أماas for الزمانُtime فلاthen not أشْكوI complain ولاnor أذَرُI leave alone
أما الزمانُ فلا أشْكو ولا أذَرُ
لاnot يَصْنعُdoes الدهرُtime ماwhat لاnot يَصْنعُdoes القدرfate
لا يَصْنعُ الدهرُ ما لا يَصْنعُ القدر
As for time, I neither complain of it nor leave it alone.
As for time, I make no complaint, no reproach,
Time does nothing that fate does not do.
Fate makes what time cannot make.
لوif أنْthat حظّيَmy share منof دنيايَmy world أُمْنَحُهُI am granted it
لو أنْ حظّيَ من دنيايَ أُمْنَحُهُ
جاءتْcame إليَّto me اللياليthe nights وهيwhile they تعتذرapologize
جاءتْ إليَّ الليالي وهي تعتذر
Were I granted my share of this world,
If my share of this life were granted to me,
The nights would come to me apologizing.
The nights would come to me apologizing.
ماذاwhat أقولُI say وقدwhen already أخنىravaged علىupon جِدَتيmy prosperity
ماذا أقولُ وقد أخنى على جِدَتي
رَيْبُvicissitudes الزمانِof time وخطبٌand a calamity كلُّهُall of it ضرَرharm
رَيْبُ الزمانِ وخطبٌ كلُّهُ ضرَر
What can I say, when my prosperity has been ravaged
What can I say when the treachery of time has let me down
By time's vicissitudes and a calamity that is all harm?
And all its events have brought but harm?
تأبَىrefuse خلائِقُهُits dispositions إلاanything but مُنَاقَضَتيopposing me
تأبَى خلائِقُهُ إلا مُنَاقَضَتي
حتىuntil كأنّيَas though I فيin لَهْوَاتِهِits throats صَبْرُbitter aloe
حتى كأنّيَ في لَهْوَاتِهِ صَبْرُ
Its ways insist on nothing but thwarting me,
Its nature seems eternally bent on opposing me
Until I seem like bitter aloe in its throats.
As if I am destined to endure its whims.
حَسْبيenough for me منconcerning الدّهْرِtime أنthat لوif صابhit aright مقصدهits target
حَسْبي من الدّهْرِ أن لو صاب مقصده
ماnot كانwould have been مُعْتَمداًdeliberately targeted بالكُلْفَةِwith dark spots القَمرُthe moon
ما كان مُعْتَمداً بالكُلْفَةِ القَمرُ
It suffices me concerning time that, had its aim been true,
Sufficient for me that if fate had its way,
The moon would not have been singled out for blemishes.
The full moon itself would not keep its appointments.
لاdo not تُنْكِرواdeny ذُرْأةَthe graying الأيامof the days فيّin me فقدfor already
لا تُنْكِروا ذُرْأةَ الأيام فيّ فقد
أبْدىrevealed العِيانُdirect observation لكمto you ماwhat ضَيَّعَfailed to convey الخَبَرُreport
أبْدى العِيانُ لكم ما ضَيَّعَ الخَبَرُ
Do not deny the grayness the days have brought me, for
Do not deny time's gradual corruption in me;
Direct sight has shown you what report failed to convey.
What the days concealed, now appears plain to see.
لوif كانwere بالقَدْرِaccording to worth يَسْمُوrises مَنwhoever لهhas خَطَرٌdistinction
لو كان بالقَدْرِ يَسْمُو مَن له خَطَرٌ
ماnot كانَwould يَسْكُنُdwell قَعْرَthe bottom اللجَّةِof the deep sea الدُّرَرُpearls
ما كانَ يَسْكُنُ قَعْرَ اللجَّةِ الدُّرَرُ
If those of worth rose according to their worth,
It suffices to mourn the days gone by
Pearls would not dwell at the bottom of the deep.
When one can bear it with patience.
أوْor كانَwere يُرْزَقُgiven sustenance بالعقلthrough intelligence اللبيبُthe wise man لماthen not
أوْ كانَ يُرْزَقُ بالعقل اللبيبُ لما
كانتْwould تعيشُlive إذنْthen منbecause of جهلهاtheir ignorance البقرُcattle
كانتْ تعيشُ إذنْ من جهلها البقرُ
Or if the wise were sustained by intelligence,
So cease prolonging the farewells,
Then cattle, in their ignorance, would not live.
For a flame cannot last without kindling.
