مَاwhat بَالُis the matter with عينِكَyour eye لاnot تَجُودُgives freely بِمَائِهَاwith its water
مَا بَالُ عينِكَ لا تَجُودُ بِمَائِهَا
والنَّفْسُand the soul قدalready طُوِيَتْhas been folded علىupon غَمَّائِهاits deep grief
والنَّفْسُ قد طُوِيَتْ على غَمَّائِها
What ails your eye that it will not freely shed its tears,
Why do your eyes not shed their tears
while the soul lies folded around its deep grief?
While the soul is wrapped in its sorrows?
هَذِيْthese القُلُوبُhearts علىupon شَجَاهاtheir grief أُوكِيَتْhave been tied shut
هَذِيْ القُلُوبُ على شَجَاها أُوكِيَتْ
أفماis it not then علىfor الأَجْفَانِthe eyelids حَلُّuntying وِكَائِهاtheir binding
أفما على الأَجْفَانِ حَلُّ وِكَائِها
These hearts are tied shut upon their sorrow;
These hearts are bandaged with their wounds
must not the eyelids loosen their binding?
Yet no tears moisten the eyelids.
ماnot آنَthe time has come للأَجفانِfor the eyelids أَنْto تَعدَىbe enlisted علىagainst
ما آنَ للأَجفانِ أَنْ تَعدَى على
رَمْضَاءِthe scorching heat of أكْبَادٍlivers بِرَشْحِwith the seepage of إِنَائِهاtheir vessel
رَمْضَاءِ أكْبَادٍ بِرَشْحِ إِنَائِها
Has the time not come for the eyelids to be enlisted against
It is not right that the eyelids transgress
the scorching heat of livers, with seepage from their vessel?
On livers bleeding with their bowls.
لاnot يَسْتَريحُfinds rest القلبُthe heart عندَamid شُجُونِهِits sorrows
لا يَسْتَريحُ القلبُ عندَ شُجُونِهِ
إلاّexcept إلىto الأجْفَانِthe eyelids عندduring بكائهاtheir weeping
إلاّ إلى الأجْفَانِ عند بكائها
The heart finds no rest amid its sorrows
The heart finds no rest in its anguish
except by turning to the eyelids when they weep.
Except in tears when the eyelids weep.
فإذاso when غَليلُthe burning thirst of الحُزْنِgrief أَعْطَشَparches مُهْجةًa soul
فإذا غَليلُ الحُزْنِ أَعْطَشَ مُهْجةً
فعَلَىthen upon دُمُوعِthe tears of العَينِthe eye رَيُّthe quenching of ظِمائِهاits thirst
فعَلَى دُمُوعِ العَينِ رَيُّ ظِمائِها
When grief's burning thirst parches a soul,
When the thirst of grief makes the inner self parched
it falls to the eye's tears to slake its thirst.
The tears of the eyes quench its thirst.
عَقَّتْكَhas betrayed you عَينٌan eye لمdid not تَجُدْgive freely بِدِمَائِهاwith its blood
عَقَّتْكَ عَينٌ لم تَجُدْ بِدِمَائِها
فَضْلاًlet alone لهاfor it عنbeyond أَنْto تَضنَّbegrudge بِمَائِهاwith its water
فَضْلاً لها عن أَنْ تَضنَّ بِمَائِها
An eye that will not shed its blood has betrayed you,
You were forbidden to weep with your tears
let alone if it begrudges its water.
And be generous in shedding their water.
ياO قَدْindeed أَسَأْتَyou have done wrong لأُسْرَةٍto a family فَسَدتْgrew corrupt بنُوthe sons of الدْthe (fragment of 'world')
يا قَدْ أَسَأْتَ لأُسْرَةٍ فَسَدتْ بنُو الدْ
دُنْياworld بأخذِthrough the taking of الدَّهرِTime منfrom صُلَحَائِهاits righteous ones
دُنْيا بأخذِ الدَّهرِ من صُلَحَائِها
Ah, you have wronged a family; corrupt are the sons of the
Oh you who did wrong to a family, so the sons
world, through Time's taking away its righteous ones.
