أَيا وَيحَهُ ما ذَنبُهُ إِن تَذَكَّرا

أَيا وَيحَهُ ما ذَنبُهُ إِن تَذَكَّرا

سَوالِفَ أَيّامٍ سَبَقنَ وَأَخَّرا

سَوالِفَ أَيّامٍ سَبَقنَ وَأَخَّرا

Ah, pity him! What fault is his if he recalls

Alas, what was his crime that when memories

Bygone days that went ahead while he lingered behind,

Of bygone days of carefree living passed between us

وَسَكرَةَ عَيشٍ فارِغٍ مِن هُمومِهِ

وَسَكرَةَ عَيشٍ فارِغٍ مِن هُمومِهِ

وَمَعروفَ حالٍ لَم نَخَف أَن يُنَكَّرا

وَمَعروفَ حالٍ لَم نَخَف أَن يُنَكَّرا

And the intoxication of a life free of its cares,

And the sweetness of a vacant life, devoid of worries,

And familiar circumstances we never feared would turn strange,

And times when status was known and not disowned

وَعَصرَ شَبابٍ كانَ مَيعَةَ حُسنِهِ

وَعَصرَ شَبابٍ كانَ مَيعَةَ حُسنِهِ

وَظِلّاً مِنَ الدُنيا عَلَيهِ مُنَشَّرا

وَظِلّاً مِنَ الدُنيا عَلَيهِ مُنَشَّرا

And a season of youth that was his beauty's prime,

And the springtime of youth whose beauty graced me

And a shade from the world spread over him?

With shade in life spread over me in branches grown,

إِذا كُنَّ لا يَردُدنَ ما فاتَ مِن هَوىً

إِذا كُنَّ لا يَردُدنَ ما فاتَ مِن هَوىً

فَلا تَدَعِ المَحزونَ أَن يَتَصَبَّرا

فَلا تَدَعِ المَحزونَ أَن يَتَصَبَّرا

If those days do not restore the love that has passed,

If you would but let one sorrowing recall

Then do not leave the grieving man to force himself into patience.

Loves that were and would not sorrow ban,

وَقالوا كَبِرتَ فَاِنتَضَيتَ مِنَ الصَبا

وَقالوا كَبِرتَ فَاِنتَضَيتَ مِنَ الصَبا

فَقُلتُ لَهُم ما عُشتُ إِلّا لِأَكبَرا

فَقُلتُ لَهُم ما عُشتُ إِلّا لِأَكبَرا

And they said, 'You have aged, drawn out of youth.'

‘You are grown old,’ they said, ‘your youth is o’er’

So I told them, 'I lived only to grow older.'

And I replied, ‘I have but lived this life before

إِذا لاحَ شَيبُ الرَأسِ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

إِذا لاحَ شَيبُ الرَأسِ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

فَما أَجدَرَ الإِنسانَ أَن يَتَغَيَّرا

فَما أَجدَرَ الإِنسانَ أَن يَتَغَيَّرا

When gray hair shows upon the head for a day and a night,

To grow the older,’ when the grey appears one day

Then how fitting that a human being should change!

How fit the thought that man his ways should change each day.

وَلَبثي وَإِخلافي أُناساً فَقِدتُهُم

وَلَبثي وَإِخلافي أُناساً فَقِدتُهُم

وَما كُنتُ أَرجو بَعدَهُم أَن أُعَمَّرا

وَما كُنتُ أَرجو بَعدَهُم أَن أُعَمَّرا

And my lingering, outliving people I have lost—

Long was my staying after they had gone from me

And I had not hoped to live long after them.

Those dear ones, and I hoped not again years to see,

هُمُ طَرَدوا عَن مُقلَتَي رائِدَ الكَرى

هُمُ طَرَدوا عَن مُقلَتَي رائِدَ الكَرى

وَشَكّوا سَوادَ القَلبِ حَتّى تَفَطَّرا

وَشَكّوا سَوادَ القَلبِ حَتّى تَفَطَّرا

They drove sleep's scout away from my two eyes,

They were torn from my eyelids’ gaze, guides of my star,

And pierced the heart's dark core until it split.

