أَمانِيُّwishes نَفسٍof a soul ماnever تُناخُare made to kneel رِكابُهاits riding camels
أَمانِيُّ نَفسٍ ما تُناخُ رِكابُها
وَغَيبَةُand the absence حَظٍّof fortune لاnot يُرَجّىis hoped for إِيابُهاits return
وَغَيبَةُ حَظٍّ لا يُرَجّى إِيابُها
A soul's wishes, whose camels are never made to kneel,
The hopes of my soul do not alight their steeds,
and an absent fortune whose return is not hoped for;
And the absence of fortune is not hoped for its return,
وَوَفدُand a delegation هُمومٍof cares ماnever أَقَمتُhave I stayed بِبَلدَةٍin a town
وَوَفدُ هُمومٍ ما أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ
وَهُنَّand they مَعيwith me إِلّاexcept وَضاقَتand grew cramped رِحابُهاits open spaces
وَهُنَّ مَعي إِلّا وَضاقَت رِحابُها
and a visiting throng of cares: never have I stayed in a town
And the delegation of worries that I did not reside in any abode,
with them beside me without its open spaces growing cramped;
And they are with me, except that its expanses narrowed,
وَآمالُand hopes دَهرٍof a lifetime إِنif حَسِبتُI reckon نَجاحَهاtheir success
وَآمالُ دَهرٍ إِن حَسِبتُ نَجاحَها
تَراجَعَreturns مَنقوصاًdiminished عَلَيَّto my loss حِسابُهاtheir reckoning
تَراجَعَ مَنقوصاً عَلَيَّ حِسابُها
and a lifetime's hopes: if I reckon their success,
And the hopes of fate - if I thought of their success -
their tally comes back diminished, to my loss.
Their account turned deficient upon me,
أَهُمُّI aspire وَتَثنيand turns back بِالمَقاديرِthrough fate's decrees هِمَّتيmy resolve
أَهُمُّ وَتَثني بِالمَقاديرِ هِمَّتي
وَلاand not يَنتَهيceases دَأبُthe toil اللَياليof the nights وَدابُهاand their tireless course
وَلا يَنتَهي دَأبُ اللَيالي وَدابُها
I aspire, but fate's decrees turn my resolve back,
I worry and fold my aspirations due to fate’s decrees,
and the nights' toil and tireless course never end.
And the night’s endeavor does not cease nor its creeping,
فَياso, O مُهجَةًheart يَفنىperishes غَليلاًin burning anguish ذَمارُهاits honor
فَيا مُهجَةً يَفنى غَليلاً ذَمارُها
وَياand O لِمَّةًlocks of hair يَمضيpasses away ضَياعاًin waste شَبَبُهاtheir youthful bloom
وَيا لِمَّةً يَمضي ضَياعاً شَبَبُها
So, O heart whose honor wastes away in burning anguish!
So goodbye to an era whose ailment perishes,
And O locks whose youthful bloom passes away to waste!
And goodbye to a nation whose youth is lost,
وَعِنديand I have إِلىtoward العَلياءِeminence طُرقٌroads كَثيرَةٌmany
وَعِندي إِلى العَلياءِ طُرقٌ كَثيرَةٌ
لَوِif only اِنجابَcleared away مِنfrom هَذيthese الخُطوبِcalamities ضَبابُهاtheir fog
لَوِ اِنجابَ مِن هَذي الخُطوبِ ضَبابُها
I have many roads to the heights,
And I have many paths to ascend,
if the fog of these calamities would clear.
If the clouds of these calamities clear,
عِنادٌdefiance مِنَfrom الأَيّامِthe days عَكسُa reversal مَطالِبيof my pursuits
عِنادٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ عَكسُ مَطالِبي
إِذاwhen كانَwould يوطينيlay at my feet النَجاحَsuccess اِقتِرابُهاtheir approach
إِذا كانَ يوطيني النَجاحَ اِقتِرابُها
The days resist me, reversing my pursuits,
Fate’s defiance opposes my quests,
just when their approach would lay success at my feet.