Of the world were corrupted when time took its righteous ones.
لَمَّاwhen استمرَّpersisted بأكلِin devouring مُعْظَمِهاmost of it انْثَنَىturned
لَمَّا استمرَّ بأكلِ مُعْظَمِها انْثَنَى
يُشْلِيsets loose ضَوَارِيْهِits beasts of prey علىupon أشْلائهاits scattered limbs
يُشْلِي ضَوَارِيْهِ على أشْلائها
Having persisted in devouring most of it, it turned
When it persisted in eating away its pillars, it leaned
to unleash its beasts of prey upon its scattered limbs.
To shore up its ruins on its remnants.
فلكلِّso for every يومٍday غَارةٌa raid فيupon ذَوْدِهَاits camel herd
فلكلِّ يومٍ غَارةٌ في ذَوْدِهَا
شَعْواءُruthless تعقبُbrings in its wake صَيحةًa cry فيamong شائهاits sheep
شَعْواءُ تعقبُ صَيحةً في شائها
Each day brings a raid upon its camel herd,
So each day there is a raid in its shelter,
a ruthless onslaught, leaving a cry among its sheep.
Hyenas follow each other’s howls.
أَخْلَىemptied مَجَاثِمَthe lairs of أُسْدِهاits lions منهاof them فَلَمْso did not
أَخْلَى مَجَاثِمَ أُسْدِها منها فَلَمْ
يمنعْهُrestrain it أنthat أَخلَىemptied كِنَاسَthe covert of ظِبَائِهاits gazelles
يمنعْهُ أن أَخلَى كِنَاسَ ظِبَائِها
It emptied its lions' lairs of them, and nothing
The lion emptied its lairs of them but that did not
restrained it from emptying its gazelles' covert.
Stop it emptying the nests of their eggs.
تِلكَthose النَّوادِبُwailing women لاnot يفيقُrecovers السَّمعُthe hearing مِنْfrom
تِلكَ النَّوادِبُ لا يفيقُ السَّمعُ مِنْ
غَوغاءِthe uproar of رنَّتِهاtheir lament ولاnor ضَوْضَائِهاtheir clamor
غَوغاءِ رنَّتِها ولا ضَوْضَائِها
Those wailing women—the ear finds no respite from
Those are the wailings, the hearing cannot wake from
the uproar of their lament, nor their clamor:
The hubbub of their bleating and their clamor.
فَعُوَاءُso the howling of مُشْبِلةٍa lioness with young علىover أَجْدائِهاher young
فَعُوَاءُ مُشْبِلةٍ على أَجْدائِها
وبُغَامُand the bleating of مُطفِلةٍa mother-gazelle علىover أطْلائِهاher fawns
وبُغَامُ مُطفِلةٍ على أطْلائِها
the howling of a lioness over her young,
The howling she-camel deprived of her baby,
and a mother-gazelle's bleating over her fawns.
The orphaned calf bleating for its mother.
لَتكرَّهَتْhas surely loathed نفسيmy soul البقاءَsurvival وإننيand indeed I
لَتكرَّهَتْ نفسي البقاءَ وإنني
لأرَىsurely see النُّفوسَsouls تَحومُhover حولَaround بَقَائِهاtheir survival
لأرَى النُّفوسَ تَحومُ حولَ بَقَائِها
My soul has indeed come to loathe survival, though I
My soul dislikes remaining alive though I see
see souls hovering around their own survival.
Souls hovering around the remainder of their lifespan.
مَرضَتْgrew sick بصحّتِهاfrom its health فلمso did not أَرَI see قبلَهاbefore it
مَرضَتْ بصحّتِها فلم أَرَ قبلَها
نَفْساًa soul دَوَاءُthe remedy of الخلقِhumankind أَقتلُthe deadliest دَائِهاits ailment
نَفْساً دَوَاءُ الخلقِ أَقتلُ دَائِها
It sickened from its health; before it I had never seen
In its health it fell sick, and before it I did not see
a soul for which mankind's remedy was its deadliest ailment.
