بعدتَ وما حكمُ البِعادِ بعادلِ

بعدتَ وما حكمُ البِعادِ بعادلِ

أما مِن نصيبٍ فيك غيرُ البعادِ لي

أما مِن نصيبٍ فيك غيرُ البعادِ لي

You have gone far away, and separation's judgment is not just.

You went away, yet separation's rule is not just

Have I no share in you except separation?

Is there no share for me in you but separation?

طوى خالَكَ المسكيَّ عنِّي وخدَّكَ ال

طوى خالَكَ المسكيَّ عنِّي وخدَّكَ ال

جميلَ غداةَ الجزعِ وَخْدُ الحمائلِ

جميلَ غداةَ الجزعِ وَخْدُ الحمائلِ

Hidden from me were your musky mole and your cheek—

You folded your musky cheek from me and your

so beautiful—on the morning of anguish, by the litter-bearers' swift strides.

Beautiful cheek the day my anguish appeared and the cheeks of the young women.

وأسقطْتَني لمّا ظننتُكَ واصلاُ

وأسقطْتَني لمّا ظننتُكَ واصلاُ

كأنِّيَ حرفُ الراءِ في لفظِ واصلِ

كأنِّيَ حرفُ الراءِ في لفظِ واصلِ

You cast me aside when I thought you would join me,

You dropped me when you thought I was a companion

as though I were the letter rāʾ in the word wāṣil, 'one who joins.'

As if I were the letter 'ra' in the word 'companion'.

وأوحَشني ربعٌ لأهلكَ مُقفرٌ

وأوحَشني ربعٌ لأهلكَ مُقفرٌ

فلذتُ بقلبٍ من جَوى الشوقِ آهِلِ

فلذتُ بقلبٍ من جَوى الشوقِ آهِلِ

Your family's deserted dwelling made me lonely,

And a quarter of your family, desolate, made me lonesome

so I took refuge in a heart peopled by longing's anguish.

So I clung to a heart burning with the embers of passion.

وغادرتَ عَيني كالغدير بطلعةِ

وغادرتَ عَيني كالغدير بطلعةِ

هِيَ الروضُ غِبَّ السارياتِ الهواطل

هِيَ الروضُ غِبَّ السارياتِ الهواطل

You left my eye like a pool, with a countenance

You left my eyes like a pond at dawn

that is a meadow after drenching night-rains.

It is the meadow missing the flowing rivers.

فكنْ جامعاً بينَ الغَديرِ ورَوْضة

فكنْ جامعاً بينَ الغَديرِ ورَوْضة

ليخضرَّ لي عَيْشي وأحظى بطائِلِ

ليخضرَّ لي عَيْشي وأحظى بطائِلِ

Bring the pool and the meadow together,

So be a unifier between the pond and the meadow

so my life may grow green and I may win some bounty.

That my life may grow green and I may obtain good fortune.

ومَن لي بأنْ يخضرَّ عيشي والنّوى

ومَن لي بأنْ يخضرَّ عيشي والنّوى

دُوَيهةٌ تصفرُّ منها أنامِلي

دُوَيهةٌ تصفرُّ منها أنامِلي

Yet who can promise that my life will grow green, when separation

And who can make my life grow green when my intentions

is a little calamity that yellows my fingertips?

Are withered palms from which my days slip.

أسرَّكَ مني أنَّ هجركَ مُدنفي

أسرَّكَ مني أنَّ هجركَ مُدنفي

وغرَّك مني أنَّ حبكَ قاتِلي

وغرَّك مني أنَّ حبكَ قاتِلي

Did it delight you that your abandonment makes me languish,

You were secretly pleased that parting from me is harmful

and embolden you that love of you is killing me?

And you were fooled that my love kills me.

بحسبِكَ أنَّ البَينَ راشَ نبالَه

بحسبِكَ أنَّ البَينَ راشَ نبالَه

وفوَّقَها نَحوي فأصمَتْ مقاتلي

وفوَّقَها نَحوي فأصمَتْ مقاتلي

Enough for you that separation has feathered its arrows

It is enough for you that separation spread its arrows

and nocked them toward me; they struck my vital parts fatally.

