أحْسَنُmore fitting بالوَاجِدِfor the grief-stricken مِنthan وَجْدِهِhis grief
أحْسَنُ بالوَاجِدِ مِن وَجْدِهِ
صَبْرٌpatience يُعيدُrestores النّارَthe fire فيin زَنْدِهِhis fire-stick
صَبْرٌ يُعيدُ النّارَ في زَنْدِهِ
More fitting for the grief-stricken than his grief
The one who is well is better than his well-being
is patience that rekindles fire in his fire-stick.
Patience returns the fire to its flint
ومَنْand whoever أبَىrefused فيin الرُّزْءِbereavement غَيْرَother than الأسَىsorrow
ومَنْ أبَى في الرُّزْءِ غَيْرَ الأسَى
كانَwas بُكاهُhis weeping مُنْتَهَىthe limit of جُهْدِهِhis effort
كانَ بُكاهُ مُنْتَهَى جُهْدِهِ
And whoever accepts only sorrow in bereavement,
He who refuses anything but sorrow in times of adversity
his weeping is the limit of his effort.
His weeping is the extent of his effort
فَليَذْرِفِso let it shed tears الجَفْنُthe eyelid علىfor جَعْفَرٍJa‘far
فَليَذْرِفِ الجَفْنُ على جَعْفَرٍ
إذsince كانَwas لمnot يُفْتَحْbe found علىupon نِدّهِhis equal
إذ كانَ لم يُفْتَحْ على نِدّهِ
Then let the eyelid shed tears for Ja‘far,
So let the eyelids overflow for Jaʿfar
for no equal of his had been found.
Since he was not opened by his peer
والشيءُand a thing لاnot يَكْثُرُgrow numerous مُدّاحُهُits praisers
والشيءُ لا يَكْثُرُ مُدّاحُهُ
إلاّunless إذاwhen قيسَwas compared إلىwith ضِدّهِits opposite
إلاّ إذا قيسَ إلى ضِدّهِ
And a thing's admirers do not grow numerous
And a thing is not lauded much by its praiser
unless it is compared with its opposite.
Except when compared to its contrary
لوْلاwere it not for غَضَاsaxaul نَجْدٍNajd وقُلاّمُهُand its saltwort
لوْلا غَضَا نَجْدٍ وقُلاّمُهُ
لمnot يُثْنَbe praised بالطّيبِfor fragrance علىupon رَنْدِهِits laurel
لم يُثْنَ بالطّيبِ على رَنْدِهِ
Were it not for Najd's saxaul and its saltwort,
Were it not for the jealousy of Najd and its pens
its laurel would not be praised for fragrance.
The perfumed would not praise its bouquet
ليسَis not الذيthe one who يُبْكىis wept over علىfor وَصْلِهِhis companionship
ليسَ الذي يُبْكى على وَصْلِهِ
مثلَlike الذيthe one who يُبْكىis wept over علىfor صَدّهِhis rejection
مثلَ الذي يُبْكى على صَدّهِ
One whose companionship is wept over is not
He who is wept for upon his union
like one whose rejection is wept over.
Is not like one wept for upon his loss
والطّرْفُand the eye يرْتاحُfinds comfort إلىin غُمْضِهِits closing
والطّرْفُ يرْتاحُ إلى غُمْضِهِ
وَلَيسَand does not يَرْتاحُfind comfort إلىin سُهْدِهِits sleeplessness
وَلَيسَ يَرْتاحُ إلى سُهْدِهِ
And the eye finds comfort in closing,
And the eye finds rest in shutting it
and finds no comfort in wakefulness.
Not in keeping it wide open
كانَwould have been الأسَىgrief فَرْضاًa duty لوif أنّthat الرّدىdeath
كانَ الأسَى فَرْضاً لو أنّ الرّدى
قالsaid لناto us افْدوهُransom him فلمand did not نَفْدِهِwe ransom him
قال لنا افْدوهُ فلم نَفْدِهِ
Grief would have been a duty had death
Sorrow would have been obligatory had fate
told us, "Ransom him," and we had not ransomed him.
