قالَت وَصَفَت لَنا الرَحيق وَكوبَها

قالَت وَصَفَت لَنا الرَحيق وَكوبَها

وَصَريعَها وَمُديرَها وَالعاصِرا

وَصَريعَها وَمُديرَها وَالعاصِرا

She said: You described to us the nectar and its cup,

She said: You have described for us the nectar and its cup,

And its victim, its cupbearer, and the wine-presser,

And its victim, its server, and the one who presses it;

وَالحَقل وَالفَلّاحَ فيهِ سائِراً

وَالحَقل وَالفَلّاحَ فيهِ سائِراً

عِندَ المَسا يَرعى القَطيعَ السائِرا

عِندَ المَسا يَرعى القَطيعَ السائِرا

And the field, and the farmer walking through it,

And the field, and the farmer walking within it,

At evening, tending the moving herd.

Tending the wandering flock at the fall of evening;

وَوَقَفتُ عِندَ البَحرِ يَهدُرُ مَوجُهُ

وَوَقَفتُ عِندَ البَحرِ يَهدُرُ مَوجُهُ

فَرَجِعتُ بِالأَلفاظِ بَحراً هادِرا

فَرَجِعتُ بِالأَلفاظِ بَحراً هادِرا

And I stood beside the sea, its waves roaring,

And you stood by the sea while its waves were roaring,

So with words I brought back a roaring sea.

And returned with words that were themselves a roaring sea;

صَوَّرتَ في القِرطاسِ حَتّى الخاطِرا

صَوَّرتَ في القِرطاسِ حَتّى الخاطِرا

فَخَلَبَتنا وَسَحَرتَ حَتّى الساحِرا

فَخَلَبَتنا وَسَحَرتَ حَتّى الساحِرا

You portrayed on paper even the passing thought,

You depicted upon the parchment even the fleeting thought,

Captivating us and enchanting even the enchanter.

Captivating us, and enchanting even the magician;

وَأَرَيتَنا في كُلِّ قَفرٍ رَوضَةً

وَأَرَيتَنا في كُلِّ قَفرٍ رَوضَةً

وَأَرَيتَنا في كُلِّ رَوضٍ طائِرا

وَأَرَيتَنا في كُلِّ رَوضٍ طائِرا

And showed us a garden in every wasteland,

You showed us a garden in every barren wasteland,

And showed us a bird in every garden.

And showed us a bird in every garden;

لَكِن إِذا سَأَلَ اِمرُؤٌ عَنكَ اِمرَأً

لَكِن إِذا سَأَلَ اِمرُؤٌ عَنكَ اِمرَأً

أَبصَرتَ مُحتاراً يُخاطِبُ حائِرا

أَبصَرتَ مُحتاراً يُخاطِبُ حائِرا

Yet when one man asks another about you,

But if a person were to ask another about you,

You see a bewildered man addressing another bewildered man.

You would see a bewildered soul speaking to a confused one.

مَن أَنتَ يا هَذا فَقُلتُ لَها أَنا

مَن أَنتَ يا هَذا فَقُلتُ لَها أَنا

كَالكَهرُباءِ أُرى خَفِيّاً ظاهِرا

كَالكَهرُباءِ أُرى خَفِيّاً ظاهِرا

Who are you, you there? I said to her: I am

"Who are you, O man?" So I said to her: "I...

Like electricity: I am seen, hidden yet manifest.

...Am like electricity: seen both hidden and revealed."

قالَت لَعَمرُكَ زِدتَ نَفسي ضَلَّةً

قالَت لَعَمرُكَ زِدتَ نَفسي ضَلَّةً

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ لَو وَصَفتَ الشاعِرا

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ لَو وَصَفتَ الشاعِرا

She said: By your life, you have deepened my bewilderment.

She said: "By your life, you have only increased my confusion;

What harm would it have done you to describe the poet?

What harm would it have been if you had described the Poet?"

