لَأَمواهُindeed, the waters الشَبيبَةِyouth كَيفَhow غِضنَهthey receded
لَأَمواهُ الشَبيبَةِ كَيفَ غِضنَه
وَرَوضاتُand the gardens الصِباearly youth كَاليَبسِlike dry ground إِضنَهthey became
وَرَوضاتُ الصِبا كَاليَبسِ إِضنَه
Indeed, the waters of youth—how they have receded!
The waters of youth, how they withered,
And youth's gardens have become like dry ground.
And gardens of childhood dried as if scorched.
وَآمالُand the hopes النُفوسِsouls مُعَلِّلاتٌoffering solace
وَآمالُ النُفوسِ مُعَلِّلاتٌ
وَلَكِنَّand yet الحَوادِثَcalamities يَعتَرِضنَهthey intervene
وَلَكِنَّ الحَوادِثَ يَعتَرِضنَه
And the hopes of souls offer solace,
The hopes of souls are excuses,
Yet calamities intervene.
Yet events confront them.
فَلاso not الأَيّامُthe days تَغرَضُtire مِنof أَذاةٍharm
فَلا الأَيّامُ تَغرَضُ مِن أَذاةٍ
وَلاand not المُهَجاتُhearts مِنof عَيشٍlife غَرَضنَهthey grew weary
وَلا المُهَجاتُ مِن عَيشٍ غَرَضنَه
So the days do not tire of harm,
Neither do days spare harm,
Nor do hearts grow weary of life.
Nor do the determined spare life's comfort.
وَأَسبابُand the cords المُنىhopes أَسبابُmetrical units شِعرٍverse
وَأَسبابُ المُنى أَسبابُ شِعرٍ
كُفِّفنَwere curtailed بِعِلمِby the knowledge of رَبِّكَyour Lord أَوor قِبِضنَهwere contracted
كُفِّفنَ بِعِلمِ رَبِّكَ أَو قِبِضنَه
And the cords of hope are the metrical cords of verse,
The causes of death are fragile as hair,
Curtailed or contracted by your Lord's knowledge.
Curtailed by your Lord's knowledge or pinched off.
وَماand not الظَبِيّاتُthe gazelles مِنّيof me خائِفاتٌafraid
وَما الظَبِيّاتُ مِنّي خائِفاتٌ
وَرَدنَthey came to water عَلىat الأَصائِلِlate afternoons أَوor رَبَضنَهthey lay down
وَرَدنَ عَلى الأَصائِلِ أَو رَبَضنَه
And the gazelles have no fear of me,
The gazelles are not fleeing me in fear,
Whether they come to water in late afternoon or lie down.
Returning to the pastures or nestling there.
فَلاso do not تَأخُذtake وَدائِعَentrusted treasures ذاتِa creature possessing ريشٍfeathers
فَلا تَأخُذ وَدائِعَ ذاتِ ريشٍ
فَماfor not لَكَfor you أَيُّهاO الإِنسانُhuman بِضنَهthey laid eggs
فَما لَكَ أَيُّها الإِنسانُ بِضنَه
So do not take a feathered creature's entrusted treasures;
So take not the entrusted possessions of the feathered,
For it was not for you, O human, that they laid eggs.
For what stinginess, O man, can avail you?
فَراعِso heed اللَهَGod وَاِلهَand turn away عَنِfrom الغَوانيbeautiful women
فَراعِ اللَهَ وَاِلهَ عَنِ الغَواني
يَرُحنَthey go لِيَمتَشِطنَto comb their hair وَيَرتَحِضنَهand they wash themselves
يَرُحنَ لِيَمتَشِطنَ وَيَرتَحِضنَه
So heed God, and turn away from beautiful women,
Revere God and refrain from caprices,
Who go to comb their hair and wash themselves.
That they may preen and take their ease.
