يَعِزُّ عَلى مَحلي مُفارَقَةُ القَطرِ

يَعِزُّ عَلى مَحلي مُفارَقَةُ القَطرِ

فَما حيلَتي مِن بَعدِ يَأسي مِنَ الفَجرِ

فَما حيلَتي مِن بَعدِ يَأسي مِنَ الفَجرِ

For one of my station, leaving the land is hard.

It grieves me to part from the rain's land

What recourse have I, now that I despair of dawn?

Yet what can I do after losing all hope of dawn

فَإِن يَكُنِ التَوديعُ في زَعمِ ناظِري

فَإِن يَكُنِ التَوديعُ في زَعمِ ناظِري

فَعَن أَمرِكَ التَوديعُ يوغِرُ في أَمري

فَعَن أَمرِكَ التَوديعُ يوغِرُ في أَمري

If this is farewell, as my observer supposes,

If bidding farewell is, according to my onlookers

then, at your command, farewell stirs bitterness in my plight.

Then your command to bid adieu stirs greater turmoil within me

وَما بِاخِتِياري أَن رَحَلتُ مَعَ الغِنى

وَما بِاخِتِياري أَن رَحَلتُ مَعَ الغِنى

وَإِنَّ اِختِياري أَن أُقيمَ عَلى الفَقرِ

وَإِنَّ اِختِياري أَن أُقيمَ عَلى الفَقرِ

It was not my choice to depart with wealth;

It was not by my choice that I left with bounty

my choice is rather to remain in poverty.

For my choice is to stay in poverty

فَكَيفَ وَقَد أَودَعتُ سِرّي تَجَمُّلي

فَكَيفَ وَقَد أَودَعتُ سِرّي تَجَمُّلي

فَلَم أَرَ خِلّاً مِنهُ أَكتَمَ لِلسِرِّ

فَلَم أَرَ خِلّاً مِنهُ أَكتَمَ لِلسِرِّ

How could it be, when I have entrusted my secret to my composure,

So how could it be when I've bid adieu to my secret pride

and found no friend more discreet with a secret than it?

That I find no replacement to guard my secret as well

مَسيرُ بِلا نُجحٍ وَلا أَمَلٍ لَهُ

مَسيرُ بِلا نُجحٍ وَلا أَمَلٍ لَهُ

وَلا نِيَّةٍ في العَودِ ثَمَّ وَلا الصَبرِ

وَلا نِيَّةٍ في العَودِ ثَمَّ وَلا الصَبرِ

A journey without success, with no hope attending it,

A journey with no gains or hopes

no thought of returning there, and no patience.

No intention to return, no patience either

وَمِن بَعدِ هَذا وَهوَ ما لَيسَ بَعدَهُ

وَمِن بَعدِ هَذا وَهوَ ما لَيسَ بَعدَهُ

فَمِن يَومِ سَيري ما أُسِرُّ سِوى شُكري

فَمِن يَومِ سَيري ما أُسِرُّ سِوى شُكري

And after this—which leaves nothing beyond it—

And after this, nothing follows

from the day I set out, I hide nothing but my gratitude.

So from the day I traveled, I profess nothing but gratitude

أَأَشمِتُ أَعدائي وَأَعداءَ مَجدِكُم

أَأَشمِتُ أَعدائي وَأَعداءَ مَجدِكُم

بِأَبي وَإِيّاكُم شَريكانِ في الخُسرِ

بِأَبي وَإِيّاكُم شَريكانِ في الخُسرِ

Shall I give my enemies, and the enemies of your glory, cause to gloat

Shall I gloat before my enemies, the foes of your glory too

over my father and you, partners in loss?

That my father and I both share in loss?

فَأَلزَمُ حَيّاً كِسرَ دارٍ تَضيقُ بي

فَأَلزَمُ حَيّاً كِسرَ دارٍ تَضيقُ بي

كَما يَلزَمُ المَوتى المَلاحِدَ في القَبرِ

كَما يَلزَمُ المَوتى المَلاحِدَ في القَبرِ

So, still alive, I keep to a corner of a house that hems me in,

So I remain, confined in a house too narrow for me

as the dead keep to their burial niches in the grave.