Said to us "ransom him" but we did not ransom him
هلis it هُوَhe إلاanything but طالِعٌa rising star للهُدىof guidance
هل هُوَ إلا طالِعٌ للهُدى
سارَjourneyed منَfrom التُّرْبِthe dust إلىto سَعْدِهِhis bliss
سارَ منَ التُّرْبِ إلى سَعْدِهِ
Is he anything but a rising star of guidance
Is it not but a rising to guidance?
who journeyed from the dust to his bliss?
It traveled from dust to its bliss
فباتَso he became أدْنَىnearer مِنْthan يَدٍa hand بَينَناamong us
فباتَ أدْنَى مِنْ يَدٍ بَينَنا
كأنّهُas though he were الكَوْكَبُthe star فيin بُعدِهِhis remoteness
كأنّهُ الكَوْكَبُ في بُعدِهِ
So he lay nearer than a hand among us,
So it remained closer than a hand's width between us
yet seemed a star in his remoteness.
As if it were the planet in its distance
ياO دَهْرُTime ياO مُنجِزَfulfiller of إيعادِهِits threat
يا دَهْرُ يا مُنجِزَ إيعادِهِ
ومُخْلِفَand breaker of المأمولِwhat is hoped for منfrom وَعْدِهِits promise
ومُخْلِفَ المأمولِ من وَعْدِهِ
O Time, fulfiller of your threat,
O time, fulfiller of its promises
and betrayer of the hope placed in your promise!
And neglecter of what is hoped from its pledges
أيُّwhat جَديدٍnew thing لكَof yours لمnot تُبْلِهِyou wear it out
أيُّ جَديدٍ لكَ لم تُبْلِهِ
وأيُّand which أقرانِكَyour peers لمnot تُرْدِهِyou destroy him
وأيُّ أقرانِكَ لم تُرْدِهِ
What new thing of yours have you not worn out?
What novelty is there you have not worn out?
And which of your peers have you not destroyed?
And which peers have you not cast down?
تَستأسِرُyou take captive العِقبانَthe eagles فيin جَوّهاtheir sky
تَستأسِرُ العِقبانَ في جَوّها
وتُنزِلُand you bring down الأعصَمَthe white-legged ibex منfrom فِنْدِهِits crag
وتُنزِلُ الأعصَمَ من فِنْدِهِ
You take the eagles captive in their sky,
It imprisons eagles in their haunts
and bring the white-legged ibex down from its crag.
And brings down the unassailable from his nest
أرىI see ذَويthose possessing الفَضلmerit وأضدادَهمand their opposites
أرى ذَوي الفَضل وأضدادَهم
يَجمعُهُمْgathers them سَيْلُكَyour torrent فيin مَدّهِits swelling
يَجمعُهُمْ سَيْلُكَ في مَدّهِ
I see men of merit and their opposites:
I see the virtuous and their opposites
your torrent gathers them in its swelling.
Your flood carries them in its surge
إنْif لمnot يكُنْbe رُشْدُthe wisdom of الفتىthe young man نافِعاًuseful
إنْ لم يكُنْ رُشْدُ الفتى نافِعاً
فغَيّهُthen his folly أنفَعُmore useful مِنْthan رُشْدِهِhis wisdom
فغَيّهُ أنفَعُ مِنْ رُشْدِهِ
If a young man's wisdom is of no use,
If the discernment of the youth is unprofitable
then his folly is more useful than his wisdom.
Then his folly is more beneficial than his discernment
تَجرِبةُexperience of الدّنياthe world وأفعالِهاand its deeds
تَجرِبةُ الدّنيا وأفعالِها
حَثّتْurged أخاthe adherent of الزّهْدِasceticism عَلىtoward زُهْدِهِhis renunciation
حَثّتْ أخا الزّهْدِ عَلى زُهْدِهِ
Experience of the world and its deeds
The experience of the world and its deeds
has urged the ascetic on in his renunciation.
