أَلانَsoftened جَوانِبيmy sides غَمزُthe pressure of الخُطوبِcalamities
أَلانَ جَوانِبي غَمزُ الخُطوبِ
وَأَعجَلَنيand hurried me الزَمانُTime إِلىinto المَشيبِgrey hair
وَأَعجَلَني الزَمانُ إِلى المَشيبِ
The pressure of calamities has softened my sides,
The sides of my youth are nudged by mature age,
and Time has hurried me into grey hair.
And time has hurried me to gray hair.
وَكَمand how long يَبقىcan endure عَلىagainst عَجمِthe testing of اللَياليthe nights
وَكَم يَبقى عَلى عَجمِ اللَيالي
وَقَرعِand the hammering of الدَهرِTime جائِرَةُjutting الكُعوبِthe joints
وَقَرعِ الدَهرِ جائِرَةُ الكُعوبِ
And how long can it survive the nights' testing
How much remains of the deep night,
and Time's hammering—a spear with jutting joints?
And the striking of fate with her sandals!
نَباgrew restive ظَهرُthe back of الزَمانِTime وَكُنتُand I was مِنهُof it
نَبا ظَهرُ الزَمانِ وَكُنتُ مِنهُ
عَلىupon جَنبَيthe two flanks of مُوَقِّعَةٍa saddle-worn she-camel رَكوبِdocile for riding
عَلى جَنبَي مُوَقِّعَةٍ رَكوبِ
Time's back grew restive, though once upon it I was
Youth's prime came, and I was thrown from it
astride a saddle-worn, docile she-camel.
Onto its sides, marked for riding.
وَقالواand they said الشَيبُgrey hair زارَvisited فَقُلتُso I said أَهلاًwelcome
وَقالوا الشَيبُ زارَ فَقُلتُ أَهلاً
بِنَورِto the blossoms of ذَوائِبِthe tresses of الغُصنِthe bough الرَطيبِtender
بِنَورِ ذَوائِبِ الغُصنِ الرَطيبِ
And they said, “Grey hair has visited.” I said, “Welcome
They said gray hair has come upon you, and I said
to the blossoms crowning the tresses of a tender bough!”
Welcome the light of the curling branch's twigs.
وَلَمand not أكُI was قَبلَbefore وَسمِكَyour branding ليof me مُحِبّاًa lover
وَلَم أكُ قَبلَ وَسمِكَ لي مُحِبّاً
فَيَبعُدَso it would distance بيme بَياضُكَyour whiteness مِنfrom حَبيبِa beloved
فَيَبعُدَ بي بَياضُكَ مِن حَبيبِ
And before you branded me, I was no lover,
Never before your brand did I have a lover,
that your whiteness should distance me from a beloved.
So your whiteness distances me from the beloved.
وَلاnor سَترُthe concealment of الشَبابِyouth عَلَيَّover me عَيباًa fault
وَلا سَترُ الشَبابِ عَلَيَّ عَيباً
فَأَجزَعَso I would panic أَنthat يَنِمَّit betrays عَلىabout عُيوبيmy faults
فَأَجزَعَ أَن يَنِمَّ عَلى عُيوبي
Nor did youth conceal a fault of mine,
Nor did the cloak of youth cover a fault for me,
that I should fear its betraying my faults.
That would be distressed to slumber over my flaws.
وَلَمand not أَذمُمI reproach طُلوعَكَyour rising بيupon me لِشَيءٍfor anything
وَلَم أَذمُم طُلوعَكَ بي لِشَيءٍ
سِوىexcept قُربِthe nearness of الطُلوعِthe rising إِلىto شَعوبِShaʿub (Death)
سِوى قُربِ الطُلوعِ إِلى شَعوبِ
And I have not reproached your rising upon me for anything
I did not blame your dawn in me for a thing,
except that rising's nearness to Shaʿub—Death.
Save the nearness of dawn to commoners.