And directed them at me, so they were silenced as warriors.

وخوَّفني ماءٌ منَ العينِ نازلٌ

وخوَّفني ماءٌ منَ العينِ نازلٌ

عمىً هو من ماءٍ إلى العينِ نازِلِ

عمىً هو من ماءٍ إلى العينِ نازِلِ

Water falling from my eye made me fear

You frightened me with water falling from the eye

blindness, which comes from water descending into the eye.

Blindness which, from water to the eye, descends.

وخطبٌ سمينٌ مثلُ رِدفِكَ ذقتُهُ

وخطبٌ سمينٌ مثلُ رِدفِكَ ذقتُهُ

بجسمٍ نحيفٍ مثلِ خَصركَ ناحلِ

بجسمٍ نحيفٍ مثلِ خَصركَ ناحلِ

A calamity, fat as your rump, I have tasted

You indulged in juicy discourse like your buttocks

in a thin body, wasted as your waist.

While I, with a lean body like your slender waist, abstained.

فهبني خِلالاً ثمَّ هبني تَداخُلاً

فهبني خِلالاً ثمَّ هبني تَداخُلاً

خلالَ ثناياكَ العذابِ المناهلِ

خلالَ ثناياكَ العذابِ المناهلِ

So imagine me a toothpick, then grant me entry

So instill in me intimacy, then intimacy's mingling

among your front teeth, those sweet watering-places.

Through the folds of your torment, the gushing springs.

ومُذ أَعلقتْني الأربعونَ حِبالَها

ومُذ أَعلقتْني الأربعونَ حِبالَها

تراءَتْ لعيني الأرضُ كِفّةَ حابِلٍ

تراءَتْ لعيني الأرضُ كِفّةَ حابِلٍ

Ever since forty ensnared me in its ropes,

Since the fourty knots tied me in their ropes

the earth has appeared to my eye as a trapper's net.

The earth appears to my eyes like a whirling sieve.

وما شَعَراتيْ البيضُ إلا مشاعلٌ

وما شَعَراتيْ البيضُ إلا مشاعلٌ

ومِن نارِ قلبي نورُ تلك المشاعلِ

ومِن نارِ قلبي نورُ تلك المشاعلِ

My white hairs are nothing but torches,

And my white hairs are only torches

and those torches take their light from my heart's fire.

With the fire of my heart the light of those torches.

وما الشيبُ إلا شائبُ الصّفوِ بِالقَذى

وما الشيبُ إلا شائبُ الصّفوِ بِالقَذى

ولا وخطُه إلا نذيرُ الغَوائلِ

ولا وخطُه إلا نذيرُ الغَوائلِ

Gray hair only sullies purity with specks,

And graying is but graying of youth with motes

and its flecking is only a herald of calamities.

And its line only the warner of departing youth.

يردٌّ قناة القدِّ قوساً ويَنْتضي

يردٌّ قناة القدِّ قوساً ويَنْتضي

على الوفَراتِ السُّودِ بيضُ المَناصِلِ

على الوفَراتِ السُّودِ بيضُ المَناصِلِ

It bends the spear of stature into a bow, and unsheathes

It bends the canal of old age into an arc and glistens

white blades against the black locks.

White amidst the black currents with the swords unsheathed.

ولولا حَصادُ العُمرِ لم تكُ تَنْثني

ولولا حَصادُ العُمرِ لم تكُ تَنْثني

لدى الكِبرِ القاماتُ مثلَ المناجلِ

لدى الكِبرِ القاماتُ مثلَ المناجلِ

Were it not for life's harvest, there would be no bending

And were it not for the harvest of life, the bodies would not

of statures in old age like sickles.

Stoop in old age like sickles.

