وَقَفنا عَلى قَصرِ العَزيزِ وَقَد عَفا

وَقَفنا عَلى قَصرِ العَزيزِ وَقَد عَفا

نَعيبُ عَلَيهِ الدَهرَ لَمّا تَحَكَّما

نَعيبُ عَلَيهِ الدَهرَ لَمّا تَحَكَّما

We stood at al-Aziz's palace, already worn away,

We stood at the palace of the beloved, though it lies in ruin

reproaching Time over it, when Time ruled unchecked.

We blame fate for what it did when it took control

سَلامٌ عَلَيهِ مِن مُعَنّى مُعَتَّفٍ

سَلامٌ عَلَيهِ مِن مُعَنّى مُعَتَّفٍ

وَقَلَّ لَهُ مِن صاحِبٍ أَن يُسَلَّما

وَقَلَّ لَهُ مِن صاحِبٍ أَن يُسَلَّما

Peace upon it from one tormented and battered;

Greetings of meaning to him, from one who is grieved

yet a friend's greeting is too little for it.

And say to him, from a companion, greetings again

بَكَيتُ لَهُ دَمعاً وَلَو كُنتُ مُنصِفاً

بَكَيتُ لَهُ دَمعاً وَلَو كُنتُ مُنصِفاً

بَكَيتُ دَماً وَالدَمعُ ضَربٌ مِنَ الدِما

بَكَيتُ دَماً وَالدَمعُ ضَربٌ مِنَ الدِما

I wept tears for it; and had I been fair,

I wept for him with tears, though if I were just,

I would have wept blood, for tears are a kind of blood.

I would weep blood, for tears are but blood’s kith and kin

فَيا عَجَباً مِنّي وَمِنهُ فَإِنَّني

فَيا عَجَباً مِنّي وَمِنهُ فَإِنَّني

خَرِستُ وَهَمَّ الرَبعُ أَن يَتَكَلَّما

خَرِستُ وَهَمَّ الرَبعُ أَن يَتَكَلَّما

How strange we are, it and I! For I

So strange am I and he, that I am struck dumb

fell mute, while the dwelling almost spoke.

While the encampment thought I would speak out

مَنازِلُ كانَت لِلنُجومِ مَنازِلا

مَنازِلُ كانَت لِلنُجومِ مَنازِلا

وَصارَت بِآفاقِ التَذَكُّرِ أَنجُماً

وَصارَت بِآفاقِ التَذَكُّرِ أَنجُماً

Dwellings that were stations for the stars

Dwellings were stations for stars, stations

became stars in the horizons of remembrance.

That became, in realms of remembrance, stars again

أَيا رَبعُ قل لي كَيفَ حالُكَ بَعدَ ما

أَيا رَبعُ قل لي كَيفَ حالُكَ بَعدَ ما

تَفانَوا فَقالَ الرَبعُ لَم يَبقَ بَعدَ ما

تَفانَوا فَقالَ الرَبعُ لَم يَبقَ بَعدَ ما

O dwelling, tell me how you fare after

Oh encampment, say to me, how are you after they

they perished. The dwelling replied: Nothing remains now.

Perished? The encampment said, after they went, naught remains

تَأَخَّرتُ مِن بَعدِ الأَحِبَّةِ مُدَّةً

تَأَخَّرتُ مِن بَعدِ الأَحِبَّةِ مُدَّةً

وَلَو أَنَّ لي أَمراً لَكُنتُ المُقَدَّما

وَلَو أَنَّ لي أَمراً لَكُنتُ المُقَدَّما

I lingered a while after the beloved ones;

I tarried after the loved ones a while,

had the choice been mine, I would have gone first.

And had I any will, I would have been the first to go before

لَئِن صِرتَ فَوقَ الأَرضِ أَرضاً فَرُبَّما

لَئِن صِرتَ فَوقَ الأَرضِ أَرضاً فَرُبَّما

عَهِدناكَ مِن فَوقِ السَماءِ لَنا سَما

عَهِدناكَ مِن فَوقِ السَماءِ لَنا سَما

Though you have become earth upon the earth, how often

If you are above the earth a land, maybe

we knew you as our heaven above the sky.