They darkened my heart’s depths that had been bright afar,

وَأَجلوا هُمومي مِن سِواهُم وَأَطبَقوا

وَأَجلوا هُمومي مِن سِواهُم وَأَطبَقوا

جُفوني فَما أَهوى مِنَ العَيشِ مَنظَرا

جُفوني فَما أَهوى مِنَ العَيشِ مَنظَرا

And cleared my cares of anyone but themselves, and closed

They took away my griefs, all else beside them nothing,

My eyelids; I desire no sight of life.

They closed my eyelids—the world’s scene desiring naught then,

وَأَصبَحتُ مُعتَلَّ الحَياةِ كَأَنَّني

وَأَصبَحتُ مُعتَلَّ الحَياةِ كَأَنَّني

أَسيرٌ رَأى وَجهَ الأَميرِ فَفَكَّرا

أَسيرٌ رَأى وَجهَ الأَميرِ فَفَكَّرا

And I have grown ailing in life, as though I were

Life grew unstable seeming as a captive viewing

A captive who saw the ruler's face and pondered.

What to the prince’s face one day had been accruing,

فَإِمّا تَرَيني بِالَّذي قَد نَكَرتِهِ

فَإِمّا تَرَيني بِالَّذي قَد نَكَرتِهِ

فَيارَبُّ يَومٍ لَم أَكُن فيهِ مُنكَرا

فَيارَبُّ يَومٍ لَم أَكُن فيهِ مُنكَرا

So if you see me in the state you found strange,

So I am viewed by you in ways you recognise no more

Yet, oh, many a day I was no stranger!

Oh Lord of days whose ways I knew not then before.

أَروحُ كَغُصنِ البانِ بَيَّتَهُ النَدى

أَروحُ كَغُصنِ البانِ بَيَّتَهُ النَدى

وَهَزَّ بِأَنفاسٍ ضِعافٍ وَأُمطِرا

وَهَزَّ بِأَنفاسٍ ضِعافٍ وَأُمطِرا

I would go forth like a bān branch visited by dew at night,

I roam like boughs made drunk by dew in gentle weather,

And swayed with gentle breaths, and was rained upon.

Which soft breathing shakes, and rain about they scatter,

فَمالَ عَلى مَيثاءَ ناعِمَةِ الثَرى

فَمالَ عَلى مَيثاءَ ناعِمَةِ الثَرى

تَغَلغَلَ فيها ماؤُها وَتَحَيَّرا

تَغَلغَلَ فيها ماؤُها وَتَحَيَّرا

So it leaned over soft ground of tender earth,

And lean on fertile soil where penetrating ever

Its water seeped deep within it and pooled.

Deep the water glides and wanders without let,

كَأَنَّ الصَبا تُهدي إِلَيها إِذا جَرَت

كَأَنَّ الصَبا تُهدي إِلَيها إِذا جَرَت

عَلى تُربِها مِسكاً سَحيقاً وَعَنبَرا

عَلى تُربِها مِسكاً سَحيقاً وَعَنبَرا

As though the east wind offered it, when it blew

As though the zephyrs o’er it poured musk freely, ambergris,

Across its soil, powdered musk and ambergris.

Brooks fed it brimming from their rain, and it grew verdant, bloomed,

سَقَتهُ الغَوادي وَالسَواري قِطارَها

سَقَتهُ الغَوادي وَالسَواري قِطارَها

فَجَنَّ كَما شاءَ النَباتُ وَنَوَّرا

فَجَنَّ كَما شاءَ النَباتُ وَنَوَّرا

Morning and night rainclouds watered it with their drops,

and bore

So the vegetation grew thick as it pleased, and flowered.

Night came upon it, spacious, when the pond grew troubled,

وَحَلَّت عَلَيهِ لَيلَةٌ أَرحَبيَّةٌ

وَحَلَّت عَلَيهِ لَيلَةٌ أَرحَبيَّةٌ

إِذا ما صَفا فيها الغَديرُ تَكَدَّرا

إِذا ما صَفا فيها الغَديرُ تَكَدَّرا

And a vast night settled over it;

As if the rose gardens had blossomed amid their havens

Whenever the pool grew clear within it, it clouded again.

Leaving 'mong their petals trails of perfumes' scented lays.

كَأَنَّ الغَواني بُتنَ بَينَ رِياضِهِ

كَأَنَّ الغَواني بُتنَ بَينَ رِياضِهِ

فَغادَرنَ فيهِ نَشرَ وَردٍ وَعَبهَرا

فَغادَرنَ فيهِ نَشرَ وَردٍ وَعَبهَرا

As though beautiful women had spent the night amid its meadows,

Long drawn out between horizons never greeted

And left there the scent of roses and narcissus.

