تؤمِّلُ بالأشعارِ أنْ تَتَموّلا

تؤمِّلُ بالأشعارِ أنْ تَتَموّلا

وما العيشُ إلاّ أن تكونَ مؤَمَّلا

وما العيشُ إلاّ أن تكونَ مؤَمَّلا

You hope to grow wealthy through poetry,

You hope that poetry will make you wealthy,

yet life is nothing but being looked to with hope.

Yet life is but to live hopefully.

ألا رُبَّ هَمٍّ يحطِمُ القلبَ ثِقلُه

ألا رُبَّ هَمٍّ يحطِمُ القلبَ ثِقلُه

عَقَدْتُ له بُردَيَّ حتى تَحلّلا

عَقَدْتُ له بُردَيَّ حتى تَحلّلا

Ah, many a care whose weight crushes the heart

Oh how many a care may break the heart with its weight,

I knotted my two cloaks against, until it came undone.

I have composed for it a couplet until it dissolves.

ومَلْكٍ عَبوسٍ لا يُرامُ خِطابُه

ومَلْكٍ عَبوسٍ لا يُرامُ خِطابُه

طلعتُ عليهِ طلعةً فتَهَلّلا

طلعتُ عليهِ طلعةً فتَهَلّلا

And many a scowling king whom none dared address

And a frowning king whose discourse cannot be desired,

I appeared before, and his face lit up.

I rose over him with a rising so he smiled.

وقولٍ بحباتِ القلوبِ حبستُه

وقولٍ بحباتِ القلوبِ حبستُه

وإنْ طافَ آفاقَ البلادِ وجَوّلا

وإنْ طافَ آفاقَ البلادِ وجَوّلا

And many an utterance I imprisoned in the hearts' very cores,

And a saying with the seeds of hearts I confined it,

though it roamed the lands' horizons and ranged abroad.

Though it circled the horizons of countries and wandered.

وعشرينَ قضيتُ الصِّبا بمرورها

وعشرينَ قضيتُ الصِّبا بمرورها

كأنّي بها قضيتُ حولاً مؤجَّلا

كأنّي بها قضيتُ حولاً مؤجَّلا

And twenty years, with whose passing I spent my youth,

Twenty I spent my youth as it passed,

as though I had spent in them just one allotted year.

As if I spent with it a delayed year.

فإنْ لم يكن ما فاتَ منها بِراجِعٍ

فإنْ لم يكن ما فاتَ منها بِراجِعٍ

فليتَ الذي يحدو الركائبَ أمْهَلا

فليتَ الذي يحدو الركائبَ أمْهَلا

If what has passed of them will not return,

If what has passed of it will not return,

would that the one driving the riding camels would slow down.

Then woe to him who urges on the riding-camels to delay!

دعِ الجهلَ في لُومِ الأصادِقِ إنّني

دعِ الجهلَ في لُومِ الأصادِقِ إنّني

رأيتُ جمالَ المرءِ أنْ يتَجمّلا

رأيتُ جمالَ المرءِ أنْ يتَجمّلا

Leave off foolishly blaming true friends; I

Leave the ignorant in blaming the truthful, for I

have found a man's beauty in his gracious conduct.

Saw the beauty of a man is to adorn himself.

لَئِنْ أنا لمْ أُعطِ الصبابةَ حكمَها

لَئِنْ أنا لمْ أُعطِ الصبابةَ حكمَها

لقد كانَ قَلبي للصّبابَةِ مَنْزِلا

لقد كانَ قَلبي للصّبابَةِ مَنْزِلا

Even if I did not grant love-longing its due,

If I did not give youth its judgement,

my heart was indeed a dwelling for love-longing.

Still my heart was for youth a dwelling.

رأيتُ اللّيالي لا يُبَلِّغْنَ مُنيةً

رأيتُ اللّيالي لا يُبَلِّغْنَ مُنيةً

ولا يَرتَجعْنَ الشيءَ إلا تَغَفُّلا

ولا يَرتَجعْنَ الشيءَ إلا تَغَفُّلا

I have found that the nights bring no wish to fulfillment,

I saw the nights not convey an end,

and reclaim things only by catching one unawares.