فَأَجَبتُها هُوَ مَن يُسائِلُ نَفسَهُ

فَأَجَبتُها هُوَ مَن يُسائِلُ نَفسَهُ

عَن نَفسِهِ في صُبحِه وَمَسائِهِ

عَن نَفسِهِ في صُبحِه وَمَسائِهِ

So I answered her: He is one who questions himself

So I answered her: "He is one who questions his own soul,

About himself, morning and evening,

Asking about himself in his morning and his evening;

وَالعَينَ سِرَّ سُهادِها وَرُقادِها

وَالعَينَ سِرَّ سُهادِها وَرُقادِها

وَالقَلبَ سِرَّ قُنوطِه وَرَجائِهِ

وَالقَلبَ سِرَّ قُنوطِه وَرَجائِهِ

And asks the eye the secret of its sleeplessness and sleep,

Asking the eye the secret of its insomnia and its slumber,

And the heart the secret of its despair and hope.

And the heart the secret of its despair and its hope;

فَيَحارُ بَينَ مَجيإِه وَذَهابِهِ

فَيَحارُ بَينَ مَجيإِه وَذَهابِهِ

وَيَحارُ بَينَ أَمامِه وَوَرائِهِ

وَيَحارُ بَينَ أَمامِه وَوَرائِهِ

Then he is bewildered between his coming and his going,

He stands bewildered between his coming and his going,

And bewildered between what lies before him and behind him.

And confused between what lies ahead and what lies behind;

وَيَرى أُفولَ النَجمِ قَبلَ أُفولِهِ

وَيَرى أُفولَ النَجمِ قَبلَ أُفولِهِ

وَيَرى فَناءَ الشَيءِ قَبلَ فَنائِهِ

وَيَرى فَناءَ الشَيءِ قَبلَ فَنائِهِ

And sees the star's setting before it sets,

He sees the setting of the star before it actually sets,

And sees a thing's destruction before it is destroyed.

And perceives the annihilation of a thing before its end;

وَيَسيرُ في الرَوضِ الأَغَنِّ فَلا تَرى

وَيَسيرُ في الرَوضِ الأَغَنِّ فَلا تَرى

عَيناهُ غَيرَ الشَوكِ في أَرجائِهِ

عَيناهُ غَيرَ الشَوكِ في أَرجائِهِ

And walks through the lush garden, yet sees nothing

He walks through the lush garden, yet his eyes see nothing,

With his eyes but thorns throughout its reaches.

Within its corners, other than the thorns;

إِن نامَ لَم تَرقُد هَواجِسُ روحِهِ

إِن نامَ لَم تَرقُد هَواجِسُ روحِهِ

وَإِذا اِستَفاقَ رَأَيتَهُ كَالتَائِهِ

وَإِذا اِستَفاقَ رَأَيتَهُ كَالتَائِهِ

If he sleeps, his spirit's anxieties do not sleep,

If he sleeps, the obsessions of his spirit do not rest,

And when he wakes, you see him like one lost.

And if he wakes, you see him like one lost and wandering;

ما إِن يُبالي ضِحكَنا وَبُكاءَنا

ما إِن يُبالي ضِحكَنا وَبُكاءَنا

وَيُخيفُنا في ضِحكِه وَبُكائِهِ

وَيُخيفُنا في ضِحكِه وَبُكائِهِ

He cares not at all for our laughter and weeping,

He cares not for our laughter or our weeping,

And frightens us with his laughter and weeping.

Yet he frightens us in his laughter and his weeping;

كَالنارِ يَلتَهِمُ العَواطِفَ عَقلُهُ

كَالنارِ يَلتَهِمُ العَواطِفَ عَقلُهُ

فَيُميتُها وَيَموتُ في صَحرائِهِ

فَيُميتُها وَيَموتُ في صَحرائِهِ

Like fire, his mind devours emotions,

Like fire, his intellect consumes emotions,

So it kills them and dies in its desert.

Killing them, while he dies within his own desert."

