أَلا أَيُّها الباكي فَدَيتُكَ باكِياً

أَلا أَيُّها الباكي فَدَيتُكَ باكِياً

عَلامَ وَفيما تَستَحِثُّ المَآقِيا

عَلامَ وَفيما تَستَحِثُّ المَآقِيا

O weeping one, may I be your ransom as you weep!

O you who weep, I ransom you with my own weeping,

Oh you who weep, may I be your ransom as you weep,

Why, and for what, do you spur your eyes to tears?

Why and for what do you hasten calamities?

For what reason and to what end do you urge your eyes to flow?

رُوَيدَكَ ما أَرضى لَكَ الحُزنَ خِلَّةً

رُوَيدَكَ ما أَرضى لَكَ الحُزنَ خِلَّةً

وَهَيهاتَ أَن أَرضاكَ بِالحُزنِ راضِيا

وَهَيهاتَ أَن أَرضاكَ بِالحُزنِ راضِيا

Easy now: I would not have grief as your companion,

Restrain yourself, grief does not please you as a boon companion,

Gently now; I do not choose sorrow as a companion for you,

And never could I approve of your being content with grief.

And alas, I cannot please you by grieving.

And far be it that I should ever be pleased to see you content with grief.

يُعَنِّفُني مَن كُنتُ أَدعوهُ صاحِباً

يُعَنِّفُني مَن كُنتُ أَدعوهُ صاحِباً

فَما اِنفَكَّ حَتّى بِتُّ أَدعوهُ لاحِيا

فَما اِنفَكَّ حَتّى بِتُّ أَدعوهُ لاحِيا

The one I used to call a friend rebukes me,

One whom I used to call a friend rebukes me,

He whom I used to call a friend now rebukes me harshly,

And he would not desist until I came to call him a reproacher.

He did not stop until I called him treacherous.

Ceasing not until I came to call him a censurer.

دَعَوتُ لِرَبّي أَن دَعانِيَ لائِمٌ

دَعَوتُ لِرَبّي أَن دَعانِيَ لائِمٌ

وَلَم أُعصِهِ أَن لا يُجيبَ دُعائِيا

وَلَم أُعصِهِ أَن لا يُجيبَ دُعائِيا

I called upon my Lord because a reproacher called me,

I prayed to my Lord when a blamer called me,

I prayed to my Lord when a blamer summoned me,

Nor did I defy Him for leaving my prayer unanswered.

And I did not disobey Him by not answering his call.

And I did not disobey Him such that He would leave my prayer unanswered.

لَقَد أَرخَصَ العُذّالَ عِندِيَ قَولُهُم

لَقَد أَرخَصَ العُذّالَ عِندِيَ قَولُهُم

إِذا هَمَتِ العَينانُ أَرخَصتُ غالِيا

إِذا هَمَتِ العَينانُ أَرخَصتُ غالِيا

The reproachers have indeed fallen in my esteem for saying

Their rebuke became cheap to me when

The words of the critics have cheapened them in my estimation;

That when my eyes stream, I cheapen something precious.

My eyes intended, I made the precious things cheap.

Whenever my eyes pour forth, I hold cheap what is most precious.

أَأَمنَعُ ماءَ ما يَروي أَخا صَدىً

أَأَمنَعُ ماءَ ما يَروي أَخا صَدىً

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أَحمي المَناهِلَ صادِيا

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أَحمي المَناهِلَ صادِيا

Shall I withhold water that cannot slake a thirsty man's thirst,

Shall I prevent water that quenches a brother’s thirst

Shall I withhold the water that quenches one consumed by thirst,

Though, even thirsty, I never barred access to the watering places?

When I did not protect the waterholes, blocking them?

When I was never one to guard the watering holes while parched?

عَلَيَّ البُكا وَالنَوحُ ضَربَةُ لازِبٍ

عَلَيَّ البُكا وَالنَوحُ ضَربَةُ لازِبٍ

وَإِنّي لَأَبكي أَنَّني لَستُ باكِيا

وَإِنّي لَأَبكي أَنَّني لَستُ باكِيا

Weeping and lamentation are my inescapable lot,

Weeping and wailing are like a fighter’s blows upon me,

Weeping and wailing are for me an inescapable decree,

And indeed I weep because I am not weeping.

Yet I cry for I am not a weeper.

And indeed, I weep at the very fact that I am not weeping enough.

وَكَيفَ اِرتِياحي بَعدَ هِندٍ وَبَينَنا

وَكَيفَ اِرتِياحي بَعدَ هِندٍ وَبَينَنا

مَهامِهُ لا تُلقى بِها الريحُ هادِيا

مَهامِهُ لا تُلقى بِها الريحُ هادِيا

And how can I find comfort after Hind, when between us lie

How can I feel comforted after Hind

How can I find comfort after Hind, while between us lie

Desolate wastes where not even the wind serves as a guide?

