قَدindeed قُلتُI said لِلنَفسِto the soul الشَعاعِscattered أَضُمُّهاI gather it in
قَد قُلتُ لِلنَفسِ الشَعاعِ أَضُمُّها
كَمhow long ذاthis القِراعُknocking لِكُلِّat every بابٍdoor مُصمَتِsealed
كَم ذا القِراعُ لِكُلِّ بابٍ مُصمَتِ
I have said to my scattered soul, gathering it in:
I said to my soul, whose ray I fold:
How long this knocking at every sealed door?
How long will knocking be at every silent door?
قَدindeed آنَthe time has come أَنto أَعصيI defy المَطامِعَambitions طائِعاًobediently
قَد آنَ أَن أَعصي المَطامِعَ طائِعاً
لِليَأسِto despair جامِعَgathering شَملِيَmy affairs المُتَشَتِّتِscattered
لِليَأسِ جامِعَ شَملِيَ المُتَشَتِّتِ
It is time I defy my ambitions, yielding
It's time to disobey greedy hopes -
To despair, gathering my scattered self.
And despair, which gathers my scattered parts, obeys.
يَقضيdies الحَريصُthe greedy man وَلَيسَand does not يَقضيfulfill أُربَةًa desire
يَقضي الحَريصُ وَلَيسَ يَقضي أُربَةً
مُتَعَلِّلاًseeking solace أَبَداًforever بِغَيرِwithout تَعِلَّةِconsolation
مُتَعَلِّلاً أَبَداً بِغَيرِ تَعِلَّةِ
The greedy man dies, yet fulfills no desire,
The eager man passes away and doesn't pass an inheritance,
Forever seeking solace where there is none.
Always excusing himself with a false excuse.
قُلsay لِلَّذينَto those whom بَلَوتُهُمI tested them فَوَجَدتُهُمthen I found them
قُل لِلَّذينَ بَلَوتُهُم فَوَجَدتُهُم
آلاًa mirage وَغَيرُand something other than الآلِthe mirage يَنقَعُquenches غُلَّتيmy burning thirst
آلاً وَغَيرُ الآلِ يَنقَعُ غُلَّتي
Tell those I tested and then found to be
Say to those I tested and found
A mirage—and what is not a mirage quenches my thirst:
Worthless, while the worthy drinks my tears.
أَعدَدتُكُمI prepared you لِدِفاعِfor warding off كُلِّevery مُلِمَّةٍcalamity
أَعدَدتُكُم لِدِفاعِ كُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ
عَنّيfrom me فَكُنتُمthen you became عَونَthe aid of كُلِّevery مُلِمَّةٍcalamity
عَنّي فَكُنتُم عَونَ كُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ
I prepared you to ward off every calamity
I prepared you to defend me from every misfortune,
From me, but you became allies of every calamity.
Yet you became the aid of every misfortune.
وَتَخِذتُكُمand I took you ليfor myself جُنَّةًa shield فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though
وَتَخِذتُكُم لي جُنَّةً فَكَأَنَّما
نَظَرَsaw العَدُوُّthe enemy مَقاتِليmy vital spots مِنthrough جُنَّتيmy shield
نَظَرَ العَدُوُّ مَقاتِلي مِن جُنَّتي
And I took you as my shield, yet it was as though
I made you a shield around me, but it was as if
The enemy saw my vital spots through my shield.
The enemy saw my fighters through my shield.
سُمَعٌrumors يَبُلُّslakes بِهاwith them الحَسودُthe envious man غَليلَهُhis burning thirst
سُمَعٌ يَبُلُّ بِها الحَسودُ غَليلَهُ
وَمَتىand whenever نُبِثنَthey are spread عَلىbefore عَدوٍّan enemy يَشمَتِhe gloats
وَمَتى نُبِثنَ عَلى عَدوٍّ يَشمَتِ
Rumors with which the envious man slakes his burning thirst,
A reputation that makes the envious sick with anguish,
And whenever they are spread before an enemy, he gloats.
And when we triumph over an enemy, exult.
تَأَبىrefuses ثِمارٌfruit أَنto تَكونَbe كَريمَةًnoble
تَأَبى ثِمارٌ أَن تَكونَ كَريمَةً
وَفُروعُand the branches دَوحَتِهاof its spreading tree لِئامُignoble المَنبِتِorigin
وَفُروعُ دَوحَتِها لِئامُ المَنبِتِ
Fruit refuses to be noble,
Fruits refused to be generous,
When its spreading tree's branches are of base stock.
And its branches are the scum of the planter.
لَمّاwhen رَمَيتُI cast إِلَيكُمُtoward you بِمَطامِعيwith my hopes
لَمّا رَمَيتُ إِلَيكُمُ بِمَطامِعي
كَثُرَgrew الخِلاجُmisgivings مُقَلِّباًunsettling لِرَوِيَّتيmy deliberation
كَثُرَ الخِلاجُ مُقَلِّباً لِرَوِيَّتي
When I cast my hopes toward you,
When I aimed my hopes at you,
Misgivings grew, unsettling my considered judgment.
