أَيا مَن نَعاهُ لِسانُ القَريض

أَيا مَن نَعاهُ لِسانُ القَريض

وَكالنَدِّ يَنشُرُ مِن عرفِهِ

وَكالنَدِّ يَنشُرُ مِن عرفِهِ

O you whom the tongue of poetry has mourned,

O he who was elegized by the tongue of poetry

and who, like incense, spreads his fragrance;

And who spreads like anemones from his meadow

وَمَن كالثُريّا لَهُ هِمَّة

وَمَن كالثُريّا لَهُ هِمَّة

وَقَد عُدَّ ذَلك مِن سُخفِهِ

وَقَد عُدَّ ذَلك مِن سُخفِهِ

and whose ambition is like the Pleiades,

And whose ambition is like a throne for him

though that has been counted as his folly.

And that was counted as part of his foolishness

يَعِزُّ عَلى الدَهرِ ما أَنتَ فيهِ

يَعِزُّ عَلى الدَهرِ ما أَنتَ فيهِ

وَإِن جل ذَلِكَ مِن صِرفِهِ

وَإِن جل ذَلِكَ مِن صِرفِهِ

Your plight is grievous even to Time,

The days seem hard on you while you’re in them

though it is a mighty reversal of its making.

And though most of that is due to their fickleness

فَلا تقنَطنَّ فَإِنَّ الخِناقَ

فَلا تقنَطنَّ فَإِنَّ الخِناقَ

يَقطِّعه الضيق من حَرفِهِ

يَقطِّعه الضيق من حَرفِهِ

So never despair, for the choking noose

So do not despair, for strangulation

is snapped at its edge by its very tightness.

Its tightness is cut by its own coarseness

فَقَد يَقشَع الغَيمُ بَعدَ الهُطولِ

فَقَد يَقشَع الغَيمُ بَعدَ الهُطولِ

وَإِن طبَّقَ الأَرض من وَكفه

وَإِن طبَّقَ الأَرض من وَكفه

For clouds may disperse after the downpour,

For the cloud may break after the downpour

though they have covered the earth with their rain.

Though the earth was flooded by its burden

وَباري العِبادِ لَطيفٌ بِهِم

وَباري العِبادِ لَطيفٌ بِهِم

فَلا تؤيس النَفسَ من لُطفِهِ

فَلا تؤيس النَفسَ من لُطفِهِ

And the Creator of His servants is gentle with them;

And the Lord of servants is gentle with them

so do not make your soul despair of His kindness.

So let not the self despair of His gentleness

تَبارَكَ من عَزَّ في مُلكِهِ

تَبارَكَ من عَزَّ في مُلكِهِ

وَجَلَّ المُهَيمِنُ عَن وَصفِهِ

وَجَلَّ المُهَيمِنُ عَن وَصفِهِ

Blessed is He who is mighty in His dominion,

Blessed is He who is Mighty in His dominion

and exalted is the Guardian beyond description.

And Sublime is the Overseer beyond description

تَوَسَّل إِلَيهِ إِذا اللَيلُ جَنَّ

تَوَسَّل إِلَيهِ إِذا اللَيلُ جَنَّ

فيما دَهاكَ وَفي كَشفِهِ

فيما دَهاكَ وَفي كَشفِهِ

Beseech Him when the night grows dark,

Beseech Him when night falls

concerning what befell you and its removal.

In what troubles you and in its relief

يريحك من سجن دار البنود

يريحك من سجن دار البنود

وَيَكفيك ما أَنتَ مُستَكفِهِ

وَيَكفيك ما أَنتَ مُستَكفِهِ

He will relieve you of imprisonment in Dar al-Bunud,

He will give you rest from the prison of the world’s abode

and spare you what you seek relief from:

And suffice you from what you find yourself lacking

من القَيدِ وَالغِلِّ في أَدهَمٍ

من القَيدِ وَالغِلِّ في أَدهَمٍ

أَليمٌ عَذابُكَ من عُنفِهِ

أَليمٌ عَذابُكَ من عُنفِهِ

shackles and neck-irons, in a black iron fetter;

Of shackles and darkness in sorrowful Adham

painful is your torment from its harshness.

