فقَدتُكَ دَهراً كنتُ أفزَعُ فقدَهُ

فقَدتُكَ دَهراً كنتُ أفزَعُ فقدَهُ

يُكلّفُني من كلِّ صَعبٍ أشَدَّهُ

يُكلّفُني من كلِّ صَعبٍ أشَدَّهُ

May I lose you, O age whose loss I once dreaded,

I lost you for an age, bearing the heaviest of burdens in your absence.

Burdening me with the harshest of every hardship.

I obeyed you in a body exposed to every piercing blade that strips the sword of its edge.

أطعتُكَ في جِسْمٍ يُعرِّضُ جَنبَهُ

أطعتُكَ في جِسْمٍ يُعرِّضُ جَنبَهُ

لكلِّ مَهزٍ يَسلُبُ السيفَ حَدَّهُ

لكلِّ مَهزٍ يَسلُبُ السيفَ حَدَّهُ

I obeyed you in a body that exposes its flank

And if he was a slave who does not anger his Lord,

To every blow that robs the sword of its edge.

You are a master who shows no mercy to his slave.

وإنْ كانَ عبداً ليس يُغضبُ ربَّهُ

وإنْ كانَ عبداً ليس يُغضبُ ربَّهُ

فإنّكَ مولى ليسَ يَرحَمُ عَبْدَهُ

فإنّكَ مولى ليسَ يَرحَمُ عَبْدَهُ

And though it is a slave that never angers its master,

Oh my friend, descendant of Tameem ibn Khindif!

Yet you are a master who shows his slave no mercy.

Among people are those whose tears their grief cannot conceal.

ألا يا نَديمي من تميمِ بنِ خِندِفٍ

ألا يا نَديمي من تميمِ بنِ خِندِفٍ

من الناسِ من لا يكتُم الدمعُ وجدَهُ

من الناسِ من لا يكتُم الدمعُ وجدَهُ

Ah, my drinking companion, of Tamim ibn Khindif,

It pains me if she I craved nearness to knew my longing,

Among men is one whose tears cannot hide his passion.

So that a string of pearls, long protected, would come undone.

يَعزُّ على من لمتُهُ لو علمتُهُ

يَعزُّ على من لمتُهُ لو علمتُهُ

تَبدُّدُ دُرٍّ طالما صانَ عِقدَهُ

تَبدُّدُ دُرٍّ طالما صانَ عِقدَهُ

It pains the man I blamed—had I only known him—

Pour me some cups from my tears, and sing to me

To scatter pearls whose necklace he long preserved.

About the heat of a breast whose coolness I once belittled.

أدِرْ لي كؤوساً من دُموعي وغَنني

أدِرْ لي كؤوساً من دُموعي وغَنني

على حَرِّ صدرٍ كنتُ أحقِرُ بَردَهُ

على حَرِّ صدرٍ كنتُ أحقِرُ بَردَهُ

Pass me cups of my tears, and sing to me

The full moon is a darling who kisses his foot,

Over the heat of a breast whose coolness I once despised.

And I magnify him above kissing his cheek.

وبدرُ تمامٍ بِتُّ ألثُمُ رِجلَهُ

وبدرُ تمامٍ بِتُّ ألثُمُ رِجلَهُ

وأُكْبِرُهُ عن أنْ أُقَبِّلَ خَدَّهُ

وأُكْبِرُهُ عن أنْ أُقَبِّلَ خَدَّهُ

And a full moon whose foot I spent the night kissing,

I fell for everything about him that he loves,

And whom I deemed too exalted for me to kiss his cheek.

Even his injustice, so I fall for his rejection.

تَعَشَّقْتُ فيه كلَّ شيءٍ يَودهُ

تَعَشَّقْتُ فيه كلَّ شيءٍ يَودهُ

من الجورِ حتى بتُّ أعشَقُ صدَّهُ

من الجورِ حتى بتُّ أعشَقُ صدَّهُ

I loved in him everything he loved

The night comes to me pushing its chest,

Of cruelty, until I spent the night loving his rejection.

