سَقى اللهُ أيامَ الصّبابةِ والخَبْلِ

سَقى اللهُ أيامَ الصّبابةِ والخَبْلِ

ودَهْراً رُمِينا فيهِ بالحَدَقِ النُّجْلِ

ودَهْراً رُمِينا فيهِ بالحَدَقِ النُّجْلِ

May God water the days of yearning and madness,

God watered the days of my youth and folly,

and a time when we were struck by wide eyes,

And an era in which I was pelted with starry eyes.

وصحبة فتيانٍ كأنّ وجوهَهمْ

وصحبة فتيانٍ كأنّ وجوهَهمْ

وأخلاقَهم صُبحٌ تنفّسَ عن وَبْلِ

وأخلاقَهم صُبحٌ تنفّسَ عن وَبْلِ

and the company of young men, as though their faces

And the company of young men whose faces

and their characters were dawn breathing forth after a downpour.

And morals were a dawn exhaling its scent after the rain.

فَزعتُ إلى يأسي فلم أسلُ عنهُمُ

فَزعتُ إلى يأسي فلم أسلُ عنهُمُ

إذا اليأسُ لم يسلُ المحبَّ فما يُسلي

إذا اليأسُ لم يسلُ المحبَّ فما يُسلي

I sought refuge in my despair, but could not forget them;

So I fled to my despair, without asking about them,

if despair cannot console the lover, what can?

Since despair does not console the lover, so what can console me?

وحَيّا تحياتِ الوَداعِ ووَقْفَةً

وحَيّا تحياتِ الوَداعِ ووَقْفَةً

وجدتُ بها ما لم يَجدْ أحَدٌ قَبْلي

وجدتُ بها ما لم يَجدْ أحَدٌ قَبْلي

And may He bless the farewell greetings and a pause

And I bid farewells of farewell and a stance,

in which I felt what no one before me had felt.

In which I found what no one had found before me.

تلافيتُ فيها قَسْوةَ الهجرِ بالبُكا

تلافيتُ فيها قَسْوةَ الهجرِ بالبُكا

وداويتُ فيها عِزّةَ الحُبِّ بالذلِّ

وداويتُ فيها عِزّةَ الحُبِّ بالذلِّ

There I countered the harshness of estrangement with weeping,

I endured therein the harshness of separation with crying,

and healed love's pride with abasement.

And healed therein the glory of love with humiliation.

عَشيّةَ استعدِي على البيْنِ مُسعِداً

عَشيّةَ استعدِي على البيْنِ مُسعِداً

تكاثِرُ في أرشاشِها عَدَدَ الرّمْلِ

تكاثِرُ في أرشاشِها عَدَدَ الرّمْلِ

At dusk I sought a sympathetic helper against parting,

One evening, ready yourself for the separation with happiness,

whose splashes rivaled the grains of sand in number.

As its stars multiply, equal to the number of sands.

فيا بينُ حُلْ بيني وبينَ عَواذِلي

فيا بينُ حُلْ بيني وبينَ عَواذِلي

إذا لم تَحُلْ بينَ المطيّةِ والرّحْلِ

إذا لم تَحُلْ بينَ المطيّةِ والرّحْلِ

So, O parting, come between me and the women who reproach me,

O separation, come between me and my eyelids,

if you do not come between the camel and the saddle.

If you do not come between the rider and his mount.

ويا دمْعُ لا تهتِكْ عليّ سَرائِري

ويا دمْعُ لا تهتِكْ عليّ سَرائِري

فلو شئتُ يومَ البينِ كذّبتُ ما تُمْلي

فلو شئتُ يومَ البينِ كذّبتُ ما تُمْلي

And O tears, do not expose my secrets;

And O tear, do not divulge my secrets about me,

for had I wished, on parting's day I would have belied what you dictate.

For if I wanted, on the day of separation, I would have denied what you make me recite.

آتَحرِمُنا يا رَبُّ بالحِلمِ والنُّهى

آتَحرِمُنا يا رَبُّ بالحِلمِ والنُّهى

وتَرزُقُ قوماً بالسّفاهَةِ والجَهْلِ

وتَرزُقُ قوماً بالسّفاهَةِ والجَهْلِ

Will You deprive us, O Lord, for our forbearance and understanding,

Keep us away, O Lord, with patience and deterrence from sins,

and provide for others through folly and ignorance?

And sustain a people with foolishness and ignorance.

فلا تَبْتَلينا بالحَياةِ فإنّنا

فلا تَبْتَلينا بالحَياةِ فإنّنا

خُلِقنا رِجالَ الجِدِّ في زَمَنِ الهزْلِ

خُلِقنا رِجالَ الجِدِّ في زَمَنِ الهزْلِ

Then do not try us with life, for we

So do not test us with life, for we

were created men of earnestness in an age of frivolity.

