ممالِكَO kingdoms الشّرقِthe East ماthere is no فيin الحقِّtruth منany باسِharm
ممالِكَ الشّرقِ ما في الحقِّ من باسِ
أشفىneared death الجريحُthe wounded man وضلّتand went astray حكمةthe wisdom of الآسيthe healer
أشفى الجريحُ وضلّت حكمة الآسي
O kingdoms of the East, there is no harm in truth.
The East's domains, there's no power in truth
The wounded man neared death, and the healer's wisdom went astray.
The wounded recovered, wisdom went astray
دَعِيleave be القضاءَfate وماand whatever تَبغِيseek زَلازِلُهits earthquakes
دَعِي القضاءَ وما تَبغِي زَلازِلُه
بالشّامخِwith the towering الضّخمthe massive أوor بالشّاهقِwith the lofty الرّاسيthe firmly rooted
بالشّامخِ الضّخم أو بالشّاهقِ الرّاسي
Let fate be, and let its earthquakes have their way
Leave fate be, and don't want its quakes
with the towering and massive, or the lofty and steadfast.
With the towering giant or the towering minaret
واستقبليand receive ضَرباتِthe blows of الدّهرِTime خاشعةًsubmissively
واستقبلي ضَرباتِ الدّهرِ خاشعةً
ذَهَبْنَthey went بالقلبِwith the heart أمor أَوْدَيْنَthey brought ruin بالرّاسِupon the head
ذَهَبْنَ بالقلبِ أم أَوْدَيْنَ بالرّاسِ
And receive Time's blows submissively,
And welcome the strokes of fate humbly
whether they carry off the heart or destroy the head.
Did they affect the heart or the head
نداعِسُwe trade thrusts with الحادثاتِthe calamities السُّودblack ثائرةًraging
نداعِسُ الحادثاتِ السُّود ثائرةً
والموتُand Death يَصرعُstrikes down منّاamong us كلَّevery دَعّاسِfierce spear-fighter
والموتُ يَصرعُ منّا كلَّ دَعّاسِ
We trade thrusts with raging, black calamities,
The dark disasters attack slumbering
while Death fells every fierce spear-fighter among us.
And death strikes down each of us, the tippler
هَوَىfell الأمينُal-Amin علىupon أشلاءِthe torn remains of رفقتِهhis companions
هَوَى الأمينُ على أشلاءِ رفقتِه
فيin جوفِthe belly of أشدقَa wide-mawed beast للأبطالِof heroes فَرّاسِa fierce devourer
في جوفِ أشدقَ للأبطالِ فَرّاسِ
Al-Amin fell upon the torn remains of his companions,
The trusted one fell on the remnants of his comrades
in the belly of a wide-mawed devourer of heroes.
In the midst of heroes, the boldest of knights
طوىfolded away الدُّهورَthe ages ووارَىand concealed فيwithin جوانِحهits breast
طوى الدُّهورَ ووارَى في جوانِحه
مِلءَthe fill of الممالكِthe kingdoms منof جنٍّjinn ومنand of ناسِhumankind
مِلءَ الممالكِ من جنٍّ ومن ناسِ
It folded away the ages and hid within its breast
He folded the ages, and harbored in his soul
enough jinn and humankind to fill the kingdoms.
The countries full, of jinn and of mankind
يرميassails الشُّعوبَthe peoples إذاwhen استعصَتْthey resist بطاغيةٍwith a tyrant
يرمي الشُّعوبَ إذا استعصَتْ بطاغيةٍ
جَمِّabounding in الصّواعقِthunderbolts جبّارِmighty in القُوَىstrength قاسِcruel
جَمِّ الصّواعقِ جبّارِ القُوَى قاسِ
It assails peoples, when they resist, with a tyrant
It casts the nations, if they rebel, with a tyrant
abounding in thunderbolts, mighty in strength and cruel.
