أَأَنكَرُam I unrecognized? وَالمَجدُwhile glory عُنوانِيَهmy hallmark
أَأَنكَرُ وَالمَجدُ عُنوانِيَه
وَمَخبُرَتيand my proven worth عِندَamong أَقرانِيَهmy peers
وَمَخبُرَتي عِندَ أَقرانِيَه
Am I unrecognized, when glory is my hallmark,
Shall I deny my glory, known to my peers?
and my proven worth is known among my peers?
While others are known without any marks,
وَيُعرَفُand is recognized غَيريanother than me بِلاwithout ميسَمٍa distinguishing mark
وَيُعرَفُ غَيري بِلا ميسَمٍ
مُبينٍclear وَلاor any غُرَّةٍa forehead blaze ضاحِيَهshining
مُبينٍ وَلا غُرَّةٍ ضاحِيَه
Yet another is recognized without a mark
Or features that give light.
that is clear, or a shining blaze.
Curse this land that fooled me,
أَلاindeed! قاتَلَmay ... confound اللَهُGod هَذاthese الأَنامَpeople
أَلا قاتَلَ اللَهُ هَذا الأَنامَ
وَقاتَلَand may He confound ظَنّيmy expectations وَآمالِيَهand my hopes
وَقاتَلَ ظَنّي وَآمالِيَه
May God confound these people,
And my hopes into which it blew.
and confound my expectations and my hopes,
Time favours its slips,
وَدَهراًand an age يُمَوِّلُenriches زَلّاتِهِits follies
وَدَهراً يُمَوِّلُ زَلّاتِهِ
وَلاand does not يَدخَرُstore up العُدمَdestitution إِلّاexcept لِيَهfor me
وَلا يَدخَرُ العُدمَ إِلّا لِيَه
and an age that enriches its own follies
And stores perdition, just for me.
and reserves destitution for no one but me.
When equalled in anguish, it repeats the bitterness,
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَماثَلتُI recover مِنfrom غَصَّةٍa choking grief
إِذا ما تَماثَلتُ مِن غَصَّةٍ
أَعادَit renews المِرارَbitterness فَسَقّانِيَهthen makes me drink it
أَعادَ المِرارَ فَسَقّانِيَه
Whenever I recover from a choking grief,
And makes me drink from its cup again.
it renews the bitterness and makes me drink it.
If only my share of this age would end its blows on me!
فَياoh, then لَيتَif only حَظِّيَmy share مِنof ذاthis الزَماage (continued)
فَيا لَيتَ حَظِّيَ مِن ذا الزَما
نِ(completes 'age') رَدُّrepelling نَوائِبِهِits calamities الجارِيَهongoing
نِ رَدُّ نَوائِبِهِ الجارِيَه
Would that my share of this age
An age whose youth surpassed the keenest orators.
were to repel its ongoing calamities!
I asked one who lived through life
زَمانٌan age عَداhas afflicted العَيُّinarticulacy أَبناءَهُits sons
زَمانٌ عَدا العَيُّ أَبناءَهُ
فَأَفصَحُand more eloquent مِنthan ناطِقٍa speaker راغِيَهa bellowing she-camel
فَأَفصَحُ مِن ناطِقٍ راغِيَه
An age whose sons are afflicted with inarticulacy:
And tore apart my peers - where is that pliant youth?
a bellowing camel is more eloquent than a speaker.
Where are the white days of my life?
سُؤالاًa question فَهَلso, will? يُخبِرَنsurely tell سالِفٌsomething bygone
سُؤالاً فَهَل يُخبِرَن سالِفٌ
مِنَof العَيشِlife قَطَّعَsevered أَقرانِيَهmy bonds
مِنَ العَيشِ قَطَّعَ أَقرانِيَه
I ask: will what has passed give me word—
Fate walked between me and demise,
that bygone life that severed my bonds?
Changing my state in the darkness.
أَلاah! أَينَwhere ذاكَthat الشَبابُyouth الرَطيtender (continued)
أَلا أَينَ ذاكَ الشَبابُ الرَطي
بُ(completes 'tender') أَمor أَينَwhere ليfor me بيضُthe bright ones أَيّامِيَهmy days
بُ أَم أَينَ لي بيضُ أَيّامِيَه
Ah, where is that fresh, tender youth,
I looked - and alas for her mother! -
or where are my radiant days?