Have urged the brother of asceticism to his asceticism
والقَلْبُand the heart مِنْfrom أهوائِهِits desires عابِدٌworshipping
والقَلْبُ مِنْ أهوائِهِ عابِدٌ
ماwhat يَعْبُدُworships الكافرُthe unbeliever منof بُدّهِhis idol
ما يَعْبُدُ الكافرُ من بُدّهِ
And the heart, driven by its desires, worships
While the heart worships its passions
what the unbeliever worships in his idol.
Like the disbeliever worships his idols
إنّindeed زَمانيmy time برَزياهُthrough its calamities ليfor me
إنّ زَماني برَزياهُ لي
صَيّرَنيmade me أمْرَحُI frolic فيin قِدّهِits rawhide tether
صَيّرَني أمْرَحُ في قِدّهِ
Indeed, my time, through its afflictions upon me,
My time has revealed its harm to me
has made me frolic in its rawhide tether.
Making me frolicsome in its coil
كأنّناas though we فيin كَفّهِits palm مالُهُits wealth
كأنّنا في كَفّهِ مالُهُ
يُنفِقُit spends ماwhat يَختارُit chooses منof نَقْدِهِits coin
يُنفِقُ ما يَختارُ من نَقْدِهِ
As though we were its wealth in its palm,
As if we are its riches in its palm
it spends whatever it chooses of its coin.
It spends whatever it chooses of its cash
لوْif عَرَفَknew الإنْسانُman مقدارَهُhis measure
لوْ عَرَفَ الإنْسانُ مقدارَهُ
لمnot يَفْخَرboast المولىthe master علىover عَبْدِهِhis slave
لم يَفْخَر المولى على عَبْدِهِ
If man knew his own measure,
If man knew his worth
the master would not boast over his slave.
The Master would not pride Himself over His servant
أمْسِyesterday الذيwhich مَرّpassed علىdespite قرْبهِits nearness
أمْسِ الذي مَرّ على قرْبهِ
يَعجِزُare unable أهلُthe people of الأرْضِthe earth عنto رَدّهِbringing it back
يَعجِزُ أهلُ الأرْضِ عن رَدّهِ
Yesterday, though it passed so recently,
Yesterday which passed by its tomb
cannot be brought back by the people of earth.
The people of the earth cannot restore it
أضْحىhas become الذيthe one who أُجّلَwas granted respite فيin سِنّهِhis years
أضْحى الذي أُجّلَ في سِنّهِ
مثلَlike الذيthe one who عُوجِلَwas taken suddenly فيin مَهْدِهِhis cradle
مثلَ الذي عُوجِلَ في مَهْدِهِ
One whose years were prolonged has become
He who was given long life in his old age
like one taken suddenly in his cradle.
Has become like one hurried in his cradle
ولاand does not يُباليcare المَيْتُthe dead man فيin قَبرهِhis grave
ولا يُبالي المَيْتُ في قَبرهِ
بذَمّهِwith blame of him شُيّعَwas escorted to burial أمْor حَمْدِهِpraise of him
بذَمّهِ شُيّعَ أمْ حَمْدِهِ
And the dead man in his grave does not care
The dead man does not care in his grave
whether he was borne to burial with blame or praise.
Whether he was blamed in his funeral procession or praised
والواحِدُand the lone man المُفرَدُthe solitary فيin حَتْفِهِhis death
والواحِدُ المُفرَدُ في حَتْفِهِ
كالحاشِدِlike the musterer المُكْثِرِwho multiplies منof حَشدِهِhis host
كالحاشِدِ المُكْثِرِ من حَشدِهِ
And the lone man, solitary in his death,
The singular isolated in his death
is like one who gathers a great host around him.
Is like the large crowds in their multitude
وحالَةُand the state of الباكيone weeping لآبائِهfor his forefathers
وحالَةُ الباكي لآبائِه
كحالَةِlike the state of الباكيone weeping علىfor وُلْدِهِhis children
كحالَةِ الباكي على وُلْدِهِ
And the state of one who weeps for his forefathers
The state of one crying for his fathers
is like that of one who weeps for his children.
