لا نالَ منكَ فؤادي ما يُرجّيهِ

لا نالَ منكَ فؤادي ما يُرجّيهِ

إنه كَانَ طُولُ التَّنائي عنكَ يُسْلِيهِ

إنه كَانَ طُولُ التَّنائي عنكَ يُسْلِيهِ

May my heart never gain from you what gives it hope;

My heart cannot gain from you what it hopes for

indeed, long separation from you used to console it.

As being away from you for so long gives it solace

سَلِ الصبَّابةَ عَنْ جسمي السَّقيم ولا

سَلِ الصبَّابةَ عَنْ جسمي السَّقيم ولا

تَسَلْ سَقامي فإِنّ السُّقم يخفيهِ

تَسَلْ سَقامي فإِنّ السُّقم يخفيهِ

Ask longing about my ailing body, and do not

Ask the cupbearer about my frail body, but do not

ask my illness, for illness conceals it.

Ask about my sickness, for it hides it

ولا تَسَلْ غَير طرفي عَنْ مَدامِعِهِ

ولا تَسَلْ غَير طرفي عَنْ مَدامِعِهِ

لا تأَخذِ الماءَ إلاّ من مجاريهِ

لا تأَخذِ الماءَ إلاّ من مجاريهِ

And ask none but my eye about its tears;

And do not ask anyone but my eyes about their tears

do not draw water except from its channels.

Take water only from its springs

أشكو إلى اللهِ وجداً ظَلْتُ أَكتُمُهُ

أشكو إلى اللهِ وجداً ظَلْتُ أَكتُمُهُ

عَنْ عاذِلي ودموع العين تبديه

عَنْ عاذِلي ودموع العين تبديه

I complain to God of a passion I kept concealing

I complain to God of passion I have kept secret

from my reproacher, though the eye's tears reveal it;

From the one who blames me as my tears reveal it

وخاطراً قد تمادَى في غوايتِه

وخاطراً قد تمادَى في غوايتِه

وزادَ حَتّى تمادَى في تماديهِ

وزادَ حَتّى تمادَى في تماديهِ

and of a mind that has gone too far in its waywardness,

And a soul that has persisted in its misguidance

and gone further still, until it exceeded even its own excess;

And increased until it persisted in its persistence

وصَرَفَ دَهْرٍ أَصَابتني نوائبُهُ

وصَرَفَ دَهْرٍ أَصَابتني نوائبُهُ

بكلّ سَهْمٍ مِنَ الأَحداث تَبْريهِ

بكلّ سَهْمٍ مِنَ الأَحداث تَبْريهِ

and of time's vicissitudes, whose calamities struck me

And fate struck me with its calamities

with every arrow that misfortunes sharpen.

With every arrow of events to nurture it

سُقْياً لِدَهْرٍ مضَى لو كَأنَ سَاعدني

سُقْياً لِدَهْرٍ مضَى لو كَأنَ سَاعدني

حَظِي لَكُنتُ بِهَذَا الدَّهرِ أَفْدِيْهِ

حَظِي لَكُنتُ بِهَذَا الدَّهرِ أَفْدِيْهِ

May rain bless an age gone by! Had I been aided

As sustenance for a past time as if my luck

by my fortune, I would have ransomed it with this age.

Supported me, I would have ransomed this time with it

هَذَا الزّمانُ الّذي لاَ كانَ مِنْ زِمَنٍ

هَذَا الزّمانُ الّذي لاَ كانَ مِنْ زِمَنٍ

ولا سَقَاهُ مِنَ الوسْمِيّ سارِيْهِ

ولا سَقَاهُ مِنَ الوسْمِيّ سارِيْهِ

This age—may it never have existed as an age,

This is an era that was not of eras

nor may its night-cloud water it with autumn rain!

And the branded did not water it from its cisterns

ماتَ الْوفاءُ وأَبناء الوفاءِ بهِ

ماتَ الْوفاءُ وأَبناء الوفاءِ بهِ

فالْمجْدُ مِنْ بَعْدِهم أَقوتْ مغانيه

فالْمجْدُ مِنْ بَعْدِهم أَقوتْ مغانيه

Loyalty and the sons of loyalty have died within it;

Loyalty died and the sons of loyalty in it

so, after them, glory's abodes lie deserted.

