قَضى نَحبَهُ الصَومُ بَعدَ المِطالِ

قَضى نَحبَهُ الصَومُ بَعدَ المِطالِ

وَأُطلِقَ مِن قَيدِ فَترِ الهِلالِ

وَأُطلِقَ مِن قَيدِ فَترِ الهِلالِ

The fast met its end after long delay,

The fast has finished its term after prolongation

and was freed from the fetter of the crescent's span.

And was released from the bond of the crescent's vacation

وَرَوَّحتُ كاتِبَ جَنبي اليَمينِ

وَرَوَّحتُ كاتِبَ جَنبي اليَمينِ

وَأَتعَبتُ كاتِبَ جَنبي الشِمالِ

وَأَتعَبتُ كاتِبَ جَنبي الشِمالِ

I gave the scribe at my right side rest,

My right side writer I gave solace

and wearied the scribe at my left.

And my left side writer I made toil

فَدَع ضيقَةً مِثلَ شَدِّ الإِسارِ

فَدَع ضيقَةً مِثلَ شَدِّ الإِسارِ

إِلى فُرجَةٍ مِثلِ حَلِّ العِقالِ

إِلى فُرجَةٍ مِثلِ حَلِّ العِقالِ

So leave confinement like tightened bonds

So leave a constriction like the tightening of a belt

for relief like an untied hobble.

To a relief like the loosening of a knot

وَقُم هاتِها مِثلَ ثَوبِ النُضارِ

وَقُم هاتِها مِثلَ ثَوبِ النُضارِ

وَمَوجِ البِحارِ وَطَعمِ الزُلالِ

وَمَوجِ البِحارِ وَطَعمِ الزُلالِ

And rise: bring it, like a robe of gold,

And rise, bring it like the dress of youth

and the waves of seas, and the taste of pure water.

And wave of oceans and taste of fresh juice

جَزى اللَهُ عَنّي عَروسَ الدَوالي

جَزى اللَهُ عَنّي عَروسَ الدَوالي

وَلا أَخطَأَتها كُئوسُ العَزالي

وَلا أَخطَأَتها كُئوسُ العَزالي

May God reward the bride of grapevines on my behalf,

May God reward, from me, the bride of valleys

and may the cups of rain-spouts never miss her,

And the cups of seclusion did not mistake her

بِما أَطعَمَت مِن لَذيذِ الثِمارِ

بِما أَطعَمَت مِن لَذيذِ الثِمارِ

وَما أَلبَسَت مِن نَسيجِ الظِلالِ

وَما أَلبَسَت مِن نَسيجِ الظِلالِ

for the delicious fruits she has provided,

With what she fed of delicious fruits

and the woven shade she has clothed us in,

And what she dressed of weaved shades

وَما سَلسَلَت مِن مُذابِ السُرورِ

وَما سَلسَلَت مِن مُذابِ السُرورِ

وَما خَفَّضَت مِن جِماحِ التَقالي

وَما خَفَّضَت مِن جِماحِ التَقالي

and the molten joy she has poured forth,

And what she chained of melted bliss

and the unruliness of mutual aversion she has subdued.

And what she lowered of the wings of exultation

فَكَم زَخرَفَت جَنَّةً لِلعَذابِ

فَكَم زَخرَفَت جَنَّةً لِلعَذابِ

وَكَم رَفَعَت قَبَساً لِلضَلالِ

وَكَم رَفَعَت قَبَساً لِلضَلالِ

How many a garden she has adorned for torment,

So how she adorned a paradise for the torment

and how many a flame she has raised for error!

And how she raised a torch for the misguidance

أُغالِطُ بِالكَأسِ حُكمَ الزَمانِ

أُغالِطُ بِالكَأسِ حُكمَ الزَمانِ

فَيَومٌ عَلَيَّ وَيَومٌ بِها لي

فَيَومٌ عَلَيَّ وَيَومٌ بِها لي

With the cup I outwit time's judgment:

I contend with the cup the judgement of time

a day against me, and through it a day for me.

