أبدى شمائلَ جفوةٍ وبِعادِ

أبدى شمائلَ جفوةٍ وبِعادِ

خِلٌّ عهدْناهُ أخا إسعادِ

خِلٌّ عهدْناهُ أخا إسعادِ

He showed traits of coldness and estrangement—

He showed signs of aloofness and distance,

a friend we had known as a bringer of joy.

A friend whom we considered a brother in happiness.

وأطاعَ سُلطانَ الهوى ولطالما

وأطاعَ سُلطانَ الهوى ولطالما

أعيا نُهاهُ مكائدَ الحُسّادِ

أعيا نُهاهُ مكائدَ الحُسّادِ

He obeyed the rule of passion, though so often

And he obeyed the rule of passion, though often

his reason had thwarted the plots of the envious.

I warned him against the schemes of enviers.

وازورّ منه جانبٌ وتقلّصتْ

وازورّ منه جانبٌ وتقلّصتْ

تلك الظلالُ وجفّ ذاك الوادي

تلك الظلالُ وجفّ ذاك الوادي

A side of him turned away, and they receded—

He turned away from me and those shades shrank,

those shades—and that valley ran dry.

And that valley dried up.

وتكدرتْ تلك المناهلُ بعدما

وتكدرتْ تلك المناهلُ بعدما

صفتِ المياهُ بها على الإيراد

صفتِ المياهُ بها على الإيراد

Those watering places grew turbid after

Those springs grew turbid after

their waters had been clear for watering.

Their waters had flowed into them continuously.

عفّى رسومَ مودةٍ قد شادها

عفّى رسومَ مودةٍ قد شادها

قِدْماً برأي نُهًى وفرطِ سَدادِ

قِدْماً برأي نُهًى وفرطِ سَدادِ

He effaced the traces of affection he had built

He cancelled the features of affection he had built

long ago with reasoned judgment and utmost prudence.

Long ago with wise advice and overflowing integrity.

وا رحمتاه لواثقٍ بودادكم

وا رحمتاه لواثقٍ بودادكم

خجِلٍ أضلّ مناهجَ الإرشادِ

خجِلٍ أضلّ مناهجَ الإرشادِ

Alas, what pity for one who trusted in your affection,

Oh pity for one confident in your affection

abashed, having lost the paths of guidance.

Who lost the ways of guidance out of shyness.

ظنّ الزمانُ بمخلصٍ في ودّه

ظنّ الزمانُ بمخلصٍ في ودّه

سمْجاً فضنّ وجاءَ بالمُعتادِ

سمْجاً فضنّ وجاءَ بالمُعتادِ

Time deemed one sincere in his love

Time thought he was sincere in his love

repulsive, so grew grudging and acted as usual.

So it drew him gently but came with the usual.

عجباً لذاك البشْرِ عادَ تجهّماً

عجباً لذاك البشْرِ عادَ تجهّماً

ومن المُحالِ نتائجُ الأضدادِ

ومن المُحالِ نتائجُ الأضدادِ

How strange that cheerfulness should turn to scowling!

How strange is that person who returned with a frown

Yet opposites cannot be born of one another.

Though the results of opposites are impossible.

أهملتُ حفظُكمُ مَعيني قانعاً

أهملتُ حفظُكمُ مَعيني قانعاً

بتحمّلٍ بين العشيرةِ بادِ

بتحمّلٍ بين العشيرةِ بادِ

I neglected to guard you, my wellspring, content

I neglected keeping you as my helper, content

with a departure apparent among the clan.

To endure separation among the family.

فجبهتموني بالقبيح مِلالةً

فجبهتموني بالقبيح مِلالةً

هذا جزاءُ المُكثرِ المتمادي

هذا جزاءُ المُكثرِ المتمادي

So you affronted me with ugliness, out of weariness;

So you confronted me with ugliness out of boredom;

this is the reward of one who persists to excess.

This is the reward of one who persists and goes too far.

ليستْ بأوّلِ وقفةٍ مذمومةٍ

ليستْ بأوّلِ وقفةٍ مذمومةٍ

خابتْ لديها صفقةُ الأمجادِ

خابتْ لديها صفقةُ الأمجادِ

It is not the first blameworthy halt

It is not the first regrettable stance

where the bargain of the noble has failed.

At which the bargain of glories failed.

ما كنتُ أولَ من تكلّفَ عِشرةً

ما كنتُ أولَ من تكلّفَ عِشرةً

تَسْبي برونقها نُهى المرْتادِ

تَسْبي برونقها نُهى المرْتادِ

I was not the first to undertake a companionship

I was not the first to impose friendship

whose luster captivates the seeker's reason.

Whose polish the guidance of the rightly-guided diminished.

دعوى التصابي في الأنامِ كثيرةً

دعوى التصابي في الأنامِ كثيرةً

لكنّ صدقَ الودّ في آحادِ

لكنّ صدقَ الودّ في آحادِ

Claims of youthful passion are many among people,

Claims of accord among people are many

but sincerity of affection is found in only a few.

But the truth of affection is in individuals.

ما كنتُ بالزَيْف الرديّ وإنما

ما كنتُ بالزَيْف الرديّ وإنما

قلّتْ فديتُك خِبرةُ النُقّادِ

قلّتْ فديتُك خِبرةُ النُقّادِ

I was no worthless counterfeit; it was only that

I was not of false tinsel but rather

the assayers' skill was scant—may I be your ransom.

