ما ضرَ أهلَ الحمى لو أنَّهمْ رجعوا

ما ضرَ أهلَ الحمى لو أنَّهمْ رجعوا

بانوا فأقفرَ مصطافٌ ومرتبَعُ

بانوا فأقفرَ مصطافٌ ومرتبَعُ

What harm would it do the people of the protected pasture if they returned?

What harm if the people of passion returned?

They departed, so summer and spring camps lay desolate.

They left, so the meadows and hills are deserted.

بانوا فبانَ على آثارِ نأيهمُ

بانوا فبانَ على آثارِ نأيهمُ

عصرُ الشبابِ فمنْ أبكي ومَنْ أدعُ

عصرُ الشبابِ فمنْ أبكي ومَنْ أدعُ

They departed, and in the wake of their going, gone was

With their leaving, the age of youth was revealed

The season of youth—whom shall I mourn, and whom leave?

in the traces of their remoteness. Who shall I weep for and call upon?

أحبابَنا لا تظنُّوني أُقادُ الى

أحبابَنا لا تظنُّوني أُقادُ الى

قومٍ سواكمْ فأسلوكمْ وأتَّبِعُ

قومٍ سواكمْ فأسلوكمْ وأتَّبِعُ

Our beloved ones, do not think I am led to

My loved ones, think not that I am led

People other than you, to forget you and follow them.

To a people other than you, so I ask you and follow.

مُنايَ اِصلاحُ ما بيني وبينكمُ

مُنايَ اِصلاحُ ما بيني وبينكمُ

وكلُّ شيءٍ مِنَ الدنيا له تَبَعُ

وكلُّ شيءٍ مِنَ الدنيا له تَبَعُ

My wish is to mend what lies between me and you;

My purpose is to reform what is between me and you,

And everything in this world is secondary to that.

And everything of this world has consequences.

وقفتُ بعدكمُ في الربيعِ أندبُه

وقفتُ بعدكمُ في الربيعِ أندبُه

والحافزانِ هماالتبريحُ والهلعُ

والحافزانِ هماالتبريحُ والهلعُ

I stood after you in the spring pasture, lamenting it;

After you I stood in the spring lamenting it,

And the two forces driving me were torment and panic.

With incentive and apprehension pulling me.

مرابعٌ لم أزلُ فيهنَّ ذا جزعٍ

مرابعٌ لم أزلُ فيهنَّ ذا جزعٍ

بعد الخليطِ وماذا ينفعُ الجزعُ

بعد الخليطِ وماذا ينفعُ الجزعُ

Spring camps where I have never ceased to be distraught

I have not stopped being distressed

After the companions' departure—what good does anguish do?

After the separation. And what use is distress?

خلتْ ملاعُبها مِن كلِّ غانيةٍ

خلتْ ملاعُبها مِن كلِّ غانيةٍ

نأتْ فدمعي على آثارِها دُفَعُ

نأتْ فدمعي على آثارِها دُفَعُ

Their playgrounds lie empty of every lovely woman

Its entertainments are devoid of every melody.

Who has gone far away; my tears pour in torrents over her traces.

My tears flow over its traces, repelled.

اِنْ ضنَّتِ السُّحْبُ جادَتْها غمائمُه

اِنْ ضنَّتِ السُّحْبُ جادَتْها غمائمُه

أو أمسكَ القطرُ أمسى وهو مُنْدَفِعُ

أو أمسكَ القطرُ أمسى وهو مُنْدَفِعُ

If the clouds are grudging, my tears' clouds lavish rain upon them;

If the clouds are stingy with their rain,

Or if the rain stops, by evening my tears are still pouring forth.

Or the drops withhold, they flow unrestrained by evening.

ديارُ هندٍ سقتْها كلُّ غاديةٍ

ديارُ هندٍ سقتْها كلُّ غاديةٍ

مِنَ الجفونِ إذا ما أخلفَ الكَرَعُ

مِنَ الجفونِ إذا ما أخلفَ الكَرَعُ

Hind's dwellings—every morning shower has watered them,

The lands of India were watered by every passerby’s tears

From the eyelids, whenever the pooled rainwater fails.