إنindeed البُزاةَthe hawks إذاwhen ماever نُكّسَتْare brought low هَزأتْmocked
إن البُزاةَ إذا ما نُكّسَتْ هَزأتْ
منهاat them العصافيرُthe sparrows والصدّاحةُand the tuneful القُمُرturtledoves
منها العصافيرُ والصدّاحةُ القُمُر
For hawks, when brought low, are mocked
How I have warned against the fire, had warning helped
By sparrows and tuneful turtledoves.
Or had caution protected me from its burning!
وَحسْبُand sufficient نَدْبٍa gallant man منfrom الدنياthe world إذاwhen عتبتit grew displeased
وَحسْبُ نَدْبٍ من الدنيا إذا عتبت
أنthat يَسْتَقِلّcarries بهhim منthan صَبْرِهhis patience أمَرُsomething bitterer
أن يَسْتَقِلّ به من صَبْرِه أمَرُ
And enough for a gallant man, when the world is displeased,
And hands I have stretched forth to separate us
Is to be carried by something bitterer than his patience.
Neither remaining nor entirely pushing away.
فماfor not مواصلةُthe joining الأغمادِof scabbards واصلةٌattaining
فما مواصلةُ الأغمادِ واصلةٌ
ماwhat لاnot يقومundertakes علىto إمضائهits execution السُّمُرthe tawny spears
ما لا يقوم على إمضائه السُّمُر
For the joining of scabbards cannot attain
I made the turns of fate arbitrate, though indeed
What tawny spears do not undertake to accomplish.
They were no part of its reckoning.
كمhow often قدindeed حَذِرْتI guarded against النّوىseparation لوif كانcould يَنْفَعُنيbenefit me
كم قد حَذِرْت النّوى لو كان يَنْفَعُني
أوor كانcould يعْصِمُنيprotect me منْfrom وقْعِهاits blow الحذرcaution
أو كان يعْصِمُني منْ وقْعِها الحذر
How often I guarded against separation—if that could help me,
It was as if, when you built my tear ducts,
Or if caution could protect me from its blow!
My tears melted carnelian or made barren land bear fruit.
وإنand indeed كفّاًa hand رمتْflung بينيbetween me وبينهمُand between them
وإن كفّاً رمتْ بيني وبينهمُ
بالبينِwith separation عنهمْfrom them لَمَاsurely not تُبْقيit spares ولاnor تَذَرleaves
بالبينِ عنهمْ لَمَا تُبْقي ولا تَذَر
And the hand that flung between me and them
How I wish I had the burning thirst of a true believer,
Separation from them surely spares nothing and leaves nothing.
That cannot be quenched by mere remembering.
وَحكّمَتْand gave dominion فيهمُover them صَرْفَthe vicissitudes الردىof death ولقدand indeed
وَحكّمَتْ فيهمُ صَرْفَ الردى ولقد
كانواthey once lived وماand not إنat all بهin it مِنْany ذِكْرِهِits mention كدرgloom
كانوا وما إن به مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ كدر
And set death's vicissitudes to rule over them; indeed,
The scent of a sympathetic soul is pure in the beauty
They once lived with no cloud from the mention of death.
Of one like him, more than one diseased or sightless.
كأنَّas though دمعيَmy tears لماwhen بِنْتُمُyou departed مقةًout of love
كأنَّ دمعيَ لما بِنْتُمُ مقةً
ذابَmelted العقيقُcarnelian بهin them أوor أَثمَرَbore fruit الشَّقِرُred anemones
ذابَ العقيقُ به أو أَثمَرَ الشَّقِرُ
As though my tears, when you departed, for love,
His softness could almost make him bleed, wounded
Held molten carnelian, or red anemones had borne fruit.
When thoughts pass through the limits of his beauty.
وحبَّذاand how sweet لَوْعَةٌburning anguish فيin جَنْبِthe side مُعْتَقِدٍone harboring
وحبَّذا لَوْعَةٌ في جَنْبِ مُعْتَقِدٍ
ماwhat لاnot تَبُوحُdivulge بهit فيin قلبهhis heart الذِّكَرُmemories
ما لا تَبُوحُ به في قلبه الذِّكَرُ
And sweet is an ache in the side of one who harbors
God has not charged the steadfast with the rage
What memories within his heart do not divulge.
That He has charged that tender heart and room.