So a day against me and a day for me

وَجاءَت بِما في عُيونِ النِساءِ

وَجاءَت بِما في عُيونِ النِساءِ

وَمَرَّت بِما في رُءوسِ الرِجالِ

وَمَرَّت بِما في رُءوسِ الرِجالِ

It came with what is in women's eyes,

And she came with what is in the eyes of women

and went off with what is in men's heads.

And passed with what is in the heads of men

وَأَسلو الغزالَ بِها إِذ أَرى

وَأَسلو الغزالَ بِها إِذ أَرى

بِكاساتِها دَمَ ذاكَ الغَزالِ

بِكاساتِها دَمَ ذاكَ الغَزالِ

Through it I forget the gazelle, when I see

And I made the gazelle drunk with it when I saw

in its cups the blood of that gazelle.

In its cups the blood of that gazelle

بِعَيشِكَ عُج بي إِلى مَعرَكٍ

بِعَيشِكَ عُج بي إِلى مَعرَكٍ

يَقومُ بهِ أَيُّ حَربٍ سِجالِ

يَقومُ بهِ أَيُّ حَربٍ سِجالِ

By your life, turn aside with me to a battlefield,

With your life, hurry me to a battlefield

where any war of changing fortunes may arise.

In which any war of argument takes place

إِذا مَزَجَ الماءُ مِنها الكُئوس

إِذا مَزَجَ الماءُ مِنها الكُئوس

مَزَجنا أَسِنَّتَها بِالنِصالِ

مَزَجنا أَسِنَّتَها بِالنِصالِ

When water mixes into its cups,

If the water from it mixed the cups

we mingle their spearpoints with blades.

We mixed its tongues with the swords

وَإِنِّيَ فارِسُ صَفِّ النِدامِ

وَإِنِّيَ فارِسُ صَفِّ النِدامِ

فَكُن أَنتَ فارِسَ صَفِّ القِتالِ

فَكُن أَنتَ فارِسَ صَفِّ القِتالِ

I am the horseman of the drinking-companions' rank;

And I am a horseman of the repentant row

so be you the horseman of the battle rank.

So you be a horseman of the fighting row

تَجَلَّت عَنِ الناسِ صَرعى الضِرابِ

تَجَلَّت عَنِ الناسِ صَرعى الضِرابِ

وَعَنّي وَلَكِن صَريعَ الدَلالِ

وَعَنّي وَلَكِن صَريعَ الدَلالِ

It cleared away, leaving men felled by blows,

The slain of beating avoided the people

and me—but felled by coquetry.

But not me, rather the slain of affection

وَسَكرانَ كَرَّرَ مِن سُكرِهِ

وَسَكرانَ كَرَّرَ مِن سُكرِهِ

زَمانٌ عَلى كُلِّ عَقلِ مُمالي

زَمانٌ عَلى كُلِّ عَقلِ مُمالي

And a drunken man whose drunkenness was redoubled

And a drunk reiterated from his drunkenness

by an age conspiring against every mind:

An age against every sober mind

فَسُكرُ الشَبابِ وَسُكرُ الشَرابِ

فَسُكرُ الشَبابِ وَسُكرُ الشَرابِ

وَسُكرُ الصُدودِ وَسُكرُ الوِصالِ

وَسُكرُ الصُدودِ وَسُكرُ الوِصالِ

the drunkenness of youth and the drunkenness of wine,

So the drunkenness of youth and drunkenness of drink

the drunkenness of rejection and the drunkenness of union.

And drunkenness of resistance and drunkenness of union

فَلا تَذكُرَنَّ عُهودَ الوِصالِ

فَلا تَذكُرَنَّ عُهودَ الوِصالِ

فَعَهدي بِها وَاللَيالي لَيالِ

فَعَهدي بِها وَاللَيالي لَيالِ

So do not mention the days of union,

Do not remind of the days of union

for I knew them when nights were nights.