From their eyes, when the drinker leaves off.

مازلتُ أسالُ عنها كلَّ بارقةٍ

مازلتُ أسالُ عنها كلَّ بارقةٍ

تبيتُ بين سَواري السُّحْبِ تَمتصِعُ

تبيتُ بين سَواري السُّحْبِ تَمتصِعُ

I have kept asking every lightning flash about them,

I still ask every lightning flash

As it flashes through the night amid the night-traveling clouds.

That spends the night between the clouds' bracelets, writhing.

كأنها زفراتي حين يَضرِمُها

كأنها زفراتي حين يَضرِمُها

بعدَ التفرُّقِ لي في قربهمْ طمعُ

بعدَ التفرُّقِ لي في قربهمْ طمعُ

As though it were my sighs, when they are kindled

As if they are my sighs when, after separation,

After separation by my hope of drawing near to them.

In their nearness I still have hope.

ياقلبُ ويحكَ كم تأبى نفارَهمُ

ياقلبُ ويحكَ كم تأبى نفارَهمُ

فتستفيقُ زمانا ثم تنخدعُ

فتستفيقُ زمانا ثم تنخدعُ

O heart, alas for you! How often you refuse to accept their aversion,

Oh heart, woe to you, how you refuse their estrangement

Then regain your senses for a while, only to be deceived again.

So you wake for a while, then are deluded anew!

ما أنتَ أوَّلَ مَنْ شاقتْهُ لامعةٌ

ما أنتَ أوَّلَ مَنْ شاقتْهُ لامعةٌ

على الديارِ ولا هتّافةٌ سُجُعُ

على الديارِ ولا هتّافةٌ سُجُعُ

You are not the first stirred to longing by a lightning flash

You are not the first that a shining one has deserted

Above the dwellings, or by loudly cooing doves.

At the dwellings, nor the first that a wailer has lamented.

مازلتَ بي وبما تهواه مِن عُلَقٍ

مازلتَ بي وبما تهواه مِن عُلَقٍ

حتى علتني لأثوابِ الضنى خِلَعُ

حتى علتني لأثوابِ الضنى خِلَعُ

You kept besetting me with the attachments you cherish,

You have remained with me and what I desired of attachment

Until the bestowed robes of wasting sickness covered me.

Until the garments of grief overcame me and I took them off.

حملتَ ثِقلَ أليمِ الهجرِ مُضْطَلِعاً

حملتَ ثِقلَ أليمِ الهجرِ مُضْطَلِعاً

به فكيف بحملِ البعدِ تضطلعُ

به فكيف بحملِ البعدِ تضطلعُ

You bore the weight of painful estrangement, shouldering

You have undertaken the heavy burden of painful separation,

It; how, then, will you shoulder the burden of distance?

Bearing it, so how can you undertake the burden of distance?

في كلِّ يومٍ نياقُ البينِ مُحْدَجَةٌ

في كلِّ يومٍ نياقُ البينِ مُحْدَجَةٌ

تَخُبُّ كرهاً بَمنْ تهواه أو تضعُ

تَخُبُّ كرهاً بَمنْ تهواه أو تضعُ

Each day the she-camels of parting are fitted with litters,

Each day the camel litter of separation is prepared

Trotting against your will with those you love, or hurrying away.

To depart with hatred whoever you love or settle with.

هذا على الوجدِ قلبٌ لا يقلِّبُه

هذا على الوجدِ قلبٌ لا يقلِّبُه

طولُ الفراقِ ولا بالعذلِ يرتدعُ

طولُ الفراقِ ولا بالعذلِ يرتدعُ

This heart, for all its longing, is not turned aside

This is a heart that length of absence does not overturn

By long separation, nor deterred by reproach.

Nor with blame restrained.

