أوَدَّعُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ حَبيبا

أوَدَّعُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ حَبيبا

وَأُهدي إِلى الأَرضِ شَخصاً غَرَيبا

وَأُهدي إِلى الأَرضِ شَخصاً غَرَيبا

Each day I bid farewell to someone beloved,

I bid farewell each day to one I love,

and consign to the earth the body of one made a stranger.

and consign a lonely body to the earth.

وَأَرجِعُ عَنهُ جَميلَ العَزاءِ

وَأَرجِعُ عَنهُ جَميلَ العَزاءِ

أَمسَحُ عَن ناظِرَيَّ الغُرُبا

أَمسَحُ عَن ناظِرَيَّ الغُرُبا

I turn away from him with seemly consolation,

I return from him with seemly resignation,

wiping sunset from his eyes,

wiping the flowing tears from my eyes.

كَأَنِّيَ لَم أَدرِ أَنَّ السَبي

كَأَنِّيَ لَم أَدرِ أَنَّ السَبي

لَ سَبيلي وَأَنّي مُلاقٍ شَعوبا

لَ سَبيلي وَأَنّي مُلاقٍ شَعوبا

as though I did not know that this path

As though I did not know that the path

is my path too, and that I shall meet Death;

is my own, and that I must meet Shaʿūb, Death;

وَأَنَّ وَرائِيَ سَوقاً عَنيفاً

وَأَنَّ وَرائِيَ سَوقاً عَنيفاً

وَأَنَّ أَمامي يَوماً عَصِيبا

وَأَنَّ أَمامي يَوماً عَصِيبا

that behind me is a harsh driver pressing on,

that behind me is a violent driving-on,

and before me a grievous day;

and before me a day of anguish;

وَلا أَنَّني بَعدَ طولِ البَقاءِ

وَلا أَنَّني بَعدَ طولِ البَقاءِ

أُصابَ كَما أَنَّ غَيري أُصيبا

أُصابَ كَما أَنَّ غَيري أُصيبا

or that, even if I survive a long while,

nor that, after a long life,

I shall be stricken as another was stricken.

I shall be stricken as another has been stricken.

أَمانيُّ أوضِعُ في غَيِّها

أَمانيُّ أوضِعُ في غَيِّها

لِريحِ الغُرورِ بِها مُستَطيبا

لِريحِ الغُرورِ بِها مُستَطيبا

Vain hopes—I squander myself in their delusion,

Hopes—in their delusion I gallop on,

finding the breeze of worldly vanity pleasant through them.

savoring within them the scent of deceit.

تَذَكَّر عَواقِبَ موبي النَباتُ

تَذَكَّر عَواقِبَ موبي النَباتُ

وَلا تُتبِعِ العَينَ مَرعىً خَصيبا

وَلا تُتبِعِ العَينَ مَرعىً خَصيبا

Remember the final ends to which all plants return,

Remember the consequences of poisonous herbage,

and let not the eye pursue a luxuriant pasture.

and do not let your eye follow a lush pasture.

قَعَدتُ بِمَدرَجَةِ النائِباتِ

قَعَدتُ بِمَدرَجَةِ النائِباتِ

يُمِرُّ الزَمانُ عَلَيَّ الخُطوبا

يُمِرُّ الزَمانُ عَلَيَّ الخُطوبا

I have taken my seat upon calamities’ highway;

I have sat in the pathway of calamities;

Time passes over me in ordeal after ordeal.

Time brings afflictions upon me.

عَلى الهَمِّ أُنفِقُ شَرخَ الشَبابِ

عَلى الهَمِّ أُنفِقُ شَرخَ الشَبابِ

وَأُعطي المَنايا حَبيباً حَبيبا

وَأُعطي المَنايا حَبيباً حَبيبا

In anxious care I spend the prime of youth,

On sorrow I spend the prime of youth,

and yield to Death beloved after beloved.

and give the fates beloved after beloved.

تَصامَمتُ عَن هَتَفاتِ المَنونِ

تَصامَمتُ عَن هَتَفاتِ المَنونِ

بِغَيري وَلا بُدَّ مِن أَن أُجيبا

بِغَيري وَلا بُدَّ مِن أَن أُجيبا

I have feigned deafness to Death’s heralds

I have feigned deafness to Death's calls

when they call another, yet I cannot escape answering.

to others; yet I too must answer.