Your insight, my dear, into critics was little.

لا تُكرِهَنّ على المودةِ إنها

لا تُكرِهَنّ على المودةِ إنها

ليستْ تجودُ لعاشقٍ بقيادِ

ليستْ تجودُ لعاشقٍ بقيادِ

Do not force affection, for it

Do not force me into affection, for it

does not freely yield its reins to a lover.

Does not overflow for a lover at the lead.

هي شيمةٌ منه احتوتْ متغرِّباً

هي شيمةٌ منه احتوتْ متغرِّباً

وصبَتْ لمؤثرِ هجرةٍ وبِعادِ

وصبَتْ لمؤثرِ هجرةٍ وبِعادِ

It is a trait of his that embraced a wanderer

It is a quality that contained an estranged one

and inclined toward one who favors abandonment and estrangement.

And poured for one who preferred distance and remoteness.

بدرٌ تجلّى للكُسوفِ وطالما

بدرٌ تجلّى للكُسوفِ وطالما

جلّى دياجي كلِّ خطب عادِ

جلّى دياجي كلِّ خطب عادِ

A full moon revealed itself to be eclipsed, though so often

A full moon that shone during an eclipse and often

it had dispelled the darkness of every assailing calamity.

Lit up my nights throughout every misfortune.

وسراجُ هَدْيٍ كنتُ آنسُ قربَه

وسراجُ هَدْيٍ كنتُ آنسُ قربَه

فخَبا سناهُ بعدما إيقادِ

فخَبا سناهُ بعدما إيقادِ

And a lamp of guidance whose nearness once comforted me—

And a lamp of guidance whose proximity I found comfort in

then its radiance faded after being kindled.

But its light dimmed after being lit.

شِمْتُ اعتزامُك بارقاً ومهنّداً

شِمْتُ اعتزامُك بارقاً ومهنّداً

ذُخْراً ليومِ جَدا ويومِ جِلادِ

ذُخْراً ليومِ جَدا ويومِ جِلادِ

I saw your resolve as a flashing cloud and an Indian sword,

I sensed your intention was a lightning bolt and a spark,

a reserve for a day of bounty and a day of combat.

A provision for a day of battle and a day of executioner.

فانهلّ ذاك وما ظفِرْتُ ببَلّةٍ

فانهلّ ذاك وما ظفِرْتُ ببَلّةٍ

منه لأشهرَ ذا عليّ أعادي

منه لأشهرَ ذا عليّ أعادي

That cloud poured down, yet I gained not a drop

So take it and I gained no bucketful from it

from it; enemies indeed unsheathed this blade against me.

To extinguish this fire in me.

قلبي جَنى يا غادرين فما لكمْ

قلبي جَنى يا غادرين فما لكمْ

عذبتُمُ جَفْني بطول سُهادِ

عذبتُمُ جَفْني بطول سُهادِ

My heart committed the offense, O traitors; why

My heart collected, oh betrayers, so why

did you torment my eyelid with prolonged sleeplessness?

Did you torture my eyelids with prolonged sleep?

أتنوحُ ورقاءُ الحَمام وإلفُها

أتنوحُ ورقاءُ الحَمام وإلفُها

يشدو بفرع أراكِها المُنآدِ

يشدو بفرع أراكِها المُنآدِ

Does the gray dove lament while her mate

Do turtledoves sob with the sigh of pigeons and their

sings on the swaying bough of her arak tree?

Calling out from the branches of their treetop perch?

يبكي وما يطوي الضلوعَ على جوى

يبكي وما يطوي الضلوعَ على جوى

حُرَقٍ تلظّى في صميمِ فؤادي

حُرَقٍ تلظّى في صميمِ فؤادي

It weeps, yet its ribs do not enclose the anguish

It cries but cannot wrap the ribs around the burning

of burning pangs blazing in the core of my heart.

That blazes in the core of my heart.

وألوذُ بالصبرِ الجميلِ ولم أفُزْ

وألوذُ بالصبرِ الجميلِ ولم أفُزْ

من عذْبِ خالصِ ودِّكُم بِبرَادِ

من عذْبِ خالصِ ودِّكُم بِبرَادِ

I seek refuge in noble patience, yet have not gained

I resorted to beautiful patience but did not succeed

any cooling relief from your sweet, pure affection.

In the torture of your sincere affection’s cure.

لا قرّ طرفي بالوصالِ ولا دَنا

لا قرّ طرفي بالوصالِ ولا دَنا

بدُنوّ داركُمُ إليّ مُرادي

بدُنوّ داركُمُ إليّ مُرادي

May my eye find no joy in reunion, nor may it come near—

My eyes find no rest in union, nor comes near

my heart's desire—through your dwelling's nearness to me,

A desire for your home to come to me.

إن صنتُ دمعَ العينِ بعد عظيم ما

إن صنتُ دمعَ العينِ بعد عظيم ما

لاقيتُ من فَجْعي بأهلِ وِدادي

لاقيتُ من فَجْعي بأهلِ وِدادي

if I withhold my eye's tears after the enormity of what

If I shielded the tear of my eye after the great

I endured in losing those I love.

Suffering I faced from losing my loved ones.