مِنَ الظُلمِ أَن نَتَعاطى الخُمارا

مِنَ الظُلمِ أَن نَتَعاطى الخُمارا

وَقَد سَلَبَتنا الهُمومُ العُقارا

وَقَد سَلَبَتنا الهُمومُ العُقارا

It is unjust that we should endure the hangover

From the darkness is that we take the wine

when cares have robbed us of the wine.

Though worries have robbed us of sobriety

وَفينا شَآبيبُ صَرفِ الزَمانِ

وَفينا شَآبيبُ صَرفِ الزَمانِ

تَروى مِراراً وَتَظما مِرارا

تَروى مِراراً وَتَظما مِرارا

Within us the showers of Time's reversals

And in us are the callowness of fickle time

drink their fill repeatedly, and repeatedly thirst.

That I wet my lips with bitterness over and over

تُخَيِّرُني عِفَّتي وَالغِنى

تُخَيِّرُني عِفَّتي وَالغِنى

وَمَن لِيَ أَنّي مَلَكتُ الخِيارا

وَمَن لِيَ أَنّي مَلَكتُ الخِيارا

You make me choose between my self-respect and wealth;

My chastity and wealth give me choice

but who can assure me that the choice is mine?

And who am I to possess the option?

وَلَو أَنَّ لي رَغبَةً في النَوا

وَلَو أَنَّ لي رَغبَةً في النَوا

لِ أَجمَمتُهُ وَاِجتَدَيتُ البِحارا

لِ أَجمَمتُهُ وَاِجتَدَيتُ البِحارا

And had I any longing for bounty,

Had I the desire for pleasure

I would spare Time and seek gifts from the seas.

I would brave the seas and their waves

وَهَوَّنَ صَولَتَهُ أَنَّني

وَهَوَّنَ صَولَتَهُ أَنَّني

أَرى العَيشَ ثَوبَ بِلىً مُستَعارا

أَرى العَيشَ ثَوبَ بِلىً مُستَعارا

And what lightened its onslaught was that I

But it lessened its savagery that I

see life as a borrowed, threadbare robe.

See living as a worn borrowed garb

فَما أَركَبُ الخَطبَ إِلّا جَليلاً

فَما أَركَبُ الخَطبَ إِلّا جَليلاً

وَلا أَجذُبُ الأَمرَ إِلّا اِقتِسارا

وَلا أَجذُبُ الأَمرَ إِلّا اِقتِسارا

I face no ordeal unless it is mighty,

So I mount no situation save the sublime

and seize no undertaking except by force.

And pull no matter save with shortcoming

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما اِستَطالَ العَدوُّ

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما اِستَطالَ العَدوُّ

نَثَلتُ عَليهِ القَنا وَالشَفارا

نَثَلتُ عَليهِ القَنا وَالشَفارا

And whenever the enemy grew overbearing,

And whenever the enemy would prolong

I poured spears and blades upon him.

I would bare at him the spear and sword

وَكَم لي إِلى الدَهرِ مِن حاجَةٍ

وَكَم لي إِلى الدَهرِ مِن حاجَةٍ

أَبُلُّ بِها ذابِلاً أَو غِرارا

أَبُلُّ بِها ذابِلاً أَو غِرارا

How many a need have I of Time,

And a day you tore through the swords

through which to wet a slender spear or blade!

And rushed at it the flowing blood

تُجَرُّ إِلَيها ذُيولُ المُنى

تُجَرُّ إِلَيها ذُيولُ المُنى

وَيَخلَعُ فيها الزَمانُ العِذارا

وَيَخلَعُ فيها الزَمانُ العِذارا

Toward it trail the skirts of hope,

You roused the dusty confusion over it

and in it Time casts off its bridle.

And sparked from the flaming stabs a fire

وَيَومٍ تَخَرَّقتَ فيهِ السُيوفَ

وَيَومٍ تَخَرَّقتَ فيهِ السُيوفَ

وَخُضتَ إِلَيهِ الدِماءَ الغِرارا

وَخُضتَ إِلَيهِ الدِماءَ الغِرارا

And many a day you passed through swords,

And embraced from its whiteness in the battle

and waded toward it through streaming blood.