Is like the state of one crying for his son
ماwhat use is رغبَةُthe wish of الحيّthe living man بأبنائِهِfor his sons
ما رغبَةُ الحيّ بأبنائِهِ
عَمّاfrom what جنَىinflicted الموْتُdeath علىon جَدّهِhis grandfather
عَمّا جنَى الموْتُ على جَدّهِ
What avails the living man's wish to shield his sons
The living man's desire for his sons
from what death inflicted on his grandfather?
Is not like what death has reaped from his forefathers
ومَجْدُهُand his glory أفعالُهُhis deeds لاnot الذيthe one who
ومَجْدُهُ أفعالُهُ لا الذي
منfrom قَبْلِهِbefore him كانَexisted ولاnor بَعْدِهِafter him
من قَبْلِهِ كانَ ولا بَعْدِهِ
And his glory lies in his deeds, not in those
His glory is his deeds not that
who came before him or come after him.
Which was before him or will be after him
لُوْلاwere it not for سَجاياهُhis innate qualities وَأخْلاقُهُand his character
لُوْلا سَجاياهُ وَأخْلاقُهُ
لكانَthen he would be كالمَعْدومِlike one nonexistent فيin وُجْدِهِhis wealth
لكانَ كالمَعْدومِ في وُجْدِهِ
If not for his qualities and his character,
Were it not for his traits and manners
he would be as nothing, for all his wealth.
He would be like the non-existent in his existence
تَشتاقُlong for أيّارَMay نفوسُthe souls of الوَرَىhumankind
تَشتاقُ أيّارَ نفوسُ الوَرَى
وإنّماand only الشّوْقُthe longing إلىfor وَرْدِهِits roses
وإنّما الشّوْقُ إلى وَرْدِهِ
The souls of humankind long for May,
The souls of all people long for their beloved
yet their longing is only for its roses.
And longing is only for its roses
تَدعوpray بطولfor length of العمرlife أفواهُناour mouths
تَدعو بطول العمر أفواهُنا
لمَنْfor one whom تَناهىreached the utmost القَلبُthe heart فيin وُدّهِlove for him
لمَنْ تَناهى القَلبُ في وُدّهِ
Our mouths pray for length of life
Our mouths call for long life
for one whom the heart loves to the utmost.
For those whose hearts have come to love them
يُسَرّhe rejoices إنif مُدis prolonged بَقاءٌlife لَهُfor him
يُسَرّ إن مُد بَقاءٌ لَهُ
وكلُّand all ماthat يَكْرَهُhe hates فيin مَدّهِits prolongation
وكلُّ ما يَكْرَهُ في مَدّهِ
He rejoices if life is prolonged for him,
It brings joy if an extension of life is granted
yet everything he hates lies in its prolongation.
And whatever is disliked in its term
أفضَلُthe finest of ماwhat فيin النّفسِthe soul يَغتالُهاslays it
أفضَلُ ما في النّفسِ يَغتالُها
فنَستَعيذُso we seek refuge in اللهَGod منfrom جُندِهِHis troops
فنَستَعيذُ اللهَ من جُندِهِ
The finest thing within the soul slays it,
The most precious thing in the self murders it
so we seek refuge in God from His troops.
So we seek refuge from its troops
وآفَةُand the bane of العاشِقِthe lover مِنْfrom طَرْفِهِhis eye
وآفَةُ العاشِقِ مِنْ طَرْفِهِ
وآفَةُand the bane of الصّارِمِthe sharp sword مِنْfrom حَدّهِits edge
وآفَةُ الصّارِمِ مِنْ حَدّهِ
And the lover's bane comes from his eye,
The detriment of the lover is from her glance
and the sharp sword's bane from its edge.
And the detriment of the executioner is from his sword
كمhow many a صائنٍone guarding عنfrom قُبْلَةٍa kiss خدَّهُhis cheek
كم صائنٍ عن قُبْلَةٍ خدَّهُ
سُلّطَتِwas given power الأرْضُthe earth علىover خَدّهِhis cheek
سُلّطَتِ الأرْضُ على خَدّهِ
How many a man guarded his cheek from a kiss,
How many an abstainer from kissing her cheek
yet earth was given power over his cheek!
