قِف مَوقِفَ الشَكِّ لا يَأسٌ وَلا طَمَعُ

قِف مَوقِفَ الشَكِّ لا يَأسٌ وَلا طَمَعُ

وَغالِطِ العَيشَ لا صَبرٌ وَلا جَزَعُ

وَغالِطِ العَيشَ لا صَبرٌ وَلا جَزَعُ

Stand in the stance of doubt: neither despair nor hope.

Take the stance of doubt, neither despair nor greed,

And deceive life: neither patience nor anguish.

Deceive life, neither patience nor panic,

وَخادِعِ القَلبَ لا يودِ الغَليلُ بِهِ

وَخادِعِ القَلبَ لا يودِ الغَليلُ بِهِ

إِن كانَ قَلبٌ عَلى الماضينَ يَنخَدِعُ

إِن كانَ قَلبٌ عَلى الماضينَ يَنخَدِعُ

And trick the heart, lest burning grief prove fatal to it,

And trick the heart that grief does not love it

if a heart can be deceived about the departed.

If it is a heart that continues to be deceived by the past,

وَكاذِبِ النَفسَ يَمتَدُّ الرَجاءُ لَها

وَكاذِبِ النَفسَ يَمتَدُّ الرَجاءُ لَها

إِنَّ الرَجاءَ بِصِدقِ النَفسِ يَنقَطِعُ

إِنَّ الرَجاءَ بِصِدقِ النَفسِ يَنقَطِعُ

And lie to the soul, so hope may endure for it;

And lie to yourself that hope extends to it,

for hope is cut short by honesty with the soul.

Indeed, hope is cut off by the honesty of the self,

سائِل بِصَحبي أَنّى وُجهَةٍ سَلَكوا

سائِل بِصَحبي أَنّى وُجهَةٍ سَلَكوا

عَنّا وَأَيَّ الثَنايا بَعدَنا طَلَعوا

عَنّا وَأَيَّ الثَنايا بَعدَنا طَلَعوا

Ask after my companions: which direction did they take

I asked my companions where they went,

away from us, and which mountain passes did they climb after leaving us?

Away from us, and which valleys did they ascend after us

حَدا بِأَظعانِهِم حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ بِها

حَدا بِأَظعانِهِم حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ بِها

حادي المَقاديرِ لا يَلوي بِهِم ظَلَعُ

حادي المَقاديرِ لا يَلوي بِهِم ظَلَعُ

He sang their caravans onward until he drove them away—

They challenged fate with their misfortunes until it persisted with them

the driver of destinies; no lameness holds them back.

The guide of destinies who does not swerve with them

غابوا فَغابَ عَنِ الدُنيا وَساكِنُها

غابوا فَغابَ عَنِ الدُنيا وَساكِنُها

مَرأىً أَنيقٌ عَنِ الدُنيا وَمُستَمَعُ

مَرأىً أَنيقٌ عَنِ الدُنيا وَمُستَمَعُ

They vanished, and from the world and its inhabitants vanished

They disappeared, so a pleasant view disappeared from the world and its inhabitants

a delightful sight, and from the world, a delightful sound.

Of the world and what it hears,

بَني أَبي قَد نَكى فيكُم بِشِكَّتِهِ

بَني أَبي قَد نَكى فيكُم بِشِكَّتِهِ

وَنالَ ما شاءَ هَذا الأَزلُمَ الجَذَعُ

وَنالَ ما شاءَ هَذا الأَزلُمَ الجَذَعُ

Sons of my father, it has sorely wounded you with its weapons,

My father's sons, he lamented you with his complaint,

and gained all it wished—this implacable, ever-young Time.

And this stubborn, unyielding time got what it wanted,

كُنتُم نُجوماً لِذي الدَهماءِ زاهِرَةً

كُنتُم نُجوماً لِذي الدَهماءِ زاهِرَةً

تُضيءُ مِنها اللَيالي السودُ وَالدُرَعُ

تُضيءُ مِنها اللَيالي السودُ وَالدُرَعُ

You were stars shining for this darkness;

You were shining stars for the gloomy one,

from them, black nights and nights dark at first drew light.

Your lights illuminate the dark nights and armored ones,

إِن تَخبُ أَنوارُكُم مِن بَعدِ ما صَدَعَت

إِن تَخبُ أَنوارُكُم مِن بَعدِ ما صَدَعَت

ثَوبَ الدُجى فَلَضَوءِ الشَمسِ مُنقَطَعُ

ثَوبَ الدُجى فَلَضَوءِ الشَمسِ مُنقَطَعُ

If your lights fade after they have rent

If after your lights were shattered, your clothes tore the veil of darkness,

night's cloak, then even the sun's light has an end.

