إلى من يُشارُ بهذا العَذَلْ

إلى من يُشارُ بهذا العَذَلْ

وقد رحَل القلبُ فيمن رَحلْ

وقد رحَل القلبُ فيمن رَحلْ

At whom is this reproach directed,

To whom is this love poetry addressed,

when the heart has departed with those who departed?

When my heart has departed with the one who left?

يَقِلُّ معَ القُرْبِ تَنْويلُكمْ

يَقِلُّ معَ القُرْبِ تَنْويلُكمْ

وصَبْري على النّأيِ منكم أقَلّ

وصَبْري على النّأيِ منكم أقَلّ

Your favors are scant even in nearness,

Your affections diminish as you draw near,

and my patience with distance from you is scantier still.

While my patience for your absence grows less.

ولم يَغْتِمضْ بالكرَى ناظري

ولم يَغْتِمضْ بالكرَى ناظري

ولكنّه بكَ عنك اشْتغَل

ولكنّه بكَ عنك اشْتغَل

My eye has not closed in sleep,

My eyes have not blinked away their tears,

but, absorbed in you, it was distracted from you.

But weep for you and pine in your absence.

أٌراقِبُ طَيفاً منَ الظّاعِنينَ

أٌراقِبُ طَيفاً منَ الظّاعِنينَ

إذا هجَروا مُستهاماً وصَل

إذا هجَروا مُستهاماً وصَل

I watch for a phantom of those who departed,

I watch the specters of the vanished beloveds

that visits a lovesick man when they forsake him.

Who once drew near, now departed and gone.

وفي الحيِّ كُلُّ كليلِ اللِّحاظِ

وفي الحيِّ كُلُّ كليلِ اللِّحاظِ

يُطالِعُنا من خَصاصِ الكِلَل

يُطالِعُنا من خَصاصِ الكِلَل

In the encampment, every languid-eyed one

In the abandoned camp, the dimmed eyes

looks out at us through gaps in the bed-curtains.

Of the sleepless lovers gaze through the openings.

يُذيبُ الفؤادَ بتَعْذيبهِ

يُذيبُ الفؤادَ بتَعْذيبهِ

وأيْسَرُ أمْرِ الهَوى ما قَتل

وأيْسَرُ أمْرِ الهَوى ما قَتل

He melts the heart by tormenting it,

Their yearning melts my heart with torment,

and the least of love's trials is what kills.

For the easiest thing in love is what kills.

ويَجْني علَيَّ بإعْراضِه

ويَجْني علَيَّ بإعْراضِه

وماذا على ظالِمٍ لو عَدَل

وماذا على ظالِمٍ لو عَدَل

And he wrongs me by turning away;

And my lover wrongs me with his indifference;

what would it cost a wrongdoer to be just?

What can be done with an unjust oppressor?

وسُودُ الذَّوائبِ بِيضُ الوجو

وسُودُ الذَّوائبِ بِيضُ الوجو

هِ صُفْرُ التّرائبِ حُمْرُ الحُلَل

هِ صُفْرُ التّرائبِ حُمْرُ الحُلَل

And women with black tresses and white faces,

The dark-haired gazelles and the white-faced does,

yellow breasts and crimson robes:

The yellow partridges and red foxes.

أَطعْنا لَهُنّ شفيعَ الصِّبا

أَطعْنا لَهُنّ شفيعَ الصِّبا

ورُحْنا عُصاةً على مَن عَذَل

ورُحْنا عُصاةً على مَن عَذَل

for their sake we heeded youth's intercessor,

We appealed to the intercessor of youth,

and went forth defying whoever reproached us.

And journeyed in rebellion against the one who spurned.

إلى أن أَمرَّ على شُرْبها

إلى أن أَمرَّ على شُرْبها

مِزاجُ الوَداعِ كُؤوسِ القُبَل

مِزاجُ الوَداعِ كُؤوسِ القُبَل

Until their drinking turned bitter:

Until the wine of farewell mixed

farewell had been mixed into the cups of kisses.

Its draft within the cups of kisses.

فللّهِ ذاكَ الزَّمانُ الحميدُ

فللّهِ ذاكَ الزَّمانُ الحميدُ

ولله تلكَ العُهودُ الأوَل

ولله تلكَ العُهودُ الأوَل

God be praised for that lovely time,

So praise be to that blessed time,

and God be praised for those days of old!

And praise be to those first covenants.