قالَت أَتَعرِفُ مَن وَصَفتَ فَقُلتُ مَن

قالَت أَتَعرِفُ مَن وَصَفتَ فَقُلتُ مَن

قالَت وَصَفتَ الفَيلَسوفَ الكافِرا

قالَت وَصَفتَ الفَيلَسوفَ الكافِرا

She said: Do you know whom you described? I said: Whom?

She said: "Do you know whom you have described?" I said: "Who?"

She said: You described the unbelieving philosopher.

She said: "You have described the unbelieving philosopher;

يا شاعِرَ الدُنيا وَفيكَ حَصافَةٌ

يا شاعِرَ الدُنيا وَفيكَ حَصافَةٌ

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ لَو وَصَفتَ الشاعِرا

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ لَو وَصَفتَ الشاعِرا

O poet of the world, endowed with sound judgment,

O Poet of the World, you possess wisdom—

What harm would it have done you to describe the poet?

What harm would it have been if you had described the Poet?"

فَقُلتُ هُوَ اِمرُؤٌ يَهوى العُقارا

فَقُلتُ هُوَ اِمرُؤٌ يَهوى العُقارا

كَما يَهوى مُغازَلَةَ العَذارى

كَما يَهوى مُغازَلَةَ العَذارى

So I said: He is a man who loves wine,

So I said: "He is a man who loves strong drink,

Just as he loves courting maidens.

Just as he loves courting young maidens;

إِذا فَرَغَت مِن الراحِ الدِنانُ

إِذا فَرَغَت مِن الراحِ الدِنانُ

تَوَهَّمَ أَنَّما فَرَغَ الزَمانُ

تَوَهَّمَ أَنَّما فَرَغَ الزَمانُ

When the wine jars are emptied of wine,

If the casks become empty of wine,

He imagines that time has run out.

He imagines that Time itself has run empty;

يُعاقِرُها عَلى ضَوءِ الدَراري فَإِن

يُعاقِرُها عَلى ضَوءِ الدَراري فَإِن

غَرُبَت عَلى ضَوءِ النَهارِ

غَرُبَت عَلى ضَوءِ النَهارِ

He quaffs it by the light of the bright stars; and if

He drinks it by the light of the stars, and if,

They set, he drinks it by the light of day.

They set, he drinks by the light of day;

وَيَحسَبُ مِهرَجانَ الناسِ مَأتَم

وَيَحسَبُ مِهرَجانَ الناسِ مَأتَم

بِلا خَمر وَجَنَّتُهُم جَهَنَّم

بِلا خَمر وَجَنَّتُهُم جَهَنَّم

And deems the people's festival a funeral

He considers the festivals of people a funeral,

Without wine, and their paradise Hell.

If without wine, and their paradise a hell;

مَلولٌ لا يَدومُ عَلى وَلاءٍ

مَلولٌ لا يَدومُ عَلى وَلاءٍ

وَلَكِن لا يَدومُ عَلى عِداءِ

وَلَكِن لا يَدومُ عَلى عِداءِ

Easily bored, he does not remain loyal,

Fickle, he does not remain constant in loyalty,

Yet he does not persist in enmity.

But neither does he remain constant in enmity;

أَخو لُب وَلَكِن لا إِرادَه

أَخو لُب وَلَكِن لا إِرادَه

وَذو زُهد وَلَكِن بَِلزَهادَه

وَذو زُهد وَلَكِن بَِلزَهادَه

A man of intellect, but without willpower,

A man of intellect, yet devoid of will,

And endowed with detachment, yet without asceticism.

An ascetic figure, yet lacking all restraint;

يَميلُ إِلى الدُعابَة وَالمُزاحِ

يَميلُ إِلى الدُعابَة وَالمُزاحِ

وَلَو بَينَ الأَسِنَّة وَالصِفاحِ

وَلَو بَينَ الأَسِنَّة وَالصِفاحِ

He inclines to humor and jesting,

He leans towards humor and jesting,

Even amid spearpoints and sword blades.

