وَهَيهاتَ لَم يَعلَم بِسرِّكَ مُشفِقٌ

وَهَيهاتَ لَم يَعلَم بِسرِّكَ مُشفِقٌ

أَمينٌ وَلَم يَطلع عليه نَصوحُ

أَمينٌ وَلَم يَطلع عليه نَصوحُ

Far from it! No caring soul has known your secret,

Alas! No confidant knew your secret,

trustworthy though he be; nor has a sincere adviser discovered it.

Nor did an honest friend have access to it.

تَروحُ عَلَينا الريحُ في نَفَحاتِها

تَروحُ عَلَينا الريحُ في نَفَحاتِها

شَذاكُم وَرَيّا طيبِكُم فَتُريحُ

شَذاكُم وَرَيّا طيبِكُم فَتُريحُ

The wind wafts to us in its breaths

The wind blows on us in its breaths,

your scent and the fragrance of your perfume, bringing relief.

Bearing your fragrance and scent to comfort us.

فَلا تَبعَثوها غيرَ لَيلٍ فانَّني

فَلا تَبعَثوها غيرَ لَيلٍ فانَّني

أَغارُ مِن الجُلاس حينَ تَفوحُ

أَغارُ مِن الجُلاس حينَ تَفوحُ

So send it only by night, for I

So send it not except at night, for I

grow jealous of my companions whenever it perfumes the air.

Am jealous of gatherings when it spreads.

وَيا خلّ خلِّ اللَوم عَنّيَ مُحسِناً

وَيا خلّ خلِّ اللَوم عَنّيَ مُحسِناً

فَلَومُكَ في الوَجهِ المَليح قَبيحُ

فَلَومُكَ في الوَجهِ المَليح قَبيحُ

And, my friend, kindly spare me your reproach,

And O cheek, blame me not, doing good,

for your reproach over a lovely face is ugly.

For your blame on the beautiful face is ugly.

وَقائِلَةٍ خَلِّ التَصابي فانَّهُ

وَقائِلَةٍ خَلِّ التَصابي فانَّهُ

مَع الشَيب شَينٌ فاحِشٌ وَفضوح

مَع الشَيب شَينٌ فاحِشٌ وَفضوح

And a woman said: “Leave off youthful dalliance, for it

And one who says: "Stop the coquetry!"

with gray hair is a gross and scandalous blemish.”

For with old age it is shameful misconduct.

وَمل ما بَقي مِن لَذَّة العَيش في نَقاً

وَمل ما بَقي مِن لَذَّة العَيش في نَقاً

بَياضِ نَهارٍ بالظَلامِ يَصيحُ

بَياضِ نَهارٍ بالظَلامِ يَصيحُ

And turn [reading uncertain] to what remains of life's pleasure in a dune

And the time for life's pleasures has gone

of daylight whiteness, crying out in the darkness.

So weep at daylight with darkness screaming.

وَزائِرَةً نَمَّت عَلَيها حُجولُها

وَزائِرَةً نَمَّت عَلَيها حُجولُها

وَعرفٌ إِذا ما كَتَّمَتهُ يَفوحُ

وَعرفٌ إِذا ما كَتَّمَتهُ يَفوحُ

And a woman visitor whose anklets betrayed her,

And the visitor on whom her braids have slept,

and a scent that wafted whenever she concealed it.

And whose beard, if he conceals it, smells.

فَبِتنا جَميعاً مالَنا مِن دنيَّة

فَبِتنا جَميعاً مالَنا مِن دنيَّة

دَنوُّ وَلا نَحو الجُناحِ جُنوحِ

دَنوُّ وَلا نَحو الجُناحِ جُنوحِ

So we spent the night together: no base deed

So we spent the night, having no base desires,

did we approach, nor did we incline toward sin,

Nor inclining to the wings, inclining.

إِلى أَن بَدا ضَوءُ الصَباح كَأَنَّهُ

إِلى أَن بَدا ضَوءُ الصَباح كَأَنَّهُ

سَنا يُوسُفٍ في النَقع حينَ يَلوحُ

سَنا يُوسُفٍ في النَقع حينَ يَلوحُ

until the morning's light appeared, as though it were

Till the light of dawn appeared as if it were

Yusuf's radiance amid the dust when he appears.

Joseph's beauty in the well when it shines.

صَحيحٌ صَريحٌ مجدُهُ وَفَعالُهُ

صَحيحٌ صَريحٌ مجدُهُ وَفَعالُهُ

تَصَدَّق فيهِ المَدحُ وَهوَ صَحيحُ

تَصَدَّق فيهِ المَدحُ وَهوَ صَحيحُ

Sound and genuine is his glory, and his deeds

Correct, straightforward - praise and deeds -

confirm the praise of him, which is true.