The bowl churned, disturbing my calm.
وَوَقَفتُand I stood دونَكُمُbefore you وُقوفَthe stance of مُقَسَّمٍone divided
وَوَقَفتُ دونَكُمُ وُقوفَ مُقَسَّمٍ
حَذَرَfear of المَنِيَّةِdeath راجِيَhoping for الأُمنِيَّةِthe wish
حَذَرَ المَنِيَّةِ راجِيَ الأُمنِيَّةِ
And I halted before you like one torn in two,
And I stood before you like one destined
Dreading death, yet hoping to attain my wish.
To die, hoping for safety.
قَدَمٌone foot تَؤُمُّكُمُheads toward you وَأُخرىand another تَنثَنيdraws back
قَدَمٌ تَؤُمُّكُمُ وَأُخرى تَنثَني
عَنكُمfrom you وَحَزمُand soundness الرَأيِof judgment للمُتَثَبِّتِfor the deliberate
عَنكُم وَحَزمُ الرَأيِ للمُتَثَبِّتِ
One foot makes for you, and the other draws back
One foot takes you there, another draws me
From you; sound judgment belongs to the deliberate.
Away from you, though the wise stay firm.
لَولاwere it not for الحَوادِثُmisfortunes ماnot أَفَدتُI gained تَجارِباًexperiences
لَولا الحَوادِثُ ما أَفَدتُ تَجارِباً
يَعسوhardens الرَطيبُthe tender shoot وَيَقرَحُand matures الجَذعُthe colt الفَتيyoung
يَعسو الرَطيبُ وَيَقرَحُ الجَذعُ الفَتي
Without misfortunes, I would have gained no experience;
Without misfortunes, I'd not gain experience -
The tender shoot hardens, and the young colt matures.
The tender branch would not fruit, or the trunk grow stout.
يَأسٌdespair ثَنىturned سُنَنَthe paths of المَطالِبِpursuits عَنكُمُaway from you
يَأسٌ ثَنى سُنَنَ المَطالِبِ عَنكُمُ
وَلَوىand turned إِلىtoward الأَوطانِthe homelands عُنقَthe neck of مَطَيَّتيmy mount
وَلَوى إِلى الأَوطانِ عُنقَ مَطَيَّتي
Despair turned the paths of my pursuits away from you,
Despair bent the path of my hopes away from you
And turned my mount's neck toward home.
And turned my steed's neck toward home.
لاno عُذرَexcuse ليfor me إِلّاexcept ذَهابيmy departure عَنكُمُfrom you
لا عُذرَ لي إِلّا ذَهابي عَنكُمُ
فَإِذاso when ذَهَبتُI leave فَيَأسُكُمthen your despair مِنof رَجعَتيmy return
فَإِذا ذَهَبتُ فَيَأسُكُم مِن رَجعَتي
I have no excuse but my departure from you;
I've no excuse but my leaving you -
So once I leave, give up hope of my return.
For when I go, despair of my return!
فَلَأَرحَلَنَّso I shall surely depart رَحيلَthe departure of لاnot مُتَلَهِّفٍone who grieves
فَلَأَرحَلَنَّ رَحيلَ لا مُتَلَهِّفٍ
لِفِراقِكُمat parting from you أَبَداًever وَلاand not مُتَلَفِّتِone looking back
لِفِراقِكُم أَبَداً وَلا مُتَلَفِّتِ
So I shall surely depart as one who feels no grief
So I'll leave without looking back,
At parting from you, ever, and does not look back.
Not eager for our parting, never glancing back.
وَلَأَنفُضَنَّand I shall surely shake يَدَيَّmy two hands يَأساًin despair مِنكُمُof you
وَلَأَنفُضَنَّ يَدَيَّ يَأساً مِنكُمُ
نَفضَa shaking of الأَنامِلِthe fingertips مِنfrom تُرابِthe dust of المَيِّتِthe dead person
نَفضَ الأَنامِلِ مِن تُرابِ المَيِّتِ
And I shall surely shake my hands, abandoning hope in you,
And I'll shake my hands of you in despair
As fingertips shake off the dust of the dead.
As the bereaved shake dust off a corpse.