We knew you above the sky as our sky

حَكَيتَ لَنا بِالأَمسِ عَنهُم حَقيقَةً

حَكَيتَ لَنا بِالأَمسِ عَنهُم حَقيقَةً

فَأَصبَحتَ أَنتَ اليَومَ ظَنا مُرَجَّما

فَأَصبَحتَ أَنتَ اليَومَ ظَنا مُرَجَّما

Yesterday you told us the truth about them;

Yesterday you told us about them truly,

so today you yourself have become a blindly hazarded conjecture.

Today you are but imagined conjecture woven

عَزيزٌ عَلَينا أَن نَراكَ عَلى البِلى

عَزيزٌ عَلَينا أَن نَراكَ عَلى البِلى

تُراباً نَهى المَشغوفَ أَن يَتَيَمَّما

تُراباً نَهى المَشغوفَ أَن يَتَيَمَّما

It grieves us to see you, amid decay,

Dear to us that we see you on the worn path

as dust that forbids the devoted lover to seek you.

Dust - though desire is warned not to take that as its creed

تَصَدّى لَهُ مَن لا يُراقِبُ حُرمَةً

تَصَدّى لَهُ مَن لا يُراقِبُ حُرمَةً

وَمَن لَيسَ يَرعى لِلمَكارِمِ مَحرَما

وَمَن لَيسَ يَرعى لِلمَكارِمِ مَحرَما

One who respects no sanctity assailed it,

He was shunned by one who has no care for dignity

and one who guards no sanctuary for noble virtues.

By one who does not heed what is inviolate and forbidden

فَيا هاشِمِيّاً أَعقَبوهُ بِهاشِمٍ

فَيا هاشِمِيّاً أَعقَبوهُ بِهاشِمٍ

وَيا عَرَبِيّاً عاقَبوهُ بِأَعجَما

وَيا عَرَبِيّاً عاقَبوهُ بِأَعجَما

O Hashimite, whom they replaced with a crusher;

So Hashimite, they succeeded him with a Hashim

O Arab, whom they punished with a non-Arab!

And Arabic speaker, they punished him with a non-Arab

لَما ساءَني أَن تَرحَلَ الدارُ بَعدَهُم

لَما ساءَني أَن تَرحَلَ الدارُ بَعدَهُم

إِذا ذَهَبَ الحامي فَلا بَقِيَ الحِمى

إِذا ذَهَبَ الحامي فَلا بَقِيَ الحِمى

It would not grieve me if the dwelling departed after them;

When the house was deserted after them

when the protector is gone, may the protected land not remain.

With no protector remaining, no sanctuary survives

وَلا تَنشُدَن أَوطانهُم بَعدَ يَأسِها

وَلا تَنشُدَن أَوطانهُم بَعدَ يَأسِها

عَسى وَطَنٌ يَدنوبِهِم وَلَعَلَّما

عَسى وَطَنٌ يَدنوبِهِم وَلَعَلَّما

Do not seek their homelands once hope of them is lost:

Do not seek their homelands after despair

perhaps a homeland will draw them near—perhaps.

Maybe a homeland will be brought near by their return

وَلَم تَحتَسِب غَدرَ الزَمانِ تَقَلُّباً

وَلَم تَحتَسِب غَدرَ الزَمانِ تَقَلُّباً

وَغَدراً فَمِمَّن في الكِرامِ تَعَلَّما

وَغَدراً فَمِمَّن في الكِرامِ تَعَلَّما

You did not foresee Time's treachery—its reversals

You did not count the turns of fate as fickle

and betrayal. From whom among the noble did it learn?

And betrayal - so from whom of the noble did you learn?

وَما هُدَّدَ البُنيانُ يا عَينُ وَحدَهُ

وَما هُدَّدَ البُنيانُ يا عَينُ وَحدَهُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ بُنيانُ قَومٍ تَهَدَّما

وَلَكِنَّهُ بُنيانُ قَومٍ تَهَدَّما

It was not the building alone, O eye, that was threatened;

Not just you, my eye, were threatened, that building -

rather, a people's very edifice collapsed.