A look at the white in my temple,
مَشىcame between الدَهرُtime بَينيme وَبَينَand between النَعيdelight (continued)
مَشى الدَهرُ بَيني وَبَينَ النَعي
مِ(completes 'delight') ظُلماًunjustly وَغَيَّرَand changed مِنsomething of حالِيَهmy condition
مِ ظُلماً وَغَيَّرَ مِن حالِيَه
Time came between me and delight,
They say it invites youth, but I say it mourns it.
unjustly, and altered my condition.
People have broken the rope of loyalty,
نَظَرتُI looked وَوَيلَand woe اُمِّهاto its mother نَظرَةًa glance
نَظَرتُ وَوَيلَ اُمِّها نَظرَةً
بِبَيضاءَat a white hair فيin عارِضيmy cheek-beard بادِيَهappearing
بِبَيضاءَ في عارِضي بادِيَه
I cast a glance—woe to its mother!—
And set their hearts on deceit and betrayal.
at a white hair showing in my beard.
I count, in this age, my friend as my first enemy,
يَقولونَthey say داعِيَةٌa herald لِلشَبابِof youth
يَقولونَ داعِيَةٌ لِلشَبابِ
فَقُلتُso I said وَلَكِنَّهاbut it ناعِيَهa death-announcer
فَقُلتُ وَلَكِنَّها ناعِيَه
They say, 'It is a herald of youth';
And those closest to me harm me most,
so I said, 'But it announces youth's death.'
As do those near me, more than all people.
أَلاindeed قَطَعَhave cut الناسُpeople حَبلَthe cord of الوَفاءfidelity
أَلا قَطَعَ الناسُ حَبلَ الوَفاء
وَأُولِعَand became infatuated بِالغَدرِwith treachery خُلّانِيَهmy close friends
وَأُولِعَ بِالغَدرِ خُلّانِيَه
Indeed, people have cut fidelity's cord,
How much shall I curb my resolve?
and my friends are infatuated with treachery.
How long will the sheath eat away my sword?
وَصِرتُand I have come أُعَدِّدُto count فيin ذاthis الزَمانage
وَصِرتُ أُعَدِّدُ في ذا الزَمان
صَديقِيَmy friend أَوَّلَthe foremost of أَعدائِيَهmy enemies
صَديقِيَ أَوَّلَ أَعدائِيَه
In this age I have come to count
By God, if my resolve had any power,
my friend as foremost among my enemies.
You'd hear of me wandering the land,
أَضَرُّmost harmful الأَنامِof mankind لِيَto me الأَقرَبونthose closest
أَضَرُّ الأَنامِ لِيَ الأَقرَبون
وَأَعدىand most hostile الوَرىof mankind لِيَto me جيرانِيَهmy neighbors
وَأَعدى الوَرى لِيَ جيرانِيَه
Those closest to me harm me most of all;
Changing the state of all people.
my neighbors are the most hostile to me of all mankind.
I have become the prey of disasters -
إِلىuntil كَمhow long أُخَفِّضُI curb مِنsome of عَزمَتيmy resolve
إِلى كَم أُخَفِّضُ مِن عَزمَتي
وَكَمand how long يَأكُلُdevours العَضبُthe keen sword أَغمادِيَهmy scabbards
وَكَم يَأكُلُ العَضبُ أَغمادِيَه
How long must I curb my resolve,
There is no shelter but in me.
and how long must the keen sword eat through my scabbards?
My two friends - the darkness of night,
فَلِلَّهِby God! عَزمِيَmy resolve لَوif only أَنَّهُit were that
فَلِلَّهِ عَزمِيَ لَو أَنَّهُ
عَلىaccording to قَدرِthe measure of عَزمِيَmy resolve سُلطانِيَهmy power
عَلى قَدرِ عَزمِيَ سُلطانِيَه
By God, what resolve I have! If only
And the desert's thirst lead my steeds.
my power were equal to my resolve.
I set forth from the blood of war,
سَتَسمَعُyou will hear بيof me شارِداًwandering فيthrough البِلادthe lands
سَتَسمَعُ بي شارِداً في البِلاد
لِأَمرٍfor a cause أُغَيِّرُI alter إِنسانِيَهmy human nature
لِأَمرٍ أُغَيِّرُ إِنسانِيَه
You will hear of me, roaming the lands,
And the sparks of clashing swords.
for a cause for which I change my very self.
My arrows rattle on the necks
وَقَدand sometimes أَغتَديI go forth at dawn غَرَضَa target النائِباcalamities (continued)
وَقَد أَغتَدي غَرَضَ النائِبا
تِ(completes 'calamities') لاnot يُتَّقىis warded off الرَوعُterror إِلّاexcept بِيَهthrough me
تِ لا يُتَّقى الرَوعُ إِلّا بِيَه
And at times I go forth at dawn, a target for calamities:
Of the hillocks and lofty dunes.
terror is warded off through me alone.
