سرىَpassed by night طيفُهhis phantom لاno بَلْrather سَرىtraveled by night بيwith me سَرابُهُhis mirage
سرىَ طيفُه لا بَلْ سَرى بي سَرابُهُ
وقَدand already طَارَhad flown مِنْfrom وَكْرِthe nest الظلامof darkness غرابُهُits raven
وقَد طَارَ مِنْ وَكْرِ الظلام غرابُهُ
His phantom passed by night—no, rather his mirage carried me away—
His phantom passed me by - no, his mirage swept by,
when darkness’s raven had flown from its nest.
And from the den of darkness his raven took flight.
وماand not كانwas يَدْرِيknow الطَّيفُthe phantom قبلَbefore طُروقهِits nocturnal visit
وما كان يَدْرِي الطَّيفُ قبلَ طُروقهِ
بأَنَّthat انْفِتاحَthe opening الجَفْنِof the eyelid مِنِّيon my part حِجَابُهits barrier
بأَنَّ انْفِتاحَ الجَفْنِ مِنِّي حِجَابُه
The phantom did not know, before its nocturnal visit,
The phantom knew not, before the break of dawn,
that the opening of my eyelid was a barrier against it.
That my opening eyelids would lift his veil.
لئِنْif indeed شَرَّharmed نَفْسيmy soul قُرْبُهhis closeness ودُنُوُّهand his nearness
لئِنْ شَرَّ نَفْسي قُرْبُه ودُنُوُّه
لَقدsurely سَاءَهاdistressed it تَشْتِيتُهhis dispersal واغْتِرابُهand his estrangement
لَقد سَاءَها تَشْتِيتُه واغْتِرابُه
If indeed his closeness and nearness have hurt my soul,
Though his closeness pained my soul, his nearness oppressed me,
his dispersal and estrangement have surely distressed it.
More painful still was his parting and estrangement.
ولولاand were it not for انْغِمارُthe immersion القَلْبِof the heart فيin غَمرةِthe flood الهَوىof passion
ولولا انْغِمارُ القَلْبِ في غَمرةِ الهَوى
لكانَthen would be سَواءًequal نأْيُهhis distance واقْتِرابُهand his approach
لكانَ سَواءً نأْيُه واقْتِرابُه
Were the heart not immersed in the flood of passion,
Had my heart not drowned in the sea of passion,
his distance and his approach would be alike.
His distance and proximity would have been the same.
أَتَتْcame معwith نِقْسِthe ink اللَّيلِof night صفحةُthe page وجههof his face
أَتَتْ مع نِقْسِ اللَّيلِ صفحةُ وجهه
فقلتُso I said حبيبٌa beloved قدalready أَتانِيhas reached me كِتَابُهhis letter
فقلتُ حبيبٌ قد أَتانِي كِتَابُه
The page of his face came with the ink of night,
With the advent of midnight came the face of my beloved,
so I said, “A beloved—his letter has reached me.”
So I said, “A beloved has sent me a missive.”
وأَمْلَىand dictated عِتاباًa reproach يُستَطابُfound delightful فلَيْتَنيso would that I
وأَمْلَى عِتاباً يُستَطابُ فلَيْتَني
أَطَلْتُprolonged ذُنُوبِيmy sins كَيْso that يَطولَmight last longer عِتَابُهhis reproach
أَطَلْتُ ذُنُوبِي كَيْ يَطولَ عِتَابُه
He dictated a delightful reproach; would that I
He conveyed reproach so sweet, would that
had prolonged my sins so that his reproach might last longer.
I had prolonged my sins so his reproach would increase.
وَبيand I am enamored of رشَأٌa fawn حُلْوُsweet الشَّمائِلِin disposition أَهْيَفٌslender-waisted
وَبي رشَأٌ حُلْوُ الشَّمائِلِ أَهْيَفٌ
ويَفْتِنُand beguiles قَلْبِيmy heart إِنْif خَلاَis alone بِيwith me خِلاَبُهhis charm
ويَفْتِنُ قَلْبِي إِنْ خَلاَ بِي خِلاَبُه
I am enamored of a fawn, sweet in disposition and slender-waisted;
I have a gazelle with features so sweet, so beautiful,
his charm beguiles my heart whenever he is alone with me.
