إِلّا يَكُن نَصلاً فَغِمدُ نُصولِ

إِلّا يَكُن نَصلاً فَغِمدُ نُصولِ

غالَتهُ أَحداثُ الزَمانِ بِغولِ

غالَتهُ أَحداثُ الزَمانِ بِغولِ

If it was not a blade, it was a sheath of blades,

Unless it be a sword, its scabbard is

which Time's calamities snatched away by deadly stealth.

Made dear by the events of time, O ruthless one!

أَو لا يَكُن بِأَبي شُبولٍ ضَيغَمٍ

أَو لا يَكُن بِأَبي شُبولٍ ضَيغَمٍ

تَدمى أَظافِرُهُ فَأُمُّ شُبولِ

تَدمى أَظافِرُهُ فَأُمُّ شُبولِ

Or if not a father of cubs—a mighty lion

Or let it not be that my father Shabool is praised,

whose claws are bloodied—then a mother of cubs.

Whose claws are bloody, for he is the father of Shabool!

تِلكَ الغَمامَةُ كانَ بارِقُ خالِها

تِلكَ الغَمامَةُ كانَ بارِقُ خالِها

لَو أَنسَتِ الأَيّامُ غَيرَ مُخيلِ

لَو أَنسَتِ الأَيّامُ غَيرَ مُخيلِ

The lightning in that cloud's looming bank would have been,

That cloud—its lightning was the gleam of its mole,

had the days been kind, no false promise of rain.

If days forgot aught but the fancied.

كُنّا نُؤَمِّلُ أَن نُجَلّي صَوبَها

كُنّا نُؤَمِّلُ أَن نُجَلّي صَوبَها

عَن أَخضَرٍ غَضِّ الجَنى مَطلولِ

عَن أَخضَرٍ غَضِّ الجَنى مَطلولِ

We had hoped to draw aside its downpour

We were hoping to unveil its direction

from green growth, tender-fruited and dewy.

From tender, tender foliage newly plucked.

لَولا طِلابُ النَصلِ يورِقُ عودُهُ

لَولا طِلابُ النَصلِ يورِقُ عودُهُ

باتَ النِساءُ سُدىً بِغَيرِ بُعولِ

باتَ النِساءُ سُدىً بِغَيرِ بُعولِ

Were it not for seeking the blade whose stem puts forth leaves,

Were it not for the seekers of the sword, its wood would leaf out.

women would spend the night neglected, without husbands.

Women spent the night bereft of husbands.

وَلَرُبَّما بُكِيَ الفَقيدُ لِنَفسِهِ

وَلَرُبَّما بُكِيَ الفَقيدُ لِنَفسِهِ

أَو لِلمَطامِعِ فيهِ وَالتَأميلِ

أَو لِلمَطامِعِ فيهِ وَالتَأميلِ

And often the departed is wept for in his own right,

And the departed is sometimes wept for his own sake,

or for the hopes and expectations placed in him.

Or for greed in him and hopefulness.

أَتُرى بِما نَغتَرُّ مِن أَيّامِنا

أَتُرى بِما نَغتَرُّ مِن أَيّامِنا

وَنُطيلُ مِن أَمَلٍ لَهُنَّ طَويلِ

وَنُطيلُ مِن أَمَلٍ لَهُنَّ طَويلِ

What about our days, do you think, beguiles us,

Can it be that we are deluded by our days,

as we spin out long hopes for them?

And prolong from a hope that to them is prolonged?

أَبِوِردِها المَطروقِ أَو بِنَعيمِها ال

أَبِوِردِها المَطروقِ أَو بِنَعيمِها ال

مَمذوقِ أَم ميعادِها المَمطولِ

مَمذوقِ أَم ميعادِها المَمطولِ

Is it their much-frequented watering place, or their pleasure,

Is it by its refused downpour or its inexperienced bliss,

adulterated—or their promise, endlessly deferred?

Or its postponed tryst?

نَرجو البَقاءَ كَأَنَّنا لَم نَختَبِر

نَرجو البَقاءَ كَأَنَّنا لَم نَختَبِر

عاداتِ هَذا العالَمِ المَجبولِ

عاداتِ هَذا العالَمِ المَجبولِ

We hope to endure, as though we had never tested

We hope for survival as though we had not experienced

the ways of this created world.