But a people’s building that was razed down

وَما عَلَّموا الدَهرَ الَّذي كانَ عَبدَهُم

وَما عَلَّموا الدَهرَ الَّذي كانَ عَبدَهُم

عَلى غَدرِهِ هَل كانَ قِدماً مُعَلَّما

عَلى غَدرِهِ هَل كانَ قِدماً مُعَلَّما

They did not teach Time, which had been their servant,

Nor did they teach fate, who they worshipped,

its treachery; had it been taught that long ago?

For its betrayal - was it then a trained foot?

وَكَم قَد حَجَجنا فيكَ لِلمَجدِ كَعبَةً

وَكَم قَد حَجَجنا فيكَ لِلمَجدِ كَعبَةً

وَكَم قَد أَقَمنا فيكَ لِلحَمدِ مَوسِما

وَكَم قَد أَقَمنا فيكَ لِلحَمدِ مَوسِما

How often we made pilgrimage within you to a Kaaba of glory;

How we made pilgrimage to you for glory, like Kaaba

how often we held within you a festival of praise.

And we held feast of praise in you, a great season

سَأَذكُرُ لِلأَيّامِ عُرساً بِدَهرِهِ

سَأَذكُرُ لِلأَيّامِ عُرساً بِدَهرِهِ

أَقامَ عَلَيهِ مِن لَياليهِ مَأتَما

أَقامَ عَلَيهِ مِن لَياليهِ مَأتَما

I shall remind the days of a wedding in his time,

I will remind time of a wedding it held

over which he held a wake from his nights.

Over which its nights held funeral for so long

وَأَبدَت بِتَيتيمِ القَوافي وَيُتمِها

وَأَبدَت بِتَيتيمِ القَوافي وَيُتمِها

فَلا أَبعَدَ اللَهُ اليَتيمَ المُيَتِّما

فَلا أَبعَدَ اللَهُ اليَتيمَ المُيَتِّما

And the days revealed themselves by orphaning rhymes and leaving them orphaned;

And manifested in the rhymes of orphans its orphanhood

may God never banish the orphan who makes orphans.

So may God not distance the orphan who makes whole

إِذا سَحَبَت مِنهُ الرِياحُ ذُيولَها

إِذا سَحَبَت مِنهُ الرِياحُ ذُيولَها

غَدا عِطرُ ذاكَ التُربِ نَهباً مُقَسَّما

غَدا عِطرُ ذاكَ التُربِ نَهباً مُقَسَّما

When the winds drag their skirts away from it,

When the winds draw away their ends

the perfume of that soil becomes divided plunder.

The scent of that soil becomes scattered spoils

فَأَيُّ اِرتِياعٍ لِلرِياحِ شَكَت بِهِ

فَأَيُّ اِرتِياعٍ لِلرِياحِ شَكَت بِهِ

وَإِن قَسَّمَت غاراتُها مِنهُ مَغنَما

وَإِن قَسَّمَت غاراتُها مِنهُ مَغنَما

What alarm at the winds, then, did it voice,

So which relief for the winds that it complained

though their raids shared out spoils from it?

When its raids share some booty from it

وَما الأَرضُ أَهلا أَن تُرى دارَ دارِهِ

وَما الأَرضُ أَهلا أَن تُرى دارَ دارِهِ

فَقَد بَوَّأَتهُ الريحُ داراً مِنَ السَما

فَقَد بَوَّأَتهُ الريحُ داراً مِنَ السَما

The earth is not worthy to be the dwelling of his dwelling;

Nor is the earth fit to be home of his home

the wind has lodged it in a dwelling in the sky.