Who captures my heart when we are left alone together.
ويَنْثُرand scatters ضَمِّيmy embrace فوقَover نَهدَيْهhis two breasts عِقدَهhis necklace
ويَنْثُر ضَمِّي فوقَ نَهدَيْه عِقدَه
ويُمْحَيand is erased بِلَثْميby my kissing مِنْfrom يَدَيْهhis two hands خِضَابُهhis dye
ويُمْحَي بِلَثْمي مِنْ يَدَيْه خِضَابُه
My embrace scatters his necklace over his two breasts,
He scatters my containment across his breasts
and my kisses erase the dye from his hands.
And wipes his henna with my kisses.
وقَدand indeed عَقَّsevered صَبْريmy patience حسنُهhis beauty لاَnot تمائِميmy amulets
وقَد عَقَّ صَبْري حسنُه لاَ تمائِمي
وكمand how often مَسَّtouched جَلْديmy skin مِسْكُهhis musk لاnot تُرابُهhis dust
وكم مَسَّ جَلْدي مِسْكُه لا تُرابُه
His beauty has severed my patience, not my amulets;
His beauty has broken my patience, not my amulets,
how often his musk has touched my skin, not his dust.
And his musk has touched my skin, not just his dust.
وذلِكَand that one بدرٌa full moon والهلالُand the crescent لِثَامُهhis mouth-veil
وذلِكَ بدرٌ والهلالُ لِثَامُه
فلاso do not تَحْسَبُواyou all suppose أَنَّthat الهلاَلَthe crescent نِقَابُهhis face-veil
فلا تَحْسَبُوا أَنَّ الهلاَلَ نِقَابُه
That is a full moon, and the crescent is his mouth-veil;
That is the full moon, though a crescent is his veil,
so do not suppose the crescent is his face-veil.
So think not the crescent is his head-covering.
وفيand in غَزَلِيmy love poetry ذكرُmention العُذَيبِof al-ʿUdhayb وبارقٍand Bariq
وفي غَزَلِي ذكرُ العُذَيبِ وبارقٍ
وماand not ذَاكthat إِلاexcept ثَغْرُهhis mouth ورُضَابُهand his saliva
وما ذَاك إِلا ثَغْرُه ورُضَابُه
My love poetry mentions al-ʿUdhayb and Bariq,
My love speaks of bright teeth and lightning,
but that is nothing other than his mouth and his saliva.
This is naught but his mouth and soft cheeks.
وذاكand that رُضابٌsaliva للرحيقto pure wine اعتزاؤهits affiliation
وذاك رُضابٌ للرحيق اعتزاؤه
وذَلكَand that ثَغْرa mouth للحَبَابto bubbles انْتِسَابُهits kinship
وذَلكَ ثَغْر للحَبَاب انْتِسَابُه
That is saliva whose lineage is pure wine,
That mouth is a meadow for the nectar, his pride,
and that is a mouth whose kinship is with bubbles.
Those cheeks are a refuge for the cheeks’ down.
وفيand in القلبِthe heart شَوقٌlonging كادalmost منfrom ذكرِهmention of it فميmy mouth
وفي القلبِ شَوقٌ كاد من ذكرِه فمي
تُحِّرقُهburn it نِيرَانُهits fires والْتِهابُهand its blazing
تُحِّرقُه نِيرَانُه والْتِهابُه
In my heart is longing: at its mention, my mouth is almost
In my heart there is a yearning, his mention of which
burned by its fires and its blazing.
Would ignite fires and inflammation in my mouth.
إِلىfor غائِبan absent one إِنْif جَاءَنيcomes to me عنهabout him سائلٌa questioner
إِلى غائِب إِنْ جَاءَني عنه سائلٌ
فسائِلُthen the flowing دَمْعtears المُقْلَتينof both eyes جَوابُهhis answer
فسائِلُ دَمْع المُقْلَتين جَوابُه
For an absent one: if someone comes to ask me about him,
If one asked me about the absent one,
the flowing tears of both my eyes are his answer.
My teary eyes would answer on his behalf.