A soul whose cure was the death of its body.
واستَعْذَبتْand found sweet مُرَّthe bitterness of الرَّدَىdeath واستوخَمتْand found unwholesome
واستَعْذَبتْ مُرَّ الرَّدَى واستوخَمتْ
طِيبَthe pleasantness of الحياةِlife علىdespite عَذِيِّthe purity of هوائِهاits air
طِيبَ الحياةِ على عَذِيِّ هوائِها
It found death's bitterness sweet, and found unwholesome
It found the bitter taste of demise sweet
the pleasantness of life, despite the purity of its air.
And the pleasures of life a sickening flavor.
أَوَتشتَهيand does it desire? النفسُthe soul الحياةَlife وغارةُwhile the onslaught of الْthe (fragment of 'days')
أَوَتشتَهي النفسُ الحياةَ وغارةُ الْ
أيّامِdays منfrom قُدَّامهاin front of it وورائِهاand behind it
أيّامِ من قُدَّامها وورائِها
Can the soul desire life, when the onslaught of the
Does the soul crave life while the days
days comes at it from before and behind?
Pounce on it from the front and the rear?
أَشَجاًis it grief? يُغَاديهاvisits it each morning إذاwhen هيَit أَصْبَحَتْawakens
أَشَجاً يُغَاديها إذا هيَ أَصْبَحَتْ
وأسىًand sorrow يراوحُهاvisits it each evening لَدَىat إمسائهاits nightfall
وأسىً يراوحُها لَدَى إمسائها
Is it grief that greets it in the morning when it wakes,
Branches that greet it in the morning and then
and sorrow that visits it at nightfall?
Sorrows that keep it company at dusk?
لاستدرجَتْhas surely lured onward قَوميmy people فَأُلحِقَso was joined كهلُهاits man in midlife
لاستدرجَتْ قَومي فَأُلحِقَ كهلُها
بِغلامِهاto its youth ورجالُهاand its men بنسائِهاto its women
بِغلامِها ورجالُها بنسائِها
It has surely lured my people away; their men in midlife were joined
My people were lured so their elders were made
to their youths, and their men to their women,
Equal to their youths, their men to their women.
مِمَّنْof those who يَقِيلُrests at noon الحمدَpraise بينَbetween بُرودِهِhis robes
مِمَّنْ يَقِيلُ الحمدَ بينَ بُرودِهِ
أوor مَنْone who يبيتُspends the night الصَّونُchastity مِلءَfilling مُلائِهاher wraps
أو مَنْ يبيتُ الصَّونُ مِلءَ مُلائِها
among them, those in whose robes praise rests at noon,
Among those who seldom thank in their composure
or those whose wraps chastity fills through the night.
Or those who seldom keep their honor intact.
وأتَتْand laid waste علىto صَحْبِيmy companions فأوفَدَthen sent صَرفُهاits vicissitudes
وأتَتْ على صَحْبِي فأوفَدَ صَرفُها
أبناءَthe sons of أَتْرابيmy peers علىto آبَائِهاtheir fathers
أبناءَ أَتْرابي على آبَائِها
It laid waste my companions, and its vicissitudes sent
And calamity befell my companions, so its havoc
the sons of my peers to join their fathers.
Sent the sons of my peers to their fathers.
وَبقِيتُand I remained بعدَهُمُafter them كَأَنِّيas though I were نخلةٌa palm tree
وَبقِيتُ بعدَهُمُ كَأَنِّي نخلةٌ
قدindeed أَفْردُوهاthey isolated it بعدُafterward عنfrom أَصْنَائهاits sister palms
قد أَفْردُوها بعدُ عن أَصْنَائها
I remained after them, as though I were a palm
And I remained after them like a palm tree
they had left alone, apart from its sister palms.