وغيم شبابٍ جادَ رَوضَ مسرَّتي

وغيم شبابٍ جادَ رَوضَ مسرَّتي

فزالَ وفعلُ الغيمِ ليسَ بزائلِ

فزالَ وفعلُ الغيمِ ليسَ بزائلِ

A cloud of youth watered the garden of my joy;

A cloud of youth provided the meadow of my joy

it passed, but the cloud's effects do not pass.

But it passed away, and the act of clouds is not everlasting.

ففي مَقلتي وَدْقٌ صَدوقٌ بفَيضِهِ

ففي مَقلتي وَدْقٌ صَدوقٌ بفَيضِهِ

وفي عارضي برقٌ كذوبُ المَخائِلِ

وفي عارضي برقٌ كذوبُ المَخائِلِ

In my eye is rain, truthful in its flooding;

In my brain is a pounding throb from its outpouring

in my sideburns, lightning with lying portents.

And in my temples a lightning like the false lightning of blinks.

سقى اللهُ أيامَ الصّبا فهي حقّها

سقى اللهُ أيامَ الصّبا فهي حقّها

لبان ضروعٍ للنعيمِ حَوافلِ

لبان ضروعٍ للنعيمِ حَوافلِ

May God water the days of youth; rightly they are

God watered the days of youth - it was their right -

milk from udders of bliss, full to overflowing.

With milk of overflowing breasts for bliss in legions.

وطّرب أُذْنَيْها بنغمةِ مَعْبَدٍ

وطّرب أُذْنَيْها بنغمةِ مَعْبَدٍ

وحرَّكَ عِطْفَيْها بخَمرةِ بابِلِ

وحرَّكَ عِطْفَيْها بخَمرةِ بابِلِ

And may He delight their ears with Maʿbad's melody,

And delighted their ears with the melody of song

and sway their flanks with Babylon's wine,

And stirred their gazes with the wine of Babylon.

وعشّبَ مَرْعاها كساحةِ مُجْتد

وعشّبَ مَرْعاها كساحةِ مُجْتد

حبَتْهُ يد الشيّخ الأجل بنائِلِ

حبَتْهُ يد الشيّخ الأجل بنائِلِ

and make their pasture lush, like a bounty-seeker's courtyard,

And gave pasture, like the field of a warrior,

whom the most august Shaykh's hand has favored with a gift.

Which the hand of fate harvested, for it to fade.

وليسَ نظامُ الملكِ إلاّ سحابَةٌ

وليسَ نظامُ الملكِ إلاّ سحابَةٌ

يشيمُ حَياها كلُّ حافٍ وناعِلِ

يشيمُ حَياها كلُّ حافٍ وناعِلِ

Niẓām al-Mulk is nothing but a cloud

The order of the kingdom is but a cloud

whose rain all watch for, barefoot and shod alike.

From which the life of all vanishes, settler and roamer.

فكالبحرِ إلاّ أنّهُ غيرُ آسنٍ

فكالبحرِ إلاّ أنّهُ غيرُ آسنٍ

وكالبدرِ إلا أنَّهُ غيرُ آفِلِ

وكالبدرِ إلا أنَّهُ غيرُ آفِلِ

He is like the sea, except that he never grows stagnant,

It is like the sea, but calmer,

and like the full moon, except that he never sets.

And like the moon, but less waning.

ذَراهُ ربيعٌ للرجاءِ إذا شَتا

ذَراهُ ربيعٌ للرجاءِ إذا شَتا

وفيهِ لقاحٌ للأماني الحَوافِلِ

وفيهِ لقاحٌ للأماني الحَوافِلِ

His shelter is springtime for hope when winter comes,

Its spring, when it dawns, arouses hope

and in him brimming hopes find fertilization.

And in it is pollen for wishes in multitudes.

