رَحَلَdeparted الشَبابُyouth وَلَيتَهُand if only it لَمnot يَرحَلِdepart
رَحَلَ الشَبابُ وَلَيتَهُ لَم يَرحَلِ
وَغَداand went لِطيَّةِtoward the destination of ذاهِبٍone departing مُتَحَمِّلِpacking to leave
وَغَدا لِطيَّةِ ذاهِبٍ مُتَحَمِّلِ
Youth departed—if only it had not departed!
Youth has departed, but I wish it hadn’t gone away,
And went its way, a traveler packed to depart.
And it has become a burden on one who bears and staggers.
وَغَداand departed بِلاذمٍwithout blame وَغادَرَand left بَعدَهُafter it
وَغَدا بِلاذمٍ وَغادَرَ بَعدَهُ
شَيباًgray hair أَقامَsettled مَكانَهُin its place بِالمَنزِلِin the dwelling
شَيباً أَقامَ مَكانَهُ بِالمَنزِلِ
And departed blameless, leaving behind
It has gone without need and after it has gone
Gray hair that took its place in the dwelling.
Grey hair has taken its place and settled in the home.
لَيتَif only الشَبابَyouth ثَوىhad stayed لَدَيناwith us حِقبَةًa span of time
لَيتَ الشَبابَ ثَوى لَدَينا حِقبَةً
قَبلَbefore المَشيبِgraying وَلَيتَهُand if only it لَمnot يَعجِلِhasten
قَبلَ المَشيبِ وَلَيتَهُ لَم يَعجِلِ
If only youth had stayed with us a while
I wish youth had stayed with us for a while
Before gray hair—if only it had not hurried away!
Before grey hair, but it didn’t wait.
فَنُصيبso we might partake مِنof لَذّاتِهِits pleasures وَنَعيمِهِand its bliss
فَنُصيب مِن لَذّاتِهِ وَنَعيمِهِ
كَالعَهدِas of old إِذwhen هوَit فيin الزَمانِthe time الأوَّلِearliest
كَالعَهدِ إِذ هوَ في الزَمانِ الأوَّلِ
So we might partake of its pleasures and its bliss,
So we could enjoy its pleasures and delight
As of old, when it was in those earlier days.
As in the early days when it was in its first phase.
نُرعيwe let graze الصِباyouth أَوطانَهُin its native haunts وَنُريحَهُand give it rest
نُرعي الصِبا أَوطانَهُ وَنُريحَهُ
فيin السَهلِthe plain فيin دَمِثٍsoft ground أَنيقٍlovely مُقبِلِflourishing
في السَهلِ في دَمِثٍ أَنيقٍ مُقبِلِ
We would let youth graze in its haunts and give it rest
We would let youth graze its meadows at ease
On the plain, on soft, lovely, flourishing ground,
In soft, smooth, welcoming plains,
كَزَمانِناas in our time وَزَمانِهِand its time فيماin what مَضىhas passed
كَزَمانِنا وَزَمانِهِ فيما مَضى
إِذwhen نَحنُwe فيin ظِلِّthe shade of الشَبابِyouth المُخضِلِlush and dewy
إِذ نَحنُ في ظِلِّ الشَبابِ المُخضِلِ
As in our time and its time in days gone by,
As was our time and its time in days gone by
When we were in youth's lush, dewy shade.
When we were in youth’s embracing shade.
وَلَئنand though مَضىhas passed حَدُّthe vigor of الشَبابِyouth وَجَدُّهُand its good fortune
وَلَئن مَضى حَدُّ الشَبابِ وَجَدُّهُ
وَبَدَتand appeared رَوايعُstartling signs مُستَبينٍclearly visible أَشكَلِmingled black and gray
وَبَدَت رَوايعُ مُستَبينٍ أَشكَلِ
And though youth's vigor and good fortune have passed,
Though the prime of youth has passed and its vigor,
And the startling signs of plainly mingled black and gray have appeared,
And confusing, obscure signs have begun to appear,
ماnot إِنat all (emphasis) كَسَبتُI earned بِهِthrough it لِحيّupon any clan سُبَّةًa disgrace
ما إِن كَسَبتُ بِهِ لِحيّ سُبَّةً
وَلألفَينَّand I shall surely be found بِهِin it كَريمَhonorable in المأكَلِlivelihood
وَلألفَينَّ بِهِ كَريمَ المأكَلِ
I brought no disgrace upon any clan through it,
I gained through it no disgraceful earnings,
And in it I shall surely be found honorable in my livelihood.