So glory after them is weaker than its songs

فأينَ مَنْ يَسْتَحقُّ المدحَ مُبْتَذِلاً

فأينَ مَنْ يَسْتَحقُّ المدحَ مُبْتَذِلاً

لِلْمالِ فيهِ فيوفِينَا ونُوفيه

لِلْمالِ فيهِ فيوفِينَا ونُوفيه

Where, then, is one deserving praise, freely spending

Where is one who deserves praise offered to him

wealth upon it, giving us our due as we give him his?

For money's sake, so we fulfill it and it fulfills us

لَهْفي عَلَى غُرَّ أَبْياتٍ مَدَحْتُ بها

لَهْفي عَلَى غُرَّ أَبْياتٍ مَدَحْتُ بها

مَنْ لَوْ هَجوتُ لأرخَصْتُ الْهجا فيهِ

مَنْ لَوْ هَجوتُ لأرخَصْتُ الْهجا فيهِ

Alas for the radiant verses with which I praised

I yearn for worthless verses I praised

one whom I would have cheapened satire by satirizing!

One with, who if I lampooned, I would make lampooning him cheap

لَهْفِي عَلَى ثَوبِ عزٍّ نَشْرهُ عَطِرٌ

لَهْفِي عَلَى ثَوبِ عزٍّ نَشْرهُ عَطِرٌ

أَلْبَستُهُ لِشَقَائي غَيرَ أَهْلِيهِ

أَلْبَستُهُ لِشَقَائي غَيرَ أَهْلِيهِ

Alas for a robe of honor whose scent is fragrant,

I yearn for the cloth of glory I donned, its scent dispersed

which, to my misfortune, I draped on one unworthy of it.

I clothed my misfortune with it, not one worthy of it

وأُفق نَظْمٍ تذيبُ الصّخر رقّتُهُ

وأُفق نَظْمٍ تذيبُ الصّخر رقّتُهُ

أَطْلَعتُ فيه نجوماً مِنْ معانيهِ

أَطْلَعتُ فيه نجوماً مِنْ معانيهِ

And for a horizon of verse whose tenderness melts rock,

And a horizon of poetry whose softness melts rock

in which I made stars of its meanings rise.

In which I revealed stars from its meanings

حَبّرتُه في بخيلٍ نقشُ دِرْهمِهِ

حَبّرتُه في بخيلٍ نقشُ دِرْهمِهِ

اللهُ مِن أَعْين السّؤّال يَحْميهِ

اللهُ مِن أَعْين السّؤّال يَحْميهِ

I adorned it for a miser whose dirham bears the inscription:

I inked it for a miser, the engraving of his dirham

'God protects it from the eyes of beggars.'

May God protect it from the eyes of beggars

تكادُ تسجدُ للدينار جَبْهَتُهُ

تكادُ تسجدُ للدينار جَبْهَتُهُ

بخلاً ويعبدُه مِن دون بارِيهِ

بخلاً ويعبدُه مِن دون بارِيهِ

His forehead nearly prostrates itself before the dinar,

His forehead almost bows down to the dinar miserly

out of miserliness, and he worships it instead of his Maker.

And worships it besides its Creator

يودّ لو أنّ في آذانهِ صَمَماً

يودّ لو أنّ في آذانهِ صَمَماً

إذا دَعاهُ إلى المعروفِ دَاعيهِ

إذا دَعاهُ إلى المعروفِ دَاعيهِ

He wishes there were deafness in his ears

He wishes he were deaf if a caller

whenever someone calls him to generosity.

Called him to good, to hear his caller

لو جَاءَه المُصطفى مُسْتَشْفِعاً

لو جَاءَه المُصطفى مُسْتَشْفِعاً

بأمينِ الله في دِرهمٍ ما كانَ يُعطيهِ

بأمينِ الله في دِرهمٍ ما كانَ يُعطيهِ

Even if the Chosen One came to him seeking intercession

If the Chosen One came interceding for him

through God's trusted one for a dirham, he would not give it.

