أَأَيّامَناO our days ماnot كُنتِyou were إِلّاexcept مَواهِباgifts
أَأَيّامَنا ما كُنتِ إِلّا مَواهِبا
وَكُنتِand you were بِإِسعافِthrough the favor of الحَبيبِthe beloved حَبائِباbeloved ones
وَكُنتِ بِإِسعافِ الحَبيبِ حَبائِبا
O our days, you were nothing but gifts,
Our days were nothing but gifts
and through the beloved's favor, you were beloveds.
And with the help of the beloved you were gifts
سَنُغرِبُwe shall do wonders تَجديداًas a renewal لِعَهدِكِof your memory فيin البُكاweeping
سَنُغرِبُ تَجديداً لِعَهدِكِ في البُكا
فَماfor ... not كُنتِyou were فيamong الأَيّامِthe days إِلّاexcept غَرائِباwonders
فَما كُنتِ في الأَيّامِ إِلّا غَرائِبا
We shall weep in wondrous ways, renewing your memory,
We will become strangers again to renew your era in crying
for among all days you were nothing but wonders.
For you were nothing in the days but wonders
وَمُعتَرَكٍand many an arena لِلشَوقِfor longing أَهدىoffered بِهِin it الهَوىlove
وَمُعتَرَكٍ لِلشَوقِ أَهدى بِهِ الهَوى
إِلىto ذيone possessed of الهَوىlove نُجلَwide العُيونِeyes رَبائِباhome-reared gazelles
إِلى ذي الهَوى نُجلَ العُيونِ رَبائِبا
And many an arena of longing where love offered
And a battlefield for yearning that infatuation brought
the lover wide-eyed, home-reared gazelles.
To the infatuated, the tender-eyed youth were gazelles
كَواعِبُbudding-breasted maidens زارَتthey visited فيon لَيالٍnights قَصيرَةٍbrief
كَواعِبُ زارَت في لَيالٍ قَصيرَةٍ
يُخَيَّلنَthey seemed ليto me مِنbecause of حُسنِهِنَّtheir beauty كَواعِباbudding-breasted maidens
يُخَيَّلنَ لي مِن حُسنِهِنَّ كَواعِبا
Budding-breasted maidens visited on brief nights,
Young women visited on short nights
the nights, in their beauty, seeming budding-breasted maidens to me.
Their beauty seemed to me to be young women
سَلَبناwe stripped away غِطاءَthe covering of الحُسنِbeauty عَنfrom حُرِّthe noblest of أَوجُهٍfaces
سَلَبنا غِطاءَ الحُسنِ عَن حُرِّ أَوجُهٍ
تَظَلُّthey remain لِلُبِّof the mind of السالِبيهاthose who strip them سَوالِباrobbers
تَظَلُّ لِلُبِّ السالِبيها سَوالِبا
We stripped beauty's veil from noble faces,
They took away the cover of beauty from free faces
which keep robbing their robbers of their wits.
That remain for those who stole them, plunderers
وُجوهٌfaces لَوَif اِنَّindeed الأَرضَthe earth فيهاin it كَواكِبٌstars
وُجوهٌ لَوَ اِنَّ الأَرضَ فيها كَواكِبٌ
تَوَقَّدُblaze لِلساريfor the night traveler لَكُنَّthey would be كَواكِباstars
تَوَقَّدُ لِلساري لَكُنَّ كَواكِبا
Faces—if the earth had stars
Faces that if the earth had planets in it
that blazed for the night traveler, these would be those stars.
They would shine for the sublime, and be planets
سَليask هَلwhether عَمَرتُI peopled القَفرَthe wilderness وَهوَwhile it was سَباسِبٌbarren plains
سَلي هَل عَمَرتُ القَفرَ وَهوَ سَباسِبٌ
وَغادَرتُand I left رَبعيmy dwelling مِنof رِكابيmy riding camels سَباسِباbarren plains
وَغادَرتُ رَبعي مِن رِكابي سَباسِبا
Ask: did I people the desert, though it was barren wastes,
Ask if I inhabited the expanse while it had mirages
and leave my home, bereft of my mounts, a barren waste?
