ماnot الناسُpeople إلّاexcept فيin رِماقٍbare subsistence وَصالِحٍand well-being
ما الناسُ إلّا في رِماقٍ وَصالِحٍ
وَماand not الدَهرُtime إِلّاexcept خِلفَةٌalternation وَدُهورُand ages
وَما الدَهرُ إِلّا خِلفَةٌ وَدُهورُ
People live only between bare subsistence and well-being;
People are but in fortunes, joys, and trials,
Time is only alternation, age after age.
And life but succession, decadence, decline,
مَراتِبُstages أَمّاas for البُؤسُhardship مِنهاamong them فَزائِلٌthen passing away
مَراتِبُ أَمّا البُؤسُ مِنها فَزائِلٌ
وَكُلُّand every نَعيمٍcomfort فيin الحَياةِlife غُرورُdelusion
وَكُلُّ نَعيمٍ في الحَياةِ غُرورُ
There are stages: hardship among them passes away,
Sorrows shall pass, of bliss but brief respites,
And every comfort in life is a delusion.
Each joy in this life ephemeral sign.
الشَرُّevil لاnot يَبقىlasts وَلاand not الخَيرُgood دائِمٌenduring
الشَرُّ لا يَبقى وَلا الخَيرُ دائِمٌ
وَكُلُّand every زَمانٍage بِالرِجالِagainst men عَثورُever causing falls
وَكُلُّ زَمانٍ بِالرِجالِ عَثورُ
Evil does not last, nor is good enduring;
Evil does not last, nor good forever,
Every age trips men up.
Every age stumbles with its men entire.
مَتىwhenever يَختَلِفalternate يَومٌa day عَلَيكَover you وَلَيلَةٌand a night
مَتى يَختَلِف يَومٌ عَلَيكَ وَلَيلَةٌ
يَلُحgleams مِنهُماfrom the two فيon عارِضيكَboth sides of your beard قَتيرُscattered gray hairs
يَلُح مِنهُما في عارِضيكَ قَتيرُ
Whenever a day and a night alternate over you,
When day differs, and night, in your affairs
From them, gray hairs gleam along both sides of your beard.
Does change make its mark on your attire?
جَديدانtwo ever-new ones يَبلىwears out فيهماwithin the two كُلُّevery صالِحٍsound thing
جَديدان يَبلى فيهما كُلُّ صالِحٍ
حَثيثانِtwo swift ones هذاthis one رائِحٌan evening traveler وَبَكورُand an early riser
حَثيثانِ هذا رائِحٌ وَبَكورُ
Two ever-new ones, in which all sound things wear out,
Two they are, new, treading all good down,
Both swift: one comes at evening, the other at dawn.
Hastening, the first vanishes, the next nears.
وَأَعلَمُand I know أَنthat لاnot شَيءَanything يَبقىendures مُؤَمَّلاًhoped for
وَأَعلَمُ أَن لا شَيءَ يَبقى مُؤَمَّلاً
خَلاexcept أَنَّthat وَجهَthe face اللَهِof God لَيسَdoes not يَبورُperish
خَلا أَنَّ وَجهَ اللَهِ لَيسَ يَبورُ
And I know that nothing hoped for endures,
I know that nothing hoped for stays around
Except that the face of God never perishes.
Save God's face, not touched by passing years.
وَماand not الناسُpeople فيin الأَعمالِendeavors إِلّاexcept كَبالِغٍlike one attaining his goal
وَما الناسُ في الأَعمالِ إِلّا كَبالِغٍ
يُبَنّيbuilds وَمُنبَتُّand severed النِياطِthe heartstrings حَسِيرُexhausted
يُبَنّي وَمُنبَتُّ النِياطِ حَسِيرُ
In their endeavors, people are like one who achieves,
People's deeds are but like plants emerging,
Building, and one exhausted, with severed heartstrings.
Some grow strong, others dry, wither, expire.
فَمُستَلَبٌso one stripped مِنهُfrom him رِياشٌfinery وَمُكتَسٍand one clothed
فَمُستَلَبٌ مِنهُ رِياشٌ وَمُكتَسٍ
وَعارٍand one naked وَمِنهُمand among them مُترِبٌwealthy وَفَقيرُand poor
وَعارٍ وَمِنهُم مُترِبٌ وَفَقيرُ
One has his finery stripped away, another is clothed,
Wisdom counseled me, made days of ignorance
Another naked; among them are the wealthy and the poor.
My closest friend, months and years retire.