By the Trustworthy of God over a dirham, he would not give it

لا المدحُ يُغْريه بالإِعطا لِسَائِلِهِ

لا المدحُ يُغْريه بالإِعطا لِسَائِلِهِ

ولا الهِجا عَن الحرمان يُثْنْيهِ

ولا الهِجا عَن الحرمان يُثْنْيهِ

Neither praise entices him to give to his petitioner,

Neither praise tempts him to give his asker

nor does satire turn him from withholding.

Nor does blame turn him from deprivation

أزْهَى مِنَ الدِيكِ إذْ يمشي عَلَى صَلَفٍ

أزْهَى مِنَ الدِيكِ إذْ يمشي عَلَى صَلَفٍ

لَهُ جناحان مِنْ كِبرٍ ومن تِيهِ

لَهُ جناحان مِنْ كِبرٍ ومن تِيهِ

More vain than a rooster when he struts in arrogance,

Prouder than a rooster walking haughtily

he has two wings of pride and haughtiness.

With two wings of arrogance and straying

لا حِلم فيه ولا عَقلٌ ولا أدبٌ

لا حِلم فيه ولا عَقلٌ ولا أدبٌ

ولا وفاء إلى المعروف يهديه

ولا وفاء إلى المعروف يهديه

He has no forbearance, no reason, no refinement,

No forbearance in him, no intellect or manners

nor loyalty to guide him toward kindness.

No loyalty to guidance leads him

يرومُ شأوَ العُلَى والبخْلُ يُقْعدهُ

يرومُ شأوَ العُلَى والبخْلُ يُقْعدهُ

كأنَّه طائرٌ قُصَّتْ خوافيْهِ

كأنَّه طائرٌ قُصَّتْ خوافيْهِ

He seeks the heights of glory, but miserliness holds him down,

He aspires to highness while miserliness makes him sit

like a bird whose secondary wing feathers have been clipped.

As if he is a bird whose wings are cut

يَرى التكبَّرِ من أسْنَى مَنَاقبهِ

يَرى التكبَّرِ من أسْنَى مَنَاقبهِ

ويحسَب البُخْلَ مِنْ أَعلَى مَعاليه

ويحسَب البُخْلَ مِنْ أَعلَى مَعاليه

He sees arrogance as one of his most splendid virtues,

He sees arrogance as the epitome of merits

and counts miserliness among his loftiest distinctions.

And considers miserliness the height of glories

فليتَ شِعري علَى ما فيه مِن صَلَفٍ

فليتَ شِعري علَى ما فيه مِن صَلَفٍ

أكانَ مُنْتَظراً لِلْوحْيِ يأتيه

أكانَ مُنْتَظراً لِلْوحْيِ يأتيه

Would that I knew, despite all his arrogance,

I wonder with all his insolence

was he waiting for revelation to come to him?

Was he expecting revelation to come to him

قَلّدتْهُ لِشقائي في سعادتهِ

قَلّدتْهُ لِشقائي في سعادتهِ

عقْداً مِنَ المدحِ قد راقَت لآليهِ

عقْداً مِنَ المدحِ قد راقَت لآليهِ

To my misery, amid his joy, I hung around his neck

I presented him, for my misfortune in his bliss

a necklace of praise whose pearls were dazzling.

A necklace of praise, its beads appealing to him

تودّ شمسُ الضّحى لو أنَها حليَتْ

تودّ شمسُ الضّحى لو أنَها حليَتْ

بهِ وبَدَرُ الدّجى لَو كان يَحكِيهِ

بهِ وبَدَرُ الدّجى لَو كان يَحكِيهِ

The midmorning sun wishes it could be adorned

The morning sun wishes it adorned itself with him

with it, and the full moon of night wishes it could rival it.