وَلَأَلمَعَنَّand I shall surely flash بِكُلِّwith every بَيتٍverse شارِدِfar-roaming
وَلَأَلمَعَنَّ بِكُلِّ بَيتٍ شارِدِ
لَمعَthe flash of المُهَنَّدِthe Indian-steel sword فيin يَمينِthe right hand of المُصلِتِone who bares his sword
لَمعَ المُهَنَّدِ في يَمينِ المُصلِتِ
And I shall surely flash forth every far-roaming verse,
I'll shine my verses on each outcast night
Like an Indian-steel blade in the right hand of one who bares it,
Like flash of sword in a worshipper's right hand.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery قافِيَةٍrhyme تَخُبُّtrots إِلَيكُمُtoward you
مِن كُلِّ قافِيَةٍ تَخُبُّ إِلَيكُمُ
بِشَواظِهاwith its blaze خَبَبَthe trot of الجَوادِthe steed المُفلِتِbroken loose
بِشَواظِها خَبَبَ الجَوادِ المُفلِتِ
From every rhyme that trots toward you
From every rhyme that yearns to you
With its blaze, trotting like a steed broken loose.
My steed bolts off with a loose rein.
وَأَقولُand I say لِلقَلبِto the heart المُنازِعِstraining نَحوَكُمtoward you
وَأَقولُ لِلقَلبِ المُنازِعِ نَحوَكُم
أَقصِرcurb هَواكَyour longing لَكَyours are اللَتَيّاthe lesser calamity وَالَّتيand the greater calamity
أَقصِر هَواكَ لَكَ اللَتَيّا وَالَّتي
And I say to the heart that strains toward you:
And I say to the heart disputing your love:
Curb your longing: yours are calamities small and great.
Shorten your passion - blame yourself, blame yourself!
أَأهُزُّshall I shake مَنone who لاnot يَنثَنيbends وَأُديرُand I turn مَنone who
أَأهُزُّ مَن لا يَنثَني وَأُديرُ مَن
لاnot يَرعَويdesists وَأَلومُand I reproach مَنone who لاnot يَختَتيfeels shame
لا يَرعَوي وَأَلومُ مَن لا يَختَتي
Should I shake one who will not bend, and steer one
Shall I jostle one who won't bend, prod one
Who will not desist, and reproach one who feels no shame?
Who won't be guided, blame one who won't regret?
ياalas ضَيعَةَthe waste of الأَمَلِhope الَّذيwhich وَجَّهتُهُI directed it
يا ضَيعَةَ الأَمَلِ الَّذي وَجَّهتُهُ
طَمَعاًin longing إِلىtoward الأَقوامِthe people بَلrather ياalas ضَيعَتيmy ruin
طَمَعاً إِلى الأَقوامِ بَل يا ضَيعَتي
Alas for the hope I directed
O lost hope, which I aimed
In longing toward those people—rather, alas for me!
Greedily at people - O my lost self!
وَسَرىand sailed by night السَفائِنُthe ships يَنثَنيcurls بِصُدورِهاagainst their prows
وَسَرى السَفائِنُ يَنثَني بِصُدورِها
مَوجٌwaves كَأَسنِمَةِlike the humps of الجِمالِthe camels الجِلَّةِlarge and mature
مَوجٌ كَأَسنِمَةِ الجِمالِ الجِلَّةِ
And the ships sailed by night; against their prows curled
Ships sailed, bending with their prows
Waves like the humps of huge, full-grown camels.
Like camels' necks, swaying gracefully.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen حَضَرواthey attend النَدَيِّthe assembly مَهانَةًin humiliation
قَومٌ إِذا حَضَروا النَدَيِّ مَهانَةً
عَطَسَتsneeze مَوارِنُهُمtheir fleshy nose-tips بِغَيرِwithout مُشَمِّتِone who blesses a sneezer
عَطَسَت مَوارِنُهُم بِغَيرِ مُشَمِّتِ
A people who, when they attend the assembly in disgrace,
A people who, when present at an assembly, disgrace it -
Their noses sneeze with no one to bless them.
Their ships sneeze though unprovoked.
ياO دَهرُTime حَسبُكَenough for you قَدindeed أَصَبتَyou struck مَقاتِليmy vital spots
يا دَهرُ حَسبُكَ قَد أَصَبتَ مَقاتِلي
ماnot زِلتَyou have ceased تَطلُبُyou seek بِالمَقادِرِthrough fate's decrees غِرَّتيmy unguarded moment
ما زِلتَ تَطلُبُ بِالمَقادِرِ غِرَّتي
O Time, enough! You have struck my vital spots.
O Time, enough! My warriors you have stricken -
You have ceaselessly sought, through fate's decrees, to catch me unawares.
You always seek my pride through destiny's decrees.
ماليwhy am I أُحيلُI shift blame عَلىonto سِواكَanyone other than you بِماfor what جَنىwrought
مالي أُحيلُ عَلى سِواكَ بِما جَنى
قَدَرٌa decree of fate عَلىupon قَدَرٍa decree of fate وَأَنتَand you بَلِيَّتيmy affliction
قَدَرٌ عَلى قَدَرٍ وَأَنتَ بَلِيَّتي
Why do I blame anyone but you for what was wrought
Why should I complain of any but you for what Fate wreaked?
By fate upon fate, when you are my affliction?
Decree after decree, and you're my affliction!
Sol 6.1