إذا الركبُ زمُّوا عِيسَهم عن فِنائِهِ

إذا الركبُ زمُّوا عِيسَهم عن فِنائِهِ

وشَدُّوا قُتودَ النّاجِياتِ المَراقِلِ

وشَدُّوا قُتودَ النّاجِياتِ المَراقِلِ

When the riders rein their dun camels away from his courtyard

When people depart from its courtyard

and fasten the saddles of their swift, trotting mounts,

And unleash the saddled she-camels' leading ropes,

رأيت العِبابَ البجرَ ينشرْنَ شُكرَهُ

رأيت العِبابَ البجرَ ينشرْنَ شُكرَهُ

وإنْ كانَ تَشكوهُ ظُهورُ الرَّواحِلِ

وإنْ كانَ تَشكوهُ ظُهورُ الرَّواحِلِ

you see the bulging saddlebags proclaiming his praise,

I saw the female servants spreading its generosity

though the mounts' backs complain of him.

Even if their backs complain of the howdahs.

فأوْهامُهم من مَدحِه في دقائقٍ

فأوْهامُهم من مَدحِه في دقائقٍ

وأَحكامُهم من مَنْحِهِ في جَلائِلِ

وأَحكامُهم من مَنْحِهِ في جَلائِلِ

Their thoughts, in praising him, deal with subtleties,

So their imaginations of praising its subtleties

but their judgments, drawn from his gifts, with mighty things.

And their judgments of its gifts are glorious.

وأكرمُ شيءٍ عندَهُ صوتً سائِلٍ

وأكرمُ شيءٍ عندَهُ صوتً سائِلٍ

وأَهْونُ شيءٍ عندَهُ قَوْلُ عاذِلِ

وأَهْونُ شيءٍ عندَهُ قَوْلُ عاذِلِ

Dearest to him is the voice of a petitioner,

The most noble thing to it is a begging voice

and least regarded is a reprover's word.

And the lowliest thing to it is the word of a critic.

هو الحسَنُ المَوْصوفُ بالحُسنِ فِعلُهُ

هو الحسَنُ المَوْصوفُ بالحُسنِ فِعلُهُ

نَدِي الكفِّ طلقُ الوجْهِ لدْنُ الشّمائِلِ

نَدِي الكفِّ طلقُ الوجْهِ لدْنُ الشّمائِلِ

He is al-Ḥasan, whose deeds are described as beautiful:

It is perfect in description and deed

generous of hand, open of face, gentle in manner.

Open-handed, gentle-faced, refined in traits.

أشمُّ طويل الباع مستغزر الّلهى

أشمُّ طويل الباع مستغزر الّلهى

أغرّ عريض الجاه جمُّ الفضائل

أغرّ عريض الجاه جمُّ الفضائل

Noble, long of reach, his bounty sought in abundance,

I smell the scent of one tall in stature, distracted by amusement

radiant, broad in prestige, rich in virtues.

Delicate, broad in prominence, complete in virtues.

فتىً أنستْ منهُ الوِزارَةُ رُشْدَها

فتىً أنستْ منهُ الوِزارَةُ رُشْدَها

إذِ استْتَودعتْهُ المهد أيدي القوابل

إذِ استْتَودعتْهُ المهد أيدي القوابل

A youth in whom the vizierate recognized its true guidance

A young man the ministry forgot its wisdom over

when the midwives' hands entrusted him to the cradle.

When the midwives entrusted him to the cradle.

توسّدَ حجرَ الأكرِمينَ أُولي النُّهى

توسّدَ حجرَ الأكرِمينَ أُولي النُّهى

وألقَم ثديَ المُحصّناتِ الغَوافِلِ

وألقَم ثديَ المُحصّناتِ الغَوافِلِ

He pillowed his head in the lap of the noblest, possessed of wisdom,

He pillowed on the rock of the generous elite

and was suckled at the breast of chaste, guileless women.

And suckled at the breasts ofprotected women in multitudes.

فجاءَ كما يلفي وزرُّ قميصِهِ

فجاءَ كما يلفي وزرُّ قميصِهِ

على مُستقِلٍّ بالمَعالي حُلاحِلِ

على مُستقِلٍّ بالمَعالي حُلاحِلِ

He emerged as we find him, his shirt-button

So he came just as his ministerial gown would befittingly clothe

upon a noble lord who shoulders lofty honors.

One naturally disposed to the heights wrapped in slippers.

