هِيَit ماwhat عَلِمتَyou have known فَهَلthen, can...? تُرَدُّbe repelled هُمومُهاits cares
هِيَ ما عَلِمتَ فَهَل تُرَدُّ هُمومُها
نُوَبٌcalamities أَراقِمُspeckled vipers لاnot يُبِلُّrecovers سَليمُهاtheir bitten victim
نُوَبٌ أَراقِمُ لا يُبِلُّ سَليمُها
It is as you have known it; can its cares be repelled?
She does not know, so can her worries be dispelled?
Calamities are speckled vipers whose bitten victim never recovers.
Misfortunes whose severity cannot be lessened
أَرواحُناour souls دَينٌa debt وَماand not أَنفاسُناour breaths
أَرواحُنا دَينٌ وَما أَنفاسُنا
إِلّاexcept قَضاءٌrepayment وَالزَمانُand Time غَريمُهاtheir creditor
إِلّا قَضاءٌ وَالزَمانُ غَريمُها
Our souls are a debt, and our breaths are nothing
Our souls are a debt, and our breaths
but repayment, and Time is their creditor.
Are nothing but fate, and time is unforgiving
فَلِأَيِّthen for what حالٍcondition تَستَلِذُّfind delightful نُفوسُناour souls
فَلِأَيِّ حالٍ تَستَلِذُّ نُفوسُنا
نَفَحاتِbreezes عَيشٍlife لاnot يَدومُlasts نَعيمُهاits bliss
نَفَحاتِ عَيشٍ لا يَدومُ نَعيمُها
Why, then, do our souls savor
So why do our souls delight
life's breezes, whose bliss does not endure?
In the breaths of a life whose bliss does not last?
يَمضيpasses الزَمانُTime وَلاand not نُحِسُّwe perceive كَأَنَّهُas though it
يَمضي الزَمانُ وَلا نُحِسُّ كَأَنَّهُ
ريحٌa wind تَمُرُّpasses وَلاand not يُشَمِّis smelled نَسيمُهاits breeze
ريحٌ تَمُرُّ وَلا يُشَمِّ نَسيمُها
Time passes, and we do not sense it, as though it were
Time passes, and we do not sense it, as if
a passing wind whose breeze is never smelled.
It is a wind that blows, its breeze unfelt
لَمdid not يَشفَعِintercede الدَهرُTime الخَؤونُtreacherous لِمُهجَةٍfor a soul
لَم يَشفَعِ الدَهرُ الخَؤونُ لِمُهجَةٍ
فيin العُمرِthe lifespan إِلّاexcept that عادَreturned وَهوَand it is خَصيمُهاits adversary
في العُمرِ إِلّا عادَ وَهوَ خَصيمُها
Treacherous Time has never interceded for a soul
Time has not interceded on behalf of one downcast
for longer life without returning as its adversary.
In life, except it returned as his opponent
وَكَأَنَّماand as though الدُنياthe world الغَرورَةُdeceitful بُردَةٌa cloak
وَكَأَنَّما الدُنيا الغَرورَةُ بُردَةٌ
بِيَدَيin the two hands of بِلىًdecay وَيَروقُناand delights us تَسهيمُهاits striped pattern
بِيَدَي بِلىً وَيَروقُنا تَسهيمُها
And the deceitful world is like a cloak
As if the deceptive world is a garment
in decay's hands, yet its striped pattern delights us.
Worn out in our hands, yet its threading delights us
ياO دَهرُTime كَمhow many أَسهَرتَنيyou kept me awake مِنof لَيلَةٍa night
يا دَهرُ كَم أَسهَرتَني مِن لَيلَةٍ
قَدindeed كُنتُI was فيكَin you أَنامُهاI sleep through it وَأُنيمُهاand lull it to sleep
قَد كُنتُ فيكَ أَنامُها وَأُنيمُها
O Time, how many nights have you kept me awake
O time, how many nights have you kept me awake
that once, in you, I slept through and lulled to sleep!