And I will always cherish its generous provision.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَرىI see فيin ظِلِّهِits shade ونَعيمِهِand its bliss
وَلَقَد أَرى في ظِلِّهِ ونَعيمِهِ
نَزِهاًunsullied عَنfrom الفَحشاءِindecency صافيpure in المَنهَلِthe wellspring
نَزِهاً عَن الفَحشاءِ صافي المَنهَلِ
Indeed, I see myself beneath its shade and amid its bliss,
And I see in its shade and pleasures
Free from indecency, with a pure wellspring,
A source safe from vulgarity, pure water to drink.
عَفَّchaste in الضَريبَةِdisposition قَدindeed كَرِهتُI have hated فِراقَهُparting from it
عَفَّ الضَريبَةِ قَد كَرِهتُ فِراقَهُ
إِذsince بَعضُsome of تابِعِهِwhat follows it لَئيمُignoble in المَدخَلِits coming
إِذ بَعضُ تابِعِهِ لَئيمُ المَدخَلِ
Chaste by nature; I have hated parting from it,
I hated to part with it, I disliked its tax
For some of what follows it is ignoble in its coming.
Since some of its followers are vulgar at heart.
وَلَنِعمَand how excellent تَذكِرَةُa reminder for الحَليمِthe prudent وَثَوبُهُand his garment
وَلَنِعمَ تَذكِرَةُ الحَليمِ وَثَوبُهُ
ثَوبُthe garment المَشيبِof gray hair وَواعِظاًand as an admonisher لِلجُهَّلِto the ignorant
ثَوبُ المَشيبِ وَواعِظاً لِلجُهَّلِ
What a fine reminder for the prudent, and garment for him,
And what a fine reminder is the dress of the wise,
Is the garment of gray hair—and an admonisher of the ignorant!
The dress of old age, instructing the ignorant!
وَلَقَدand indeed يَكونُhe may be مَعwith الشَبابِyouth إِذاwhen غَداhe goes forth
وَلَقَد يَكونُ مَع الشَبابِ إِذا غَدا
غُمراًinexperienced يَكونُis خِلافَهُopposite him مُتَمَهِّلِdeliberate
غُمراً يَكونُ خِلافَهُ مُتَمَهِّلِ
Indeed, a man may, in youth, go forth
And it may be that if youth becomes
Inexperienced, while opposite him is a deliberate man.
Deep darkness, its opposite then takes its time.
فيهِin it لِباغيfor the seeker of اللَهوِamusement إِنif طَلَبَhe seeks الصَبىyouthful passion
فيهِ لِباغي اللَهوِ إِن طَلَبَ الصَبى
بَعدَafter المَشيبِgraying ونُهزَةُand an opportunity for المُتَعلِّلِone seeking diversion
بَعدَ المَشيبِ ونُهزَةُ المُتَعلِّلِ
In it is scope for the seeker of amusement, if he seeks youthful passion
In it, for the debauched one seeking pleasure if he craves youth
After gray hair—and a chance for one seeking diversion.
After old age, and the doddering of the pretender,
بَكَرَتshe came early تَلوُمُshe reproaches فَقُلتُso I said غَيرَnot مُباعِدٍdeparting from
بَكَرَت تَلوُمُ فَقُلتُ غَيرَ مُباعِدٍ
فِعلَthe behavior of المُمازِحِa playful teaser ضاحِكاًlaughing لاdo not تَعجَليbe hasty
فِعلَ المُمازِحِ ضاحِكاً لا تَعجَلي
She came early, reproaching me; I replied, not departing
Bikarat blamed me, so I said, not keeping away:
From a jester's manner, laughing: Do not be hasty.
“It's not wrong to jest and laugh, don't be hasty!”
أَهلُworthy of التَذَلُّلِhumble submission والمَوَدَّةِand affection عِندَناin our eyes
أَهلُ التَذَلُّلِ والمَوَدَّةِ عِندَنا
ياO بِشرُBishr أَنتِyou وَرَبِّand by the Lord of كُلِّevery مُهَلِّلِone proclaiming God's oneness
يا بِشرُ أَنتِ وَرَبِّ كُلِّ مُهَلِّلِ
Worthy of our humble devotion and affection
O Bishr, people of affection and love are with us,
Are you, O Bishr, by the Lord of all who proclaim His oneness!
Good news to you, by the Lord of all who makes calm!
لَوif كانَwere وُدُّكِyour affection نازِراًscant فَنَزورُهُthen we would visit it
لَو كانَ وُدُّكِ نازِراً فَنَزورُهُ
كانَwould be اليَقينُcertainty بُعَيدَshortly after شَكٍdoubt مُشكِلِbewildering
كانَ اليَقينُ بُعَيدَ شَكٍ مُشكِلِ
If your love were scant, and we could pay it a visit,
If your love were meager, we would shun it,
Certainty would come soon after bewildering doubt.
Certainty would be far, doubt unsolvable.