When between us lies a formidable desert, no wind passes through it?

Vast wastelands where even the wind finds no guide?

يَظَلُّ بِها السَرحانُ يَعوي مِنَ الطَوى

يَظَلُّ بِها السَرحانُ يَعوي مِنَ الطَوى

نَهاراً وَيَطوي لَيلَهُ الخَوفُ طاوِيا

نَهاراً وَيَطوي لَيلَهُ الخَوفُ طاوِيا

There the wolf keeps howling from hunger

In it the deer howls from the folds,

Wherein the wolf continues to howl from starvation by day,

By day, while fear enfolds its night as it goes hungry.

Roaming by day, its night folded by fear.

And fear folds him into the night, gaunt and empty.

لَقَد كُنتُ أَخشى أَن يُفَرِّقَ بَينَنا

لَقَد كُنتُ أَخشى أَن يُفَرِّقَ بَينَنا

فَأَصبَحتُ أَخشى اليَومَ أَن لا تَلاقِيا

فَأَصبَحتُ أَخشى اليَومَ أَن لا تَلاقِيا

Indeed, I once feared that we might be parted,

I used to fear we may be separated

I used to dread that anything would separate us,

So today I have come to fear there will be no reunion.

Today I fear we may not reunite.

But today I have come to dread that we shall never meet again.

فَيا مَن لِقَلبٍ لا تَنامُ هُمومُهُ

فَيا مَن لِقَلبٍ لا تَنامُ هُمومُهُ

وَيا مَن لِعَينٍ لا تَنامُ اللَيالِيا

وَيا مَن لِعَينٍ لا تَنامُ اللَيالِيا

Then who will help a heart whose cares never sleep?

O you whose heart’s worries do not sleep

Oh, who is there for a heart whose sorrows never sleep,

And who will help an eye that never sleeps through the nights?

And whose nights do not sleep the nights.

And who is there for an eye that lies wakeful through the nights?

رَأَيتُ اللَيالي ما تَزالُ تَروعُني

رَأَيتُ اللَيالي ما تَزالُ تَروعُني

بِأَحداثِها ما لِلَّيالي وَما لِيا

بِأَحداثِها ما لِلَّيالي وَما لِيا

I have seen the nights keep terrifying me

I saw the nights continuously frightening me

I have seen the nights continue to startle me

With their happenings—what have the nights and I to do with one another?

With their events, what is it to the nights and what is it to me?

With their calamities; what have the nights to do with me?

وَلَم يَبقَ عِندَ الدَهرِ خَطبٌ أَخافُهُ

وَلَم يَبقَ عِندَ الدَهرِ خَطبٌ أَخافُهُ

فَكَيفَ اِعتِذارُ الدَهرِ إِن رُحتُ شاكِيا

فَكَيفَ اِعتِذارُ الدَهرِ إِن رُحتُ شاكِيا

And Time has no calamity left for me to fear;

No misfortunes remain with fate that I fear

Fate has no remaining disaster left for me to fear,

How, then, could Time excuse itself if I went about complaining?

Then why does fate apologize if I complain?

So how shall Fate offer excuse if I depart complaining?

إِذا لَم تَكُن لِيَ آسِياً أَو مُؤاسِيا

إِذا لَم تَكُن لِيَ آسِياً أَو مُؤاسِيا

فَلا تَكُ لَوّاماً وَذَرني وَما بِيا

فَلا تَكُ لَوّاماً وَذَرني وَما بِيا

If you are not a healer or a comforter to me,

If you have no remedies or consolations for me

If you cannot be a healer or a comforter to me,

Then do not be a constant faultfinder; leave me with what ails me.

Then do not blame me and leave me be.

Then do not be a blamer; leave me to my plight.

فَإِنّي رَأَيتُ اللَومَ يُذكي صَبابَتي

فَإِنّي رَأَيتُ اللَومَ يُذكي صَبابَتي

كَذاكَ عَهِدتُ الزِندَ بِالقَدحِ راوِيا

كَذاكَ عَهِدتُ الزِندَ بِالقَدحِ راوِيا

For I have seen that blame kindles my longing,

For I saw blame kindles my youthfulness

For I have found that censure only kindles my longing,

Just as I have known the fire-stick to spark when struck.

I knew the flints by striking produce light.

Just as I have known the flint to spark when struck.

أَلا حَبَّذا مِن سالِفِ العَيشِ ما مَضى

أَلا حَبَّذا مِن سالِفِ العَيشِ ما مَضى

وَيا حَبَّذا لَو كانَ يَرجِعُ ثانِيا

وَيا حَبَّذا لَو كانَ يَرجِعُ ثانِيا

Ah, how dear the life of bygone days!