For my covenant with it is nights of nights

وَلَم أَبكِ عَهداً رَجاءَ الرُجوعِ

وَلَم أَبكِ عَهداً رَجاءَ الرُجوعِ

وَلَكِن أُحادِثُهُ بِالصِقالِ

وَلَكِن أُحادِثُهُ بِالصِقالِ

I did not weep for a past time hoping it would return,

And I did not weep a covenant hoping for return

but I keep it fresh with polishing.

But I converse with it with polishing

بَعَثنَ اللَيالي ببأسٍ شَديدٍ

بَعَثنَ اللَيالي ببأسٍ شَديدٍ

عَلَيَّ قَديماً فَجاسَت خِلالي

عَلَيَّ قَديماً فَجاسَت خِلالي

The nights unleashed fierce might

The nights sent against me with severe harm

against me long ago, and ravaged my very midst.

From old, so they raided my situations

فَما جاءَ عَن مِعطَفي ذَمُّ جانٍ

فَما جاءَ عَن مِعطَفي ذَمُّ جانٍ

وَلا جاءَ عَن جَوهَري ذَمُّ حالي

وَلا جاءَ عَن جَوهَري ذَمُّ حالي

No gatherer's censure came from my bearing,

So no blame of a scorner came from my cloak

nor any jeweler's censure from my substance.

Nor did blame of my essence come from my state

وَلَم أَستَغِث تَحتَ ظِلِّ الخُطو

وَلَم أَستَغِث تَحتَ ظِلِّ الخُطو

بِ جَرجَرَةَ البُزلِ تَحتَ الرِحالِ

بِ جَرجَرَةَ البُزلِ تَحتَ الرِحالِ

Nor did I cry for help beneath the shadow of misfortunes,

And I did not seek help under the shade of steps

with the rumbling of mature camels beneath their saddles.

With the dragging of slippers under the luggage

فَزاحِم عَنِ الجَلَلِ المُتَّقى

فَزاحِم عَنِ الجَلَلِ المُتَّقى

تُزاحِم بِمَنكِبِ عَودٍ جُلالِ

تُزاحِم بِمَنكِبِ عَودٍ جُلالِ

So shoulder aside the calamity you dread:

So compete against the majestic revered one

you will press with the shoulder of a mighty seasoned camel.

You compete with the shoulder of a revered pole

خَشُنتَ لِحالٍ كَشَوكِ القَتادِ

خَشُنتَ لِحالٍ كَشَوكِ القَتادِ

وَلِنتُ لِأُخرى كَشَوكِ السِيالِ

وَلِنتُ لِأُخرى كَشَوكِ السِيالِ

You grew rough for one condition, like tragacanth thorns,

You were rough to a state like thorns of citrus

and I grew supple for another, like acacia thorns.

And gentle to another like thorns of chamomile

وَلَستُ لِساناً لِذُلِّ السُؤالِ

وَلَستُ لِساناً لِذُلِّ السُؤالِ

وَما زِلتُ صَدراً لِعِزِّ السُؤالِ

وَما زِلتُ صَدراً لِعِزِّ السُؤالِ

I am no tongue for the humiliation of begging,

And I am not a tongue for the disgrace of begging

and have always been a breast for the dignity of petition.

And I still am a chest for the honor of begging

حَديثٌ يُنجّي فُروعَ السَحابِ

حَديثٌ يُنجّي فُروعَ السَحابِ

وَأَصلٌ يُناطي أُصولَ الجِبالِ

وَأَصلٌ يُناطي أُصولَ الجِبالِ

A discourse that saves the branches of clouds,

A talk that saves the branches of clouds

and a root that rivals the roots of mountains.

And a root that competes with mountain roots

وَلي قَلَمٌ مِنهُ عَينُ الكَلا

وَلي قَلَمٌ مِنهُ عَينُ الكَلا

مِ تَجري فَتَنظُرُ عَينَ الكَمالِ

مِ تَجري فَتَنظُرُ عَينَ الكَمالِ

And I have a pen from which the spring of speech

And I have a pen which the eye of ability

flows, so that you behold the very essence of perfection.

