وَراءَكَback with you عَنfrom شاكٍan ailing man قَليلِhaving few العَوائِدِsickbed visitors
وَراءَكَ عَن شاكٍ قَليلِ العَوائِدِ
تُقَلِّبُهُturn him over بِالرَملِamid the sand أَيديthe hands of الأَباعِدِstrangers
تُقَلِّبُهُ بِالرَملِ أَيدي الأَباعِدِ
Keep away from an ailing man with few visitors,
Behind you is one who complains little of returns
whom strangers' hands turn over amid the sands.
The sands turn him over with the hands of those far away
يُراعيhe watches نُجومَthe stars of اللَيلِthe night وَالهَمَّand care كُلَّماwhenever
يُراعي نُجومَ اللَيلِ وَالهَمَّ كُلَّما
مَضىdeparted صادِرٌa departing one عُنّيhe was troubled بِآخَرَby another وارِدِarriving
مَضى صادِرٌ عُنّي بِآخَرَ وارِدِ
He watches the stars of night and his cares; whenever
He watches the stars of night and worries whenever
one departs, he is troubled by another arriving.
One that has left me arrives after another
تَوَزَّعَbecame divided بَينَbetween النَجمِthe star وَالدَمعِand tears طَرفُهُhis gaze
تَوَزَّعَ بَينَ النَجمِ وَالدَمعِ طَرفُهُ
بِمَطروفَةٍin a wounded eye إِنسانُهاits pupil غَيرُnot راقِدِsleeping
بِمَطروفَةٍ إِنسانُها غَيرُ راقِدِ
His gaze is divided between star and tear,
His gaze is divided between a star and a tear
in a wounded eye whose pupil does not sleep.
In sleeplessness her human is not resting
وَماand not يَطَّبيهاentices it الغُمضُsleep إِلّاexcept لِأَنَّهُbecause it is
وَما يَطَّبيها الغُمضُ إِلّا لِأَنَّهُ
طَريقٌa path إِلىto طَيفِthe phantom of الخَيالِthe dream-image المُعاوِدِreturning
طَريقٌ إِلى طَيفِ الخَيالِ المُعاوِدِ
And sleep entices it only because it is
And nothing would make her sleep except that
a path to the returning dream-phantom.
It is a path to the returning specter of imagination
ذَكَرتُكُمُI remembered you ذِكرَremembrance of الصِباyouth بَعدَafter عَهدِهِits days
ذَكَرتُكُمُ ذِكرَ الصِبا بَعدَ عَهدِهِ
قَضىfulfilled وَطَراًa desire مِنّيof me وَليسَand is not بِعائِدِreturning
قَضى وَطَراً مِنّي وَليسَ بِعائِدِ
I remembered you as youth is remembered after its days:
I remembered you as I remember adolescence after its time
it had its fill of me, and will not return.
Which has passed from me and is not returning
إِذاwhenever جانَبونيthey kept me away جانِباًa share مِنof وِصالِهِمtheir companionship
إِذا جانَبوني جانِباً مِن وِصالِهِم
عَلِقتُI clung بِأَطرافِto the fringes of المُنىhopes وَالمَواعِدِand promises
عَلِقتُ بِأَطرافِ المُنى وَالمَواعِدِ
Whenever they denied me a share of their closeness,
If they kept away from me a side of their company
I clung to the fringes of hopes and promises.
I held on to the edges of wishes and appointments
فَياso, oh نَظرَةًa glance لاnot تَنظُرُbeholds العَينُthe eye أُختَهاits sister
فَيا نَظرَةً لا تَنظُرُ العَينُ أُختَها
إِلىat الدارِthe dwelling مِنamid رَملِthe sands of اللَوىal-Liwa المُتَقاوِدِstretching in succession
إِلى الدارِ مِن رَملِ اللَوى المُتَقاوِدِ
Ah, a glance whose sister the eye will never behold,
Oh, a look that does not look like its sister’s
at the dwelling amid al-Liwa's long, trailing sands!
To the house of sand of reclining longing
هِيَit الدارُthe dwelling لاnot شَوقيmy longing القَديمُold بِناقِصٍdiminished
هِيَ الدارُ لا شَوقي القَديمُ بِناقِصٍ
إِلَيهاfor it وَلاand not دَمعيmy tears عَليهاover it بِجامِدِfrozen
إِلَيها وَلا دَمعي عَليها بِجامِدِ
It is the dwelling; my old longing has not diminished
It is the house - my old longing is not deficient towards it
for it, nor have my tears over it frozen.
Nor is my tear on it solid
وَليand I have كَبِدٌa liver مَقروحَةٌulcerated لَوif أَضاعَهاhe lost it
وَلي كَبِدٌ مَقروحَةٌ لَو أَضاعَها
مِنَfrom السُقمِillness غَيريsomeone other than me ماnot بَغاهاhe sought it بِناشِدِwith a crier
مِنَ السُقمِ غَيري ما بَغاها بِناشِدِ
And I have an ulcerated liver; were it lost
And I have a wounded liver - if another than me lost it
through sickness by someone else, he would not send a crier after it.