The eye at break of its dawn with proof completed.

طَويلَةَ ما بَينَ البَياضينِ لَم يَكَد

طَويلَةَ ما بَينَ البَياضينِ لَم يَكَد

يُصَدَّقُ فيها فَجرُها حينَ بَشَّرا

يُصَدَّقُ فيها فَجرُها حينَ بَشَّرا

Long was the span between the two pale lights; scarcely

When the smooth rocks it rubbed and its swelling bubbled

Could its dawn be believed when it brought glad tidings.

Up, and branches of springs were ready, weak to crack.

إِذا ما أَلَحَّت قَشَّرَ الصَخرَ وَبلُها

إِذا ما أَلَحَّت قَشَّرَ الصَخرَ وَبلُها

وَهَمَّت غُصونُ النَبعِ أَن تَتَكَسَّرا

وَهَمَّت غُصونُ النَبعِ أَن تَتَكَسَّرا

Whenever it persisted, its downpour peeled the rock,

So dawn would find it mantled with dust and darkened,

And the nabʿ-tree branches nearly broke.

As if you'd spread out on it wide carpets patterned.

فَباتَت إِذا ما البَرقُ أَوقَدَ وَسطَها

فَباتَت إِذا ما البَرقُ أَوقَدَ وَسطَها

حَريقاً أَهَلَّ الرَعدُ فيهِ وَكَبَّرا

حَريقاً أَهَلَّ الرَعدُ فيهِ وَكَبَّرا

So all night, whenever lightning lit its midst,

In it all sprightly creatures joyously darted,

It was a blaze, where thunder cried aloud and proclaimed God's greatness.

An eye that watched the languid glance grow nimble, dwelt;

كَأَنَّ الرَبابَ الجَونَ دونَ سَحابِهِ

كَأَنَّ الرَبابَ الجَونَ دونَ سَحابِهِ

خَليعٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ يَسحَبُ مِئزَرا

خَليعٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ يَسحَبُ مِئزَرا

As though the dark, low clouds beneath its rainclouds

Roaming in trails as though their trains were fashioned

Were a roguish youth dragging a waistcloth.

From the gown of a crowned king stern and high statured

إِذا لَحَقَتهُ رَوعَةٌ مِن وَرائِهِ

إِذا لَحَقَتهُ رَوعَةٌ مِن وَرائِهِ

تَلَفَّتَ وَاِستَلَّ الحُسامَ المُذَكَّرا

تَلَفَّتَ وَاِستَلَّ الحُسامَ المُذَكَّرا

When a fright overtook him from behind,

Plucking at the leafy twigs with its lightning phosphor,

He turned and drew his keen, hardened sword.

As if it fingered shoon of leather pierced and punctured.

فَأَصبَحَ مَستورَ التُرابِ كَأَنَّما

فَأَصبَحَ مَستورَ التُرابِ كَأَنَّما

نَشَرتَ عَلَيهِ وَشيَ بُردٍ مُحَبَّرا

نَشَرتَ عَلَيهِ وَشيَ بُردٍ مُحَبَّرا

By morning its soil was covered, as though

With neck as straight as staffs, their heads tossed backwards,

You had spread over it the embroidery of a richly patterned cloak.

Their hides stripped off them forward, flayed and fractured,

بِهِ كُلُّ مَوشيَّ القَوائِمِ ناشِطٌ

بِهِ كُلُّ مَوشيَّ القَوائِمِ ناشِطٌ

وَعَينٌ تُراعي فاتِرَ اللَحظِ أَحوَرا

وَعَينٌ تُراعي فاتِرَ اللَحظِ أَحوَرا

There roams every wild bull with patterned legs,

With legs like shafts of lances, hocks swelling backwards,

And wide-eyed cows watch a dark-eyed male with languid gaze.

Collapsing on their forelegs—they had tripped and stumbled.

تُطيفُ بِذَيّالٍ كَأَنَّ صُوارَهُ

تُطيفُ بِذَيّالٍ كَأَنَّ صُوارَهُ

غَدائِرُ ذي تاجٍ عَتا وَتَجَبَّرا

غَدائِرُ ذي تاجٍ عَتا وَتَجَبَّرا

They circle a long-tailed bull, whose mane is like

I neared him ere the morn, a wide-stretched space untethered,

The braids of a crown-wearer grown insolent and tyrannical.