When success comes near me, its distance grows,
وَحَظِّيَand my share مِنهاof them صابُهاtheir bitter sap دونَrather than شَهدِهاtheir honey
وَحَظِّيَ مِنها صابُها دونَ شَهدِها
فَلَوso, if only كانَwere عِنديwith me شَهدُهاtheir honey ثُمَّthen صابُهاtheir bitter sap
فَلَو كانَ عِندي شَهدُها ثُمَّ صابُها
My share of them is bitter sap, not their honey;
My share of it is the drizzle without the downpour,
if only I had their honey, and then their bitter sap!
If only I had its downpour then the drizzle,
تَميلُsway بِأَطماعِwith the ambitions of الرِجالِmen بُروقُهاits lightning flashes
تَميلُ بِأَطماعِ الرِجالِ بُروقُها
وَتوكىand are tied shut عَلىupon غِشِّdeceiving الأَنامِhumankind عِيابُهاits bags
وَتوكى عَلى غِشِّ الأَنامِ عِيابُها
Its lightning flashes sway men's ambitions,
Its lightning bolts lean towards men’s greed,
and its bags are tied shut upon deceit for humankind.
And it entrusts to the people’s deceit its disappearance,
وَلَكِنَّهاbut it is الدُنياthe world الَّتيwhose لاnot مَجيئُهاits coming
وَلَكِنَّها الدُنيا الَّتي لا مَجيئُها
عَلىfor المَرءِa person مَأمونٌsafe فَيَخشىso he fears ذَهابُهاits going
عَلى المَرءِ مَأمونٌ فَيَخشى ذَهابُها
Yet this is the world, whose coming
Yet it is the life whose coming to a person
is not safe for man—why, then, fear its going?
Is not secured, so he fears its departure,
تَفوهُspeak إِلَيناto us بِالخُطوبِof calamities فِجاجُهاits broad passes
تَفوهُ إِلَينا بِالخُطوبِ فِجاجُها
وَتَجريand flow إِلَيناtoward us بِالرَزاياwith afflictions شِعابُهاits ravines
وَتَجري إِلَينا بِالرَزايا شِعابُها
Its broad passes speak to us of calamities,
It snarls calamities at us with its howling,
and its ravines flow toward us bearing afflictions.
And tribulations flow towards us through its valleys,
أَلاtake heed أَبلِغاconvey, you two عَنّيfrom me المُوَفَّقَal-Muwaffaq قَولَةًa word
أَلا أَبلِغا عَنّي المُوَفَّقَ قَولَةً
وَظَنِّيَand my belief أَنَّthat الطولَbounty مِنهُfrom him جَوابُهاis its answer
وَظَنِّيَ أَنَّ الطولَ مِنهُ جَوابُها
Take heed, you two: convey a word from me to al-Muwaffaq;
Will you not convey from me to the supported ruler a saying,
I believe his bounty will be its answer.
And I expect a long response from him,
أَتَرضىwould you be content بِأَنwith the fact that أَرميI cast إِلَيكَtoward you بِهِمَّتيwith my aspiration
أَتَرضى بِأَن أَرمي إِلَيكَ بِهِمَّتي
فَأَحجُبَand be barred عَنfrom لُقياmeeting عُلىًheights أَنتَyou بابُهاare their gate
فَأَحجُبَ عَن لُقيا عُلىً أَنتَ بابُها
Would you be content that I cast my aspiration toward you,
Would you accept that I aim my determination at you,
only to be barred from heights whose gate you are?
So you veil the reaching of heights that you are its door,
وَأَظماand I thirst إِلىfor دَرِّthe flowing milk الأَمانيof hopes فَتَنثَنيthen they turn away
وَأَظما إِلى دَرِّ الأَماني فَتَنثَني
بِأَخلافِهاwith their teats عَنّيfrom me وَمِنكَand from you مَصابُهاis their outpouring
بِأَخلافِها عَنّي وَمِنكَ مَصابُها
And that I thirst for the milk of hopes, while they turn
And I suppress into the abode of hopes so it turns me away
their teats away from me, though their flow comes from you?