Were created as men of conviction in an era of frivolity.

نفرُّ إلى حَرِّ الغَرامِ من القِلى

نفرُّ إلى حَرِّ الغَرامِ من القِلى

ونَهْرُبُ من روحِ الفَراغِ إلى الشُّغْلِ

ونَهْرُبُ من روحِ الفَراغِ إلى الشُّغْلِ

We flee from hatred to the heat of passion,

We flee to the heat of passion from boredom,

and from the ease of idleness we flee to work.

And escape from the spirit of emptiness to business.

ورَكبٍ على الأكْوارِ عللتُ والدُّجى

ورَكبٍ على الأكْوارِ عللتُ والدُّجى

تروّحُ أردافَ النّجومِ على رِجْلِ

تروّحُ أردافَ النّجومِ على رِجْلِ

And many a band of riders on camel saddles I heartened, while darkness

An evening I rode my she-camels while it was still dusk,

drove the stars' trailing ranks onward at a walking pace,

The buttocks of the stars fanning my feet.

لتَعلَقَ في الدُّنيا علائِقَ حاجةٍ

لتَعلَقَ في الدُّنيا علائِقَ حاجةٍ

مكابرةً أوْ بالتّرفّقِ والخَتْلِ

مكابرةً أوْ بالتّرفّقِ والخَتْلِ

to grasp in this world the ties of a need,

In order to have attachments to life out of need,

by force, or through gentleness and guile.

Stubbornly or with kindness and flexibility.

ألا من لعيشٍ لا يَعودُ إذا مضى

ألا من لعيشٍ لا يَعودُ إذا مضى

ودهرٍ مَلولٍ لا يَدومُ على وصْلِ

ودهرٍ مَلولٍ لا يَدومُ على وصْلِ

Ah, who can help with a life that never returns once gone,

Alas! One who lives a life that does not return once gone,

and a fickle age that never sustains affection?

And an afflicted fate that does not last in reconciliation.

يَجودُ ليَثْني ناظِري نحوَ جُودِه

يَجودُ ليَثْني ناظِري نحوَ جُودِه

أكلُّ عطاءٍ يمنَحُ النّاسُ من أجْلي

أكلُّ عطاءٍ يمنَحُ النّاسُ من أجْلي

It gives, to turn my gaze toward its generosity—

He is generous to make my looks turn toward his generosity,

is every gift people bestow for my sake?

The most generous giver who grants people because of me.

فَيا دَهْرُ قد حاولتُ عندكَ مَطمَعاً

فَيا دَهْرُ قد حاولتُ عندكَ مَطمَعاً

فحَقُّكَ أنْ تُعْطي وتُسْرِفُ في البذْلِ

فحَقُّكَ أنْ تُعْطي وتُسْرِفُ في البذْلِ

So, O Time, I have sought a hoped-for gain from you;

So O fate, I have coveted a hope from you,

your duty is to give, and be lavish in giving.

And it is your right to give and be excessive in generosity.

ظَفِرْتُ ولولا صاعدٌ ما رأيتني

ظَفِرْتُ ولولا صاعدٌ ما رأيتني

أمُدُّ إلى الآمالِ كَفاً بلا نَصْلِ

أمُدُّ إلى الآمالِ كَفاً بلا نَصْلِ

I succeeded, and but for Ṣāʿid you would not have seen me

I succeeded, and had there not been an ascent, you would not have seen me

stretch toward my hopes a hand without a blade.

Stretch out my hopes - a hand without fingers - to ambitions.

لَما طالتِ البيْداءُ حينَ قصَدتُهُ

لَما طالتِ البيْداءُ حينَ قصَدتُهُ

هَوىً لمسيري أو ضِراراً على إبلي

هَوىً لمسيري أو ضِراراً على إبلي

When the desert grew long as I set out for him,

When the desert was long, as I headed there,

out of love for my journey, or to harm my camels,

A passion for my journey or harm upon my camels.

كسوتُ لُغامَ العيس لَمعَ سَرابِها

كسوتُ لُغامَ العيس لَمعَ سَرابِها

فَماجَ كَموجِ البَحْرِ يُزبِدُ أو يَغْلي

فَماجَ كَموجِ البَحْرِ يُزبِدُ أو يَغْلي

I clothed the pale camels' foam in its mirage's glitter,

I clothed the delusions of mirages, its illusion shone,

and it surged like the sea, foaming or boiling.

Seething like the waves of the sea, frothing or boiling.