When I used to sleep and doze in you
وَالأَرضُand the earth دارٌa dwelling لاnot يَلَذُّfinds delight نَزيلُهاits guest
وَالأَرضُ دارٌ لا يَلَذُّ نَزيلُها
عُمرَthroughout the lifespan of الزَمانِTime وَلاnor يَذيمُreproaches مُقيمُهاits resident
عُمرَ الزَمانِ وَلا يَذيمُ مُقيمُها
And earth is a dwelling whose guest finds no delight
The earth is an abode whose residents do not enjoy
throughout Time's span, nor does its resident reproach it.
A lifetime in it, nor do its settlers last
كَمhow many باعِarmspan أَبّاءٍa proud man تَفُلَّblunts بُطونُهاits depths
كَم باعِ أَبّاءٍ تَفُلَّ بُطونُها
وَأَديمِand the skin of جَبّارٍa tyrant يَقُدُّsplits أَديمُهاits skin
وَأَديمِ جَبّارٍ يَقُدُّ أَديمُها
How many a proud man's reach its depths have blunted,
How many bellies of the proud it made swell
and a tyrant's skin its own skin has split!
And skins of tyrants its surface fabrics stretched
قَبرٌa grave عَلىupon قَبرٍa grave لَناfor us وَأَواخِرٌand later generations
قَبرٌ عَلى قَبرٍ لَنا وَأَواخِرٌ
يَلقىmeets رَميمَthe decayed bones of الأَوَّلينَthe earliest ones رَميمُهاtheir decayed bones
يَلقى رَميمَ الأَوَّلينَ رَميمُها
Grave upon grave is ours, and later generations—
Grave upon grave is ours, and final ones
their crumbling bones meet those of the first.
That meet the ruins of those gone before
إِنَّindeed الوَزيرَthe minister وَإِنand even if تَطَرَّقَهُreached him الرَدىdeath
إِنَّ الوَزيرَ وَإِن تَطَرَّقَهُ الرَدى
وَعَداand assailed عَليهِupon him مِنَamong الخُطوبِcalamities ذَميمُهاtheir vile ones
وَعَدا عَليهِ مِنَ الخُطوبِ ذَميمُها
Indeed, the minister, though death has visited him
If the minister is struck by adversity
and the vilest calamities have assailed him,
And the worst of disasters befall him
مُستَلئِمٌarmored لَقِيَتهُmet him أَوor لَمdid not تَلقَهُmeet him
مُستَلئِمٌ لَقِيَتهُ أَو لَم تَلقَهُ
بِنَوائِبٍwith calamities بيضُthe bright blades of المَنونِDeath وَشيمُهاand its dark blades
بِنَوائِبٍ بيضُ المَنونِ وَشيمُها
is armored, whether they have met him or not—
Whether he meets his fate or not
Death's bright blades and dark, bearing calamities.
The claws of death whiten, it is their nature
الدَمعُtears أَعظَمُgreatest مَنthose whom تُحارِبُyou fight جُرأَةًin boldness
الدَمعُ أَعظَمُ مَن تُحارِبُ جُرأَةً
فَاِنظُرso look لِعَينٍto an eye ماnot أُبيحَwas violated حَريمُهاits sanctuary
فَاِنظُر لِعَينٍ ما أُبيحَ حَريمُها
Tears are the boldest of those you fight;
Tears thwart boldness greater than what battles
so look to an eye whose sanctuary has never been breached.
So observe what is forbidden to an eye whose sanctuary is breached
وَتَعَزَّand take comfort إِنindeed مِنَpart of العَزاءِconsolation شَجاعَةًcourage
وَتَعَزَّ إِن مِنَ العَزاءِ شَجاعَةً
وَأَعَزُّand the noblest ماwhat عَزّىconsoled نُفوساًsouls خيمُهاtheir innate character
وَأَعَزُّ ما عَزّى نُفوساً خيمُها
And take comfort: consolation holds courage,
And find strength in consolation if consolation
and the noblest solace for souls is their character,
Contains valor, for the staunchest are its tents
بِمَكارِمٍwith noble deeds غُرَّbright الوُجوهِfaces تُنيلُهاyou bestow them
بِمَكارِمٍ غُرَّ الوُجوهِ تُنيلُها
وَمَقاوِمٍand stands غُلبِthick الرِقابِnecks تَقَومُهاyou uphold them
وَمَقاوِمٍ غُلبِ الرِقابِ تَقَومُها
through bright-faced noble deeds you bestow,
With virtues the cheeks flush, and it grants them
and stout-necked stands you uphold.