وَطِئنَthey trod السابِرِيِّSabiri cloth وَخُضنَand they waded بَحرَthe sea النَthe bliss (word beginning)
وَطِئنَ السابِرِيِّ وَخُضنَ بَحرَ النَ
عيمِbliss (word ending) وَهُنَّwhile they فيin ذَهَبٍgold يَخُضنَهthey wade
عيمِ وَهُنَّ في ذَهَبٍ يَخُضنَه
They tread Sabiri cloth and wade in the sea of
They tread the wonted course and plunge into the sea of bliss,
Bliss, while they wade amid gold.
Wallowing in gold that they amass.
وَلِلسَمُراتِand for the acacias فيamong الأَشجارِthe trees عَيبٌa fault
وَلِلسَمُراتِ في الأَشجارِ عَيبٌ
إِذاwhen ماقالَsays (emphatic) مُخبِرُهُنَّtheir reporter حِضنَهthey menstruated
إِذا ماقالَ مُخبِرُهُنَّ حِضنَه
And acacias have a fault among trees,
For the singers in the trees a defect it is
When their reporter says, 'They have menstruated.'
If their informer says they have a nest.
نَجائِبُnoble mounts لِاِمرِئِof Imru' القَيسِal-Qays اِبنِson of حُجرٍHujr
نَجائِبُ لِاِمرِئِ القَيسِ اِبنِ حُجرٍ
وَقَصنَthey broke the neck of أَخاthe man of البَطالَةِidleness إِذwhen يَرُضنَهthey tame him
وَقَصنَ أَخا البَطالَةِ إِذ يَرُضنَه
Noble mounts of Imru' al-Qays, son of Hujr,
The elegies of Imru' al-Qays bin Hujr
Broke the idler's neck as they tamed him.
And the brother of idleness when it stirred him.
وَخَيلُand the horses اللَهوِpleasure جامِحَةٌunruly عَلَيناagainst us
وَخَيلُ اللَهوِ جامِحَةٌ عَلَينا
يُساقِطنَthey throw off الفَوارِسَthe riders إِنif رُكِضنَهthey are spurred
يُساقِطنَ الفَوارِسَ إِن رُكِضنَه
And the steeds of pleasure are unruly against us;
The steeds of frivolity bolting with us
They throw their riders if spurred to gallop.
Unseat their riders if they are spurred.
فَياso, O غَضّاًtender youth مِنَamong الفِتيانِyoung men خَيرٌbetter
فَيا غَضّاً مِنَ الفِتيانِ خَيرٌ
مِنَthan اللَحَظاتِglances أَبصارٌeyes غُضِضنَهwere lowered
مِنَ اللَحَظاتِ أَبصارٌ غُضِضنَه
So, O tender young man, better
Better the bashfulness of the youths
Than glances are eyes cast down.
Than glances that seduce the chaste.
فَفُضَّso distribute زَكاةَalms مالِكَyour wealth غَيرَwithout آبٍrefusing
فَفُضَّ زَكاةَ مالِكَ غَيرَ آبٍ
فَكُلُّfor all جُموعِaccumulations مالِكَyour wealth يَنفَضِضنَهthey disperse
فَكُلُّ جُموعِ مالِكَ يَنفَضِضنَه
So distribute your wealth's alms without refusing,
Disburse your alms ungrudgingly,
For all your gathered wealth will disperse.
For all your wealth will be dispersed willy-nilly.
وَأَعجَزُand the most incapable أَهلِinhabitants هَذيthis الأَرضِearth غاوٍone astray
وَأَعجَزُ أَهلِ هَذي الأَرضِ غاوٍ
أَبانَrevealed العَجزَinability عَنconcerning خَمسٍfive prayers فُرِضنَهwere prescribed
أَبانَ العَجزَ عَن خَمسٍ فُرِضنَه
And the most incapable person on this earth is one astray,
The most helpless people of this land are those
Who has shown himself unable to perform the five prescribed prayers.
Who cannot manage the five prayers enjoined.