Flows from it, so the eye of perfection looks

يَراعٌ تَظَلُّ رِياضُ الطُرو

يَراعٌ تَظَلُّ رِياضُ الطُرو

سِ مِنها مُوَشَّحَةً بِالظِلالِ

سِ مِنها مُوَشَّحَةً بِالظِلالِ

A reed pen: the gardens of pages remain

A folk on which the gardens of basil

mantled with shade through it.

Are shaded from it, adorned with shades

كَمِثلِ الوَقيعَةِ فيها الزُلالُ

كَمِثلِ الوَقيعَةِ فيها الزُلالُ

يُسيغُ الوَقيعَةَ لي في الزُلالِ

يُسيغُ الوَقيعَةَ لي في الزُلالِ

Like a rock-pool containing clear water,

Like the pitfall in which is the fresh juice

it makes slander palatable to me in clear water.

Making the pitfall delicious to me in the fresh juice

وَكُتبٌ يَفيضُ بِأَرجائِها

وَكُتبٌ يَفيضُ بِأَرجائِها

يَمينُ الجَدا وَلِسانُ الجِدالِ

يَمينُ الجَدا وَلِسانُ الجِدالِ

And writings throughout whose expanses flow

And books in which the right of sincerity overflows

the right hand of bounty and the tongue of debate.

And the tongue of debate and argument

تَقَدَّمَها الشَكلُ مِن فَوقِها

تَقَدَّمَها الشَكلُ مِن فَوقِها

كَمِثلِ السِهامِ أَمامَ النِضالِ

كَمِثلِ السِهامِ أَمامَ النِضالِ

The vowel-marks advance above them,

Its form preceded it above it

like arrows ahead of the archery contest.

Like arrows ahead of the struggle

وَكَم تُرِّبَت وَاِنبَرَت لِلعَدُوِّ

وَكَم تُرِّبَت وَاِنبَرَت لِلعَدُوِّ

كَوَثبِ الشَرارِ وَهَدَّ الجِبالِ

كَوَثبِ الشَرارِ وَهَدَّ الجِبالِ

How often they were dusted and sallied against the enemy,

And how much they wore enemy hides

like leaping sparks and the shattering of mountains!

And how much they robbed the nude of bands

فَيَأطِرنَهُ مِثلَ أَطرِ القِسِيِّ

فَيَأطِرنَهُ مِثلَ أَطرِ القِسِيِّ

وَيَبرينَهُ مِثلَ بَريِ النِبالِ

وَيَبرينَهُ مِثلَ بَريِ النِبالِ

They bend him as bows are bent,

They smile about a hopeless desirer

and whittle him as arrows are whittled,

The obvious minaret, pure minaret

بما في بَراثِنِ أُسدِ الغِياضِ

بما في بَراثِنِ أُسدِ الغِياضِ

وَما في جُفونِ ظِباءِ الرِمالِ

وَما في جُفونِ ظِباءِ الرِمالِ

with what lies in the claws of forest lions

A bridle which took what it aimed

and what lies in the eyelids of sand-gazelles.

With pulling the reins and releasing the knot

وَكَم قد كَسَونَ عَواري ظُباً

وَكَم قد كَسَونَ عَواري ظُباً

وَكَم قد سَلَبنَ عَواري عَوالي

وَكَم قد سَلَبنَ عَواري عَوالي

How often they have clothed bare blades,

It crowns the orbits of its paper

and how often despoiled bare, tall spears!

Suns, suns at the decline

تَبسَّمُ عَن مُطمِعٍ مُؤيِسٍ

تَبسَّمُ عَن مُطمِعٍ مُؤيِسٍ

بَدِيِّ المَنارِ صَفِيِّ المَنالِ

بَدِيِّ المَنارِ صَفِيِّ المَنالِ

They smile, revealing what offers hope and despair,

So no sleep shortened save the long

its beacon manifest and its attainment pure.

