ماwhat ails لِذاthis one الدانيthe near one إِلىto القَلبِthe heart شَحَطhas grown distant
ما لِذا الداني إِلى القَلبِ شَحَط
وَغَريمِand the debtor الحُبِّof love بِالدَينِover the debt أَلَطّhas stubbornly defaulted
وَغَريمِ الحُبِّ بِالدَينِ أَلَطّ
Why has this one so near my heart grown distant,
this debtor of love, stubbornly withholding payment?
ظالِمٌa tyrant قُلِّدَentrusted with أَحكامَthe decrees الهَوىof love
ظالِمٌ قُلِّدَ أَحكامَ الهَوى
طالَماhow often جارَhe acted unjustly عَليناagainst us وَقَسَطand dealt unfairly
طالَما جارَ عَلينا وَقَسَط
A tyrant entrusted with love's decrees,
how often he has wronged us and dealt unjustly!
نَسخَطُwe resent الشَيءَa thing وَنَرضاهُand accept it إِذاwhen
نَسخَطُ الشَيءَ وَنَرضاهُ إِذا
لَمnot تَرَyou see العُتبىredress عَلىdespite طولِthe length السَخَطof resentment
لَم تَرَ العُتبى عَلى طولِ السَخَط
We resent a thing, yet come to accept it when
no redress appears after long resentment.
كُلَّevery يَومٍday ليI have خَصيمٌan adversary ضالِعٌbiased
كُلَّ يَومٍ لي خَصيمٌ ضالِعٌ
وَالمَقاديرُand fate's decrees لَهاtheirs is حُكمُa judgment شَطَطof injustice
وَالمَقاديرُ لَها حُكمُ شَطَط
Every day I face a biased adversary,
and fate's decrees are harshly unjust.
عَجِبَتshe marveled أَنthat عادَhad become شَغباًcontentious مَنطِقيmy speech
عَجِبَت أَن عادَ شَغباً مَنطِقي
كُلُّevery ذيpossessor of حِلمٍforbearance إِذاwhen ضيمَwronged لَغَطraises a clamor
كُلُّ ذي حِلمٍ إِذا ضيمَ لَغَط
She marveled that my speech had turned contentious;
every forbearing man cries out when wronged.
وَرَأَتand she saw وَخطَa sprinkling بَياضٍof whiteness طارِقٍnewly arrived
وَرَأَت وَخطَ بَياضٍ طارِقٍ
وَخَطَpierced التَهمامُanxiety قَلبيmy heart فَوُخِطand it was pierced
وَخَطَ التَهمامُ قَلبي فَوُخِط
She saw a sprinkling of newly arrived whiteness;
anxiety pierced my heart and left it wounded.
ماwhy لَهاdoes she تُنكِرُfind strange مَعwith هَذاthis الشَجىanguish
ما لَها تُنكِرُ مَع هَذا الشَجى
وَقَعاتِthe incursions الشَيبِof gray hair بِالجَعدِinto curly hair القَطَطtightly curled
وَقَعاتِ الشَيبِ بِالجَعدِ القَطَط
Why, with all this anguish, does she find strange
gray hair's incursions into my tightly curled locks?
وَأَرىand I see عوديmy timber عَلىdespite صَمّائِهِits solidity
وَأَرى عودي عَلى صَمّائِهِ
أَنَّit groaned مِنfrom غَمزِthe pressure اللَياليof nights وَنَحَطand gasped
أَنَّ مِن غَمزِ اللَيالي وَنَحَط
I see my timber, for all its solidity,
groan and gasp beneath the pressure of nights,
موقَراًheavily laden يَحبِسُنيholding me back عَنfrom غايَتيmy goal
موقَراً يَحبِسُني عَن غايَتي
لاnot المَدىthe distance يُطوىis traversed وَلاnor العِبءُthe burden يُحَطّis set down
لا المَدى يُطوى وَلا العِبءُ يُحَطّ
heavily laden, holding me back from my goal:
neither is the distance crossed nor the burden set down.