As the dead remain confined inside their graves

نَعَم ثُمَّ لا أُقذي بِكُتبي عُيونَكُم

نَعَم ثُمَّ لا أُقذي بِكُتبي عُيونَكُم

فَما الحَقُّ إِلّا أَن أَقولَ لَها قَرّي

فَما الحَقُّ إِلّا أَن أَقولَ لَها قَرّي

Yes; then I shall not sting your eyes with my letters;

No! I shall not pain your eyes with my letters

for the only right course is to tell them, 'Stay still,'

For it is only right that I say to them, "Be still!"

لِئَلّا تَرى سُحبَ الغُضونِ فَرُبَّما

لِئَلّا تَرى سُحبَ الغُضونِ فَرُبَّما

تَكَدَّرَ ضاحي الأُفقِ مِن مَطلَعِ البِشرِ

تَكَدَّرَ ضاحي الأُفقِ مِن مَطلَعِ البِشرِ

lest they see the clouds of wrinkles; for sometimes

Lest you see the clouds' veil and thus

the clear horizon clouds over where gladness rises.

The bright horizon be clouded ere the good news

وَلا الحَقُّ إِلّا صَونُ كُتبي فإِنَّها

وَلا الحَقُّ إِلّا صَونُ كُتبي فإِنَّها

كَوَجهِيَ في إيثارِهِ أَثَرَ البِرِّ

كَوَجهِيَ في إيثارِهِ أَثَرَ البِرِّ

Nor is there any right course but to protect my letters, for they

It is only right to protect my letters, for

are like my face in preferring the mark of kindness.

Like my face, they bear the traces of righteousness

وَأَنتَظِرُ العُتبى مِنَ الدَهرِ مِنكُمُ

وَأَنتَظِرُ العُتبى مِنَ الدَهرِ مِنكُمُ

فَلا يَلقَها مِن غَيرِكُم عُمرَ الدَهرِ

فَلا يَلقَها مِن غَيرِكُم عُمرَ الدَهرِ

I await, through you, redress from fate;

And I await your gentle reproach

for none will find it from anyone but you, for all time.

That time itself fails to attain in its lifelong course

وَطالَ بِكُم عُمرُ السَعادَةِ ثُمَّ إِن

وَطالَ بِكُم عُمرُ السَعادَةِ ثُمَّ إِن

تَناهى فَزِدهُ يا إِلَهِيَ مِن عُمري

تَناهى فَزِدهُ يا إِلَهِيَ مِن عُمري

May happiness live long with you; and if

May your happy days live long, and then, my God

its life should end, my God, extend it with my own.

If they end, add to them from my life

وَأَمهَلَهُم بَعدي إِلى أَن يُجيزَهُم

وَأَمهَلَهُم بَعدي إِلى أَن يُجيزَهُم

بِقَبري فَيَجري مِن حَديثِيَ ما يَجري

بِقَبري فَيَجري مِن حَديثِيَ ما يَجري

And grant them respite after me, until they are led

And grant them, after me, enough time

past my grave, and talk of me flows as it will.

To fulfil their deeds at my grave, where my legend shall endure

وَإِن سَمَحو في ذِكرِهِم لي بِدَعوَةٍ

وَإِن سَمَحو في ذِكرِهِم لي بِدَعوَةٍ

فَمَرفوعُها أَجدى عَلَيَّ مِنَ القَطرِ

فَمَرفوعُها أَجدى عَلَيَّ مِنَ القَطرِ

And if, when remembering me, they graciously offer a prayer,

And if they mention me kindly in prayer

then that prayer, raised aloft, benefits me more than rain.

Its lift is more useful to me than rain itself

وَلَو مَدَحو أَيّامَ أُنسي بِلَفظَةٍ

وَلَو مَدَحو أَيّامَ أُنسي بِلَفظَةٍ

فَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَلفُ بِرٍّ مِنَ الدَهرِ

فَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَلفُ بِرٍّ مِنَ الدَهرِ

And if they praise my days of companionship with a single word,

And if they praise the days of my company in a word

that is a thousand kindnesses from time.

That is nothing but a kind word from fate

وَلا قُلتُ لِلأَعداءِ إِنّي سَحَرتُهُم

وَلا قُلتُ لِلأَعداءِ إِنّي سَحَرتُهُم

وَهَذا ثَنئي ثُمَّ ما هاجَهُم سِحري

وَهَذا ثَنئي ثُمَّ ما هاجَهُم سِحري

Nor did I tell my enemies that I had bewitched them;

Nor have I told the enemies that I have enchanted them

here is my praise, yet my magic did not stir them.