وَأَعلَمُ أَنّي مُلاقي الَّتي

وَأَعلَمُ أَنّي مُلاقي الَّتي

شَعَبنَ قَبائِلَنا وَالشُعوبا

شَعَبنَ قَبائِلَنا وَالشُعوبا

And I know that I shall meet her—

And I know that I shall meet those fates

Death, who scattered our tribes and peoples.

that scattered our tribes and peoples.

أَلا إِنَّ قَومي لِوِردِ الحِمامِ

أَلا إِنَّ قَومي لِوِردِ الحِمامِ

مَضوا أَمَماً وَأَجابوا المُهيبا

مَضوا أَمَماً وَأَجابوا المُهيبا

Indeed, my people have reached Death’s watering place;

Behold, my people, to death's watering-place

they went before me and answered the fearsome summoner.

have gone ahead and answered the summoner.

بِمَن أَتَسَلّى وَأَيدي المَنونِ

بِمَن أَتَسَلّى وَأَيدي المَنونِ

تُخالِسُ فَرعي قَضيباً قَضيبا

تُخالِسُ فَرعي قَضيباً قَضيبا

In whom shall I seek consolation while Death’s hands

In whom can I find solace, when Death's hands

steal branch after branch from my family tree?

steal away my bough, twig after twig?

نَزَعنَ قَوادِمَ ريشِ الجَناحِ

نَزَعنَ قَوادِمَ ريشِ الجَناحِ

وَأَثبَتنَ في كُلِّ عُضوٍ نُدوبا

وَأَثبَتنَ في كُلِّ عُضوٍ نُدوبا

The supporting quills of our wing have been plucked,

They plucked out the wing's foremost feathers

leaving scars fixed upon every limb:

and left scars upon every limb.

نُجومٌ إِذا شَهِدوا الأَندِياتِ

نُجومٌ إِذا شَهِدوا الأَندِياتِ

رُجومٌ إِذا أَقاموا ما الحُروبا

رُجومٌ إِذا أَقاموا ما الحُروبا

stars whenever they attended councils,

Stars when they attend assemblies,

and missiles whenever they kindled the blaze of wars;

missiles when they wage wars;

إِذا عَقَدوا لِلعَطاءِ الحُبى

إِذا عَقَدوا لِلعَطاءِ الحُبى

وَإِن زَعزَعوا لِلطِعانِ الكُعوبا

وَإِن زَعزَعوا لِلطِعانِ الكُعوبا

whenever they pledged gifts to generosity,

when they knot their knee-bands to give gifts,

and whenever they shook the spear-sockets for combat.

or shake their spear-shafts for combat.

عَراعُرُ لا يَنطِقونَ الخَنا

عَراعُرُ لا يَنطِقونَ الخَنا

وَلا يَحفَظونَّ الكَلامَ المُعيبا

وَلا يَحفَظونَّ الكَلامَ المُعيبا

Lofty chiefs: they uttered no obscenity,

Noble chiefs who utter no obscenity,

nor kept any shameful speech in memory.

nor commit disgraceful speech to memory.

يُرِمَّ الفَتّى مِنهُمُ جُهدَهُ

يُرِمَّ الفَتّى مِنهُمُ جُهدَهُ

فَإِن قالَ قالَ بَليغاً خَطيبا

فَإِن قالَ قالَ بَليغاً خَطيبا

The young man among them exerted his utmost;

Each young man among them keeps silent as best he can;

when he spoke, he spoke eloquently—a skilled orator.

if he speaks, he speaks eloquently, an orator.

جَلا بيبُ لا تُضمِرُ الفاحِشاتِ

جَلا بيبُ لا تُضمِرُ الفاحِشاتِ

وَأَردِيَةٌ لا تَضُمُّ العُيوبا

وَأَردِيَةٌ لا تَضُمُّ العُيوبا

Outer robes that concealed no foul deeds,

Cloaks that harbor no indecencies,

and inner garments that enclosed no faults;

and mantles that enfold no faults;

وَبِشرٌ يُهابُ عَلى حُسنِهِ

وَبِشرٌ يُهابُ عَلى حُسنِهِ

فَتَحسَبُهُ غَضباً أَو قُطوبا

فَتَحسَبُهُ غَضباً أَو قُطوبا

a face whose beauty inspired awe,

and a smiling face, held in awe despite its beauty,

so that you might take it for anger or a frown.

so that you take it for anger or a scowl.

