رويَدكَ عن تفنيدِ ذي المٌقلةِ العَبْرَى

رويَدكَ عن تفنيدِ ذي المٌقلةِ العَبْرَى

وقَصركَ أنَّ الدَّمعَ غايةُ ما نَهوى

وقَصركَ أنَّ الدَّمعَ غايةُ ما نَهوى

Ease off reproaching the man with the tearful eye;

Spare me your denunciation, O critic,

and let it suffice you that tears are the utmost we desire.

And deem that tears are all I desire.

ولا تبكِ إلاّ بعدَ طولِ صبابةٍ

ولا تبكِ إلاّ بعدَ طولِ صبابةٍ

وحسْبُك من فرطِ الصَّبابةِ ما أَبكى

وحسْبُك من فرطِ الصَّبابةِ ما أَبكى

And do not weep until you have long endured ardent longing;

Weep not until years of youth have faded;

and of longing's excess, what brings tears is enough for you.

Tears shed in youth suffice to make one cry.

إذا الدمعُ لم يبرَحْ مَحَلاً يَحُلُّه

إذا الدمعُ لم يبرَحْ مَحَلاً يَحُلُّه

سرى الدمعُ من أجفانِه قَلِقَ المَسرى

سرى الدمعُ من أجفانِه قَلِقَ المَسرى

When tears have not left the place they inhabit,

When tears become a place their owner haunts,

tears flow by night from his eyelids, restless in their course.

Tears flow from his eyes disquieting the heartbroken.

حَماهُ الكَرى برقٌ تَألقَ بالحمى

حَماهُ الكَرى برقٌ تَألقَ بالحمى

إذا ما خَفَى وهْناً أبى الشوقُ أن يَخفى

إذا ما خَفَى وهْناً أبى الشوقُ أن يَخفى

Lightning gleaming over the protected pastures denied him sleep;

Fate guarded him with flashing lightning in fever,

when it vanished in the night, longing refused to vanish.

When weakness hid itself, yearning refused to hide.

وقى اللهُ من شكوى الصبابةِ خُلَّةً

وقى اللهُ من شكوى الصبابةِ خُلَّةً

شكوتُ الذي أُلقى فأضعفَ في الشكوى

شكوتُ الذي أُلقى فأضعفَ في الشكوى

May God protect a dear friend from complaints of longing:

God spared a victim of youth’s madness one to complain to,

I complained of what I suffer, and he redoubled the complaint.

I complained to Him who made me weak in complaint.

أكاتمُ بَلْوى الحبَّ كيما أُبيدَه

أكاتمُ بَلْوى الحبَّ كيما أُبيدَه

وعيني تَفيضُ الدمعَ عينٌ على البلوى

وعيني تَفيضُ الدمعَ عينٌ على البلوى

I conceal love's affliction so that I may destroy it,

I conceal the torment of love lest I destroy it,

yet my eye, pouring tears, is an informer on the affliction.

While my eyes overflow with tears – eyes aware of torment.

أُواصِلُ فيها الدمعَ يَدمَى مسيلُهُ

أُواصِلُ فيها الدمعَ يَدمَى مسيلُهُ

وأقطعُ أنفاساً مسالِكُها تَدمى

وأقطعُ أنفاساً مسالِكُها تَدمى

I keep the tears flowing in it, their channel bleeding,

I let tears flow continually, their course wounds,

and cut off breaths whose passages bleed.

I cut off sighs, though their paths wound.

تذكَّرتُ إذا سَهْمُ الهَوى غيرُ طائشٍ

تذكَّرتُ إذا سَهْمُ الهَوى غيرُ طائشٍ

وإذ أسهُمُ الأيامِ طائشةُ المَهوى

وإذ أسهُمُ الأيامِ طائشةُ المَهوى

I recalled when love's arrow did not stray,

I remembered when the arrows of love went astray

and when the arrows of the days fell wide of their mark.