And no disease ended save the chronic

عِنانٌ تَناوَلَ ما رامَهُ

عِنانٌ تَناوَلَ ما رامَهُ

بِشَدِّ الحِضارِ وَحَلِّ العِقالِ

بِشَدِّ الحِضارِ وَحَلِّ العِقالِ

A rein that attained whatever it sought,

And lift it up to me, so the lowest of chance

by tightening the tether and loosening the hobble.

Takes from me the highest of luck

تُكَلِّلُ أَفلاكَ قِرطاسِها

تُكَلِّلُ أَفلاكَ قِرطاسِها

شُموسٌ شَوامِسُ عِندَ الزَوالِ

شُموسٌ شَوامِسُ عِندَ الزَوالِ

The spheres of their paper are crowned

As for my enemy, I do not sleep if

by suns defiant at their decline.

The ghost of imagination cheers him in sleep

فَلا أَقصَرَ النَومُ غَيرَ الطِوالِ

فَلا أَقصَرَ النَومُ غَيرَ الطِوالِ

وَلا حَسَمَ الداءَ غَيرَ العُضالِ

وَلا حَسَمَ الداءَ غَيرَ العُضالِ

May sleep shorten none but the long nights,

And the bellow of stallions did not disturb my hearing

and may disease cut down none but the intractable.

So how would the howl of pups alarm me?

وَرَفِّه عَلَيكَ فَأَدنى السُؤا

وَرَفِّه عَلَيكَ فَأَدنى السُؤا

لِ يَأخُذُ مِنِّيَ أَعلى النَوالِ

لِ يَأخُذُ مِنِّيَ أَعلى النَوالِ

Take your ease: the slightest request

A talk like the buzzing of the hidden flies

draws from me the greatest gift.

And a fate like the flight of dodging flies

وَأَمّا عَدُوّي فَلا نِمتُ إِن

وَأَمّا عَدُوّي فَلا نِمتُ إِن

تَسَرّاهُ في النَومِ طَيفُ الخَيالِ

تَسَرّاهُ في النَومِ طَيفُ الخَيالِ

As for my enemy, may I not sleep if

And the lack of sleep made them absent minded

a dream-phantom visits him in sleep.

So they became absent minded and did not occur to me

وَما راعَ سَمعي رُغاءُ الفُحولِ

وَما راعَ سَمعي رُغاءُ الفُحولِ

فَكَيفَ يَروعُ ثُغاءُ السِخالِ

فَكَيفَ يَروعُ ثُغاءُ السِخالِ

The roaring of camel stallions has never startled my ears;

And no wonder if who you have guided is misguided

how could the bleating of kids alarm me?

Misguidance of the guide is the guide of misguidance

حَديثٌ كَما طَنَّ خافي الذُبابِ

حَديثٌ كَما طَنَّ خافي الذُبابِ

وَقَدرٌ كَما طارَ عافي الذُبالِ

وَقَدرٌ كَما طارَ عافي الذُبالِ

Talk like the buzzing of an unseen fly,

It will suffice for the example in its like

and worth like the flying remnants of spent wicks.

Your latter ones who sufficed me the first ones

وَإِنَّ القَماءَةَ أَخفَتهُمُ

وَإِنَّ القَماءَةَ أَخفَتهُمُ

فَخَفّوا فَما خَطَروا لي بِبالِ

فَخَفّوا فَما خَطَروا لي بِبالِ

Their insignificance has indeed hidden them,

And I have not profited except for he who

so they became so slight they never crossed my mind.

Tomorrow buys words from principal money

وَلا غَروَ لَو ضَلَّ مَن قَد هَدَيتَ

وَلا غَروَ لَو ضَلَّ مَن قَد هَدَيتَ

ضَلالُ الدَليلِ دَليلُ الضَلالِ

ضَلالُ الدَليلِ دَليلُ الضَلالِ

No wonder if one you have guided should stray:

And how much was said about a speaker that

a guide's straying is evidence of error.

He, and he, and he, and increased in hyperbole

سَيَكفي عَلى الرَسمِ في مِثلِهِ

سَيَكفي عَلى الرَسمِ في مِثلِهِ

أَواخِرَكُم مَن كَفاني الأَوالي

أَواخِرَكُم مَن كَفاني الأَوالي

As usual, in such a case, I shall be spared

So I came to his water spring without finding direction

your last by the one who spared me the first.