The thunderbolts of the Almighty, severe in might
بادperished الأُلىthose who عَمرواfilled with life الأيّامَthe days زاهيةًresplendent
باد الأُلى عَمروا الأيّامَ زاهيةً
فماso not ترىsees العينُthe eye منهمof them غيرَother than أرماسِgraves
فما ترى العينُ منهم غيرَ أرماسِ
Those who made the days resplendent have perished,
The noble ones lived the days flourishing
so the eye sees nothing of them but graves.
So the eye sees of them only remnants
الدَهرُTime نَشوانُdrunk ماnot ينفكُّceases يَقْرَعُناstrikes us
الدَهرُ نَشوانُ ما ينفكُّ يَقْرَعُنا
بالحادثِwith calamity النُّكرِdreadful قَرْعَthe striking of الكاسthe cup ِبالكاسِagainst the cup
بالحادثِ النُّكرِ قَرْعَ الكاس ِبالكاسِ
Time is drunk and never ceases battering us
Fate is a revelry, it does not cease to strike us
with dreadful calamity, as cup strikes cup.
With the unknown accident, striking the cup with the cup
كبّرتُI proclaimed 'God is great' للفارسfor the knight المِقدامِbold مُنْعَفِراًlaid in dust
كبّرتُ للفارس المِقدامِ مُنْعَفِراً
بينbetween الضَّجِيعَينِthe two bedfellows مِنof صِدقٍtruthfulness ومنand of باسِvalor
بين الضَّجِيعَينِ مِن صِدقٍ ومن باسِ
I cried 'God is great' for the bold knight, laid in dust,
I exalted the bold knight, enraged
between his two bedfellows, truth and valor.
Between the two slain, in loyalty and in affliction
أَوْلىَmost worthy among الرجالِmen بِسربالِof the robe of الحياةِlife فَتىًa young man
أَوْلىَ الرجالِ بِسربالِ الحياةِ فَتىً
ضَافيample in السرَّابيلِrobes مِنfrom نَسْجthe weaving of الوَغَىbattle كاسِيclothed
ضَافي السرَّابيلِ مِن نَسْج الوَغَى كاسِي
Of all men, the worthiest of life's robe is a youth
The best of men for life's gown, a young man
ample-robed, clothed in the weave of battle.
Clad in the garb of strife, weaver of peril's attire
لكنَّهُbut it is الموتُDeath لاnot يُرْمَىis struck بأسلحةٍwith weapons
لكنَّهُ الموتُ لا يُرْمَى بأسلحةٍ
ولاnor تُرَدُّare repelled عَواديهِits assaults بِحُرَّاسِby guards
ولا تُرَدُّ عَواديهِ بِحُرَّاسِ
But it is Death: no weapons can strike it,
Yet he is death, not warded off with weapons
and no guards can turn back its assaults.
Nor repelled are its havocs with guards
رَمَىstruck الأمينَal-Amin بِنابٍwith a fang غاصَsank deep نَافِذُهits piercing point
رَمَى الأمينَ بِنابٍ غاصَ نَافِذُه
فيinto أُمَّةٍa nation رَهْنَat the mercy of أنيابٍfangs وأَضْراسِand molars
في أُمَّةٍ رَهْنَ أنيابٍ وأَضْراسِ
It struck al-Amin with a fang whose point sank deep
It struck the Trusted One with a fang penetrating
into a nation at the mercy of fangs and molars.
In a nation hostage to fangs and molars
يُلقِيcasts الشّباكَthe nets عليهاover it كلُّevery مُقْتنِصٍhunter
يُلقِي الشّباكَ عليها كلُّ مُقْتنِصٍ
وَيُدمِنُand persists in الفَتكَslaughter فيهاwithin it كلُّevery نَهّاسِravenous biter
وَيُدمِنُ الفَتكَ فيها كلُّ نَهّاسِ
Every hunter casts his nets over it,
It casts the nets on it, every hunter
and every ravenous biter persists in slaughter within it.
And inflicts havoc on it, every despicable beast
ماnot إنindeed تَزالُcease رُعاةُthe shepherds of السُّوءِwickedness تجعلُهاmaking it
ما إن تَزالُ رُعاةُ السُّوءِ تجعلُها
مَرْعَىa pasture for عَواسِلَloping wolves عَجْلىَswift in الشَّدِّrunning أطلاسِdusty-gray
مَرْعَى عَواسِلَ عَجْلىَ الشَّدِّ أطلاسِ
Wicked shepherds never cease making it
The evil shepherds still make it
a pasture for gray wolves, swift in their loping rush.
