طَلَبتُ مَكارِماً فَأَجدتُ لَفظاً

طَلَبتُ مَكارِماً فَأَجدتُ لَفظاً

كَأَنّا خالِدانِ عَلى الزَمانِ

كَأَنّا خالِدانِ عَلى الزَمانِ

I sought noble deeds, and excelled in speech,

I sought virtues, but found only words,

As though we two were immortal through time.

As though we two will forever stay,

سَيُنسى كُلُّ ما الأَحياءُ فيهِ

سَيُنسى كُلُّ ما الأَحياءُ فيهِ

وَيَختَلِطُ الشَآمي بِاليَماني

وَيَختَلِطُ الشَآمي بِاليَماني

All that occupies the living will be forgotten,

All that the living say will be forgot,

And the Syrian will mingle with the Yemeni.

And the Syrian confused with the Yemenite.

وَرُمتُ تَجَمُّلاً فَكُسيتُ شَيناً

وَرُمتُ تَجَمُّلاً فَكُسيتُ شَيناً

وَمَن لَكَ مِن شُرورِكَ بِالأَمانِ

وَمَن لَكَ مِن شُرورِكَ بِالأَمانِ

And I sought adornment, but was clothed in disgrace.

Yet I pretended to be virtuous, and was clad with disgrace,

And who can grant you safety from your own evils?

Who will protect you from your wickedness?

وَإِنَّ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ نُكدٌ

وَإِنَّ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ نُكدٌ

يُصَيِّرنَ الحَقائِقَ كَالأَماني

يُصَيِّرنَ الحَقائِقَ كَالأَماني

And indeed the vicissitudes of days are afflictions,

The accidents of time are troubles,

They make realities resemble wishes.

That turn truths into wishes.

ضَماني أَن سَيَنفَدُ كُلُّ شَيءٍ

ضَماني أَن سَيَنفَدُ كُلُّ شَيءٍ

سِوى مَن لَيسَ يَدخُلُ في الضَمانِ

سِوى مَن لَيسَ يَدخُلُ في الضَمانِ

My guarantee is that everything will come to an end,

My pledge is that all things will pass away,

Except the one who does not fall within that guarantee.

Except He who is not bound by pledge.

وَما خِلتُ السِماكَ وَلا أَخاهُ

وَما خِلتُ السِماكَ وَلا أَخاهُ

عَلى خَلقَيهِما لا يَهرَمانِ

عَلى خَلقَيهِما لا يَهرَمانِ

And I did not suppose that Simāk or his brother,

I wondered whether the fish or its brother

In their created forms, would never grow old.

Were informed of their immortal genesis.

وَما أَدري أَعِلمُهُما كَعِلمي

وَما أَدري أَعِلمُهُما كَعِلمي

بِهَذا الأَمرِ أَم لا يَعلَمانِ

بِهَذا الأَمرِ أَم لا يَعلَمانِ

And I do not know whether their knowledge is like mine

I know not if they know, like I know,

Of this matter, or whether they do not know.

Of this thing, or know not.

فَهَل لِلفَرقَدَينِ سُلافُ راحٍ

فَهَل لِلفَرقَدَينِ سُلافُ راحٍ

عَلى كاساتِها يَتَنادَمانِ

عَلى كاساتِها يَتَنادَمانِ

Do the two Farqads, then, have the choicest wine,

Do the two sleepers have a moment of tranquility

Over whose cups they keep each other company?

With their goblets entertaining each other?

وَإِن فَهِما خِطابَ الدَهرِ مِثلي

وَإِن فَهِما خِطابَ الدَهرِ مِثلي

فَما سَعِدا بِما يَمنيهِ مانِ

فَما سَعِدا بِما يَمنيهِ مانِ

And if they understood Time's speech as I do,

If they understand the speech of fate like me,

Then they would find no joy in what a dispenser of fate allots.

Then they are not fortunate with its favors.

وَأَروَحُ مِنهُما حادي ثَلاثٍ

وَأَروَحُ مِنهُما حادي ثَلاثٍ

يَسوقَهُنَّ أَو حادي ثَمانِ

يَسوقَهُنَّ أَو حادي ثَمانِ

And a herd-driver of three is more at ease than they,

I roam away from them, a guide to three,

Driving them on—or a herd-driver of eight.

Driving them, or a guide to eight.

وَمَن لي أَن أَكونَ طَريدَ سِربٍ

وَمَن لي أَن أَكونَ طَريدَ سِربٍ

سَما لي خِدنُ سِنبِسَ أَو رَماني

سَما لي خِدنُ سِنبِسَ أَو رَماني

And who can grant that I be a quarry from a herd,

Who am I to be a maverick of a flock,

With a companion of Sinbis advancing on me or shooting me?

Or a starling frequenting a jujube or pomegranate tree?

أَلَم تَرَني كَمَيتُ الناسَ نَفسي

أَلَم تَرَني كَمَيتُ الناسَ نَفسي

فَأَظهَرَني القَضاءُ وَما كَماني

فَأَظهَرَني القَضاءُ وَما كَماني

Did you not see how I concealed myself from people?

Did you not see me when people wearied my soul,

Then fate revealed me, and did not conceal me.

And fate revealed me openly, though I was hidden?