And I did not see in his desert except perishing

وَما رِبحُ أَحسَنتُ إِلّا لِمَن

وَما رِبحُ أَحسَنتُ إِلّا لِمَن

غَدا يَشتَري القَولَ مِن رَأسِ مالِ

غَدا يَشتَري القَولَ مِن رَأسِ مالِ

There is no profit in 'I did well' except for one

A hope that points with pulling the journey

who comes to purchase words out of capital.

And despair that points with unloading the journey

وَكَم قيلَ عَن قائِلٍ إِنَّهُ

وَكَم قيلَ عَن قائِلٍ إِنَّهُ

وَإِنَّ وَإِنَّ وزادَ التَغالي

وَإِنَّ وَإِنَّ وزادَ التَغالي

How often it was said of a speaker, 'Indeed he...'

And a state which has an adornment in talk

and 'indeed...' and 'indeed...'—and exaggeration grew.

That deceives, while its result is not the state

فَجِئتُ إِلى مائِهِ غَيرَ آلٍ

فَجِئتُ إِلى مائِهِ غَيرَ آلٍ

فَلَم أَرَ في قَفرِهِ غَيرَ آلِ

فَلَم أَرَ في قَفرِهِ غَيرَ آلِ

So I came to his water, sparing no effort,

And your resistance to me is resistance of boredom

but saw nothing in his desert except a mirage.

And my resistance to you is resistance of boredom

رَجاءٌ يُشيرُ بِشَدِّ المَطِيِّ

رَجاءٌ يُشيرُ بِشَدِّ المَطِيِّ

وَيَأسٌ يُشيرُ بِحَطِّ الرِحالِ

وَيَأسٌ يُشيرُ بِحَطِّ الرِحالِ

Hope signals the harnessing of the mounts,

If you were my money that is in my hand

and despair signals the setting down of the saddles.

Then I am money leaning to other than money

وَحالٌ لَها حِليَةٌ بِالحَديثِ

وَحالٌ لَها حِليَةٌ بِالحَديثِ

تَغُرُّ وَمَحصولُها غَيرُ حالِ

تَغُرُّ وَمَحصولُها غَيرُ حالِ

A state adorned in talk

A prophet! My patience heard his promise

deceives, while its substance is no state at all.

So do not trick it with saying and words

وَصَدِّيَ عَنك صُدودُ العِتابِ

وَصَدِّيَ عَنك صُدودُ العِتابِ

وَصَدُّكَ عَنّي صُدودُ المَلالِ

وَصَدُّكَ عَنّي صُدودُ المَلالِ

My turning away from you is the withdrawal of reproach;

And I took from gentleness the poison of the tailor

your turning away from me is the withdrawal of weariness.

And I complain from fate the narrowness of range

إِذا كُنتَ مالي الَّذي في يَدي

إِذا كُنتَ مالي الَّذي في يَدي

فَإِنِّيَ مالٍ إِلى غَيرِ مالِ

فَإِنِّيَ مالٍ إِلى غَيرِ مالِ

If you are the wealth I hold in my hand,

then I incline toward something other than wealth.

نَبا سَمعُ صَبري عَلى وَعدِهِم

نَبا سَمعُ صَبري عَلى وَعدِهِم

فَلا تَختَدِعهُ بِقيلٍ وَقالِ

فَلا تَختَدِعهُ بِقيلٍ وَقالِ

The ear of my patience recoiled from their promise;

so do not beguile it with 'it was said' and 'he said.'

وَلَجتُ مِنَ اللُطفِ سَمَّ الخِياطِ

وَلَجتُ مِنَ اللُطفِ سَمَّ الخِياطِ

وَأَشكو مِنَ الحَظِّ ضيقَ المَجالِ

وَأَشكو مِنَ الحَظِّ ضيقَ المَجالِ

Through subtlety I entered the eye of a needle,

yet I complain of fortune's narrow scope.