وقد راعَني أن بدَتْ شهبةٌ

وقد راعَني أن بدَتْ شهبةٌ

كما أومضَتْ ظُبَةٌ من خِلَل

كما أومضَتْ ظُبَةٌ من خِلَل

It startled me when a streak of gray appeared,

I was startled when a shooting star appeared,

like a sword's edge flashing through gaps.

Like the flash of lightning through an opening.

وليس الشّبابُ سوَى مَركَبٍ

وليس الشّبابُ سوَى مَركَبٍ

إلى اللّهْوِ ما حَمّلوهُ حَمل

إلى اللّهْوِ ما حَمّلوهُ حَمل

Youth is nothing but a mount

For youth is but a vessel

to pleasure, bearing whatever they load upon it.

Bearing us to frivolity and foolishness.

فيا ليت أَطْرَبُ بعدَ المَشيبِ

فيا ليت أَطْرَبُ بعدَ المَشيبِ

لِحُسْنِ الغزالِ وطيبِ الغَزل

لِحُسْنِ الغزالِ وطيبِ الغَزل

Ah, would that after turning gray I could delight

Would that I might enjoy in old age

in the gazelle's beauty and the sweetness of love-talk.

The beauty of the gazelle and the grace of courtship!

على ذلك العَيْشِ منّي السَّلامُ

على ذلك العَيْشِ منّي السَّلامُ

فما كان إلاّ خِضاباً نَصل

فما كان إلاّ خِضاباً نَصل

My farewell to that way of life;

I bid farewell to that life,

for it was nothing but a dye that faded.

Which was but mascara tinting the eyelids.

فلا السُّمْرَ أَهْوَى سوى ما يُهَزّ

فلا السُّمْرَ أَهْوَى سوى ما يُهَزّ

ولا البِيضَ أَهْوَى سوى ما يُسَلّ

ولا البِيضَ أَهْوَى سوى ما يُسَلّ

So I love no brown ones save those brandished,

I love neither the dark wine nor the white,

and no white ones save those unsheathed.

Save what intoxicates or makes sleepy.

وما الفَخْرُ إلاّ لِذ رَونقٍ

وما الفَخْرُ إلاّ لِذ رَونقٍ

نَضاهُ بِيُمْنَى يدَيهِ بَطَل

نَضاهُ بِيُمْنَى يدَيهِ بَطَل

Glory belongs only to a gleaming blade

For pride belongs only to one

unsheathed by a hero with his right hand.

Who grasps the pearls in his right hand,

مُعرَّسُ قائمِه في يَدٍ

مُعرَّسُ قائمِه في يَدٍ

ومَسْرَى مَضاربِه في أَجَل

ومَسْرَى مَضاربِه في أَجَل

Its hilt rests in a hand,

Whose tent poles are held in his grip

and its striking edges make their way into death.

And whose striking place is predetermined.

يَزيدُ اتّقاداً بهُوجِ الخُطوبِ

يَزيدُ اتّقاداً بهُوجِ الخُطوبِ

ويُطفأ فيها اللّئيمُ الوَكِل

ويُطفأ فيها اللّئيمُ الوَكِل

It blazes more fiercely amid raging calamities,

He grows more inflamed by the embers of battle,

while the base, helpless man is quenched by them.

While the coward is extinguished within it.

وتَخْبو الذُّبالُ بتلك الّتي

وتَخْبو الذُّبالُ بتلك الّتي

إذا عَصفتْ بالضِّرامِ اشْتَعل

إذا عَصفتْ بالضِّرامِ اشْتَعل

Wicks die down in those same winds

The sparks are smothered by her

that make a blaze flare when they sweep over it.

Whose fury sets the armor ablaze when she storms.

ولي مَنطِقٌ يَبهَرُ السّامِعينَ

ولي مَنطِقٌ يَبهَرُ السّامِعينَ

إذا طالَ طابَ وإن قَلَّ دَلّ

إذا طالَ طابَ وإن قَلَّ دَلّ

And I have speech that dazzles listeners:

My words dazzle the listeners

if long, it pleases; if brief, it makes its point.

When prolonged, and persuasive though brief.

وعِرْضٌ يُباخلُ صَيْدَ الملوكِ

وعِرْضٌ يُباخلُ صَيْدَ الملوكِ

فلا يَبذُلونَ ولا يُبْتَذَل

فلا يَبذُلونَ ولا يُبْتَذَل

And an honor rivaling haughty kings in reserve:

My honor contends with the prey of kings—

they will not give, and it will not be cheapened.

I neither grant concession nor accept humiliation.