Nor return a thing unless forgetting.

وبَصرني هذا الزّمانُ بأهلِهِ

وبَصرني هذا الزّمانُ بأهلِهِ

فما أقطَعُ الأيّامَ فيهم تأمُّلا

فما أقطَعُ الأيّامَ فيهم تأمُّلا

This age has shown me its people for what they are,

And this time showed me its people,

so I do not spend my days pondering them.

So I do not glance at the days among them studying.

لقلَّ غَناءُ القولِ إنّكَ حالِمٌ

لقلَّ غَناءُ القولِ إنّكَ حالِمٌ

إذا أنتَ لم تَعدِلْ بقلبكَ مَعْدِلا

إذا أنتَ لم تَعدِلْ بقلبكَ مَعْدِلا

Little use is the claim, 'You are forbearing,'

Song is little praised if you, a dreamer,

if you do not turn your heart onto a different course.

Do not make your heart thereby a balance.

بني الأُزْدِ ظَنّاً بالزّمانِ فإنّه

بني الأُزْدِ ظَنّاً بالزّمانِ فإنّه

يُقَطِّعُ من أسْبابِهِ ما تَوَصّلا

يُقَطِّعُ من أسْبابِهِ ما تَوَصّلا

Sons of al-Azd, distrust time, for it

O people of glory, think well of the time, for it

severs whatever of its bonds has been joined.

Severs from its causes what is connected.

ورُدّوا وجوهَ السّائلينَ بمائِها

ورُدّوا وجوهَ السّائلينَ بمائِها

تُرَدُّ إليكم أوجُهُ الشُكْرِ سَلسَلا

تُرَدُّ إليكم أوجُهُ الشُكْرِ سَلسَلا

Send petitioners away with their faces' freshness preserved,

And return the faces of the questioners with their water,

and gratitude's faces will return to you in a clear stream.

So to you the faces of gratitude will return chained.

أجوداً بأحسابٍ وبُخْلاً بثَروَةٍ

أجوداً بأحسابٍ وبُخْلاً بثَروَةٍ

فكيفَ ألومُ الدّهْرَ أنْ يَتَبَذّلا

فكيفَ ألومُ الدّهْرَ أنْ يَتَبَذّلا

Generosity with noble pedigrees, yet stinginess with wealth?

Generous in calculation and miserly in wealth,

Then how can I blame time for becoming debased?

So how do I blame fate for being neglectful?

فأقْسَمتُ لا تنفكُّ منّي قَصيدةٌ

فأقْسَمتُ لا تنفكُّ منّي قَصيدةٌ

يَسُلُّ بها السّاري على الليلِ مُنْصُلا

يَسُلُّ بها السّاري على الليلِ مُنْصُلا

So I swore there would always be a poem from me,

I swore no ode will separate from me,

with which the night traveler draws a blade against the night,

That loosens the pleiades upon the night sparkling.

إلى ملكٍ من تَغلِبَ ابنةِ وائِلٍ

إلى ملكٍ من تَغلِبَ ابنةِ وائِلٍ

يَرى شُهْدةَ المالِ المجمّعِ حَنْظَلا

يَرى شُهْدةَ المالِ المجمّعِ حَنْظَلا

for a king of Taghlib, daughter of Wa'il,

To a king from Taghlib, daughter of Wael,

who regards hoarded wealth's honeycomb as bitter colocynth.

Who sees the collected honey of wealth buzzing.

أغَرَّ إلى كفيهِ يَنتَسِبُ النّدى

أغَرَّ إلى كفيهِ يَنتَسِبُ النّدى

وصرفُ الرّدى لو نافسَ الدّهْرَ فُضِّلا

وصرفُ الرّدى لو نافسَ الدّهْرَ فُضِّلا

A radiant lord, to whose hands generosity traces its lineage,

Alluring to his hands, born of the dew,

and the averting of death; if he rivaled Time, he would be preferred.