With defiance the necks rise, and it straightens them
كَمhow many ذاهِبٍa departed one أَبكىmade weep النَواظِرَthe eyes مُدَّةًa while
كَم ذاهِبٍ أَبكى النَواظِرَ مُدَّةً
وَمَضىand departed وَطابَand became pleasant لِمُقلَةٍto an eye تَهويمُهاits dozing
وَمَضى وَطابَ لِمُقلَةٍ تَهويمُها
How many a departed one made eyes weep for a time,
How many who left made eyes weep for a while
and passed away, and an eye found its dozing sweet;
Then departed, and a frown found for itself release
أَوor ثَغرِthe mouth of مَحزونٍa grieving person تَبَسَّمَsmiled سَلوَةًin consolation
أَو ثَغرِ مَحزونٍ تَبَسَّمَ سَلوَةً
وَالعَينُand the eye لَمّاnot yet يَرقَceased بَعدُyet سُجومُهاits streaming tears
وَالعَينُ لَمّا يَرقَ بَعدُ سُجومُها
or a grieving person's mouth smiled in consolation,
Or a saddened mouth smiled in consolation
while the eye's streaming tears had not yet ceased.
And the eye afterwards never shed its gloom
إِنّيI indeed لَأَرجوsurely hope أَنthat يَكونَbe مَقامُهاher resting place
إِنّي لَأَرجو أَن يَكونَ مَقامُها
فيin حُفرَةٍa grave خَضَلُthe moisture of الغَمامِthe clouds نَديمُهاher companion
في حُفرَةٍ خَضَلُ الغَمامِ نَديمُها
I indeed hope that her resting place will be
I hope her abode will be a grave green
in a grave, the clouds' moisture her companion,
With clouds, its companion forever
مِنfrom كُلِّevery غادِيَةٍmorning rain-cloud سُلافَةُthe choicest wine of بارِقٍa lightning-lit cloud
مِن كُلِّ غادِيَةٍ سُلافَةُ بارِقٍ
وَمِنَand from الرِياضِthe gardens رَطيبُهاtheir fresh growth وَعَميمُهاand their luxuriant growth
وَمِنَ الرِياضِ رَطيبُها وَعَميمُها
from every morning rain-cloud, the pure wine of a flashing cloud,
With the fresh scent of meadows and gardens
and from the gardens, their fresh and luxuriant growth.
And the perfume of flowers at dawn diffused
فيamong رِفقَةٍa company لاnot يَستَطيلُlords it over others سَفيفُهاtheir lowliest
في رِفقَةٍ لا يَستَطيلُ سَفيفُها
أَبَداًever وَلاand not يَدريknows المَقالَspeech حَليمُهاtheir wise one
أَبَداً وَلا يَدري المَقالَ حَليمُها
Among companions whose lowliest never lords it over others,
In company that does not burden with excess
ever, and whose wise one knows nothing of speech.
Nor knows foolishness, so wise are its people
مِثلُlike الكَبيرِthe elder مِنَamong الرِجالِmen صَغيرُهاtheir young one
مِثلُ الكَبيرِ مِنَ الرِجالِ صَغيرُها
يَبلىdecays وَلاand not يَدريknows المَقالَspeech حَليمُهاtheir wise one
يَبلى وَلا يَدري المَقالَ حَليمُها
Their young are like the elders among men;
The great and the small among men, equal
their wise one decays and knows nothing of speech.
Oblivious, though the wise do not know
ماwhat ضَرَّharmed راحِلَةًa departed woman وَأَنتَwhile you وَراءَهاbehind her
ما ضَرَّ راحِلَةً وَأَنتَ وَراءَها
مِنfrom أَنthat يَكونَbe عَلىupon المَنونُDeath قَدومُهاher arrival
مِن أَن يَكونَ عَلى المَنونُ قَدومُها
What harm befell a departed woman, with you left behind her,
Of what concern is a departed one to you
in her arrival before Death?