A pasture for rapacious, quick-striking foxes
مَوقوفةَhalted in السَّعيstriving ماnot يَمشيmoves forward الزّمانُTime بهاwith it
مَوقوفةَ السَّعي ما يَمشي الزّمانُ بها
كأنّas though آمالَهاits hopes شُدَّتْwere bound بِأَمْراسِwith stout ropes
كأنّ آمالَها شُدَّتْ بِأَمْراسِ
Its striving is halted; Time does not move it forward,
Halted in effort, as time passes with it
as though its hopes were bound with stout ropes.
As if its hopes are tied with poles
تُناشِدُimplores العهدَthe covenant أَقواماًpeoples فَراعِنةًpharaohs
تُناشِدُ العهدَ أَقواماً فَراعِنةً
سَاسواthey ruled الشُّعوبَthe peoples فكانواand so were شرَّthe worst of سُوّاسِrulers
سَاسوا الشُّعوبَ فكانوا شرَّ سُوّاسِ
It appeals to peoples, pharaohs all, to honor the covenant,
It invokes the covenant with tyrant folks
who ruled nations and proved the worst of rulers.
Who ruled the nations and were the worst of governors
يَنقضُّswoops down جَلّادُهمtheir executioner فيin كلِّevery مَملكةٍkingdom
يَنقضُّ جَلّادُهم في كلِّ مَملكةٍ
يَرْمِيshoots العبيدَthe slaves ويحميand protects كلevery نخّاسِslave-trader
يَرْمِي العبيدَ ويحمي كل نخّاسِ
Their executioner swoops down in every kingdom,
Their tormentor annuls in every kingdom
shooting the slaves and shielding every slave-trader.
Casts down the slaves and protects each pimp
بُوركتblessed are you مِنas مُؤمنٍa believer ماhow كَانَwas أطهرَهُpure he was!
بُوركت مِن مُؤمنٍ ما كَانَ أطهرَهُ
علىamid تَصاريفِthe vicissitudes of دُنياa world ذاتِfull of أرْجاسِdefilements
على تَصاريفِ دُنيا ذاتِ أرْجاسِ
Blessed are you, believer—how pure you were
Blessed is the faithful whose purity was greatest
amid the vicissitudes of a world steeped in filth.
In the vicissitudes of a world laden with sins
مُسْتَيْقنِcertain in النّفسِsoul لاnot يَغْشَىveils سرِيرتَهُhis inner heart
مُسْتَيْقنِ النّفسِ لا يَغْشَى سرِيرتَهُ
ماwhat is فيin السّرائرِsecret hearts مِنof ظنٍّsuspicion وَوَسواسand whispering doubts
ما في السّرائرِ مِن ظنٍّ وَوَسواس
Sure in soul, his inner heart was never veiled
Certain in soul, no doubt clouds his conscience
by the suspicion and whispering doubts found in secret hearts.
That harms him in truth's garb, each young man
يَشْقَىis troubled بهِby him فيin رِداءِthe robe of الحقِّtruth كُلُّevery فتىًman
يَشْقَى بهِ في رِداءِ الحقِّ كُلُّ فتىً
نَزّاعِever shedding أَرْديِةٍrobes فيamong القومِthe people لبّاسِever donning
نَزّاعِ أَرْديِةٍ في القومِ لبّاسِ
Every man cloaked in truth is troubled by him,
The dissenter's gown among the people his attire
ever shedding robes and donning them among the people,
He whom doubts do not trouble and suspicions do not haunt
جمِّmany in النّوازعِimpulses لاnot تُحْصَىcan be counted مذاهِبُهhis courses
جمِّ النّوازعِ لا تُحْصَى مذاهِبُه
ولاnor تُحدُّare bounded مَناحيهِhis directions بِمقياسِby a measure
ولا تُحدُّ مَناحيهِ بِمقياسِ
full of impulses, his courses beyond counting,
The integrator of disputes, his doctrines countless
his directions beyond the bounds of any measure.