تنكَّبُنا هَوجُ الرّياحِ كأنّها

تنكَّبُنا هَوجُ الرّياحِ كأنّها

تُحاذِرُ أنْفاسَ المُخزَّمَةِ البُزْلِ

تُحاذِرُ أنْفاسَ المُخزَّمَةِ البُزْلِ

The raging winds veer away from us, as though

The gusts of wind avoided us as if they

they fear the breath of the mature, nose-ringed camels.

Feared the breaths stored in the fragile body.

بَناتُ قِسيّ للحُداةِ وراءَها

بَناتُ قِسيّ للحُداةِ وراءَها

تَرنُّمُ أوْتار القِسيّ على النّبْلِ

تَرنُّمُ أوْتار القِسيّ على النّبْلِ

Daughters of bows; for the camel-drivers behind them,

Daughters of the bow for shooting arrows, behind it

there was the singing of bowstrings over arrows.

The strings of the bow sing on the arrows.

تَراها على طولِ الفَلاةِ كأنّها

تَراها على طولِ الفَلاةِ كأنّها

تَدِبُّ دَبيبَ الكاسِيات من النّمْلِ

تَدِبُّ دَبيبَ الكاسِيات من النّمْلِ

You see them along the desert's length, as though

You see it the length of the wasteland as if it

they creep as the cloaked ants creep.

Creeps like the creeping of the small ants.

وإنّ نجومَ الليلِ تَمرُقُ في الدُّجى

وإنّ نجومَ الليلِ تَمرُقُ في الدُّجى

وتحسِبُها تَنصاعُ فيهِ على مهْلِ

وتحسِبُها تَنصاعُ فيهِ على مهْلِ

The stars of night dart through the darkness,

And the stars of the night shine in the darkness

yet you think they move through it at a leisurely pace.

And you would think they move slowly therein.

تخطّتْ أكفَّ الباخِلينَ فعرّسَتْ

تخطّتْ أكفَّ الباخِلينَ فعرّسَتْ

بأروعَ معشوقِ الشّمائِلِ والفِعلِ

بأروعَ معشوقِ الشّمائِلِ والفِعلِ

They passed beyond the palms of misers and halted for the night

It surpassed the palms of the stingy, so it became engaged

with a noble man beloved for his character and deeds.

To the most beautiful beloved of traits and deeds.

يُفرِّقُ ما بينَ المَكارِمِ والغِنى

يُفرِّقُ ما بينَ المَكارِمِ والغِنى

ويجمَعُ ما بينَ الشّجاعةِ والعَقْلِ

ويجمَعُ ما بينَ الشّجاعةِ والعَقْلِ

He separates noble deeds from wealth,

It differentiates between virtues and wealth,

and joins courage with reason.

And unites what is between courage and reason.

هو الماءُ للظمآنِ والنّارُ للقِرى

هو الماءُ للظمآنِ والنّارُ للقِرى

وحدّ الظُّبى في الحرْبِ والغيثُ في المحْلِ

وحدّ الظُّبى في الحرْبِ والغيثُ في المحْلِ

He is water for the thirsty, and fire for hospitality,

It is water for the thirsty and fire for the cold,

the edge of blades in war, and rain in drought.

And the limit of zebras in war and rain in times of need.

حَباني ولم أستحبهِ متطولاً

حَباني ولم أستحبهِ متطولاً

يَرى جودَهُ بعد السّؤالِ من البخْلِ

يَرى جودَهُ بعد السّؤالِ من البخْلِ

He bestowed on me freely, though I had not asked him;

It liked me without my liking it long,

he counts his generosity after a request as miserliness.

Seeing its generosity after asking it insistently.

وأنّى اهتدتْ جَدوى يديكَ لخلّة

وأنّى اهتدتْ جَدوى يديكَ لخلّة

سترتُ أذاها عن عدُوِّي والخِلِّ

سترتُ أذاها عن عدُوِّي والخِلِّ

And how did the bounty of your hands find the need

And how did the usefulness of your hands guide you to vinegar

whose hurt I hid from my enemy and my friend?

Whose harm I hid from my enemy and close friend?

سَرَتْ كانقضاضِ النّجمِ في غلَسِ الدُجى

سَرَتْ كانقضاضِ النّجمِ في غلَسِ الدُجى

إلى مضجعي حتى وصلتُ بها حَبلي

إلى مضجعي حتى وصلتُ بها حَبلي

It sped like a falling star through night's murky dark

It moved like the falling of a star in the darkness of night,

to my bed, until with it I mended my cord.

Until it reached my bed, so I grasped it with its ropes.