قلبٌ تنفِّرُه البلوى فتَعطِفُه

قلبٌ تنفِّرُه البلوى فتَعطِفُه

عن الغرامِ وَتثنيهِ له الخُدَعُ

عن الغرامِ وَتثنيهِ له الخُدَعُ

A heart that affliction drives away, turning it

Misfortune repels it from love

From passion, while deceits bend it back toward love.

And tricks dissuade it.

والحبُّ في مذهبِ العشاقِ كلِّهمُ

والحبُّ في مذهبِ العشاقِ كلِّهمُ

داءٌ دويُّ ومبدا أمرِه الولَعُ

داءٌ دويُّ ومبدا أمرِه الولَعُ

And love, in the creed of lovers, all of them,

And love, in the doctrine of all lovers,

Is a grievous disease whose onset is infatuation.

Is a chronic illness whose origin is infatuation.

وفَوا فخانَهمُ الأحبابُ وانتقضتْ

وفَوا فخانَهمُ الأحبابُ وانتقضتْ

تلكَ العهودُ إلا يا بئسَ ما صنعوا

تلكَ العهودُ إلا يا بئسَ ما صنعوا

They kept faith, but their beloveds betrayed them, and broken were

They had promises – but the loved ones betrayed them

Those vows—but, oh, how vile was what they did!

And those covenants were broken, except what a pity they did!

جيرانَنا حبذا أيامُ ذي سَلَمٍ

جيرانَنا حبذا أيامُ ذي سَلَمٍ

والدارُ دانيةٌ والشملُ مجتمعُ

والدارُ دانيةٌ والشملُ مجتمعُ

Our neighbors, how lovely were the days of Dhu Salam,

Our neighbors – blessed were the days of peace

When the dwelling was near and the company united!

When the house was close and the family together.

أبعدَ ذاكَ التداني مِن دياركمُ

أبعدَ ذاكَ التداني مِن دياركمُ

أبيتُ والهجرُ عن لقياكمُ يَزَعُ

أبيتُ والهجرُ عن لقياكمُ يَزَعُ

After that closeness to your dwellings,

After that closeness to your houses, I refuse

Must I spend the night with estrangement barring me from seeing you?

And estrangement from seeing you perplexes me.

أماّ الغرامُ وأنتم تعلمونَ به

أماّ الغرامُ وأنتم تعلمونَ به

لكم مجيبٌ وأمّا الصبرُ ممتنعُ

لكم مجيبٌ وأمّا الصبرُ ممتنعُ

As for passion—and you know of it—

As for passion, you know my response,

It answers you; as for patience, it refuses.

But patience is out of the question.

لا أدَّعى أننّي جلدٌ عليه ولا

لا أدَّعى أننّي جلدٌ عليه ولا

أقولُاِنّي بدرعِ الصبرِ مدَّرعُ

أقولُاِنّي بدرعِ الصبرِ مدَّرعُ

I do not claim to be steadfast in bearing it, nor

I claim no fortitude against it, nor

Say that I am clad in the armor of patience.

Say I am clad in the armor of patience.

مَنْ لي بردَّ ليالينا بكاظمةٍ

مَنْ لي بردَّ ليالينا بكاظمةٍ

لو أنهَّا بعدَ طولِ البعدِ تُرتْجَعُ

لو أنهَّا بعدَ طولِ البعدِ تُرتْجَعُ

Who will restore our nights at Kazimah to me?

Who can cool for me those burning nights

If only they could be brought back after such long separation!

If only after long separation they could be regained!

قد كانَ لي في زمانِ اللهوِ عندكمُ

قد كانَ لي في زمانِ اللهوِ عندكمُ

قبلَ النوى وتنائي الدارِ مُتَّسَعُ

قبلَ النوى وتنائي الدارِ مُتَّسَعُ

I once had, in the days of pleasure among you,

In days of playfulness with you I had

Before separation and the dwelling's remoteness, ample leisure.

Before the departure and the home’s remoteness, an expanse.

