يالَيتَماoh, if only رَجَعَreturned الزَمانُthe time الأَوَّلُthe former
يالَيتَما رَجَعَ الزَمانُ الأَوَّلُ
زَمَنُthe time الشَبابِof youth الضاحِكُlaughing المُتَهَلِّلُradiant
زَمَنُ الشَبابِ الضاحِكُ المُتَهَلِّلُ
Oh, if only the old days would return,
Oh, how I wish the old days would come back,
Oh, if only the former days would return,
The days of youth, laughing and radiant!
The days of joyous, carefree youth.
The time of youth, laughing and jubilant;
عَهدٌan age تَرَحَّلَتِdeparted البَشاشَةُcheerfulness إِذwhen مَضىit passed
عَهدٌ تَرَحَّلَتِ البَشاشَةُ إِذ مَضى
وَأَتىand came الأَسىsorrow فَآقامَand so stayed لاnot يَتَرَحَّلُdeparts
وَأَتى الأَسى فَآقامَ لا يَتَرَحَّلُ
An age whose passing took cheerfulness away,
When cheerfulness departed as time passed by
An era whose passing took cheerfulness away,
And sorrow came and stayed, never to depart.
And sorrow came to stay, not to leave.
And sorrow arrived to dwell, never to depart.
وَلّىdeparted الصِباyouth وَتَبَدَّدَتand dispersed أَحلاُهُits dreams (apparently intended)
وَلّى الصِبا وَتَبَدَّدَت أَحلاُهُ
أَودىbrought ruin بِهِupon it وَبِهاand upon them قَضاءٌfate حَوَّلُfickle
أَودى بِهِ وَبِها قَضاءٌ حَوَّلُ
Youth departed, and its dreams scattered;
Childhood bid farewell, its dreams all scattered,
Youth has turned its back, and its dreams have scattered,
A fickle fate destroyed both it and them.
Carried off by a destiny that alters all.
Both it and they destroyed by a shifting fate.
حَصَدَتreaped أَنامُلُهُits fingers المُنىthe hopes فَتَساقَطَتand so they fell
حَصَدَت أَنامُلُهُ المُنى فَتَساقَطَت
صَرعىslain كَماjust as حَصَدَreaped السَنابِلَthe ears of grain مِنجَلُa sickle
صَرعى كَما حَصَدَ السَنابِلَ مِنجَلُ
Its fingers reaped our hopes, and they fell,
The fingers of fate reaped its wishes and they fell
Its fingertips harvested hopes, so they fell,
Slain, as a sickle reaps the ears of grain.
Like ears of wheat harvested by a sickle.
Slain like ears of grain harvested by a sickle.
فَالروحُso the soul قيثارٌa lyre وَهَتweakened وَتَقَطَّعَتand snapped
فَالروحُ قيثارٌ وَهَت وَتَقَطَّعَت
أَوتارُهُits strings وَالقَلبُand the heart قَفرٌa wasteland مُمحِلُbarren
أَوتارُهُ وَالقَلبُ قَفرٌ مُمحِلُ
So the soul is a lyre; slackened and snapped
So the soul is a lute gone mute, its strings all severed,
The spirit is a lyre whose strings have frayed,
Are its strings, and the heart is a barren wasteland.
And the heart a barren wasteland.
And snapped, and the heart is a barren wasteland.
وَالشيبُand gray hair يَضحَكُlaughs بَرقُهُits gleam فيin لِمَتيmy locks
وَالشيبُ يَضحَكُ بَرقُهُ في لِمَتي
هَذيthese الضَواحِكُthe laughing gleams ياO فُؤاديmy heart أَنصَلُblades
هَذي الضَواحِكُ يا فُؤادي أَنصَلُ
And the gleam of gray hair laughs amid my locks;
While the white of old age laughs in my temples -
Gray hair—its lightning flashes mockingly in my locks;
These laughing gleams, O my heart, are blades.
This laughing, oh my heart, is but tears.
These laughing flashes, O my heart, are but spearheads.
أَشتاقُI long for عَصرُكِyour time ياO شَبيبَةُyouth مِثلَماjust as
أَشتاقُ عَصرُكِ يا شَبيبَةُ مِثلَما
يَشتاقُlongs لِلماءِfor the water النُمَيرِpure and sweet الأَيِّلُthe stag
يَشتاقُ لِلماءِ النُمَيرِ الأَيِّلُ
I long for your days, O youth, just as
I yearn for your era, oh youth, like a deer
I long for your era, O Youth, just as
The stag longs for sweet, pure water.