سأشْكُرُ ما أوْلَيتني من صَنيعةٍ

سأشْكُرُ ما أوْلَيتني من صَنيعةٍ

ومِثلُ الذي أوليتَ يَشكُرُهُ مِثْلي

ومِثلُ الذي أوليتَ يَشكُرُهُ مِثْلي

I shall thank you for the kindness you bestowed on me;

I will thank what attention you gave me,

one like me gives thanks for a gift such as yours.

And the like of what you gave, the like of me thanks.

ويكفُرُكَ النّعْماء قومٌ غرستَهُمْ

ويكفُرُكَ النّعْماء قومٌ غرستَهُمْ

فلم يُثْمِروا غيرَ الضّغينَةِ والغِلِّ

فلم يُثْمِروا غيرَ الضّغينَةِ والغِلِّ

Yet people you planted deny you gratitude for blessings,

And the blessings repay you, O people you planted,

and bear no fruit but rancor and malice.

Who did not produce anything but hatred and malice.

عِيالٌ على الأعْداءِ والجدبِ جامحٌ

عِيالٌ على الأعْداءِ والجدبِ جامحٌ

وخيلٌ تُغادي بالقَنازِ من النَقْلِ

وخيلٌ تُغادي بالقَنازِ من النَقْلِ

Dependents upon enemies, while drought runs wild,

Dependants on the enemies and militant during drought,

and horses supplied each morning with qanāz from the provisions.

And horses that leave early with travel supplies on the carriages.

حَمَلْتَ جناياتِ المكارمِ فيهمُ

حَمَلْتَ جناياتِ المكارمِ فيهمُ

على ظهرِ عودٍ لا يُتَعْتَعُ بالحَمْلِ

على ظهرِ عودٍ لا يُتَعْتَعُ بالحَمْلِ

You bore the wrongs of your generosity toward them

You carried upon them the crimes of virtues,

on a seasoned camel's back, unshaken by its burden.

Upon a thin rod that cannot carry a load.

ولم تكُ لمّا أحدَثَ الدّهْرُ نكبَةً

ولم تكُ لمّا أحدَثَ الدّهْرُ نكبَةً

بمفترسٍ للحادِثاتِ ولا أكْلِ

بمفترسٍ للحادِثاتِ ولا أكْلِ

And when Time brought a calamity, you were not

And when fate brought about an affliction,

prey to disasters, nor food for them.

You were not there to witness the incidents nor eat.

كشَفْتَ لها ثَغْراً نَقيّاً وساعِداً

كشَفْتَ لها ثَغْراً نَقيّاً وساعِداً

حَمياً وعَيناً لا تَنامُ على ذَحْلِ

حَمياً وعَيناً لا تَنامُ على ذَحْلِ

You bared clean teeth to it, and an arm

You exposed to it a pure gap and a helpful hand,

fierce in defense, and an eye that sleeps on no blood-feud.

Protective and an eye that does not sleep due to grief.

كأنّ حُزُونَ العيشِ عندكَ سَهلةٌ

كأنّ حُزُونَ العيشِ عندكَ سَهلةٌ

وشتّانَ ما بينَ الحَزونَةِ والسَّهْلِ

وشتّانَ ما بينَ الحَزونَةِ والسَّهْلِ

As though life's rugged ground were smooth to you—

As if the sorrow of life to you is easy,

yet how far apart are roughness and smooth ground!

And far is what is between sorrow and ease!

وما وجدَ الأعْداءُ عهدَكَ خائِناً

وما وجدَ الأعْداءُ عهدَكَ خائِناً

وعقدَكَ إلاّ وهو يُعْقَدُ بالحَلِّ

وعقدَكَ إلاّ وهو يُعْقَدُ بالحَلِّ

And the enemies never found your pledge treacherous,

And the enemies did not find your covenant betraying,

nor your knot bound except by unbinding.

Nor your pact except that it is fulfilled honestly.

تركتَ لهمْ صَحنَ الرِّهانِ ونَقْعَهُ

تركتَ لهمْ صَحنَ الرِّهانِ ونَقْعَهُ

وفُزْتَ بغاياتِ السّوابقِ والخَصْلِ

وفُزْتَ بغاياتِ السّوابقِ والخَصْلِ

You left them the racing ground and its dust,

You left them the field of betting and its stakes,

and won the front-runners' goals and the prizes.

And won the purposes of the preceding and the feats.

كما تركَ الظّبيُّ المُنَفَّرُ ظِلَّهُ

كما تركَ الظّبيُّ المُنَفَّرُ ظِلَّهُ

لقانِصِه لو كانَ يَقنعُ بالظِّلِّ

لقانِصِه لو كانَ يَقنعُ بالظِّلِّ

As the startled gazelle leaves its shadow

As the fleeing zebra left its shadow

to its hunter, if he could be content with a shadow.