إِنَّindeed قَوميmy people صَدَّعَتهُمhas split them نَوبَةٌa calamity
إِنَّ قَومي صَدَّعَتهُم نَوبَةٌ
شِقَقَinto strips البُردِthe cloak اليَمانِيِّYemeni يُعَطّis rent
شِقَقَ البُردِ اليَمانِيِّ يُعَطّ
A calamity has split my people apart,
as a Yemeni cloak is torn into strips.
خِلتُهُمI thought them وَالخَطبُwhile calamity يَعتامُهُمُwas selecting them
خِلتُهُم وَالخَطبُ يَعتامُهُمُ
شَجَرَtrees الواديof the valley اليَمانيَّYemeni يُعَطbeing felled
شَجَرَ الوادي اليَمانيَّ يُعَط
I thought them, as calamity selected them,
trees of the Yemeni valley being felled,
وَكَماand as خايَلَeyed يَوماًone day عاقِرٌa camel-slaughterer
وَكَما خايَلَ يَوماً عاقِرٌ
كُلَّماwhenever ثارَتrose لَهُbefore him البُدنُthe fat camels غَبَطhe felt for fat
كُلَّما ثارَت لَهُ البُدنُ غَبَط
and as a slaughterer once eyed them,
feeling for fat whenever the plump camels rose before him.
تَبِعواthey followed أَمرَthe command المَقاديرِof fate فَهُمso they are
تَبِعوا أَمرَ المَقاديرِ فَهُم
قاطِنٌa settled one يَظعَنُdeparting أَوor دانٍa nearby one يَشُطّgrowing distant
قاطِنٌ يَظعَنُ أَو دانٍ يَشُطّ
They followed fate's command, becoming
a settled one departing, or a near one growing distant.
فُلُّshattered remnants أَحداثٍof calamities رَمىhas hurled الدَهرُTime بِهِمthem away
فُلُّ أَحداثٍ رَمى الدَهرُ بِهِم
فَهُمُso they are فيon رُقَعِthe patches الدَهرِof time نُقَطdots
فَهُمُ في رُقَعِ الدَهرِ نُقَط
Shattered remnants of calamities, scattered by Time,
they are dots upon the patches of time.
ذاقَهُمhe tasted them مُستَحلِياًfinding sweet أَرواحَهُمtheir souls
ذاقَهُم مُستَحلِياً أَرواحَهُم
وَرَأىand he found المَضغَchewing طَويلاًlengthy فَاِستَرَطَso he swallowed whole
وَرَأى المَضغَ طَويلاً فَاِستَرَطَ
He tasted them, finding their souls sweet,
and found chewing too slow, so swallowed them whole.
يَصطَفيhe selects كُلَّevery كَريمٍnoble one مِنهُمُamong them
يَصطَفي كُلَّ كَريمٍ مِنهُمُ
وَإِذاand when اِستُكرِمَone is prized ذوthe holder of العَقبِthe tether رَبَطbinds
وَإِذا اِستُكرِمَ ذو العَقبِ رَبَط
He selects every noble one among them;
and when one is prized, the tether-holder binds it.
وَبَواقٍand survivors غَيرُnot باقينَdestined to remain وَكَمand how long
وَبَواقٍ غَيرُ باقينَ وَكَم
يَلبَثُlingers القارِبُone nearing water مِنfrom بَعدِafter الفَرَطthe forerunner
يَلبَثُ القارِبُ مِن بَعدِ الفَرَط
And survivors who will not survive—how long
can one nearing water linger behind his forerunner?
كَمhow many طَوىhas folded away المَوتُDeath لَهُمof theirs مِنof بَهمَةٍa dauntless warrior
كَم طَوى المَوتُ لَهُم مِن بَهمَةٍ
خائِضِplunging into الغَمرَةِbattle's depths فَرّاجِrelieving الضَغَطdire straits
خائِضِ الغَمرَةِ فَرّاجِ الضَغَط
How many of their dauntless warriors Death has folded away,
plungers into battle's depths, breakers of dire straits,
وَجَوادٍand a swift steed مُتعِبٍwearisome مِضمارُهُits racecourse
وَجَوادٍ مُتعِبٍ مِضمارُهُ
كُلَّماwhenever لَزَّتcrowded بِهِagainst it الخَيلُthe horses مَعَطit surged ahead
كُلَّما لَزَّت بِهِ الخَيلُ مَعَط
and many a swift steed with a wearying racecourse,
surging ahead whenever the horses crowded it.