Each endless day my pillars shake,
نَديماthe two boon companions of جَذيمَةَJadhimah ليfor me فيin البِلادthe lands
نَديما جَذيمَةَ لي في البِلاد
نَديمانِtwo boon companions وَالظُلمَةُand the darkness الداجِيَهpitch-black
نَديمانِ وَالظُلمَةُ الداجِيَه
Jadhimah's two boon companions, in these lands,
Groaning with the pain of separation.
are my companions, along with the pitch-black darkness.
At the yellow pools, the color of molten gold in the sand,
عَليقُfodder جِيادِيَmy steeds شَمُّsniffing النَسيthe breeze (continued)
عَليقُ جِيادِيَ شَمُّ النَسي
مِ(completes 'breeze') وَالظِمءُand thirst سائِقُthe driver of أَذوادِيَهmy camel-herds
مِ وَالظِمءُ سائِقُ أَذوادِيَه
My steeds' fodder is a sniff of the breeze,
I arrived before the tribes.
and thirst drives my camel-herds.
By God, my journey and my provisions!
دُفِعنَthey were driven on فَمِنso, some مُقلَةٍan eye بِالدُموwith tears (continued)
دُفِعنَ فَمِن مُقلَةٍ بِالدُمو
عِ(completes 'tears') رَيّاsated وَمِنand some مُهجَةٍa heart صادِيَهthirsting
عِ رَيّا وَمِن مُهجَةٍ صادِيَه
They were driven on: some eyes with tears
The darkness leaned away and the dawn appeared
sated, and some hearts parched with thirst.
Like a blonde wrapped in new robes.
يُطِرنَthey send flying سَوابِكَflowing streams جَعدِcurled اللُغامfoam
يُطِرنَ سَوابِكَ جَعدِ اللُغام
عَلىover القورِthe flat-topped hills وَالقُلَلِand the peaks السامِيَهlofty
عَلى القورِ وَالقُلَلِ السامِيَه
They send streams of curling foam flying
I see a darkness the men avoid,
over flat-topped hills and lofty peaks.
Surrounded by towering sand dunes.
وَفيand on كُلِّevery يَومٍday بِلاwithout غايَةٍan end
وَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ بِلا غايَةٍ
تُقَعقِعُrattle لِلبَينِfor departure أَعمادِيَهmy tent-poles
تُقَعقِعُ لِلبَينِ أَعمادِيَه
And every day, with no end in sight,
I will hurl myself into its terrors -
my tent-poles rattle for departure.
Either glory or perdition.
وَأَزرَقِand blue ماءٍwater كَلَونِlike the color of الزُجاglass (continued)
وَأَزرَقِ ماءٍ كَلَونِ الزُجا
جِ(completes 'glass') بِالرَملِamid the sand جُمَّتُهُits pooled waters طامِيَهbrimming
جِ بِالرَملِ جُمَّتُهُ طامِيَه
And a blue waterhole, the color of glass—
I sleep satisfied in disgrace,
its waters brimming amid the sand—
While my glory is stripped bare.
سَبَقتُI arrived before إِلَيهِto it وُفودَthe flocks of القَطاsandgrouse
سَبَقتُ إِلَيهِ وُفودَ القَطا
فَلِلَّهِby God! سَيريmy travel وَإِغذاذِيَهand my haste
فَلِلَّهِ سَيري وَإِغذاذِيَه
I reached it before the flocks of sandgrouse:
I herd the cattle without consulting
by God, how I journeyed and hastened!
A creator or tribes to lead me astray.
وَقَدand already مالَhad waned جُلُّmost of الدُجىthe darkness وَالصَباحand dawn
وَقَد مالَ جُلُّ الدُجى وَالصَباح
كَشَقراءَlike a chestnut mare فيalong جُدُدٍpaths عادِيَهgalloping
كَشَقراءَ في جُدُدٍ عادِيَه
Most of the darkness had waned, and dawn
And I make do without gifts
was like a chestnut mare galloping along tracks.
Though death comes without meeting me.
أَرىI see غَمرَةًa maelstrom يَتَّقيهاthey avoid it الرَجاmen (continued)
أَرى غَمرَةً يَتَّقيها الرَجا
لُ(completes 'men') مَحفوفَةًsurrounded بِالقَناby spears طاغِيَهraging
لُ مَحفوفَةً بِالقَنا طاغِيَه
I see a maelstrom that men shun,
I praised in verse and for reward,
ringed with spears and raging.
My writings were accepted as poems.
