سِوى حِرَّتي ما هيجتها الحَمائِمُ

سِوى حِرَّتي ما هيجتها الحَمائِمُ

وغيرَ دُموعي حاوَلتْها المَعالِمُ

وغيرَ دُموعي حاوَلتْها المَعالِمُ

What the doves stirred was burning grief other than mine;

Except for my freedom, the doves did not stir it,

and the landmarks sought tears other than mine.

Nor did the landmarks attempt it except for my tears.

أبَتْ غَرماتي أنْ تَنامَ مَطالبي

أبَتْ غَرماتي أنْ تَنامَ مَطالبي

عن المجدِ يوماً أوْ تَنامَ العَزائِمُ

عن المجدِ يوماً أوْ تَنامَ العَزائِمُ

My consuming passions would not let my pursuits sleep,

My passions refused to let my hopes sleep

neglecting glory for a day, nor let my resolves sleep.

A day from glory or let resolves sleep.

وهيهاتَ جازَ النّجمُ أدْنى مَرامِها

وهيهاتَ جازَ النّجمُ أدْنى مَرامِها

وخافَ شباها حربُها والمُسالِمُ

وخافَ شباها حربُها والمُسالِمُ

How remote! The star has traversed their lowest reach,

And never will the stars attain their lowest hopes,

and their foe and the peaceable feared their sharp points.

And their likes feared its war and the peace-makers.

أسائِلُ هذا الدّهْرَ مِمَّ حُقودُهُ

أسائِلُ هذا الدّهْرَ مِمَّ حُقودُهُ

عليَّ وفيما خطْبُهُ لي ظالِمُ

عليَّ وفيما خطْبُهُ لي ظالِمُ

I question this age: whence comes its rancor

I ask this life what its grudge against me is,

against me, and why does its calamity wrong me?

And wherein is it unjust to me.

أأصْحَبُ فيه الذُّلَ والعَضْبُ صارمٌ

أأصْحَبُ فيه الذُّلَ والعَضْبُ صارمٌ

وأركبُ فيه الخَسفَ والطِرْفُ سالِمُ

وأركبُ فيه الخَسفَ والطِرْفُ سالِمُ

Shall I keep company with humiliation in it while the keen sword cuts,

Shall I meet humiliation in it and sword unsheathed,

and ride abasement in it while the noble steed is sound?

And ride in it ruin and sleep eyes awake?

ومَنْ حكّمَ النّهدَ الطِّمرَّ وسيفَهُ

ومَنْ حكّمَ النّهدَ الطِّمرَّ وسيفَهُ

وهمتهُ في دهرِه فهو حاكِمُ

وهمتهُ في دهرِه فهو حاكِمُ

Whoever makes the sturdy, fleet steed and his sword,

And whoever deemed the cleavage of breasts and his sword fair,

and his ambition, arbiters of his age is himself its ruler.

And his ambition in his life - he is the ruler.

عَجِبتُ ومن أنى عجبتُ تَعجّبي

عَجِبتُ ومن أنى عجبتُ تَعجّبي

أمِنْ نُوبِ الأيامِ يَعجَبُ حازِمُ

أمِنْ نُوبِ الأيامِ يَعجَبُ حازِمُ

I wondered—and my wonder is at how I came to wonder.

I wondered - and from where did I wonder my wonder -

Does a resolute man wonder at the vicissitudes of days?

Is it from the injustices of days that one who is wise wonders?

حَمَتْ جنبَه الأفكارُ عن كلِّ مرقدٍ

حَمَتْ جنبَه الأفكارُ عن كلِّ مرقدٍ

فليس ينامُ الليلَ والخَلقُ نائِمُ

فليس ينامُ الليلَ والخَلقُ نائِمُ

Thoughts have kept his side from every bed,

Concerns have prevented him from every resting place,

so he does not sleep at night while all creation sleeps.

So he does not sleep the night and people are sleeping.

وما زلتُ أقري وارِدَ الهمِّ مَصدراً

وما زلتُ أقري وارِدَ الهمِّ مَصدراً

إذا سارَ منه راحلٌ حلَّ قادِمُ

إذا سارَ منه راحلٌ حلَّ قادِمُ

I have always greeted arriving grief by sending it away;

And I have not ceased to host the source of worries,

whenever one traveler from it departs, a newcomer settles.

When one of them departs, another settles in.

إلى أنْ تركتُ الهمَّ خَزيانَ نادماً

إلى أنْ تركتُ الهمَّ خَزيانَ نادماً

يُحاذِرُ منّي ما تَرومُ المَراوِمُ

يُحاذِرُ منّي ما تَرومُ المَراوِمُ

Until I left grief disgraced and regretful,

Until I left worry humiliated, regretting,

fearing from me what ambitious quests pursue.

Fearing what spears intend.