Thirsts for water in the desert.
The stag longs for pure, fresh water.
إِذاwhen كانَتِwas الدُنياthe world بَِعَينيin my eyes هَيكَلاًa temple
إِذا كانَتِ الدُنيا بَِعَيني هَيكَلاً
فيهِin it الإِهاتُgoddesses (apparently intended) الجَمالِof beauty تَرتُلُchant
فيهِ الإِهاتُ الجَمالِ تَرتُلُ
When the world, in my eyes, was a temple,
When life seems to me a temple
When the world appeared to my eyes as a temple,
Within it, the goddesses of beauty chanted,
Where beauty's sighs chant on.
Wherein the goddesses of beauty chant hymns.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery حَسناءَfair woman كَأَنَّas though حَديثَهاher speech
مِن كُلِّ حَسناءَ كَأَنَّ حَديثَها
السَلوىsolace أَوِor الوَحيُrevelation الطَهورُpure المُنزَلُsent down
السَلوى أَوِ الوَحيُ الطَهورُ المُنزَلُ
Each a fair woman whose speech seemed
The words of every lovely lady I meet
From every beautiful maiden whose speech seemed like
Solace, or pure revelation sent down.
Are like solace itself or holy revelation.
Divine solace, or pure revelation sent from above.
وَأَناand I وَصَحبِيَand my friends لاnot نُفَكِّرُwe think فيabout غَدٍtomorrow
وَأَنا وَصَحبِيَ لا نُفَكِّرُ في غَدٍ
فَكَأَنَّso, as though لَيسَthere is no غَدٌtomorrow وَلاand no مُستَقبَلُfuture
فَكَأَنَّ لَيسَ غَدٌ وَلا مُستَقبَلُ
And my friends and I gave no thought to tomorrow,
My friends and I never worry about tomorrow,
My companions and I, giving no thought to tomorrow,
As though there were no tomorrow and no future.
As if there is no tomorrow or future.
As if there were no tomorrow and no future to come.
نَلهوwe frolic وَنَلعَبُand we play لاnot نُباليwe care ضَمَّناsheltered us
نَلهو وَنَلعَبُ لا نُبالي ضَمَّنا
كوخٌa hut حَقيرٌlowly أَمor حَواناhoused us مَنزِلُa home
كوخٌ حَقيرٌ أَم حَوانا مَنزِلُ
We frolicked and played, not caring whether we were sheltered
We play and fool around, not caring where
Frolicking and playing, indifferent whether we were housed
By a lowly hut or housed in a home.
A humble hut or a mansion will shelter us.
In a wretched hut or sheltered within a mansion.
نَتَوَهَّمُwe imagine الدُنياthe world لِفَرطِغُرورِناbecause of our excessive conceit
نَتَوَهَّمُ الدُنيا لِفَرطِغُرورِنا
كَمُلَتbecame complete بِناthrough us وَلِغَيرِناand for others لاnot تَكمُلُbecomes complete
كَمُلَت بِنا وَلِغَيرِنا لا تَكمُلُ
We fancied, in our excessive conceit, that the world
Our pride makes us imagine life is fulfilled by us,
In our excessive vanity, we imagined the world
Was complete through us, and could not be complete for others.
As if it's complete for us and incomplete for others.
Was made complete by us, and for others remained incomplete.
وَنَخالُand we suppose أَنَّthat البَدرَthe full moon يَطلِعُrises فيin الدُجىthe darkness
وَنَخالُ أَنَّ البَدرَ يَطلِعُ في الدُجى
كَيماso that يُسامِرُناit converses with us at night فَلاso not نَتَمَلمَلُwe grow restless
كَيما يُسامِرُنا فَلا نَتَمَلمَلُ
And imagined that the full moon rose in the darkness
We imagine the moon rises in the gloom
We fancied that the full moon rose in the darkness
To converse with us by night, so we would not grow restless.
Just to chat with us, so we're not bored.
Solely to keep us company, that we might not grow restless;
وَنَظُنُّand we think أَنَّthat الرَوضَthe garden يَنشُرُspreads عِطرَهُits fragrance
وَنَظُنُّ أَنَّ الرَوضَ يَنشُرُ عِطرَهُ
مِنfor أَجلِناour sake وَلَناand for us يُغَنّيsings البُلبُلُthe bulbul
مِن أَجلِنا وَلَنا يُغَنّي البُلبُلُ
And thought the garden spread its fragrance
We believe the meadow spreads its scent
And we believed the garden diffused its fragrance
For our sake, and the bulbul sang for us.