His directions boundless, by any measure
جِنسٌa breed منof الشّرِّevil ماnot يَنفكُّceases واحِدُهeach of its members
جِنسٌ من الشّرِّ ما يَنفكُّ واحِدُه
يَنشقُّsplits عنinto صُوَرٍforms شتَّىvaried وأجناسِand kinds
يَنشقُّ عن صُوَرٍ شتَّى وأجناسِ
A breed of evil, each member of which never ceases
An evil breed that does not cease, each one of it
to split into varied forms and kinds.
Splits into diverse forms and species
الشَّرقُthe East يَرجفُtrembles والإسلامُand Islam فيin فَزَعٍterror
الشَّرقُ يَرجفُ والإسلامُ في فَزَعٍ
عانيa captive of الممالِكِthe kingdoms يخشىfears كُلَّevery دَسّاسِsecret intriguer
عاني الممالِكِ يخشى كُلَّ دَسّاسِ
The East trembles, and Islam is in terror,
The East quakes, Islam terrified
a captive of kingdoms, fearing every schemer,
The countries suffering, fearing each despicable
عَاليِloud in الضَّجيجِclamor لِيومٍfor a day منamong مآتمهِits mournings
عَاليِ الضَّجيجِ لِيومٍ من مآتمهِ
كَيومِlike the day of حَمزةَHamza أوor يومthe day of ابْنِson of عبّاسِAbbas
كَيومِ حَمزةَ أو يوم ابْنِ عبّاسِ
raising loud cries for a day among its days of mourning,
Loud in clamor, a day of its tragedies
like the day of Hamza or the day of Ibn Abbas.
Like Hamza's day, or the day of Ibn Abbas
صَيحاتُthe cries of تُونسَTunis مَاnot انْفكّتْhave ceased تجاوبُهاanswering them
صَيحاتُ تُونسَ مَا انْفكّتْ تجاوبُها
أنّاتُthe groans of بكينBeijing أوor رَنّاتُthe wails of مِدارسِMadras
أنّاتُ بكين أو رَنّاتُ مِدارسِ
The cries of Tunis are still answered
Tunisia's screams, unceasing their echoes
by the groans of Beijing or the wails of Madras.
The wailings of Beijing and the laments of schools
وَعْندَand at مكَّةَMecca إذwhen أَوْدَىhe died وَجارَتِهاand its neighbor
وَعْندَ مكَّةَ إذ أَوْدَى وَجارَتِها
ماwhat is عندat بغدادَBaghdad مِنof هَمٍّgrief وَإبْلاسِand despair
ما عند بغدادَ مِن هَمٍّ وَإبْلاسِ
And at Mecca, when he died, and at its neighbor,
And next to Mecca, when it and its neighbor perished
was the grief and despair found in Baghdad.
Not like Baghdad's worries and torments
تَمضيpass الخطوبُcalamities فَتُنْسَىand so are forgotten بَعدَafter شِدَّتِهاtheir severity
تَمضي الخطوبُ فَتُنْسَى بَعدَ شِدَّتِها
وماand there is no لِخطبِfor the calamity of بنيthe sons of الفاروقِal-Faruq مِنany ناسِone who forgets
وما لِخطبِ بني الفاروقِ مِن ناسِ
Calamities pass and are forgotten after their severity,
The calamities pass, forgotten after their intensity
but no one forgets the calamity of the sons of al-Faruq.
And the calamities of the Prophet's family have no equal
راحواthey departed بهwith him صَيِّباًa downpour مِنof حِكمةٍwisdom وَهُدىًand guidance
راحوا به صَيِّباً مِن حِكمةٍ وَهُدىً
فيamid صَيِّبٍa downpour منof دُموعِthe tears of الرُّسْلِthe messengers رَجَّاسِthundering
في صَيِّبٍ من دُموعِ الرُّسْلِ رَجَّاسِ
They carried him away, a downpour of wisdom and guidance,
They took him as a boy in wisdom and guidance
amid a thundering downpour of the messengers' tears.