The ways of this devious world.

لَو أَنَّ غَيرَ يَدِ الزَمانِ تُريعُني

لَو أَنَّ غَيرَ يَدِ الزَمانِ تُريعُني

وَتَفُلُّ حَدَّ مَعاشِري وَقَبيلي

وَتَفُلُّ حَدَّ مَعاشِري وَقَبيلي

If a hand other than Time's were frightening me

If other than the hand of time would chasten me

and blunting the edge of my companions and my clan,

And cut short my means of livelihood and my tribe,

لَلَوَيتُ مِن دونِ المَذَلَّةِ جانِبي

لَلَوَيتُ مِن دونِ المَذَلَّةِ جانِبي

وَجَرَرتُ عَن دارِ الهَوانِ ذُيولي

وَجَرَرتُ عَن دارِ الهَوانِ ذُيولي

I would turn my flank away from humiliation

I would turn my side without humiliation

and drag my trailing robes away from the abode of disgrace.

And drag my train from the abode of disgrace.

لَكِنَّ سُلطانَ اللَيالي غالِبٌ

لَكِنَّ سُلطانَ اللَيالي غالِبٌ

عَزمي وَقَطّاعٌ عَلَيَّ سَبيلي

عَزمي وَقَطّاعٌ عَلَيَّ سَبيلي

But the power of the nights overmasters

But the sultan of nights prevails

my resolve and cuts off my path.

Over my resolve and cuts off my way for me.

قَدَرَت فَذَلَّ لَها العَزيزُ مَهابَةً

قَدَرَت فَذَلَّ لَها العَزيزُ مَهابَةً

لَيسَ الذَليلُ لِقادِرٍ بِذَليلِ

لَيسَ الذَليلُ لِقادِرٍ بِذَليلِ

They held sway, and the mighty bowed to them in awe;

Fate has willed, and the honourable bows to it out of awe—

one humbled before the powerful is not disgraced.

The lowly one is not lowly before the Able!

وَهوَ الزَمانُ يُبيحُ كُلَّ مُمَنَّعٍ

وَهوَ الزَمانُ يُبيحُ كُلَّ مُمَنَّعٍ

وَيَغُضُّ مِن طَمَحاتِ كُلِّ جَليلِ

وَيَغُضُّ مِن طَمَحاتِ كُلِّ جَليلِ

And it is Time that exposes every well-guarded one

And it is time that permits all prohibitions

and curbs the lofty ambitions of every great man:

And lessens the aspirations of each sublime one.

مِن بَينِ مَجروحٍ بِحَدِّ نُيوبِهِ

مِن بَينِ مَجروحٍ بِحَدِّ نُيوبِهِ

يَدمى وَبَينَ مُبَضَّعٍ مَأكولِ

يَدمى وَبَينَ مُبَضَّعٍ مَأكولِ

some wounded by its sharp fangs,

Among the wounded by the edges of its flaws,

bleeding, and others cut to pieces and devoured.

Bleeding, and the ripped open, consumed,

أَعدى جَذيمَةَ بِالرَدى وَعَدا عَلى

أَعدى جَذيمَةَ بِالرَدى وَعَدا عَلى

رِدفَي جَذيمَةَ مالِكٍ وَعَقيلِ

رِدفَي جَذيمَةَ مالِكٍ وَعَقيلِ

It infected Jadhimah with death, and assailed

It assaulted Jadhimah spitefully and transgressed

Jadhimah's two companions, Malik and Aqil.

The saddlebags of Jadhimah, Malik and Aqeel.

وَاِستَنزَلَ الأَذواءَ عَن نَجَواتِهِم

وَاِستَنزَلَ الأَذواءَ عَن نَجَواتِهِم

فَغَدَوا ذَوي ضَرَعٍ وَطَولِ خُمولِ

فَغَدَوا ذَوي ضَرَعٍ وَطَولِ خُمولِ

And it brought the Dhu-lords down from their heights,

And it brought down the shelters from their resting places,

so they became weak and long consigned to obscurity.

So they became owners of cattle and long unruliness.

