لا لَومَ لِلدَهرِ وَلا عِتابا

لا لَومَ لِلدَهرِ وَلا عِتابا

تَغابَ إِنَّ الجَلدَ مَن تَغابى

تَغابَ إِنَّ الجَلدَ مَن تَغابى

No blame for time, and no reproach.

Blame not fate, nor chide at her decree,

Feign unawareness: the steadfast one is he who feigns it.

The valiant, when adversity strikes, flee.

صَبراً عَلى الضَرّاءِ وَاِحتِسابا

صَبراً عَلى الضَرّاءِ وَاِحتِسابا

أَصبَرُنا أَعظَمُنا ثَوابا

أَصبَرُنا أَعظَمُنا ثَوابا

Be patient in adversity, and seek divine reward;

With patience meet misfortune, God rewards

The most patient of us has the greatest reward.

The steadfast, for in patience lie rewards.

ما الدَمعُ مِمّا يَزَعُ المُصابا

ما الدَمعُ مِمّا يَزَعُ المُصابا

وَلا يَرُدُّ القَدَرَ الغَلّابا

وَلا يَرُدُّ القَدَرَ الغَلّابا

Tears are no means of averting affliction,

What tears can change the blow that fate ordains?

Nor do they turn back overpowering fate.

Or turn aside the will of destiny's reigns?

أَمضى الزَمانُ حُكمَهُ غَلّابا

أَمضى الزَمانُ حُكمَهُ غَلّابا

أَصابَنا وَطالَ ما أَصابا

أَصابَنا وَطالَ ما أَصابا

Time has enforced its decree, all-conquering;

Time has decreed, and rules as conqueror still,

It has struck us, as it has struck for so long.

We suffered, and prolonged what fate did will.

يولِغُ ظِفراً لِلرَدى وَنابا

يولِغُ ظِفراً لِلرَدى وَنابا

لا يَبكِيَن حاضِرُنا مَن غابا

لا يَبكِيَن حاضِرُنا مَن غابا

It sets death's claw and fang to lapping.

To fight with destiny is to court defeat,

Let those of us still here not weep for those departed.

Not weep the gone, though passing bitter-sweet.

ما غابَ مِنّا غائِبٌ فَآبا

ما غابَ مِنّا غائِبٌ فَآبا

وَرُبَّ حَيٍّ دَعَموا القِبابا

وَرُبَّ حَيٍّ دَعَموا القِبابا

No one who departed from us ever came back.

None lost to us have perished, though they died,

And many a tribe propped up their domed tents,

Full many a home, decked once in splendor's pride

وَاِستَفسَحوا الأَعطانَ وَالرِحابا

وَاِستَفسَحوا الأَعطانَ وَالرِحابا

وَطَبَّقوا السُهولَ وَالعِقابا

وَطَبَّقوا السُهولَ وَالعِقابا

And sought spacious camel-watering grounds and courtyards,

Lies ruined now, its glories swept aside,

And spread over plains and mountain passes,

And spacious plains where men at ease would ride,

لا يَرهَبونَ لِلعِدى ذُبابا

لا يَرهَبونَ لِلعِدى ذُبابا

أَمسوا لِقاحاً وَغَدوا نِهابا

أَمسوا لِقاحاً وَغَدوا نِهابا

Fearing no enemy sword-point.

Are folded close in death's tenacious grip,

They were unconquered at dusk, and plunder at dawn.

As fearless they of any insect's nip.

جَرَّ عَلى دارِهِمُ ذِنابا

جَرَّ عَلى دارِهِمُ ذِنابا

وَأَتبَعَ القَوادِمَ الذُنابى

وَأَتبَعَ القَوادِمَ الذُنابى

It dragged its tail across their dwelling,

At night a tent, at dawn naught but a grave,

And made the tail-feathers follow the flight-feathers,

Upon their homes the winds of devastation rave,

بِمُعجِلٍ يَنتَزِعُ الأَطنابا

بِمُعجِلٍ يَنتَزِعُ الأَطنابا

يوطي الحِمى وَيَهتِكُ الحِجابا

يوطي الحِمى وَيَهتِكُ الحِجابا

With a swift calamity that tears out the tent-ropes,

Pursuing ever those that danger braved,

Tramples the sanctuary and rends the veil,

With speed that robes and wrappings stripped and shaved,

كَالباتِراتِ تَبذُرُ الرَقابا

كَالباتِراتِ تَبذُرُ الرَقابا

نَسعى وَيَطوينا الرَدى وِثابا

نَسعى وَيَطوينا الرَدى وِثابا

Like severing swords that scatter necks.

Trampling the bounds and all defences craved,

We strive, while death folds us away as it leaps.

Like lightning shafts dispersing lives depraved.

كَم قَطَعَ الأَقرانَ وَالأَسبابا

كَم قَطَعَ الأَقرانَ وَالأَسبابا

وَفَرَّقَ الجيرانَ وَالأَحبابا

وَفَرَّقَ الجيرانَ وَالأَحبابا

How many companions and bonds it has severed,

We strive, yet time sweeps us aside like waves,

And parted neighbors and loved ones,

How many ties of love stern fate disgraves!