And I left my land from my mounts and mirages
وَغَرَّبتُand I went west حَتّىuntil لَمnot أَجِدI found ذِكرَmention of مَشرِقٍthe east
وَغَرَّبتُ حَتّى لَم أَجِد ذِكرَ مَشرِقٍ
وَشَرَّقتُand I went east حَتّىuntil قَدalready نَسيتُI forgot المَغارِباthe western regions
وَشَرَّقتُ حَتّى قَد نَسيتُ المَغارِبا
And I traveled west until I found no mention of the east,
And became estranged until I did not find mention of an east
and traveled east until I had forgotten the western lands.
And I became eastern until I forgot the wests
خُطوبٌcalamities إِذاwhenever لاقَيتُهُنَّI encountered them رَدَدنَنيthey sent me back
خُطوبٌ إِذا لاقَيتُهُنَّ رَدَدنَني
جَريحاًwounded كَأَنّيas though I قَدalready لَقيتُI met الكَتائِباthe battalions
جَريحاً كَأَنّي قَد لَقيتُ الكَتائِبا
Calamities, whenever I met them, sent me back
Misfortunes, when I faced them, repelled me
wounded, as though I had met battalions.
Wounded as if I had faced disasters
وَمَنand whoever لَمnot يُسَلِّمsubmit لِلنَوائِبِto calamities أَصبَحَتbecome
وَمَن لَم يُسَلِّم لِلنَوائِبِ أَصبَحَت
خَلائِقُهُhis traits طُرّاًall عَلَيهِagainst him نَوائِباcalamities
خَلائِقُهُ طُرّاً عَلَيهِ نَوائِبا
And whoever will not yield to calamities will find
And whoever did not surrender to adversities
all his traits becoming calamities against him.
His manners became rebellious adversities against him
وَقَدand sometimes يَكهَمُgrows blunt السَيفُthe sword المُسَمّىnamed مَنِيَّةًDeath
وَقَد يَكهَمُ السَيفُ المُسَمّى مَنِيَّةً
وَقَدand sometimes يَرجِعُreturns المَرءُthe man المُظَفَّرُthe victorious خائِباdisappointed
وَقَد يَرجِعُ المَرءُ المُظَفَّرُ خائِبا
And sometimes the sword named Death grows blunt,
The sword named death may deceive
and sometimes the victorious man returns disappointed.
And the triumphant man may return defeated
فَآفَةُso the bane of ذاthis one أَلّاnot to يُصادِفَfind مَضرِباًa place to strike
فَآفَةُ ذا أَلّا يُصادِفَ مَضرِباً
وَآفَةُand the bane of ذاthis one أَلّاnot to يُصادِفَfind ضارِباa wielder
وَآفَةُ ذا أَلّا يُصادِفَ ضارِبا
So one's bane is to find no place to strike;
The affliction of that one is that he does not encounter a blow
and the other's, to find no wielder.
And the affliction of that one is that he does not encounter a striker
وَمَلآنَand many a man full مِنof ضِغنٍrancor كَواهُseared him تَوَقُّليmy climbing
وَمَلآنَ مِن ضِغنٍ كَواهُ تَوَقُّلي
إِلىtoward الهِمَّةِaspiration العُلياthe highest سَناماًa hump وَغارِباand withers
إِلى الهِمَّةِ العُليا سَناماً وَغارِبا
And many a man full of rancor was seared by my climb
And I was filled with sorrows that ambition concealed
toward the loftiest ambition—on hump and withers.
As I inclined towards the highest resolve, setting and declining
شَهِدتُI witnessed جَسيماتِthe mighty deeds of العُلىglory وَهوَwhile he was غائِبٌabsent
شَهِدتُ جَسيماتِ العُلى وَهوَ غائِبٌ
وَلَوand even if كانَhe were أَيضاًalso شاهِداًpresent كانَhe would be غائِباabsent
وَلَو كانَ أَيضاً شاهِداً كانَ غائِبا
I witnessed the mighty deeds of glory while he was absent;
I witnessed the greatest heights while it was absent
and even had he too been present, he would have been absent.