وَصُمand fast رَمَضانَRamadan مُختاراًwillingly مُطيعاًobediently
وَصُم رَمَضانَ مُختاراً مُطيعاً
إِذِwhen الأَقدامُfeet مِنfrom قَيظٍsummer heat رَمِضنَهthey were scorched
إِذِ الأَقدامُ مِن قَيظٍ رَمِضنَه
And fast in Ramadan, willingly and obediently,
Fast the Ramadan willingly and obediently
When feet are scorched by the summer heat.
When feet are burnt by the heat.
عُيونُeyes العالَمينَall beings إِلىtoward اِغتِماضٍclosing
عُيونُ العالَمينَ إِلى اِغتِماضٍ
وَماand not خِلتُI thought الكَواكِبَthe stars يَغتَمِضنَهthey close their eyes
وَما خِلتُ الكَواكِبَ يَغتَمِضنَه
The eyes of all beings are destined to close,
The eyes of the two worlds are in gloom,
Yet I never thought the stars would close their eyes.
Though not a planet has gone into eclipse.
وَقَدand indeed سَرَّgladdened المَعاشِرَcommunities باقِياتٌenduring remnants
وَقَد سَرَّ المَعاشِرَ باقِياتٌ
مِنَof الأَنباءِtidings سِرنَthey traveled لِيَستَفِضنَهto become widespread
مِنَ الأَنباءِ سِرنَ لِيَستَفِضنَه
And communities have been gladdened by what remains
What remains of the tidings gladdens the intimates
Of tidings that traveled to spread far and wide.
Who hurried to reap and glean them.
أَرىI see الأَزمانَthe ages أَوعِيَةًvessels لِذِكرٍfor remembrance
أَرى الأَزمانَ أَوعِيَةً لِذِكرٍ
إِذاwhen بُسطُcarpets الأَوانِtime لَهُfor it نُفِضنَهare shaken out
إِذا بُسطُ الأَوانِ لَهُ نُفِضنَه
I see the ages as vessels for remembrance,
I see the times as repositories for remembrance
When time's carpets are shaken out for it.
When it flows in abundance and they store it away.
قَدِalready اِنقَرَضَتhave perished مَمالِكُkingdoms آلِthe house of كِسرىKisra
قَدِ اِنقَرَضَت مَمالِكُ آلِ كِسرى
سِوىexcept سِيَرٍhistories لَهُنَّof them سَيَنقَرِضنَهthey will perish
سِوى سِيَرٍ لَهُنَّ سَيَنقَرِضنَه
The kingdoms of the house of Kisra have already perished,
Only histories remain for the realms of Kisra
Save their histories, which will also perish.
While theirs will also vanish and be erased.
فَطِرso fly إِنif كُنتَyou are يَوماًone day ذاpossessing جَناحٍa wing
فَطِر إِن كُنتَ يَوماً ذا جَناحٍ
فَإِنَّfor indeed قَوادِمَprimary feathers البازيthe goshawk يُهَضنَهare broken
فَإِنَّ قَوادِمَ البازي يُهَضنَه
So fly, if one day you have wings,
Take wing if you are a day a winged creature
For the goshawk's primary feathers are broken.
For the goshawk of fate will swoop down and catch you.
وَكَمand how many طَيرٍbirds قُصِصنَwere clipped لِغَيرِfor no ذَنبٍfault
وَكَم طَيرٍ قُصِصنَ لِغَيرِ ذَنبٍ
وَأُلزِمنَand were confined to السُجونَprisons فَماso not نَهَضنَهthey rose
وَأُلزِمنَ السُجونَ فَما نَهَضنَه
And how many birds have been clipped for no fault,
How many birds are confined for no sin
And confined to prisons, so they never rose!
And imprisoned in cages from which they cannot escape!
مَتىwhenever عَرَضَapproached الحِجىreason لِلَّهِtoward God ضاقَتgrew narrow
مَتى عَرَضَ الحِجى لِلَّهِ ضاقَت
مَذاهِبُهُits paths عَلَيهِfor it وَإِنeven if عَرُضنَهthey grew broad
مَذاهِبُهُ عَلَيهِ وَإِن عَرُضنَه
Whenever reason approaches God, narrow grow
When the pilgrimage is difficult for God
Its paths before it, however broad they are.
