الدارُthe dwelling ناطِقَةٌspeaking وَلَيسَتand does not تَنطِقُspeak
الدارُ ناطِقَةٌ وَلَيسَت تَنطِقُ
بِدُثورِهاby its decay أَنَّthat الجَديدَthe new سَيُخلِقُwill wear out
بِدُثورِها أَنَّ الجَديدَ سَيُخلِقُ
The abandoned dwelling speaks, though it has no tongue,
The dwelling speaks, though it does not speak,
proclaiming through its decay that even the new will wear away.
telling by its decay that the new will wear out.
دِمَنٌruins تَجَمَّعَتِgathered النَوىseparation فيin رَبعِهاtheir grounds
دِمَنٌ تَجَمَّعَتِ النَوى في رَبعِها
وَتَفَرَّقَتand dispersed فيهاin them السَحابُthe clouds الفُرَّقُscattered
وَتَفَرَّقَت فيها السَحابُ الفُرَّقُ
Campsites where partings gathered within their bounds,
Ruins in whose grounds separation gathered,
and there the clouds dispersed into scattered bands.
while scattered clouds dispersed over them.
فَتَرَقرَقَتso welled up عَينيmy eye مَآقيهاits corners إِلىuntil
فَتَرَقرَقَت عَيني مَآقيها إِلى
أَنthat خِلتُI imagined مُهجَتِيَmy heart's blood الَّتيwhich تَتَرَقرَقُwells up
أَن خِلتُ مُهجَتِيَ الَّتي تَتَرَقرَقُ
My eyes brimmed from their inner corners, until
Then my eye brimmed at its corners, until
I thought it was my very soul that flowed away.
I thought it was my heart's blood that was welling up.
ياO سَهمُSahm كَيفَhow يُفيقُsobers مِنfrom سُكرِthe intoxication الهَوىof love
يا سَهمُ كَيفَ يُفيقُ مِن سُكرِ الهَوى
حَرّانُa parched man يُصبَحُis given a morning draught بِالفِراقِwith separation وَيُغبَقُand given an evening draught
حَرّانُ يُصبَحُ بِالفِراقِ وَيُغبَقُ
O Sahm, how can one sober from passion’s intoxication—
O Sahm, how can he sober from love's intoxication—
a thirst-tormented man, served separation as his morning and evening draught?
a parched man given separation to drink at dawn and dusk?
ماnot زالَceased مُشتَمِلَenfolding الفُؤادِthe heart عَلىaround أَسىًsorrow
ما زالَ مُشتَمِلَ الفُؤادِ عَلى أَسىً
وَالبَينُand parting مُشتَمِلٌenfolding عَلىaround مَنwhoever يَعشَقُloves passionately
وَالبَينُ مُشتَمِلٌ عَلى مَن يَعشَقُ
The heart has never ceased enfolding sorrow,
His heart has always enfolded sorrow,
while separation enfolds whoever loves.
while parting enfolds whoever loves.
حَكَمَتdecreed لِأَنفُسِهاfor themselves اللَياليthe nights أَنَّهاthat they
حَكَمَت لِأَنفُسِها اللَيالي أَنَّها
أَبَداًforever تُفَرِّقُناseparate us وَلاand do not تَتَفَرَّقُbreak apart
أَبَداً تُفَرِّقُنا وَلا تَتَفَرَّقُ
The nights decreed for themselves that they
The nights have decreed for themselves that they
would part us forever, yet never part from one another.
forever part us, yet never part from one another.
عُمريby my life لَقَدindeed نَصَحَoffered counsel الزَمانُtime وَإِنَّهُand indeed it
عُمري لَقَد نَصَحَ الزَمانُ وَإِنَّهُ
لَمِنَsurely among العَجائِبِthe wonders ناصِحٌa counselor لاnot يُشفِقُshows compassion
لَمِنَ العَجائِبِ ناصِحٌ لا يُشفِقُ
By my life, Time has indeed offered counsel—and truly it is
By my life, time has indeed offered counsel; and it is
a wonder: a counsellor who shows no mercy.
among the wonders—a counselor who shows no compassion.