يا ساكني هضباتِ القاعِ مِن اِضَمٍ

يا ساكني هضباتِ القاعِ مِن اِضَمٍ

بالعيشِ بعدَ نواكمْ لستُ أنتفِعُ

بالعيشِ بعدَ نواكمْ لستُ أنتفِعُ

O dwellers on the hillocks of the plain of Idam,

O inhabitants of the highlands, after your presence

I gain nothing from life after your departure.

I have no benefit in life.

ما كنتُ قبلَ النوى بالوصلِ مقتنعاً

ما كنتُ قبلَ النوى بالوصلِ مقتنعاً

واليومَ بعدَ النوى بالطيفِ أقتنعُ

واليومَ بعدَ النوى بالطيفِ أقتنعُ

Before separation, I was not content with union,

Before the departure I was not content with union.

But today, after separation, I am content with a dream-vision.

Today after departure I am content with mirage.

ملاتْمُ القلبَ مِن شوقٍ ومِن حُرَقٍ

ملاتْمُ القلبَ مِن شوقٍ ومِن حُرَقٍ

ومِن تجنِّ وهجرٍ فوقَ ما يَسَعُ

ومِن تجنِّ وهجرٍ فوقَ ما يَسَعُ

You filled the heart with yearning and burning sorrows,

You have filled my heart with longing, burning,

And with unjust reproach and estrangement, beyond what it can hold.

And chastity, estrangement – more than it can contain.

كان اللقاءُ مع الساعاتِ مقترناً

كان اللقاءُ مع الساعاتِ مقترناً

واليومَ مَنْ لي به لو أنَّه لُمَعُ

واليومَ مَنْ لي به لو أنَّه لُمَعُ

Meeting once kept pace with the passing hours;

Meeting was connected to the hours,

Today, who will grant it to me, even if only in flashes?

And today who do I have, if only it could be found?

يا ناظمي الشعرَ هذا في جزالتهِ

يا ناظمي الشعرَ هذا في جزالتهِ

مِنَ البديعِ الذي ما شابَهُ بِدَعُ

مِنَ البديعِ الذي ما شابَهُ بِدَعُ

O composers of poetry, this, in its robust eloquence,

O composer of poetry – this in its splendor

Is wondrous art that no innovations have marred.

Is of the unprecedented rhetoric.

لا يستكينُ لأشعارٍ ملفقَّةٍ

لا يستكينُ لأشعارٍ ملفقَّةٍ

ولا يُرى في حواشي لفظهِ ضَرَعُ

ولا يُرى في حواشي لفظهِ ضَرَعُ

It does not bow to cobbled-together poems,

It will not be confined to contrived verse

Nor is weakness seen in the margins of its diction.

Nor in the footnotes of its diction, any beast of burden.

شِعرٌ وسحرٌ إذا خادعتَ في أربٍ

شِعرٌ وسحرٌ إذا خادعتَ في أربٍ

به العقولَ أجابَ الأعصَمُ الفَرِعُ

به العقولَ أجابَ الأعصَمُ الفَرِعُ

Poetry and magic: if, to gain some end, you beguile

It is poetry and magic – if you delude thereby

Minds with it, even the white-footed wild goat on high responds.

Minds for a moment, the keenest minds will incline.

هذا النظيمُ الذي أضحى يُطاوعُني

هذا النظيمُ الذي أضحى يُطاوعُني

في سبكهِ النُّظّامِ يَسْتَنِعُ

في سبكهِ النُّظّامِ يَسْتَنِعُ

This verse, which now obeys me,

This composition which has become pliant to me

Defies the versifiers in its casting.

In its forging the arranger is obstinate.

لو أنَّه خُطَبٌ زادتْ به عِظَماً

لو أنَّه خُطَبٌ زادتْ به عِظَماً

على تعاظُمِها الأعيادُ والجُمَعُ

على تعاظُمِها الأعيادُ والجُمَعُ

Were it sermons, it would add yet more greatness

If it were a sermon, it would increase the greatness

To feast days and Fridays, for all their grandeur.

Of sermons and crowds on their festivities.