Repeatedly tearing its cloak.

تَخطى إليَّ الليلُ يدفَعُ صَدرهُ

تَخطى إليَّ الليلُ يدفَعُ صَدرهُ

مِراراً وأحياناً يمزِقُ بُرْدَهُ

مِراراً وأحياناً يمزِقُ بُرْدَهُ

He crossed the night toward me, pushing back its breast,

I'm amazed by him hiding his mystery and his face,

Again and again, and at times tearing its cloak.

With him the world shines and after him the sun.

عَجِبْتُ لهُ يُخفي سُراه ووَجْهُهُ

عَجِبْتُ لهُ يُخفي سُراه ووَجْهُهُ

به تُشرِقُ الدُنيا وبالشّمسِ بَعْدَهُ

به تُشرِقُ الدُنيا وبالشّمسِ بَعْدَهُ

I marveled at him concealing his night journey, when his face

And I need an ignorance in his union,

Lights the world, and the sun lights it after him.

So who will I trust with reason in his presence?

ولابدّ لي من جَهلَةٍ في وِصالِهِ

ولابدّ لي من جَهلَةٍ في وِصالِهِ

فَمن لي بخلٍّ أُودِعُ الحِلْمَ عِنْدَهُ

فَمن لي بخلٍّ أُودِعُ الحِلْمَ عِنْدَهُ

And I must commit some folly in seeking union with him;

People are nothing but stingy with their inheritance,

So who will find me a friend with whom to leave my restraint?

And stingier than them is he whose promise you seek.

وما النّاسُ إلاّ باخِلٌ بتُراثِهِ

وما النّاسُ إلاّ باخِلٌ بتُراثِهِ

وأبخَلُ منه منْ تطلّبتَ عَهْدَهُ

وأبخَلُ منه منْ تطلّبتَ عَهْدَهُ

And people are only misers with their inherited wealth,

I gave you my love, O Ali ibn Taghlib,

And more miserly still is the one whose loyalty you sought.

Though you did not keep kinship and its love safe.

منحتكَ ودّي يا عليُّ بنَ تغلِبٍ

منحتكَ ودّي يا عليُّ بنَ تغلِبٍ

وإنْ أنتَ لم تَحْفَظْ لإلفِكَ وُدَّهُ

وإنْ أنتَ لم تَحْفَظْ لإلفِكَ وُدَّهُ

I gave you my affection, O Ali ibn Taghlib,

How many a friend whose nearness I craved,

And though you did not preserve your companion's affection.

I tested until I craved his distance!

فكمْ من خليلٍ ما تمنيتُ قُربَهُ

فكمْ من خليلٍ ما تمنيتُ قُربَهُ

فجربتُهُ حتى تمنيتُ بُعْدَهُ

فجربتُهُ حتى تمنيتُ بُعْدَهُ

How many a friend have I not wished to have near,

My soul demands of me every great feat

Then tested him until I wished him far away!

With which I'd shake the times and its glory.

تُطالبُني نفسي بكلِّ عظيمة

تُطالبُني نفسي بكلِّ عظيمة

أرُدُّ بها صدرَ الزّمانِ وزَنْدَهُ

أرُدُّ بها صدرَ الزّمانِ وزَنْدَهُ

My soul demands of me every great deed,

A man has no stratagem in the accidents of fate,

With which I repel Time's breast and forearm.

If his bad luck meets his good luck.

وما للفتى في حادثِ الدّهْرِ حيلة

وما للفتى في حادثِ الدّهْرِ حيلة

إذا نَحسُهُ في الشيءِ قابلَ سَعْدَهُ

إذا نَحسُهُ في الشيءِ قابلَ سَعْدَهُ

Yet a man has no remedy for a calamity of Time

I see the determination of a man become gloom and regret

When his ill luck confronts his good fortune in a matter.