وَباكٍand one weeping شَجاًin grief وَضاحِكٌand one laughing عِندَat بَهجَةٍjoy
وَباكٍ شَجاً وَضاحِكٌ عِندَ بَهجَةٍ
وَآخَرُand another مُعطىًgiven صِحَّةًhealth وَضَريرُand one afflicted
وَآخَرُ مُعطىً صِحَّةً وَضَريرُ
One weeps with grief, another laughs at joy,
I laugh at enemies, though they bear me grudges,
Another is granted health, another is afflicted.
Their breasts for me contain but burning fires.
وَكُلُّand every اِمرىءٍman إِنif صَحَّhe is healthy أَوor طالَis long عُمرُهُhis life
وَكُلُّ اِمرىءٍ إِن صَحَّ أَو طالَ عُمرُهُ
إِلىto مِيتَةٍdeath لاno بُدَّescape سَوفَwill يَصيرُhe comes
إِلى مِيتَةٍ لا بُدَّ سَوفَ يَصيرُ
Every man, even if healthy or long-lived,
I have accomplished feats beyond their judgements,
Will inevitably come to death.
My steps guided by prudence, thoughts inspired.
يُؤَمِّلُhe hopes فيin الأَيّامِthe days ماwhat لَيسَis not مُدرِكاًattaining
يُؤَمِّلُ في الأَيّامِ ما لَيسَ مُدرِكاً
وَلَيسَand there is no لَهُfor him مِنagainst أَنthat يُنالَhe be overtaken خَفيرُa protector
وَلَيسَ لَهُ مِن أَن يُنالَ خَفيرُ
He hopes, through the days, for what he will not attain,
The vile tear my flesh, disparage and slander,
And has no protector against being overtaken.
Yet their calumny cannot touch me entire.
وَإِنَّand indeed نَماءَgrowth الناسِof people شَتّىvaried وَرَرعُهُمand their crop (uncertain reading)
وَإِنَّ نَماءَ الناسِ شَتّى وَرَرعُهُم
كَنَبتٍlike vegetation فَمِنهُso of it طائِلٌtall growth وَشَكيرُand small shoots
كَنَبتٍ فَمِنهُ طائِلٌ وَشَكيرُ
People's growth is varied, and their crop [reading uncertain]
A man's vice shines clear upon his visage,
Is like vegetation: some tall, some small shoots.
My vision penetrates facades, goes deeper.
فَأَحكَمَنيso restrained me أَنthat أَقرَبَI approach الجَهلَfolly عِبرَةًa lesson
فَأَحكَمَني أَن أَقرَبَ الجَهلَ عِبرَةً
لَيالٍnights وَأَيّامٌand days مَضتpassed وَشُهورُand months
لَيالٍ وَأَيّامٌ مَضت وَشُهورُ
So I was kept from approaching folly by the lesson of
I have shot my arrows true at those who blame me
Nights, bygone days, and months.
With vile accusations they will never tire.
أُضاحِكُI laugh with أَعدائيmy enemies وَآدوand I use guile لِسُخطِهِمagainst their wrath
أُضاحِكُ أَعدائي وَآدو لِسُخطِهِم
وَقَدand already وَغِرَتgrew inflamed مِنهُمamong them عَلَيَّagainst me صُدورُbreasts
وَقَد وَغِرَت مِنهُم عَلَيَّ صُدورُ
I laugh with my enemies and meet their anger with guile,
I know the error in each critic's language,
Though their breasts have burned with rage against me.
And what his soul contains, its secret desire.
كَماjust as رُبَّماsometimes حاوَلتُI sought أَمراًa thing بِغَيرِهِthrough another
كَما رُبَّما حاوَلتُ أَمراً بِغَيرِهِ
فَأَدرَكتُهُso I attained it وَذوand one possessing الحِفاظِa sense of honor وَقورُcomposed
فَأَدرَكتُهُ وَذو الحِفاظِ وَقورُ
Just as I have sometimes sought one thing through another,
Lo, many who abstain, yet immersed remain
And attained it; one who guards his honor is composed.
In matters equal to, or even worse.
وَأَكلُand devouring لِئامthe vile among الناسِpeople لحميmy flesh وَقَرصُهُمand their pinching
وَأَكلُ لِئام الناسِ لحمي وَقَرصُهُم
وَنَجواهُمُand their whispering خَطبٌa matter عَلَيَّto me يَسيرُtrifling
وَنَجواهُمُ خَطبٌ عَلَيَّ يَسيرُ
The vile men's devouring of my flesh, their pinching,
People's morals are but natural dispositions
And their whispering are a trifling matter to me.