And turning away harm if competing with fate.

فِداؤُكَ سيفَ الملكِ كلُّ مُملَّكٍ

فِداؤُكَ سيفَ الملكِ كلُّ مُملَّكٍ

إذا قيلَ كثرْ من حسودِكَ قَلّلا

إذا قيلَ كثرْ من حسودِكَ قَلّلا

May every crowned ruler be your ransom, O Sword of Kingship,

Your ransom is the sword of the king, every kingdom,

who, told to make much of your envier, makes little of him.

When it is said “many are your enviers,” belittle them.

يسائِلُ منه في المكارِمِ باقِلاً

يسائِلُ منه في المكارِمِ باقِلاً

وفي البُخْلِ حتى يَنسُبَ البخلُ دَغْفَلا

وفي البُخْلِ حتى يَنسُبَ البخلُ دَغْفَلا

In noble deeds, whoever questions him finds a Baqil,

Asking him in generosity the least

and in stinginess a Daghfal, until Stinginess itself traces his lineage.

And in stinginess until stinginess attributes to itself blindness.

فإنّكَ ما ازدادَ الزمانُ تصعُّباً

فإنّكَ ما ازدادَ الزمانُ تصعُّباً

على الناسِ إلا ازددتَ فيه تَسَهُّلا

على الناسِ إلا ازددتَ فيه تَسَهُّلا

For, however much time grows harsh

For when the time grew more difficult

toward people, you grow all the more approachable.

For people, you grew in it more easy.

بني الحربِ حَشّوها دُروعاً حَصينةً

بني الحربِ حَشّوها دُروعاً حَصينةً

وجُرْداً وأبطالاً وبيضاً وذُبَّلا

وجُرْداً وأبطالاً وبيضاً وذُبَّلا

Sons of war, stoke it with strong coats of armor,

O people of war, fill it with impregnable shields,

and sleek steeds, heroes, gleaming swords, and supple lances,

And mail, and heroes, and sharp swords, and bleached bones.

وصبراً جَميلاً للرماحِ إذا غَدَتْ

وصبراً جَميلاً للرماحِ إذا غَدَتْ

ترومُ لها بينَ الجوانِحِ موئِلا

ترومُ لها بينَ الجوانِحِ موئِلا

and noble endurance before the spears when they come

And fine patience for when the spears become

seeking shelter for themselves between the ribs.

Seeking among the vitals a lodging.

خُذوا الموتَ لا يأخذكُمُ الموتُ عَنوةً

خُذوا الموتَ لا يأخذكُمُ الموتُ عَنوةً

ألا إنّما وَقعُ الحديدِ تَصَلْصُلا

ألا إنّما وَقعُ الحديدِ تَصَلْصُلا

Seize death; do not let death seize you by force.

Take death, let not death take you suddenly,

Know that the clash of iron is merely a clang.

Beware the falling of the iron clanging.

ولا تحقِروا أعداءَكُم في كتائِبٍ

ولا تحقِروا أعداءَكُم في كتائِبٍ

تُسيّرُا الأوتادُ سيراً مُعَجَّلا

تُسيّرُا الأوتادُ سيراً مُعَجَّلا

And do not belittle your enemies in battalions

And do not scorn your enemies in battalions

whose tent pegs set them moving at a hurried pace.

That march the tent-pegs marching hurriedly.

فما السيفُ لولا نيلُهُ وضِرابُهُ

فما السيفُ لولا نيلُهُ وضِرابُهُ

وما الليثُ لولا أنّهُ رامَ مَقْتَلا

وما الليثُ لولا أنّهُ رامَ مَقْتَلا

For what is a sword without its reach and its blows,

For what is the sword if not for its attainment and its striking,

and what is a lion unless it seeks a kill?

And what is the lion if not for its seeking to kill?