وَأَعظَمُand the greatest ماwhat أُلاقيI encounter أَنَّthat دَهريmy time
وَأَعظَمُ ما أُلاقي أَنَّ دَهري
يَعُدُّcounts مَحاسِنيmy virtues ليfor me مِنamong ذُنوبِsins
يَعُدُّ مَحاسِني لي مِن ذُنوبِ
And the greatest thing I suffer is that my time
Greatest of what I face is my time
counts my virtues as sins against me.
Counts my beauties against me as sins.
أَقولُI say إِذاwhen اِمتَلَأتُI became filled أَسىًsorrow لِنَفسيto my soul
أَقولُ إِذا اِمتَلَأتُ أَسىً لِنَفسي
أَياO نَفسيmy soul اِصبِريbe patient أَبَداًalways وَطيبيand be content
أَيا نَفسي اِصبِري أَبَداً وَطيبي
When I am filled with sorrow, I say to my soul:
I say, when filled with sadness for myself,
O my soul, be ever patient and content.
“O self, be patient forever, and be gentle!”
دَعيleave off خَوضَplunging through الظَلامِthe darkness بِكُلِّin every أَرضٍland
دَعي خَوضَ الظَلامِ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ
وَإِعمالَand driving النَجيبَةِthe noble she-camel وَالنَجيبِand the noble camel
وَإِعمالَ النَجيبَةِ وَالنَجيبِ
Give up plunging through darkness in every land,
“Leave plunging into darkness in every land,
and driving the noble she-camel and camel,
And cease refined and commoner.”
وَجَرَّand leading ضَوامِرِlean mounts الأَحشاءِthe bellies تَجريracing
وَجَرَّ ضَوامِرِ الأَحشاءِ تَجري
كَماas تَهوىplunge الدُلاءُthe buckets إِلىinto القَليبِthe well
كَما تَهوى الدُلاءُ إِلى القَليبِ
and leading lean-bellied mounts that race
It pulls the reins of passions, flowing
as buckets plunge into a well.
As the buckets incline toward wheels.
مُتَرَّفَةٌpampered إِلىtoward الغاياتِthe goals حَتّىuntil
مُتَرَّفَةٌ إِلى الغاياتِ حَتّى
تَرَنَّحُthey reel فيagainst الشَكيمِthe bits مِنَfrom اللُغوبِexhaustion
تَرَنَّحُ في الشَكيمِ مِنَ اللُغوبِ
Pampered, they race toward their goals, until
Luxuriously, to the limits, until
they reel against their bits from exhaustion.
It complains in the gut from gluttony.
فَلَيسَfor it is not الحَظُّfortune لِلبَطَلِfor the hero المُحاميwho defends
فَلَيسَ الحَظُّ لِلبَطَلِ المُحامي
وَلاnor الإِقبالُsuccess لِلرَجُلِfor the man المَهيبِawe-inspiring
وَلا الإِقبالُ لِلرَجُلِ المَهيبِ
For luck does not belong to the defending hero,
So luck is not for the defending hero,
nor success to the awe-inspiring man.
Nor favor for the awe-inspiring man.
وَنَيلُand gaining الرِزقِsustenance يُؤخَذُis obtained مِنfrom بَعيدٍafar
وَنَيلُ الرِزقِ يُؤخَذُ مِن بَعيدٍ
كَنَيلِlike gaining الرِزقِsustenance يُؤخَذُis obtained مِنfrom قَريبِnearby
كَنَيلِ الرِزقِ يُؤخَذُ مِن قَريبِ
And sustenance gained from far away
And livelihood is grasped from afar,
is like sustenance gained from nearby.
Like grasping livelihood from near.
وَغايَةُand the end of راكِبيthe riders of خُطَطِthe paths of المَعاليgreatness
وَغايَةُ راكِبي خُطَطِ المَعالي
كَغايَةِlike the end of مَنone who أَقامَstayed عَنِaway from الرُكوبِriding
كَغايَةِ مَن أَقامَ عَنِ الرُكوبِ
And the end of those who ride the paths to greatness
The goal of those ascending the heights
is like the end of one who stays behind from riding.
Is like the goal of those who stood from climbing.