They had isolated from its fronds.
لَهْفِيmy anguish لأَوجُهِfor the faces of فِتْيَةٍyoung men عَاثَravaged البِلَىdecay
لَهْفِي لأَوجُهِ فِتْيَةٍ عَاثَ البِلَى
فِيهَاwithin them يُعَرِّضُexposing أنفُساًsouls لِبَلائِهاto their affliction
فِيهَا يُعَرِّضُ أنفُساً لِبَلائِها
Alas for the faces of young men: decay runs rampant
I yearn for the faces of youths, time has corrupted them
among them, exposing souls to the ordeal of their ruin.
Sacrificing souls to its trials.
سُرُجٌlamps يُضِيءُilluminates بهاwith them الظَّلامَthe darkness فَمَاso what لَهاfor them
سُرُجٌ يُضِيءُ بها الظَّلامَ فَمَا لَها
فيin التُّرْبِthe dust تستعدِيseek aid علىagainst ظُلَمائِهاtheir darkness
في التُّرْبِ تستعدِي على ظُلَمائِها
Lamps that light the darkness—why are they
Lamps that illuminate the darkness, so why
in the dust, seeking aid against their darkness?
Do they assail the darkness in the dust?
وظُباًand sword-edges مُهنَّدةٌof Indian steel أُحِيلتْwere turned بِيضُهاtheir white blades
وظُباً مُهنَّدةٌ أُحِيلتْ بِيضُها
سُوداًblack لماbecause of what لَبِسَتْهُthey wore it منof أَصْدَائِهاtheir rust
سُوداً لما لَبِسَتْهُ من أَصْدَائِها
And blades of Indian steel, their whiteness turned
Prime pearls that were bleached, made black
black by the rust that clothed them;
When they donned its outfits.
وقَناًand spears مُثَقَّفَةٌstraightened أُنِيمَتْwere laid to rest بعدَمَاafter
وقَناً مُثَقَّفَةٌ أُنِيمَتْ بعدَمَا
دَعَمَتْpropped up أَسِنَّتُهاtheir spearheads صَفيحَthe broad expanse of سَمَائِهاtheir sky
دَعَمَتْ أَسِنَّتُها صَفيحَ سَمَائِها
and straightened spears, laid to rest after
Trained she-camels muted after supporting
their points had propped up the expanse of their sky;
The roofs of the heavens with their necks.
أَنْواءُrain-bringing stars of عُرْفٍgenerosity ماnot تغبُّskip a day تَبرَّمَتْgrew weary
أَنْواءُ عُرْفٍ ما تغبُّ تَبرَّمَتْ
منَّاof us لهاon their account الأَنواءُthe rain-stars فيin استسقائِهاseeking their rain
منَّا لها الأَنواءُ في استسقائِها
unfailing showers of generosity—the rain-stars grew weary
The winds of fragrant meadows were annoyed with us
of us on their account, as we begged for their rain.
As the winds appealed to us for their rain.
بُزُلٌmature camels أَطَاعَobeyed القَيدَthe fetter مُصْعَبُهاtheir untamed one فَقَدand indeed
بُزُلٌ أَطَاعَ القَيدَ مُصْعَبُها فَقَد
ذُلَّتْwere humbled عُقيبَafter عُتُوِّهاtheir arrogance وإِبائِهاand their refusal
ذُلَّتْ عُقيبَ عُتُوِّها وإِبائِها
Mature camels, whose untamed ones obeyed the fetter; indeed,
Tame gazelles that obeyed the fetters, so they
they were humbled after their pride and refusal.
Were humiliated after their insolence and refusal.