A brother and from its brownness a noble knight

أَثَرتَ العَجاجَ عَليهِ دُخاناً

أَثَرتَ العَجاجَ عَليهِ دُخاناً

وَأَضرَمتَ مِن مائِرِ الطَعنِ نارا

وَأَضرَمتَ مِن مائِرِ الطَعنِ نارا

You raised the dust above it as smoke,

And on an eve of fear the stuff of glory

and kindled fire from the surging spear-thrusts.

Shaking hands in it with the hidden

وَعانَقتَ مِن بيضِهِ في النَجيعِ

وَعانَقتَ مِن بيضِهِ في النَجيعِ

شَقيقاً وَمِن سُمرِهِ جُلَّنارا

شَقيقاً وَمِن سُمرِهِ جُلَّنارا

And among its white blades, amid gore, you embraced

We sniffed its protection, stayed the riding beast

anemones, and among its brown spears, pomegranate blossoms.

Until we seized the preys and the prizes

وَلَيلَةِ خَوفٍ شِعارُ الفَتى

وَلَيلَةِ خَوفٍ شِعارُ الفَتى

يُصافِحُ بِالسَمعِ فيها السَرارا

يُصافِحُ بِالسَمعِ فيها السَرارا

And many a night, with fear a young man's close-worn garment,

And a land clad in estrangement

when his hearing clasped hands with whispers.

That smiles from the kith its veils

أَبَحنا حِماها أَكُفَّ المَطِيِّ

أَبَحنا حِماها أَكُفَّ المَطِيِّ

حَتّى اِنتَهَبنا الرُبى وَالجِرارا

حَتّى اِنتَهَبنا الرُبى وَالجِرارا

We opened its sanctuary to our mounts' footpads,

You attacked its clime with spears

until we plundered the hills and hollows.

Building from its ascent therein a lighthouse

وَأَرضٍ مُقَنَّعَةٍ بِالهَجي

وَأَرضٍ مُقَنَّعَةٍ بِالهَجي

رِ تَنضو مِنَ الآلِ عَنها خِمارا

رِ تَنضو مِنَ الآلِ عَنها خِمارا

And many a land veiled in midday heat,

So you never startled at the crevices of peril

stripping from itself a veil of mirage,

Nor feared in it a thing of foreboding

هَجَمتَ عَلى جَوِّها بِالرِماحِ

هَجَمتَ عَلى جَوِّها بِالرِماحِ

تَبني مِنَ الطَلِّ فيها مَنارا

تَبني مِنَ الطَلِّ فيها مَنارا

you stormed its expanse with spears,

And you slipped from the sides of adversities

building there a beacon out of dew.

With might, should fate exchange shelter

فَما اِرتَعتَ مِن شُعُباتِ الحِمامِ

فَما اِرتَعتَ مِن شُعُباتِ الحِمامِ

وَلا خِفتَ فيهِ لِأَمرٍ خِطارا

وَلا خِفتَ فيهِ لِأَمرٍ خِطارا

You did not flinch at death's branching ways,

And of what legitimizes the blame of time

nor fear danger there in any undertaking.

Is its expelling of the excellent elite

وَفَلَّلتَ مِن جَنَباتِ الخُطوبِ

وَفَلَّلتَ مِن جَنَباتِ الخُطوبِ

بِعَزٍ إِذا جارَ دَهرٌ أَجارا

بِعَزٍ إِذا جارَ دَهرٌ أَجارا

And you blunted the edges of calamities

Hear, O whoever time has cast

with might that shelters whenever Time oppresses.

A plea that exposes me openly

وَمِمّا يُحَلِّلُ ذَمَّ الزَما

وَمِمّا يُحَلِّلُ ذَمَّ الزَما

نِ إِقصاؤُهُ الماجِدينَ الخِيارا

نِ إِقصاؤُهُ الماجِدينَ الخِيارا

Among the things that make reproaching Time lawful

Trusting in God, for time

is its banishing the noble and the best.