So the wind made him home in the sky

كَأَن لَم تَكُن فيكَ السَعادَةُ طَلقَةً

كَأَن لَم تَكُن فيكَ السَعادَةُ طَلقَةً

وَوَجهُ ظُباها باسِماً مُتَجَهِّما

وَوَجهُ ظُباها باسِماً مُتَجَهِّما

As though happiness had never been radiant in you,

As if joy had not been freely yours

nor the face of its blades smiling yet grim;

And the face of its beauty grimaced with a frown

وَلا صارَ ذاكَ البَهوُ مُلكاً مُحَجَّباً

وَلا صارَ ذاكَ البَهوُ مُلكاً مُحَجَّباً

وَلا جَرَّ ذاكَ الرَعبُ جَيشاً عَرَمرَما

وَلا جَرَّ ذاكَ الرَعبُ جَيشاً عَرَمرَما

nor had that hall become a veiled realm,

As if that splendor did not become veiled kingdom

nor that terror drawn a vast army behind it;

Nor that awe drive a restless army

وَلا كانَ قَصدُ الوَفدِ غُرَّةَ كَوكَبِ

وَلا كانَ قَصدُ الوَفدِ غُرَّةَ كَوكَبِ

فَلَمّا بَدَت صَلّى عَلَيها وَسَلَّما

فَلَمّا بَدَت صَلّى عَلَيها وَسَلَّما

nor had the delegation sought the radiant brow of a star,

Nor the delegation’s purpose the rising of a star -

then, when it appeared, blessed and greeted it;

when it rose, they prayed and greeted it

وَلَم يَستَكِفَّ النَيلُ مِنهُ سَماحَةً

وَلَم يَستَكِفَّ النَيلُ مِنهُ سَماحَةً

وَلَم يَستَخِفَّ الحِلمُ مِنهُ المَقَطَّعا

وَلَم يَستَخِفَّ الحِلمُ مِنهُ المَقَطَّعا

nor had the Nile begged generosity from him,

The Nile was not niggardly of its generosity with him

nor his forbearance found the cut-apart one light;

Nor was clemency dismissive of his compassion

وَلَم يَكفِهِ الإِعظامُ أَن يَتَعَظَّما

وَلَم يَكفِهِ الإِعظامُ أَن يَتَعَظَّما

وَلَم تُغنِهِ الأَحلامُ أَن يَتَحَلَّما

وَلَم تُغنِهِ الأَحلامُ أَن يَتَحَلَّما

nor had reverence spared him from feigning grandeur,

Grandeur did not suffice him to become grander

nor his forbearance spared him from feigning patience;

Nor dreams suffice him to become a dreamer

وَلَم يُعطِنا لا عَن رَجاءٍ وَخيفَةٍ

وَلَم يُعطِنا لا عَن رَجاءٍ وَخيفَةٍ

وَلَكِن يَراهُ حُرمَةً وَتَحَرُّما

وَلَكِن يَراهُ حُرمَةً وَتَحَرُّما

nor had he given us—not from hope or fear,

He did not give to us save no wish or fear

but because he deems it a sacred duty and observance.

But he saw it as inviolable and forbidden

كَذا الكَرَمُ المَوجودُ في الطَبعِ فَضلُهُ

كَذا الكَرَمُ المَوجودُ في الطَبعِ فَضلُهُ

وَفي الناسِ مَن أَن جادَ جادَ تَكَرُّما

وَفي الناسِ مَن أَن جادَ جادَ تَكَرُّما

Such is the excellence of generosity rooted in nature;

So inherent nobility in nature - its superiority

among people, some, if they give, give to seem generous.

And among people, whoever gives gives nobly

شِمِ الوَجهَ بَدراً وَاليَمينَ سَحابَةً

شِمِ الوَجهَ بَدراً وَاليَمينَ سَحابَةً

تَرَ الحِلمَ طَوداً يَتبَعُ العَزمَ ضَيغَما

تَرَ الحِلمَ طَوداً يَتبَعُ العَزمَ ضَيغَما

Behold the face, a full moon, and the right hand, a cloud;

Discern the face a full moon, the right hand a cloud

you will see forbearance as a mountain following resolve, a lion.

Seeing clemency a towering mountain, resolve a piercing star

وَقُم في دِيارٍ قَد حَلَت بِقِيامِهِ

وَقُم في دِيارٍ قَد حَلَت بِقِيامِهِ

فَناجِ بِها ديناً مِنَ الوُدِّ قَيِّما

فَناجِ بِها ديناً مِنَ الوُدِّ قَيِّما

Stand in dwellings made lovely by his presence,

Arise in an abode where he gave it its standing

and commune there with an upright faith of affection.

