ألاAh! مَنْwho لنَفْسٍfor a soul لاnot تزالُceases to be مُشيحَةًintent
ألا مَنْ لنَفْسٍ لا تزالُ مُشيحَةً
علىon كَمَدٍanguish لمْhas not يَبْقَremained إلاexcept ذَماؤُهاits remnant of life
على كَمَدٍ لمْ يَبْقَ إلا ذَماؤُها
Ah, who will help a soul forever bent
Alas for the soul that constantly grieves
on anguish, with only its last flicker of life left?
Over a body that has nothing left but its wailing.
أرىI see هِمّتيmy ambition هَمّاًa grief تَخَوَّنَhas sapped مُهْجَتيmy lifeblood
أرى هِمّتي هَمّاً تَخَوَّنَ مُهْجَتي
فَقُلْso tell ياO شَقيقَbrother of النّفْسِthe soul ليto me ماwhat شِفاؤُهاits cure
فَقُلْ يا شَقيقَ النّفْسِ لي ما شِفاؤُها
I see my ambition as a grief that has sapped my lifeblood;
I see my worries worryingly betray my intellect,
so tell me, O kindred spirit, what can cure it?
So say, O intimate of the soul, what is its remedy?
ومَنْand whoever رامَsought ماwhat أسْمُوI aspire إلَيْهِto it أزارَهُmade him visit
ومَنْ رامَ ما أسْمُو إلَيْهِ أزارَهُ
صَوارِمَkeen swords تَرْوىdrink their fill بالنّجيعِwith gore ظِماؤُهاtheir thirsty ones
صَوارِمَ تَرْوى بالنّجيعِ ظِماؤُها
And whoever seeks what I aspire to is brought before
Whoever desires what is beyond his reach
keen swords whose thirsty blades drink their fill of gore.
His swords crave water at Mirage's wells.
وطُلاّبِand seekers of مَجْدٍglory دونَbefore ماwhat يَبْتَغونَهُthey seek it
وطُلاّبِ مَجْدٍ دونَ ما يَبْتَغونَهُ
أعالِيthe heights of رُباًhills لاnot يُسْتَطاعُis possible امْتِطاؤُهاmounting them
أعالِي رُباً لا يُسْتَطاعُ امْتِطاؤُها
And before seekers of glory can reach what they seek
And seekers of glory, not finding what they seek,
stand lofty hilltops that cannot be climbed.
Summits of rubbish no one can scale.
عَلَوْناwe ascended ذُراهاtheir summits كالبُدورِlike full moons تألّقَتْshone brightly
عَلَوْنا ذُراها كالبُدورِ تألّقَتْ
فجَلّىand so dispelled دَياجِيرَthe deep gloom of الظّلامِdarkness ضِياؤُهاtheir radiance
فجَلّى دَياجِيرَ الظّلامِ ضِياؤُها
We climbed their summits like full moons that shone,
We rose despite it like shining full moons
and their radiance dispelled the murk of darkness.
That unveiled the thick curtains of darkness.
ونحنُand we مُعاوِيّونَMuʿāwiya's descendants يَرْضىis content بِناwith us الوَرىmankind
ونحنُ مُعاوِيّونَ يَرْضى بِنا الوَرى
مُلوكاًas kings وَفيناand among us مِنْfrom لُؤَيٍّLuʾayy لِواؤُهاtheir banner
مُلوكاً وَفينا مِنْ لُؤَيٍّ لِواؤُها
We are of Muʿāwiya's line; mankind accepts us
And we are Mu'awiyah's followers, pleased with us
as kings, and among us is their banner from Luʾayy.
As kings, and we have lions among our cubs.
وأخْوالُناand our maternal uncles ساداتُthe lords of قَيْسٍQays ووائِلٍand Wāʾil
وأخْوالُنا ساداتُ قَيْسٍ ووائِلٍ
وأعْمامُناand our paternal uncles مِنْfrom خِنْدِفٍKhindif خُلفاؤُهاher caliphs
وأعْمامُنا مِنْ خِنْدِفٍ خُلفاؤُها
Our maternal uncles are the lords of Qays and Wāʾil;
Our uncles are the chiefs of Qais and Wa'il
and our paternal uncles, from Khindif, are her caliphs.
Our paternal uncles are the successors of Kindaf.
وقدْand indeed عَلَمَتْhas learned عُلْياthe noblest of كِنانَةَKināna أنّناthat we
وقدْ عَلَمَتْ عُلْيا كِنانَةَ أنّنا
إذاwhen نَقَضunfastens الطّيشُrashness الحُباthe knee-binding sashes حُلَماؤُهاher men of forbearance
إذا نَقَض الطّيشُ الحُبا حُلَماؤُها
And the noblest of Kināna have learned that we,
The nobility of Kenanah know that we
when rashness unfastens the knee-bands, are her men of forbearance.