With its successors from me while the attainment is from you,
وَلَيسَand it is not مِنَof الإِنصافِfairness أَنthat حَلَّقَتhave soared بِكُمwith you
وَلَيسَ مِنَ الإِنصافِ أَن حَلَّقَت بِكُم
قَوادِمُprimary flight feathers عِزٍّof glory طاحَhas soared فيin الجَوِّthe sky قابُهاtheir fledgling
قَوادِمُ عِزٍّ طاحَ في الجَوِّ قابُها
It is not fair that you should be borne aloft by
And it is not just that the arrivals of honor circled you
glory's primary feathers, whose fledgling soars through the sky,
While its clouds fell in the air and its rain poured,
وَأَصبَحتُand I have become مَحصوصَplucked of الجَناحِwing مُهَضَّماًoppressed
وَأَصبَحتُ مَحصوصَ الجَناحِ مُهَضَّماً
عَلَيَّupon me غَواشيcoverings ذِلَّةٍof abasement وَثِيابُهاand its robes
عَلَيَّ غَواشي ذِلَّةٍ وَثِيابُها
while I am left with plucked wings, oppressed,
And I became clipped of wing, humbled,
covered in abasement's shrouds and robes.
Upon me the mantles of disgrace and its clothes,
تَعُدُّready الأَعاديthe enemies ليfor me مَراميthe missiles قِذافِهاof their catapults
تَعُدُّ الأَعادي لي مَرامي قِذافِها
وَتَنبَحُنيand bark at me أَنّىwherever مَرَرتُI pass كِلابُهاtheir dogs
وَتَنبَحُني أَنّى مَرَرتُ كِلابُها
My enemies ready their catapults' missiles for me,
The enemies count me as target for their pelting,
and their dogs bark at me wherever I pass.
And their dogs bark at me wherever I passed,
مُقامِيَmy dwelling فيin أَسرِcaptivity to الخُطوبِcalamities تُهَزُّare brandished ليagainst me
مُقامِيَ في أَسرِ الخُطوبِ تُهَزُّ لي
قَواضِبُهاtheir cutting swords مَطرورَةًsharpened وَحِرابُهاand their spears
قَواضِبُها مَطرورَةً وَحِرابُها
I dwell captive to calamities; against me are brandished
My stance in the shackles of tribulations -
their sharpened, cutting swords and their spears.
Its ships toss me while its swords stab me,
لَقَدindeed كُنتُI had been أَرجوhoping أَنthat تَكونواyou would be ذَرائِعيmy means
لَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن تَكونوا ذَرائِعي
إِلىto غَيرِكُمothers than you حَيثُwhere العُلىeminence وَاِكتِسابُهاand its attainment
إِلى غَيرِكُم حَيثُ العُلى وَاِكتِسابُها
I had hoped that you would be my means
I used to hope that you would be my means
of reaching others, where eminence lies and may be won.
To others where there is highness and its attainment,
فَهَذيso these المَعاليheights الآنَnow طَوعىobedient لِأَمرِكُمto your command
فَهَذي المَعالي الآنَ طَوعى لِأَمرِكُم
وَفيand in يَدِكُمyour hands أَرسانُهاtheir halters وَرِقابُهاand their necks
وَفي يَدِكُم أَرسانُها وَرِقابُها
These heights now obey your command;
So these heights are now obedient to your command,
their halters and necks are in your hands.
And in your hands are its reins and necks,
إِذاif لَمnot أُرِدI desire فيin عِزِّكُمyour might طَلَبَthe pursuit of العُلىeminence
إِذا لَم أُرِد في عِزِّكُم طَلَبَ العُلى
فَفيthen in عِزِّthe might of مَنwhom يُجديwould benefit عَلَيَّme طِلابُهاits pursuit
فَفي عِزِّ مَن يُجدي عَلَيَّ طِلابُها
If I do not seek eminence in your might,
If I do not want in your glory to seek highness,
in whose might could its pursuit avail me?
Then whose glory benefits me in its pursuit?