Even if standing between spearheads and broadswords;

وَيوشِكُ أَن يُقَهقِهَ في الجَنازَةِ

وَيوشِكُ أَن يُقَهقِهَ في الجَنازَةِ

وَيَرقُصَ كَالعَواصِفِ في المَفازَه

وَيَرقُصَ كَالعَواصِفِ في المَفازَه

And is apt to guffaw at a funeral,

He is on the verge of guffawing at a funeral,

And dance like storms in the desert.

And dancing like a storm in the wasteland;

إِذا بَصُرتَ بِهِ عَينُ الأَديبِ

إِذا بَصُرتَ بِهِ عَينُ الأَديبِ

فَقَد وَقَعَت عَلى رَجُلٍ مُريبِ

فَقَد وَقَعَت عَلى رَجُلٍ مُريبِ

If a writer's eye catches sight of him,

If the eye of a cultured man falls upon him,

Then it has fallen upon a dubious man.

It has fallen upon a suspicious man;

يُعَنِّفُهُ الصَحابُ فَلا يُنيبُ

يُعَنِّفُهُ الصَحابُ فَلا يُنيبُ

وَيَزجُرُهُ المَشيبُ فَلا يَتوبُ

وَيَزجُرُهُ المَشيبُ فَلا يَتوبُ

His companions rebuke him, yet he does not reform,

Companions scold him, but he does not repent,

And gray hair admonishes him, yet he does not repent.

And old age rebukes him, but he does not atone."

فَقالَت جِئتَ بِالكَلَمِ البَديعِ

فَقالَت جِئتَ بِالكَلَمِ البَديعِ

وَلَكِن ما وَصَفتَ سِوى الخَليعِ

وَلَكِن ما وَصَفتَ سِوى الخَليعِ

Then she said: You have brought exquisite words,

She said: "You have brought forth wonderful words,

But you have described only a libertine.

But you have described no one but the libertine."

وَخِفتُ إِعراضَها عَنّي فَقُلتُ إِذَن

وَخِفتُ إِعراضَها عَنّي فَقُلتُ إِذَن

هُوَ الَّذي أَبَداً يَبكي مِنَ الزَمَنِ

هُوَ الَّذي أَبَداً يَبكي مِنَ الزَمَنِ

And I feared her turning away from me, so I said: Then

I feared she would turn away from me, so I said: "Then...

He is the one who forever weeps because of time,

...He is the one who forever weeps over Time;

كَأَنَّما لَيسَ في الدُنيا سِواهُ فَتىً

كَأَنَّما لَيسَ في الدُنيا سِواهُ فَتىً

مُعَرَّضٌ لِخُطوبِ الدَهر وَالمِحَنِ

مُعَرَّضٌ لِخُطوبِ الدَهر وَالمِحَنِ

As though no youth in the world but him were

As if there is no youth in the world but him,

Exposed to time's calamities and trials.

Exposed to the calamities of fate and trials;

يَشكو السَقام وَما في جِسمِهِ مَرَضٌ

يَشكو السَقام وَما في جِسمِهِ مَرَضٌ

وَالسُهدَ هُوَ قَريبُ العَهدِ بِالوَسَنِ

وَالسُهدَ هُوَ قَريبُ العَهدِ بِالوَسَنِ

He complains of sickness, though his body has no disease,

He complains of illness when there is no disease in his body,

And of sleeplessness, though he was drowsy only recently,

And of insomnia, though he has recently slept;

وَالهَجر وَهوَ بِمَرءٍ مِن أَحِبَّتِهِ

وَالهَجر وَهوَ بِمَرءٍ مِن أَحِبَّتِهِ

وَالأَسر وَهوَ طَليقُ الروح وَالبَدَنِ

وَالأَسر وَهوَ طَليقُ الروح وَالبَدَنِ

And of separation, though he is within sight of his loved ones,

And of abandonment, while he is in plain sight of his loved ones,

And of captivity, though he is free in spirit and body.