Like hair, some soft, some coarse, rigid and terse.
فَأَنّfor indeed اِمرأًa man أَبدىrevealed الشَناءَةَhatred وَجهُهُhis face
فَأَنّ اِمرأً أَبدى الشَناءَةَ وَجهُهُ
فَإِنّيso I am بِعَوراتِof the vulnerabilities العَدُوِّthe enemy بَصيرُkeenly aware
فَإِنّي بِعَوراتِ العَدُوِّ بَصيرُ
As for a man whose face betrays hatred—
Some chaste, noble ladies, yet wed
I am keenly aware of the enemy's vulnerabilities.
To vulgar men, worthless, of manners perverse.
رَمَيتُI shot فَأَقصَدتُthen I felled الَّذيthe one who يَستَنيصُنيseeks to make me retreat
رَمَيتُ فَأَقصَدتُ الَّذي يَستَنيصُني
بِغُرٍّwith brilliant verses أَبَرَّتexcelled ماnot تَزالُceases تعيرُcirculate
بِغُرٍّ أَبَرَّت ما تَزالُ تعيرُ
I shot and felled the man who sought to make me retreat,
Your harm is he who rivals you, so have courage,
With brilliant verses that excelled and never cease to circulate.
Relatives' betrayal, the greatest curse.
وَأَعلَمُand I know لَحنَthe hidden purport القَولِof speech مِنfrom كُلِّevery كاشِحٍhostile man
وَأَعلَمُ لَحنَ القَولِ مِن كُلِّ كاشِحٍ
وَإِنّيand indeed I بِماof what فيin نَفسِهِhis soul لَخَبيرُtruly well-informed
وَإِنّي بِما في نَفسِهِ لَخَبيرُ
I know the hidden purport of every enemy's speech,
You erred, they say, knew not what was hidden
And I know well what lies within his soul.
To one enraged, reason makes no headway.
أَلاindeed رُبَّmany a ناهٍone forbidding عَنِagainst أُمورٍthings وَإِنَّهُand indeed he
أَلا رُبَّ ناهٍ عَنِ أُمورٍ وَإِنَّهُ
بِأَيِّto any أُمورٍthings مِثلِهاlike them لَجَديرُcertainly apt
بِأَيِّ أُمورٍ مِثلِها لَجَديرُ
Indeed, many a man forbids things, though he himself
How can you glory in what you're not?
Is all too apt to do things of the very same kind.
Among people you are contemptible prey.
وَماand not الناسُpeople فيin الأَخلاقِcharacter إِلّاexcept غَرائِزٌinborn dispositions
وَما الناسُ في الأَخلاقِ إِلّا غَرائِزٌ
كَماjust as الشِعرُpoetry مِنهُof it مُصلِدٌmeager وَغَزيرُand abundant
كَما الشِعرُ مِنهُ مُصلِدٌ وَغَزيرُ
In character, people are nothing but inborn dispositions,
Perfection of mind may be scorned,
Like poetry: some meager, some abundant.
While lacking mind honored and held dear.
وَغُرٍّand radiant ones كِرامٍnoble مُحصَناتٍchaste يَقودُهاleads them
وَغُرٍّ كِرامٍ مُحصَناتٍ يَقودُها
لِمَنكَحِto a marriage لُؤمٍof baseness ضَيعَةٌproperty وَمُهورُand dowries
لِمَنكَحِ لُؤمٍ ضَيعَةٌ وَمُهورُ
And radiant, noble, chaste women are led
One short gains glory which tall men spurned,
Into an ignoble marriage by property and dowries.
Prudence in some, elsewhere will not appear.
وَضَرُّكَand your harming مَنwhom عادَيتَyou oppose أَمرُa matter قِوايَةٍof strength
وَضَرُّكَ مَن عادَيتَ أَمرُ قِوايَةٍ
وَحَزمٍand prudence وَضَرُّand harming الأَقرَبينَclose kin فُجورُwickedness
وَحَزمٍ وَضَرُّ الأَقرَبينَ فُجورُ
Your harming those you oppose is a matter of strength
Baseness makes one lose what he claimed,
And prudence; harming close kin is wickedness.
While other, right's champion, stays unclear,
وَقِيلُكَand your saying قَدalready أَبصَرتُI have seen شَيئاًsomething جَهِلتَهُyou did not know it
وَقِيلُكَ قَد أَبصَرتُ شَيئاً جَهِلتَهُ
لِذيto one possessing حَنَقٍresentment عِندَduring الحَمِيَّةِheated pride بورُfutile
لِذي حَنَقٍ عِندَ الحَمِيَّةِ بورُ
And your saying, "I have seen something you did not know,"
One claims poetry that's not his own,
To a resentful man in the heat of pride is futile.