When God does not make his effort prosper.

أرى هِمَمَ المرءِ اكتئاباً وحسرةً

أرى هِمَمَ المرءِ اكتئاباً وحسرةً

عليه إذا لم يُسْعِدِ اللهُ جدَّهُ

عليه إذا لم يُسْعِدِ اللهُ جدَّهُ

I see a man's ambitions as grief and regret

And my heart authenticates everything I suspect,

For him, if God does not bless his fortune.

If I unload my worries onto it, it is distressed.

ويَصدُقُني في كلِّ ظنٍ أظُنُّهُ

ويَصدُقُني في كلِّ ظنٍ أظُنُّهُ

فُؤادٌ إذا أمطيتُهُ الهمَّ كَدَّهُ

فُؤادٌ إذا أمطيتُهُ الهمَّ كَدَّهُ

And every conjecture I make is confirmed to me

It is angry over a determination and a sword, both

By a heart that care exhausts when I make care its mount.

The brothers of a confidence - if disorder touched it, it would guide it.

وغَضبانَ من عزمٍ وسيفٍ كلاهُما

وغَضبانَ من عزمٍ وسيفٍ كلاهُما

أخو ثقةٍ لو مَسّ ثَهلانَ هَدَّهُ

أخو ثقةٍ لو مَسّ ثَهلانَ هَدَّهُ

And two fierce forces—resolve and sword—each of them

Oh, my excuse is an inattentive time,

A trusty ally: if it touched Thahlan, it would shatter it.

Its cunning foxes by force overwhelm its lions.

ألا مَن عَذيري من زمانٍ مُغَفَّلٍ

ألا مَن عَذيري من زمانٍ مُغَفَّلٍ

ثعالبُهُ بالجَدِّ تَقهَرَ أُسْدَهُ

ثعالبُهُ بالجَدِّ تَقهَرَ أُسْدَهُ

Ah, who will vindicate me against a heedless age

Shall I drink pure wine in it while its people's blood

Whose foxes, through luck, overpower its lions?

Equals honey for me?

أأشرَبُ فيه الصّابَ صرفاً وأهلُهُ

أأشرَبُ فيه الصّابَ صرفاً وأهلُهُ

دِماؤهُم عندي تُعادِلُ شُهْدَهُ

دِماؤهُم عندي تُعادِلُ شُهْدَهُ

Shall I drink bitter sap unmixed in it, while its people's

They claimed I resented them,

Blood is, to me, the equal of its honey?

But my resentment is only for fate itself.

وقد زعموا أنّي حنِقْتُ عليهِمُ

وقد زعموا أنّي حنِقْتُ عليهِمُ

وما حَنَقي إلاّ على الدّهْرِ وحْدَهُ

وما حَنَقي إلاّ على الدّهْرِ وحْدَهُ

And they have claimed that I was enraged at them,

My mounts ascended every ascent on the day of battle,

Yet my anger is against Time alone.

And every spear that makes the heart quiver.

فدتْ صاعداً يومَ الوَغى كل صَعْدَةٍ

فدتْ صاعداً يومَ الوَغى كل صَعْدَةٍ

وكلُّ سِنانٍ يجعَلُ القَلبَ وكدَهُ

وكلُّ سِنانٍ يجعَلُ القَلبَ وكدَهُ

May every straight spear ransom Ṣāʿid on the day of battle,

So I do not fear fate after grasping its robes -

And every spearpoint that makes the heart its target.

Let fate reach its extent!

فلستُ أخافُ الدّهرَ بعد تشَبُّثي

فلستُ أخافُ الدّهرَ بعد تشَبُّثي

بأثوابِهِ فليبلغ الدّهْرُ جَهْدَهُ

بأثوابِهِ فليبلغ الدّهْرُ جَهْدَهُ

So I do not fear Time, now that I have clung

I threw it in its throat as if it was

To his robes; let Time exert its utmost.