أَلَيسَdoes not الدَهرُTime يَجمَعُناgather us جَميعاًall
أَلَيسَ الدَهرُ يَجمَعُنا جَميعاً
عَلىupon مَرعىًa pasture مِنَof الحَدَثانِcalamities موبيpestilential
عَلى مَرعىً مِنَ الحَدَثانِ موبي
Does not Time gather us all
Does not time gather us all
upon a plague-ridden pasture of calamities?
To a pasture of events bending us down?
كِلاناboth of us تَضرِبُstrike الأَيّامُthe days فيهِtherein
كِلانا تَضرِبُ الأَيّامُ فيهِ
بِجُرحٍwith a wound مِنfrom نَوائِبِهاtheir afflictions رَغيبِbroad
بِجُرحٍ مِن نَوائِبِها رَغيبِ
Both of us are struck there by the days
Each of us is struck there
with a broad wound from their afflictions.
By its calamities with a deep wound.
أَرىI see بُردَthe cloak of العَفافِchastity أَغَضَّfresher حُسناًin beauty
أَرى بُردَ العَفافِ أَغَضَّ حُسناً
عَلىupon رَجُلٍa man مِنَthan البُردِthe cloak القَشيبِbrand-new
عَلى رَجُلٍ مِنَ البُردِ القَشيبِ
I see the cloak of chastity as fresher in beauty
I see the cold of chastity makes a face
upon a man than a brand-new cloak.
More beautiful than a face with gray hair.
عَلَيَّupon me سَدادُtrue aiming of نَبليmy arrows يَومَthe day أَرميI shoot
عَلَيَّ سَدادُ نَبلي يَومَ أَرمي
وَرَبُّand the Lord of النَبلِthe arrows أَعلَمُknows best بِالمُصيبِof whoever hits the mark
وَرَبُّ النَبلِ أَعلَمُ بِالمُصيبِ
It falls to me to aim my arrows on the day I shoot,
My skill in shooting is true when I shoot,
and the Lord of arrows knows best who hits the mark.
And the Lord of shooting knows best the bullseye.
وَليand mine is حَثُّurging on الرُكابِthe riding-camels وَشَدُّand tightening رَحليmy saddle
وَلي حَثُّ الرُكابِ وَشَدُّ رَحلي
وَماand not ليto me عِلمُknowledge of غامِضَةِthe obscure aspects of الغُيوبِthe unseen
وَما لي عِلمُ غامِضَةِ الغُيوبِ
And mine is to urge the riding-camels on and tighten my saddle,
I have spurring of steeds and packing of provisions,
but I have no knowledge of hidden mysteries.
Yet I know not the hidden things.
وَماand what يُغنيavails مُضِيُّكَyour proceeding فيin صُعودٍan ascent
وَما يُغني مُضِيُّكَ في صُعودٍ
إِذاif ماindeed كانَwas جَدُّكَyour fortune فيin صُبوبِa descent
إِذا ما كانَ جَدُّكَ في صُبوبِ
And what use is your pressing uphill
It will not avail you to ascend
if your fortune is on a downward slope?
If your striving is in youth.
تَطَأطَأَتِbowed down الذَوائِبُthe forelocks لِلذُنابىbefore the tail
تَطَأطَأَتِ الذَوائِبُ لِلذُنابى
وَأُسجِدَتِand were made to prostrate المَوارِنُthe nose-tips لِلعُجوبِbefore the tailbones
وَأُسجِدَتِ المَوارِنُ لِلعُجوبِ
Forelocks have bowed before the tail,
Tyrannies bowed to evildoers,
and nose-tips have been made to prostrate before tailbones.
And citadels to the unjust.
وَخَرقٍand a wilderness كَالسَماءِlike the sky خَرَجتُI emerged مِنهُfrom it
وَخَرقٍ كَالسَماءِ خَرَجتُ مِنهُ
بِجَريِby the gallop of أَقَبَّa lean-bellied steed يَركَعُbows فيacross السُهوبِthe plains
بِجَريِ أَقَبَّ يَركَعُ في السُهوبِ
And from many a wilderness vast as the sky I emerged
I came out of a breach like the sky,
at the gallop of a lean steed bowing across the plains.