سَلهُمُask them أَوor فَسَلِthen ask الرَوعَbattle's terror بِهِمabout them
سَلهُمُ أَو فَسَلِ الرَوعَ بِهِم
يَومَon the day خِدرُthe chamber الشَمسِof the sun بِالنَقعِwith dust يُلَطّis plastered
يَومَ خِدرُ الشَمسِ بِالنَقعِ يُلَطّ
Ask them—or ask battle's terror about them—
on the day the sun's chamber was plastered with dust.
يُبصِرُsee الناسُthe people عَلىat أَيديهِمُtheir hands
يُبصِرُ الناسُ عَلى أَيديهِمُ
قَصَبَthe reeds الأَعناقِof necks بِالبيضِby white swords يُقَطّare severed
قَصَبَ الأَعناقِ بِالبيضِ يُقَطّ
People see, at their hands,
the reeds of necks severed by white blades.
أَقبَلواthey confronted الأَعداءَthe enemies مُلتَفَّa tangle of القَناspears
أَقبَلوا الأَعداءَ مُلتَفَّ القَنا
بَينَbetween مَعروضٍleveled ones وَمَجرورٍand dragged ones يُحَطّbeing lowered
بَينَ مَعروضٍ وَمَجرورٍ يُحَطّ
They faced their enemies amid a tangle of spears,
some leveled, others dragged and lowered.
تُحسَبُyou would reckon الأَرماحُthe lances مِنfrom قَعقاعِهاtheir clattering
تُحسَبُ الأَرماحُ مِن قَعقاعِها
شَجَراًtrees لِلطَيرِfor birds فيهِنَّwithin them لَغَطa clamor
شَجَراً لِلطَيرِ فيهِنَّ لَغَط
From their clattering, you would take the lances
for trees where birds raised a clamor.
وَمَواضٍand keen blades تُنشَرُare sawn through الهامُthe skulls لَهُمfor them
وَمَواضٍ تُنشَرُ الهامُ لَهُم
هَبَّةَlike the blast العاصِفِof a gale تَرميflinging بِالخَبَطbeaten-off leaves
هَبَّةَ العاصِفِ تَرمي بِالخَبَط
And keen blades sawed through skulls for them,
like a gale's blast flinging down shaken leaves.
فارَقوناthey left us فَبَقيناso we remained بَعدَهُمafter them
فارَقونا فَبَقينا بَعدَهُم
كَالرَذاياlike spent camels وُضِعَتwere removed عَنهاfrom them الغُبُطthe saddles
كَالرَذايا وُضِعَت عَنها الغُبُط
They left us; after them we remained
like spent camels whose saddles have been removed,
فيin ذُنابىthe rear ranks مَعشَرٍof a people جيرانُهُمwhose neighbors
في ذُنابى مَعشَرٍ جيرانُهُم
مُضَغٌmorsels لِلخَطبِfor calamity يَغدوcoming each morning أَوor لُقَطgleanings
مُضَغٌ لِلخَطبِ يَغدو أَو لُقَط
at the tail of a people whose neighbors
are morsels or gleanings for calamity on its morning rounds.
لَيسَis not بِالراضيsatisfied إِذاwhen نَبَّهَهُمhe wakes them
لَيسَ بِالراضي إِذا نَبَّهَهُم
طارِقُthe visitor اللَيلِby night وَلاnor بِالمُغتَبِطdelighted
طارِقُ اللَيلِ وَلا بِالمُغتَبِط
Neither satisfied, when he rouses them,
nor delighted is the visitor by night.
صُوَرٌforms رائِعَةٌdazzling لاnot يُرتَجىis hoped for
صُوَرٌ رائِعَةٌ لا يُرتَجى
نَفعُهاtheir benefit مِثلُlike تَهاويلِthe fanciful designs النَمَطof a carpet
نَفعُها مِثلُ تَهاويلِ النَمَط
Dazzling forms, with no hope
of benefit from them, like a carpet's fanciful designs.