وَحَدا بِآلِ المُنذِرَينِ فَوَدَّعوا

وَحَدا بِآلِ المُنذِرَينِ فَوَدَّعوا

بِالحيرَةِ البَيضاءِ كُلَّ مَقيلِ

بِالحيرَةِ البَيضاءِ كُلَّ مَقيلِ

And it drove away the house of the two Mundhirs, who bade farewell

And it bid farewell at Hira

in white al-Hirah to every noonday resting place.

To all the dwelling places of Maqeel.

وَسَطا عَلى أَبناءِ قَيصَرَ سَطوَةً

وَسَطا عَلى أَبناءِ قَيصَرَ سَطوَةً

أَمَماً فَأَجلَت عَن دَمٍ مَطلولِ

أَمَماً فَأَجلَت عَن دَمٍ مَطلولِ

And it struck Caesar's sons with a blow

And it tyrannized the progeny of Caesar

at close quarters, clearing to reveal unavenged blood.

Nations, so it held back from shed blood.

وَأَعادَ إيوانَ المَدائِنِ مَحرَماً

وَأَعادَ إيوانَ المَدائِنِ مَحرَماً

عُريانَ مِن بُردِ العُلى المَسدولِ

عُريانَ مِن بُردِ العُلى المَسدولِ

And it left the vaulted hall of al-Mada'in bereft,

And it restored the hall of the Round City

bare of grandeur's trailing cloak.

Bare of the cold's splendid garb.

وَاِستَلَّ مِنهُ مالِكيهِ وَدونَهُم

وَاِستَلَّ مِنهُ مالِكيهِ وَدونَهُم

عَدَدُ الدَراري مِن قَناً وَخُيولِ

عَدَدُ الدَراري مِن قَناً وَخُيولِ

And it plucked its rulers out of it, though shielding them were

And it carried off its owners, and beneath them

spears and horses as numerous as the bright stars.

Were the number of house slaves, and steeds.

وَهَوى بِتيجانِ الجَبابِرَةِ الأُلى

وَهَوى بِتيجانِ الجَبابِرَةِ الأُلى

عَن كُلِّ مَطرورِ الغِرارِ صَقيلِ

عَن كُلِّ مَطرورِ الغِرارِ صَقيلِ

And it hurled down the crowns of those mighty men,

And it dropped the crowns of emperors

from every keen-edged, polished blade;

From every polished and noisy sword.

بَلَّت مَفارِقَهُم دَماً وَلَطالَما

بَلَّت مَفارِقَهُم دَماً وَلَطالَما

عَرَفوا بِمِسكٍ فَوقَهُنَّ بَليلِ

عَرَفوا بِمِسكٍ فَوقَهُنَّ بَليلِ

their hair-partings were drenched in blood, though long

Their parting left them bleeding, and long they knew

they had been fragrant with moist musk above them.

Musk atop them at night.

أَو بَعدَما رَفَعوا القِبابَ وَخَوَّلوا

أَو بَعدَما رَفَعوا القِبابَ وَخَوَّلوا

في ظِلِّ مُمتَنِعِ المَقامِ ظَليلِ

في ظِلِّ مُمتَنِعِ المَقامِ ظَليلِ

Or after they had raised pavilions and bestowed gifts

Or after they erected domes and authorized

in the deep shade of an unassailable abode,

In the shade of inaccessible abode a little shade,

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ كانَ يَحسَبُ عَهدَهُ

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ كانَ يَحسَبُ عَهدَهُ

في العِزِّ وَالعَلياءِ غَيرَ مُحيلِ

في العِزِّ وَالعَلياءِ غَيرَ مُحيلِ

each a mighty lion who thought his reign

Each conqueror reckoned his epoch

in power and high rank would never change,

In glory and loftiness not transformable.

وَيَظُنُّ أَن لَو طاوَلَتهُ مَنيَّةٌ

وَيَظُنُّ أَن لَو طاوَلَتهُ مَنيَّةٌ

لَأَبى إِباءَ المُصعَبِ المَعقولِ

لَأَبى إِباءَ المُصعَبِ المَعقولِ

and imagined that, if death contended with him,

And thought that if death contended with him,

he would resist like an unruly, hobbled camel;

He would refuse, refusing the improbable.