إِنif تُلغَis disregarded مَوعِظَةُthe admonition الحَوادِثِof calamities بَعدَماafter
إِن تُلغَ مَوعِظَةُ الحَوادِثِ بَعدَما
وَضُحَتbecame clear فَكَمthen how many مِنof جَوهَرٍa jewel لاnot يَنفِقُfinds a buyer
وَضُحَت فَكَم مِن جَوهَرٍ لا يَنفِقُ
If you disregard the lesson of events after
If calamities' admonition is disregarded after
it has become clear, how many a jewel goes unsold!
it becomes clear, how many a jewel goes unsold!
إِنَّindeed العَزاءَfortitude وَإِنeven if فَتىًa young man حُرِمَwas denied الغِنىwealth
إِنَّ العَزاءَ وَإِن فَتىً حُرِمَ الغِنى
رِزقٌa provision جَزيلٌabundant لِلَّذيfor the one who لَهُto him يُرزَقُis granted
رِزقٌ جَزيلٌ لِلَّذي لَهُ يُرزَقُ
Indeed, I am consolation itself: though a young man be denied riches,
Surely fortitude, though a young man be denied wealth,
ample provision is allotted to the man for whom it is destined.
is a rich provision for whoever is granted it.
هِمَمُaspirations الفَتىthe young man فيin الأَرضِthe earth أَغصانُbranches الغِنىof wealth
هِمَمُ الفَتى في الأَرضِ أَغصانُ الغِنى
غُرِسَتwere planted وَلَيسَتand are not كُلَّevery عامٍyear تورِقُputting forth leaves
غُرِسَت وَلَيسَت كُلَّ عامٍ تورِقُ
A young man’s ambitions upon the earth are branches of wealth,
A young man's aspirations are wealth's branches in the earth,
planted, though they do not leaf every year.
planted, though they do not put forth leaves every year.
ياO عُتبَةَUtbah بنَson of أَبيAbu (father of) عُصَيمٍUsaym دَعوَةًa cry
يا عُتبَةَ بنَ أَبي عُصَيمٍ دَعوَةً
شَنعاءَdreadful تَصدِمُstrikes مِسمَعَيكَyour two ears فَتَصعَقُso you are stunned
شَنعاءَ تَصدِمُ مِسمَعَيكَ فَتَصعَقُ
O ʿUtba ibn Abī ʿUṣaym, hear a curse,
O Utbah son of Abu Usaym—a cry
so hideous it pounds your ears and splits them.
so dreadful it strikes both your ears and leaves you thunderstruck!
أَخَرِستَdid you go mute? إِذwhen عايَنتَنيyou saw me حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen
أَخَرِستَ إِذ عايَنتَني حَتّى إِذا
ماemphatic particle غِبتَyou vanished عَنfrom بَصَريmy sight ظَلِلتَyou went on تَشَدَّقُmouthing boasts
ما غِبتَ عَن بَصَري ظَلِلتَ تَشَدَّقُ
You fell silent when you saw me face to face, until, once
Did you go mute when you saw me, until,
you vanished from my sight, you kept blustering.
once out of my sight, you kept mouthing boasts?
وَكَذاand so اللَئيمُthe base man يَقولُspeaks إِنif نَأَتِwent far away النَوىdistance
وَكَذا اللَئيمُ يَقولُ إِن نَأَتِ النَوى
بِعَدُوِّهِwith his enemy وَيَحولُand turns aside ساعَةَthe moment يُصدَقُis challenged in earnest
بِعَدُوِّهِ وَيَحولُ ساعَةَ يُصدَقُ
Thus does a base man speak when distance carries him away
So the base man speaks when distance has carried
from his foe and intervenes; then, for a while, he speaks boldly.
his enemy away, but turns aside when challenged in earnest.
عَيرٌa wild ass رَأىsaw أَسَدَthe lion العَرينِof the lair فَهالَهُso it terrified him
عَيرٌ رَأى أَسَدَ العَرينِ فَهالَهُ
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen وَلّىturned away تَوَلّىset about يَنهَقُbraying
حَتّى إِذا وَلّى تَوَلّى يَنهَقُ
A donkey saw the lion of the lair and was terrified,
A wild ass saw the lion of the lair and was terrified;
but when the lion turned away, it began to bray.
then, once the lion turned away, it set about braying.