Speak to it of a faith securely steadfast

وَقُل يا دِيارَ الظاعِنينَ بِرَغمِنا

وَقُل يا دِيارَ الظاعِنينَ بِرَغمِنا

وَعَهدِكِ أَن أَضحى لَكِ الدَهرُ مُرغِما

وَعَهدِكِ أَن أَضحى لَكِ الدَهرُ مُرغِما

Say: O dwellings of those who departed against our will,

And say, O abode of those who blame against our will

and by your days, when Time humbled others for you!

Your pact is that time will be to you coerced

ذَماؤُكَ فيها لا دِماؤُكَ فَاِنتَصِفُ

ذَماؤُكَ فيها لا دِماؤُكَ فَاِنتَصِفُ

وَإِلّا فَكُن مِن ذَمِّها مُتَذَمِّما

وَإِلّا فَكُن مِن ذَمِّها مُتَذَمِّما

Your lingering life is in them, not your blood; seek redress,

Take your vengeance, not your blood, so retaliate

or else refrain, out of scruple, from blaming them.

Or else be one who blames it with lasting blame

خُذوا أَدمُعي عِقداً نَثيراً فَطالَما

خُذوا أَدمُعي عِقداً نَثيراً فَطالَما

نَظَمتُ لَهُ النَعماءَ عِقداً مُنَظَّما

نَظَمتُ لَهُ النَعماءَ عِقداً مُنَظَّما

Take my tears as a scattered necklace, for many a time

Take my tears as a scattered pearl necklace

I strung blessings for him into a well-ordered necklace.

For long I strung the favors for it, a threaded necklace

أَمالِكَها إِن كانَ دَهرُكَ ناقِصاً

أَمالِكَها إِن كانَ دَهرُكَ ناقِصاً

بِمُلكِكَ إِنّي قَد تُرِكتُ مُتَمِّما

بِمُلكِكَ إِنّي قَد تُرِكتُ مُتَمِّما

O its master, if your age is deficient

Its rulers - if your time is incomplete

in your kingship, I have been left to complete it.

With your kingdom, I am left to complete

وَما نَظَرُ الإِنسانِ دُنيا يُحِبُّها

وَما نَظَرُ الإِنسانِ دُنيا يُحِبُّها

وَلَيسَ لَهُ فيها حَبيبٌ سِوى العَمى

وَلَيسَ لَهُ فيها حَبيبٌ سِوى العَمى

What is a person's gaze upon a world he loves,

A person’s eyes see no life that he loves

with no beloved in it for him, but blindness?

Save for blindness, he has no beloved in it

أُعَلِّلُ نَفساً لا سَقِمتَ سَقيمَةً

أُعَلِّلُ نَفساً لا سَقِمتَ سَقيمَةً

بِظَنٍّ غَداً مِنها أُدَقَّ وَأَسقَما

بِظَنٍّ غَداً مِنها أُدَقَّ وَأَسقَما

I soothe an ailing soul—may you never sicken—

I console a soul, though it fell not ill

with a supposition about tomorrow, frailer and sicker than it.

With hopes tomorrow even falser and more ill

وَأَقنَعُ بِالآمالِ مِنكَ كَواذِباً

وَأَقنَعُ بِالآمالِ مِنكَ كَواذِباً

فَلا أَخلَفَ اللَهُ المُرَجّي المُرَجِّما

فَلا أَخلَفَ اللَهُ المُرَجّي المُرَجِّما

I content myself with false hopes of you;

I make do with false hopes from you

may God never disappoint the hopeful conjecturer.

But God does not disappoint the hopeful and deluded

وَإِنّي لَمَلآنُ الفُؤادِ عَزائِماً

وَإِنّي لَمَلآنُ الفُؤادِ عَزائِماً

لَو أَنّي وَجَدتُ اليَومَ لِلرَأيِ مَعزَما

لَو أَنّي وَجَدتُ اليَومَ لِلرَأيِ مَعزَما

My heart is indeed filled with resolves,

My heart is filled with resolves

if only today I could find a field for my judgment's resolve.