And this is my claim, and still, my spell does not provoke them

وَلا أَنَّني يَمَّمتُ بَحراً بِمَدحِهِ

وَلا أَنَّني يَمَّمتُ بَحراً بِمَدحِهِ

فَقالَ هَفا مِن يَمَّمَ البَحرَ بِالدُرِّ

فَقالَ هَفا مِن يَمَّمَ البَحرَ بِالدُرِّ

Nor that I sought a sea with praise of it,

Nor that I dared to praise a sea with its poetry

and it said, 'Whoever brings pearls to the sea has erred.'

And it roared, "Astounding! One who dared praise the sea with pearls!"

مُحِبٌّ رَمى الأَعداءَ فيهِم فَساءَهُم

مُحِبٌّ رَمى الأَعداءَ فيهِم فَساءَهُم

فَيا وَيحَهُم هَل مُقتَضي يُسرِهِم عُسري

فَيا وَيحَهُم هَل مُقتَضي يُسرِهِم عُسري

A lover, I struck at the enemies for their sake, and so distressed them.

A lover who inflicted the enemies with themselves

Alas for them! Does their ease demand my hardship?

So woe to them! Can my misery fulfill their ease?

وَلَم يَخفَ عَنهُم أَنَّ مِصرَ وَمُلكَها

وَلَم يَخفَ عَنهُم أَنَّ مِصرَ وَمُلكَها

وَسيعانِ ضاقا عَنهُ دونَ بَني مِصرِ

وَسيعانِ ضاقا عَنهُ دونَ بَني مِصرِ

It was not hidden from them that Egypt and its kingdom,

And it was no secret to them that Egypt and its kingdom

vast as both are, grew too narrow for him, though not for Egypt's sons.

Were too narrow for anyone but Egyptians

كَسادي عَلَيكُم يَقتَضي مِن سِواكُم

كَسادي عَلَيكُم يَقتَضي مِن سِواكُم

كَسادي فَلا يَرخُص بِتَقويمِكُم سِعري

كَسادي فَلا يَرخُص بِتَقويمِكُم سِعري

My finding no market with you entails, with others,

My misery with you necessitates the same from them

my finding no market; let not your appraisal lower my price.

My misery cannot approve of their inflated prices

فَلا تَجمَعوا الحِرمانَ مِنكُم وَمِنهُم

فَلا تَجمَعوا الحِرمانَ مِنكُم وَمِنهُم

فإِنَّ ذَوي الأَمرِ القَدى لِذَوي الأَمرِ

فإِنَّ ذَوي الأَمرِ القَدى لِذَوي الأَمرِ

Do not join deprivation from you to deprivation from them,

So do not combine deprivation from you and them

for those in authority are models for those in authority.

For the bestowed favor the old over the newly bestowed

أَقولُ تَفَرَّقنا وَأَعضايَ كُلُّها

أَقولُ تَفَرَّقنا وَأَعضايَ كُلُّها

ضُيوفٌ وَما فيهِم وَلا واحِدٌ يَقري

ضُيوفٌ وَما فيهِم وَلا واحِدٌ يَقري

I say, 'We have parted,' while all my limbs

I say we have parted and all my limbs

are guests, with not a single host among them.

Are guests with no one, not one to settle

فَلا رائِعٌ طَرفي وَلا مالِئٌ يَدي

فَلا رائِعٌ طَرفي وَلا مالِئٌ يَدي

وَلا شارِحٌ صَدري وَلا مُسنِدٌ ظَهري

وَلا شارِحٌ صَدري وَلا مُسنِدٌ ظَهري

None dazzles my gaze, none fills my hand;

No sights delight my eyes or fill my hands

none eases my breast, none supports my back;

No bosom to unburden or back to rest upon

وَلا مُتَّقٍ عَتبي وَلا مُشتَرٍ شُكري

وَلا مُتَّقٍ عَتبي وَلا مُشتَرٍ شُكري

وَلا حامِلٌ هَمّي وَلا سامِعٌ عُذري

وَلا حامِلٌ هَمّي وَلا سامِعٌ عُذري

none avoids my reproach, none purchases my thanks;