شَمَخواthey grew haughty أَنbecause حَلَّقَhad soared الجَدُّgood fortune بِهِمwith them
شَمَخوا أَن حَلَّقَ الجَدُّ بِهِم
غَلِطَerred الدَهرُTime وَكَمand how long يَبقىcan endure الغَلَطthe error
غَلِطَ الدَهرُ وَكَم يَبقى الغَلَط
They grew haughty because fortune bore them aloft;
Time erred—but how long can an error last?
كَسَلُthe idleness الأَيّامِof the days عَنهُمtoward them غَرَّهُمdeceived them
كَسَلُ الأَيّامِ عَنهُم غَرَّهُم
رُبَّماperhaps جاءَcomes زَمانٌan age قَدalready نَشَطhas roused itself
رُبَّما جاءَ زَمانٌ قَد نَشَط
The days' idleness toward them deceived them;
a time may yet come that has roused itself.
كُلُّevery مَخنوقٍone choking عَلىon جِرَّتِهِhis cud
كُلُّ مَخنوقٍ عَلى جِرَّتِهِ
خَلَطَhe mixed العَجزَweakness بِشَوكٍwith thorns فَاِختَلَطso all became tangled
خَلَطَ العَجزَ بِشَوكٍ فَاِختَلَط
Each man choking on his cud
has mixed weakness with thorns, till all is tangled.
إِنif رَأىhe sees المَغرَمَan expense طاطاhe bows his head وَلَهُwhile he has
إِن رَأى المَغرَمَ طاطا وَلَهُ
حاجِبٌan eyebrow مِنfrom حافِزِthe goad اللُئمِof baseness يُمَطّis stretched taut
حاجِبٌ مِن حافِزِ اللُئمِ يُمَطّ
If he sees an expense, he bows his head, his
eyebrow drawn taut by the goad of baseness.
أَهمَلَhe neglected العِرضَhonor عَلىwith عِلمٍknowledge بِهِof it
أَهمَلَ العِرضَ عَلى عِلمٍ بِهِ
وَرَعىand tended لَمّاwhen رَعىhe tended المالَwealth فَقَطalone
وَرَعى لَمّا رَعى المالَ فَقَط
He knowingly neglects his honor,
and, when he tends to anything, tends to wealth alone.
طَمَعٌhope of gain وَرَّطَنيentangled me فيin حَبلِهِمtheir snare
طَمَعٌ وَرَّطَني في حَبلِهِم
وَيُصادُand are caught الطَيرُbirds مِنfrom حَيثُwhere لُقِطthey picked up grain
وَيُصادُ الطَيرُ مِن حَيثُ لُقِط
Hope of gain entangled me in their snare;
birds are caught where they pick up grain.
كُنتُI was أَرجوهُمhoping them ثِماراًfruits تُجتَنىto be gathered
كُنتُ أَرجوهُم ثِماراً تُجتَنى
فَهُمُso they are اليَومَtoday قَتادُthornbushes يُختَرَطto be stripped
فَهُمُ اليَومَ قَتادُ يُختَرَط
I hoped they would be fruit to gather;
today they are thornbushes to be stripped.
مَنwho عَذيريwill vindicate me مِنagainst رَصيدٍone lying in wait كَيدُهُwhose guile
مَن عَذيري مِن رَصيدٍ كَيدُهُ
راشَfeathered ماas long as راشَit feathered طَويلاًfor long وَمَرَطand plucked bare
راشَ ما راشَ طَويلاً وَمَرَط
Who will vindicate me against a lurker whose guile
feathered me for so long, then plucked me bare?
جامِعٌcombining ليfor me بَينَbetween فَخرٍpride وَأَذىًand harm
جامِعٌ لي بَينَ فَخرٍ وَأَذىً
رُبَّماsometimes بَرَّحَtorments بِالأُذنِthe ear القُرُطthe earring
رُبَّما بَرَّحَ بِالأُذنِ القُرُط
He brings me both pride and pain;
an earring sometimes torments the ear.
