أَلا هَل لما وَلّى من العَيش مَرجِعُ

أَلا هَل لما وَلّى من العَيش مَرجِعُ

وَهَل في خُلود النَفس لِلنَفس مَطمَعُ

وَهَل في خُلود النَفس لِلنَفس مَطمَعُ

Ah, can the life that has passed ever return?

Alas! When one departs from life, is there a return?

Is there any return for the life that has turned away, or any hope for the soul to achieve immortality?

And has the soul any hope of immortality?

And does the soul find eternal rest for itself?

Is the prudent man any different from the helpless one, when the expected fate descends upon a human?

وَهَل حازِمٌ إِلّا كآخرَ عاجِزٍ

وَهَل حازِمٌ إِلّا كآخرَ عاجِزٍ

إِذا حَلَّ بالإِنسان ما يتوقّع

إِذا حَلَّ بالإِنسان ما يتوقّع

And is a prudent man any different from a helpless one,

When misfortune befalls a man, is any resolute

Does a soul follow a cherished soul that was dear to its kin, or can what has been decreed ever be turned back?

when what he expects befalls a human being?

Except as one helpless in the end?

Does a man have any protector to shield him from death, so that he might rest secure and unalarmed?

وَهَل تَقتَدي نَفس بِنَفس عَزيزة

وَهَل تَقتَدي نَفس بِنَفس عَزيزة

عَلى أَهلِها أَم هَل لما حُمّ مرجع

عَلى أَهلِها أَم هَل لما حُمّ مرجع

And does one soul follow the example of another, dear

Does the soul of a dear one follow another soul?

You see a man striving for what holds his benefit, yet his soul detests a thing though it brings him good.

to its people? Or can what has been decreed be reversed?

Or when death comes, is there no going back?

O the sorrow of man! What has seized his reason? Does he not see the path of rightness and hear the truth?

وَهَل لِلفَتى جارٌ يجنّبه الرَدى

وَهَل لِلفَتى جارٌ يجنّبه الرَدى

فَيًصبِح فيه آمِناً لا يُروّع

فَيًصبِح فيه آمِناً لا يُروّع

And has a young man a protector who can spare him death,

Does a young man have a neighbor to guard him from harm,

You see him dignified when he is content, yet find him a groveling slave when he covets.

so that he becomes safe in his care, never frightened?

So he wakes securely with no cause for fear?

Will a flowing tear avail me if I shed it freely, for the loss of those who parted from us and bade farewell?

تَرى المَرءُ يَسعى لِلَّذي فيهِ خَيرُهُ

تَرى المَرءُ يَسعى لِلَّذي فيهِ خَيرُهُ

وَتَكرَه شَيئاً نَفسُه وَهوَ يَنفَعُ

وَتَكرَه شَيئاً نَفسُه وَهوَ يَنفَعُ

You see a man striving for that in which his welfare lies,

A man strives for what is good for him,

I call out to them with the earth standing between us; though they hear not my voice, they answered the call of fate with haste.

while his soul dislikes something that benefits him.

Yet his soul dislikes what will benefit him.

They have gone before me as predecessors, and I am left behind, waiting for an appointed end, after which I shall follow.

فَيا حَسرَةَ الإِنسان ما اغتال عقله

فَيا حَسرَةَ الإِنسان ما اغتال عقله

أَلَيسَ يَرى وَجهَ السداد وَيَسمَع

أَلَيسَ يَرى وَجهَ السداد وَيَسمَع

Alas for man! What has slain his reason?

How pitiful is man when his mind betrays him!

They asked, "Will you not weep for Kharim bin 'Amir?" I replied, "Yes, if weeping could bring any gain."

Does he not see the face of sound judgment, and hear?

Does he not see the right way and hear it?

I shall weep for Abu 'Amr—and he deserves such grief—with a weary, tearful eye that overflows and pours.