At a gallop that kneels down in the plains.
يَجُرُّdrags عِنانَهُhis reins فيon كُلِّevery يَومٍday
يَجُرُّ عِنانَهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ
إِلىtoward الأَعداءِthe enemies مَعقودَknotted السَبيبِthe tail-hair
إِلى الأَعداءِ مَعقودَ السَبيبِ
He trails his reins every day
Every day it trails its bridle
toward the foes, his tail-hair knotted.
To enemies with fingers clasped.
وَخوصٍand narrow-eyed camels قَدindeed سَرَيتُI travelled by night بِهِنَّon them حَتّىuntil
وَخوصٍ قَد سَرَيتُ بِهِنَّ حَتّى
تَقَوَّضَتِfell away النُجومُthe stars إِلىinto الغُيوبِthe unseen
تَقَوَّضَتِ النُجومُ إِلى الغُيوبِ
And on many narrow-eyed camels I journeyed by night, until
I raided encampments until
the stars sank into the unseen.
The stars withdrew into their settings.
وَجُردٍand sleek horses قَدindeed دَفَعتُI charged forward بِهِنَّon them حَتّىuntil
وَجُردٍ قَد دَفَعتُ بِهِنَّ حَتّى
وَطِئنَthey trod عَلىupon الجَماجِمِthe skulls وَالتَريبِand the dust
وَطِئنَ عَلى الجَماجِمِ وَالتَريبِ
And on many sleek horses I charged forward, until
And armies I drove until
they trod upon skulls and dust.
They trampled upon skulls and ruins.
وَيَومٍand a day تُرعَدُare made to tremble الرَبَلاتُthe thigh-flesh مِنهُfrom it
وَيَومٍ تُرعَدُ الرَبَلاتُ مِنهُ
كَماas قَطَعَcrossed الرُبىthe hillocks عَسَلانُthe loping of ذيبِa wolf
كَما قَطَعَ الرُبى عَسَلانُ ذيبِ
And many a day that set the thighs trembling,
A day the war horses thunder in,
as a wolf's loping crossed the hillocks,
As bees shred the rose's nectar.
هَتَكتُI tore open فُروجَهُits openings بِالرُمحِwith the lance لَمّاwhen
هَتَكتُ فُروجَهُ بِالرُمحِ لَمّا
دَعَواthey called بِاِسميby my name وَياand O لَكَto you مِنof مُجيبُa responder
دَعَوا بِاِسمي وَيا لَكَ مِن مُجيبُ
I tore through its openings with my lance, when
I tore open their periods with the spear when
they called my name—and what a responder I was!
They called my name—what a respondent you are!
وَعِندَand at تَعانُقِthe embracing of الأَقرانِmatched opponents يَبلىis tested
وَعِندَ تَعانُقِ الأَقرانِ يَبلى
قِراعُthe clashing of النَبعِnabʿ-wood بِالنَبعِagainst nabʿ-wood الصَليبِtough
قِراعُ النَبعِ بِالنَبعِ الصَليبِ
And when matched warriors embrace, put to the test is
And when eminent people embrace,
the clash of nabʿ-wood against tough nabʿ-wood.
Clashing of peer with peer wears down.
إِخاؤُكَyour brotherhood ياO عَليُّAli أَساغَmade easy to swallow ريقيmy saliva
إِخاؤُكَ يا عَليُّ أَساغَ ريقي
وَوُدُّكَand your affection ياO عَليُّAli جَلاdispelled كُروبيmy sorrows
وَوُدُّكَ يا عَليُّ جَلا كُروبي
Your brotherhood, O Ali, has made my saliva easy to swallow,
Your brotherhood, O Ali, sweetened my drink,
and your affection, O Ali, has dispelled my sorrows.
And your love, O Ali, relieved my worries.