Can give safety and eclipse danger

أَسَمعي ذُؤابَةَ هَذا الأَنامِ

أَسَمعي ذُؤابَةَ هَذا الأَنامِ

دُعاءٌ يَجُرُّ عَلَيَّ الجِهارا

دُعاءٌ يَجُرُّ عَلَيَّ الجِهارا

Hear me, O crown of humankind:

No wonder it envies affluence

a prayer compels me to speak aloud.

For glory is too noble to be envied

ثِقا بِالإِلَهِ فَإِنَّ الزَما

ثِقا بِالإِلَهِ فَإِنَّ الزَما

نَ يُعطي أَماناً وَيُمطي حِذارا

نَ يُعطي أَماناً وَيُمطي حِذارا

Trust in God, you two, for Time

If death has spared both your souls

grants safety and sets fear riding.

Then fate did not battle save the sinister

وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يُعيرَ الثَراءَ

وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يُعيرَ الثَراءَ

فَالمَجدُ أَكرَمُ مِن أَن يُعارا

فَالمَجدُ أَكرَمُ مِن أَن يُعارا

No wonder it lends riches,

An setback befell you, so it passed

for glory is too noble to be lent.

And you regained glory save the homes

إِذا سالَمَ المَوتُ نَفسَيكُما

إِذا سالَمَ المَوتُ نَفسَيكُما

فَلا حارَبَ الدَهرُ إِلّا اليَسارا

فَلا حارَبَ الدَهرُ إِلّا اليَسارا

If death makes peace with your two souls,

And a fate that returns the heights upon us

may Time wage war on wealth alone.

Is it not more fitting to return pardon?

أَصابَتكُما نَكبَةٌ فَاِنجَلَت

أَصابَتكُما نَكبَةٌ فَاِنجَلَت

وَعاوَدتُما العِزَّ إِلّا الدِيارا

وَعاوَدتُما العِزَّ إِلّا الدِيارا

A calamity struck you both, then passed,

Have you not seen O he who adversities

and you regained your honor, though not your homes.

Assailed right or left in dispute

وَدَهرٌ يَرُدُّ عَلينا العَلا

وَدَهرٌ يَرُدُّ عَلينا العَلا

ءَ أَجدِر بِهِ أَن يَرُدَّ الغُفارا

ءَ أَجدِر بِهِ أَن يَرُدَّ الغُفارا

And Time that restores our eminence

And he who time set upon his wealth

is all the likelier to restore the covering.

The claws of its events and the skilled

أَلَم تَرَ يا مَن رَمَتهُ الخُطوبُ

أَلَم تَرَ يا مَن رَمَتهُ الخُطوبُ

يَميناً تُنازِعُهُ أَو يَسارا

يَميناً تُنازِعُهُ أَو يَسارا

Have you not seen, O you whom calamities flung,

Nor did woes eat of our pride

tugging you to right or left,

While we were for it wares or bitter

وَمَن خَوَّضَ الدَهرُ مِن مالِهِ

وَمَن خَوَّضَ الدَهرُ مِن مالِهِ

قَوارِحَ أَحداثِهِ وَالمَهارى

قَوارِحَ أَحداثِهِ وَالمَهارى

and you through whose wealth Time drove

We established the unmatched highs intact

the mature steeds of its disasters and the Mahri camels,

So it scattered for lowliness disorder in it

وَما أَكَلَ الخَطبُ مِن عِزِّنا

وَما أَكَلَ الخَطبُ مِن عِزِّنا

وَكُنّا لَهُ سَلَعاً أَو مُرارا

وَكُنّا لَهُ سَلَعاً أَو مُرارا

what calamity has devoured of our honor,

We pledged by selling probity a covenant

though we were bitter aloes or herbs to it?