لَقَد أَرزَمَت إِبِلي بَعدَكُم

لَقَد أَرزَمَت إِبِلي بَعدَكُم

وَأَبدى لَها كُلُّ مَرعىً جُذوبا

وَأَبدى لَها كُلُّ مَرعىً جُذوبا

Since your loss, my camels have groaned with yearning,

My camels have indeed moaned since your passing,

and every pasture has revealed its barrenness to them.

and every pasture has shown them barrenness.

نَزَعتُ أَزمَّتَها لِلمَقامِ

نَزَعتُ أَزمَّتَها لِلمَقامِ

وَأَعفَيتُ مِنها الذُرى وَالجُنوبا

وَأَعفَيتُ مِنها الذُرى وَالجُنوبا

I drew away their reins so they might rest,

I have removed their reins, to let them stay,

and spared their humps and flanks.

and spared their humps and flanks.

لِمَن أَطلُبُ المالَ مِن بَعدِكُم

لِمَن أَطلُبُ المالَ مِن بَعدِكُم

وَأُحفي الحِصانَ وَأُنضي الجَنيبا

وَأُحفي الحِصانَ وَأُنضي الجَنيبا

For whom should I seek wealth after you,

For whom should I seek wealth after you,

wearing out the stallion and exhausting the led remount?

wear my stallion's hooves bare and exhaust the led horse?

حَوامي جِبالٍ رَعاها الحِمامُ

حَوامي جِبالٍ رَعاها الحِمامُ

فَسَوّى بِهِنَّ الثَرى وَالجُنوبا

فَسَوّى بِهِنَّ الثَرى وَالجُنوبا

Guardians of mountains whom Death has shepherded away,

Mountain strongholds, on which Death grazed,

leveling with them both the earth and mountain heights.

till it leveled their flanks with the dust.

وَكَم واضِحٍ مِنكُمُ كَالهِلا

وَكَم واضِحٍ مِنكُمُ كَالهِلا

لِ هالَت يَدايَ عَلَيهِ الكَثيبا

لِ هالَت يَدايَ عَلَيهِ الكَثيبا

How many a radiant man among you, like the crescent,

How many a radiant one of you, crescent-like,

over whom two hands have heaped the mound of earth;

have my hands heaped over with a mound of sand!

وَنازَعَني المَوتُ مِن شَخصِهِ

وَنازَعَني المَوتُ مِن شَخصِهِ

سِناناً طَريراً وَعَضباً مَهيبا

سِناناً طَريراً وَعَضباً مَهيبا

and Death wrested from me, from his very person,

And Death wrested from me, in his person,

a keen spearhead and a fearsome sword,

a keen spearhead and an awesome sword,

وَحِلماً رَزيناً وَأَنفاً حَميّاً

وَحِلماً رَزيناً وَأَنفاً حَميّاً

وَعَزماً جَريّاً وَرَأياً مُصيبا

وَعَزماً جَريّاً وَرَأياً مُصيبا

sober forbearance and proud protective zeal,

and steady forbearance and a fiercely proud nose,

bold resolve and sound, unerring counsel.

and bold resolve and sound judgment.

صَوارِمُ أَغمَدتُها في الصَعيدِ

صَوارِمُ أَغمَدتُها في الصَعيدِ

وَفَلَّلَتُ مِنها الظُبى وَالغُروبا

وَفَلَّلَتُ مِنها الظُبى وَالغُروبا

Swords I have buried in the dust,

Keen swords I have sheathed in the earth,

after blunting their finest edges and projecting points.

and blunted their blades and sharp edges.

أَقولُ لِرَكبٍ خِفافِ المَزادِ

أَقولُ لِرَكبٍ خِفافِ المَزادِ

وَقَد بَدَّلوا بِالوَضاءِ الشُحوبا

وَقَد بَدَّلوا بِالوَضاءِ الشُحوبا

I say to a caravan traveling light with waterskins,

I say to riders with light waterskins,

whose radiant beauty has now been exchanged for pallor:

who have exchanged radiance for pallor:

أَلِمّوا بِأَجوازِ تِلكَ القُبورِ

أَلِمّوا بِأَجوازِ تِلكَ القُبورِ

فَعَرّوا الجِيادَ وَجُزّوا السَبيبا

فَعَرّوا الجِيادَ وَجُزّوا السَبيبا

Halt, you two, amid those graves;

Halt amid those graves;

unsaddle the steeds and clip their forelocks in mourning.

strip the steeds and shear their long hair.