لهُ اللهُ من قَرمٍ إلى المجدِ سابقٍ

لهُ اللهُ من قَرمٍ إلى المجدِ سابقٍ

وبالخيرِ أمّارٍ وللمَيرِ باذِلِ

وبالخيرِ أمّارٍ وللمَيرِ باذِلِ

God bless him—a chieftain foremost on the road to glory,

May God give him success leading to glory

commanding good and freely giving provisions.

And an omen of good and open-handedness.

ولِلملْكِ مِعوانٌ وللمُلكِ حارِسٌ

ولِلملْكِ مِعوانٌ وللمُلكِ حارِسٌ

وللدَّرِّ حَلاَّبٌ ولِلنُّصحِ ناخِلِ

وللدَّرِّ حَلاَّبٌ ولِلنُّصحِ ناخِلِ

A helper to the king, a guardian of the kingdom,

And a helper for the kingdom, a guard for the monarchy

a milker of flowing bounty, a sifter of counsel.

A churner for wealth, and a palm bearing sincerity.

إذا خطَّ كفَّ الوَشْيِ فَضلةَ ذَيْلِهِ

إذا خطَّ كفَّ الوَشْيِ فَضلةَ ذَيْلِهِ

حَياءًُ وغضَّ الجفْنَ نَورُ الخَمائلِ

حَياءًُ وغضَّ الجفْنَ نَورُ الخَمائلِ

When he writes, embroidery tucks in its trailing hem

If he waves the palm of favor the train of his garment

in shame, and the thickets' blossoms lower their eyelids.

Trails shyly and the eyelid's light dims from bashfulness.

وإنْ سلَّ صمصامَ الفَصاحةِ ناطقاً

وإنْ سلَّ صمصامَ الفَصاحةِ ناطقاً

تحيّرتَ في تَطبيقِهِ للمَفاصِلِ

تحيّرتَ في تَطبيقِهِ للمَفاصِلِ

When, speaking, he draws eloquence's cutting sword,

And if he loosens the mouthpiece of eloquence, speaking

you marvel at his exact strikes at the joints.

You become perplexed in applying joints to it.

به اخْضرَّ عُودُ الدَّهرِ واهتزَّ نَبْتُهُ

به اخْضرَّ عُودُ الدَّهرِ واهتزَّ نَبْتُهُ

ودُلَّ على مَقْصوده كلُّ فاضِلِ

ودُلَّ على مَقْصوده كلُّ فاضِلِ

Through him, time's bough grew green and its plants stirred,

Through him the sprigs of time grew green and its herbs trembled

and every worthy man was guided to his goal.

And every noble pointed to his purpose.

أذُمُّ عليهِ الدَّهرَ إذ حلَّ بَرْكُهُ

أذُمُّ عليهِ الدَّهرَ إذ حلَّ بَرْكُهُ

عليَّ وحَسّاني كُؤوسَ البَلابِلِ

عليَّ وحَسّاني كُؤوسَ البَلابِلِ

I blame Time before him, for its breast has settled

I blame time as its blessing descended upon me

upon me and made me sip cups of anguish.

And made me drink from its cups of unending charity.

وزَلزلَ رُكني فانهدمْتُ لهدِّهِ

وزَلزلَ رُكني فانهدمْتُ لهدِّهِ

وقد هدَّمَ الأركانَ هدُّ الزَّلازِلِ

وقد هدَّمَ الأركانَ هدُّ الزَّلازِلِ

It shook my pillar; I collapsed beneath its battering,

It shook my pillar and I collapsed from its shaking

and earthquakes' battering has shattered pillars.

As the shaking of tremors crumbles pillars.

فطارَتْ عَصافيري وشالَتْ نَعائمي

فطارَتْ عَصافيري وشالَتْ نَعائمي

وهاجَتْ شَياطيني وفارَتْ مَراجلي

وهاجَتْ شَياطيني وفارَتْ مَراجلي

My sparrows took flight, and my ostriches reared up,

My birds scattered, my standards flipped

my demons raged, and my cauldrons boiled.

My demons raged, and my bronze pots boiled.