When death itself is about to arrive?
تَرَكَتكَshe left you طَوداًa mountain لاnot يُرامُbe assailed وَجَمرَةًand an ember
تَرَكَتكَ طَوداً لا يُرامُ وَجَمرَةً
لاnot تُصطَلىbe warmed by وَيَداًand a hand يُذَلُّis humbled مُضيمُهاits oppressor
لا تُصطَلى وَيَداً يُذَلُّ مُضيمُها
She left you an unassailable mountain, and an ember
She left you a towering mountain, an ember
none can warm himself by, and a hand whose oppressor is humbled.
That does not kindle, and a hand whose clench is broken
هَلdid...? خَبَّرَتtold لَمّاwhen أَتَتcame بِكَwith you ماwhat الَّذيthat which
هَل خَبَّرَت لَمّا أَتَت بِكَ ما الَّذي
فيin مَهدِهاher cradle أَوor ماwhat يَصُمُّdeafens حَزيمُهاher thunder
في مَهدِها أَو ما يَصُمُّ حَزيمُها
Did she tell, when she bore you, what was
Did she tell you, when she brought you, what
in her cradle, or what her thunder would deafen?
Was in her womb, or the sterility her loins concealed?
أَمor هَلdid...? دَرَتknew أَنَّthat الحُسامَthe sharp sword جَنينُهاher unborn child
أَم هَل دَرَت أَنَّ الحُسامَ جَنينُها
طَلقاًat childbirth وَإِنَّand indeed أَباAbu (father of) العَلاءِal-Ala (eminence) فَطيمُهاher weanling
طَلقاً وَإِنَّ أَبا العَلاءِ فَطيمُها
Or did she know that the sword was her unborn child
It is as if women give birth to brilliance
at birth, and indeed Abu al-Ala her weanling?
Or else the mothers of women are barren
وَكَأَنتَand like you فَلتَلِدِthen let them bear النِساءُwomen نَباهَةًdistinction
وَكَأَنتَ فَلتَلِدِ النِساءُ نَباهَةً
أَوor لاnot فَمُنجِبَةُthen the bearer of noble offspring النِساءِamong women عَقيمُهاtheir barren one
أَو لا فَمُنجِبَةُ النِساءِ عَقيمُها
And let women bear one like you, for distinction,
Show patience, for no afflicted one has matched his patience
or not at all: then the best mother is the barren woman.
When worries submerge the hearts
صَبراًpatience! فَماfor not اِعتاضَreceived in recompense المُصابُthe afflicted كَصَبرِهlike his patience
صَبراً فَما اِعتاضَ المُصابُ كَصَبرِه
شَيئاًanything إِذاwhen غَمَرَengulfed القُلوبَhearts هُمومُهاtheir cares
شَيئاً إِذا غَمَرَ القُلوبَ هُمومُها
Patience! The afflicted has never gained, to match his patience,
In one departed, there is for the heir consolation
anything, when their cares engulf hearts.
And the most bitter inheritance men receive is worries
فيin الذاهِبِthe departed المَوروثِthe one inherited from سَلوَةُconsolation وارِثٍan heir
في الذاهِبِ المَوروثِ سَلوَةُ وارِثٍ
وَأَمَرُّand bitterest ماwhat وَرِثَinherited الرِجالُmen غُمومُهاits sorrows
وَأَمَرُّ ما وَرِثَ الرِجالُ غُمومُها
In the departed who leaves an inheritance lies the heir's solace,
No association disparaged you
and the bitterest thing men inherit is its grief.
Except their words went astray, and their critic misguided
ماnot ساجَلَتكَcontended with you مِنَamong المَقاوِلِthe chieftains عُصبَةٌa band
ما ساجَلَتكَ مِنَ المَقاوِلِ عُصبَةٌ
إِلّاexcept that وَضَلَّand went astray مَقالُهاits speech وَغَريمُهاand its contender
إِلّا وَضَلَّ مَقالُها وَغَريمُها
No band of chieftains has ever contended with you
If it is said “daring,” then you are its valiant one
without its speech and its contender going astray.