And days shot arrows, crazed with love.

وكم ليلةٍ أحيَتْ نفوسَ ذَوي الهَوى

وكم ليلةٍ أحيَتْ نفوسَ ذَوي الهَوى

عِناقاً وكانت لا تموتُ ولا تَحيا

عِناقاً وكانت لا تموتُ ولا تَحيا

And how many a night revived the souls of lovers,

How many a night revived the souls of love-possessed ones

through embraces, when they had been neither dead nor alive.

Embracing – neither dying nor living.

ويومَ أرانا العيشَ يهتزُّ عِزَّةً

ويومَ أرانا العيشَ يهتزُّ عِزَّةً

بما قد حوى من غُرَّةِ الرشأِ الأحوى

بما قد حوى من غُرَّةِ الرشأِ الأحوى

And a day that showed us life swaying with pride,

The day we saw life trembling gloriously

because of the bright brow of the dusky gazelle fawn it held.

With the bashfulness of the brightest, reddest wine,

جَلَوْنا به الكاساتِ والأفقُ عاطلٌ

جَلَوْنا به الكاساتِ والأفقُ عاطلٌ

إلى أن تَبَّدَى الأفقُ في حُلَّةٍ تُجلى

إلى أن تَبَّدَى الأفقُ في حُلَّةٍ تُجلى

We made the cups gleam that day, while the horizon was unadorned,

We mixed it in goblets while the horizon was vacant

until the horizon appeared in a robe revealed to view.

Until the horizon appeared in a stunning dress.

فصافحَ منها الشَّرْبُ كلَّ مَشوقَةٍ

فصافحَ منها الشَّرْبُ كلَّ مَشوقَةٍ

عليها رِجالُ الفُرسِ يقدُمُهم كِسرى

عليها رِجالُ الفُرسِ يقدُمُهم كِسرى

Then the drinkers clasped each yearning cup among them,

From it drinks greeted every desirer,

on which were men of Persia, with Kisra leading them.

The men of Persia heading them, Kisra himself.

نُحَيَّا ونُسْقى في الزُّجاجةِ باطلاً

نُحَيَّا ونُسْقى في الزُّجاجةِ باطلاً

إذا نحنُ حقَّقْنا التَّحيَّةَ والسُّقيا

إذا نحنُ حقَّقْنا التَّحيَّةَ والسُّقيا

In the glass we are greeted and given drink in illusion,

We were greeted and given to drink in the glass falsely,

when we ourselves make greeting and drinking real.

For we had realized the greeting and the giving to drink.

ويُلبسُه ساقي المدامةِ حُلَّةً

ويُلبسُه ساقي المدامةِ حُلَّةً

ولكنَّه في كفِّ شاربه يَعْرَى

ولكنَّه في كفِّ شاربه يَعْرَى

And the wine-pourer clothes it in a robe,

The pourer of wine clothes it, yet in its drinker’s hand,

but in its drinker's palm it is stripped bare.

It is stripped bare.

وليلٍ رَحيبِ الباعِ مَدَّ رِواقَه

وليلٍ رَحيبِ الباعِ مَدَّ رِواقَه

على الأفقِ حتى خِيلَ في حُلَّتَي ثَكْلَى

على الأفقِ حتى خِيلَ في حُلَّتَي ثَكْلَى

And a night of broad reach spread its canopy

On a vast, well-watered night, it spread its porch

over the horizon, till it seemed clad in a bereaved mother's two robes.

Across the horizon, until it seemed wrapped in a double cloak.

يُقيِّدُ ألحاظَ العيونِ حِجابُه

يُقيِّدُ ألحاظَ العيونِ حِجابُه

كأنَّ بَصيرَ القومِ من دونِه أعمى

كأنَّ بَصيرَ القومِ من دونِه أعمى

Its veil fetters the eyes' glances,

It bound gazes in its veil,

as though the sighted man among the company were blind before it.

As if vision beyond it was blind.