The sun's rays would be cut off,

في غُرَّةِ المَجدِ مُذ غُيَّبتُمُ كَلَفٌ

في غُرَّةِ المَجدِ مُذ غُيَّبتُمُ كَلَفٌ

عَلى الزَمانِ وَفي خَدِّ العُلى ضَرَعُ

عَلى الزَمانِ وَفي خَدِّ العُلى ضَرَعُ

Since you were buried, a stain marks glory's bright brow,

Since you were shrouded in the prime of glory, it has been a burden on time

for all time; on greatness's cheek lies abasement.

And the high have submission on their cheeks,

وَبِالمَواضي حِرانٌ في الوَغى وَبِأَع

وَبِالمَواضي حِرانٌ في الوَغى وَبِأَع

ناقِ الضَوامِرِ مُذ أُرحِلتُمُ خَضَعُ

ناقِ الضَوامِرِ مُذ أُرحِلتُمُ خَضَعُ

The keen swords balk in battle, and the necks

And because of the tumult, there is confusion in the valleys and because of

of lean steeds droop since you were carried away.

The lowering of the flags, there is submission since you were evicted,

مَصاعِبٌ ذَعذَعَت أَيدي المَنونِ بِها

مَصاعِبٌ ذَعذَعَت أَيدي المَنونِ بِها

فَطاعَ مُعتَصِمٌ وَاِنقادَ مُمتَنِعُ

فَطاعَ مُعتَصِمٌ وَاِنقادَ مُمتَنِعُ

Untamed ones, scattered by the hands of death:

Calamities with which the hands of death shook,

so the steadfast yielded, and the unyielding submitted.

So the steadfast surrendered and the resistant submitted,

لَم يَعدَموا يَومَ حَربٍ تَحتَ قَسطَلِها

لَم يَعدَموا يَومَ حَربٍ تَحتَ قَسطَلِها

طَيرُ الدِخامِ عَلى لَبّاتِهِم تَقَعُ

طَيرُ الدِخامِ عَلى لَبّاتِهِم تَقَعُ

They never lacked, on a day of battle beneath its dust,

They did not lack a day of war under its awning,

dark-plumed birds alighting on their upper breasts.

Where the eagle of war fell on their skulls,

لَم يَنزِعوا البيضَ مُذلاثوا عَمائِمَهُم

لَم يَنزِعوا البيضَ مُذلاثوا عَمائِمَهُم

إِلّا وَقَد غاضَ مِنها الشَيبُ وَالنَزَعُ

إِلّا وَقَد غاضَ مِنها الشَيبُ وَالنَزَعُ

They never removed their helmets since first winding their turbans,

They did not take off their turbans except that gray hair and pulling out sprouted from them,

except when gray hair and receding hairlines had vanished from them.

We race death recklessly with our souls,

نُسابِقُ المَوتَ تَطويحاً بِأَنفُسِنا

نُسابِقُ المَوتَ تَطويحاً بِأَنفُسِنا

حَتّى كَأَنّا عَلى الأَجيالِ نَقتَرِعُ

حَتّى كَأَنّا عَلى الأَجيالِ نَقتَرِعُ

We race death, flinging our lives away,

As if we draw lots against generations,

until it seems we cast lots over the generations.

I cry for them while the hand of time insists

أَبكيهِمُ وَيَدُ الأَيّامِ دائِبَةٌ

أَبكيهِمُ وَيَدُ الأَيّامِ دائِبَةٌ

تَدوفُ لي فَضلَةَ الكَأسِ الَّتي جَرَعوا

تَدوفُ لي فَضلَةَ الكَأسِ الَّتي جَرَعوا

I weep for them, while the hand of days works ceaselessly,

On serving me the remnants of the cup they drank,

mixing for me the remnant of the cup they drank.

I do not doubt that I am being dragged to a term,

لا أَمتَري أَنَّني بُجرٍ إِلى أَمَدٍ

لا أَمتَري أَنَّني بُجرٍ إِلى أَمَدٍ

جَروا إِلَيهِ قُبَيلَ اليَومِ أَو نَزَعوا

جَروا إِلَيهِ قُبَيلَ اليَومِ أَو نَزَعوا

I do not doubt that I am being drawn toward an appointed end,

They were dragged to it the day before yesterday, or departed,

which they ran toward just before today, or made their way to.