وَاِستَدرَجَ العَبيدَ وَالأَربابا

وَاِستَدرَجَ العَبيدَ وَالأَربابا

سَيلُ رَدىً قَد مَلَأَ الشِعابا

سَيلُ رَدىً قَد مَلَأَ الشِعابا

And lured slaves and masters alike.

How many friends and lovers now in graves!

A torrent of death has filled the ravines,

How subjects, masters, free and bonded slaves,

وَجُنَّ مَوجاً وَطَغى عُبابا

وَجُنَّ مَوجاً وَطَغى عُبابا

قارَعَنا وَاِنتَزَعَ اللُبابا

قارَعَنا وَاِنتَزَعَ اللُبابا

And raged in waves and overflowed in surging flood.

United once, were parted through its staves!

It assailed us and tore out the core.

A flood of woes o'erfloods the vales and knaves,

أَعجِب وَأَخلِق أَن تَرى عِجابا

أَعجِب وَأَخلِق أَن تَرى عِجابا

يُبَلِّدُ الأَفهامَ وَالأَلبابا

يُبَلِّدُ الأَفهامَ وَالأَلبابا

Marvel—well may you see wonders

Dark clouds and thunderstay drown reason's caves,

That dull understanding and intellect.

Buffeting us, our wits are lost in waves.

إِنَّ الرَدى وَإِن رَمى فَصابا

إِنَّ الرَدى وَإِن رَمى فَصابا

وَجاذَبَتنا يَدُهُ جِذابا

وَجاذَبَتنا يَدُهُ جِذابا

Indeed, death, though it shoots and hits its mark,

Amazement take, that such events amaze,

And its hand grapples fiercely with us,

Setting astir both minds and reason's ways.

يَعجِمُ مِن عيدانِنا صِلابا

يَعجِمُ مِن عيدانِنا صِلابا

صَعباً يُلاقي أَنفُساً صِعابا

صَعباً يُلاقي أَنفُساً صِعابا

Bites to test the hardest of our rods.

Though fate may strike, its arrows poised to slay,

Unyielding, it encounters unyielding souls,

Its grip has seized us, drawn us to obey,

لا تُنكِرُ المَوتَ لَها شَرابا

لا تُنكِرُ المَوتَ لَها شَرابا

وَلا تَعافُ الصَبِرَ المُذابا

وَلا تَعافُ الصَبِرَ المُذابا

That do not refuse death as their drink,

Our bones it jars, their hardness swept away.

Nor shun dissolved bitter aloe:

To greet a fate the valiant dread, appalls,

سَوالِباً وَمَرَّةً أَسلابا

سَوالِباً وَمَرَّةً أَسلابا

إِذا أَنا اِنقَدتُ وَلَمّا آبى

إِذا أَنا اِنقَدتُ وَلَمّا آبى

Despoilers, and in turn themselves the spoils.

They scorn the taste of death's infecting galls,

If I submit without first resisting,

Now tossed in triumph, now in danger sprawls.

مُنجَفِلاً مَعَ الرَدى مُنجابا

مُنجَفِلاً مَعَ الرَدى مُنجابا

فَلِم سَنَنتُ الصارِمَ القِرضابا

فَلِم سَنَنتُ الصارِمَ القِرضابا

Fleeing in death's company, vanishing,

When destiny insisted I comply,

Then why did I whet the keen, cleaving sword?

Protesting not, I donned mortality.

وَلِم رَبَطتُ الشُزَّبَ العِرابا

وَلِم رَبَطتُ الشُزَّبَ العِرابا

يَمرينَ بِالشَكائِمِ اللُعابا

يَمرينَ بِالشَكائِمِ اللُعابا

And why did I tether the lean Arabian steeds,

Why did I draw the blade, and knot the cord?

Drawing forth saliva with their bits,

Why saddle up, when fates said nay the word?

خَمايِصاً نُحاضِرُ الذَيابا

خَمايِصاً نُحاضِرُ الذَيابا

يَحمِلنَ أُسداً في الوَغى غِضابا

يَحمِلنَ أُسداً في الوَغى غِضابا

Hollow-bellied steeds on which we race the wolves,

With high souls, we mortal to the grave.

Bearing lions enraged amid battle,

The lions in the fray, their rage we brave,

قَد سَلَبوا السَوابِغَ العِيانا

قَد سَلَبوا السَوابِغَ العِيانا

رَكباً وَطوراً لِلقَنا رِكابا

رَكباً وَطوراً لِلقَنا رِكابا

Who have stripped away ample coats of mail in plain sight [uncertain wording],

Honor and faith were torn from their crave.

Riders, and at times mounts for spears,

Horsemen and footmen, not a soul to save,

يَحمي الحِمى وَيَمنَعُ الجَنابا

يَحمي الحِمى وَيَمنَعُ الجَنابا

حَتّى إِذا داعي الرَدى أَهابا

حَتّى إِذا داعي الرَدى أَهابا

Each guarding the sanctuary and defending its precincts?