ترَدَّيتُه حتَّى رأَيتُ رِداءَهُ

ترَدَّيتُه حتَّى رأَيتُ رِداءَهُ

يَرِقُّ بمنشورٍ من الصبحِ لم يُطْوَ

يَرِقُّ بمنشورٍ من الصبحِ لم يُطْوَ

I wore it as a cloak until I saw its robe

I searched it until I saw its cloak

grow thin with an outspread sheet of dawn, not yet folded.

Embroidered with a ray of dawn never folded up.

ولاحَ لنا نَهْجٌ خَفِيٌّ كأنَّه

ولاحَ لنا نَهْجٌ خَفِيٌّ كأنَّه

إذا اطَّرَدَتْ أثناؤُه حيَّةٌ تَسعى

إذا اطَّرَدَتْ أثناؤُه حيَّةٌ تَسعى

And a faint path appeared to us, as though it,

A hidden path appeared to us as if,

as its bends followed one another, were a snake gliding along,

When it stretched out, a creeping serpent sped along it.

إلى سيِّدٍ يُعطي على الحمدِ مالَه

إلى سيِّدٍ يُعطي على الحمدِ مالَه

فيأخُذُ ما يَبقى ويُعطي الذي يَفنى

فيأخُذُ ما يَبقى ويُعطي الذي يَفنى

to a lord who gives his wealth in exchange for praise,

To a master who gives his praise as wealth;

so taking what endures and giving what perishes.

He takes what remains and gives away that which perishes.

وأبيضَ يَحمي كلَّ أبيضَ ماجِدٍ

وأبيضَ يَحمي كلَّ أبيضَ ماجِدٍ

إذا لاحَ فرداً فهو صاحبُه الأدنى

إذا لاحَ فرداً فهو صاحبُه الأدنى

And a gleaming sword that guards every fair, noble man:

And a white conceals every glorious white

when he appears alone, it is his closest companion.

When he appears alone – he is the nearest to him.

ومزمومَةِ الأطرافِ مُصفرَّةِ القرا

ومزمومَةِ الأطرافِ مُصفرَّةِ القرا

مؤلَّفةِ الأعضاء من فِرَقٍ شتَّى

مؤلَّفةِ الأعضاء من فِرَقٍ شتَّى

And a bow with tethered tips and a yellow back,

Of knotted ends, of yellow complexion,

its limbs assembled from disparate parts.

Composed of diverse parts,

تَشرَّدَ من أولادِها كلُّ زائرٍ

تَشرَّدَ من أولادِها كلُّ زائرٍ

فيا لَكِ أُمّاً ما أعقَّ وما أجفى

فيا لَكِ أُمّاً ما أعقَّ وما أجفى

Each of her visiting children has fled away;

Every visitor dispersed from her children.

O what a mother you are—how unloving, how cruel!

Woe to you, mother! How barren and devoid of warmth!

إذا طار عنها انفلَّ في كلِّ نَثَلةٍ

إذا طار عنها انفلَّ في كلِّ نَثَلةٍ

دِلاصٍ كما ينفلُّ في الشَّمَطِ المِدْرَى

دِلاصٍ كما ينفلُّ في الشَّمَطِ المِدْرَى

When it flies from her, it passes through every coat of mail,

When he flew from her, he swooped down on every mound,

smooth and gleaming, as a comb passes through graying hair.

Like an ostrich swooping down on discarded skins.

وإن حادَ عن نفسٍ هَدَاه لها الرَّدى

وإن حادَ عن نفسٍ هَدَاه لها الرَّدى

ولم يُرَ سارٍ قبلَه بالرَّدى يُهْدى

ولم يُرَ سارٍ قبلَه بالرَّدى يُهْدى

And if it swerves from a soul, death guides it to that soul;

If he strayed from a soul, loss guided him back to it.

and no night-traveler before it was seen guided by death.

None before him were guided back by loss.