As the jealous would, with horse that raced and galloped;

يَحُكُّ الغُصونَ المورِقاتِ بِرَوقِهِ

يَحُكُّ الغُصونَ المورِقاتِ بِرَوقِهِ

كَخَصفَكَ بِالإِشفى نِعالاً فَخَصَّرا

كَخَصفَكَ بِالإِشفى نِعالاً فَخَصَّرا

He scrapes the leafy branches with his horn,

Once he appeared, his face's youth you'd see

As you stitch sandals with an awl and narrow their middles.

Like clusters of ripe grapes between two twigs new-covering.

وَذي عُنُقٍ مِثلَ العَصا شُقَّ رَأسَها

وَذي عُنُقٍ مِثلَ العَصا شُقَّ رَأسَها

وَشُذَّبَ عَنها جِلدُها فَتَقَشَّرا

وَشُذَّبَ عَنها جِلدُها فَتَقَشَّرا

And one with a neck like a stick whose tip was split,

An alert gazelle, when frightened, his neck and chest expanding,

And whose bark was stripped away, leaving it peeled,

With haunch behind him spread like scales overlapping

وَساقٍ كَشَطرِ الرُمحِ صُمَّ كُعوبُهُ

وَساقٍ كَشَطرِ الرُمحِ صُمَّ كُعوبُهُ

تَرَدّى عَلى ما فَوقَها وَتَأَزَّرا

تَرَدّى عَلى ما فَوقَها وَتَأَزَّرا

And a leg like half a spear whose nodes were solid:

And the rein let out freely to his will surrendering

Above that leg it wore a mantle and a waistcloth.

By brother sure and fleet—no fears detaining, doubting,

فَبادَرتُهُ قَبلَ الصَباحِ بِسابِحٍ

فَبادَرتُهُ قَبلَ الصَباحِ بِسابِحٍ

جَوادٍ كَما شاءَ الحَسودُ وَأَكثَرا

جَوادٍ كَما شاءَ الحَسودُ وَأَكثَرا

So I rushed upon it before dawn on a swimming-gaited steed,

Anxieties attacked me, their unforeseen guests waking,

A noble horse, all the envious could wish for, and more.

With a howling wilderness their harbourage forsaking

إِذا ما بَدا أَبصَرتَ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ

إِذا ما بَدا أَبصَرتَ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ

كَعُنقودِ كَرمٍ بَينَ غُصنَينِ نَوَّرا

كَعُنقودِ كَرمٍ بَينَ غُصنَينِ نَوَّرا

Whenever it appeared, you saw the blaze upon its face,

As if their pools were lightning in smooth surfaces shaking

Like a grape cluster between two flowering branches,

Or sands unfolding and advancing, steam evaporating

وَسالِفَتي ظَبي مِنَ الوَحشِ سانِحٍ

وَسالِفَتي ظَبي مِنَ الوَحشِ سانِحٍ

إِذا ما عَراهُ خَوفُ شَيءٍ تَبَصَّرا

إِذا ما عَراهُ خَوفُ شَيءٍ تَبَصَّرا

And the neck-sides of a wild gazelle crossing to the right,

As night advanced its starry train, we donned a gown of blackness

Which looked keenly when fear of something gripped it.

The end of which was far from clear at morning's starkness.

وَرِدفاً كَظَهرِ التُرسِ أُسبِلَ خَلفَهُ

وَرِدفاً كَظَهرِ التُرسِ أُسبِلَ خَلفَهُ

عَسيبٌ كَفَيضِ الطَودِ لَمّا تَحَدَّرا

عَسيبٌ كَفَيضِ الطَودِ لَمّا تَحَدَّرا

And a rump like a shield's back, behind which hung

About that band the fate of men circled till they in seeming

A tail like a mountain's flood as it poured down.

Were like the drafts of wine cups brimming over, drunken, reeling.

وَأَرسَلتُهُ مُستَطعِماً لِعِنانِهِ

وَأَرسَلتُهُ مُستَطعِماً لِعِنانِهِ

أَخا ثِقَةٍ ما أَنتَ إِلّا مُبَشِّرا

أَخا ثِقَةٍ ما أَنتَ إِلّا مُبَشِّرا

And I loosed it, hungry for its rein,

From all this I have spent my scaping years and summits.