Oh, excellent were the bygone days of life

Oh, how beloved is that past life which has fled,

And oh, how lovely if it could return once more!

Oh, excellent, if only it would come back again.

And how beloved if it would but return again.

زَمانٌ كَقَلبِ الطِفلِ صافٍ وَكَالمُنى

زَمانٌ كَقَلبِ الطِفلِ صافٍ وَكَالمُنى

لَذيذٌ وَلَكِن كانَ كَالحِلمِ فانِيا

لَذيذٌ وَلَكِن كانَ كَالحِلمِ فانِيا

A time as pure as a child's heart and, like hopes,

A time like a child’s heart, pure and pleasing,

A time as pure as a child's heart, and like one's hopes,

Sweet—but, like a dream, it was fleeting.

Sweet, but like a dream, fleeting.

Sweet to the taste, yet fleeting as a fading dream.

أَحِنُّ إِلَيهِ في العَشِيِّ وَفي الضُحى

أَحِنُّ إِلَيهِ في العَشِيِّ وَفي الضُحى

حَنينَ غَريبٍ جائَهُ الشَوقُ داعِيا

حَنينَ غَريبٍ جائَهُ الشَوقُ داعِيا

I yearn for it in the evening and at midmorning,

I yearn for it at night and at dawn,

I yearn for it in the evening and the morning light,

With the yearning of a stranger whom longing has come to call.

A stranger’s yearning, brought by ardent desire.

The yearning of an exile summoned by the call of longing.

وَأَذكُرُهُ ذِكرى العَجوزِ شَبابَها

وَأَذكُرُهُ ذِكرى العَجوزِ شَبابَها

وَأَبكي لَدى ذِكراهُ أَحمَرَ قانِيا

وَأَبكي لَدى ذِكراهُ أَحمَرَ قانِيا

And I recall it as an old woman recalls her youth,

I remember it like an old woman her youth,

I remember it as an old woman remembers her youth,

And at its remembrance I weep deep-crimson tears.

I cry at its memory, red-eyed.

And at its memory, I weep tears of deep red blood.

وَلَولا أُمورٍ في الفُؤادِ أَسُرُّها

وَلَولا أُمورٍ في الفُؤادِ أَسُرُّها

جَعَلتُ عَلَيهِ الدَهرَ وَقفاً لِسانِيا

جَعَلتُ عَلَيهِ الدَهرَ وَقفاً لِسانِيا

And were it not for things I hide within my heart,

Were it not for matters in my heart I keep secret

Were it not for secrets I keep hidden in my heart,

I would dedicate my tongue to it for all time.

I would silence fate, make it listen to my tongue.

I would have made my tongue perpetually dedicated to it.

خَليلَيَّ أَعوامُ السُرورِ دَقائِقٌ

خَليلَيَّ أَعوامُ السُرورِ دَقائِقٌ

وَأَيّامُهُ كادَت تَكونُ ثَوانِيا

وَأَيّامُهُ كادَت تَكونُ ثَوانِيا

My two friends, years of joy are minutes,

My friend, the happy years are fleeting moments

My two friends, the years of joy are but minutes,

And its days were almost mere seconds.

Its days were almost seconds.

And its days pass almost as quickly as seconds.

وَأَجمَلُ أَيّامِ الفَتى زَمَنُ الصِبى

وَأَجمَلُ أَيّامِ الفَتى زَمَنُ الصِبى

وَخَيرُ الصِبا ما كانَ في الحُبِّ نامِيا

وَخَيرُ الصِبا ما كانَ في الحُبِّ نامِيا

And a young man's loveliest days are the season of youth,

The finest days of youth are childhood days

The most beautiful of a man's days is the time of youth,

And the best youth is that which blossoms in love.

The best childhood what was nurtured in love.

And the best of youth is that which flourished in love.

رَعى اللَهُ أَيّامي الَّتي قَد أَضَعتُها

رَعى اللَهُ أَيّامي الَّتي قَد أَضَعتُها

فَكُنتُ كَأَنّي قَد أَضَعتُ فُؤادِيا

فَكُنتُ كَأَنّي قَد أَضَعتُ فُؤادِيا

May God watch over the days I have lost,

May God watch over the days I wasted

May God watch over those days I let slip away,

And it was as though I had lost my heart.

As if I wasted my own heart.

For it was as if I had lost my very heart.

لَيالِيَ لا هِندُ تُصَدِّقُ واشِياً

لَيالِيَ لا هِندُ تُصَدِّقُ واشِياً

وَلا هِيَ تَخشى أَن أُصَدِّقَ واشِيا

وَلا هِيَ تَخشى أَن أُصَدِّقَ واشِيا

Nights when Hind believed no talebearer,

Nights Hind neither believes a slanderer

Nights when Hind would believe no slanderer,

Nor did she fear that I would believe a talebearer.