For us, and just for us the nightingale sings.
For our sake alone, and for us the nightingale sang;
فَكَأَنَّماso, as though الأَزهارُthe flowers سِربَa flock كَواعِبٍbudding-breasted maidens
فَكَأَنَّما الأَزهارُ سِربَ كَواعِبٍ
وَكَأَنَّماand as though هُوَit شاعِرٌa poet يَتَغَزَّلُsings of love
وَكَأَنَّما هُوَ شاعِرٌ يَتَغَزَّلُ
As though the flowers were a flock of maidens with budding breasts,
We fancy the flowers are maidens
As though the flowers were a troupe of young maidens,
And it were a poet singing of love.
And the meadow a poet composing verse.
And the bird a poet reciting verses of love.
فيin كُلِّevery مَنظورٍsight نَراهُwe see it مَلاحَةًloveliness
في كُلِّ مَنظورٍ نَراهُ مَلاحَةً
وَسَعادَةًand happiness فيin كُلِّall ماthat نَتَخَيَّلُwe imagine
وَسَعادَةً في كُلِّ ما نَتَخَيَّلُ
In all we saw, we found loveliness,
In everything we see only joy and happiness
In every sight we beheld, there was grace,
And happiness in everything we imagined.
In all we imagine.
And happiness in all that we imagined.
لاno شَيءَthing يُزعِجُdisturbs فيin الحَياةِlife نُفوسَناour souls
لا شَيءَ يُزعِجُ في الحَياةِ نُفوسَنا
لاno طارِئٌsudden event لاno عارِضٌmishap لاno مُشكِلُproblem
لا طارِئٌ لا عارِضٌ لا مُشكِلُ
Nothing in life disturbed our souls—
Nothing disturbs our souls in life,
Nothing in life troubled our souls,
No sudden event, no mishap, no problem.
No mishap or trouble or dilemma.
No sudden calamity, no obstacle, no dilemma.
فَكَأَنَّناso, as though we فيin عالَمٍa world غَيرِother than الَّذيthe one which
فَكَأَنَّنا في عالَمٍ غَيرِ الَّذي
تَتَزاحَمُjostle together الأَيديthe hands بِهِin it وَالأَرجُلُand the feet
تَتَزاحَمُ الأَيدي بِهِ وَالأَرجُلُ
As though we lived in a world unlike the one
As if we live in a world unlike the one
As if we dwelt in a world unlike this one,
Where hands and feet jostled together.
Where crowds push and feet trample.
Where hands and feet crowd and clash.
وَكَأَنَّناand as though we رَهَطُa band الكَواكِبِof stars فيin الفَضاspace
وَكَأَنَّنا رَهَطُ الكَواكِبِ في الفَضا
مَهماwhatever جَرىhappens فيon الأَرضِearth لاnot تَتَزَلزَلُthey tremble
مَهما جَرى في الأَرضِ لا تَتَزَلزَلُ
And as though we were a band of stars in space,
As if we are a band of stars in space,
As if we were a band of stars in the firmament;
Unshaken by whatever happened on earth.
No matter what happens on earth, we are unshaken.
Whatever occurs on earth, we remain unshaken.
الناسُpeople فيin طَلَبِseeking المَعاشِa livelihood وَهَمُّناand our concern
الناسُ في طَلَبِ المَعاشِ وَهَمُّنا
كَأسٌa cup مُشَعشَعَةٌmixed with water وَطَرفٌand an eye أَكحَلُkohl-dark
كَأسٌ مُشَعشَعَةٌ وَطَرفٌ أَكحَلُ
People pursued their livelihood, while our concern
People struggle to survive, while our concern
While people strove for livelihood, our only concern
Was a cup of watered wine and a kohl-dark eye.
Is a brimming cup and kohl around the eyes.
Was a brimming cup and a kohl-rimmed eye.
كَمhow often عَنَّفوناthey rebuked us فيfor الهَوىlove وَاِستَرسَلواand persisted
كَم عَنَّفونا في الهَوى وَاِستَرسَلوا
لَوif أَنَّهُمthat they عَزَفواplayed الهَوىlove لَمdid not يَعذِلواthey reproach
لَو أَنَّهُم عَزَفوا الهَوى لَم يَعذِلوا
How often they rebuked us for love, and went on and on!
How they scolded us for passion and went too far!
How often they scolded us for our passion, rambling on,
Had they played love's music, they would not have reproached us.