لّقَدْindeed شَقِيَتْhave suffered بِالبُعْدِthrough distance مِنْهfrom him رِبَاعُهhis dwellings
لّقَدْ شَقِيَتْ بِالبُعْدِ مِنْه رِبَاعُه
كَمَاjust as سَعِدتْhave rejoiced بالقُرْبthrough nearness مِنهto him رِكَابُهhis riding-camels
كَمَا سَعِدتْ بالقُرْب مِنه رِكَابُه
His dwellings have suffered through their distance from him,
His courtyards have been made miserable by his absence,
just as his riding-camels have rejoiced in their nearness to him.
Just as his saddlebags were made joyful by his presence.
وإِنَّand indeed حُدَاthe camel-chant حَادِيof the camel-driver الحبيبِof the beloved غِنَاؤُهhis song
وإِنَّ حُدَا حَادِي الحبيبِ غِنَاؤُه
وإِنَّand indeed صَدىthe echo ربْعof the dwelling الحبيبِof the beloved انْتِحابُهits sobbing
وإِنَّ صَدى ربْع الحبيبِ انْتِحابُه
The chant of the beloved’s camel-driver is his song,
The warbling of the love’s confidant is his singing voice,
and the echo of the beloved’s dwelling is its sobbing.
And the echo of the love’s garden, his lamentations.
إِذاif اسْتَبطأَfinds slow المشتاقُthe yearning lover أَوْبthe return حبيبِهof his beloved
إِذا اسْتَبطأَ المشتاقُ أَوْب حبيبِه
فَمنْthen who ليfor me بمحبوبٍwith a beloved يُرَجَّىcan be hoped for إِيابُهhis return
فَمنْ لي بمحبوبٍ يُرَجَّى إِيابُه
If the yearning lover finds his beloved’s return too slow,
When the longing one despairs of his beloved returning,
who will give me a beloved whose return can be hoped for?
Who will bring me my longed-for love?
يَذُمُّcondemns اللَّياليthe nights وهيْand they أَهْلٌdeserving لِذَمِّهof its condemnation
يَذُمُّ اللَّيالي وهيْ أَهْلٌ لِذَمِّه
فُؤَادٌa heart دَهَاهassailed it ظُلمهاtheir injustice واكْتِئَابُهand its dejection
فُؤَادٌ دَهَاه ظُلمها واكْتِئَابُه
The nights are condemned—and deserve that condemnation—
A heart worn down by the darkness of nights that deserve blame,
by a heart assailed by their injustice and its own dejection.
And whose gloom and melancholy have overwhelmed it.
علىalthough أَنَّindeed شكوىthe complaint المرءِof a person للدَّهرِto time عادةٌa habit
على أَنَّ شكوى المرءِ للدَّهرِ عادةٌ
وشكواهُand his complaint عِنْديin my view للخَصاصةِof destitution عابُهhis disgrace
وشكواهُ عِنْدي للخَصاصةِ عابُه
Although a person’s complaint to time is customary,
Yet, complaining of fate is a habit,
his complaint of destitution is, to me, his disgrace.
And for me, complaining about hardship is shameful.
ومنand whoever هابَfeared منamong هذاthis الأَنامِhumankind زمانَهhis time
ومن هابَ من هذا الأَنامِ زمانَه
فقلْthen say لِزمانيto my time إِنَّنيthat I indeed لاnot أَهَابُهfear it
فقلْ لِزماني إِنَّني لا أَهَابُه
Whoever among these mortals fears his time—
Whoever dreads the injustices of time,
tell my time that I do not fear it.
Say to my time, “I do not fear it.”
وسِيَّانَand equal عِنديto me صابُthe bitter sap حَاليof my lot وشهدُهand its honey
وسِيَّانَ عِندي صابُ حَالي وشهدُه
علىin غيرabsence of مَحْلٍdrought منهfrom it أَوor صابَpoured down صَابُهits bitter sap
على غير مَحْلٍ منه أَو صابَ صَابُه
To me, the bitter sap of my lot and its honey are alike,
To me, times of prosperity or hardship are equal,
whether free of its drought or drenched in its bitter sap.