ولا تَقْبَلوا عن أرضِ يونانَ هُدنَةً

ولا تَقْبَلوا عن أرضِ يونانَ هُدنَةً

فإنّ قَرارَ الدِّينِ لنْ يتَزَلْزَلا

فإنّ قَرارَ الدِّينِ لنْ يتَزَلْزَلا

And accept no truce over the land of Greece,

And do not accept from the land of Greece a truce,

for the foundations of the faith will not be shaken.

For the settlement of religion will not waver.

ألا إنّما صُلْحُ الرجالِ خُصومةٌ

ألا إنّما صُلْحُ الرجالِ خُصومةٌ

إذا أبَتِ الأحقادُ أنْ تتَزَيَّلا

إذا أبَتِ الأحقادُ أنْ تتَزَيَّلا

Indeed, men's reconciliation is only strife

Beware, the resolution of men is enmity,

when grudges refuse to fall away.

If hatreds refuse to dissipate.

فكمْ من ظَلامٍ قد نصرتَ بمثلهِ

فكمْ من ظَلامٍ قد نصرتَ بمثلهِ

إليْهِم من الجوِّ العَناجيجِ والمَلا

إليْهِم من الجوِّ العَناجيجِ والمَلا

How often you have aided darkness with its like,

So how much darkness you have brought victory in its like

against them—from the air, the swift steeds, and the open plain.

To them from the atmosphere and the ascending evil portents.

ويومٍ عليهمْ لا يُنادى وليدُه

ويومٍ عليهمْ لا يُنادى وليدُه

ركبتَ بهِ الفتحَ الأغرَّ المُحَجَّلا

ركبتَ بهِ الفتحَ الأغرَّ المُحَجَّلا

And a day upon them when no child was called,

And a day over them not its newborn is called out,

on which you rode victory, white-blazed and white-stockinged.

You rode therein victory, unveiled and sparkling.

ومَلومَةٍ ظنّ الدِّمُسْتُقُ أنه

ومَلومَةٍ ظنّ الدِّمُسْتُقُ أنه

يريكَ بها الموتَ الزّؤامَ ممثّلا

يريكَ بها الموتَ الزّؤامَ ممثّلا

And an armored host with which the Domestikos thought

And blame that the vicious one thought

to show you dire death embodied.

He makes you see therein death frowning.

فكان كمَنْ أهدى إلى النارِ أُكلَها

فكان كمَنْ أهدى إلى النارِ أُكلَها

وكنْتَ كمَنْ راضَ الشّموسَ وذَلّلا

وكنْتَ كمَنْ راضَ الشّموسَ وذَلّلا

Yet he was like one who offered fire its fuel,

So he was like one who presents to the fire its fuel,

while you were like one who tamed the unruly steed and subdued it.

And you were like one who contents the suns and overpowered.

تَركتَهُم للقتلِ والخَوفِ عُرْضَةً

تَركتَهُم للقتلِ والخَوفِ عُرْضَةً

فما يطعمونَ النومَ إلاّ كَلاولا

فما يطعمونَ النومَ إلاّ كَلاولا

You left them exposed to slaughter and fear,

You left them exposed to killing and fear,

so they taste sleep only as briefly as saying 'no, no.'

So they sleep only fitfully.

يَوَدُّ الشّديدُ الرابطُ الجأشِ منهمُ

يَوَدُّ الشّديدُ الرابطُ الجأشِ منهمُ

من الخوفِ لو كان الصريعَ المُجَدَّلا

من الخوفِ لو كان الصريعَ المُجَدَّلا

The strong, stouthearted man among them wishes,

The firm binder ferocious from them wishes,

out of fear, that he were the fallen man stretched on the ground.

From fear, if only he were the shackled corpse.

إذا ماتَ منهم بالدِّماءِ مُرَملٌ

إذا ماتَ منهم بالدِّماءِ مُرَملٌ

أماتَ عليها بالدّموعِ مُرَمَّلا

أماتَ عليها بالدّموعِ مُرَمَّلا

When one of them dies drenched in blood,

If one of them dies bloodied in the sands,

he brings death to another drenched in tears over that blood.

You make one tear-soaked over him die.