Had they tasted passion's joy they'd not blame.
Yet had they known love's ways, they would not have cast blame.
وَلَوَand if اِنَّهُمthat they ذاقواthey tasted كَماas ذُقنwe tasted (apparently intended) الرُأىthe visions (apparently intended)
وَلَوَ اِنَّهُم ذاقوا كَما ذُقن الرُأى
شَبِعَتwere sated نُفوسُهُمtheir souls وَإِنand even if لَمdid not يَأكُلواthey eat
شَبِعَت نُفوسُهُم وَإِن لَم يَأكُلوا
And had they tasted visions as we did,
Had they, like us, sampled the fruits of love,
And had they tasted the visions as we have tasted,
Their souls would have been sated, even if they had not eaten.
Their souls would be sated, even unfed.
Their souls would be satiated, even without food.
زَعَمواthey claimed تَبَذَّلناwe debased ourselves وَلَمand did not يَتَبذَّلواthey debase themselves
زَعَموا تَبَذَّلنا وَلَم يَتَبذَّلوا
إِنَّindeed الحَقيقَةَthe truth كُلُّناall of us مُتَبَذِّلُdebased
إِنَّ الحَقيقَةَ كُلُّنا مُتَبَذِّلُ
They claimed we debased ourselves, while they did not;
They accused us of loose ways, yet were not so themselves.
They claimed we were debased, while they remained pure,
The truth is that we all debase ourselves.
The truth is we are all unrestrained.
Yet the truth is that every one of us is debased.
حُرِمواthey were denied لَذاذاتِthe delights الهُيامِof ardent love وَفاتَناand eluded us
حُرِموا لَذاذاتِ الهُيامِ وَفاتَنا
دَرَكُattainment الحُطامِof worldly dross فَأَيُّناso which of us هُوَhe أَجهَلُmore ignorant
دَرَكُ الحُطامِ فَأَيُّنا هُوَ أَجهَلُ
They were denied the delights of ardent love, while we missed
Deprived of love's bliss, they missed out, while we attained
They were denied the delights of passion, while we missed
The gaining of worldly dross—so which of us is more ignorant?
Shattered dreams - so who is more foolish now?
The gathering of worldly debris—so which of us is the more foolish?
إِنّيindeed I تَأَمَّلتُpondered الأَنامَhumankind فَراعَنيso it startled me
إِنّي تَأَمَّلتُ الأَنامَ فَراعَني
كَيفَhow الحَياةُlife بِهِمwith them تَجُدُّis earnest وَتَهزُلُand jests
كَيفَ الحَياةُ بِهِم تَجُدُّ وَتَهزُلُ
I have pondered humankind, and it startled me
Observing people, I'm struck by how
I contemplated mankind, and I was appalled
How life treats them in earnest and in jest.
Life treats them, rising and falling each day.
By how life treats them—now serious, now mocking.
لاnot يَضبُطونَthey control مَعَamid الصُروفِfortune's reversals قَيادَهُمtheir reins
لا يَضبُطونَ مَعَ الصُروفِ قَيادَهُم
إِلّاexcept كَماas ضَبَطَheld المِياهَthe water المِنخَلُthe sieve
إِلّا كَما ضَبَطَ المِياهَ المِنخَلُ
They can no more control their reins through fortune's turns
They don't steer their course through changing events
They cannot hold their reins against fate's turning,
Than a sieve can hold water.
Except as the sieve guides the water.
Any more than a sieve can hold back water.
بَيناwhile الفَتىthe young man مِلءَfilling النَواظِرِthe eyes وَالنُهىand the minds
بَينا الفَتى مِلءَ النَواظِرِ وَالنُهى
فَإِذاthen suddenly بِهِthere he is رَقمٌa number خَفِيٌّobscure مُهمَلُneglected
فَإِذا بِهِ رَقمٌ خَفِيٌّ مُهمَلُ
One moment a young man fills eyes and minds,
A lad with shining eyes and features
One moment a youth fills the eyes and the mind,
Then suddenly he is an obscure, neglected number.
Becomes, in a flash, faded and neglected.
The next, he is but a hidden, neglected number.
ياO صاحِبيmy friend وَالعُمرُand life ظَلَّa shadow (apparently intended) زائِلٌpassing
يا صاحِبي وَالعُمرُ ظَلَّ زائِلٌ
إِنif كُنتَyou are تَأمَلُyou hope فيهِin it أَوor لاnot تَأمَلُyou hope
إِن كُنتَ تَأمَلُ فيهِ أَو لا تَأمَلُ
O my friend, life is a passing shadow,
My friend, as our days fade away
O my friend, since life is a fleeting shadow,
Whether you have hope in it or none.