وصَبْرٌ على نَكَباتِ الزَّمانِ

وصَبْرٌ على نَكَباتِ الزَّمانِ

ورَجْعٌ لقَوْلِ عسى أو لَعَلّ

ورَجْعٌ لقَوْلِ عسى أو لَعَلّ

And patience with the calamities of Time,

I have patience for the tribulations of fate,

and a refrain of 'perhaps' or 'maybe.'

Hoping, "Perhaps it will be better."

أبا الفَرجِ اسْمَعْ نداءَ امْرئٍ

أبا الفَرجِ اسْمَعْ نداءَ امْرئٍ

به ضَرَبوا في هَواكَ المَثَل

به ضَرَبوا في هَواكَ المَثَل

Abu al-Faraj, hear the call of a man

Abul-Faraj, hear the call of one

whom they have made proverbial for his love of you.

Who has become proverbial in your love.

وأَعرِفْ تَفاصيلَ ما مَرَّ بي

وأَعرِفْ تَفاصيلَ ما مَرَّ بي

وأَصْغِ إلى بَعْضِ تلك الجُمَل

وأَصْغِ إلى بَعْضِ تلك الجُمَل

Learn the details of what befell me,

Recognize the details of what I have endured,

and listen to some of those accounts in brief.

And listen to some of these phrases:

وآخِرُ عَهدي بظِلِّ النّعيمِ

وآخِرُ عَهدي بظِلِّ النّعيمِ

صَفا لي بقُرْبِك ثُمَّ انْتقَل

صَفا لي بقُرْبِك ثُمَّ انْتقَل

And my last time beneath the shade of bliss

My last enjoyment in the shade of bliss

was serene beside you, then passed away.

Was your company, before it departed.

فودَّعْتُ مَجدَك لا عَن قلىً

فودَّعْتُ مَجدَك لا عَن قلىً

وفارَقْتُ فضْلَك لا عَن مَلَل

وفارَقْتُ فضْلَك لا عَن مَلَل

So I bade farewell to your glory, not from aversion,

I bid farewell to your glory, not out of boredom,

and left your bounty, not from weariness.

And left your excellence, not out of weariness.

وسار بنا زمَنٌ عاثِرٌ

وسار بنا زمَنٌ عاثِرٌ

بَطيءُ النُّهوضِ سَريعُ الزَّلَل

بَطيءُ النُّهوضِ سَريعُ الزَّلَل

A stumbling age carried us along,

Time marched against us, stumbling,

slow to rise, swift to slip.

Slow to rise, quick to fall.

وشَنُّوا الحُروبَ على أصفهان

وشَنُّوا الحُروبَ على أصفهان

لِيُخْرِجَ منها الأعزَّ الأذلّ

لِيُخْرِجَ منها الأعزَّ الأذلّ

They waged wars on Isfahan,

They launched attacks on Isfahan

so that the lowlier might drive the mightier out.

To drive out the most honored of the disgraced.

وطال مُقامي على بابِها

وطال مُقامي على بابِها

وأشفقْتُ من هَوْلِ ما قد أظَلّ

وأشفقْتُ من هَوْلِ ما قد أظَلّ

My stay at its gate grew long,

My stay at its gates grew long

and I dreaded the horror of what had already loomed.

And I feared the enormity of the darkness that descended.

فعاودْتُ أرْجانَ مثْلَ الّذي

فعاودْتُ أرْجانَ مثْلَ الّذي

يَفِرُّ إلى غَرَقٍ من بَلل

يَفِرُّ إلى غَرَقٍ من بَلل

So I returned to Arrajan, like one

So I returned to Arjan, like one who flees

who flees from wetness into drowning.

Toward drowning from wetness.

وأصبَحْتُ في طَرَفٍ شاغِرٍ

وأصبَحْتُ في طَرَفٍ شاغِرٍ

كما لُزَّ في الكِفّةِ المُحْتَبَل

كما لُزَّ في الكِفّةِ المُحْتَبَل

And I found myself in an unguarded borderland,

I found myself in a desolate place,

like prey wedged tight inside a snare.

Pressured between two sides of the scale.

وشَدَّ على القَوسِ كلتا يدَيْهِ

وشَدَّ على القَوسِ كلتا يدَيْهِ

فَصَبَّ السِّهامَ عليها زُحَل

فَصَبَّ السِّهامَ عليها زُحَل

And he braced both his hands upon the bow,

He stretched his bow with both hands

and Saturn poured arrows down upon it.

And poured arrows upon it mercilessly.