يَسدونَ أفواهَ الشِّعابِ عليهِمُ

يَسدونَ أفواهَ الشِّعابِ عليهِمُ

وأيُّ صَفاةٍ منكَ تمنعُ معوَلا

وأيُّ صَفاةٍ منكَ تمنعُ معوَلا

They seal the mouths of the mountain passes around themselves,

They block the mouths of ravines against them,

yet what slab of rock can resist a pickaxe from you?

And which smooth plains of yours prevent a pickaxe?

تَرحلتَ عن شطِ الخليجِ بجَحْفَلٍ

تَرحلتَ عن شطِ الخليجِ بجَحْفَلٍ

وخلّفتَ فيه من حِذارِكَ جَحْفَلا

وخلّفتَ فيه من حِذارِكَ جَحْفَلا

You departed from the gulf's shore with a mighty army,

You travelled from the shore of the gulf with an army

and left there a mighty army of dread of you.

And left therein from your caution an army.

فليتَ قبوراً بالمدينةِ بُشِّرَتْ

فليتَ قبوراً بالمدينةِ بُشِّرَتْ

بيومٍ تركتَ الكفرَ فيه مُكَبَّلا

بيومٍ تركتَ الكفرَ فيه مُكَبَّلا

Would that graves in Medina were brought glad news

Would that graves in the city may have been given tidings

of a day when you left unbelief bound in chains.

Of a day you left disbelief therein shackled.

وقومٍ أناخَ الغدرُ فيهم قعودَه

وقومٍ أناخَ الغدرُ فيهم قعودَه

سَريتَ لهم ليلاً من الشّرِّ ألْيَلا

سَريتَ لهم ليلاً من الشّرِّ ألْيَلا

And a people among whom treachery settled its riding camel,

And a people in whom betrayal encamped,

you journeyed by night against them through a night dark with evil.

You travelled against them a night of evil.

وضربةِ سيفٍ قد أثرتَ نجيعَها

وضربةِ سيفٍ قد أثرتَ نجيعَها

كأنّ بها في صفحةِ الماءِ جَنْدَلا

كأنّ بها في صفحةِ الماءِ جَنْدَلا

And a sword-stroke whose gore you stirred up,

And the strike of a sword whose wound you made gape,

as though, through it, boulders lay on the face of the water.

As if with it in the surface of water a bucket.

وقبٍ يبارينَ الرياحَ بمركزٍ

وقبٍ يبارينَ الرياحَ بمركزٍ

رميتَ بها عن قوسِ هَمِّكَ مَعقِلا

رميتَ بها عن قوسِ هَمِّكَ مَعقِلا

And lean steeds that race the winds at a post—

And a bow that rivals the winds in its curved shape,

you shot them at a stronghold from the bow of your resolve.

You shot with it from the bow of your care firmly.

تَمرُّ كأنّ البرقَ شَقَّ غُبارَها

تَمرُّ كأنّ البرقَ شَقَّ غُبارَها

وقد تَركتْ في أملسِ الصَخْرِ قَسطَلا

وقد تَركتْ في أملسِ الصَخْرِ قَسطَلا

They pass as though lightning cleft their dust,

Passing as if lightning split its dust,

having left a dust-cloud even on smooth rock.

And it left in the smooth rock a cleavage.

سبقتَ إلى غاياتِ كلِّ فضيلةٍ

سبقتَ إلى غاياتِ كلِّ فضيلةٍ

وخَلّيْتَ مَنْ يرجو لحاقكَ مُبْسَلا

وخَلّيْتَ مَنْ يرجو لحاقكَ مُبْسَلا

You reached first the utmost bounds of every virtue,

You preceded to the goals of every merit,

and left whoever hopes to catch you hopelessly stranded.

And left whoever hopes to meet you dissolved.