Had I found support today for my opinion, a resolve

أَهُمُّ بِما لَو كانَ فيهِ مُساعِدٌ

أَهُمُّ بِما لَو كانَ فيهِ مُساعِدٌ

لَما سُمتُهُ قَبلي بِأَن يَتَقَدَّما

لَما سُمتُهُ قَبلي بِأَن يَتَقَدَّما

I intend something in which, if I had a helper,

I hesitate at what - had there been a supporter

I would not ask him to advance before me.

I would not have named it before as a precedent

يُهَدِّدُني دَهري بِصَرمِ مَطامِعي

يُهَدِّدُني دَهري بِصَرمِ مَطامِعي

وَما زِلتُ لِلخِلِّ المُصارِمِ أَصرَما

وَما زِلتُ لِلخِلِّ المُصارِمِ أَصرَما

My Time threatens me with cutting off my ambitions,

My fate threatens me with frustration of my hopes

yet I have always been readier to break with a friend who breaks with me.

Yet still I resolutely clash with sorrows

فَإِن أَشكُ داراً جاوَرَتني بِظالِمِ

فَإِن أَشكُ داراً جاوَرَتني بِظالِمِ

ظَلَمتُ وَكُنتُ الظالِمَ المُتَظَلِّما

ظَلَمتُ وَكُنتُ الظالِمَ المُتَظَلِّما

If I complain of a dwelling that set an oppressor beside me,

If I suspect a house that neighbors me wrongs

I have done wrong, becoming the wrongdoer who complains of wrong.

I do wrong, become the wronger in darkness

إِذا الرِزقُ لَم يُسلِم إِلَيكَ زِمامَهُ

إِذا الرِزقُ لَم يُسلِم إِلَيكَ زِمامَهُ

فَلا نُعمِلَن إِلّا المَطِيِّ المُزَمِّما

فَلا نُعمِلَن إِلّا المَطِيِّ المُزَمِّما

If livelihood does not surrender its reins to you,

If sustenance does not hand you its lead

then let us drive only bridled riding camels.

We will not ride, except the trotting raced

فَشُدَّ السُرى أَن أَرسَلَ اللَيلُ عَقرَباً

فَشُدَّ السُرى أَن أَرسَلَ اللَيلُ عَقرَباً

وَكُرَّ الكَرى أَن أَرسَلَ السَوطَ أَزقَما

وَكُرَّ الكَرى أَن أَرسَلَ السَوطَ أَزقَما

Press on through the night if the night sends a scorpion,

Bad is the evil the night sent as fate

and drive back sleep if the whip sends forth a serpent [uncertain reading].

And the fates that sent the whip are mean

فَقاطِع بِنا أَبناءَ حَوّا وَآدَمٍ

فَقاطِع بِنا أَبناءَ حَوّا وَآدَمٍ

وَواصِل بِنا آلَ الجُدَيلِ وَشَدقَما

وَواصِل بِنا آلَ الجُدَيلِ وَشَدقَما

So, with us, break with the sons of Eve and Adam,

Sever us from Adam and Eve's sons

and, with us, keep ties with the kin of al-Judayl and Shadqam.

Join us to progeny of Judayl and Shaddad

وَعَمَّن بِمَن لي أَنتَ وَيحَكَ سائِلٌ

وَعَمَّن بِمَن لي أَنتَ وَيحَكَ سائِلٌ

وَمَن ذا الَّذي عَنهُ سَأَلتَ بِغَيرِ ما

وَمَن ذا الَّذي عَنهُ سَأَلتَ بِغَيرِ ما

And whom are you asking about, poor soul, with 'Who is there for me?'

Of whom do you ask, when you are me?

And who is the one you asked about, other than someone

Who is this about whom you asked, whatever for?

عَلى خَطَرٍ مِن خَطرَةٍ في فُؤادِهِ

عَلى خَطَرٍ مِن خَطرَةٍ في فُؤادِهِ

نَهَتهُ عَنِ العَذبِ الزُلالِ مَعَ الظَما

نَهَتهُ عَنِ العَذبِ الزُلالِ مَعَ الظَما

at risk from a passing thought in his heart,

On the brink of a whim in his heart

which barred him from sweet, limpid water despite his thirst?

That warned him from the sweet water, and thirst