And of captivity, while he is free in soul and body;

وَلا يَرى حَسَناً في الأَرضِ يَألَفُهُ

وَلا يَرى حَسَناً في الأَرضِ يَألَفُهُ

أَو يَشتَهِه وَكَم في الأَرضِ مِن حَسَنِ

أَو يَشتَهِه وَكَم في الأَرضِ مِن حَسَنِ

And sees nothing beautiful on earth to cherish

He sees nothing beautiful in the earth to embrace,

Or desire—yet how much beauty there is on earth!

Or desire, yet how much beauty is in the earth!

يَنوحُ في الرَوض وَالأَشجارُ مورِقَةٌ

يَنوحُ في الرَوض وَالأَشجارُ مورِقَةٌ

كَما يَنوحُ عَلى الأَطلال وَالدِمَنِ

كَما يَنوحُ عَلى الأَطلال وَالدِمَنِ

He laments in the garden while the trees are leafy,

He wails in the garden while the trees are leafy,

As he laments over ruins and the traces of old camps.

Just as he wails over ruins and vestiges."

فَقاطَعَتني وَقالَت قَد بَعدتَ بِنا

فَقاطَعَتني وَقالَت قَد بَعدتَ بِنا

ما ذي الصِفاتُ الشاعِرِ الفَطِنِ

ما ذي الصِفاتُ الشاعِرِ الفَطِنِ

Then she interrupted me and said: You have taken us far afield.

She interrupted me and said: "You have taken us far afield;

These are not the discerning poet's qualities.

These are not the traits of the astute Poet."

قُلتُ مَهلاً إِذا ضَلَلت وَعُذراً

قُلتُ مَهلاً إِذا ضَلَلت وَعُذراً

رُبَّما أَخطَأَ الحَكيم وَضَلّا

رُبَّما أَخطَأَ الحَكيم وَضَلّا

I said: Patience if I have strayed, and pardon me;

I said: "Patience, if I have strayed, and pardon me;

Sometimes the wise man errs and goes astray.

Perhaps the wise man errs and loses his way.

هُوَ مَن تَرسُمُ الجَمالَ يَداهُ

هُوَ مَن تَرسُمُ الجَمالَ يَداهُ

فَنَراهُ في الطِرسِ أَشهى وَأَحلى

فَنَراهُ في الطِرسِ أَشهى وَأَحلى

He is one whose hands draw beauty,

He is the one whose hands sketch beauty,

So we see it on the page more alluring and sweeter.

So we see it on the page more appetizing and sweet;

لَوذَعِيُّ الفُؤادِ يَلعَبُ بِالأَل

لَوذَعِيُّ الفُؤادِ يَلعَبُ بِالأَل

بابِ لُعباً إِن شاءَ أَن يَتَسَلّى

بابِ لُعباً إِن شاءَ أَن يَتَسَلّى

Keen of heart, he plays with the

Sharp-witted of heart, playing with minds,

minds, for sport, if he wishes to amuse himself.

A game, if he wishes to be amused;

وَيُرينا ما لَيسَ يَبقى سَيَبقى

وَيُرينا ما لَيسَ يَبقى سَيَبقى

وَيُرِنا ما لَيسَ يَبلى سَيَبلى

وَيُرِنا ما لَيسَ يَبلى سَيَبلى

And shows us that what does not last will last,

He shows us what will not remain as eternal,

And shows us that what does not wear out will wear out.

And shows us what will not decay as decaying;

يَطبَعُ الشُهبَ لِلأَنامِ نُقوداً

يَطبَعُ الشُهبَ لِلأَنامِ نُقوداً

وَهوَ يَشكو الإِملاقَ كَيفَ تَوَلّى

وَهوَ يَشكو الإِملاقَ كَيفَ تَوَلّى

He mints shooting stars into coins for humankind,

He mints the stars as coins for mankind,

Yet complains of poverty whichever way he turns.