From illness, he would not have sought it with a petitioner
أَماhave not? فارَقَparted from الأَحبابَloved ones قَبليbefore me مُفارِقٌone taking leave
أَما فارَقَ الأَحبابَ قَبلي مُفارِقٌ
وَلاand not شَيَّعَescorted الأَظعانَthe departing litters مِثليlike me بِواجِدِa grieving man
وَلا شَيَّعَ الأَظعانَ مِثلي بِواجِدِ
Have not others before me parted from loved ones?
Has a separater left the loved ones before me
Yet no grieving man has seen off the litters as I have.
Or a fareweller bid farewell to companions like me
تَأَوَّبَنيvisited me by night داءٌan illness مِنَof الهَمِّgrief لَمnot يَزَلcease
تَأَوَّبَني داءٌ مِنَ الهَمِّ لَم يَزَل
بِقَلبِيَin my heart حَتّىuntil عادَنيvisited me sick مِنهُbecause of it عائِديmy sickbed visitor
بِقَلبِيَ حَتّى عادَني مِنهُ عائِدي
A sickness of grief haunted me by night, never leaving
An illness from worries has continued
my heart, until my visitor came to my sickbed because of it.
In my heart until my recurring condition returned me
تَذَكَّرتُI remembered يَومَthe day of السِبطِthe Grandson مِنfrom آلِthe house of هاشِمٍHashim
تَذَكَّرتُ يَومَ السِبطِ مِن آلِ هاشِمٍ
وَماand not يومُناour day مِنfrom أَلِthe house of حَربٍHarb بِواحِدِa lone one
وَما يومُنا مِن أَلِ حَربٍ بِواحِدِ
I remembered the day of the Grandson from Hashim's house;
I remembered the day of the grandson of Hashim’s family
nor is ours the only day at the hands of Harb's house.
And our day is not like the day of Harb’s family
وَظامٍand a thirsty man يُريغُseeks الماءَwater قَدalready حيلَaccess was barred دونَهُto it
وَظامٍ يُريغُ الماءَ قَد حيلَ دونَهُ
سَقوهُthey gave him to drink ذُباباتِthe tips of الرِقاقِslender blades البَوارِدِcold
سَقوهُ ذُباباتِ الرِقاقِ البَوارِدِ
And a thirsty man seeking water, barred from it—
And thirsty, the water was prevented from reaching him
they gave him the tips of slender, cold swords to drink.
The flies of pouring bloodletting gave him drink
أَتاحواthey made available لَهُfor him مُرَّbitter المَوارِدِwatering places بِالقَناwith spears
أَتاحوا لَهُ مُرَّ المَوارِدِ بِالقَنا
عَلىdespite ماwhat أَباحواthey made freely available مِنof عِذابِsweet المَوارِدِwatering places
عَلى ما أَباحوا مِن عِذابِ المَوارِدِ
They made bitter watering places his lot through their spears,
They facilitated for him the bitterness of resources with reeds
despite the sweet watering places they had made freely available.
For what they allowed of the torment of the resources
بَنىbuilt لَهُمُfor them الماضونَthose gone before آساسَthe foundations of هَذِهِthis
بَنى لَهُمُ الماضونَ آساسَ هَذِهِ
فَعَلّواso they built high عَلىupon آساسِthe foundations of تِلكَthose القَواعِدِbase courses
فَعَلّوا عَلى آساسِ تِلكَ القَواعِدِ
Their predecessors laid for them the foundations of this,
The predecessors built for them the foundation of this
so they built high upon those foundation courses.
So they acted upon the foundation of those rules
رَمَوناthey pelted us كَماas يُرمىare pelted الظَماءُthe thirsty عَنِaway from الرَواwater
رَمَونا كَما يُرمى الظَماءُ عَنِ الرَوا
يَذودونَناthey drive us away عَنfrom إِرثِthe inheritance of جَدٍّa grandfather وَوالِدِand a father
يَذودونَنا عَن إِرثِ جَدٍّ وَوالِدِ
They pelted us as the thirsty are pelted back from water,
They throw us away like the thirsty are denied drink
driving us from the inheritance of our grandfather and father.
They drive us away from the inheritance of a grandfather and father
وَياand oh رُبَّmany a ساعٍstriver فيthrough اللَياليthe nights لِقاعِدٍfor an idler
وَيا رُبَّ ساعٍ في اللَيالي لِقاعِدٍ
عَلىdespite ماwhat رَأىhe thought بَلrather كُلَّevery ساعٍstriver لِقاعِدِfor an idler
عَلى ما رَأى بَل كُلَّ ساعٍ لِقاعِدِ
And how many a striver through the nights works for an idler,
And oh Lord of an hour for a sitter
whatever he may think—indeed, every striver works for an idler.
For what he saw, rather every hour for a sitter
أَضاعواthey wasted نُفوساًlives بِالرِماحِwith spears ضَياعَهاtheir loss
أَضاعوا نُفوساً بِالرِماحِ ضَياعَها
يَعِزُّis grievous عَلىto الباغينَthe seekers مِنّاamong us النَواشِدِsearchers for the lost
يَعِزُّ عَلى الباغينَ مِنّا النَواشِدِ
They wasted lives with spears; their loss
They wasted souls by spears - the loss
is grievous to those among us who seek and call for them.