فَضيَّعْتُ ما كان من تالدٍ

فَضيَّعْتُ ما كان من تالدٍ

ولم أكتَسِبْ طارِفاً في العَمل

ولم أكتَسِبْ طارِفاً في العَمل

Thus I lost what wealth I had long held,

I lost what I had inherited

and acquired no new wealth through work.

And gained no fleeting enjoyment from life.

وعُدتُ إليكَ أَجوبُ البِلا

وعُدتُ إليكَ أَجوبُ البِلا

دَ أَخبِطُ في سَهْلِها والجَبَل

دَ أَخبِطُ في سَهْلِها والجَبَل

I returned to you, traversing the lands,

I returned to you, wandering the distances,

stumbling through their plains and mountains.

Stumbling on the flat lands and the mountains,

إلى أن أَتيتُك بعْدَ العَناءِ

إلى أن أَتيتُك بعْدَ العَناءِ

ولم يَبْقَ منّي إلاَّ الأَقَلّ

ولم يَبْقَ منّي إلاَّ الأَقَلّ

Until, after hardship, I reached you,

Until I came to you after tribulation,

and only the smallest part of me remained.

With nothing left of me but the smallest part.

وما لم يَمَلَّ عِنادي الزَّمانُ

وما لم يَمَلَّ عِنادي الزَّمانُ

فحاشاك من نُصْرَتي أنْ تَمَلّ

فحاشاك من نُصْرَتي أنْ تَمَلّ

And so long as Time does not tire of opposing me,

Time has not wearied my stubbornness—

far be it from you to tire of helping me.

Far be it from you to tire of supporting me!

وهانَ على فَلَكٍ دائِرٍ

وهانَ على فَلَكٍ دائِرٍ

متى شاءَ إطْلاعَ نَجْمٍ أَفَل

متى شاءَ إطْلاعَ نَجْمٍ أَفَل

It is easy for a revolving sphere,

It is easy for the revolving heavens

whenever it wishes, to raise a star that has set.

To bring forth a faded star when they wish.

وكم نقَص البَدرُ من مَرّةٍ

وكم نقَص البَدرُ من مَرّةٍ

فقابَلَه الشَّمْسُ حتّى كَمَل

فقابَلَه الشَّمْسُ حتّى كَمَل

How many times the full moon has waned,

How often has the moon waned

then the sun faced it until it grew full!

Only to be faced by the fullness of the sun!

وكم قُلتَ ثُمّ فَعلْتَ الجميلَ

وكم قُلتَ ثُمّ فَعلْتَ الجميلَ

وما كُلُّ مَن قال قَولاً فعَل

وما كُلُّ مَن قال قَولاً فعَل

How often you have spoken, then done what is good,

How often you have said, then done good—

but not everyone who says a thing does it.

Not all who speak words will act them out.

وكم عَضّني زمَنٌ مُزمِنٌ

وكم عَضّني زمَنٌ مُزمِنٌ

بنابٍ منَ الخَطْبِ فيه عضَل

بنابٍ منَ الخَطْبِ فيه عضَل

How often an unrelenting age has bitten me

How often a prolonged time has bitten me

with a fang of calamity, hard to overcome.

With strong jaws full of calamities!

فلم يُحْيِ نَفْسي سِوى سابِقٍ

فلم يُحْيِ نَفْسي سِوى سابِقٍ

إلى الحَمْدِ وهْو الحكيمُ الأجلّ

إلى الحَمْدِ وهْو الحكيمُ الأجلّ

None revived my soul save one foremost

None revived my soul except the swift one,

in winning praise—the most august sage.

Race to praise—He is the Wise, the Eternal!

شفَى بالعطاءِ مَريضَ الرَّجاءِ

شفَى بالعطاءِ مَريضَ الرَّجاءِ

وطِبُّ العُلا فوقَ طِبِّ العِلَل

وطِبُّ العُلا فوقَ طِبِّ العِلَل

With giving he healed one whose hope was sick,

He healed the sick of hope through gifts,

and nobility's medicine surpasses medicine for disease.

The excellence of highness above the excellence of healing.

تَدارَكْ بقيّةَ نَفْسٍ قَضَتْ

تَدارَكْ بقيّةَ نَفْسٍ قَضَتْ

وأحسِنْ تَلافِيَ هذا الخَلل

وأحسِنْ تَلافِيَ هذا الخَلل

Rescue the remnant of a soul that has died,

Make up for the remainder of a soul that is past,

and graciously repair this damage.

And kindly compensate for this deficiency.

