
فَعَيْشُ الْفَتَى فِي الذُّلِّ أَدْهَى مِنَ السِّجْنِ
28. And I find more joy in the cry of a rooster
In the wilderness, calling amidst the tree branches,
٢٨. وَكُنْ رَجُلاً إِنْ سِيمَ خَسْفاً رَمَتْ بِهِ
حَمِيَّتُهُ بَيْنَ الصَّوَارِمِ وَاللُّدْنِ
29. And better than a house with shifting winds
Is your bedding on the ground in the courtyard.
٢٩. فَلا خَيْرَ فِي الدُّنْيَا إِذَا الْمَرْءُ لَمْ يَعِشْ
مَهِيباً تَرَاهُ الْعَيْنُ كَالنَّارِ فِي دَغْنِ
30. You see everything standing before your eyes
As if you were in your own paradise.
٣٠. وَلا تَرْهَبِ الأَخْطَارَ فِي طَلَبِ الْعُلا
فَمَنْ هَابَ شَوْكَ النَّحْلِ عَادَ وَلَمْ يَجْنِ
31. The steeds circle around you, sipping
At the edgings of the water-skins like jinn.
٣١. وَلَوْلا مُعَانَاةُ الشَّدَائِدِ مَا بَدَتْ
مَزَايَا الْوَرَى بَيْنَ الشَّجَاعَةِ وَالْجُبْنِ
32. When you hear the voice of clamor you stand alert
And attain what eyes alone cannot see.
٣٢. فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي الْمُدْنِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ قِرَىً
فَأَصْحِرْ فَإِنَّ الْبِيدَ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمُدْنِ
33. By my life, such is a Bedouin existence,
With steadfast determination and firm principle.
٣٣. صَحَارٍ يَعِيشُ الْمَرْءُ فِيهَا بِسَيْفِهِ
شَدِيدَ الْحُمَيَّا غَيْرَ مُغْضٍ عَلَى دِمْنِ
34. I have only said this after gaining knowledge
That gave me certainty, banishing conjectures.
٣٤. وَأَيُّ حَيَاةٍ لاِمْرِئٍ بَيْنَ بَلْدَةٍ
يَظَلُّ بِهَا بَيْنَ الْعَوَاثِنِ وَالدَّخْنِ
35. For I have tasted the flavor of fate until I spat it out,
And have consorted until I said to the son of Abu Da'n, “Leave me be!”
٣٥. لَعَمْرِي لَكُوخٌ مِنْ ثُمَامٍ بِتَلْعَةٍ
أَحَبُّ إِلَى قَلْبِي مِنَ الْبَيْتِ ذِي الْكِنِّ
36. Were it not for a brother whose bond of love
I cherished despite the caprices of time, I would make no exceptions.
٣٦. وَأَطْرَبُ مِنْ دِيكٍ يَصِيحُ بِكُوَّةٍ
أَرَاكِيَّةٌ تَدْعُو هَدِيلاً عَلَى غُصْنِ
37. One may have a distant relative who wishes you well
While a close one wrongs you.
٣٧. وَأَحْسَنُ مِنْ دَارٍ وَخِيمٍ هَوَاؤُهَا
مَبِيتُكَ مِنْ بُحْبُوحَةِ الْقَاعِ فِي صَحْنِ
38. For love lies not in kinship, even if it necessitates it,
Rather, it lies in disposition, form and harmony.
٣٨. تَرَى كُلَّ شَيءٍ نُصْبَ عَيْنَيْكَ مَاثِلاً
كَأَنَّكَ مِنْ دُنْيَاكَ فِي جَنَّتَيْ عَدْنِ
39. When there is no rift between two companions,
Then manners are of no use, nor does lineage draw them near.
٣٩. تَدُورُ جِيَادُ الْخَيْلِ حَوْلَكَ شُرَّباً
تُجَاذِبُ أَطْرَافَ الأَعِنَّةِ كَالْجِنِّ
40. That is a brother but for whom I would reject
All I heard of An-Najm or Ma'n.