فَياso O عَونيmy help إِذاwhen عَدَّتِassailed اللَياليthe nights
فَيا عَوني إِذا عَدَّتِ اللَيالي
عَلَيَّagainst me وَياand O مِجَنيmy shield فيin الحُروبِthe wars
عَلَيَّ وَيا مِجَني في الحُروبِ
So, O my help when the nights assail
So help me, when nights
me, and O my shield in wars!
Count up against me, and protect me in wars!
عَجِبتُI marvelled مِنَat الأَنامِhumankind وَأَنتَand you مِنهُمamong them
عَجِبتُ مِنَ الأَنامِ وَأَنتَ مِنهُم
وَمِثلُكَand one like you فيamong الأَنامِhumankind مِنَamong العَجيبِthe marvellous
وَمِثلُكَ في الأَنامِ مِنَ العَجيبِ
I marvel at humankind—and you are one of them—
I marveled at people, and you were among them,
and one like you among humankind is a marvel.
Yet your like among people is wondrous.
عَلَوتَyou rose عَلَيهِمُabove them فيin كُلِّevery أَمرٍmatter
عَلَوتَ عَلَيهِمُ في كُلِّ أَمرٍ
بِطولِwith the length of الباعِthe reach وَالصَدرِand the breast الرَحيبِspacious
بِطولِ الباعِ وَالصَدرِ الرَحيبِ
You rose above them in every matter,
You excel over them in every matter
with your long reach and spacious breast.
With the length of experience and a liberal heart.
وَفُتَّهُمُand you outstripped them مِراحاًin mirth فيin سُفورٍopen-facedness
وَفُتَّهُمُ مِراحاً في سُفورٍ
بِلاwithout نَزَقٍrashness وَجَدّاًand in earnestness فيin قُطوبِfrowning
بِلا نَزَقٍ وَجَدّاً في قُطوبِ
And you outstripped them in open-faced mirth,
Capable at their festivals with ease,
without rashness, and in frowning earnestness.
Without any awkwardness or harshness.
خِطابٌspeech مِثلُlike ماءِthe water of المُزنِrainclouds تَبريheals
خِطابٌ مِثلُ ماءِ المُزنِ تَبري
مَواقِعُهُits places of falling العَليلَthe ailing مِنَamong القُلوبِthe hearts
مَواقِعُهُ العَليلَ مِنَ القُلوبِ
Speech like raincloud-water, bringing healing
Speech like waters of Muzn flow,
where it falls upon ailing hearts.
Whose places of descent revive hearts.
وَعَزمٌand resolve إِنif مَضَيتَyou pressed on بِهِwith it جَريّاًboldly
وَعَزمٌ إِن مَضَيتَ بِهِ جَريّاً
هَوىfell مَطَرُthe rain of القَناthe lances بِدَمٍwith blood صَبيبِpouring
هَوى مَطَرُ القَنا بِدَمٍ صَبيبِ
And resolve: if you boldly press on with it,
Determination—if you go straight with it,
a rain of lances falls with blood in torrents.
The rain of spears flowed with blood.
وَحِلمٌand forbearance إِنif عَطَفتَyou turned back بِهِwith it مُعيداًreturning anew
وَحِلمٌ إِن عَطَفتَ بِهِ مُعيداً
أَطارَsent flying قَوادِمَthe flight-feathers of اليَومِthe day العَصيبِdire
أَطارَ قَوادِمَ اليَومِ العَصيبِ
And forbearance which, if you return wielding it anew,
And forbearance—if you turn back with it,
sends the flight-feathers of the dire day flying.
It holds back the gifts of the painful day.
وَأَلفاظٌand words كَماas لَعِبَتplayed شَمالٌa north wind
وَأَلفاظٌ كَما لَعِبَت شَمالٌ
مَلاعِبَهاits frolics عَلىupon الرَوضِthe meadow الخَصيبِfertile
مَلاعِبَها عَلى الرَوضِ الخَصيبِ
And words, as when a north wind plays
And words, as a left hand plays with them
its games upon the fertile meadow.
In a fertile garden.