Is hard on the unjust towards us petitioners
أَأَللَهُO God ماnot تَنفَكُّcease فيon صَفَحاتِهاtheir faces
أَأَللَهُ ما تَنفَكُّ في صَفَحاتِها
خُموشٌscratches لِكَلبٍfrom a dog مِنof أُمَيَّةَUmayya عاقِدِharboring rancor
خُموشٌ لِكَلبٍ مِن أُمَيَّةَ عاقِدِ
O God, their faces are never free
Oh God, do its pages continue
of scratches from a rancorous dog of Umayya.
Silent for a cur from Umayya, a contracting one?
لَئِنeven if رَقَدَslept النُصّارُthe defenders عَمّاthrough what أَصابَناbefell us
لَئِن رَقَدَ النُصّارُ عَمّا أَصابَنا
فَماyet not اللَهُGod عَمّاto what نيلُwas inflicted مِنّاupon us بِراقِدِasleep
فَما اللَهُ عَمّا نيلُ مِنّا بِراقِدِ
Even if our defenders sleep through what has befallen us,
If the Christians sleep from what has afflicted us
yet God does not sleep through what has been done to us.
Then God does not sleep from what we receive of affliction
لَقَدindeed عَلَّقوهاthey fastened it بِالنَبِيِّupon the Prophet خُصومَةًas a lawsuit
لَقَد عَلَّقوها بِالنَبِيِّ خُصومَةً
إِلىbefore اللَهِGod تُغنيdispenses عَنwith يَمينٍan oath وَشاهِدِand a witness
إِلى اللَهِ تُغني عَن يَمينٍ وَشاهِدِ
They have indeed made it a quarrel with the Prophet,
They have made it an enmity against the Prophet
before God, needing neither oath nor witness.
To God a testimony or witness does not avail
وَياand oh رُبَّmany a أَدنىnearer مِنthan أُمَيَّةَUmayya لِحمَةًin kinship
وَيا رُبَّ أَدنى مِن أُمَيَّةَ لِحمَةً
رَموناthey pelted us عَلىout of الشَنآنِhatred رَميَa hurling of الجَلامِدِboulders
رَمونا عَلى الشَنآنِ رَميَ الجَلامِدِ
And how many, nearer in kinship than Umayya,
And oh the closest to Umayya in flesh
have pelted us in hatred as though hurling boulders!
They have thrown us by enmity, the throw of solid things
طَبَعناwe forged لَهُمfor them سَيفاًa sword فَكُنّاso we became لَحَدِّهِfor its edge
طَبَعنا لَهُم سَيفاً فَكُنّا لَحَدِّهِ
ضَرائِبَtargets for blows عَنfrom أَيمانِهِمtheir right hands وَالسَواعِدِand forearms
ضَرائِبَ عَن أَيمانِهِم وَالسَواعِدِ
We forged a sword for them, then became for its edge
We forged against them a sword, so for its sharpness
targets, struck by their right hands and forearms.
We were taxes from their oaths and muscles
أَلاtake heed لَيسَis not فِعلُthe deed of الأَوَّلينَthe earlier ones وَإِنand even if عَلاit rose high
أَلا لَيسَ فِعلُ الأَوَّلينَ وَإِن عَلا
عَلىbeyond قُبحِthe ugliness of فِعلِthe deed of الأَخَرينَthe later ones بِزائِدِexceeding
عَلى قُبحِ فِعلِ الأَخَرينَ بِزائِدِ
Take heed: the deeds of the earlier men, even at their height,
Alas, the deed of the latter is no higher
do not surpass in ugliness the deeds of the later men.
Than the ugliness of the deed of the early ones
يُريدونَthey want أَنthat نَرضىwe be content وَقَدand indeed مَنَعواthey prevented الرِضىcontentment
يُريدونَ أَن نَرضى وَقَد مَنَعوا الرِضى
لِسَيرِbecause of the conduct of بَنيthe sons of أَعمامِناour paternal uncles غَيرَnot قاصِدِupright
لِسَيرِ بَني أَعمامِنا غَيرَ قاصِدِ
They want us to be content, though they have denied us contentment
They want us to accept but they have denied consent
through our cousins' conduct, which follows no straight course.
To follow the path of our paternal uncles without aiming
كَذَبتُكَI would lie to you إِنif نازَعتَنيyou disputed with me الحَقَّthe right ظالِماًwrongfully
كَذَبتُكَ إِن نازَعتَني الحَقَّ ظالِماً
إِذاif قُلتُI said يَوماًone day إِنَّنيthat I am غَيرُnot واجِدِresentful
إِذا قُلتُ يَوماً إِنَّني غَيرُ واجِدِ
I would be lying to you, if you unjustly contested my right,
I would be lying to you if I disputed right with you unjustly
were I ever to say that I bore no resentment.
If I said one day that I am not finding
Sol 6.1