أَطْعَمْتُهاI fed them قبليbefore me الرَّدَىdeath ولَوَand if انّنيindeed I
أَطْعَمْتُها قبلي الرَّدَى ولَوَ انّني
أنصفتُهاI treated them fairly لمnot أَبْقَI remain بَعْدَafter فِدَائِهاtheir ransom
أنصفتُها لم أَبْقَ بَعْدَ فِدَائِها
I fed them death before myself; had I
I fed the land with decay before me, and had I
treated them fairly, I would not have survived their sacrifice.
Judged it fairly, I would not have remained after redeeming it.
وَفَدَتْنيَand ransomed me الدُّنْيَاthe world بِهاwith them ولَوَand if انّنيindeed I
وَفَدَتْنيَ الدُّنْيَا بِها ولَوَ انّني
مِمَّنْamong those who يُوفَّقُare guided aright كُنْتُI would have been بَعْضَpart of فِدَائِهاtheir ransom
مِمَّنْ يُوفَّقُ كُنْتُ بَعْضَ فِدَائِها
The world ransomed me with them; had I
The world ransomed me with it, and had I been
been guided aright, I would have been part of their ransom.
Among the successful, I would have been part of its ransom.
ومُجَاهِرٍand one proclaiming openly بالنَّعْيِwith news of death ماnot حَابَىshowed consideration بِهِin it
ومُجَاهِرٍ بالنَّعْيِ ما حَابَى بِهِ
نَفْسِيmy soul بماwith what يُبْقِيwould preserve علىfor حَوْبائِهاits life-breath
نَفْسِي بما يُبْقِي على حَوْبائِها
And a herald who cried the death did not soften the news
Lamenting openly that which did not please
for my soul, so as to spare its life-breath.
My soul with what remains of its ruins.
أَلقَىcast علىupon الآذانِthe ears منof أَنْبَائِهِhis tidings
أَلقَى على الآذانِ من أَنْبَائِهِ
ماwhat يمنَعُkeeps الأَجْفَانَthe eyelids منfrom إِغْفَائِهاtheir sleep
ما يمنَعُ الأَجْفَانَ من إِغْفَائِها
He cast into the ears, among his tidings,
Informing ears of news that prevents
what keeps the eyelids from sleep.
Eyelids from falling asleep.
نَبَأٌnews تَذَمَّمَfeel ashamed إِنْif ألمَّbefell بمهْجَةٍa soul
نَبَأٌ تَذَمَّمَ إِنْ ألمَّ بمهْجَةٍ
مِنَّاamong us ولمand did not تسمحْfreely offer لَهُto it بِدِمائِهاwith its blood
مِنَّا ولم تسمحْ لَهُ بِدِمائِها
A report—one should feel shame if it touches a soul
News that if it touches an inner self
among us that does not freely offer it its blood.
Our blood does not allow it to be stained.
نَادَتْcalled لَهُbecause of it النفسُthe soul السُّلُوَّsolace فلمbut did not يُجِبْanswer
نَادَتْ لَهُ النفسُ السُّلُوَّ فلم يُجِبْ
وأجابَهاand answered it كَمَدٌanguish بِغَيرِwithout نِدَائِهاits call
وأجابَها كَمَدٌ بِغَيرِ نِدَائِها
The soul called for solace because of it, but solace did not answer;
The soul called upon tranquility but it did not respond
anguish answered it without being called.
While the remains responded without its call.
أَتُرَىdo you think? النُّعَاةُthe death-heralds دَرَتْknew بِمَنْof whom هَتَفَتْthey cried aloud بِهِabout him
أَتُرَى النُّعَاةُ دَرَتْ بِمَنْ هَتَفَتْ بِهِ
أوَمَنْor whom عَنَتْthey meant لماwhen نَعَتْthey announced death بِنِعَائِهاwith their death-notice
أوَمَنْ عَنَتْ لما نَعَتْ بِنِعَائِها
Do you think the death-heralds knew whose name they cried,
Do you see the wailers recognize who they appealed to
or whom they meant when they proclaimed his death?
Or who they elegized when they made their elegy?