So it undid obligations and bonds

بَنَينا مَصادَ العُلى مُصمَتاً

بَنَينا مَصادَ العُلى مُصمَتاً

فَبَعثَرَ لِلذُلِّ فيهِ وَجارا

فَبَعثَرَ لِلذُلِّ فيهِ وَجارا

We built glory's fortress solid,

While we anticipate that time

but it hollowed within it a den for humiliation.

Might restore what it borrowed treacherously from us

عَقَدنا بِباعِ الرَدى ذِمَّةً

عَقَدنا بِباعِ الرَدى ذِمَّةً

فَحَلَّ الذِمامَ وَفَضَّ الذُمارا

فَحَلَّ الذِمامَ وَفَضَّ الذُمارا

We made a covenant with death's reach,

And we possess the necks of its events

but it undid the pact and violated our honor.

To clothe them in a garb or gown

وَنَحنُ نُؤَمِّلُ أَنَّ الزَمانَ

وَنَحنُ نُؤَمِّلُ أَنَّ الزَمانَ

يَرُدُّ الَّذي مِن عُلانا اِستَعارا

يَرُدُّ الَّذي مِن عُلانا اِستَعارا

Yet we hope that Time

And its clouds disperse from you

will restore what it borrowed of our eminence,

Cares that shade the impassioned hearts

وَنَملِكُ أَعناقَ أَحداثِهِ

وَنَملِكُ أَعناقَ أَحداثِهِ

فَنُلبِسُها مِسحَلاً أَو عِذارا

فَنُلبِسُها مِسحَلاً أَو عِذارا

and that we may master the necks of its calamities,

And may God give you the selfsame steadfastness

and fit them with a bit or bridle.

Captives surrendered or captors

وَتَجلو غَمايمُها عَنكُما

وَتَجلو غَمايمُها عَنكُما

هُموماً تُظِلُّ القُلوبَ الحِرارا

هُموماً تُظِلُّ القُلوبَ الحِرارا

And may its clouds clear away from you both

And may your vanished fortune return

cares that overshadow burning hearts.

Shaking the dust off its shoulders

وَيُعطيكُما اللَهُ نَفسَ الحَسو

وَيُعطيكُما اللَهُ نَفسَ الحَسو

دِ رِقّاً مُسَلَّمَةً أَو أَسارى

دِ رِقّاً مُسَلَّمَةً أَو أَسارى

And may God give you both your enviers themselves,

And he whose money time has ruined

surrendered as slaves or captives.

His grand design is to restore the gambles

وَيَرجِعُ شانيكُما شاحِباً

وَيَرجِعُ شانيكُما شاحِباً

يُنَفِّضُ عَن مَنكِبَيهِ الغُبارا

يُنَفِّضُ عَن مَنكِبَيهِ الغُبارا

And may the one who hates you both return pale,

And it suffices you as a plot to kill the enemy

shaking the dust from his shoulders.

That meekness asks you for respite!

وَمَن قَمَرَ الدَهرُ أَموالَهُ

وَمَن قَمَرَ الدَهرُ أَموالَهُ

قَضى جَدُّهُ أَن يَرُدَّ القِمارا

قَضى جَدُّهُ أَن يَرُدَّ القِمارا

And he whose riches Time has won at gambling—

If you slip in time’s schemes

his good fortune decrees that it return the winnings.

Its pit has protected you from stumbling

وَحَسبُكَ كَيداً يُميتُ العَدُوَّ

وَحَسبُكَ كَيداً يُميتُ العَدُوَّ

أَن يَطلُبَ الذُلُّ مِنكَ الفِرارا

أَن يَطلُبَ الذُلُّ مِنكَ الفِرارا

Enough for you as a stratagem that kills the foe

For ignorance strikes none but the forbearing

is that humiliation should seek to flee from you.