وطيبُand the sweetness مُرْتَشَفٍa mouth to sip from فيin حُسْنِbeauty مُؤْتَلِفٍharmoniously joined
وطيبُ مُرْتَشَفٍ في حُسْنِ مُؤْتَلِفٍ
فيin مثلِthe likeness of مُرْتَعَفٍone bleeding أوْدَىbrought destruction بهupon him النظرthe gaze
في مثلِ مُرْتَعَفٍ أوْدَى به النظر
And the sweetness of a mouth to sip from, amid harmonious beauty,
Nor has any brave warrior on the day of battle
In the likeness of one bleeding, slain by a glance.
Drawn his sword like that gazelle drew her veil.
يكادُhe almost يَنْقَدُّsplits منfrom لينٍsoftness وَيَجْرَحُهُand wounds him
يكادُ يَنْقَدُّ من لينٍ وَيَجْرَحُهُ
أنْthat صُرِّفَتْare turned فيtoward تَنَاهِيthe utmost حُسْنِهِof his beauty الفِكرthoughts
أنْ صُرِّفَتْ في تَنَاهِي حُسْنِهِ الفِكر
He almost splits from softness, and it wounds him
Nor has any sickness in one lovesick
For thoughts to be turned toward his beauty's perfection.
Wrought havoc like parting and wakefulness have wrought in me.
ماnot حملmade bear اللهGod فيamong الانجادthe valiant منany عضبkeen blade
ما حمل الله في الانجاد من عضب
ماwhat حملmade bear القلبthe heart ذاكthat الدلcoquetry والخفرand modesty
ما حمل القلب ذاك الدل والخفر
God has made no keen blade among warriors bear
Think not that my tears are water freely flowing
What that coquetry and modesty have made the heart bear.
From my eyes, but sparks ignited by my agony.
ولاnor انتضىdrew صارماًa keen sword يومon the day الوغىof battle بَطَلٌa hero
ولا انتضى صارماً يوم الوغى بَطَلٌ
كماas انْتَضَىdrew a blade منfrom ظُبَاهُits cutting edges ذلكthat الحورthe eyes' dark-and-white contrast
كما انْتَضَى من ظُبَاهُ ذلك الحور
Nor has a hero drawn a keen sword on battle-day
O messenger, convey my greetings to them
As those dark-and-white eyes drew from its edges.
And you will be well rewarded, without effort.
ولاnor عتاraged سَقَمٌillness فيin جِسْمِthe body ذيof one possessing شَجَنٍsorrow
ولا عتا سَقَمٌ في جِسْمِ ذي شَجَنٍ
بمثلِas much as ماwhat عاثَravaged فيَّin me البينُseparation والسهرand sleeplessness
بمثلِ ما عاثَ فيَّ البينُ والسهر
Nor has illness raged in the body of a sorrowing man
And say to them there that passion has burdened me,
As separation and sleeplessness have ravaged me.
With greetings to you, company of friends!
لاdo not تحسبُواthink أدْمُعيmy tears ماءًwater تجودُgives freely بهit
لا تحسبُوا أدْمُعي ماءً تجودُ به
عينيmy eye ولكنَّهbut it is مِنْfrom لوعتيmy burning grief شررsparks
عيني ولكنَّه مِنْ لوعتي شرر
Do not think my tears are water freely given
His sweet gifts pour down through the clouds
By my eye; they are sparks from my burning grief.
Announcing themselves to eyes and ears.
ياO حادياًcamel-driver نَحْوَهُمْtoward them بلّغْconvey تحيتنَاour greeting
يا حادياً نَحْوَهُمْ بلّغْ تحيتنَا
لُقّيتَmay you meet خيراًgood ولاand may not يَشْعُرْnotice بكَyour presence السَّفَرthe travelers
لُقّيتَ خيراً ولا يَشْعُرْ بكَ السَّفَر
O camel-driver heading toward them, convey our greeting;
O rain, O lion, O noble one, O minister,
May you meet with good, and may the travelers not notice you.
O star, O planet, O sun, O moon!
وقلْand say هنالكَthere إنindeed الصبَّthe lovesick man حملهcharged him
وقلْ هنالكَ إن الصبَّ حمله
عنهfrom him السلامgreetings إليكمْto you أيهاO النَّفرcompany
عنه السلام إليكمْ أيها النَّفر
And say there: “The lovesick man has charged him
You whose army never marched on a land
With greetings from him to you, O company.”
But made the nomads and the townsmen tremble.