أَوor مِثلَlike راعيa shepherd السوءِof ill conduct أَتلَفَlet perish ضَأنَهُhis sheep
أَو مِثلَ راعي السوءِ أَتلَفَ ضَأنَهُ
لَيلاًat night وَأَصبَحَand at dawn became فَوقَabove نَشزٍa rise يَنعَقُcalling out
لَيلاً وَأَصبَحَ فَوقَ نَشزٍ يَنعَقُ
Or like a wicked shepherd whose sheep were lost
Or like a bad shepherd who let his sheep perish
at night, then at dawn stood on a rise and cried out.
at night, then at dawn stood on a rise calling to them.
هَيهاتَfar from it! غالَكَkept you from أَنto تَنالَattain مَآثِريmy glorious deeds
هَيهاتَ غالَكَ أَن تَنالَ مَآثِري
إِستٌan arse بِهاin it سَعَةٌample room وَباعٌand a reach ضَيِّقُnarrow
إِستٌ بِها سَعَةٌ وَباعٌ ضَيِّقُ
Far from it—may destruction overtake you before you attain my glorious deeds!
Far from it! What keeps you from reaching my glories is
My arse is spacious, while your reach is short.
a roomy arse and a narrow reach,
وَتَنَقُّلُُand flitting مِنfrom مَعشَرٍa clan فيamong مَعشَرٍa clan
وَتَنَقُّلُُ مِن مَعشَرٍ في مَعشَرٍ
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though أُمَّكَyour mother أَوor أَباكَyour father الزِئبَقُquicksilver
فَكَأَنَّ أُمَّكَ أَو أَباكَ الزِئبَقُ
Your roaming from one clan to another
and flitting from one clan to another,
makes it seem your mother or father was quicksilver.
as though your mother or your father were quicksilver.
أَإِلىis it toward? بَنيthe sons of عَبدِAbd (servant of) الكَريمِal-Karim (the Generous) تَشاوَسَتglared haughtily
أَإِلى بَني عَبدِ الكَريمِ تَشاوَسَت
عَيناكَyour two eyes وَيلَكَwoe to you خِلفَteat مَنwhose تَتَفَوَّقُyou sip from
عَيناكَ وَيلَكَ خِلفَ مَن تَتَفَوَّقُ
Was it toward the sons of ʿAbd al-Karīm that your eyes looked askance?
Is it at the sons of Abd al-Karim that they glare—
Woe to you—behind whose protection do you boast?
your eyes? Woe to you! Whose teat are you sipping from?
قَومٌa people تَراهُمyou see them حينَwhen يَطرُقُlowers its head مَعشَرٌa company
قَومٌ تَراهُم حينَ يَطرُقُ مَعشَرٌ
يَسمونَrise لِلخَطبِto the ordeal الجَليلِthe mighty فَيُطرِقُso it bows its head
يَسمونَ لِلخَطبِ الجَليلِ فَيُطرِقُ
A people whom you see, when calamity visits a clan,
A people you see, when other folk lower their heads,
rise to meet the grave crisis—and it bows its head;
rise to the mighty ordeal, till the ordeal bows its head.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen اِسوَدَّturned black الزَمانُtime تَوَضَّحواshone brightly
قَومٌ إِذا اِسوَدَّ الزَمانُ تَوَضَّحوا
فيهِwithin it فَغودِرَso it was left وَهوَwhile it is مِنهُمbecause of them أَبلَقُpiebald
فيهِ فَغودِرَ وَهوَ مِنهُم أَبلَقُ
a people who, when Time grows black, shine brightly
A people who, when time turns black, shine brightly
within it, leaving Time piebald because of them.
within it, leaving it piebald because of them.
ماnot زالَceased فيin جَرمِJarm بنِson of عَمروٍAmr مِنهُمُamong them
ما زالَ في جَرمِ بنِ عَمروٍ مِنهُمُ
مِفتاحُa key بابٍa door لِلنَدىto generosity لاnot يُغلَقُis closed
مِفتاحُ بابٍ لِلنَدى لا يُغلَقُ
Among Jarm ibn ʿAmr there has always been one of them:
Among them, in Jarm ibn Amr, there has always been
a key to bounty’s door, which never closes.
a key to generosity's door, which never closes.
ماnot أُنشِئَتwas raised لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble deeds سَحابَةٌa cloud
ما أُنشِئَت لِلمَكرُماتِ سَحابَةٌ
إِلّاexcept وَمِنand from أَيديهِمُtheir hands تَتَدَفَّقُpours forth
إِلّا وَمِن أَيديهِمُ تَتَدَفَّقُ
No cloud of noble deeds has ever arisen
No cloud has ever been raised for noble deeds
without pouring forth from their hands.
without pouring forth from their hands.