When rashness shreds politeness are its menders
وماand not بَلَغَتْattained إلاexcept بِناthrough us العَرَبُthe Arabs العُلاthe heights
وما بَلَغَتْ إلا بِنا العَرَبُ العُلا
وقدand indeed كانَwas منّاfrom us عِزُّهاtheir might وثَراؤُهاand their wealth
وقد كانَ منّا عِزُّها وثَراؤُها
Only through us did the Arabs attain the heights,
Only through us did the Arabs attain supremacy
and from us came their might and wealth.
Their glory and wealth were ours to bestow.
وأيُّand what قَريضٍverse طبّقَspread across الأرْضَthe earth لمْdid not يَرُضْtame
وأيُّ قَريضٍ طبّقَ الأرْضَ لمْ يَرُضْ
قَوافيَهُits rhymes فيin مَدحِناpraising us شُعَراؤُهاtheir poets
قَوافيَهُ في مَدحِنا شُعَراؤُها
And what verse that spread throughout the earth did not have
What bard whose compositions encompassed the world
its rhymes tamed by their poets to praise us?
Was not satisfied with our praise in his rhymes?
ولماand when انْتَهَتْended أيّامُناour days عَلِقَتْclung بِهاto them
ولما انْتَهَتْ أيّامُنا عَلِقَتْ بِها
شَدائِدُthe hardships of أيامٍdays قَليلٍscant رَخاؤُهاtheir ease
شَدائِدُ أيامٍ قَليلٍ رَخاؤُها
And when our days ended, they were beset
And when our days came to pass
by the hardships of days whose ease was scant.
The woes of a few easy days clung to them.
وكانand had been إلَيْناtoward us فيin السّرورِjoy ابْتِسامُهاtheir smile
وكان إلَيْنا في السّرورِ ابْتِسامُها
فَصارَthen became علَيْناover us فيin الهُمومِsorrows بُكاؤُهاtheir weeping
فَصارَ علَيْنا في الهُمومِ بُكاؤُها
Their smile in times of joy had been turned toward us;
Smiles were upon us in joy
then, in sorrow, their weeping was over us.
In worries, it was tears.
أُصِيبَتْwas stricken بِناthrough us فاسْتَعْبَرَتْand so wept وضُلوعُهاand their ribs
أُصِيبَتْ بِنا فاسْتَعْبَرَتْ وضُلوعُها
علىaround مِثْلِthe like of وَخْزِa thrust of السّمْهَريِّthe rigid lance انْطِواؤُهاtheir folding inward
على مِثْلِ وَخْزِ السّمْهَريِّ انْطِواؤُها
They were stricken by our loss and wept, their ribs
It was wounded on our account and its chests
closing around a pain like the thrust of a rigid lance.
Sighed over the stab wounds of fate's caprice.
ولوand if عَلِمَتْhad known ماذاwhat تُعانيهِwould suffer it بَعْدَناafter us
ولو عَلِمَتْ ماذا تُعانيهِ بَعْدَنا
لماwould not have شَمِتَتْgloated جَهْلاًignorantly بِناover us سُفَهاؤُهاtheir fools
لما شَمِتَتْ جَهْلاً بِنا سُفَهاؤُها
Had they known what they would suffer after us,
Had it known what was to befall it after us
their fools would not have gloated over us in ignorance.
The ignorant would not have exulted over us.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذَكَرْناwe recall أوَّلِيناour forebears تَولَّعَتْtook hold
إذا ما ذَكَرْنا أوَّلِينا تَولَّعَتْ
بناof us مَيْعَةٌyouthful ardor يُطْغيdrives beyond bounds الفَتىthe young man غُلَواؤُهاits excess
بنا مَيْعَةٌ يُطْغي الفَتى غُلَواؤُها
Whenever we recall our forebears, we are seized
When we remember our forebears it is seized with
by youthful ardor whose excess drives a young man beyond bounds.
A madness whose heat overcomes the young man.
وقدand indeed ساءَoffended قَوْماًsome folk مِنْof نِزارٍNizār ويَعْرُبٍand Yaʿrub
وقد ساءَ قَوْماً مِنْ نِزارٍ ويَعْرُبٍ
فَخاريmy boasting وهُمْand they أرضٌearth ونحنُand we سَماؤُهاits sky
فَخاري وهُمْ أرضٌ ونحنُ سَماؤُها
And folk of Nizār and Yaʿrub have been offended
Some people from Nizar and Yarbub have fared badly
by my boasting: they are earth, and we are its sky.
So their dimwits felt belittled while we were their heaven.
وهَلْand do تَخْفِضُlower الأُسْدُlions الزَّئيرَthe roar بمَوْطِنٍin a place
وهَلْ تَخْفِضُ الأُسْدُ الزَّئيرَ بمَوْطِنٍ
إذاwhen لَجَّpersists فيهِin it مِنْfrom كِلابٍdogs عُواؤهاtheir howling
إذا لَجَّ فيهِ مِنْ كِلابٍ عُواؤها
And do lions lower their roar in a place
Does the roaring lion abase his roar in a lair
when dogs' howling there grows insistent?