Where praise is sincere and it is correct.

لَهُ هزَةٌ عِندَ المَدائِح لِلنَّدى

لَهُ هزَةٌ عِندَ المَدائِح لِلنَّدى

كَما اِهتَزَّ غُصنُ البان وَهوَ طَموحُ

كَما اِهتَزَّ غُصنُ البان وَهوَ طَموحُ

At words of praise, he stirs toward generosity,

It shakes when praising the beloved,

as a bān-tree branch sways, reaching high.

As the boughs of acacia shook towering.

حييٌّ غَضيضُ الطَرف عَن كُلِّ محرم

حييٌّ غَضيضُ الطَرف عَن كُلِّ محرم

وَلَكِنَّهُ نَحوَ العَلاءِ طَموحُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ نَحوَ العَلاءِ طَموحُ

Modest, his gaze lowered from all that is forbidden,

It is alive, lowering its eyes from prohibitions,

yet toward eminence he reaches high.

Yet to the heights it aspires towering.

شُجاعٌ لَدى الهَيجاجَبانٌ عَن الخَنى

شُجاعٌ لَدى الهَيجاجَبانٌ عَن الخَنى

كَريمٌ عَلى العِرض المَصون شَحيحُ

كَريمٌ عَلى العِرض المَصون شَحيحُ

Brave in battle, fearful of foul conduct,

Valiant in wars, protecting against dishonor,

generous, yet miserly with his guarded honor.

Generous in guarding honored modesty.

بَعيد المَدى نائي العُلى شاحِطُ الأَذى

بَعيد المَدى نائي العُلى شاحِطُ الأَذى

قَريبُ النَدى داني الرَبابِ

قَريبُ النَدى داني الرَبابِ

Far-reaching, lofty in eminence, far removed from harm,

Far-reaching, lofty, repelling harm,

near in generosity, with his clouds close at hand.

Near in friendship, gentle and forgiving.

شَديدٌ إِذا يُعصى المُراد مُعاقِبٌ

شَديدٌ إِذا يُعصى المُراد مُعاقِبٌ

وَلينٌ إِذا يُعطي القِيادَ صَفوحُ

وَلينٌ إِذا يُعطي القِيادَ صَفوحُ

Severe and punishing when his will is defied,

Firm when obedience is disobeyed; punishing

and gentle and forgiving when one yields the reins.

Gentle when giving the reins - forgiving.

وَلا جَزِعٌ عِندَ الشَدائِد خاضِعٌ

وَلا جَزِعٌ عِندَ الشَدائِد خاضِعٌ

وَلا بَطِرٌ عِندَ الرَخاءِ مَروحُ

وَلا بَطِرٌ عِندَ الرَخاءِ مَروحُ

Neither panicked nor submissive in adversity,

Neither overwhelmed in hardships, submitting,

nor insolent or boisterous in prosperity.

Nor complacent in luxury, capricious.

مَنوعٌ إِذا ما سيمَ لَهواً مُساعِدُ

مَنوعٌ إِذا ما سيمَ لَهواً مُساعِدُ

قَريبٌ إِذا سُئِلَ اللُهى وَمَنوحُ

قَريبٌ إِذا سُئِلَ اللُهى وَمَنوحُ

Withholding when urged toward idle play, yet helpful

Preventing if it inclines to vanity; helping

and accessible when asked for gifts, and lavish in giving.

Near if the divine is asked - granting.

لَهُ هِمَّةٌ لا تَنثَني دونَ مُمكِنٍ

لَهُ هِمَّةٌ لا تَنثَني دونَ مُمكِنٍ

وَرأيٌ إِذا ما الرأيُ قالَ نَجيح

وَرأيٌ إِذا ما الرأيُ قالَ نَجيح

He has resolve that will not bend short of anything possible,

With ambition never bending without possible,

and judgment that succeeds whenever judgment speaks.

And reason, if consulted, successful.

إِذا خَفيت طُرقُ المَعالي عَن العَدى

إِذا خَفيت طُرقُ المَعالي عَن العَدى

فَفيها ظُهورٌ عِندَهُ وَوضوحُ

فَفيها ظُهورٌ عِندَهُ وَوضوحُ

When the paths to greatness are hidden from his enemies,

When paths to glory are obscured from foes

to him they stand revealed and clear.

In them there are appearances and clarity.

عَطاءٌ إِذا شَفَّ العَطاءُ مَوفّرٌ

عَطاءٌ إِذا شَفَّ العَطاءُ مَوفّرٌ

وَحِلم إِذا خَفَّ الحلومُ رَجيحُ

وَحِلم إِذا خَفَّ الحلومُ رَجيحُ

His giving is abundant when giving grows scant,

Giving if giving diminishes; patient

and his forbearance weighty when other forbearance grows light.