أُنظُرlook فَحَيثُso wherever تَرىyou see السُيوفَthe swords لَوامِعاًflashing
أُنظُر فَحَيثُ تَرى السُيوفَ لَوامِعاً
أَبَداًalways فَفَوقَso above رُؤوسِهِمtheir heads تَتَأَلَّقُglitter
أَبَداً فَفَوقَ رُؤوسِهِم تَتَأَلَّقُ
Behold: wherever you see swords flashing,
Look: wherever you see swords flashing,
forever above their heads those swords glitter.
they are always glittering above their heads.
شوسٌfierce-eyed men إِذاwhen خَفَقَتfluttered عُقابُthe eagle لِوائِهِمof their standard
شوسٌ إِذا خَفَقَت عُقابُ لِوائِهِم
ظَلَّتkept قُلوبُthe hearts المَوتِof Death مِنهُمbecause of them تَخفِقُfluttering
ظَلَّت قُلوبُ المَوتِ مِنهُم تَخفِقُ
Fierce warriors—when the eagle of their standard flaps,
Fierce-eyed men: when the eagle of their standard flutters,
the very hearts of Death flutter in fear of them.
the hearts of Death keep fluttering in fear of them.
بُلهٌguileless men إِذاwhen لَبِسواthey donned الحَديدَiron armor حَسِبتَهُمyou thought them
بُلهٌ إِذا لَبِسوا الحَديدَ حَسِبتَهُم
لَمnot يَحسِبواthey reckoned أَنَّthat المَنِيَّةَdeath تُخلَقُis created
لَم يَحسِبوا أَنَّ المَنِيَّةَ تُخلَقُ
Still more when they don iron: you would think them
Guileless men: when they don iron, you would think they
men who never imagined that Death itself could wear away.
had never reckoned that death had been created.
قُلsay ماwhatever بَداoccurs لَكَto you ياO اِبنَson of تُرناTurna فَالصَداfor rust
قُل ما بَدا لَكَ يا اِبنَ تُرنا فَالصَدا
بِمُهَذَّبِto refined العِقيانِpure gold لاnot يَتَعَلَّقُclings
بِمُهَذَّبِ العِقيانِ لا يَتَعَلَّقُ
Say whatever you please, O son of Tarnā: rust
Say whatever you please, son of Turna; for rust
does not cling to one who sends the eagles fleeing.
does not cling to refined gold.
أَفَعِشتَhave you then lived? حَتّىuntil عِبتَهُمyou found fault with them قُلtell ليto me مَتىwhen
أَفَعِشتَ حَتّى عِبتَهُم قُل لي مَتى
فُرزِنتَwere promoted to chess vizier سُرعَةَswiftness ماwhat أَرىI see ياO بَيدَقُpawn
فُرزِنتَ سُرعَةَ ما أَرى يا بَيدَقُ
Have you lived so long that you fault them? Tell me: when
Have you lived to find fault with them? Tell me: when
were you promoted to queen so swiftly? What speed, O pawn!
were you promoted to a chess vizier? How swift the change I see, O pawn!
جَدعاًcutting off لآِنِفِto the nose of طَيِّئٍTayy إِنif فُتَّهاyou escaped them
جَدعاً لآِنِفِ طَيِّئٍ إِن فُتَّها
وَلَوَeven if اَنَّthat روحَكُyour soul بِالسِماكِfrom al-Simak مُعَلَّقُsuspended
وَلَوَ اَنَّ روحَكُ بِالسِماكِ مُعَلَّقُ
May the nose of Ṭayyiʾ be shorn if you outstrip them,
May Tayy's nose be cut off if you escape them,
even if your soul were suspended from the star Simāk.
even if your soul were suspended from al-Simak.
إِنّيindeed I أَراكَsee you حَلِمتَdreamed أَنَّكَthat you سالِمٌsafe
إِنّي أَراكَ حَلِمتَ أَنَّكَ سالِمٌ
مِنfrom بَطشِهِمtheir onslaught ماnot كُلُّevery رُؤياdream تَصدُقُcomes true
مِن بَطشِهِم ما كُلُّ رُؤيا تَصدُقُ
I see that you dreamed you were safe
I see you have dreamed that you are safe
from their assault—but not every dream comes true.
from their onslaught; not every dream comes true.