قِفوا فَاِمطِروا كُلَّ عَينٍ دَماً

قِفوا فَاِمطِروا كُلَّ عَينٍ دَماً

بِها وَاِملَاؤوا كُلَّ قَلبٍ وَجيبا

بِها وَاِملَاؤوا كُلَّ قَلبٍ وَجيبا

Halt, you two, and make every eye rain blood

Stand, and make every eye rain blood

over them, and fill every heart with throbbing grief.

there, and fill every heart with throbbing.

ولا تَعقِروا غَيرَ حَبِّ القُلو

ولا تَعقِروا غَيرَ حَبِّ القُلو

بِ إِذا عَقَرَ الناسُ بُزلاً وَنَيبا

بِ إِذا عَقَرَ الناسُ بُزلاً وَنَيبا

Hamstring none but the hearts’ beloved—

Slaughter nothing but the cores of hearts

for such as these, people hamstring mature and aged she-camels.

when people slaughter mature camels and aged she-camels.

وَإِنّي عَلى أَن رَماني الزَمانُ

وَإِنّي عَلى أَن رَماني الزَمانُ

وَأَعقَبَ بِالقَلبِ جُرحاً رَغيبا

وَأَعقَبَ بِالقَلبِ جُرحاً رَغيبا

Though Time has shot me with its arrows

Yet, though Time has struck me

and left within my heart a gaping wound,

and left a gaping wound in my heart,

لَتَعجُمُ مِنّي ضُروسُ الخُطو

لَتَعجُمُ مِنّي ضُروسُ الخُطو

بِ قَلباً جَليداً وَعوداً صَليبا

بِ قَلباً جَليداً وَعوداً صَليبا

the grinding teeth of calamity will find in me

the molars of calamity indeed test in me

a steadfast heart and a solid, unyielding frame.

a steadfast heart and a solid shaft.

وَأَبقى العَواجِمُ مِن صَعدَتي

وَأَبقى العَواجِمُ مِن صَعدَتي

عَشوَزَنَةً تَستَقِلُّ النُيوبا

عَشوَزَنَةً تَستَقِلُّ النُيوبا

I shall leave the gnashing fangs a remnant of my spear—

The biting trials have left of my spear

a rugged shaft able to withstand their bite.

a rugged shaft that makes light of their fangs.

أَخِلّاءِ لا زالَ جَمُّ البُروقِ

أَخِلّاءِ لا زالَ جَمُّ البُروقِ

أَجشُّ الرَعودِ يُطيعُ الجَنوبا

أَجشُّ الرَعودِ يُطيعُ الجَنوبا

O friends, may the massed storm cloud never cease,

My friends, may the lightning-rich cloud never cease,

hoarse with thunder and driven by the south wind;

hoarse with thunder, to obey the south wind.

إِذا ما مَطاياهُ جُبنَ الفَلا

إِذا ما مَطاياهُ جُبنَ الفَلا

أَمِنّا عَليها الوَجى وَاللُغوبا

أَمِنّا عَليها الوَجى وَاللُغوبا

when its mounts traverse the wide wilderness,

When its mounts traverse the wastes,

secure upon them from footsoreness and fatigue,

we fear for them neither sore feet nor fatigue.

يَشُقُّ المَزادَ عَلى تُربِكُم

يَشُقُّ المَزادَ عَلى تُربِكُم

وَيَمري عَلى كُلِّ قَبرٍ ذَنوبا

وَيَمري عَلى كُلِّ قَبرٍ ذَنوبا

bursting its waterskins over your soil,

It splits its waterskins over your dust

and milking a brimming bucket over every grave.

and milks a brimming bucketful onto every grave.

وَأَسأَلُ أَينَ مَصابُ الغَمامِ

وَأَسأَلُ أَينَ مَصابُ الغَمامِ

شُروقاً إِذا ما غَدا أَو غُروبا

شُروقاً إِذا ما غَدا أَو غُروبا

And I ask: Where shall the rain cloud pour—

I ask where the clouds' downpour falls,

eastward when it sets forth, or westward?

when they set out eastward or westward.