Painful is your torment in its violence

يفك وثاقك من أَسرِها

يفك وثاقك من أَسرِها

وَراحة قلبك من لَهفِهِ

وَراحة قلبك من لَهفِهِ

He will unbind you from its captivity,

He releases your ties from their captivity

and your heart will find rest from its anguish;

And comfort for your heart from its agony

وَإِمّا بِشُربِ حياضِ المُنونِ

وَإِمّا بِشُربِ حياضِ المُنونِ

فَقَد سَئِمَ العيش من خَسفِهِ

فَقَد سَئِمَ العيش من خَسفِهِ

or else through drinking from the pools of death,

Or with a drink from the goblets of death

for it has wearied of life because of its abasement.

For living has tired him of its ugliness

وَضاعفَ وَجدي لما سُجنت

وَضاعفَ وَجدي لما سُجنت

مَقالَة من غابَ مِن طَرفِهِ

مَقالَة من غابَ مِن طَرفِهِ

And my anguish when I was imprisoned was doubled

And redoubled is the passion of one who’s imprisoned

by the words of one absent from his gaze.

The words of one absent from his side

يَقول وَبَعضُ كَلام السَفيه

يَقول وَبَعضُ كَلام السَفيه

يُقتِّل إِن هوَ لم يُخفِهِ

يُقتِّل إِن هوَ لم يُخفِهِ

He says—and some of a fool's speech

Who says, and some sayings of the foolish

can kill if he does not hide it—

Kill if they are not hidden

أَهَذا التِهامِيُّ من مَكَّةٍ

أَهَذا التِهامِيُّ من مَكَّةٍ

بِرِجلَيهِ يَسعى إِلى حَتفِهِ

بِرِجلَيهِ يَسعى إِلى حَتفِهِ

Is this al-Tihami, from Mecca,

Is this the ambition of one from Mecca

hastening on his own two feet toward his death?

Who runs by his feet to his demise?

أَلَم يَكفِهِ أَنَّ ثوب الحَياةِ

أَلَم يَكفِهِ أَنَّ ثوب الحَياةِ

ضاق عَلَيهِ أَلَم يَكفِهِ

ضاق عَلَيهِ أَلَم يَكفِهِ

Was it not enough for him that life's garment

Does it not suffice him that the garb of life

had grown tight upon him—was it not enough?

Is tight upon him? Does it not suffice him?

أَراد يَطير مَطار المُلوكِ

أَراد يَطير مَطار المُلوكِ

وَظَنَّ الأَسِنَّة من زَفِّهِ

وَظَنَّ الأَسِنَّة من زَفِّهِ

He wished to fly as kings fly,

He wanted to fly the flight of kings

and thought spearheads part of his plumage.

And thought hearsay was his equipment

وَكانَ كَقائِدٍ جيش الضَلالِ

وَكانَ كَقائِدٍ جيش الضَلالِ

عاين جَبريلُ في صَفِّهِ

عاين جَبريلُ في صَفِّهِ

And he was like the commander of an army of error,

And he was like the leader of the army of misguidance

who beheld Gabriel in his ranks.

Gabriel saw him in its ranks

أُصيفر يرعفُ مِن نَحرِهِ

أُصيفر يرعفُ مِن نَحرِهِ

إِذا رَعف المرء مِن أَنفِهِ

إِذا رَعف المرء مِن أَنفِهِ

A sallow little man bleeds from his throat

Yellow, trembling from his throat

when a man bleeds from his nose.

When a man trembles from his nose

وَأَحسَبُ سَيفَ ابنَ بنتِ النَبيِّ

وَأَحسَبُ سَيفَ ابنَ بنتِ النَبيِّ

يُخَضِّبُ حدَّيهِ من عُرفِهِ

يُخَضِّبُ حدَّيهِ من عُرفِهِ

And I think the sword of the Prophet's daughter's son

And I reckon the sword of the Prophet's grandson

stains both its edges with blood from his nape.