And that I am bound for the number they arrived at,

وَأَنَّني وارِدُ العِدِّ الَّذي وَرَدوا

وَأَنَّني وارِدُ العِدِّ الَّذي وَرَدوا

بِالكُرهِ أَو قارِعُ البابِ الَّذي قَرَعوا

بِالكُرهِ أَو قارِعُ البابِ الَّذي قَرَعوا

And that I shall reach the perennial well they reached,

Willingly or knocking on the door they knocked on,

unwillingly, or knock upon the door they knocked.

The mouths of the deep graves were blocked with them,

سُدَّت فَواغِرُ أَفواهِ القُبورِ بِهِم

سُدَّت فَواغِرُ أَفواهِ القُبورِ بِهِم

وَلَيسَ لِلأَرضِ لا رَيٌّ وَلا شَبَعُ

وَلَيسَ لِلأَرضِ لا رَيٌّ وَلا شَبَعُ

The gaping mouths of graves were stopped up with them,

And the earth has no irrigation or satisfaction,

yet earth has neither quenched thirst nor sated hunger.

I got used to them, I do not hope that any past

أَعتادُهُم لا أُرَجّي أَن يَعودَ لَهُم

أَعتادُهُم لا أُرَجّي أَن يَعودَ لَهُم

إِلَيَّ ماضٍ وَلا لي فيهِمُ طَمَعُ

إِلَيَّ ماضٍ وَلا لي فيهِمُ طَمَعُ

I visit them, not hoping that there will return

Returns to me, nor do I have any greed for them,

to me a past of theirs, nor have I any hope of them.

So my heart does not flare up for people

فَما تَوَهُّجُ أَحشايَ عَلى نَفَرٍ

فَما تَوَهُّجُ أَحشايَ عَلى نَفَرٍ

كانوا عَوادِيَ لِلأَيّامِ فَاِرتَجِعوا

كانوا عَوادِيَ لِلأَيّامِ فَاِرتَجِعوا

So why do my innards blaze for men

Who were accustomed to the days, so they returned,

who were loans from the days, then were reclaimed?

It is nice that the fates graze our souls,

نُليحُ أَن تَرتَعي الأَقدارُ أَنفُسَنا

نُليحُ أَن تَرتَعي الأَقدارُ أَنفُسَنا

وَكُلُّنا لِلمَنايا السودِ مُزدَرَعُ

وَكُلُّنا لِلمَنايا السودِ مُزدَرَعُ

We dread that the fates should graze upon our souls,

And we are all planted for the dark fates,

and we are all fields sown for black death.

We play and we only crave ruin,

نَلهو وَمانَحنُ إِلّا لِلرَدىأُكَلٌ

نَلهو وَمانَحنُ إِلّا لِلرَدىأُكَلٌ

وَالدَهرُ يَمضَغُنا وَالأَرضُ تَبتَلِعُ

وَالدَهرُ يَمضَغُنا وَالأَرضُ تَبتَلِعُ

We make merry, though we are nothing but food for death;

And time masticates us and the earth swallows us,

Time chews us, and earth swallows.

Braids from the essence of glory, they never agonized

ذَوائِبٌ مِن لُبابِ المَجدِ ما فَجِعوا

ذَوائِبٌ مِن لُبابِ المَجدِ ما فَجِعوا

بِمِثلِ أَنفُسِهِم يَوماً وَلا فُجِعوا

بِمِثلِ أَنفُسِهِم يَوماً وَلا فُجِعوا

Crests of glory's purest essence: never did they cause a loss

Over the like of their souls, not a day, nor agonized,

of men like themselves, nor ever suffer such a loss.

They were the guardians of the mountains of glory, so they vanished,

كانوا حَوامي جِبالِ العِزِّ فَاِنقَرَضوا

كانوا حَوامي جِبالِ العِزِّ فَاِنقَرَضوا

وَصَدَّعوا قُلَلَ العَليا مُذِ اِنصَدَعوا

وَصَدَّعوا قُلَلَ العَليا مُذِ اِنصَدَعوا

They defended the mountains of honor, then perished;

And they cracked the peaks of the highest when they cracked,

and shattered the peaks of greatness when they themselves were shattered.

Cavalrymen who undermined their predecessors,

فَوارِسٌ قَوَّضوا عَن سابِقاتِهِمُ

فَوارِسٌ قَوَّضوا عَن سابِقاتِهِمُ

فَاِستُنزِلوا بِطِعانِ الدَهرِ وَاِقتُلِعوا

فَاِستُنزِلوا بِطِعانِ الدَهرِ وَاِقتُلِعوا

Horsemen who departed from their swift steeds,

So they were brought down by the stabs of fate and uprooted,

brought down by Time's spear-thrusts and uprooted.