لَنَعتْthey surely announced death عَلىto المعروفِkindness بَيْتَthe verse of قَصِيدِهِits poem
لَنَعتْ عَلى المعروفِ بَيْتَ قَصِيدِهِ
ولِسُورةِand to the sura of الإحْسَانِbeneficence آيةُthe verse of آيِهاits verses
ولِسُورةِ الإحْسَانِ آيةُ آيِها
They announced to kindness the death of its poem's crowning verse,
They elegized the home of the ode for his virtues
and to the sura of beneficence, the foremost of its verses;
And the verse of benevolence its verses.
نَفْساًa soul لَوِif انتظَرَhad waited الفِداءُransom بهاfor it افْتَدَتْwould ransom
نَفْساً لَوِ انتظَرَ الفِداءُ بها افْتَدَتْ
بِنَفيسِwith the treasures of ماwhat تحوِيhold بنوthe people of أَحْوائِهاits encampments
بِنَفيسِ ما تحوِي بنو أَحْوائِها
a soul that, had ransom been given time, would have been redeemed
A soul that if sacrifice were to be made for it, it would ransom
with the treasures held by the people of its encampments;
With my soul what people's homes contain.
وفَتًىand a young man تُقِرُّacknowledges لهfor him الفُتُوَّةُchivalry أنَّهُthat he
وفَتًى تُقِرُّ له الفُتُوَّةُ أنَّهُ
عندَwhen السُّؤالِquestioned بهاabout it فَتَىthe youth of أفْتَائِهاits youths
عندَ السُّؤالِ بها فَتَى أفْتَائِها
and a youth whom chivalry itself acknowledges,
And a gallant man whom gallantry acknowledges
when asked about it, as the foremost of its youths;
That regarding its rulings, he is its jurist.
وأَخَاand a brother of المروءةِnoble conduct إنْif يُعَدَّis counted سِوَاهُanyone besides him منamong
وأَخَا المروءةِ إنْ يُعَدَّ سِوَاهُ من
أجنادِهاits troops عَدَّتْهُit counts him منamong أُمرائِهاits commanders
أجنادِها عَدَّتْهُ من أُمرائِها
and a brother to noble conduct: if anyone else is counted among
And the brother of manliness, if any other than him
its soldiers, it counts him among its commanders.
Is counted among its soldiers, it counts him among its princes.
سَامَىrivaled السَّمَاءَthe sky بهمَّةٍwith resolve عَلَويَّةٍlofty
سَامَى السَّمَاءَ بهمَّةٍ عَلَويَّةٍ
حَازَattained العُلَوَّexaltation بِهِthrough it مَدَىthe height of جَوْزَائِهاits al-Jawza constellation
حَازَ العُلَوَّ بِهِ مَدَى جَوْزَائِها
He rivaled the sky with a lofty resolve,
He reached the heavens with his lofty ambition
and gained through it a height reaching al-Jawza.
And attained the heights spanning its breadth.
لِتغُضَّlet lower أبناءُthe sons of العُلاloftiness أبْصَارَهاtheir eyes
لِتغُضَّ أبناءُ العُلا أبْصَارَها
منfrom بعدِهِafter him وتكفَّand refrain منfrom خُيلائِهاtheir pride
من بعدِهِ وتكفَّ من خُيلائِها
Let the sons of loftiness lower their eyes
So the children of the highborn lower their gazes
after him, and curb their pride.
After him and restrain their arrogance.
فلقدfor indeed أَطَارَhas whisked away الدهرُTime أَجملَthe fairest حُلَّةٍrobe
فلقد أَطَارَ الدهرُ أَجملَ حُلَّةٍ
عَنْهاfrom them وغَيَّرَand altered منof جَميلِthe beauty of رُوَائِهاtheir appearance
عَنْها وغَيَّرَ من جَميلِ رُوَائِها
For Time has whisked away the fairest robe
For time has stripped the most beautiful raiment
from them, and changed their lovely appearance.
From it and changed the beauty of its appearance.
Sol 6.1