Will redden its sharpness with his blood

أَرى مَلَكُ المَوتِ يَدنو إِلَيهِ

أَرى مَلَكُ المَوتِ يَدنو إِلَيهِ

وَهوَ يَعَضُّ عَلى كَفِّهِ

وَهوَ يَعَضُّ عَلى كَفِّهِ

I see the Angel of Death drawing near him,

I see the angel of death drawing near him

while he bites his palm.

While he bites on his palm

أَبا الشِعرِ وَيحك تَبغي العُلى

أَبا الشِعرِ وَيحك تَبغي العُلى

وَأَنتَ تُقَصِّرُ عَن وَصفِهِ

وَأَنتَ تُقَصِّرُ عَن وَصفِهِ

O father of poetry, woe to you! You seek high rank,

O master poet, you wish for highness

yet fall short even of describing it.

While you fall short in describing it

وَلَم تَكُ أَهلاً بأن تستقرَّ

وَلَم تَكُ أَهلاً بأن تستقرَّ

عَلى منبر المُلكِ أَو طَرفِهِ

عَلى منبر المُلكِ أَو طَرفِهِ

Nor were you worthy to take your place

You were not qualified to settle

upon the pulpit of kingship, or even its edge.

Upon the seat of kingdom or its edge

لأَنَّكَ أَبور من شاعِرٍ

لأَنَّكَ أَبور من شاعِرٍ

عَلى خِسَّةِ الشِعر مَع ضَعفِهِ

عَلى خِسَّةِ الشِعر مَع ضَعفِهِ

For you are more worthless than a poet,

Because you are more skillful than a poet

despite poetry's baseness and its weakness.

In the meanness of poetry despite its weakness

أَرقتَ دَماً بَعدَما صُنتَهُ

أَرقتَ دَماً بَعدَما صُنتَهُ

وَأَشعَلتَ جَمراً وَلَم تُطفِهِ

وَأَشعَلتَ جَمراً وَلَم تُطفِهِ

You spilled blood after you had protected it,

You shed blood after you protected it

and kindled embers without extinguishing them.

And ignited embers without extinguishing them

وَأَشفَيتَ مُنتَظِراً لِلبَوارِ

وَأَشفَيتَ مُنتَظِراً لِلبَوارِ

وَصَدرُكَ حَرّانُ لَم تُشفِهِ

وَصَدرُكَ حَرّانُ لَم تُشفِهِ

And you reached the brink, awaiting ruin,

And you quenched a smoldering fire

your breast still burning—you have not healed it.

While your chest blazed without cooling it

لعمرُك إِنّي لَبيبُ الرِجال

لعمرُك إِنّي لَبيبُ الرِجال

من كَفَّ أَو غَضَّ من طَرفِهِ

من كَفَّ أَو غَضَّ من طَرفِهِ

By your life, I am the discerning one among men:

By your life, I am clever among men

one who holds back or lowers his gaze.

Whoever restrains or casts down his gaze

إِذا ما إِمام الفَتى راقَهُ

إِذا ما إِمام الفَتى راقَهُ

فاسبيه وانظر إِلى خَلفِهِ

فاسبيه وانظر إِلى خَلفِهِ

If a young man's leader charms him,

When the role model of a lad pleases him

then take him captive and look behind him.

Captivate him and look to his behind

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو أُموراً جَرَت

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو أُموراً جَرَت

عَلى غير قَصدٍ واستَفعِهِ

عَلى غير قَصدٍ واستَفعِهِ

To God I complain of matters that occurred

To God I complain of matters that occurred

without intent, and seek His protection [unclear word].

Without intent and make them rise

وَكَم قائِلٍ سَجَنوهُ عَلى

وَكَم قائِلٍ سَجَنوهُ عَلى

تطلُّبِهِ الملك مِن لَهفِهِ

تطلُّبِهِ الملك مِن لَهفِهِ

How many a speaker has said: they imprisoned him for

And how many speakers they imprisoned

seeking kingship out of his yearning!

For seeking the kingdom out of passion

أَيطَّلِبُ المُلكَ مَن لَيسَ مِنهُ

أَيطَّلِبُ المُلكَ مَن لَيسَ مِنهُ

وَلا من بنيه وَلا صِنفِهِ

وَلا من بنيه وَلا صِنفِهِ

Does one seek kingship who does not belong to it,

Does one seek the kingdom who is not of it

nor to its sons, nor to its kind?