فأنت كما يَرتَضيهِ العَلاءُ

فأنت كما يَرتَضيهِ العَلاءُ

أخو الحَزْمِ يُبرِمُ مَهْما فتَل

أخو الحَزْمِ يُبرِمُ مَهْما فتَل

For you are just as eminence would approve:

You are as the enlightened desire,

a man of resolve, tightening whatever he twists.

The brother of wisdom, accomplishing whatever is decided.

فتىً طالَما قَلّبتْ كَفُّه

فتىً طالَما قَلّبتْ كَفُّه

أُمورَ المَمالِك عَقْداً وحَلّ

أُمورَ المَمالِك عَقْداً وحَلّ

A gallant whose hand has so often managed

A youth whose palm

the affairs of kingdoms, binding and unbinding.

Has long turned the affairs of kingdoms into necklaces and loosened knots.

فما فاتَهُ غَرَضٌ في الأناةِ

فما فاتَهُ غَرَضٌ في الأناةِ

ولا نالَه زلَلٌ في العَجَل

ولا نالَه زلَلٌ في العَجَل

No aim has eluded him in deliberation,

No purpose eluded him in deliberation,

nor has a slip overtaken him in haste.

No slip befell him in haste.

وأَبيضُ مثْلُ الحُسامِ العَتيقِ

وأَبيضُ مثْلُ الحُسامِ العَتيقِ

تَداوَلَهُ الدّهرَ أيدي الدُّول

تَداوَلَهُ الدّهرَ أيدي الدُّول

And a radiant man, like an age-old sword,

White like an ancient sword,

passed through time among the hands of dynasties.

Passed through the ages by the hands of kings.

يَحوزُ من الدّهرِ حُسْنَ الحديثِ

يَحوزُ من الدّهرِ حُسْنَ الحديثِ

وكُلُّ جليلٍ سِواهُ جَلل

وكُلُّ جليلٍ سِواهُ جَلل

He wins from Time a fair remembrance,

He possesses from time the beauty of speech,

and all that is great beside him is small.

While all others are lesser than he.

ويَستَرِقُ الرَّوضُ من خُلْقِه

ويَستَرِقُ الرَّوضُ من خُلْقِه

ومن شَرَفِ الشِّعْرِ أن يُنْتَحل

ومن شَرَفِ الشِّعْرِ أن يُنْتَحل

The garden steals from his character,

The garden steals its bloom from his character,

and it is an honor to poetry to be plagiarized.

And it is the nobility of poetry to be derived from him.

ويَقْتَبِسُ الغَيثُ من جُودِه

ويَقْتَبِسُ الغَيثُ من جُودِه

وقد يهَبُ المَرْءُ ما لم يُسَل

وقد يهَبُ المَرْءُ ما لم يُسَل

Rain borrows from his generosity,

The rainclouds draw from his generosity,

and a man may give what he has not been asked for.

Though a man may bestow what he was not asked.

رأَى حُسْنَ خُلْقِكَ عَصْرُ الرَّبيعِ

رأَى حُسْنَ خُلْقِكَ عَصْرُ الرَّبيعِ

فما يَنْبُتُ الوَرْدُ إلاّ خَجَل

فما يَنْبُتُ الوَرْدُ إلاّ خَجَل

Springtime saw the beauty of your character,

The springtime saw the beauty of your character,

so roses bloom only out of shame.

And the roses bloom only in shyness before you.

وحَلَّت عُلاك نُحورَ الزّمانِ

وحَلَّت عُلاك نُحورَ الزّمانِ

وقد كان أَزْرَى بِهِنَّ العَطَل

وقد كان أَزْرَى بِهِنَّ العَطَل

Your eminence adorned the necks of Time,

Your exaltation settled the necks of the age,

which lack of ornament had disgraced.

Though they had been most inclined to abandonment.

فلا زِلتَ في زمَنٍ مُسْعِدٍ

فلا زِلتَ في زمَنٍ مُسْعِدٍ

ولا زلْتَ في عُمُرٍ مُقْتَبَل

ولا زلْتَ في عُمُرٍ مُقْتَبَل

May you always live in fortunate times,

You have remained in a fortunate time,

and always in the prime of life.

And you have remained in a promising lifetime.

فما هُزَّ حَدُّك إلاّ مضَى

فما هُزَّ حَدُّك إلاّ مضَى

ولا شِيمَ بَرقُك إلاّ هطَل

ولا شِيمَ بَرقُك إلاّ هطَل

For your edge is never brandished without cutting through,

None blunted your blade but that it destroyed,

nor is your lightning watched without rain pouring down.

None sparked your lightning but that it struck.