تَراهُ عَزيزاً حينَ يًصبِح قانِعاً

تَراهُ عَزيزاً حينَ يًصبِح قانِعاً

وَتَلقاهُ عَبداً ضارِعاً حينَ يَطمَع

وَتَلقاهُ عَبداً ضارِعاً حينَ يَطمَع

You see him dignified when he is content,

You see him independent when he is content,

I weep for Abu 'Amr for the sake of the destitute guest, and for the needy one, weary and at a loss for what to do.

and find him an abject slave when he is greedy.

And find him a slave, pleading, when he is greedy.

He was the voice of the tribe of Qays and its defending fang; through him, Qays could strike harm or bestow benefit.

فَهَل تَنفَعَنّي عبرةٌ إِن سفحتُها

فَهَل تَنفَعَنّي عبرةٌ إِن سفحتُها

لفقد أُناس فارَقونا فَودَّعوا

لفقد أُناس فارَقونا فَودَّعوا

So will a tear help me if I shed it

Can it avail me to pour forth my grief

for the loss of people who parted from us and bade farewell?

For loved ones who left us and bade farewell?

أُناديهم وَالأَرضُ بَيني وَبينَهم

أُناديهم وَالأَرضُ بَيني وَبينَهم

وَلَم يَسمَعوا صَوتي أَجابوا فَأَسرَعوا

وَلَم يَسمَعوا صَوتي أَجابوا فَأَسرَعوا

I call to them, while the earth lies between me and them;

I call to them while the earth lies between us.

and they did not hear my voice; they answered and hastened.

They do not hear my voice or answer, but hurry on.

مَضوا سَلَفاً قَبلي فَخلِّفتُ بعدهم

مَضوا سَلَفاً قَبلي فَخلِّفتُ بعدهم

إِلى غاية مَبلوغة ثُمَّ اتبع

إِلى غاية مَبلوغة ثُمَّ اتبع

They went before me as forerunners, and I was left behind them,

They departed before me, leaving me behind

until an end is reached; then I shall follow.

Until the fated moment when I will follow.

وَقالوا أَلا تَبكي خَريم بن عامِر

وَقالوا أَلا تَبكي خَريم بن عامِر

فَقُلتُ بَلى إِن كانَ ذَلِكَ يَنفَع

فَقُلتُ بَلى إِن كانَ ذَلِكَ يَنفَع

And they said, 'Will you not weep for Khuraym ibn Amir?'

They said: Do not weep for Kharija ibn 'Amir!

So I said, 'Yes—if that would help.'

I said: Yes, if that will avail.

سَأَبكي أَبا عَمرو وحقّ بُكاؤُهُ

سَأَبكي أَبا عَمرو وحقّ بُكاؤُهُ

بمطروفةٍ عبرى تَفيض وَتَدمَع

بمطروفةٍ عبرى تَفيض وَتَدمَع

I shall weep for Abu Amr—and he deserves to be mourned—

I will weep for Abu 'Amr - rightly he deserves weeping -

with a stricken, tearful eye that overflows and weeps.

With copious flowing tears of sorrow.

وَأَبكي أَبا عمرو لضيف مدقَّع

وَأَبكي أَبا عمرو لضيف مدقَّع

وَذي حاجة أعيى بِها كَيفَ يَصنَع

وَذي حاجة أعيى بِها كَيفَ يَصنَع

And I mourn Abu Amr for the sake of a destitute guest,

I will weep for Abu 'Amr, for a guest with covered face,

and one in need, at a loss as to how to deal with it.

For one in need with which he knew not what to do.

وَكانَ لِسانَ الحيّ قيسٍ وَنابَها

وَكانَ لِسانَ الحيّ قيسٍ وَنابَها

وَكانَت بِهِ قَيسٌ تضرَّ وَتَنفَع

وَكانَت بِهِ قَيسٌ تضرَّ وَتَنفَع

And he was the tongue of the tribe of Qays, and its fang;

He was the tongue of the living tribe of Qais and its sharp sword.

and through him Qays could harm and benefit.

Through him Qais did injury and brought benefit.