ومُستصرخٍ أعوانَه وهو قاعدٌ

ومُستصرخٍ أعوانَه وهو قاعدٌ

إليّ ولم أشعُر بهِ وهو قائِمُ

إليّ ولم أشعُر بهِ وهو قائِمُ

And many a man has summoned his helpers while seated,

And begging its allies while sitting still,

against me—yet I took no notice of him when he stood.

To me, though I did not feel it, and it standing.

يعض عليّ الكفَّ لا يَستطيعني

يعض عليّ الكفَّ لا يَستطيعني

وما ضرّني أنْ ينشِقَ التّربَ راغِمُ

وما ضرّني أنْ ينشِقَ التّربَ راغِمُ

He bites his hand in anger at me, unable to overcome me;

It bites its palms, unable to reach me,

and it does me no harm if a humbled man inhales the dust.

And it does not hurt me if the dust cracks insistently.

ويسألُ عنّي وهو بي جِدُّ عارفٍ

ويسألُ عنّي وهو بي جِدُّ عارفٍ

وهل يُنكرَنّ العارضُ المُتراكِمُ

وهل يُنكرَنّ العارضُ المُتراكِمُ

He asks about me, though he knows me very well;

And it asks about me while being a serious knower of me,

and can a massed rain cloud ever go unrecognized?

Can an unexpected calamity be denied by the accumulative?

ترفّعتُ في علياءَ يَقصُرُ دونَها

ترفّعتُ في علياءَ يَقصُرُ دونَها

كِرامُ المساعي والظنونُ الرّواجِمُ

كِرامُ المساعي والظنونُ الرّواجِمُ

I rose to a height, short of which fall

I have risen above the lofty heights which

noble endeavors and far-flung conjectures.

The glories of efforts and presumptions fall short of.

إذا صِحتُ فيها بالبَعيدِ تكاثرتْ

إذا صِحتُ فيها بالبَعيدِ تكاثرتْ

عليّ تُلبيكَ الأسودُ الضّراغِمُ

عليّ تُلبيكَ الأسودُ الضّراغِمُ

When I cry out there to someone far away, there throng

When I call in the distant parts, the roaring lions hasten

around me fierce lions, answering, 'At your service!'

To respond to me in multitudes.

هُمُ القومُ لا يُستصرخون لحادثٍ

هُمُ القومُ لا يُستصرخون لحادثٍ

من الدّهرِ إلاّ والسّيوفُ عَمائِمُ

من الدّهرِ إلاّ والسّيوفُ عَمائِمُ

They are the men never summoned for a calamity

My people do not implore allies for an affliction

of time without swords for turbans.

From fate, except while the swords are erect.

شَرابُهُمُ في الحربِ ما تَمطُرُ القَنا

شَرابُهُمُ في الحربِ ما تَمطُرُ القَنا

وأكلُهُمُ ما تجتنيهِ الصّوارِمُ

وأكلُهُمُ ما تجتنيهِ الصّوارِمُ

Their drink in battle is what the lances rain down,

Their drink in war is what the spears rain,

and their food is what the cutting swords harvest.

And their food is what the sharp blades harvest.

رأى الموتُ منهمُ روحَهُ وجنانه

رأى الموتُ منهمُ روحَهُ وجنانه

عَشيةَ طارتْ في الأكفِّ القَوائِمُ

عَشيةَ طارتْ في الأكفِّ القَوائِمُ

Death saw in them his own soul and heart

Death saw its spirit and delight in them

on the evening when sword-hilts flew in their hands.

One evening the erect palms took flight.

وخافَ الدُجى من سيرهم فكأنّما

وخافَ الدُجى من سيرهم فكأنّما

كواكبِهُ منهم عليهِ تَمائِمُ

كواكبِهُ منهم عليهِ تَمائِمُ

Darkness feared their march, as though

And nightfall feared their pace, so it is as though

its stars were charms protecting it from them.

Its planets over it are amulets.

أناخُوا ذُرى الأطوادِ فهي مخارمٌ

أناخُوا ذُرى الأطوادِ فهي مخارمٌ

وشَقوا ظهورَ الأرضِ فهي أقادِمُ

وشَقوا ظهورَ الأرضِ فهي أقادِمُ

They made the mountain summits kneel, leaving them as passes,

They tied the shy coursers, so they are plunging steeds,

and split the earth's back into tracks.

And they tore open the earth’s backs, so it has hillocks.

وطارتْ بروقٌ في الشّكائِمِ تحتَهم

وطارتْ بروقٌ في الشّكائِمِ تحتَهم

فكيفَ بها لو لم تَعُقها الشّكائِمُ

فكيفَ بها لو لم تَعُقها الشّكائِمُ

Lightning flashes flew beneath them within the bridle bits;

Flashes flew among the bows beneath them,

how would they be if the bits did not restrain them?

So how would it be if the bows did not restrain them?

مآتِمُهُمْ للبأسِ والكأسِ والنّدى

مآتِمُهُمْ للبأسِ والكأسِ والنّدى

وأعراسُهُمْ للدّارِعينَ مآتِمُ

وأعراسُهُمْ للدّارِعينَ مآتِمُ

Their mourning gatherings are for valor, the cup, and generosity,

Their funerals are for valor, the cup, and dew,

while their weddings are funerals for men in armor.