حَمَلَhe placed الثُقلَthe burden عَلىupon ذيone possessing غارِبٍwithers
حَمَلَ الثُقلَ عَلى ذي غارِبٍ
كُلَّماwhenever عَجَّit cried out مِنَfrom الحَملِthe load ضَغَطhe pressed harder
كُلَّما عَجَّ مِنَ الحَملِ ضَغَط
He loaded the burden upon a camel's withers;
whenever it cried out beneath the load, he pressed harder.
أَتَّقىI refrain from الرَميَshooting وَلَوand if شِئتُI wished مَضىwould fly
أَتَّقى الرَميَ وَلَو شِئتُ مَضى
كُلُّevery مَطرورٍsharpened shaft إِذاwhen صَمَّمَit strikes true عَطّit rends
كُلُّ مَطرورٍ إِذا صَمَّمَ عَطّ
I hold back from shooting; were I to wish, off would fly
every sharpened shaft, rending when it strikes true.
وَإِذاand when كَشَّفتُI laid bare ماwhat يُرمِضُنيsears me
وَإِذا كَشَّفتُ ما يُرمِضُني
مِنof مَضيضِthe biting pain الداءِof the disease قالَsaid الحِلمُforbearance غَطّcover it
مِن مَضيضِ الداءِ قالَ الحِلمُ غَطّ
And when I lay bare what sears me
of the disease's biting pain, forbearance says, 'Cover it.'
كُلَّevery يَومٍday رَحِمٌa kinship bond مَنبوذَةٌcast away
كُلَّ يَومٍ رَحِمٌ مَنبوذَةٌ
كَرُؤومِlike a she-camel doting on البَوِّa stuffed calfskin عَضباءَcropped-eared تَشِطstraying far
كَرُؤومِ البَوِّ عَضباءَ تَشِط
Every day, a bond of kinship is cast away,
like a cropped-eared she-camel, doting on a stuffed calfskin, straying far;
مَطرَحَcast aside like الشَنَّةِa worn waterskin قَدalready أَيبَسَهاhas dried it
مَطرَحَ الشَنَّةِ قَد أَيبَسَها
قِدَمُthe long lapse العَهدِsince contact بِعامِيِّwith year-old الأَقَطdried curds
قِدَمُ العَهدِ بِعامِيِّ الأَقَط
cast aside like a worn waterskin, dried out
by the long lapse since it held last year's curds.
يَسأَلُhe asks البُقياfor mercy وَقَدthough already أَحمَيتُهُI heated for him
يَسأَلُ البُقيا وَقَد أَحمَيتُهُ
ميسَماًa branding iron لَوif مَرَّit passed بِالطَودِby a mountain غَلَطit would mistake it
ميسَماً لَو مَرَّ بِالطَودِ غَلَط
He asks for mercy, though I have heated for him
a brand that would mistake even a mountain for its mark.
صَدَّقَhe believed الواشينَthe slanderers فيماin what زَعَمواthey claimed
صَدَّقَ الواشينَ فيما زَعَموا
فَنَأىso he withdrew بِالوُدِّwith affection عَنّيfrom me وَشَحَطand grew distant
فَنَأى بِالوُدِّ عَنّي وَشَحَط
He believed the slanderers in what they claimed,
and bore his affection far away from me.
لاnot أَرىI see الجِنَّthe jinn وَأَفّاكاًand a great liar بِهِhe is
لا أَرى الجِنَّ وَأَفّاكاً بِهِ
فيin دُجىthe darkness اللَيلِof night وَلاnor الوَحيُrevelation هَبَطdescended
في دُجى اللَيلِ وَلا الوَحيُ هَبَط
I see no jinn—and what a liar he is!—
in the darkness of night, nor has revelation descended.
نَفثَةٌa breath مِنfrom واغِرٍan embittered man جَمجَمَهاhe muttered it
نَفثَةٌ مِن واغِرٍ جَمجَمَها
فيكَabout you لَولاbut for اللَهُGod وَالحِلمُand forbearance قَنَطhe would have despaired
فيكَ لَولا اللَهُ وَالحِلمُ قَنَط
A breath from an embittered man, which he muttered
about you; but for God and forbearance, he would have despaired.
Sol 6.1