None to reproach my blame or share in my thanks

none bears my cares, none hears my excuse;

None to carry my worries or hear my excuse

وَلا واعِدٌ يَومي وَلا مُنجِزٌ غَدى

وَلا واعِدٌ يَومي وَلا مُنجِزٌ غَدى

وَلا مُنجِحٌ أَمسي وَلا راحِمٌ صَبري

وَلا مُنجِحٌ أَمسي وَلا راحِمٌ صَبري

none makes promises for my today, none fulfills them for my tomorrow;

None to promise me a day or fulfil a tomorrow

none makes my yesterday fruitful, none pities my patience.

None to accomplish my yesterday or pity my patience

يَرِقُّ الَّذي أَورَدتُهُ رِقَّةَ الصِبا

يَرِقُّ الَّذي أَورَدتُهُ رِقَّةَ الصِبا

وَيُنشِئُ ما أُنسي بِهِ نَشوَةَ الخَمرِ

وَيُنشِئُ ما أُنسي بِهِ نَشوَةَ الخَمرِ

What I have offered is tender as youth,

Delighted by the one I introduced with the delight of youth

and what gives me solace brings forth the rapture of wine.

And elated by the one I befriended with the elation of wine

بَقيتُم بَقاءَ القَولِ مِنّي فَإِنَّهُ

بَقيتُم بَقاءَ القَولِ مِنّي فَإِنَّهُ

عَلى رَغمِ أَنفِ الدَهرِ يَبقى عَلى الدَهرِ

عَلى رَغمِ أَنفِ الدَهرِ يَبقى عَلى الدَهرِ

May you endure as long as my verse endures, for it

You have remained through my words that will

endures through time, in defiance of time itself.

Despite time's spite, remain through time

وَدونَكُمُ مِنهُ سِلاحاً فَإِنَّهُ

وَدونَكُمُ مِنهُ سِلاحاً فَإِنَّهُ

بِمُعتَرِكِ الأَعراضِ مُستَنزِلُ النَصرِ

بِمُعتَرِكِ الأَعراضِ مُستَنزِلُ النَصرِ

Take from it a weapon, for it

And through you I have armed myself against it

calls down victory on the battlefield of honor.

For in the battlegrounds of honor lies victory

كَواكِبُ في الدُنيا تَدِبُّ وَتَعتَلي

كَواكِبُ في الدُنيا تَدِبُّ وَتَعتَلي

وَتَسري وَتَهدي وَالكَواكِبُ لا تَسري

وَتَسري وَتَهدي وَالكَواكِبُ لا تَسري

Stars that creep through the world and rise aloft,

Planets in this world lurk, ride high

and journey by night and guide, while the stars do not journey.

Race, guide, while planets cannot race

وَما زالَ شِعري في عُلاكُم مُسافِراً

وَما زالَ شِعري في عُلاكُم مُسافِراً

يُصَلّي بِذِكراكُم صَلاةً بِلا قَصرِ

يُصَلّي بِذِكراكُم صَلاةً بِلا قَصرِ

My verse still travels through your heights,

My poetry has continued to travel

offering, in remembrance of you, a prayer without shortening.

Praying your remembrance without shortening prayer

وَيَعلَمُ أَنَّ الجودَ يَستاقُ شُكرَهُ

وَيَعلَمُ أَنَّ الجودَ يَستاقُ شُكرَهُ

فَيُعلى لَهُ في رِقَّةِ النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

فَيُعلى لَهُ في رِقَّةِ النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

It knows that generosity draws forth its gratitude,

And it knows well that generosity invites gratitude

so thanks are raised in its honor in delicate verse and prose.

So it is exalted in subtle verse and prose

وَمِن مِنَني تَعويدُهُ بَل وَجَدتُهُ

وَمِن مِنَني تَعويدُهُ بَل وَجَدتُهُ

كَذَلِكَ يَهوى الشُكرَ وَالصِدقَ في الشُكرِ

كَذَلِكَ يَهوى الشُكرَ وَالصِدقَ في الشُكرِ

Among my favors is accustoming it to this—rather, I found it

And of my debts, I have accustomed it, nay I found it

already so: loving gratitude, and sincerity in gratitude.

Naturally inclined to gratitude and honesty in gratitude