A people whose amusement was striking gleaming swords,

قَومٌ فُكاهَتُهُم ضَربُ الطُلى وَلَهُم

قَومٌ فُكاهَتُهُم ضَربُ الطُلى وَلَهُم

تَحتَ العَجاجِ بِأَطرافِ القَنا وَلَعُ

تَحتَ العَجاجِ بِأَطرافِ القَنا وَلَعُ

Men whose sport was striking necks, and who had

And under the armpits they had the tips of spears,

beneath the battle-dust a passion for spearpoints.

Whether a catastrophe came upon them from the days,

إِمّا تَؤودُ مِنَ الأَيّامِ نائِبَةٌ

إِمّا تَؤودُ مِنَ الأَيّامِ نائِبَةٌ

قاموا بِها وَأَطاقوا الحَملَ وَاِضطَلَعوا

قاموا بِها وَأَطاقوا الحَملَ وَاِضطَلَعوا

Whenever a calamity of the days weighed heavily,

They withstood it and bore the burden and took it on,

they rose to it, bore the burden, and shouldered it.

Hardship descending on them does not subdue them,

لا تَستَلينُهُمُ الضَرّاءُ نازِلَةً

لا تَستَلينُهُمُ الضَرّاءُ نازِلَةً

وَلا تَقودُهُمُ الأَطماعُ وَالنُجَعُ

وَلا تَقودُهُمُ الأَطماعُ وَالنُجَعُ

Adversity, when it descended, never softened them,

Nor do greed and tranquility lead them,

nor did greed or the quest for pasture lead them.

How many disgraces in which glory had a shelter,

كَم خَمصَةٍ كانَ فيها العِزِّ آوِنَةً

كَم خَمصَةٍ كانَ فيها العِزِّ آوِنَةً

وَشَبعَةٍ كانَ فيها العارُ وَالضَرَعُ

وَشَبعَةٍ كانَ فيها العارُ وَالضَرَعُ

How many a spell of hunger held honor at times,

And times of hunger in which shame and destitution dwelled,

and a full meal held shame and abasement!

From every conqueror looking down on a fiery horse,

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ نَظّارٍ عَلى شَوَسٍ

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ نَظّارٍ عَلى شَوَسٍ

لَهُ لِواءٌ عَلى العَلياءِ مُتَّبَعُ

لَهُ لِواءٌ عَلى العَلياءِ مُتَّبَعُ

Each was a thick-necked lion, keen-eyed despite his fierce glare,

For him there is a banner above the noble that is followed,

with a banner on the heights that was followed.

The crown is hidden by the brilliance of his youthfulness

يَخفى بِهِ التاجُ مِن لَأَلاءِ غُرَّتِهِ

يَخفى بِهِ التاجُ مِن لَأَلاءِ غُرَّتِهِ

عَلى جَبينٍ بِضَوءِ المَجدِ يَلتَمِعُ

عَلى جَبينٍ بِضَوءِ المَجدِ يَلتَمِعُ

The crown upon him fades before his brow's radiance,

Upon a forehead shining with the light of glory,

on a forehead gleaming with glory's light.

One with determination that inspires the world and its inhabitants,

ذو عَزمَةٍ تُلهِمُ الدُنيا وَساكِنَها

ذو عَزمَةٍ تُلهِمُ الدُنيا وَساكِنَها

وَهِمَّةٍ تَسَعُ الدُنيا وَما تَسَعُ

وَهِمَّةٍ تَسَعُ الدُنيا وَما تَسَعُ

Possessed of a resolve that inspires the world and its inhabitants,

And ambition encompassing the world and what it encompasses,

and an ambition embracing the world and all it contains.

He meets censure unveiled, his warriors appear

يَلقى الظُبى حاسِراً تَبدو مَقاتِلُهُ

يَلقى الظُبى حاسِراً تَبدو مَقاتِلُهُ

وَيَرهَبُ الذَمَّ يَوماً وَهوَ مَدَّرِعُ

وَيَرهَبُ الذَمَّ يَوماً وَهوَ مَدَّرِعُ

He faces blades unarmored, his vital spots exposed,

And terrorizes blame one day while armored,

yet fears blame on any day, even clad in armor.