بِطَرفٍwith a gaze لاnot يُخَفَّضُis lowered مِنfrom خُضوعٍsubmission
بِطَرفٍ لا يُخَفَّضُ مِن خُضوعٍ
وَقَلبٍand a heart لاnot يُتَعتَعُis shaken مِنfrom وَجيبِpalpitation
وَقَلبٍ لا يُتَعتَعُ مِن وَجيبِ
With a gaze never lowered in submission,
With a gaze not lowered in humility
and a heart never shaken by palpitations.
And a heart not restless from anguish.
تَهَنَّrejoice بِمِهرَجانِكَin your Mihrjan festival وَاِعلُand rise فيهِduring it
تَهَنَّ بِمِهرَجانِكَ وَاِعلُ فيهِ
إِلىto العَلياءِthe heights أَعناقَthe necks of الخُطوبِcalamities
إِلى العَلياءِ أَعناقَ الخُطوبِ
Rejoice in your Mihrjan festival, and in it rise
It plays proudly at your festival, and rise there
to the heights upon calamities' necks.
The necks of distinguished youths.
وَعِشand live صافيclear الغَديرِthe pool مِنَof الرَزاياdisasters
وَعِش صافي الغَديرِ مِنَ الرَزايا
بِهِduring it خاليfree الأَديمِthe skin مِنَof النُدوبِscars
بِهِ خالي الأَديمِ مِنَ النُدوبِ
And live with your pool clear of disasters,
And live pure of sediment from misfortunes,
during it, your skin free of scars.
With it devoid of blemishes.
لَعَلّيperhaps I أَنthat أَهُزُّكَI stir you فيtoward مَرامٍan aim
لَعَلّي أَن أَهُزُّكَ في مَرامٍ
فَأَبلُوَso I may discover مِنكَin you مُندَلِقَfreely pouring الغُروبِthe great buckets
فَأَبلُوَ مِنكَ مُندَلِقَ الغُروبِ
Perhaps I may stir you toward an aim,
Perhaps I will move you in some desire,
so I may find in you one whose great buckets pour freely.
And attain of you the slipping of sunset.
وَحاجٍand needs فيin الضَميرِthe heart مُعَضَّلاتٍhard to fulfill
وَحاجٍ في الضَميرِ مُعَضَّلاتٍ
سَأُسلِمُهاI shall entrust them إِلىto عَزمٍa resolve طَلوبِeagerly seeking
سَأُسلِمُها إِلى عَزمٍ طَلوبِ
And difficult needs within my heart
A pilgrim in my conscience with knotty problems—
I shall entrust to a will intent on pursuit,
I will deliver them to a determined will.
لَأَقضِيَهُنَّto fulfill them أَوor أَقضيI perish بِهَمّيwith my sorrow
لَأَقضِيَهُنَّ أَو أَقضي بِهَمّي
غَريبَunknown الوَجهِof face فيin البَلَدِthe land الغَريبِforeign
غَريبَ الوَجهِ في البَلَدِ الغَريبِ
to fulfill them—or perish with my sorrow,
I will settle them, or settle my concerns—
my face unknown in a foreign land,
A stranger in a foreign land.
مُنازَعَةًstriving إِلىtoward العَلياءِthe heights حَتّىuntil
مُنازَعَةً إِلى العَلياءِ حَتّى
أَزُرَّI button عَلىover ذَوائِبِهاits tresses جُيوبيmy collars
أَزُرَّ عَلى ذَوائِبِها جُيوبي
striving toward the heights, until
Competing to the heights until
I button my collars over their tresses.
I wrap myself in its curling tresses.
فَإِمّاso either نَيلُattaining جانِبِهاits side وَإِمّاor else
فَإِمّا نَيلُ جانِبِها وَإِمّا
لِقاءُmeeting مُسَنَّدينَthose laid down عَلىupon الجُنوبِthe sides
لِقاءُ مُسَنَّدينَ عَلى الجُنوبِ
So either attaining their side, or
Either we attain its side, or
meeting those laid upon their sides.
The meeting of two prostrate.
Sol 6.1