Nor of its children or genre?

وَمَن كانَ ذا حِنكَةٍ بِالعُلومِ

وَمَن كانَ ذا حِنكَةٍ بِالعُلومِ

قار بِهِ البؤس مِن حَرفِهِ

قار بِهِ البؤس مِن حَرفِهِ

And whoever is seasoned in the sciences,

And one who had wisdom in sciences

misery clings to him through his ill fortune.

Detention makes him deny its roughness

إِذا نشفَ العود مِن مائِهِ

إِذا نشفَ العود مِن مائِهِ

فَذَلِكَ أَدعى إِلى قَصفِهِ

فَذَلِكَ أَدعى إِلى قَصفِهِ

When a branch dries of its sap,

When the stick dries of its wetness

that makes it likelier to break.

That is more conducive to snapping it

وَذو الفَضل يَنظرُ في أَمرِهِ

وَذو الفَضل يَنظرُ في أَمرِهِ

كَذي النَقصِ يَنظُرُ في عَطفِهِ

كَذي النَقصِ يَنظُرُ في عَطفِهِ

And a man of merit considers his affairs,

And the virtuous looks into his matter

like a deficient man looking at his own flank.

Like the deficient looks into his weakness

فَإِنَّ مُصارِعَ بغي الرِجالِ

فَإِنَّ مُصارِعَ بغي الرِجالِ

يَختَرِمُ الأُلفَ مِن إِلفِهِ

يَختَرِمُ الأُلفَ مِن إِلفِهِ

For the fatal downfalls brought by men's transgression

For the death of the ambitious causes

snatch a loved one from his companion.

Separation of companionship from its intimacy

فَلا تَغبِطَنَّ أَمرأً في غَدٍ

فَلا تَغبِطَنَّ أَمرأً في غَدٍ

سيقسِمُهُ السَيف مِن نِصفِهِ

سيقسِمُهُ السَيف مِن نِصفِهِ

So never envy a man: tomorrow

So do not congratulate a man tomorrow

the sword will split him down the middle.

Who will be divided in half by the sword

مِنَ النائِباتِ فَقَد طُفنَ بي

مِنَ النائِباتِ فَقَد طُفنَ بي

طَواف الغَريمِ يمن يَحفِهِ

طَواف الغَريمِ يمن يَحفِهِ

As for calamities, they have circled me

I have been encircled by tribulations

like a creditor circling someone he besets [unclear wording].

Like an enemy circumambulating what borders him

وَكُلٌّ بِما قالَهُ آثِمٌ

وَكُلٌّ بِما قالَهُ آثِمٌ

سيقرا الَّذي قالَ في صُحفِهِ

سيقرا الَّذي قالَ في صُحفِهِ

And everyone is guilty for what he has said;

And all are sinful for what they say

he will read what he said in his records.

What one has said will be read in his scripture

وَلَيسَ سِوى نَكَباتِ الزَمانِ

وَلَيسَ سِوى نَكَباتِ الزَمانِ

وَرأيٌ يُضلُّكَ في ضَعفِهِ

وَرأيٌ يُضلُّكَ في ضَعفِهِ

It is nothing but the calamities of time

And there is nothing but the pitfalls of time

and a feeble opinion that leads you astray.

And an opinion that misguides in its weakness

عَلى أَهل مَكَّةَ مني السَلامُ

عَلى أَهل مَكَّةَ مني السَلامُ

ومن ثًفني الودَّ أَو أَصفِهِ

ومن ثًفني الودَّ أَو أَصفِهِ

Peace from me upon the people of Mecca,

From me is greetings upon the people of Mecca

and whoever shared my affection [unclear word], or whom I love sincerely,

And love for whoever befriended or aligned with me

حَياتي وَبَعدَ وَفاتي إِذا

حَياتي وَبَعدَ وَفاتي إِذا

أَريتُ من اللَحدِ في لُحفِهِ

أَريتُ من اللَحدِ في لُحفِهِ

throughout my life and after my death, when

My life and after my death when

I am shown from the grave, within its coverings [unclear reading].

I am seen in the grave inside its enclosure