٤٠. إِذَا سَمِعْتَ صَوْتَ الصَّرِيخِ تَنَصَّبَتْ
فَتُدْرِكُ مَا لا تُبْصِرُ الْعَيْنُ بِالأُذْنِ
41. If I do not name him fearing a jealous rival
Who would plot against him, he knows whom I mean.
٤١. فَتِلْكَ لَعَمْرِي عِيشَةٌ بَدَوِيَّةٌ
مُوَطَّأَةُ الأَكْنَافِ رَاسِخَةُ الرُّكْنِ
42. For recalling him, though remote,
Comforts my heart whether settled or on the move.
٤٢. وَمَا قُلْتُ إِلَّا بَعْدَ عِلْمٍ أَجَدَّ لِي
يَقِيناً نَفَى عَنِّي مُرَاجَعَةَ الظَّنِّ
43. I grieve being far from him, sorrowing and languishing
As Jamil lamented his longing for Buthaina.
٤٣. فَقَدْ ذُقْتُ طَعْمَ الدَّهْرِ حَتَّى لَفَظْتُهُ
وَعَاشَرْتُ حَتَّى قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي دَعْنِي
44. So who will be a noble friend whose company
I crave, having wearied of consorting with ignoramuses?
٤٤. وَلَوْلا أَخٌ أَحْمَدْتُ فِي الْوُدِّ عَهْدَهُ
عَلَى حَدَثَانِ الدَّهْرِ مَا كُنْتُ أَسْتَثْنِي
45. My soul pulls me toward him while perils
Of teeming gloom lie between us.
٤٥. وَرُبَّ بَعِيدِ الدَّارِ يُصْفِيكَ وُدَّهُ
وَمُقْتَرِبٍ يَجْنِي عَلَيْكَ وَلَمْ تَجْنِ
46. Perhaps the hand of time will clasp us in an embrace
And I will see him after estrangement and disdain.
٤٦. وَمَا الْوُدُّ فِي الْقُرْبَى وَإِنْ هِيَ أَوْجَبَتْ
وَلَكِنَّهُ فِي الطَّبْعِ وَالشَّكْلِ وَالْوَزْنِ
47. Though longing be prolonged, I firmly trust
In the mercy of my Lord, for He is Most Kind and Benevolent.
٤٧. إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الْوَدِيدَيْنِ خُلَّةٌ
فَلا أَدَبٌ يُجْدِي وَلا نَسَبٌ يُدْنِي
٤٨. فَذَاكَ أَخٌ لَوْلاهُ أَنْكَرْتُ كُلَّ مَا
سَمِعْتُ بِهِ عَنْ أَحْنَفِ الْحِلْمِ أَوْ مَعْنِ
٤٩. فَإِنْ لَمْ أُصَرِّحْ بِاسْمِهِ خَوْفَ حَاسِدٍ
يَنُمُّ عَلَيْهِ فَهْوَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ أَعْنِي
٥٠. عَلَى أَنَّ ذِكْرَاهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ نَائِيَاً
سَمِيرُ فُؤَادِي فِي الإِقَامَةِ وَالظَّعْنِ
٥١. أَنُوحُ لِبُعْدِي عَنْهُ حُزْناً وَلَوْعَةً
كَمَا نَاحَ مِنْ شَوْقٍ جَمِيلٌ عَلَى بُثْنِ
٥٢. فَمَنْ لِي بِهِ خِلّاً كَرِيماً نِجَارُهُ
فَقَدْ سَئِمَتْ نَفْسِي مُعَاشَرَةَ الْهُجْنِ
٥٣. تُجَاذِبُنِي نَفْسِي إِلَيْهِ وَدُونَنَا
أَهَاوِيلُ مُلْتَجِّ الْغَوَارِبِ مُسْتَنِّ
٥٤. لَعَلَّ يَدَ الأَيَّامِ تَسْخُو بِلُقْيَةٍ
أَرَاهُ بِهَا بَعْدَ الْكَزَازَةِ وَالضَّنِّ
٥٥. وَإِنِّي وَإِنْ طَالَ الْمِطَالُ لَوَاثِقٌ
بِرَحْمَةِ رَبِّي فَهْوَ ذُو الطَّوْلِ وَالْمَنِّ