إِنَّindeed الَّذيthe one who قَسَمَapportioned المَوَدَّةَaffection فاِعلَميso know
إِنَّ الَّذي قَسَمَ المَوَدَّةَ فاِعلَمي
حَقّاًtruly عَليكِtoward you بوُدِّناwith our love لَمnot يَبخَلِbe stingy
حَقّاً عَليكِ بوُدِّنا لَم يَبخَلِ
Indeed, the one who allotted affection—know this—
Know that He who divided love, truly
Has truly not begrudged you our love.
You are entitled through our love which did not stint,
فاِجزيso reward شَجيّاa lovesick man قَدindeed سَلَبتِyou stole فُؤادَهُhis heart
فاِجزي شَجيّا قَد سَلَبتِ فُؤادَهُ
واِعصيand defy الوُشاةَthe slanderers بِهِabout him وَقَولَand the words of العُذَّلِthe reproachers
واِعصي الوُشاةَ بِهِ وَقَولَ العُذَّلِ
So reward a lovesick man whose heart you have stolen,
So reward a fervent lover whose heart you have robbed,
And defy those who slander him and the words of reproachers.
And disobey those who find faults through it and speak nonsense.
راعٍa guardian لِسرِّكِof your secret لَيسَhe does not يَذكُرُremember غَيرَهُanything other than it
راعٍ لِسرِّكِ لَيسَ يَذكُرُ غَيرَهُ
كيماso that يَرينَكِhe may sway you حَيثُwherever كُنتِyou are بِمَعزِلِin seclusion
كيما يَرينَكِ حَيثُ كُنتِ بِمَعزِلِ
A guardian of your secret, he remembers nothing else,
A secret-keeper whose thoughts turn to none but you
So that he may sway you, wherever you are secluded.
So he can see you where you are secluded.
ماnot إِنat all (emphasis) وَشىslandered بِكِabout you عِندَناbefore us مِنany كاشِحٍill-wisher
ما إِن وَشى بِكِ عِندَنا مِن كاشِحٍ
إِلّاexcept that يُرَدُّhe is rebuffed بِغَيظِهِwith his rage لَمnot يُقبَلِbe received
إِلّا يُرَدُّ بِغَيظِهِ لَم يُقبَلِ
No spiteful foe has ever slandered you before us
No slanderer has maligned you among us
Without being rebuffed, still raging, and refused.
Except he is driven back in anger, rejected,
حَتّىuntil لَقَدindeed عَلِمَknew الوُشاةُthe slanderers فَأَقصَرواso they desisted
حَتّى لَقَد عَلِمَ الوُشاةُ فَأَقصَروا
وَرَأَواand they saw لَديَّwith me حَديثَهُمtheir talk فيin الأَسفَلِthe lowest place
وَرَأَوا لَديَّ حَديثَهُم في الأَسفَلِ
Until the slanderers knew full well, and desisted,
To the point that the slanderers have grown short
And saw how low their talk stood in my eyes.
And they have seen their words with me fall lower.
وَلَقَدand indeed نَزَلتِyou have settled فَأَجمِليso be gracious بِمَحَلَّةٍin a dwelling
وَلَقَد نَزَلتِ فَأَجمِلي بِمَحَلَّةٍ
ياO بِشرُBishr قَبلَكِbefore you عِندَناwith us لَمnot تُحلَلِbe occupied
يا بِشرُ قَبلَكِ عِندَنا لَم تُحلَلِ
Indeed, you have settled—so be gracious—in a dwelling
You have come down, so beautify, O Bishr,
O Bishr, that had never been occupied with us before you.
A place before you with us that was not adorned.
أَحمَيتِyou made inviolable قاصيَةَthe farthest part of الفُؤَادِthe heart فَصَغوُهُso its inclination
أَحمَيتِ قاصيَةَ الفُؤَادِ فَصَغوُهُ
شَرَعٌwholly directed إِلَيكِtoward you بِوابِلٍin a downpour مُتَهَلِّلِgleaming
شَرَعٌ إِلَيكِ بِوابِلٍ مُتَهَلِّلِ
You have made the heart's farthest reaches inviolable; so its longing
You have revived a heart that was dormant, so its love
Turns wholly toward you in a gleaming downpour.
Is a torrent rushing joyfully to you.
ماnothing كانَwould be لَوif وَزَناwe weighed وَشاءَand willed مَليكُناour Sovereign
ما كانَ لَو وَزَنا وَشاءَ مَليكُنا
مِنthan حُبِّlove of بِشرَةَBishrah لَوif يُقاسُit were measured بِأَفضَلِbetter
مِن حُبِّ بِشرَةَ لَو يُقاسُ بِأَفضَلِ
Nothing—if we weighed it and our Sovereign willed—
If our Master weighed the love of fair Bishr,
Would be better than love of Bishrah, were it measured.
And measured it, none could match its quality!
Sol 6.1