And the moon of night wishes it resembled him

مَنْ لِلزّهورِ بأن تحكي شمائِلَهُ

مَنْ لِلزّهورِ بأن تحكي شمائِلَهُ

ومَنْ لِزُهْرِ الدَّياجي لَو تُضاهيهِ

ومَنْ لِزُهْرِ الدَّياجي لَو تُضاهيهِ

Who could enable flowers to imitate its qualities,

Who will tell the flowers to portray his features

and who could let the bright stars of night rival it?

And the blossoms to equal him

وقائل لي أتهجوهُ فقُلتُ لَهُ

وقائل لي أتهجوهُ فقُلتُ لَهُ

مَهلاً فإِنَّ هِجائي ليسَ يؤذيهِ

مَهلاً فإِنَّ هِجائي ليسَ يؤذيهِ

Someone said to me, 'Will you satirize him?' I replied,

And someone told me to lampoon him, so I said

'Wait—my satire does not hurt him.

Gently, my lampooning will not hurt him

إنّي لأتلُو مَسَاويه فَيَحْسبُني

إنّي لأتلُو مَسَاويه فَيَحْسبُني

لفرطِ تَغْفيلِه أتلُو مَسَاعيهِ

لفرطِ تَغْفيلِه أتلُو مَسَاعيهِ

Indeed, I recite his faults, yet he thinks I am

I recite his equalities yet he reckons me

in his utter foolishness, reciting his achievements.'

Due to his deep heedlessness, reciting his equals

قد كانَ مَدحي لَه ذَنباً شَقيتُ بهِ

قد كانَ مَدحي لَه ذَنباً شَقيتُ بهِ

فَصَار تكفِيرُهُ عَنّي هَجائِيهِ

فَصَار تكفِيرُهُ عَنّي هَجائِيهِ

My praise of him was a sin that brought me misery,

My praising him was a sin I suffered with

so my satire of him became my atonement for it.

So my lampooning him absolves me

يا هادماً بمَساويه بناء عُلىً

يا هادماً بمَساويه بناء عُلىً

أبُوهُ دونَ ملوكِ الأَرض بانيهِ

أبُوهُ دونَ ملوكِ الأَرض بانيهِ

O man who demolishes with his faults an edifice of glory

O demolisher with his equalities a lofty edifice

whose builder was his father, not the kings of the earth,

Its builder is unmatched among earth's kings

حذار من نارِ فكرٍ أضْرِمَتْ لَهباً

حذار من نارِ فكرٍ أضْرِمَتْ لَهباً

ولا تَقِفْ لِعُبابٍ سَالَ واديه

ولا تَقِفْ لِعُبابٍ سَالَ واديه

beware a fire of thought kindled into flame,

Beware the fire of a thought whose flames kindled

and do not stand before a surge whose valley runs in flood.

And do not stand where torrents flooded its valley

فَما نَبَا سيفُ عَزمي حينَ أُعْمِلُهُ

فَما نَبَا سيفُ عَزمي حينَ أُعْمِلُهُ

ولا خَبَا زَندُ فِكري حين أُورِيهِ

ولا خَبَا زَندُ فِكري حين أُورِيهِ

For the sword of my resolve never fails when I wield it,

For neither has the sword of my resolve erred when I wield it

nor does my thought's firestick go out when I kindle it.

Nor has the flint of my mind missed when I strike it

وما امْتَدحتك أَرْجو منك نيلَ غِنىً

وما امْتَدحتك أَرْجو منك نيلَ غِنىً

لكِنْ قضاءٌ جرى في الكونِ ماضيهِ

لكِنْ قضاءٌ جرى في الكونِ ماضيهِ

I did not praise you hoping to gain wealth from you;

And I did not praise you hoping to gain wealth from you

rather, it was a decree whose inexorable course ran through the world.

But fate that flowed in the universe fulfilled it

ولو أردْتُ غناءٌ لاَمْتَدحْتُ فتىً

ولو أردْتُ غناءٌ لاَمْتَدحْتُ فتىً

ينالُ مَادِحُه أَقْصى أمانيه

ينالُ مَادِحُه أَقْصى أمانيه

Had I sought wealth, I would have praised a young man

And if I wanted riches, I would praise a lad

whose praiser attains his utmost wishes.

Whose praiser attains the utmost of his hopes