أَو لَو طَغى غَربُ الفُراتِ لَرَدَّهُ

أَو لَو طَغى غَربُ الفُراتِ لَرَدَّهُ

مُتَقَطِّعاً وَأَقامَ مَدَّ النيلِ

مُتَقَطِّعاً وَأَقامَ مَدَّ النيلِ

or, if the Euphrates' surge ran wild, he would drive it back

Or if the West Bank of the Euphrates overflowed, he would push it back

in broken streams, and halt the swelling of the Nile.

Severed, and set straight the course of the Nile.

نَزَلَ القَضاءُ بِهِ فَعادَ كَأَنَّهُ

نَزَلَ القَضاءُ بِهِ فَعادَ كَأَنَّهُ

لَم يَغنَ أَمسِ بِطارِقٍ وَنَزيلِ

لَم يَغنَ أَمسِ بِطارِقٍ وَنَزيلِ

Fate descended upon him, and he became as though

Fate descended on him, so he returned as if

he had not lived the day before among night-callers and guests.

Yesterday he had not hosted guest and friend.

صَبراً جَميلاً يا عَلَيُّ فَرُبَّما

صَبراً جَميلاً يا عَلَيُّ فَرُبَّما

صَبَرَ الفَتى وَالصَبرُ غَيرُ جَميلِ

صَبَرَ الفَتى وَالصَبرُ غَيرُ جَميلِ

Bear with noble patience, O Ali, for often

Patience, noble Ali, for perhaps

a man endures, but his endurance is not noble.

The young man has patience but it is not noble.

لَو كُنتُ أَعلَمُ أَنَّ وَجداً نافِعٌ

لَو كُنتُ أَعلَمُ أَنَّ وَجداً نافِعٌ

لَقَدَحتُ فيكَ بِزَفرَةٍ وَغَليلِ

لَقَدَحتُ فيكَ بِزَفرَةٍ وَغَليلِ

If I knew that grief could help,

If I knew that passion helps,

I would strike sparks within you with a sigh and burning anguish,

I would provoke you with sigh and anguish,

وَجَعَلتَ تَصعيبَ المُصابِ مُعَظَّماً

وَجَعَلتَ تَصعيبَ المُصابِ مُعَظَّماً

مِن شَأنِهِ بَدَلاً مِنَ التَسهيلِ

مِن شَأنِهِ بَدَلاً مِنَ التَسهيلِ

and you would make the affliction harder, magnifying

And make your suffering a momentous thing

its gravity rather than easing it.

To its task, instead of easing.

لَكِنَّها الأَقدارُ يَمضي حُكمُها

لَكِنَّها الأَقدارُ يَمضي حُكمُها

أَبَداً عَلى الأُصعوبِ وَالأُذلولِ

أَبَداً عَلى الأُصعوبِ وَالأُذلولِ

But these are fate's decrees; their rule is enforced

But these are the decrees—their rule passes

forever upon the unruly and the docile.

Always over the troubled and miserable.

وَلَرُبَّما اِبتَسَمَ الفَتى وَفُؤادُهُ

وَلَرُبَّما اِبتَسَمَ الفَتى وَفُؤادُهُ

شَرِقُ الجَنانِ بِرَنَّةٍ وَعَويلِ

شَرِقُ الجَنانِ بِرَنَّةٍ وَعَويلِ

And often a man smiles, while his heart

And perhaps the young man smiles while his heart

chokes deep within with lamentation and wailing.

Is a sunburst with ringing and wailing.

وَلَرُبَّما اِحتَمَلَ اللَبيبُ مُمَوِّهاً

وَلَرُبَّما اِحتَمَلَ اللَبيبُ مُمَوِّهاً

عَضَّ الزَمانِ بِبِشرِهِ المَبذولِ

عَضَّ الزَمانِ بِبِشرِهِ المَبذولِ

And often a wise man endures while disguising

And perhaps the wise man endures, dissembling,

Time's bite with the cheerfulness he freely shows.

The severities of time with his spent smile.

وَغَطى عَلى تِلكَ الجِراحِ كَأَنَّهُ

وَغَطى عَلى تِلكَ الجِراحِ كَأَنَّهُ

ما آبَ مِنهُ بِغارِبٍ مَخزولِ

ما آبَ مِنهُ بِغارِبٍ مَخزولِ

And he covers those wounds, as though

And covers over those wounds as though

he had not returned from it with his withers slashed.

He has not been touched by a perished evening.