Guarding our bounds, yet no stealth did stave

Until, when death's summoner calls,

The call of fate, our hands lost pow'r to wave,

أَسقَطَ مِن أَيمانِنا الكِعابا

أَسقَطَ مِن أَيمانِنا الكِعابا

وَبَزَّنا أَرواحَنا إِغصابا

وَبَزَّنا أَرواحَنا إِغصابا

It knocks the jointed spears from our right hands,

Our souls were crushed, bereft of any salve.

And forcibly strips us of our souls.

No wound could stab, no blow could bruise or carve

لا طَعنَ نَسطيعُ وَلا ضِرابا

لا طَعنَ نَسطيعُ وَلا ضِرابا

مُقتَحِمٌ عَلى الأُسودِ الغابا

مُقتَحِمٌ عَلى الأُسودِ الغابا

We can manage neither spear-thrust nor sword-blow.

Headlong we plunged midst the darkest wave,

It storms the thickets, assailing the lions.

How many friends and peers died young in age!

وَرُبَّ إِخوانٍ مَضَوا شَبابا

وَرُبَّ إِخوانٍ مَضَوا شَبابا

تَلاحَقوا إِلى الرَدى صِحابا

تَلاحَقوا إِلى الرَدى صِحابا

And many brothers passed away in youth,

Rushing pell-mell to join death's pilgrimage.

Following one another into death as companions.

From them we wait no promised message sage,

لا نَتَرَجّى مِنهُمُ إِيابا

لا نَتَرَجّى مِنهُمُ إِيابا

وَلا نَعُدُّ لَهُمُ الأَحقابا

وَلا نَعُدُّ لَهُمُ الأَحقابا

We hope for no return from them,

To them we speak no trust or patronage.

Nor count out the ages for them.

They pay no heed to doors or hermitage,

لا يَحفِلُ الحُجّابَ وَالأَبوابا

لا يَحفِلُ الحُجّابَ وَالأَبوابا

إِذا دُعوا لَم يُرجِعوا جَوابا

إِذا دُعوا لَم يُرجِعوا جَوابا

It heeds neither doorkeepers nor doors.

No reply make, whatever we engage.

When called, they give no answer,

For fate they wore the helmet and the badge,

وَلَبِسوا الجَندَلَ وَالظِرابا

وَلَبِسوا الجَندَلَ وَالظِرابا

لِقَدَرٍ ما عَمَروا الخِرابا

لِقَدَرٍ ما عَمَروا الخِرابا

And they have clothed themselves in stones and rocky mounds.

O branch prolonged, which bloomed beyond death's cage,

By some decree, they peopled the ruins.

When you did wilt, I trusted you to earth,

يا غُصُناً طالَ وَفَرعاً طابا

يا غُصُناً طالَ وَفَرعاً طابا

لَمّا ذَوى أَودَعتُهُ التُرابا

لَمّا ذَوى أَودَعتُهُ التُرابا

O branch that grew tall, and bough that flourished,

But from your day, I gained so little worth.

When it withered, I consigned it to the earth.

I still implore the clouds to water your hearth,

أَرابَ مِن يَومِكَ ما أَرابا

أَرابَ مِن يَومِكَ ما أَرابا

لازِلتُ أَستَسقي لَكَ السَحابا

لازِلتُ أَستَسقي لَكَ السَحابا

What your day brought of dismay was dismay indeed.

Each burial dove still weaves sorrow's girth,

May I never cease asking the clouds to water you:

Dragging on the sands robes of deepest dearth,

كُلَّ أَغَرٍّ يَدِقُ الذِهابا

كُلَّ أَغَرٍّ يَدِقُ الذِهابا

مُجَرِّراً عَلى الرُبى أَهدابا

مُجَرِّراً عَلى الرُبى أَهدابا

Every radiant cloud that overwhelms the lighter showers,

Preserving but the wreckage foulest birth,

Trailing its fringes across the hills,

Then circles back, bent in grief's ample girth.

يُبقي بِأَجوازِ الثَرى أَندابا

يُبقي بِأَجوازِ الثَرى أَندابا

وَيَنثَني مُجَوِّلاً جَوابا

وَيَنثَني مُجَوِّلاً جَوابا

Leaving scars across the reaches of the earth,

If you are clad in shrouds that time does swathe,

And turning back, roaming far and wide.

I count my weeping foolishness and scathe.

وَإِن لَبِستَ لِلبِلى جِلبابا

وَإِن لَبِستَ لِلبِلى جِلبابا

أَرى البُكاءَ سَفَهاً وَعابا

أَرى البُكاءَ سَفَهاً وَعابا

And though you have donned decay's cloak,

Make not your wont a discipline of death,

I deem weeping folly and a fault.

Meet your fate with book of deeds praiseworthy.

لا تَجعَلَنهُ دَيدَناً وَدابا

لا تَجعَلَنهُ دَيدَناً وَدابا

وافَقَ مِنّا أَجَلٌ كِتابا

وافَقَ مِنّا أَجَلٌ كِتابا

Do not make it a habit and constant practice:

An appointed end among us has matched what was written.