تأتيcome مواهبُهُhis gifts المعسولُhoney-sweet ساكبُهَاtheir pourer
تأتي مواهبُهُ المعسولُ ساكبُهَا
عنfrom السّحابthe clouds يعيهاperceives them السّمْعُhearing والبصرand sight
عن السّحاب يعيها السّمْعُ والبصر
His gifts come, their pourer honey-sweet,
If this valour could be portrayed in one picture,
From the clouds; hearing and sight perceive them.
You would be the claws and the victory in it, no doubt.
ياO غيثُlife-giving rain ياO ليثُlion ياO فضّالlavish giver ياO وَزَرُrefuge
يا غيثُ يا ليثُ يا فضّال يا وَزَرُ
ياO نجمُstar ياO كوكبٌplanet ياO شمسُsun ياO قمرmoon
يا نجمُ يا كوكبٌ يا شمسُ يا قمر
O life-giving rain, O lion, O lavish giver, O refuge!
How often have you pierced the blackest night with dawn,
O star, O planet, O sun, O moon!
With the Pleiades arrayed and the Great Bear scattered.
أنتyou الذيthe one who لمdid not يَقُدْlead جيشاًan army لمنزلةto a position
أنت الذي لم يَقُدْ جيشاً لمنزلة
إلاexcept that وزُلْزِلَand were shaken عنهاfrom it البدوُthe nomads والحضرand townsfolk
إلا وزُلْزِلَ عنها البدوُ والحضر
You are the one who never led an army to a position
No stars but spears resemble it,
Without nomads and townsfolk being shaken out of it.
No dawn but the naked blades bursting forth.
إنif كانwere صُوِّرَembodied هذاthis البأسُvalor فيin صِفَةٍa form
إن كان صُوِّرَ هذا البأسُ في صِفَةٍ
فإنتthen you لاno شكَdoubt منهاof it النابُthe fang والظفرand the claw
فإنت لا شكَ منها النابُ والظفر
If this valor were embodied in a form,
You attacked them with forces from your brigade,
Then you, beyond doubt, would be its fang and claw.
Whose titles were resolve and courage.
ورُبّand many a ليلٍnight منof النقعbattle-dust اخترقتyou pierced ضحىًat forenoon
ورُبّ ليلٍ من النقع اخترقت ضحىً
والهصرand the crushing منتظمٌordered والهامand the heads منتثرscattered
والهصر منتظمٌ والهام منتثر
And many a night of battle-dust you pierced at forenoon,
No orator stood before the tribes reciting
With the crushing ordered and the heads scattered.
The facts of the case but the sword that tells all.
ولاand no نجومَstars سوىexcept الأرماحِthe spears تشبههmake it resemble night
ولا نجومَ سوى الأرماحِ تشبهه
وليسand there was no فجرٌdawn سوىexcept التحجيلِwhite horse-leg markings ينفجرbreaking forth
وليس فجرٌ سوى التحجيلِ ينفجر
And no stars but spears gave it the likeness of night,
Why are you bothered by the silence his words impose
Nor did dawn break except in the horses' white leg-markings.
When his signs are eloquent lessons?
رماهمُhe hurled at them بكتابٍwith a letter منfrom كتيبتهhis battalion
رماهمُ بكتابٍ من كتيبته
عنوانُهُits heading واسْمُهُand its name الأحجالُthe white leg-markings والغُررand forehead blazes
عنوانُهُ واسْمُهُ الأحجالُ والغُرر
He hurled at them a letter from his battalion,
The horizons yielded before him willingly
Its heading and name: white leg-markings and forehead blazes.
With horses charging and swords striking sparks.
ولاand no خطيبَorator لدىamong الأقوامthe peoples يُنْشِدُهُمْdeclaims to them
ولا خطيبَ لدى الأقوام يُنْشِدُهُمْ
شرحَthe explanation القضيّةِof the matter إلاexcept الصارمُthe keen sword الذكرof hard steel
شرحَ القضيّةِ إلا الصارمُ الذكر
Nor was there an orator among the peoples to declaim
No wonder time relented before him,
The matter's explanation, except the keen sword of hard steel.
For even rock can drip with honey.
ماذاwhat يضرُّكharms you منfrom إدمانِconstant repetition منطقِهits speech
ماذا يضرُّك من إدمانِ منطقِه
للصمتِfor silence فيin مأزقa crisis آياتُهُits signs العبرlessons
للصمتِ في مأزق آياتُهُ العبر
What harm can its constant speech do you?
And the stars of good fortune might respond to him
In a crisis, silence has signs that are lessons.