A sword that left its sheath at dawn.

رميتُ به في نحرِهِ وكأنّهُ

رميتُ به في نحرِهِ وكأنّهُ

حُسامٌ غداةَ الرّوعِ فارق غِمْدَهُ

حُسامٌ غداةَ الرّوعِ فارق غِمْدَهُ

I hurled him at its throat, as though he were

And it ruled me until if I asked it for my youth

A keen sword that left its sheath on the morning of terror.

After old age had turned with it, it would return it.

وحكّمني حتى لو أني سألته

وحكّمني حتى لو أني سألته

شَبابي وقد ولّى به الشيبُ رَدَّهُ

شَبابي وقد ولّى به الشيبُ رَدَّهُ

And he gave me such authority that, had I asked him

So who is like Hatim in generosity - if Hatim

For my youth, though grey hair had carried it off, he would restore it.

Saw him tomorrow seeking his aid?

فمَنْ حاتِمٌ في الجودِ لو أنّ حاتِماً

فمَنْ حاتِمٌ في الجودِ لو أنّ حاتِماً

رآه غَدا في النّاسِ يَطلُبُ رِفدَهُ

رآه غَدا في النّاسِ يَطلُبُ رِفدَهُ

Who, then, is Hatim in generosity? Had Hatim

One is generous, his promise preceding his action,

Seen him, he would go among men seeking his bounty.

Another generous, his action preceding his promise.

وذاكَ جوادٌ يَسبِقُ الوعدُ فعلَهُ

وذاكَ جوادٌ يَسبِقُ الوعدُ فعلَهُ

وهذا جوادٌ يسبِقُ الفِعْلُ وعدَهُ

وهذا جوادٌ يسبِقُ الفِعْلُ وعدَهُ

And that is a generous man whose promise precedes his deed,

And if not for poetry's failure to fully describe him,

And this is a generous man whose deed precedes his promise.

I'd think poetry passionately loves his glory.

ولولا قصورُ الشعرِ عن كنهِ وصفِه

ولولا قصورُ الشعرِ عن كنهِ وصفِه

لكنتُ أظنُّ الشعرَ يَعشَقُ مَجْدَهُ

لكنتُ أظنُّ الشعرَ يَعشَقُ مَجْدَهُ

And were it not that poetry falls short of fully describing him,

It obeyed him in praising him, reiterating,

I would think poetry was in love with his glory.

And its angers at others, readying.

أطاعَتُه في مدحهِ مستعيدَة

أطاعَتُه في مدحهِ مستعيدَة

وغضباتُهُ في غيرهِ مُسْتَعدَّهُ

وغضباتُهُ في غيرهِ مُسْتَعدَّهُ

Its obedience in praising him ever seeks renewal,

So O you - if I singled you out from your soldiers,

And its outbursts of wrath against anyone else stand ready.

I'd see the heights and praise as your troops.

فَيا مَنْ إذا أفردْتُهُ من جُنودِهِ

فَيا مَنْ إذا أفردْتُهُ من جُنودِهِ

رأيتُ المَعالي والمَحامِدَ جُنْدَهُ

رأيتُ المَعالي والمَحامِدَ جُنْدَهُ

So, O you—when I set you apart from your troops,

I raved about this rain until I exposed it,

I see lofty achievements and praiseworthy deeds as your army.

And you built asceticism in doing favors.

لهجت بهذا الغيثِ حتى فَضحتَهُ

لهجت بهذا الغيثِ حتى فَضحتَهُ

وبنيتَ في فعلِ المكارمِ زُهْدَهُ

وبنيتَ في فعلِ المكارمِ زُهْدَهُ

You dwelt on this rain until you put it to shame,

If you have ripened his breast with anger,

And established its indifference to performing noble deeds.

How many a master you've wearied with jesting!