While he complains of poverty wherever he turns.

أَفَما ذا مَن تَبتَغين وَأَبغي

أَفَما ذا مَن تَبتَغين وَأَبغي

وَصفَهُ قالَتِ المَليحَةُ كَلّا

وَصفَهُ قالَتِ المَليحَةُ كَلّا

Is this not the one you and I wish

Is this not the one you seek, and whom I seek...

To describe? The lovely woman said: No.

...To describe?" The pretty one said: "No."

يا هَذِهِ إِنّي عَيِّتُ بِوَصفِهِ

يا هَذِهِ إِنّي عَيِّتُ بِوَصفِهِ

وَعَجِزتُ عَن إِدراكِ مَكنوناتِهِ

وَعَجِزتُ عَن إِدراكِ مَكنوناتِهِ

O you, I am at a loss to describe him,

"O you, I am weary of describing him,

And have failed to grasp his hidden qualities.

And I have failed to grasp his hidden depths;

لا تَستَطيعُ الخَمرُ سَردَ صِفاتِها

لا تَستَطيعُ الخَمرُ سَردَ صِفاتِها

وَالرَوضُ وَصفَ زُهورِه وَنَباتِهِ

وَالرَوضُ وَصفَ زُهورِه وَنَباتِهِ

Wine cannot recount its own qualities,

Wine is unable to recount its own attributes,

Nor can the garden describe its flowers and plants.

Nor can the garden describe its flowers and plants;

هُوَ مَن نَراهُ سائِراً فَوقَ الثَرى

هُوَ مَن نَراهُ سائِراً فَوقَ الثَرى

وَكَأَنَّ فَوقَ فُؤادِهِ خُطُواتِهِ

وَكَأَنَّ فَوقَ فُؤادِهِ خُطُواتِهِ

He is the one we see walking upon the earth,

He is the one we see walking upon the soil,

As though his footsteps were upon his heart.

Yet it is as though his footsteps fall upon his own heart;

إِن ناحَ فَالأَرواحُ في عَبَراتِهِ

إِن ناحَ فَالأَرواحُ في عَبَراتِهِ

وَإِذا شَدا فَالحُبُّ في نَغَماتِهِ

وَإِذا شَدا فَالحُبُّ في نَغَماتِهِ

If he laments, souls are in his tears,

If he laments, the souls are in his tears,

And when he sings, love is in his melodies.

And if he sings, Love is in his melodies;

يَبكي مَعَ الناءِ عَلى أَوطانِهِ

يَبكي مَعَ الناءِ عَلى أَوطانِهِ

وَيُشارِكُ المَحزونَ في عَبَراتِهِ

وَيُشارِكُ المَحزونَ في عَبَراتِهِ

He weeps with the exile for his native lands,

He weeps with the exile over his homelands,

And shares the sorrowful one's tears.

And shares with the grieving man in his tears;

وَتُغَيِّرُ الأَيّامُ قَلبَ فَتاتِهِ

وَتُغَيِّرُ الأَيّامُ قَلبَ فَتاتِهِ

وَيَظَلُّ ذا كَلَفٍ بِقَلبِ فَتاتِهِ

وَيَظَلُّ ذا كَلَفٍ بِقَلبِ فَتاتِهِ

And the days change his beloved's heart,

The days may change the heart of his young girl,

Yet he remains enamored of his beloved's heart.

But he remains infatuated with the heart of his girl;

هُوَ مَن يَعيشُ لِغَيرِه وَيَظُنُّهُ

هُوَ مَن يَعيشُ لِغَيرِه وَيَظُنُّهُ

مَن لَيسَ يَفهَمُهُ يَعيشُ لِذاتِهِ

مَن لَيسَ يَفهَمُهُ يَعيشُ لِذاتِهِ

He is one who lives for others, yet is thought

He is one who lives for others, yet...

By those who do not understand him to live for himself.

...Those who misunderstand him deem he lives for himself."