Indeed calamities make one forgetful when they come,

إِنَّ المَصائِبَ تُنسي المَرءَ مُقبَلَةً

إِنَّ المَصائِبَ تُنسي المَرءَ مُقبَلَةً

قَصدَ الطَريقِ لِما يُسلي وَما يَزَعُ

قَصدَ الطَريقِ لِما يُسلي وَما يَزَعُ

Indeed, calamities, when they come, make a man forget

He takes the path to what comforts and what troubles,

the straight path to what consoles and what restrains,

Until when their covers are removed from him,

حَتّى إِذا اِنكَشَفَت عَنهُ غَياطِلُها

حَتّى إِذا اِنكَشَفَت عَنهُ غَياطِلُها

تَبَيَّنَ المَرءُ ما يَأتي وَما يَدَعُ

تَبَيَّنَ المَرءُ ما يَأتي وَما يَدَعُ

until, when their tangled darkness clears from him,

Man discerns what comes and what leaves,

a man discerns what to do and what to leave undone.

The breeze anchored in your valley and did not leave

أَرسى النَسيمُ بِواديكُم وَلابَرِحَت

أَرسى النَسيمُ بِواديكُم وَلابَرِحَت

حَوامِلُ المُزنِ في أَجداثِكُم تَضَعُ

حَوامِلُ المُزنِ في أَجداثِكُم تَضَعُ

May the breeze anchor in your valley, and may there always be

The burdens of sorrow pregnant in your intestines,

pregnant rainclouds giving birth upon your graves.

And the seedling of plants continues to suckle

وَلا يَزالُ جَنينُ النَبتِ تُرضِعُهُ

وَلا يَزالُ جَنينُ النَبتِ تُرضِعُهُ

عَلى قُبورِكُمُ العِرّاصَةُ الهَمِعُ

عَلى قُبورِكُمُ العِرّاصَةُ الهَمِعُ

And may the embryo of green growth always be suckled

Upon your graves the dewy whimper

upon your graves by the lightning-flashing, rain-pouring cloud.

Do you know that with your distance the conscience longs for you

هَل تَعلَمونَ عَلى نَأيِ الدِيارِ بِكُم

هَل تَعلَمونَ عَلى نَأيِ الدِيارِ بِكُم

أَنَّ الضَميرَ إِلَيكُم شَيِّقٌ وَلِعُ

أَنَّ الضَميرَ إِلَيكُم شَيِّقٌ وَلِعُ

Do you know, though your dwellings are far away,

And clings, and from our livers for fate there are flames

that my heart yearns for you, passionately attached?

Of anguish, and what is pushed back from our depths,

لَكُم عَلى الدَهرِ مِن أَكبادِنا شُعَلٌ

لَكُم عَلى الدَهرِ مِن أَكبادِنا شُعَلٌ

مِنَ الغَليلِ وَمَن آماقِنا دُفَعُ

مِنَ الغَليلِ وَمَن آماقِنا دُفَعُ

For you, for all time, from our livers come flames

Torments my tears have pronounced that my entrails and ribs

of burning anguish, and from our inner eye-corners, torrents.

Almost stammer with, I shed my tears until I did not leave

لَواعِجٌ أَفصَحَت عَنها الدُموعُ وَقَد

لَواعِجٌ أَفصَحَت عَنها الدُموعُ وَقَد

كادَت تُجَمجِمُها الأَحشاءُ وَالضِلَعُ

كادَت تُجَمجِمُها الأَحشاءُ وَالضِلَعُ

Burning pangs to which tears gave clear voice, though

An abundance that flows down to a cheek when it falls,

the innards and ribs had almost muffled them.

Then I was compelled to my patience, so I sought refuge in it,

أَنزَفتُ دَمعِيَ حَتّى ما تَرَكتُ لَهُ

أَنزَفتُ دَمعِيَ حَتّى ما تَرَكتُ لَهُ

غَرباً يَفيضُ عَلى رُزءٍ إِذا يَقَعُ

غَرباً يَفيضُ عَلى رُزءٍ إِذا يَقَعُ

I exhausted my tears until I left them

And patience expressed when grief stammered,

no stream to flow over a loss when it befalls.

ثُمَّ اِضطُرِرتُ إِلى صَبري فَعُذتُ بِهِ

ثُمَّ اِضطُرِرتُ إِلى صَبري فَعُذتُ بِهِ

وَأَعرَبَ الصَبرُ لَمّا أَعجَمَ الجَزَعُ

وَأَعرَبَ الصَبرُ لَمّا أَعجَمَ الجَزَعُ

Then I was compelled to turn to my patience, and sought refuge in it;

and patience spoke plainly when anguish was inarticulate.