إِيّاكَyou in particular يَعنيmean القائِلونَthe speakers بِقَولِهِمby their saying
إِيّاكَ يَعني القائِلونَ بِقَولِهِم
إِنَّindeed الشَقِيَّthe luckless man بِكُلِّwith every حَبلٍrope يُخنَقُis strangled
إِنَّ الشَقِيَّ بِكُلِّ حَبلٍ يُخنَقُ
It is you whom speakers mean when they say,
It is you the speakers mean when they say:
“Surely the wretched man is strangled by every rope.”
"The luckless man is strangled by every rope."
سِرgo أَينَwherever شِئتَyou wish مِنَamong البِلادِthe lands فَإِنَّfor indeed ليI have
سِر أَينَ شِئتَ مِنَ البِلادِ فَإِنَّ لي
سوراًa wall عَلَيكَagainst you مِنَof الرِجالِmen يُخَندَقُis fortified with trenches
سوراً عَلَيكَ مِنَ الرِجالِ يُخَندَقُ
Travel wherever in the lands you please, for I have
Go wherever you wish among the lands, for I have
a wall of men against you, digging its trenches;
a wall of men against you, fortified with trenches,
وَقَبيلَةًand a tribe يَدَعُleaves المُتَوَّجُthe crowned king خَوفَهُمfear of them
وَقَبيلَةً يَدَعُ المُتَوَّجُ خَوفَهُم
فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though الدُنياthe world عَلَيهِover him مُطبِقُan enclosed dungeon
فَكَأَنَّما الدُنيا عَلَيهِ مُطبِقُ
and tribes whom the crowned ruler leaves alone for fear of them,
and a tribe whose dread leaves the crowned king feeling
as though the whole world had closed in upon him;
as though the world were a dungeon shut upon him,
وَقَصائِداًand poems تَسريtravel by night إِلَيكَto you كَأَنَّهاas though they
وَقَصائِداً تَسري إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّها
أَحلامُdreams رُعبٍterror أَوor خُطوبٌcalamities طُرَّقُnight visitors
أَحلامُ رُعبٍ أَو خُطوبٌ طُرَّقُ
and poems that journey by night to you as though they were
and poems that travel to you by night, as though they were
nightmares of terror or calamities striking after dark—
dreams of terror, or calamities arriving by night,
مِنamong مُنهِضاتِكَthose making you rise مُقعِداتِكَthose making you sit خائِفاًafraid
مِن مُنهِضاتِكَ مُقعِداتِكَ خائِفاً
مُستَوهِلاًpanic-stricken حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّكَas though you تُطلِقُare in labor
مُستَوهِلاً حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ تُطلِقُ
among them, poems that make you leap up or sit down in fear,
among those that make you leap up and sit down, afraid,
aghast, until you seem seized by labor pangs—
panic-stricken, until you seem to be in labor,
مِنfrom شاعِرٍa poet وَقَفَstood الكَلامُspeech بِبابِهِat his door
مِن شاعِرٍ وَقَفَ الكَلامُ بِبابِهِ
وَاِكتَنَّand took shelter فيin كَنَفَيthe two flanks of ذُراهُhis heights المَنطِقُeloquence
وَاِكتَنَّ في كَنَفَي ذُراهُ المَنطِقُ
from a poet at whose gate all speech has come to a halt,
from a poet at whose door speech stands,
and in whose shelter eloquence’s summit has taken refuge.
and eloquence has sheltered on either side of his heights.
قَدindeed ثَقَّفَتhoned مِنهُin him الشَآمُal-Sham (the Levant) وَسَهَّلَتand made smooth
قَد ثَقَّفَت مِنهُ الشَآمُ وَسَهَّلَت
مِنهُin him الحِجازُthe Hijaz وَرَقَّقَتهُand softened him المَشرِقُthe East
مِنهُ الحِجازُ وَرَقَّقَتهُ المَشرِقُ
Through him Syria was schooled, and the Hijaz made tractable;
Al-Sham has honed him; he has been made smooth
through him was the Hijaz subdued, while the East refined him.
by the Hijaz, and the East has softened him.
Sol 6.1