When the howling of dogs dwells within it?
ملَكْناwe ruled أقاليمَthe regions of البِلادِthe lands فأذْعَنَتْand so submitted
ملَكْنا أقاليمَ البِلادِ فأذْعَنَتْ
لَناto us رَغْبَةًout of desire أوor رَهْبَةًout of fear عُظَماؤهاtheir great men
لَنا رَغْبَةً أو رَهْبَةً عُظَماؤها
We ruled the regions of the land, and submission was given
We ruled the regions of the countries which then
to us, out of desire or fear, by their great men.
Bow in fear or desire to its magnates.
وجاسَتْand ranged بناbearing us الجُرْدُsleek steeds العِتاقُpurebred خِلالَهاthrough their midst
وجاسَتْ بنا الجُرْدُ العِتاقُ خِلالَها
سَواكِبَstreaming منْfrom لَبّاتِهِنّtheir upper chests دِماؤُهاtheir blood
سَواكِبَ منْ لَبّاتِهِنّ دِماؤُها
And sleek, purebred steeds ranged through them bearing us,
The bejeweled retinues walked humbly by us
their blood streaming from the steeds' upper chests.
Planets whose blood was shed by their swords.
فصِرْناso we became نُلاقيwe meet النّائِباتِcalamities بأوْجُهٍwith faces
فصِرْنا نُلاقي النّائِباتِ بأوْجُهٍ
رِقاقِdelicate الحَواشيthe contours كادَalmost يَقْطُرُdrips ماؤُهاtheir water (freshness)
رِقاقِ الحَواشي كادَ يَقْطُرُ ماؤُها
So we came to meet calamities with faces
We used to meet catastrophes with faces
delicate of contour, their dewy freshness almost dripping.
Like the cheeks of pages, dripping water.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle أرَدْناwe wish أنto نَبوحَreveal بماwhat جَنَتْinflicted
إذا ما أرَدْنا أن نَبوحَ بما جَنَتْ
عَليناupon us اللّياليthe nights لمْdid not يَدَعْناlet us حَياؤُهاtheir modesty
عَلينا اللّيالي لمْ يَدَعْنا حَياؤُها
Whenever we wish to reveal what has been wrought
When we wanted to reveal what the nights
against us by the nights, our faces' modesty will not let us.
Inflicted on us, shame would not allow us.
وأنتمْand you بَنيsons of مَنْone who عِيبَwere reproached أوْلادُهُhis children بهِbecause of him
وأنتمْ بَني مَنْ عِيبَ أوْلادُهُ بهِ
ذَووpossessors of نِعْمَةٍbounty يَضْفوhangs amply علَيْكُمْover you رِداؤُهاits mantle
ذَوو نِعْمَةٍ يَضْفو علَيْكُمْ رِداؤُها
And you, sons of one whose children were shamed because of him,
While you, sons of those who find fault with their children
enjoy a bounty whose mantle drapes amply over you.
Are blessed with favor who robes you in its cloth.
فلَمْyet did not تَسألُواyou ask عمّاabout what تُجِنُّconceal نُفوسُناour souls
فلَمْ تَسألُوا عمّا تُجِنُّ نُفوسُنا
وتَمْنَعُناand keeps us مِنْfrom ذِكْرِهِmentioning it كِبْرياؤهاtheir pride
وتَمْنَعُنا مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ كِبْرياؤها
Yet you have not asked about what our souls conceal,
Yet you did not ask what our souls conceal
and their pride prevents us from mentioning it.
And pride prevents us from confessing.
ولاand no خَيْرَgood فيin نَفْسٍa soul تَذِلُّbows abjectly لحادِثٍto a calamity
ولا خَيْرَ في نَفْسٍ تَذِلُّ لحادِثٍ
يُلِمُّstrikes ولاand not يَعْتادُهاrevisits it خُيَلاؤُهاits pride
يُلِمُّ ولا يَعْتادُها خُيَلاؤُها
There is no good in a soul that bows to a calamity
No good is in a soul that cowers before events
when it strikes, and whose pride does not return to it.
Arrogance accustomed neither to injustice nor justice.
فلاso may not كانَexist دَهْرٌan age نِلْتُمُyou gained فيهِin it ثَرْوَةًwealth
فلا كانَ دَهْرٌ نِلْتُمُ فيهِ ثَرْوَةً
وتبّاًand ruin لِدُنياto a world أنتُمُyou رؤَساؤُهاits leaders
وتبّاً لِدُنيا أنتُمُ رؤَساؤُها
So perish the age in which you gained wealth,
You attained no wealth in times of prosperity,
and ruin upon a world whose leaders you are!
Woe to a world of which you are the heads.
Sol 6.1