In a boy of the messengers' flowing tears, a drawer
نُورٌa light مِنfrom الملأthe assembly الأعلىthe highest مَطالِعُهits rising places
نُورٌ مِن الملأ الأعلى مَطالِعُه
يَنسابُstreams سَاطِعُهits radiance فيinto كلِّevery نبراسِlamp
يَنسابُ سَاطِعُه في كلِّ نبراسِ
A light whose rising comes from the Highest Assembly,
A light from the Highest Assembly, its rise
its radiance streams into every lamp.
Radiant flows in each lamp
الفارسُthe knight العدلُjust لمdid not يَجهلْact insolently علىagainst بَطَلٍa hero
الفارسُ العدلُ لم يَجهلْ على بَطَلٍ
ولمand did not يُذِقْهُmake him taste الرَّدَىdeath إلاexcept بِقِسْطَاسِby a just balance
ولم يُذِقْهُ الرَّدَى إلا بِقِسْطَاسِ
The just knight never acted insolently toward a hero,
The just knight did not wrong a hero
nor made him taste death except by the scales of justice.
And did not give him bitterness except by the scales
والكاتبُand the writer الحُرُّfree لمdid not يَهْتِكْviolate حِمَىthe sanctuary of قَلَمٍa pen
والكاتبُ الحُرُّ لم يَهْتِكْ حِمَى قَلَمٍ
بالتُّرَّهاتِwith nonsense ولمand did not يَعْبَثْtrifle بِقِرْطَاسِwith a sheet of paper
بالتُّرَّهاتِ ولم يَعْبَثْ بِقِرْطَاسِ
The free writer never violated a pen's sanctuary
The free writer did not rend the sanctity of a pen
with nonsense, nor trifled with a sheet of paper.
With absurdities and did not jest with paper
مِنfrom معشرٍa people غَيرِnot أنكاسٍignoble men ولاnor وُهُنٍweaklings
مِن معشرٍ غَيرِ أنكاسٍ ولا وُهُنٍ
مُسْتَمْسِكينَholding fast بِحبلِto the rope of اللهِGod أكياسِdiscerning men
مُسْتَمْسِكينَ بِحبلِ اللهِ أكياسِ
Of a people neither ignoble nor weak,
Of a people without baseness or weakness
wise men holding fast to the rope of God.
Clinging to God's rope, wise
لاnot تَسْتَبِيحُviolate الدَّناياbase deeds خِيسَthe thicket of مَكْرُمَةٍa noble virtue
لا تَسْتَبِيحُ الدَّنايا خِيسَ مَكْرُمَةٍ
إلاexcept that احْتَمَتْit took refuge مِنfrom سَجاياهمtheir character traits بأخياسِin thickets
إلا احْتَمَتْ مِن سَجاياهم بأخياسِ
No baseness ever violates a thicket of noble virtue
Debauchery does not make permissible the degradation
without that virtue finding shelter in thickets of their character.
Of an honorable deed, except it plunges in their probity
هُمُthey are الكنانةُKinana, the quiver تَرميshoots at كلَّevery مُرتَبِئٍlookout
هُمُ الكنانةُ تَرمي كلَّ مُرتَبِئٍ
ضَاحِيexposed to السّهامِthe arrows وتنفِيand drives off كلَّevery عَسّاسِnight prowler
ضَاحِي السّهامِ وتنفِي كلَّ عَسّاسِ
They are Kinana—the quiver—shooting every lookout
They are the fortress, striking every taking refuge
exposed to arrows, and driving off every night prowler.
Bold archers, banishing each transgressor
لسناwe are not مَطاياmounts for الأَذىharm إنif حَاجةٌa need عَرَضتْarises
لسنا مَطايا الأَذى إن حَاجةٌ عَرَضتْ
للِغاصِبينَfor the usurpers وماand not كُنّاwere we بِأحْلاسِsaddlecloths
للِغاصِبينَ وما كُنّا بِأحْلاسِ
We are not mounts for harm, should a need arise
We are not steeds of harm, if a need arises
for usurpers, nor have we been saddlecloths.