سَأَلقىI shall face بِنَفسِيَwith my own self أَهوالَهاits terrors
سَأَلقى بِنَفسِيَ أَهوالَها
فَإِمّاso either العَلاءُexaltation أَوِor الداهِيَهdisaster
فَإِمّا العَلاءُ أَوِ الداهِيَه
I shall face its terrors myself:
So I declared blame until I left
either exaltation or disaster.
Ugly gashes staining his honour.
أَنوماًsleep? أَلَذُّI relish عَلىamid ذِلَّةٍhumiliation
أَنوماً أَلَذُّ عَلى ذِلَّةٍ
وَيَعرىwhile ... are free مِنَof الذُلِّhumiliation أَضدادِيَهmy adversaries
وَيَعرى مِنَ الذُلِّ أَضدادِيَه
Shall I relish sleep in humiliation,
Yet I did not satirize him in my rhymes,
while my foes are free of abasement?
But only the meter I employed.
وَأَرعىand I nurture المُنىhopes دونَwithout أَنthat أَستَشيرI consult
وَأَرعى المُنى دونَ أَن أَستَشير
قَناًspears خالِقاًsmooth-shafted وَظُبىًand blade-edges فارِيَهcleaving
قَناً خالِقاً وَظُبىً فارِيَه
And nurture hopes without consulting
Would that these words could speak
smooth-shafted spears and cleaving blade-edges?
To one with hearing ears!
وَأَعزَلَand an unarmed man ناءٍfar removed عَنِfrom المَكرُماتnoble deeds
وَأَعزَلَ ناءٍ عَنِ المَكرُمات
يَرىhe regards المَوتَdeath مِنas دونِless than لُقيانِيَهmeeting me
يَرى المَوتَ مِن دونِ لُقيانِيَه
And many an unarmed man, far from noble deeds,
Do not call hope misguided,
regards death as easier than meeting me.
Sometimes the guide goes astray.
مَدَحتُI praised فَكانَso was جَزاءَthe reward for المَديحpraise
مَدَحتُ فَكانَ جَزاءَ المَديح
قَبولُthe acceptance of نِظاميmy verse وَأَشعارِيَهand my poems
قَبولُ نِظامي وَأَشعارِيَه
I praised him, and the reward for praise
The overbold may recoil,
was the acceptance of my verse and poems.
As the bloody hand draws back.
فَصَرَّحتُso I spoke openly بِالذَمِّin blame حَتّىuntil تَرَكleft (continued)
فَصَرَّحتُ بِالذَمِّ حَتّى تَرَك
تُI (verb ending) شَنعاءَa hideous disgrace مِنfrom عِرضِهِhis honor دامِيَهbleeding
تُ شَنعاءَ مِن عِرضِهِ دامِيَه
So I spoke openly in blame, until I left
a hideous, bleeding wound upon his honor.
وَلَمand did not أَهجُهُI satirize him بِهِجائيwith my satire لَهُagainst him
وَلَم أَهجُهُ بِهِجائي لَهُ
وَلَكِنand yet هَجَوتُI satirized بِهِthrough him القافِيَهthe rhyme
وَلَكِن هَجَوتُ بِهِ القافِيَه
Yet by satirizing him I did not satirize him;
rather, through him I satirized the rhyme.
أَلاah! ماhow أُفَيصِحَeloquent (diminutive) هَذاthis الكَلامspeech
أَلا ما أُفَيصِحَ هَذا الكَلام
لَوَif only اَنَّthat لَهُfor it أُذُناًan ear واعِيَهattentive
لَوَ اَنَّ لَهُ أُذُناً واعِيَه
Ah, how eloquent this speech is,
if only it had an attentive ear!
فَلاso let not يُذَمَمِbe blamed الأَمَلُhope المُستَغِرُardent
فَلا يُذَمَمِ الأَمَلُ المُستَغِرُ
أَلاindeed رُبَّماsometimes ضَلَّتِgoes astray الهادِيَهthe guide
أَلا رُبَّما ضَلَّتِ الهادِيَه
So let ardent hope not be blamed;
indeed, sometimes the guide goes astray.
وَقَدand sometimes يَنكُلُdraws back المُستَغيرُthe raider الشُجاbrave (continued)
وَقَد يَنكُلُ المُستَغيرُ الشُجا
عُ(completes 'brave') حيناًfor a time وَتُخطيand misses اليَدُthe hand الدامِيَهbloodied
عُ حيناً وَتُخطي اليَدُ الدامِيَه
And the brave raider may recoil
at times, and the bloodied hand may miss.
Partial English translation: 66 of 76 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1