طلعْتَ عليه والذوابلُ تَلتوي

طلعْتَ عليه والذوابلُ تَلتوي

أسنَّتُها في نحرِ كلِّ فتىً ألوى

أسنَّتُها في نحرِ كلِّ فتىً ألوى

You rose over it while the slender spears twisted

You came upon him while the fates were twisting

their points in the throat of every unyielding youth.

Their tongues into the necks of every twisting youth.

وأسفْرتَ والألوانُ تَرْبَدُّ خِيفَةً

وأسفْرتَ والألوانُ تَرْبَدُّ خِيفَةً

وبيضُ الظُّبا تَدْمَى وسُمْرُ القَنا تَفْنَى

وبيضُ الظُّبا تَدْمَى وسُمْرُ القَنا تَفْنَى

And you shone forth while complexions darkened with fear,

You turned pale and the colors shivered in fright,

and bright sword-edges grew bloody and brown spear-shafts were spent.

The white of the gazelle’s belly bled, the red of the wild cows perished.

تَقَيَّلْتَ عبدَ اللهِ في البأسِ والنَّدى

تَقَيَّلْتَ عبدَ اللهِ في البأسِ والنَّدى

فما حِدْتَ يوماً عن طريقتِه المُثلى

فما حِدْتَ يوماً عن طريقتِه المُثلى

You emulated Abd Allah in valor and generosity,

You supported Abdullah in might and generosity,

and never once strayed from his exemplary way.

Never swerving from his exemplary path.

وأنتَ رفعتَ الشَّعْرَ بعدَ انخِفاضِهِ

وأنتَ رفعتَ الشَّعْرَ بعدَ انخِفاضِهِ

بجودكَ حتى صار في ذِروةِ الشِّعرى

بجودكَ حتى صار في ذِروةِ الشِّعرى

And you raised poetry after its decline

You raised poetry after its decline

through your generosity, till it stood at Sirius's summit.

Through your nobility to the pinnacle of poetry.

فكم مِدحَةٍ غِبَّ النَّوالِ تبسَّمَتْ

فكم مِدحَةٍ غِبَّ النَّوالِ تبسَّمَتْ

كما ابتسمَ النُّوَّارُ غب حَيَاً أروَى

كما ابتسمَ النُّوَّارُ غب حَيَاً أروَى

How many a praise-poem has smiled after a gift,

How many praises whose luck was meager smiled

as blossoms smiled after thirst-quenching rain.

As the meadow smiles, thriving without rain!

ثَناءٌ أبانَ الفضلَ مني لحاسِدٍ

ثَناءٌ أبانَ الفضلَ مني لحاسِدٍ

تبيَّنَ فيه ذِلَّةُ العبدِ للمَولى

تبيَّنَ فيه ذِلَّةُ العبدِ للمَولى

Praise that made my merit clear to an envier;

Praise revealed my merit to the envious,

in it, the servant's humility before his master became plain.

Wherein the abasement of the slave to the Master was revealed.

يجولُ فِجاجَ الأرضِ وهو مقيَّدٌ

يجولُ فِجاجَ الأرضِ وهو مقيَّدٌ

بقافيةٍ يَبلى الزمانُ ولا تَبلى

بقافيةٍ يَبلى الزمانُ ولا تَبلى

It roams the earth's broad paths, though it is fettered

It circles the wilds of earth while fettered

by a rhyme: time wears out, but it does not.

By a rhyme - time wears away but it does not.

وما ضَرَّ عِقْدٌ من ثَناءٍ نظمتهُ

وما ضَرَّ عِقْدٌ من ثَناءٍ نظمتهُ

وفصَّلتُهُ أن لا يعيشَ له الأعشى

وفصَّلتُهُ أن لا يعيشَ له الأعشى

And what harm does a necklace of praise I have strung

No binding of praise I composed

and set with gems suffer if al-A'sha is not alive for it?

And expatiated on harmed that it should outlive the living.