For the usurpers, and we were not lax
لاnot يَصلحُis set right الأَمرُthe affair إلاexcept فيwithin مَدارجهِits stages
لا يَصلحُ الأَمرُ إلا في مَدارجهِ
ولاnor تَطولُrise high الذُّرَىthe summits إلاexcept بآساسِon foundations
ولا تَطولُ الذُّرَى إلا بآساسِ
Affairs are set right only through their proper stages,
The matter improves only gradually
and summits rise high only on foundations.
And life lengthens only with foundations
لاmay ... not جَفَّdry up مَثواكَyour resting place مِنfrom ناءٍone far away تحيَّتُهhis greeting
لا جَفَّ مَثواكَ مِن ناءٍ تحيَّتُه
ماall that is فيin الفراديسِthe gardens of Paradise مِنof وَرْدٍroses ومنand of آسِmyrtle
ما في الفراديسِ مِن وَرْدٍ ومن آسِ
May your resting place never dry—from one far away whose greeting
Not arid is your place of rest from dew greeting it
is every rose and myrtle in the gardens of Paradise.
What is in Paradise of roses and chamomile
أكبرتُI deemed great رُزءكَthe loss of you حتّىuntil ماnot تُجاوِرُنيstands beside me
أكبرتُ رُزءكَ حتّى ما تُجاوِرُني
خضراءُa green plant إلاexcept that ذَوَتْit withered مِنfrom حرِّthe heat of أنفاسيmy breaths
خضراءُ إلا ذَوَتْ مِن حرِّ أنفاسي
I felt your loss so deeply that nothing stood beside me—
I exalted your calamity until only the verdant
nothing green—without withering in the heat of my breath.
Withered from the heat of my sighs
وكيفand how تملكُcan possess نَفْسِيmy soul فيكَconcerning you تأسيةًconsolation
وكيف تملكُ نَفْسِي فيكَ تأسيةً
والحزنُwhile sorrow يملِكُpossesses وِجدانيmy inner feelings وإحساسيand my sensations
والحزنُ يملِكُ وِجداني وإحساسي
And how can my soul find consolation for you,
How can my soul possess condolence in you
while sorrow rules my emotions and my senses?
While grief possesses my essence and sensations
ليِI have مِنfrom مُصابِكَthe loss of you إنeven if نَفْسُthe soul of امْرئٍa man سكَنتْgrew calm
ليِ مِن مُصابِكَ إن نَفْسُ امْرئٍ سكَنتْ
نَفسُthe soul of الجَريحthe wounded man وقلبُand the heart of الجازعِthe anguished man الآسيgrieving
نَفسُ الجَريح وقلبُ الجازعِ الآسي
From losing you—even if another man's soul grows calm—I have
I have in your affliction, if a person's soul settled
the soul of the wounded and the heart of the anguished mourner.
The soul of the wounded, and the heart of the grieving comforter
أبكيI weep for الكِنانةَKinana (Egypt) حَيرىbewildered لمhas not تُصِبْfound سَعَةًabundance
أبكي الكِنانةَ حَيرى لم تُصِبْ سَعَةً
مِنof الرّجاءِhope ولمand has not تَنْزَعْinclined إلىtoward الياسِdespair
مِن الرّجاءِ ولم تَنْزَعْ إلى الياسِ
I weep for bewildered Kinana, which has found no abundance
I cry for the fortress, confused, attaining no reprieve
of hope, yet has not turned toward despair.
Of hope, inclining toward despair
ماthere is no للمآتمِfor mourning rites والأعراسِand wedding feasts مِنany خَطرٍimportance
ما للمآتمِ والأعراسِ مِن خَطرٍ
مآتميmy mourning rites هيthey are فيin الدُّنياthis world وأعراسيand my wedding feasts
مآتمي هي في الدُّنيا وأعراسي
Mourning rites and wedding feasts have no weight;
What danger in joys and sorrows
mine are the mourning rites and wedding feasts in this world.
My sorrows are in life, and my joys too
Sol 6.1