فإنْ كنتَ قد أنضجتَ بالغيظِ صَدرَهُ

فإنْ كنتَ قد أنضجتَ بالغيظِ صَدرَهُ

فكم سيداً أتعبتَ بالهزلِ جَدَّهُ

فكم سيداً أتعبتَ بالهزلِ جَدَّهُ

So if you have cooked its breast with rage,

A suckling in war whose swaddling you untied,

How many a lord's earnestness you have exhausted in jest!

He panicked and terror did not restrain him.

ومسترضعٍ في الحربِ شُدَّ قِماطُهُ

ومسترضعٍ في الحربِ شُدَّ قِماطُهُ

فحُلَّ ولما يَنقضِ الرُّعبُ شَدَّهُ

فحُلَّ ولما يَنقضِ الرُّعبُ شَدَّهُ

And many a suckling in war whose swaddling was tied tight,

He who runs with blood thinks it is his share

Then loosened, though terror had not yet undone its binding.

And reckons the flanks of steeds his cradle.

يَظنُّ الذي يَجري من الدّمِ دَرَّهُ

يَظنُّ الذي يَجري من الدّمِ دَرَّهُ

ويحسَبُ أكنافَ السّوابقِ مَهْدَهُ

ويحسَبُ أكنافَ السّوابقِ مَهْدَهُ

He takes the flowing blood for his milk,

You struck the top of his head with your sword’s blade

And reckons the flanks of swift steeds his cradle.

And made the birds in pieces his quilt.

ضربتَ بنصلِ السيفِ قِمةَ رأسِه

ضربتَ بنصلِ السيفِ قِمةَ رأسِه

وصيرتَ في شتّى من الطيرِ لَحْدَهُ

وصيرتَ في شتّى من الطيرِ لَحْدَهُ

You struck the crown of his head with the sword's blade,

And bolder than him, his heart has watched,

And made his grave within birds of many kinds.

Frightened by you until you threw your spear as his barrrier.

وأشجعُ منه قد تَفرّجَ قلبُهُ

وأشجعُ منه قد تَفرّجَ قلبُهُ

لخوفكَ حتى رمتَ بالرمحِ سَدَّهُ

لخوفكَ حتى رمتَ بالرمحِ سَدَّهُ

And one braver than he—his heart had gaped open

My ambitions reach, O son of Mahallab, an end

For fear of you, until you sought to close it with the spear.

With which I'd win the wager and stake it all.

أَنل هِمَمي يا ابن المهلَّبِ غايةً

أَنل هِمَمي يا ابن المهلَّبِ غايةً

أبذّ بها قبَّ الرّهانِ وجُرْدَهُ

أبذّ بها قبَّ الرّهانِ وجُرْدَهُ

Grant my ambitions, O son of al-Muhallab, a goal

Leave what the flies speculate of poetry

With which I may outstrip the race's lean and sleek steeds.

And seek what possesses poetry’s purpose.

ودعْ عنكَ ما طنّ الذّبابُ بمثلِه

ودعْ عنكَ ما طنّ الذّبابُ بمثلِه

من الشِّعرِ واقصِدْ مالكَ الشّعرِ قَصْدَهُ

من الشِّعرِ واقصِدْ مالكَ الشّعرِ قَصْدَهُ

And leave aside what sounds like the buzzing of flies

When does he praise beauty - far from him such praise -

In poetry, and seek poetry's master, making straight for him.

Since beauty is not blameworthy and deserves praise?

متى يمتَدِحْ حُسناً وحاشاهُ مَدحُهُ

متى يمتَدِحْ حُسناً وحاشاهُ مَدحُهُ

فما الحُسْنُ مذموماً وقد جازَ حَمْدَهُ

فما الحُسْنُ مذموماً وقد جازَ حَمْدَهُ

Whenever his praise extols beauty (far be it from him),

Beauty is not blameworthy, having surpassed his praise.