And breach rends none but dignity

لَئِن جُلتُما في مَكَرِّ الزَمانِ

لَئِن جُلتُما في مَكَرِّ الزَمانِ

فَبَوّاكُما مِن مَداهُ العِثارا

فَبَوّاكُما مِن مَداهُ العِثارا

Though you both ranged across Time's battlefield,

Your wealth parted among the enemies

and on its course it lodged you in a fall,

While your person is peerless and uncontended

فَما يَقرَعُ الجَهلُ إِلّا الحَليمَ

فَما يَقرَعُ الجَهلُ إِلّا الحَليمَ

وَلا يَنكُثُ الخُرقُ إِلّا الوَقارا

وَلا يَنكُثُ الخُرقُ إِلّا الوَقارا

ignorance strikes none but the forbearing,

Nor have I met in time one who would ask

and folly unravels nothing but dignity.

About its intimates where they headed

تَفَرَّقَ مالُكُما في العِدى

تَفَرَّقَ مالُكُما في العِدى

وَشَخصُكُما واحِدٌ لا يُمارى

وَشَخصُكُما واحِدٌ لا يُمارى

Your wealth was scattered among the enemies,

I shall await time so long as I have

yet you two are one person, beyond dispute.

A promise and anticipation keeps me

وَلَم أَلقَ مُنفَرِداً في الزَمانِ

وَلَم أَلقَ مُنفَرِداً في الزَمانِ

يُسائِلُ عَن إِلفِهِ أَينَ سارا

يُسائِلُ عَن إِلفِهِ أَينَ سارا

Nor have I met either of you alone in this world,

God has rallied an oft betraying fate

asking after his companion, 'Where has he gone?'

Until darkness rivals daylight

سَأَنتَظِرُ الدَهرَ ما دامَ لي

سَأَنتَظِرُ الدَهرَ ما دامَ لي

بِوَعدٍ وَأَسأَرُ عِندي اِنتِظارا

بِوَعدٍ وَأَسأَرُ عِندي اِنتِظارا

I shall wait for Time so long as it holds out to me

I browsed its children’s faces

a promise, and leaves me some patience for waiting.

But the gaze found in them no peace

لَحى اللَهُ دَهراً كَثيرَ العَدُوِّ

لَحى اللَهُ دَهراً كَثيرَ العَدُوِّ

حَتّى الظَلامُ يُعادي النَهارا

حَتّى الظَلامُ يُعادي النَهارا

May God curse an age so full of enemies

I saw the morn disparage the sky

that even darkness is at war with day.

Disparaging me and hating the neighborhood

تَصَفَّحتُ أَوجُهَ أَبنائِهِ

تَصَفَّحتُ أَوجُهَ أَبنائِهِ

فَلَم يَجِدِ اللَحظُ فيهِم قَرارا

فَلَم يَجِدِ اللَحظُ فيهِم قَرارا

I scrutinized the faces of its sons,

And in it the pallor that it

but my gaze found no resting-place among them.

Alters the guide in each day

رَأَيتُ الصَباحَ يَذُمُّ المَسا

رَأَيتُ الصَباحَ يَذُمُّ المَسا

ءِ ذَمّي وَيَكرَهُ مِنهُ الجِوارا

ءِ ذَمّي وَيَكرَهُ مِنهُ الجِوارا

I saw morning reviling evening

So be as I am in afflictions

as I do, and loathing its company.

Refusing with the wine cup save borrowing!

وَيَشحَبُ فيهِ عَلى أَنَّهُ

وَيَشحَبُ فيهِ عَلى أَنَّهُ

يُبَدِّلُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ صِدارا

يُبَدِّلُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ صِدارا

And it grows pale within it, although

For its generosity with affluence did not fool me

it changes its vest each day.

Nor increased in me save aloofness

فَكونوا كَما أَنا في النائِبا

فَكونوا كَما أَنا في النائِبا

تِ آبى مَعَ القَدحِ إِلّا اِستِعارا

تِ آبى مَعَ القَدحِ إِلّا اِستِعارا

So be as I am amid calamities:

when struck, I refuse to do anything but blaze.

فَما غَرَّني جودُهُ بِالثَراءِ

فَما غَرَّني جودُهُ بِالثَراءِ

وَما زادَني مِنهُ إِلّا نِفارا

وَما زادَني مِنهُ إِلّا نِفارا

For its generosity with riches has not deceived me,

and has only deepened my aversion to it.