To its hunter, if only it had sufficed with the shadow!

ولو شِئْتَ لما أثقبَ الكيدُ نارَهم

ولو شِئْتَ لما أثقبَ الكيدُ نارَهم

سَدَدْتَ فروجَ النّارِ بالحَطَبِ الجَزْلِ

سَدَدْتَ فروجَ النّارِ بالحَطَبِ الجَزْلِ

And had you wished, when intrigue kindled their fire,

And had you willed, guile would not have pierced their fire,

you would have packed the fire's gaps with thick logs;

You would have closed the holes of the fire with ample firewood.

لبلّتْ أنابيبَ الرِّماحِ فَوارسٌ

لبلّتْ أنابيبَ الرِّماحِ فَوارسٌ

يَفِرونَ من ذُلِّ الحياة إلى القَتْلِ

يَفِرونَ من ذُلِّ الحياة إلى القَتْلِ

horsemen would have drenched the shafts of spears,

The tubes of the spears became filled, so horsemen

fleeing from life's abasement to death.

Flee from the humiliation of life to death.

خِفافٌ إلى الهَيْجاءِ خرسٌ عن الخَنا

خِفافٌ إلى الهَيْجاءِ خرسٌ عن الخَنا

وأسيافُهم في الهامِ تنطِقُ بالفصْلِ

وأسيافُهم في الهامِ تنطِقُ بالفصْلِ

Swift to battle, mute to foul speech,

Horses swift to the turmoil, silent from misdeeds,

their swords pronounce decisive judgment in skulls.

And their swords in the scabbards speaking of the verdict.

ولكن ثَنيتَ الجهلَ بالحِلمِ فانثَنى

ولكن ثَنيتَ الجهلَ بالحِلمِ فانثَنى

ومثلكَ من قادَ الجموحَ على رِسلِ

ومثلكَ من قادَ الجموحَ على رِسلِ

But you checked recklessness with forbearance, and it yielded;

But you bent ignorance with patience, so it bent,

and one like you leads the unruly gently.

And who is like you having led recklessness with the bridles?

تتبّعْ بنيّات الضّغائِنِ بالأذى

تتبّعْ بنيّات الضّغائِنِ بالأذى

فقد أفسَدَ الأعداءَ أخذُكَ بالفَضْلِ

فقد أفسَدَ الأعداءَ أخذُكَ بالفَضْلِ

Pursue the little daughters of rancor with harm;

You pursue the structures of resentments with harm

for your generous treatment has corrupted your enemies.

For your enemies have been corrupted when you take with kindness.

من الحِلْمِ في بعضِ الأمورِ مَهانةٌ

من الحِلْمِ في بعضِ الأمورِ مَهانةٌ

إذا كانَ لا يَنهى عدوكَ عن جَهْلِ

إذا كانَ لا يَنهى عدوكَ عن جَهْلِ

In some affairs, forbearance is humiliation,

In some matters, patience is disgrace,

if it does not restrain your enemy from folly.

If it does not deter your enemy from ignorance.

وكنتَ حُساماً غيّرَ الدّهْرُ لونَهُ

وكنتَ حُساماً غيّرَ الدّهْرُ لونَهُ

فحادَثْتَهُ من جُودِ كَفِّكَ بالصّقْلِ

فحادَثْتَهُ من جُودِ كَفِّكَ بالصّقْلِ

And you were a keen sword whose color Time had altered;

And you were a sword whose color time changed,

then you renewed it with polish from your hand's bounty.

So you conversed with it from the generosity of your palm with sharpening.

ووَفْدٌ كدَفّاعِ السَّحابةِ زارَني

ووَفْدٌ كدَفّاعِ السَّحابةِ زارَني

بلا عِدَةٍ من راحتَيْكَ ولا مَطْلُ

بلا عِدَةٍ من راحتَيْكَ ولا مَطْلُ

And a delegation, like a cloud's downpour, visited me,

And a delegation, like the driving of clouds, visited me,

from your two palms, without prior promise or delay.

Without preparation from your rest or duration.

حظيتَ به عندَ المَكارِمِ والعُلا

حظيتَ به عندَ المَكارِمِ والعُلا

وغيرَُ يَحْظى بالمَلامَةِ والعَذْلِ

وغيرَُ يَحْظى بالمَلامَةِ والعَذْلِ

Through it you won favor with noble virtues and high honor,

You gained through it virtues and highness,

while another wins blame and reproach.

While others gain blame and exclusion.