Whether my fate is fair or unfair.
وكيفand how يَخافُfears الفقرَpoverty أَوْor يَرهبُdreads الرَّدىdeath
وكيف يَخافُ الفقرَ أَوْ يَرهبُ الرَّدى
فتىًa young man مِنْfrom يدَيْthe two hands عبدِof ʿAbd الرَّحيمِal-Rahim اكتسابُهhis earnings
فتىً مِنْ يدَيْ عبدِ الرَّحيمِ اكتسابُه
How can poverty frighten, or death terrify,
How can one fear poverty or dread devastation,
a young man whose earnings come from the hands of ʿAbd al-Rahim?
When his livelihood comes from the hands of the Merciful?
فَمَنْthen whoever كانis مِثْليlike me آوياًtaking refuge فيin جَنَابِهhis protection
فَمَنْ كان مِثْلي آوياً في جَنَابِه
فياthen O عُذْرَthe excuse دهرof time قَدْalready نَبَاrecoiled عَنْهfrom him نَابُهits fang
فيا عُذْرَ دهر قَدْ نَبَا عَنْه نَابُه
For whoever, like me, takes refuge in his protection,
So whoever takes refuge as I do,
what an excuse time has: its fang has glanced off him!
Fate, excuse me - its fangs have become blunt.
وقدand indeed صُحِّفَتْwere misread جنَّاتُهhis gardens أَوor جِنَانُهhis paradises
وقد صُحِّفَتْ جنَّاتُه أَو جِنَانُه
فقيلthen were called علىin رَغْمِdefiance of الحَسودِthe envious man جَنَابُهhis sanctuary
فقيل على رَغْمِ الحَسودِ جَنَابُه
His gardens—or his paradises—have been misread,
Its gardens have been distorted, or its heavens,
and, despite the envious man, called his sanctuary.
Yet it is said, despite the envious, “Pure are its robes.”
ومَاand not بَرِحَتْceased تُرخَيare draped عَلَّيover me ظِلالُهhis shades
ومَا بَرِحَتْ تُرخَي عَلَّي ظِلالُه
كَماjust as أَنَّهاindeed they تُزْجَيare driven إِليّtoward me سَحابُهhis clouds
كَما أَنَّها تُزْجَي إِليّ سَحابُه
His shades have never ceased to spread over me,
It continues to spread its shadows over me
just as his clouds are driven toward me.
As its clouds continue to bring me rain.
وكَمْand how many منof كَذوبٍa liar رَامَsought تغييرto change رَأْيِهhis opinion
وكَمْ من كَذوبٍ رَامَ تغيير رَأْيِه
علَّيagainst me فلمbut did not تَنْفُقgain currency عَليهwith him كِذَابُهhis lies
علَّي فلم تَنْفُق عَليه كِذَابُه
How many a liar sought to turn his opinion
And how many lies that tried to change my opinion of him
against me, but his lies found no currency with him.
Were fruitless - his lies did not benefit him.
ولاand not نُهْنِهَتwas checked بالزُّورby falsehood عَنْهfrom him أَنَاتُهhis composure
ولا نُهْنِهَت بالزُّور عَنْه أَنَاتُه
ولاand not زُلْزِلَتwere shaken للحلمِof forbearance مِنْهin him هِضَابُهhis hills
ولا زُلْزِلَت للحلمِ مِنْه هِضَابُه
Nor did falsehood drive his composure away from him,
His perjury did not soften my resolve,
nor were his hills of forbearance shaken.
Nor did his calumnies shake the mountains of my clemency.
وحَالَand contrived مُحالاًan impossible scheme ليسnot يَدْريknowing جَهالَةًin ignorance
وحَالَ مُحالاً ليس يَدْري جَهالَةً
بأَنَّthat لناwe have رَبّاًa lord عَلَيْهupon him حِسَابُهhis reckoning
بأَنَّ لنا رَبّاً عَلَيْه حِسَابُه
He contrived an impossible scheme, unaware in his ignorance
And he imagined vainly, out of ignorance,
that we have a lord who will call him to account.
That we do not have a Lord who will call him to account.