The earth is unleashed upon his cheek
وحامِلٍand bearing ثِقْلَthe weight of الثّرَىthe soil جِيدُهُhis neck
وحامِلٍ ثِقْلَ الثّرَى جِيدُهُ
وكانand he used to يَشكوcomplain of الضَّعفَweakness منfrom عِقدِهِhis necklace
وكان يَشكو الضَّعفَ من عِقدِهِ
And many a man whose neck bears the soil's weight
And bearer of the weight of soil his neck
once complained of weakness from his necklace.
Who used to complain of weakness in his necklace
وَرُبّand many a ظمآنَthirsty man إلىtoward مَوْرِدٍa watering place
وَرُبّ ظمآنَ إلى مَوْرِدٍ
وَالمَوْتُand death لوْif only يَعْلَمُhe knew فيin وِرْدِهِhis coming to drink
وَالمَوْتُ لوْ يَعْلَمُ في وِرْدِهِ
And many a thirsty man longs for a watering place,
And how many thirsty for a spring to drink from
while death, did he but know, is in his drinking.
And death, if he knew at his watering place
ومُرْسِلِand one sending الغارَةِthe raiding force مَبثوثَةًspread abroad
ومُرْسِلِ الغارَةِ مَبثوثَةً
مِنof أدهَمِblack اللّوْنِcoat-color ومنand of وَرْدِهِits bay hue
مِن أدهَمِ اللّوْنِ ومن وَرْدِهِ
And many a man sends out a scattered raiding force
And sender of scattered raids
of black-coated steeds and bay ones.
Of various hues and roses
يَخوضُhe wades through بحراًa sea نَقْعُهُits dust ماؤهُits water
يَخوضُ بحراً نَقْعُهُ ماؤهُ
يَحْمِلُهُcarries him السّابحُthe swimming steed فيon لِبْدِهِits felt saddlecloth
يَحْمِلُهُ السّابحُ في لِبْدِهِ
He wades through a sea whose dust is its water,
Swims in a sea whose water immerses him
borne by the swimming steed on its felt saddlecloth.
The swimmer carries it in his garment
أشجَعُthe bravest مَنْthose who قَلّبَwielded خَطّيّةًa Khatti spear
أشجَعُ مَنْ قَلّبَ خَطّيّةً
علىupon طَويلِlong الباعِreach مُمْتَدّهِoutstretched in its reach
على طَويلِ الباعِ مُمْتَدّهِ
He is the bravest of those who wielded a Khatti spear
Braver is he who turns over his sins
upon a steed of long, outstretched reach.
On the lengthy outstretched scroll
يَرَىhe regards وُقوعَthe striking of الزُّرْقِthe blue spearheads فيon دِرْعِهِhis armor
يَرَى وُقوعَ الزُّرْقِ في دِرْعِهِ
مثْلَlike وُقوعthe striking of الزُّرْقِthe blue spearheads فيon جِلْدِهِhis skin
مثْلَ وُقوع الزُّرْقِ في جِلْدِهِ
He regards blue spearheads striking his armor
Sees the blue of the links fall on his coat of mail
as blue spearheads striking his skin.
Like the falling of blue on his skin
لاnot يَصِلُreaches الرُّمْحُthe spear إلىto طَرْفِهِhis eye
لا يَصِلُ الرُّمْحُ إلى طَرْفِهِ
ولاnor إلىto المُحْكَمِthe firmly woven مِنْof سَرْدِهِhis chainmail
ولا إلى المُحْكَمِ مِنْ سَرْدِهِ
The spear does not reach his eye,
Neither can a spear reach to its edge
nor the firmly woven links of his mail.
Nor to the solid parts of its links
يُلقىare hurled عليهِat him الطّعنُthe thrusts إلقاءكَyour casting الthe
يُلقى عليهِ الطّعنُ إلقاءكَ ال
حَسْبَreckoning علىto المُسرعِone quick فيin عَقدِهِhis finger-counting
حَسْبَ على المُسرعِ في عَقدِهِ
Thrusts are hurled at him as you put the
Assaults are thrown at him like your throwing
sum to one quick at counting on his fingers.