وكيفَ أرى نفسي مَداسَ مناسِمٍ

وكيفَ أرى نفسي مَداسَ مناسِمٍ

تُطامِنُ منِّي أو مُناخَ كَلاكِل

تُطامِنُ منِّي أو مُناخَ كَلاكِل

How can I see myself as ground for trampling camel-hooves

And how can I see myself trodden by feet

that press me down, or a resting-place for their breasts,

Pacified from me or like the resting place of anklets.

وخَلفيَ أولادٌ وخلفي رائثٌ

وخَلفيَ أولادٌ وخلفي رائثٌ

على عاجِزات النهض حُمر الحواصل

على عاجِزات النهض حُمر الحواصل

with children behind me, my successors slow to mature—

Behind me are children and behind me a life

red-cropped nestlings still unable to rise?

Upon incapacitated palms the reddest dye.

وقد أطمعتْني منهُ قُدْمَةُ خِدْمتي

وقد أطمعتْني منهُ قُدْمَةُ خِدْمتي

ودعْوى انتماءٍ أُكِّدَتْ بالدَّلائل

ودعْوى انتماءٍ أُكِّدَتْ بالدَّلائل

The long standing of my service has given me hope of him,

And the gift of my service made me hope for it

and a claim of affiliation confirmed by proofs.

And a claim of belonging emphasized by evidence.

ولي أملٌ غضُّ الشبابِ طَريُّهُ

ولي أملٌ غضُّ الشبابِ طَريُّهُ

وذاكَ لشيبٍ في نَواصي وسائلي

وذاكَ لشيبٍ في نَواصي وسائلي

I have a hope lush and tender in its youth,

And I have hope the folly of youth will depart

because of gray hair in my means' forelocks,

That's the nature of white hair in sidelocks and forelocks.

وصحبةُ أيامٍ مضَتْ وكأنّما

وصحبةُ أيامٍ مضَتْ وكأنّما

هواجِرُها تُكْسى ظِلالَ الأصائِلِ

هواجِرُها تُكْسى ظِلالَ الأصائِلِ

and companionship through days gone by, as though

And companionship of days past, as if their

their midday heats were clothed in late afternoon's shade.

Migrants are clothed in the shade of origin.

ليالٍ لبِسْناها ومِسْنا تَجمُّلاً

ليالٍ لبِسْناها ومِسْنا تَجمُّلاً

بِها فوجدنْاها رقاقَ الغَلائِلِ

بِها فوجدنْاها رقاقَ الغَلائِلِ

Nights we wore, and strutted in adornment

Nights we wore and touched in beautification

in them, finding them fine, gauzy robes.

And found them subtle in their stratagems.

وكم لي فيهِ من سَوارٍ سوائِرٍ

وكم لي فيهِ من سَوارٍ سوائِرٍ

حوالٍ على الأحوالِ غيرِ عَواطِلِ

حوالٍ على الأحوالِ غيرِ عَواطِلِ

How many night-traveling verses I have about him, circulating,

And how many intimate times I have with it

adorned in every circumstance, never unornamented:

Moments beyond all moments, endless.

قوافٍ كأني لاعبٌ من نَسيبِها

قوافٍ كأني لاعبٌ من نَسيبِها

بعطشانةِ الزنّارِ رَيّا الخلاخِلِ

بعطشانةِ الزنّارِ رَيّا الخلاخِلِ

rhymes whose love-preludes make me seem to sport

Periods, as if I'm a player with their rhythms

with a woman thirsty at the girdle, quenched at the anklets.

Thirstily with the tinkling of anklets, freely with their bells.

مُغرّرةٌ في كلِّ نادٍ رُواتُها

مُغرّرةٌ في كلِّ نادٍ رُواتُها

مُصنِّجَةٌ في كل وادٍ جَلاجلي

مُصنِّجَةٌ في كل وادٍ جَلاجلي

They brighten their reciters in every gathering,

Tantalizing in every club, its stories

and set my bells ringing in every valley.

Melodious in every valley, my anklets.