Or if it is said “giving,” then you are its generous one
إِنif قيلَit is said إِقدامٌboldness فَأَنتَthen you شُجاعُهاits brave one
إِن قيلَ إِقدامٌ فَأَنتَ شُجاعُها
أَوor قيلَit is said إِعطاءٌgiving فَأَنتَthen you كَريمُهاits generous one
أَو قيلَ إِعطاءٌ فَأَنتَ كَريمُها
If boldness is named, you are its brave champion;
This, while you have many staunch resolutions
or if giving is named, you are its generous one.
In every incident, their stars shine
هَذاthis وَكَمand how many لَكَare yours مِنof عَزائِمَresolves جَمَّةٍabundant
هَذا وَكَم لَكَ مِن عَزائِمَ جَمَّةٍ
فيin كُلِّevery حادِثَةٍcalamity تُضيءُshine نُجومُهاtheir stars
في كُلِّ حادِثَةٍ تُضيءُ نُجومُها
This—and how many abundant resolves are yours,
And shake the ribs of the country with a conscience
whose stars shine amid every calamity.
That makes the vitriolic, most daft and reckless, recoil
وَتَهُزُّand you shake أَحشاءَthe entrails of البِلادِthe land بِضُمِّرٍwith lean steeds
وَتَهُزُّ أَحشاءَ البِلادِ بِضُمِّرٍ
يَرِدُenters الطِعانَspear-fighting أَغَرُّهاtheir white-blazed one وَبَهيمُهاand their unmarked one
يَرِدُ الطِعانَ أَغَرُّها وَبَهيمُها
And you shake the land's entrails with lean steeds,
Rubbish contends with it, pebbles
whose white-blazed and unmarked alike enter the spear-fight,
That clamor after being sated with drinking
غَرثىfamished يُنازِعُهاcontests with them النَجاءَswiftness نَجائِبٌnoble camels
غَرثى يُنازِعُها النَجاءَ نَجائِبٌ
قَدalready هَلَّلَتgrew thin بَعدَafter الرِواءِfullness جُرومُهاtheir bodies
قَد هَلَّلَت بَعدَ الرِواءِ جُرومُها
famished, with noble camels vying with them in speed,
If your calamity is grave, then what accrues
their bodies grown thin after fullness.
To you of matters is even graver
إِنif كانَwas رُزؤُكَyour bereavement ذاthis جَسيماًgreat فَالَّذيthen what
إِن كانَ رُزؤُكَ ذا جَسيماً فَالَّذي
يُنمىis referred إِلَيكَto you مِنَamong الأُمورِaffairs جَسيمُهاtheir weighty ones
يُنمى إِلَيكَ مِنَ الأُمورِ جَسيمُها
If this bereavement of yours is great, then what
You are the greatest aider of one enduring adversity
is brought to you among affairs is their weightiest.
And the most honorable shield against what disgraces
وَلَأَنتَand indeed you أَنجَدُbravest صابِرٍone who endures لِمُلِمَّةٍin a calamity
وَلَأَنتَ أَنجَدُ صابِرٍ لِمُلِمَّةٍ
وَأَعَزُّand mightiest مَنone whom يَنجابُis torn away عَنهُfrom him أَرومُهاits roots
وَأَعَزُّ مَن يَنجابُ عَنهُ أَرومُها
Indeed, you are the bravest to endure a calamity,
For the noble among men, their bravest
and the mightiest man from whom its roots are torn away.
On the day of battle, and for the mighty, their mightiest
لِلنَإِباتِfor calamities مِنَamong الرِجالِmen جَريئُهاtheir bold one
لِلنَإِباتِ مِنَ الرِجالِ جَريئُها
يَومَon the day of اللِقاءِencounter وَلِلعَظيمِand for the mighty عَظيمُهاtheir mighty one
يَومَ اللِقاءِ وَلِلعَظيمِ عَظيمُها
For calamities, the boldest of men
To preserve the flow and meaning of the poem, I have translated it into English rhyming verse. Let me know if you would prefer a non-rhyming translation instead.
on the day of encounter; for the mighty, the mighty.
Partial English translation: 71 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1