Its ways are strait for him even if smoothed.
وَقَدand indeed كَذَبَspoke falsely الَّذيthe one who يَغدوsets out بِعَقلٍwith reason
وَقَد كَذَبَ الَّذي يَغدو بِعَقلٍ
لِتَصحيحِto set right الشُروعِreligious laws إِذاwhen مَرِضنَهthey fell ill
لِتَصحيحِ الشُروعِ إِذا مَرِضنَه
And he speaks falsely who sets out with reason
He who rises in the morning with a sound mind
To cure religious laws when they fall ill.
To correct aberrant behavior lies when it sickens.
هِيَthey are الأَشباحُbodies كَالأَسماءِlike nouns يَجريruns its course الthe
هِيَ الأَشباحُ كَالأَسماءِ يَجري ال
قَضاءُdecree فَيَرتَفِعنَso they rise وَيَنخَفِضنَهand they fall
قَضاءُ فَيَرتَفِعنَ وَيَنخَفِضنَه
Bodies are like nouns: onward runs the
They are phantoms, like names, ordained
Decree, and they rise and fall.
By fate to be raised or cast down.
وَتِلكَand those غَمائِمُclouds الدُنياthe world اللَواتيwhich
وَتِلكَ غَمائِمُ الدُنيا اللَواتي
يُسَفِّهنَthey make foolish الحَليمَthe prudent man إِذاwhen وَمَضنَهthey flashed
يُسَفِّهنَ الحَليمَ إِذا وَمَضنَه
And those are the world's clouds, which
Those are the clouds of the world which
Make the prudent man foolish when they flash.
Addle the wise man if they outlast him.
غَدَتbecame حُجَجُarguments الكَلامِtheology حَجاbubbles غَديرٍa pool
غَدَت حُجَجُ الكَلامِ حَجا غَديرٍ
وَشيكاًquickly يَنعَقِدنَthey form وَيَنتَفِضنَهand they break apart
وَشيكاً يَنعَقِدنَ وَيَنتَفِضنَه
The arguments of theology have become bubbles on a pool,
The arguments of speech have become like the plain of Ghadir,
Quickly forming and breaking apart.
Imminent they break out and flare up.
لَعَلَّperhaps الظاعِناتِthe departing ones عَنِfrom البَراياcreated beings
لَعَلَّ الظاعِناتِ عَنِ البَرايا
مِنَof الأَرواحِsouls فُزنَthey won بِماthrough what اِستَعَضنَهthey gained in exchange
مِنَ الأَرواحِ فُزنَ بِما اِستَعَضنَه
Perhaps those departing from created beings—
Maybe the souls withdrawn from innocence
The souls—have won through what they gained in exchange.
Were disturbed by what they were denied.
وَلِلأَشياءِand things have عِلّاتٌcauses وَلَولاand were it not for
وَلِلأَشياءِ عِلّاتٌ وَلَولا
خُطوبٌafflictions لِلجُسومِto bodies لَماwould not رُفِضنَهbe abandoned
خُطوبٌ لِلجُسومِ لَما رُفِضنَه
And things have causes; were it not for
Things have causes even if
Afflictions of bodies, they would not be cast off.
Misfortunes were not cast at bodies.
وَغارَتand receded لِاِنصِرامِat the cessation of حَيّاًrain مِياهٌwaters
وَغارَت لِاِنصِرامِ حَيّاً مِياهٌ
وَكُنَّand they were عَلىwith تَرادُفِهِits succession يَفِضنَهthey overflow
وَكُنَّ عَلى تَرادُفِهِ يَفِضنَه
And waters sank away when rain ceased,
Waters surged and flowed
And they had overflowed while it fell in succession.
In sequence over eras they cascaded.
Sol 6.1