وسقيمة الأجفان لا من علة

وسقيمة الأجفان لا من علة

تحيى العميد بنظرة وتميته

تحيى العميد بنظرة وتميته

And a woman with languid eyelids—not from illness—

My languid eyelids not from any illness,

revives the lovesick man with a glance, and kills him.

Revive the beloved with a glance, yet slay him with another.

وصلت كَتربَيها الحديث بضاحك

وصلت كَتربَيها الحديث بضاحك

ضاح كمؤتلف الجمان شتيته

ضاح كمؤتلف الجمان شتيته

Like her two age-mates, she mingled her talk with a smile,

Her talk reached me jesting with a laughing companion,

radiant, its separate teeth like pearls strung together.

A companion, like gathered pearls strewn apart.

قالت تغرب الرجال فقل في

قالت تغرب الرجال فقل في

ضيم أريد بجانبي فأَبَيته

ضيم أريد بجانبي فأَبَيته

She said, 'Men went abroad'; so say: 'Because of

She said, "Men are prone to absence." I said, "In my bosom,

an injustice aimed at me, which I refused.'

I wish for her presence, yet she refused it."

قالت نفيتَ فقلت ذلك منزل

قالت نفيتَ فقلت ذلك منزل

ورَدَته كل يتيمة ووردته

ورَدَته كل يتيمة ووردته

She said, 'You were exiled.' I said, 'That is an abode

She said, "You refused." I said, "That was only

every peerless pearl has reached, and I have reached it.'

A dwelling I gave to each orphan who visited me."

قالت رماك الدهر قلت فلم أكن

قالت رماك الدهر قلت فلم أكن

نِكسا ولكن بالأناة رميته

نِكسا ولكن بالأناة رميته

She said, 'Time struck you.' I said, 'Yet I was no

She said, "Fate has cast you aside." I said, "Yet I was not

weakling; rather, with deliberation, I struck back at it.'

Downcast, rather with composure I cast it."

قالت ركبتَ البحر وهو شدائد

قالت ركبتَ البحر وهو شدائد

قلت الشدائد مركب عُوِّدته

قلت الشدائد مركب عُوِّدته

She said, 'You sailed the sea, and it is fraught with hardships.'

She said, "You rode the sea during perils."

I said, 'Hardships are a vessel I have grown used to.'

I said, "Perils are a ship I grew accustomed to."

قالت أخفت الموت قلت أمفلت

قالت أخفت الموت قلت أمفلت

أنا من حبائله إذا ما خفته

أنا من حبائله إذا ما خفته

She said, 'Did you fear death?' I said, 'Would I escape

She said, "You conceal death." I said, "Should I fear

its snares if ever I feared it?'

The traps when I know how to avoid them?"

لو نلتُ أسباب السماء لحطني

لو نلتُ أسباب السماء لحطني

أجل يحل لحينه موقوته

أجل يحل لحينه موقوته

Even if I reached the pathways of heaven, I would be brought down

If I attained the means of heaven, my term

by death, whose appointed moment arrives at its due hour.

Would halt me, for it has an appointed time.

قالت لقد شَمَت الحسود فقلت لو

قالت لقد شَمَت الحسود فقلت لو

دام الزمان لشامت لحفلته

دام الزمان لشامت لحفلته

She said, 'The envious man has indeed gloated.' I said, 'If

She said, "The envious have sniffed you out." I said, "If

fortune lasted for a gloater, I would pay him heed.'

Time endured, they would gloat, yet time will waste them."

قالت كأني بالهجاء قلائدا

قالت كأني بالهجاء قلائدا

سارت فقلت هممت ثم تركته

سارت فقلت هممت ثم تركته

She said, 'I seem to see satire as necklaces

She said, "It seems the slanderers are like necklaces."

that have circulated.' I said, 'I meant to, then gave it up.'

I said, "I intended that, yet left it."

أخذت به نفسي فقلت لها دعى

أخذت به نفسي فقلت لها دعى

ما شاءت الأخلاق لا ماشئته

ما شاءت الأخلاق لا ماشئته

I held myself to that, and told my soul: 'Let

My soul took me to task, so I said to it, "Let habit

what virtue willed prevail, not what I willed.'

Call what it will, not what I willed it."

من راح قال الهُجر أو نطق الخنا

من راح قال الهُجر أو نطق الخنا

هذا بياني عنهما نزهته

هذا بياني عنهما نزهته

Whoever goes about speaking abuse or uttering obscenity—

Whoever at ease said, "Separation," or spoke malice,

this is my eloquence: I have kept it free of both.

This is my declaration, absolving him.

الله علمِنيه سمحا طاهرا

الله علمِنيه سمحا طاهرا

نزه الخلال وهكذا علمته

نزه الخلال وهكذا علمته

God taught it to me, gracious and pure,

God taught me mildness and pureness.

untainted in character—and thus I have taught it.

Absolve wrongs - this is how He taught me.