While a poet's works will scarcely cohere.
وَكَيفَand how تُسِرُّyou harbor secretly الفَخرَpride فيin غَيرِother than كُنهِهِits true essence
وَكَيفَ تُسِرُّ الفَخرَ في غَيرِ كُنهِهِ
وَفيand in أَنفُسِthe minds الأَقوامِof people أَنتَyou حَقيرُcontemptible
وَفي أَنفُسِ الأَقوامِ أَنتَ حَقيرُ
How can you harbor pride where it has no grounds,
Sometimes, alas, the steadfast break,
When you are contemptible in other people's minds?
While the pliant remain calm in fear.
وَكائِنand how many تَرىyou see مِنof كامِلِperfect in العقلِintellect يُزدَريis despised
وَكائِن تَرى مِن كامِلِ العقلِ يُزدَري
وَمِنand of ناقِصِdeficient in المَعقولِunderstanding وَهوَand he is جَهيرُimposing
وَمِن ناقِصِ المَعقولِ وَهوَ جَهيرُ
How many a man of sound intellect you see despised,
I know the horse as though no effort it takes,
And one deficient in reason, yet imposing!
My body holding wounds that will not repair.
وَمِنهُمand among them قَصيرٌa short man رامَsought مَجداًglory فنالَهُso he attained it
وَمِنهُم قَصيرٌ رامَ مَجداً فنالَهُ
وَآخَرُand another هَيقٌa tall, ostrich-like man فيin الحِفاظِguarding honor قصيرُshort
وَآخَرُ هَيقٌ في الحِفاظِ قصيرُ
Among them, a short man sought glory and won it,
I hide my soul's secret until I kill it,
And another, tall as an ostrich, is short in guarding honor.
No conscience stirs in one who does not care.
وَمِنand of طالِبٍone seeking حَقّاًa right بِفَحشٍwith abuse يَفوتُهُit escapes him
وَمِن طالِبٍ حَقّاً بِفَحشٍ يَفوتُهُ
وَمُدرِكِهِand one attaining it بِالحَقِّby right conduct وَهوَand he is سَتيرُdiscreet
وَمُدرِكِهِ بِالحَقِّ وَهوَ سَتيرُ
One seeks a right with abuse, and it escapes him,
Another attains it justly, remaining discreet.
وَمُنتَحِلٍand one claiming as his own شِعراًverse سِواهُsomeone other than him يَقولُهُcomposes it
وَمُنتَحِلٍ شِعراً سِواهُ يَقولُهُ
وَقائِلِand one composing شِعرٍverse لاnot يَكادُalmost يَسيرُcirculates
وَقائِلِ شِعرٍ لا يَكادُ يَسيرُ
One claims as his own verse another composes,
And another composes verse that scarcely circulates.
وَقَدand sometimes يَصبِرُshows patience المِهلاعُthe easily panicked لاno بُدَّescape مَرَّةًonce
وَقَد يَصبِرُ المِهلاعُ لا بُدَّ مَرَّةً
وَيَجزَعُand panics صُلبُstout العودِof timber وَهوُand he is صَبورُpatient
وَيَجزَعُ صُلبُ العودِ وَهوُ صَبورُ
Even the easily panicked must show patience once,
And a man of stout timber may panic, though patient.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَأَبريsurely I wear thin العِيسَthe pale camels حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهاas though they
وَإِنّي لَأَبري العِيسَ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
مِنَfrom الجَهدِstrain مِنfrom طَيِّtraversing التَنائِفِthe desert wastes عَورُone-eyed
مِنَ الجَهدِ مِن طَيِّ التَنائِفِ عَورُ
I wear the pale camels thin until they seem
One-eyed from the strain of crossing desert wastes.
وَأَكتُمُand I conceal سِرَّthe secret النَفسِof the soul حَتّىuntil أُمِيتَهُI kill it
وَأَكتُمُ سِرَّ النَفسِ حَتّى أُمِيتَهُ
وَلَيسَand there is no لِمَنfor whoever يُحييbrings to life السَريرَthe hidden secret ضَميرُinward reserve
وَلَيسَ لِمَن يُحيي السَريرَ ضَميرُ
I conceal my soul's secret until I kill it,
And one who brings a secret to life has no inward reserve.
Partial English translation: 54 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1