A trusted companion: 'You are only a bearer of good news!'

All things must pass—I mourn, I sorrow and remember.

وَهَمٌّ أَتَتني طارِقاتُ ضُيوفِهِ

وَهَمٌّ أَتَتني طارِقاتُ ضُيوفِهِ

فَما كانَ إِلّا اليَعمُلاتِ لَهُ قِرى

فَما كانَ إِلّا اليَعمُلاتِ لَهُ قِرى

And a care whose guests' night visits came upon me—

Once, in July, I steered that fire through Gemini's runnel,

So there was no fare for it but swift she-camels,

The cloak of stars spread down when Sirius drew nigh.

بِوَحشيَّةٍ قَفرٍ تَخالُ سَرابَها

بِوَحشيَّةٍ قَفرٍ تَخالُ سَرابَها

مَهاً لامِعاتٍ أَو مُلاءً مُنَشَّرا

مَهاً لامِعاتٍ أَو مُلاءً مُنَشَّرا

Across a wild, barren land whose mirage you would take

The day's eye had devoured all his shadows,

For gleaming oryx or cloths spread out.

And he became like the red streaks in dust clouds flying.

فَلَمّا تَبَدّى اللَيلُ يَحدو بِنَجمِهِ

فَلَمّا تَبَدّى اللَيلُ يَحدو بِنَجمِهِ

لَبِسنا ظَلاماً لَم يَكَد صُبحُهُ يُرى

لَبِسنا ظَلاماً لَم يَكَد صُبحُهُ يُرى

Then, when night appeared, driving onward with its star,

What enemy did not attack us on our march,

We wore darkness whose dawn could scarcely be seen.

And meet us with bright flashing evil starry and stellar!

وَطافَ الكَرى بِالقَومِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُم

وَطافَ الكَرى بِالقَومِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُم

نَشاوى شَرابٍ دَبَّ فيهِم وَأَسكَرا

نَشاوى شَرابٍ دَبَّ فيهِم وَأَسكَرا

And sleep circled the company until they seemed

If you had not ridden too near deeds unforeseen

Drunk on a drink that crept through them and intoxicated them.

You'd have met on roughest roads with furthest ends extreme.

فَمِن كُلِّ هَذا قَد قَضَيتُ لُبانَتي

فَمِن كُلِّ هَذا قَد قَضَيتُ لُبانَتي

وَوَلّى فَلَم أَملِك أَسىً وَتَذَكُّرا

وَوَلّى فَلَم أَملِك أَسىً وَتَذَكُّرا

So from all this I fulfilled my heart's desire,

And it passed; I could not restrain grief and remembrance.

وَيَوماً مِنَ الجَوزاءِ أَصلَيتُ نارَهُ

وَيَوماً مِنَ الجَوزاءِ أَصلَيتُ نارَهُ

وَقَد سَتَّرَ الكَناسُ إِذ بانَ مُشتَرى

وَقَد سَتَّرَ الكَناسُ إِذ بانَ مُشتَرى

And on a day of Gemini I endured its fire,

And the covert had hidden its dweller when Jupiter appeared.

وَقَد أَكَلَت شَمسُ النَهارِ ظِلالَهُ

وَقَد أَكَلَت شَمسُ النَهارِ ظِلالَهُ

وَصارَت كَحِرباءِ الهَواجِرِ مِعفَرا

وَصارَت كَحِرباءِ الهَواجِرِ مِعفَرا

And the day's sun had eaten away its shadows,

And became like a noonday chameleon amid the dust.

وَكَم مِن عَدوٍّ رامَ قَصفَ قَناتِنا

وَكَم مِن عَدوٍّ رامَ قَصفَ قَناتِنا

فَلاقى بِنا يَوماً مِنَ الشَرِّ أَحمَرا

فَلاقى بِنا يَوماً مِنَ الشَرِّ أَحمَرا

And many an enemy sought to snap our spear-shaft,

And met, at our hands, a day red with evil.

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَركَب أَدانِيَ حادِثٍ

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَركَب أَدانِيَ حادِثٍ

مِنَ الأَمرِ لاقَيتَ الأَقاصِيَ أَوعَرا

مِنَ الأَمرِ لاقَيتَ الأَقاصِيَ أَوعَرا

If you do not ride the nearer reaches of an event,

In affairs, you will find the farther reaches rougher.