Regardless of whether you heed this or not:
Whether you place your hopes in it or not,
الذِكرُrenown أَثمَنُmost valuable ماwhat اِقتَنَيتَyou acquired وَتَقتَنيand you acquire
الذِكرُ أَثمَنُ ما اِقتَنَيتَ وَتَقتَني
وَالحُبُّand love أَنفَسُmost precious ماwhat بَذَلتَyou gave وَتَبذُلُand you give
وَالحُبُّ أَنفَسُ ما بَذَلتَ وَتَبذُلُ
Renown is the most valuable thing you have gained or will gain;
Remembrance is the most precious thing you possess or will possess,
A good memory is the most precious wealth you have gained,
And love is the most precious thing you have given or will give.
And love is the noblest you've given or will ever give.
And love is the rarest treasure you have given.
قيلَit was said اِغتَنىgrew rich زَيدٌZayd فَلَيتَكَso, if only you were مِثلَهُlike him
قيلَ اِغتَنى زَيدٌ فَلَيتَكَ مِثلَهُ
أَناI مِثلُهُlike him إِنif لَمdid not أَقُلI say أَناI أَفضَلُbetter
أَنا مِثلُهُ إِن لَم أَقُل أَنا أَفضَلُ
It was said: 'Zayd has grown rich; if only you were like him!'
It's said that Zayd grew rich, and you should be like him.
They said, "Zayd has grown rich, if only you were like him!"
I am his equal, not to say that I am better.
I'm just like him, if not better!
I am like him—nay, I might say I am better.
الشَمسُthe sun ليmine وَلَهُand his وَلَألاءُand the radiance الضُحىof midmorning
الشَمسُ لي وَلَهُ وَلَألاءُ الضُحى
وَالنَيِّراتُand the heavenly lights وَمِثلُناand like us المُتَسَوِّلُthe beggar
وَالنَيِّراتُ وَمِثلُنا المُتَسَوِّلُ
The sun is mine and his, and the radiance of morning,
The sun shines on both him and me,
The sun belongs to me as to him, and the morning's shimmer,
And the heavenly lights; the beggar is like us, too.
As does the radiance of morn, the stars and beggars.
And the stars—shared by us and the beggar alike.
أَمّاas for النُضارُgold فَإِنَّهُso indeed it ياO صاحِبيmy friend
أَمّا النُضارُ فَإِنَّهُ يا صاحِبي
عَرَضٌa transient possession يَزولُvanishes وَسِعَةٌand affluence تَتَنَقَّلُchanges hands
عَرَضٌ يَزولُ وَسِعَةٌ تَتَنَقَّلُ
As for gold, my friend, it is
But vitality, my friend,
As for gold, O my companion, it is surely
A possession that vanishes, and affluence that changes hands.
Is a fleeting thing, expansive yet roaming.
A fleeting vanity and a shifting abundance.
ماas long as دُمتُI remain فيamong صَحبيmy friends وَدامَand endures وَفائُهُمtheir loyalty
ما دُمتُ في صَحبي وَدامَ وَفائُهُم
فَأَناthen I الغَنِيُّthe rich one الحَقُّtrue لاnot المُتَمَوِّلُthe moneyed one
فَأَنا الغَنِيُّ الحَقُّ لا المُتَمَوِّلُ
As long as I remain among my friends and their loyalty endures,
As long as you're with me, loyal and true,
So long as I am with my friends, and their loyalty endures,
Then I am truly rich, not the mere possessor of money.
Then I am the wealthy one, not the begging one.
I am the truly wealthy one, not the man of money.
أَناI لَستُam not أَعدَلُI equate بِالمَناجِمِwith the mines واحِداًa single one
أَنا لَستُ أَعدَلُ بِالمَناجِمِ واحِداً
وَأَبيعُand I sell مَنthose who عَقَلواreasoned بِماfor what لاnot يُعقَلُcan reason (apparently intended)
وَأَبيعُ مَن عَقَلوا بِما لا يُعقَلُ
I would not trade a single one of them for mines,
I do not consider one speck of gold equal to a mind,
I would not trade a single one of them for all the mines,
Nor sell those who reason for what cannot reason.
Nor sell minds for what is mindless.
Nor sell those with souls for soulless things.
Sol 6.1