وَلَولاكُمُand but for you ماnot كُنتُI would be إِلّاexcept بِباحَةٍin a court
وَلَولاكُمُ ما كُنتُ إِلّا بِباحَةٍ
مِنَof العِزِّglory مَضروباًpitched عَلَيَّover me قِبابُهاits pavilions
مِنَ العِزِّ مَضروباً عَلَيَّ قِبابُها
But for you, I would dwell only in a court
And were it not for you I would not be except in a courtyard
of glory, its pavilions pitched above me,
Of honor, its dome collapsed upon me,
أَجوبُI traverse بِلادَthe lands of اللَهِGod أَوuntil أَبلُغَI reach الَّتيthat which
أَجوبُ بِلادَ اللَهِ أَو أَبلُغَ الَّتي
يَسوءُdistresses الأَعاديthe enemies أَنthat يَعُبَّsurges عُبابُهاits swelling flood
يَسوءُ الأَعادي أَن يَعُبَّ عُبابُها
roaming God's lands until I reached that glory
I roam God’s lands or reach those
whose surging tide would distress my enemies.
Whose enemies dislike that its knights travel,
وَكانَand would be مُقاميmy dwelling أَنif أَقَمتُI settled بِبَلدَةٍin a town
وَكانَ مُقامي أَن أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ
مَقامَthe dwelling of الضَواريbeasts of prey الغُلبِthick-necked يُحذَرُis feared غابُهاtheir forest lair
مَقامَ الضَواري الغُلبِ يُحذَرُ غابُها
And, were I to settle in a town, my dwelling would be
And my stance was - whenever I resided in an abode -
that of thick-necked beasts of prey whose forest lair is feared.
The stance of outcasts, fearing the absence of its forest,
وَإِنّيand I لَتَرّاكُsurely readily abandon المَطالِبِpursuits إِنif نَأىmoves far away
وَإِنّي لَتَرّاكُ المَطالِبِ إِن نَأى
بِهاwith them قَدَرٌfate أَوor لُطَّis drawn shut دونيagainst me حِجابُهاtheir veil
بِها قَدَرٌ أَو لُطَّ دوني حِجابُها
And I readily abandon pursuits if they are carried far away
And I surely see the quests - if fate distanced
by fate, or their veil is drawn shut against me.
Or a veil fell between me and it -
وَأَعزِلُand I hold back مِنfrom دونِbefore الَّتيthat which لاnot أَنالُهاI attain
وَأَعزِلُ مِن دونِ الَّتي لا أَنالُها
نَوازِعَthe impulses of نَفسيmy soul أَوuntil تَذِلَّyield صِعابُهاits difficulties
نَوازِعَ نَفسي أَو تَذِلَّ صِعابُها
From what I cannot attain, I hold back
And I refrain from what I cannot attain,
my soul's impulses, until its difficulties yield.
The dissuasions of my soul or its difficulties weaken,
وَأَقرَبُand the closest ماof what بَينيbetween me وَبَينَكَand between you حُرمَةًin sanctity
وَأَقرَبُ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ حُرمَةً
تَدانيthe nearness of نُفوسٍsouls وُدُّهاtheir affection وَحِبابُهاand their love
تَداني نُفوسٍ وُدُّها وَحِبابُها
The closest sacred bond between you and me
And the closest between me and you in sanctity
is the nearness of souls, their affection and love:
Is the intimacy of souls, their love and yearning,
شَواجِرُinterwoven bonds أَرحامٍof kinship إِذاif ماindeed وَصَلتَهاyou uphold them
شَواجِرُ أَرحامٍ إِذا ما وَصَلتَها
فَعِندَthen with أَميرِthe Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful ثَوابُهاis their reward
فَعِندَ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ ثَوابُها
interwoven ties of kinship which, if you uphold them,
Branches of kinship - if connected -
have their reward with the Commander of the Faithful.
Then with the Prince of Believers is its reward,
وَماand what بَعدَbeyond ذاthis مِنof آصِراتٍbinding ties إِذاwhen اِنتَهَتare traced to their end
وَما بَعدَ ذا مِن آصِراتٍ إِذا اِنتَهَت
يَكونُis إِلىto آلِthe family of النَبيِّthe Prophet اِنتِسابُهاtheir lineage
يَكونُ إِلى آلِ النَبيِّ اِنتِسابُها
And what bonds could go beyond this, when, traced to their end,
And after this from lineages - if they end -
their lineage reaches the family of the Prophet?