Nor fears I would believe a slanderer.

Nor fear that I would lend an ear to one.

وَيا طالَما بِتنا وَلا ثالِثَ لَنا

وَيا طالَما بِتنا وَلا ثالِثَ لَنا

سِوى الراحِ نُدنيها فَتُدني الأَمانِيا

سِوى الراحِ نُدنيها فَتُدني الأَمانِيا

And oh, how often we spent the night with no third beside us,

Often we stayed awake, none with us but the gentle wind

How often we passed the night with no third beside us,

Save wine: we drew it near, and it brought our wishes near.

We confide in it, so it brings desires nearer.

Save the wine; we drew it near, and it drew our hopes closer.

وَدارُ حَديثُ الحُبِّ بَيني وَبَينَها

وَدارُ حَديثُ الحُبِّ بَيني وَبَينَها

فَطَوراً مُناجاةً وَطَوراً تَشاكِيا

فَطَوراً مُناجاةً وَطَوراً تَشاكِيا

And talk of love passed between me and her,

The abode where love occupied our talk,

The conversation of love circulated between us,

At times whispered confidences, at times shared laments.

At times confiding, at others complaining.

At times intimate whispers, at others mutual complaints.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنّي قَد نَظَمتُ حَديثَها

أَلَم تَرَ أَنّي قَد نَظَمتُ حَديثَها

لَآلِئَ غَنّاها الرُواةُ قَوافِيا

لَآلِئَ غَنّاها الرُواةُ قَوافِيا

Have you not seen that I have strung her words

Do you not see that I strung her speech

Do you not see that I have strung her words together,

Into pearls that the reciters sang as rhymes?

Into pearls singing their rhythms.

As pearls that narrators sing as rhyming verses?

تَوَلّى زَمانُ اللَهوِ كَالطَيفِ في الكَرى

تَوَلّى زَمانُ اللَهوِ كَالطَيفِ في الكَرى

فَلَستَ تَراني بَعدَهُ الدَهرَ لاهِيا

فَلَستَ تَراني بَعدَهُ الدَهرَ لاهِيا

The time of merriment vanished like a phantom in sleep,

The days of play turned away like a phantom in the meadows

The time of delight has passed like a phantom in a dream,

So never again will you see me carefree.

After them you do not see me playing again.

And you shall never see me carefree again as long as I live.

سَإِمتُ لَذاذاتِ الحَياةِ جَميعَها

سَإِمتُ لَذاذاتِ الحَياةِ جَميعَها

وَلَو رَضِيَت هِندُ سَإِمتُ شَبابِيا

وَلَو رَضِيَت هِندُ سَإِمتُ شَبابِيا

I have wearied of all life's pleasures,

I dislike all of life’s pleasures

I have grown weary of all the pleasures of life;

And if Hind consented, I would weary of my youth.

If Hind pleased, I would dislike my own youth.

Even if Hind were content, I have grown weary of my own youth.

سَلامٌ عَلى هِندٍ وَإِن فاتَ مِسمَعي

سَلامٌ عَلى هِندٍ وَإِن فاتَ مِسمَعي

سَلامُ الَّتي أُهدي إِلَيها سَلامِيا

سَلامُ الَّتي أُهدي إِلَيها سَلامِيا

Peace be upon Hind, even if I do not hear

Peace upon Hind though my hearing missed it

Peace be upon Hind, even if my ears miss

The greeting of her to whom I send my greeting.

The peace I send to her.

The greeting of she to whom I send my peace.

تَرى عِندَها أَنّي عَلى العَهدِ ثابِتٌ

تَرى عِندَها أَنّي عَلى العَهدِ ثابِتٌ

وَإِن يَكُ هَذا البَينُ أَوهى عِظامِيا

وَإِن يَكُ هَذا البَينُ أَوهى عِظامِيا

Do you think she knows that I remain true to the pledge,

She sees that I keep true to the pact

She knows well that I remain steadfast to our vow,

Though this separation has weakened my bones?

Though this separation melts my bones.

Even though this separation has wasted my frame away.

فَوَاللَهِ ما أَخشى الحِمامَ عَلى النَوى

فَوَاللَهِ ما أَخشى الحِمامَ عَلى النَوى

وَلَكِنَّني أَخشى خُلودِيَ نائِيا

وَلَكِنَّني أَخشى خُلودِيَ نائِيا

For, by God, I do not fear death in separation,

By God, I do not fear pigeons upon crumbs,

By God, I do not fear death in this distance,

But I fear living forever far away.

Rather I fear my eternal isolation.

Rather, I fear living on forever while far apart.