Only enough for one hasty in tying its knot
بلَحظَةٍwith a glance منهُfrom him فَماor what is دونَهاless than it
بلَحظَةٍ منهُ فَما دونَها
يَرُدّhe turns back غَرْبَthe fury of الجيشِthe army عنfrom قَصْدِهِits aim
يَرُدّ غَرْبَ الجيشِ عن قَصْدِهِ
With a glance from him, or less,
With a moment from him, less than it
he turns the army's fury from its aim.
He repels the puzzlement of the army from its aim
أمْهَلَهُgave him respite الدّهْرُTime فأوْدَىthen did away بهِwith him
أمْهَلَهُ الدّهْرُ فأوْدَى بهِ
مُبْيَضُّهُits white days يُحْدَىis driven onward بمُسْوَدّهِby its black nights
مُبْيَضُّهُ يُحْدَى بمُسْوَدّهِ
Time gave him respite, then slew him;
Time left him until he perished by it
its white days are driven onward by its black nights.
Its whitener challenged by its darkener
فَياso, O أخاbrother of المَفقُودِthe lost one فيamong خَمسَةٍfive
فَيا أخا المَفقُودِ في خَمسَةٍ
كالشُّهبِlike shooting stars ماwhat سَلاّكhas consoled you عنfor فقدِهِhis loss
كالشُّهبِ ما سَلاّك عن فقدِهِ
So, brother of the lost one among five
So O brother of the absent one in five
like shooting stars, what has consoled you for his loss?
Like meteors - what distracted you from him?
جاءَكَcame to you هذاthis الحُزْنُgrief مُستَجدياًbegging
جاءَكَ هذا الحُزْنُ مُستَجدياً
أجْرَكَyour reward فيin الصّبرِpatience فلاso do not تُجْدِهِgive it alms
أجْرَكَ في الصّبرِ فلا تُجْدِهِ
This grief has come to you begging
This grief came to you seeking reward
your reward for patience; do not give it alms.
So reward it with patience, do not deny it
سَلِّمْsubmit إلىto اللّهِGod فكُلُّfor all الّذيthat
سَلِّمْ إلى اللّهِ فكُلُّ الّذي
ساءَكَgrieved you أوor سَرّكَgladdened you منfrom عندِهِHis presence
ساءَكَ أو سَرّكَ من عندِهِ
Submit to God, for everything that
Submit to God everything that
grieves you or gladdens you comes from Him.
Pained or delighted you from Him
لاnot يَعْدَمُis without الأسْمَرُthe brown spear فيin غابِهِits thicket
لا يَعْدَمُ الأسْمَرُ في غابِهِ
حَتْفاًdeath ولاnor الأبيضُthe white sword فيin غِمدِهِits sheath
حَتْفاً ولا الأبيضُ في غِمدِهِ
The brown spear in its thicket cannot escape
The dark-skinned does not lack his share in the jungle
death, nor the white sword in its sheath.
Nor the fair-skinned in his sheath
إنّindeed الذيhe whose الوَحْشَةُloneliness فيin دارِهِhis house
إنّ الذي الوَحْشَةُ في دارِهِ
تُؤنِسُهُcomforts him الرّحمَةُmercy فيin لَحْدِهِhis burial niche
تُؤنِسُهُ الرّحمَةُ في لَحْدِهِ
Indeed, he whose house is lonely
Verily he whom loneliness was in his house
is comforted by mercy in his grave.
Is consoled by mercy in his grave
لاmay ... not أُوحشَتْbe made desolate دارُكyour house منof شَمسِهاits sun
لا أُوحشَتْ دارُك من شَمسِها
ولاand may ... not خلاbe empty غابُكَyour thicket مِنْof أُسْدِهِits lions
ولا خلا غابُكَ مِنْ أُسْدِهِ
May your house never be bereft of its sun,
Your house was not made lonely by its sun
nor your thicket be emptied of its lions.
Nor did your jungle lack its lion
Sol 6.1