Is the association to the Prophet’s family,
وَهَلand is تُطلَبُsought العَلياءُeminence إِلّاexcept لِأَنso that يُرىone may see
وَهَل تُطلَبُ العَلياءُ إِلّا لِأَن يُرى
وَليٌّan ally يُرَجّيهاsets hopes on it وَضِدٌّand an enemy يَهابُهاfears it
وَليٌّ يُرَجّيها وَضِدٌّ يَهابُها
Is eminence sought for anything but to see
And is highness sought except so it appears
an ally hoping in it and an enemy fearing it?
A loyal ally whose aid is hoped and a foe who is feared?
فَجَرِّدso unsheathe لِأَمريfor my cause عَزمَةًa resolve مِنكَfrom you صَدقَةًsteadfast
فَجَرِّد لِأَمري عَزمَةً مِنكَ صَدقَةً
كَمَطرورَةِlike a sharpened blade الغَربَينِon both edges يَمضيpierces ذُبابُهاits point
كَمَطرورَةِ الغَربَينِ يَمضي ذُبابُها
So unsheathe for my cause a steadfast resolve of yours,
So prepare for my matter a sincere determination,
like a blade sharpened on both edges, its point piercing through.
Like the pouring rain whose drizzle flows,
وَلاand do not تَترُكَنّيleave me قاعِداًsitting أَرقُبُwatching for المُنىwishes
وَلا تَترُكَنّي قاعِداً أَرقُبُ المُنى
وَأَرعىand watch بُروقاًlightning flashes لاnot يَجودُgive rain سَحابُهاtheir clouds
وَأَرعى بُروقاً لا يَجودُ سَحابُها
Do not leave me sitting, watching for wishes,
And do not leave me sitting hoping for favor
watching lightning whose clouds yield no rain.
And watching for lightning whose clouds do not rain,
وَغَيرُكِand another than you يَقريfeeds النازِلينَthose alighting بِبابِهِat his door
وَغَيرُكِ يَقري النازِلينَ بِبابِهِ
عَداتٍpromises كَأَرضِlike the ground of القاعِa level plain يَجريflows سَرابُهاits mirage
عَداتٍ كَأَرضِ القاعِ يَجري سَرابُها
Another than you feeds those who alight at his door
While others feed the visitors at his door
promises like a level plain whose mirage flows.
Provisions like a mirage’s land where its illusion flows,
بِكَفَّيكَin your two palms عَقدُthe binding of المَكرُماتِnoble favors وَحَلُّهاand their unbinding
بِكَفَّيكَ عَقدُ المَكرُماتِ وَحَلُّها
وَعِندَكَand with you إِشراقُthe dawning of العُلىglory وَغِيابُهاand its setting
وَعِندَكَ إِشراقُ العُلى وَغِيابُها
In your two palms lie the binding and unbinding of noble favors,
In your hands is the knot of honors and its solutions,
and with you lie glory's dawning and its setting.
And with you is the rise of ascendance and its setting,
وَعِنديand I have لَكَfor you الغُرُّradiant verses الَّتيwhose لاnot نِظامُهاtheir string
وَعِندي لَكَ الغُرُّ الَّتي لا نِظامُها
يَهيweakens أَبَداًever أَوor لاnot يَبوخُdies down شِهابُهاtheir blazing star
يَهي أَبَداً أَو لا يَبوخُ شِهابُها
I have for you radiant verses whose string
And I have for you the love that has no system,
never frays, nor does their blazing star ever fade.
Its ardor never calms or its flame is not extinguished,
وَعِندِيَand I have لِلأَعداءِfor the enemies فيكَin your cause أَوابِدٌfar-ranging verses
وَعِندِيَ لِلأَعداءِ فيكَ أَوابِدٌ
لُعابُthe spittle الأَفاعيof vipers القاتِلاتِdeadly لُعابُهاtheir spittle
لُعابُ الأَفاعي القاتِلاتِ لُعابُها
And for enemies, in your cause, I have far-ranging verses:
And I have for the enemies in you ruins
their spittle is the spittle of deadly vipers.
Like the lethal vipers’ venom is their venom.
Sol 6.1