أَضِنُّ عَلى القَطرِ أَن يَستَهِلَّ

أَضِنُّ عَلى القَطرِ أَن يَستَهِلَّ

عَلى غَيرِ أَجداثِكُم أَو يَصوبا

عَلى غَيرِ أَجداثِكُم أَو يَصوبا

I begrudge the rain its pouring

I begrudge the rain its bursting forth

anywhere but upon your graves, wherever else it may fall.

on aught but your graves, or falling elsewhere.

غُلِبتُ عَليكُم فيا صَفقَةً

غُلِبتُ عَليكُم فيا صَفقَةً

غُبِنتُ بِها العَيشَ غُصناً رَطيبا

غُبِنتُ بِها العَيشَ غُصناً رَطيبا

You have been wrested from us—alas, what a ruinous bargain!

I was overpowered and lost you—what a bargain,

Through it, in life, I was cheated of a tender bough.

in which I was cheated of life's tender bough!

فَلَولا الحَياءُ لَعَطَّ القُلوبَ

فَلَولا الحَياءُ لَعَطَّ القُلوبَ

عَليكُم عَصائِبُ عَطّوا الجُيوبا

عَليكُم عَصائِبُ عَطّوا الجُيوبا

Were it not for modest restraint, hearts would have encamped

But for shame, hearts would have been torn

around you in bands, their collars torn.

for you by bands of mourners who tore their collars.

وَلَم يَكُ قَدرُ الرَزايا بِكُم

وَلَم يَكُ قَدرُ الرَزايا بِكُم

جَناناً مَروعاً وَدَمعاً سَكوبا

جَناناً مَروعاً وَدَمعاً سَكوبا

No measure could equal the calamity of losing you—

Nor could the calamities of losing you be measured

no terror-stricken heart, no copiously streaming tears.

by a terror-stricken heart and streaming tears.

وَإِن ضَرايحَكُم في الصَعيدِ

وَإِن ضَرايحَكُم في الصَعيدِ

لَتَكسو الخَبيثَ مِنَ الأَرضِ طيبا

لَتَكسو الخَبيثَ مِنَ الأَرضِ طيبا

Indeed, your graves in the open ground

And your tombs in the earth

clothe the earth’s barren soil in beauty.

surely clothe its foulest soil with fragrance.

وَهَبنا لِفَيضِ الدُموعِ الخُدودَ

وَهَبنا لِفَيضِ الدُموعِ الخُدودَ

عَليكُم وَحَرَّ الغَرامِ القُلوبا

عَليكُم وَحَرَّ الغَرامِ القُلوبا

We have surrendered our cheeks to the flood of tears,

We gave our cheeks to the flood of tears

and our hearts, for you, to the burning of grief.

for you, and our hearts to the heat of longing.

لَقَد شَغَلتَني المَرائي لَكُم

لَقَد شَغَلتَني المَرائي لَكُم

بِوَجدِيَ عَن أَن أَقولَ النَسيبا

بِوَجدِيَ عَن أَن أَقولَ النَسيبا

Visions of you have so absorbed me

Visions of you have engrossed me

that sorrow keeps me from composing love’s prelude.

in my grief, keeping me from composing love verse.

وَكُنتُ أَعُدُّ ذُنوبَ الزَمانِ

وَكُنتُ أَعُدُّ ذُنوبَ الزَمانِ

فَبَعدَكُم لا أَعُدُّ الذُنوبا

فَبَعدَكُم لا أَعُدُّ الذُنوبا

I once used to count the offenses of Time;

I used to count Time's sins,

since losing you, I count no other offense.

but after you I no longer count its sins.

أَرابَ الرَدى فَيكُمُ جاهِداً

أَرابَ الرَدى فَيكُمُ جاهِداً

وَزادَ فَجازَ مَدى أَن يُريبا

وَزادَ فَجازَ مَدى أَن يُريبا

Death, striving against you, awakened doubt in me,

Death strove to sow misgivings over you,

then increased until it passed beyond all mere doubting.

then went farther, beyond the bounds of mere misgiving.

أَأَنشُدُ مَن قَد أَضَلَّ الحِمامُ

أَأَنشُدُ مَن قَد أَضَلَّ الحِمامُ

عَناءً لَعَمرُكَ أَعيا الطَبيبا

عَناءً لَعَمرُكَ أَعيا الطَبيبا

Can I seek out one whom Death has removed from among the living?

Shall I seek those whom Death has carried off?

A futile quest, by your life, that would baffle even a physician.

Vain toil, by your life, that has baffled the physician!