If patience declines - more likely.

هَنيئاً لأَرضٍ حَلَّ فيها فانَّهُ

هَنيئاً لأَرضٍ حَلَّ فيها فانَّهُ

يَسحُّ النَدى منه بِها وَيَسيحُ

يَسحُّ النَدى منه بِها وَيَسيحُ

Blessed is the land where he settles, for

Congratulations to a land where he lodged

generosity pours from him there and flows abroad.

For he spreads freshness there, facilitating.

إِذا ما أَتى مَيتاً مِن الفَقرِ جودُهُ

إِذا ما أَتى مَيتاً مِن الفَقرِ جودُهُ

فَما هُوَ إِلّا عازِرٌ وَمَسيح

فَما هُوَ إِلّا عازِرٌ وَمَسيح

When his generosity reaches someone dead from poverty,

If he revives a dead man from poverty,

it is none other than Lazarus and the Messiah.

He is only Lazarus and Messiah.

وان حارَبَ الأَعداءَ أَمسى أَقلُّهُم

وان حارَبَ الأَعداءَ أَمسى أَقلُّهُم

طَريداً وَإِمّا جُلُّهم فَطَريحُ

طَريداً وَإِمّا جُلُّهم فَطَريحُ

And if he fights his enemies, the few among them become

And if he fought enemies, the least became

fugitives, while most lie fallen.

Hunted, while most of them laid defeated.

فَريقانِ شَتّى كُلُّهُم بجسومِهِم

فَريقانِ شَتّى كُلُّهُم بجسومِهِم

جُروحٌ وَفي حَبِّ القُلوبِ جُروحُ

جُروحٌ وَفي حَبِّ القُلوبِ جُروحُ

Two scattered bands—all bear on their bodies

Two parties together, all with their bodies

wounds, and wounds in the very cores of their hearts.

Wounded, and in hearts' love, wounded.

فللتَ العِدى جَمعاً وَأَذهبتَ ريحَهم

فللتَ العِدى جَمعاً وَأَذهبتَ ريحَهم

فَما بِعَدوّ من عِداتِكَ روحُ

فَما بِعَدوّ من عِداتِكَ روحُ

You broke your enemies en masse and robbed them of their wind;

So you routed all foes and took their spirits

no foe among your enemies has a breath left.

With not one of your enemies breathing.

فَيا جَبَلَ العَزِّ الَّذي هُوَ شاهِقٌ

فَيا جَبَلَ العَزِّ الَّذي هُوَ شاهِقٌ

مِن المَجدِ وُهدٌ دونَهُ وَسُفوحُ

مِن المَجدِ وُهدٌ دونَهُ وَسُفوحُ

So, O mountain of honor that towers high,

O mountain of might towering in glory

with glory's hollows and slopes beneath it,

With love at its base and surrounding foothills.

أَزلت عُيوبَ الدَهرِ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

أَزلت عُيوبَ الدَهرِ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

وَفَقري عَيبٌ في الزَمان قَبيحُ

وَفَقري عَيبٌ في الزَمان قَبيحُ

you have removed time's blemishes in every town,

You removed the flaws of fate in every land

and my poverty is an ugly blemish upon this age.

Yet my poverty is a flaw in time ugly.

وَكُنتُ هجرتُ الشِعرَ كَي لا يُغيضُني

وَكُنتُ هجرتُ الشِعرَ كَي لا يُغيضُني

عُبوسُ شَحيحٍ يُرتَجى وَكُلوحُ

عُبوسُ شَحيحٍ يُرتَجى وَكُلوحُ

And I had abandoned poetry, lest I be diminished

I had renounced poetry lest it offend

by the frown and scowl of a miser whose favor is sought.

A frowning miser hoped for, morose.

أَأَحيا وَهَذا الشِعرُ بَعضُ فَضائِلي

أَأَحيا وَهَذا الشِعرُ بَعضُ فَضائِلي

فَقيراً بحمصٍ أَغتَدي وَأَروحُ

فَقيراً بحمصٍ أَغتَدي وَأَروحُ

Am I to live, with this poetry among my virtues,

Shall I live when this poetry is some of my virtues

poor in Homs, going out morning and evening?

A pauper in Homs whom I animate and pacify?

مرض وودّ صَحيح

مرض وودّ صَحيح

كانَ تَأويلُ ذا الصُدود الصَريحُ

كانَ تَأويلُ ذا الصُدود الصَريحُ

Illness, and affection still sound—

Love was ill but is now healthy.

that was the plain explanation of this estrangement.

That was the interpretation of this clear refusal.