And even if it were also present, it would still be absent
إِلىto الحَسَنِal-Hasan اِقتَدناwe led رَكائِبَriding camels صَيَّرَتmade
إِلى الحَسَنِ اِقتَدنا رَكائِبَ صَيَّرَت
لَهاfor them الحَزنَthe rugged ground مِنof أَرضِthe land of الفَلاةِthe desert رَكائِباriding mounts
لَها الحَزنَ مِن أَرضِ الفَلاةِ رَكائِبا
To al-Hasan we led riding camels that made
We emulated its processions which made
the desert's rugged ground riding mounts for themselves.
Of grief in the barren land, processions
نَبَذتُI cast إِلَيهِtoward him هِمَّتيmy ambition فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though
نَبَذتُ إِلَيهِ هِمَّتي فَكَأَنَّما
كَدَرتُI hurled down بِهِthrough him نَجماًa star عَلىagainst الدَهرِTime ثاقِباblazing
كَدَرتُ بِهِ نَجماً عَلى الدَهرِ ثاقِبا
I cast my ambition toward him, and it was as though
I cast my determination to it as if
through him I hurled a blazing star against Time.
I had disturbed a star in the universe, piercing
وَكُنتُand I was اِمرَءاًa man أَلقىI meet الزَمانَTime مُسالِماًat peace
وَكُنتُ اِمرَءاً أَلقى الزَمانَ مُسالِماً
فَآلَيتُthen I swore لاnot أَلقاهُI would meet it إِلّاexcept مُحارِباat war
فَآلَيتُ لا أَلقاهُ إِلّا مُحارِبا
And I was a man who met Time in peace,
And I was a man who met time peacefully
so I swore to meet it only in war.
But I came to only meet it as an adversary
لَوِif اِقتُسِمَتwere shared out أَخلاقُهُhis virtues الغُرُّradiant لَمnot تَجِدyou would find
لَوِ اِقتُسِمَت أَخلاقُهُ الغُرُّ لَم تَجِد
مَعيباًanyone flawed وَلاnor خَلقاًa person مِنَamong الناسِthe people عائِباfinding fault
مَعيباً وَلا خَلقاً مِنَ الناسِ عائِبا
If his radiant virtues were shared out, you would find
If its manners were divided, you would not find
no one flawed, nor anyone among people finding fault.
A blemisher or a manners among people as fault-finding
إِذاif شِئتَyou wish أَنto تُحصيcount فَواضِلَthe bounties of كَفِّهِhis palm
إِذا شِئتَ أَن تُحصي فَواضِلَ كَفِّهِ
فَكُنthen be كاتِباًa scribe أَوor فَاِتَّخِذthen take لَكَfor yourself كاتِباa scribe
فَكُن كاتِباً أَو فَاِتَّخِذ لَكَ كاتِبا
If you wish to count the bounties of his hand,
If you wanted to count its generous palms
be a scribe, or get yourself a scribe.
Then be a writer or employ a writer
عَطاياgifts هِيَthey are الأَنواءُthe rain-showers إِلّاexcept for عَلامَةًa distinguishing name
عَطايا هِيَ الأَنواءُ إِلّا عَلامَةً
دَعَتcalled تِلكَthose أَنواءًrain-showers وَتِلكَand those مَواهِباgifts
دَعَت تِلكَ أَنواءً وَتِلكَ مَواهِبا
Gifts that are rain-showers, save for a name
Its gifts are the achievements except as a sign
that calls those showers and these gifts.