Without clouds being moved by entreaty or rain.
قدalready أعْرَبتْspoke plainly دونهin his stead الآفاقُthe horizons مُنْهلَةًpouring rain
قد أعْرَبتْ دونه الآفاقُ مُنْهلَةً
والخيلُand the horses مرسلةًunleashed والسيفُand the sword ينتقرpecks
والخيلُ مرسلةً والسيفُ ينتقر
The horizons have spoken in his stead, pouring rain,
Eloquence fails before you, acknowledging
The horses unleashed, and the sword pecking.
How eyesight fails before the radiance of Capella.
لاno غَروَwonder أنْthat سمحتْgave generously كفُّthe hand الزمانِof time بهhim
لا غَروَ أنْ سمحتْ كفُّ الزمانِ به
فقدfor sometimes يجودُyields generously بِعَذْبِwith sweet السَّلْسَلِflowing water الحجرthe stone
فقد يجودُ بِعَذْبِ السَّلْسَلِ الحجر
No wonder time's hand has bestowed him freely,
How can I now describe one whose world surpassed
For even stone may yield sweet, flowing water.
The minds of men, leaving no trace or mark?
وقدand sometimes تجيبُanswer نجومُthe stars السّعْدِof good fortune عنهon his behalf فلاso no
وقد تجيبُ نجومُ السّعْدِ عنه فلا
يَعْرُوcomes upon السحابَthe clouds بهاthrough them طلٌّdew ولاnor مطرrain
يَعْرُو السحابَ بها طلٌّ ولا مطر
And the stars of good fortune may answer for him, so
His achievements encompassed existence itself, so none
Through them neither dew nor rain comes upon the clouds.
Could disparage him except that he was human.
يَحِيدُturns aside عنكfrom you لسانُthe tongue القولof speech معترفاًacknowledging its limits
يَحِيدُ عنك لسانُ القول معترفاً
كماas يَحِيدُturns aside لنورbefore the light of الجَوْنَةِthe sun البصرsight
كما يَحِيدُ لنور الجَوْنَةِ البصر
The tongue of speech turns aside from you, admitting its limits,
If you are pleased, Western fortune prospers, and if
As sight turns aside before the sun's light.
You turn away one day, miserable is the tale and news.
وكيفand how وصفُكdescribing you حالاًin a state فاتَsurpassed عالمهاits realm
وكيف وصفُك حالاً فاتَ عالمها
حدّthe bounds العقولof minds فلاso no عينٌvisible presence ولاnor أثرtrace
حدّ العقول فلا عينٌ ولا أثر
And how can you be described, in a state whose realm exceeds
Do not spurn him with disdain that would encircle him
The bounds of reason—no visible presence and no trace?
With the necklace of the outcast; he lacks no merit.
طالتْreached مآثرُهُhis glorious deeds كُنْهَthe essence الوجودِof existence فلاand so nothing
طالتْ مآثرُهُ كُنْهَ الوجودِ فلا
يَعيبُهُmars him ويكَalas إلاexcept أنهthat he is بشرhuman
يَعيبُهُ ويكَ إلا أنه بشر
His glorious deeds have reached existence's essence; nothing
His virtues surpassed the essence of being, so none
Mars him—alas!—except that he is human.
Could fault him, except that he was mortal.
إذاwhen رضيتَyou are pleased نباfailed to cut غربُthe cutting edge الزمانof time وإنand if
إذا رضيتَ نبا غربُ الزمان وإن
أعرضتyou turned away يوماًone day فبئسthen wretched are الذكرُthe remembrance والخبرand the report
أعرضت يوماً فبئس الذكرُ والخبر
When you are pleased, time's edge fails to cut; and if
When he is pleased, the West rises; when he turns away,
You turn away one day, wretched are the remembrance and report.
Wretched are the chronicles and reports.
لاdo not تَقْذِفَنْهُever cast him off بِأعْراضٍwith disregard يُطَوِّقُهُcollaring him
لا تَقْذِفَنْهُ بِأعْراضٍ يُطَوِّقُهُ
طَوْقَwith the collar الهجينof the lowborn فماfor no فيin باعِهِhis arm's reach قِصَرshortness
طَوْقَ الهجين فما في باعِهِ قِصَر
Do not cast him off with disregard that collars him
Do not reject him with disdain that would adorn him
With a lowborn man's collar; his arm's reach is not short.
With the necklace of the shunned, for he lacks no merit.
Sol 6.1