And their weddings are funerals for the armored.

أولئكَ قومي والأكفُّ الغَواشِمُ

أولئكَ قومي والأكفُّ الغَواشِمُ

وهاتيكَ خَيلي والوجوهُ السّواهِمُ

وهاتيكَ خَيلي والوجوهُ السّواهِمُ

Those are my people—the fiercely striking hands;

Those are my people and the raiding palms,

and those are my horses—the gaunt faces.

And these are my horses and the blackened faces.

رَجَمتُ بهم أهل الجبالِ فما دَرَوا

رَجَمتُ بهم أهل الجبالِ فما دَرَوا

أخَيلٌ رَمتْهُمْ بالعِدى أم سَلالِمُ

أخَيلٌ رَمتْهُمْ بالعِدى أم سَلالِمُ

I pelted the mountain dwellers with them, and they could not tell

With them I pelt the people of mountains, so they did not know

whether horses had hurled foes at them, or ladders.

Were cavalry pelting them with spears or ladders?

ولابُدّ من يومٍ على الشرقِ هائِلٍ

ولابُدّ من يومٍ على الشرقِ هائِلٍ

تصادمُ بيضَ الهندِ فيهِ الجَماجِمُ

تصادمُ بيضَ الهندِ فيهِ الجَماجِمُ

There must be a dreadful day upon the East,

And inevitably there will be a fearful day in the east

when skulls collide with the white blades of India.

When the skulls of India collide with the skulls.

هَوت هممي إن لم أزُرْ أرضَ بابلٍ

هَوت هممي إن لم أزُرْ أرضَ بابلٍ

بيومٍ تزورُ الأسْدَ فيه القَشاعِمُ

بيومٍ تزورُ الأسْدَ فيه القَشاعِمُ

May my ambitions fall if I do not visit the land of Babylon

My resolve will collapse if I do not visit Babylon’s land

with a day when aged vultures visit lions.

One day when the lions visit the tall skull-towers.

لقد خوّفَتني بالهَلاكِ عصابَةٌ

لقد خوّفَتني بالهَلاكِ عصابَةٌ

أُسائِلُ عنها ما تقولُ اللهاذِمُ

أُسائِلُ عنها ما تقولُ اللهاذِمُ

A band has indeed threatened me with destruction;

A band frightened me with death,

I ask what the keen spearheads say about them.

I ask about them what seasoned ones say.

فتَنكرُ سمرُ الخطِّ إلاّ ظُهورَهُمْ

فتَنكرُ سمرُ الخطِّ إلاّ ظُهورَهُمْ

وتعرفها يومَ اللّقاءِ الهزائِمُ

وتعرفها يومَ اللّقاءِ الهزائِمُ

So al-Khatt's brown lances recognize nothing but their backs,

The line of poetry denies them except their backs,

and routs recognize them on the day of battle.

And the routs will recognize them on the day of clashing.

وهلْ هو إلا الموتُ يا جلبَ العَصا

وهلْ هو إلا الموتُ يا جلبَ العَصا

أُنافِسُ في مكروههِ وأُزاحِمُ

أُنافِسُ في مكروههِ وأُزاحِمُ

Is it anything but death, O herd driven by the stick?

And is it not but death, O fetcher of the staff,

I vie for what is dreaded in it, and jostle for it.

I compete with its hated one and bustle about?

وأنتم كمخِّ الساقِ عذبٌ مَذاقُهُ

وأنتم كمخِّ الساقِ عذبٌ مَذاقُهُ

ولا صبْرَ عنه إذْ تُرَدُّ المَظالِمُ

ولا صبْرَ عنه إذْ تُرَدُّ المَظالِمُ

And you are like marrow in a shank, sweet to taste,

And you are like the sweet stalk of sugarcane,

and there is no abstaining from it when wrongs are redressed.

And there is no patience from it when injustices are refused.

أرَى الدّهْرَ يُعطي حظَّهُ كلَّ عاجزٍ

أرَى الدّهْرَ يُعطي حظَّهُ كلَّ عاجزٍ

ويَحرِمُ من تزكو لديهِ المكارِمُ

ويَحرِمُ من تزكو لديهِ المكارِمُ

I see Time grant every weakling his share,

I see fate giving each incapable one his fortune,

and deprive whoever has noble qualities flourishing within him.

And depriving those in whom virtues are cherished.

فإنْ تَطُلِ الأيامُ اغضبْ بغارَةٍ

فإنْ تَطُلِ الأيامُ اغضبْ بغارَةٍ

تخرُّ بها بَعدَ الأنوفِ الحَلاقِمُ

تخرُّ بها بَعدَ الأنوفِ الحَلاقِمُ

Then, if the days drag on, vent your anger in a raid

So if days are prolonged, be angry with a raid

that fells throats after noses.

Which will, afterward, humiliate the severed noses.