That called those achievements and those gifts
هُوَhe الغَيثُthe life-giving rain لَوeven if أَفرَطتُI exaggerated فيin الوَصفِdescription عامِداًintending
هُوَ الغَيثُ لَو أَفرَطتُ في الوَصفِ عامِداً
لِأَكذِبَto lie فيin مَدحيهِmy praise of him ماnot كُنتُI would be كاذِباlying
لِأَكذِبَ في مَدحيهِ ما كُنتُ كاذِبا
He is life-giving rain: even if I went too far in describing him, intent
It is the rain, if I exaggerated intentionally in describing it
on lying in my praise of him, I would not be lying.
I would lie in my praise of it, and I was no liar
ثَوىlay مالُهُhis wealth نَهبَas plunder for المَعاليlofty deeds فَأَوجَبَتand thus imposed
ثَوى مالُهُ نَهبَ المَعالي فَأَوجَبَت
عَلَيهِupon him زَكاةُthe alms-levy of الجودِgenerosity ماwhat لَيسَis not واجِباobligatory
عَلَيهِ زَكاةُ الجودِ ما لَيسَ واجِبا
His wealth lay as spoil for lofty deeds; thus was imposed
Its wealth plundered the heights so the obligatory alms
on him, by generosity's alms-levy, what was not obligatory.
Imposed on it what was not obligatory
تُحَسَّنُyou are made beautiful فيin عَينَيهِhis eyes إِنif كُنتَyou are زائِراًa visitor
تُحَسَّنُ في عَينَيهِ إِن كُنتَ زائِراً
وَتَزدادُand you grow حُسناًin beauty كُلَّماwhenever جِئتَyou come طالِباas a petitioner
وَتَزدادُ حُسناً كُلَّما جِئتَ طالِبا
You look fair in his eyes if you come to visit,
You look good in its eyes if you are a visitor
and grow fairer whenever you come as a petitioner.
And look better whenever you come seeking
خَدينُthe companion of العُلىglory أَبقىleft لَهُfor him البَذلُgenerous giving وَالتُقىand piety
خَدينُ العُلى أَبقى لَهُ البَذلُ وَالتُقى
عَواقِبَgood outcomes مِنof عُرفٍkindness كَفَتهُspared him العَواقِباill consequences
عَواقِبَ مِن عُرفٍ كَفَتهُ العَواقِبا
Companion of glory, giving and piety have left him
The cheek of heights made giving and piety
fruits of kindness that spared him dire consequences.
Consequences from a custom that consequences sufficed
تَطولُgrow lengthy اِستِشاراتُthe consultations of التَجارِبِexperience رَأيَهُhis judgment
تَطولُ اِستِشاراتُ التَجارِبِ رَأيَهُ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذَووthose possessed of الرَأيِjudgment اِستَشارواthey consult التَجارِباexperience
إِذا ما ذَوو الرَأيِ اِستَشاروا التَجارِبا
Experience consults his judgment at length,
The consultations of experiences lengthen its opinion
when men of judgment consult experience.
When those of sound judgement consult experiences
بِرِئتُI am free مِنَof الآمالِhopes وَهيَwhile they are كَثيرَةٌmany
بِرِئتُ مِنَ الآمالِ وَهيَ كَثيرَةٌ
لَدَيكَwith you وَإِنand even if جاءَتكَthey come to you حُدباًbent لَواغِباweary
لَدَيكَ وَإِن جاءَتكَ حُدباً لَواغِبا
I am free of hopes, though they are many,
I am innocent of hopes while there are many
with you, even if they come to you bent and weary.
With you, even if they come to you inclining and desiring
وَهَلand is it that كُنتُI was إِلّاanything but مُذنِباًa sinner يَومَon the day أَنتَحيI sought
وَهَل كُنتُ إِلّا مُذنِباً يَومَ أَنتَحي
سِواكَsomeone other than you بِآمالٍwith hopes فَأَقبَلتُso I came تائِباrepentant
سِواكَ بِآمالٍ فَأَقبَلتُ تائِبا
And was I anything but a sinner the day I sought
Was I ever but a sinner the day I turned
another with my hopes? So I came repentant.
Away from you to hopes and so I came repenting
Sol 6.1