إذا الخيلُ طاشتْ بالفوارسِ وقَّرتْ

إذا الخيلُ طاشتْ بالفوارسِ وقَّرتْ

على اسمك َ حتى يمنحَ الحِلْمَ يَذْبُلا

على اسمك َ حتى يمنحَ الحِلْمَ يَذْبُلا

When horses bolt with their riders, they grow steady

When the horses panic with the horsemen and stand still

at your name, until it grants even Yadhbul composure.

Upon your name until forbearance withers.

خلائِقُ تُدْني الحرَّ منكَ تكرّماً

خلائِقُ تُدْني الحرَّ منكَ تكرّماً

وتَمنعُهُ بالجاهِ أنْ يتَمَوّلا

وتَمنعُهُ بالجاهِ أنْ يتَمَوّلا

Virtues that bring the noble man close to you through generosity,

Creation brings the heat near to you honourably

yet, through your prestige, deter him from acquiring wealth.

And prevents it with glory to gain wealth.

أرى شعراءَ الناسِ فيَّ ثلاثةً

أرى شعراءَ الناسِ فيَّ ثلاثةً

حسوداً ومدّاحاً ونُكساً مُجَهَّلا

حسوداً ومدّاحاً ونُكساً مُجَهَّلا

I find people's poets, in their dealings with me, of three kinds:

I see the poets of the people concerning me in three:

an envier, a panegyrist, and a weakling deemed ignorant.

A jealous one, a praiser, and an ignorant fault-finder.

أخذتُ بأطرافِ الكلامِ عليهمُ

أخذتُ بأطرافِ الكلامِ عليهمُ

فما يُحسِنونَ القولَ إلاّ تنحُّلا

فما يُحسِنونَ القولَ إلاّ تنحُّلا

I have taken hold of speech's every reach ahead of them,

I took the poem by the hem against them,

so they produce fine verse only by plagiarism.

So they do not make good speech except dissolving.

فمَن لي بسَيفِ الدولةِ اليومَ ناصراً

فمَن لي بسَيفِ الدولةِ اليومَ ناصراً

فيمنعُ من ذا القولِ أن يتَبَذّلا

فيمنعُ من ذا القولِ أن يتَبَذّلا

Who will bring me Sayf al-Dawla today as a champion,

Who will aid me today with the sword of the state

to keep this verse from being cheapened?

And prevent this speech to circulate?

فربَّ شَرودٍ قد بعثتُ فلم نَجِدْ

فربَّ شَرودٍ قد بعثتُ فلم نَجِدْ

على أحدٍ إلاّ عليهِ مُعَوَّلا

على أحدٍ إلاّ عليهِ مُعَوَّلا

For many a far-ranging poem have I sent, yet we have found

So I have sent out many stumbling lines of poetry

no one but him to rely on.

And found leaning thereon no one except it as hoped.

أعني على هذا الزّمانِ وأهلِهِ

أعني على هذا الزّمانِ وأهلِهِ

وإن كنتُ فيهِ حازمَ الرّأيِ حُوَّلا

وإن كنتُ فيهِ حازمَ الرّأيِ حُوَّلا

Help me against this age and its people,

Help me against this time and its people,

though within it I am sound in judgment and resourceful.

Though I was therein resolute in opinion transformed.

وهبْ لي جسيماً من مكارمِكَ التي

وهبْ لي جسيماً من مكارمِكَ التي

تمثلنَ لي في عدةِ الرملِ أجْبُلا

تمثلنَ لي في عدةِ الرملِ أجْبُلا

And grant me a mighty share of those generous deeds of yours

And grant to me a great deed from your merits that

that appear to me as mountains, as countless as grains of sand.

Create for me thereby in the sands of poetry a camel uncut-eared.

ففي كلِّ يومٍ يُحدثُ الدّهرُ صامتاً

ففي كلِّ يومٍ يُحدثُ الدّهرُ صامتاً

وما كلُّ يومٍ يُحدثُ الدّهرُ مقْوَلا

وما كلُّ يومٍ يُحدثُ الدّهرُ مقْوَلا

For every day time brings forth something mute,

For each day brings something new silently,

but not every day does time bring forth an eloquent speaker.

And not every day brings something said.