يُعَجِّلُhastens مِنْfrom تكذيبِهhis exposure as a liar مِنْهfrom him خَجْلَةٌhumiliation
يُعَجِّلُ مِنْ تكذيبِه مِنْه خَجْلَةٌ
سيعقُبهاwill follow it عَمَّاafter قَلِيلِa short while عِقَابُهhis punishment
سيعقُبها عَمَّا قَلِيلِ عِقَابُه
His exposure as a liar brings swift humiliation from that lord,
Soon, regret at his denial will overcome him,
which his punishment will follow before long.
Followed by punishment after a short time.
فَبُورِكَso blessed be مَنْthe one who مَاnot زالَceased عِنْديwith me نعيمُهhis bounty
فَبُورِكَ مَنْ مَا زالَ عِنْدي نعيمُه
كَماjust as عِنْدكُمْwith you all يَاO حاسدينenvious ones عَذَابُهhis torment
كَما عِنْدكُمْ يَا حاسدين عَذَابُه
Blessed, then, is he whose bounty never leaves me,
So blessed is he whose bliss remains with me,
just as his torment remains with you, O envious ones.
While for you, O envious ones, is agony.
وإِنْand if قُلتُI say عِنْدِيI possess بعضُsome أَخْبارِaccounts مَجدِهof his glory
وإِنْ قُلتُ عِنْدِي بعضُ أَخْبارِ مَجدِه
فَمنصِبُهthen his rank الرَّاوِيthe narrator لهاof them ونِصابُهand his lineage
فَمنصِبُه الرَّاوِي لها ونِصابُه
If I say I possess some accounts of his glory,
And if I say, “I possess some of the reports of his glory,”
his rank and lineage are their narrators.
The one who relates them and presents them is his delegate.
وَمَاand not ارْتَابَdoubted فيin عليائِهhis eminence قَطُّever حَاسِدٌan envious person
وَمَا ارْتَابَ في عليائِه قَطُّ حَاسِدٌ
إِلىto أَنْthat يقولُواthey might say زالَvanished عَنْهfrom him ارْتِيابُهhis doubt
إِلى أَنْ يقولُوا زالَ عَنْه ارْتِيابُه
No envious man has ever doubted his eminence,
No envious person ever doubted his sublime nature
for people to say his doubt has left him.
Until they said, “His doubts about him have dissipated.”
يُزَفُّis ushered لهto him مِنfrom كُلِّevery راوٍnarrator مَديحُهpraise of him
يُزَفُّ له مِن كُلِّ راوٍ مَديحُه
ويُهدَىand is presented لهto him منfrom كُلِّevery رأْيٍopinion صَوابُهits sound judgment
ويُهدَى له من كُلِّ رأْيٍ صَوابُه
His praise is ushered to him by every narrator,
His eulogy is presented by every praiser,
and the soundness of every judgment is offered to him.
And every sound opinion is gifted to him.
وماand not الفضْلُexcellence إِلاَّexcept ماwhat حَوَتْهُcontained it طُروسُهhis written pages
وما الفضْلُ إِلاَّ ما حَوَتْهُ طُروسُه
ولاَand not المَجْدُglory إِلاَّexcept ماwhat حَوَتْهcontained it ثِيَابُهhis garments
ولاَ المَجْدُ إِلاَّ ما حَوَتْه ثِيَابُه
Excellence is only what his written pages contain,
Virtue is only what his writings contain,
and glory only what his garments hold.
And glory only what his clothes contain.
إِلىinto حَوْزَةِthe possession العَافينof petitioners تَهوِيdescend هِبَاتُهhis gifts
إِلى حَوْزَةِ العَافين تَهوِي هِبَاتُه
وَفيand at قِمَّةِthe summit الجَوْزَاءِof al-Jawza تَعْلُوrise high قِبَابُهhis domes
وَفي قِمَّةِ الجَوْزَاءِ تَعْلُو قِبَابُه
His gifts descend into the possession of petitioners,
Into the refuge of the virtuous, his gifts descend,
and his domes soar at the summit of al-Jawza.
And at the summit of glory, his domes ascend.
أَضَرَّharmed بإِفْراطِthrough excess النَّوالِof giving عُفَاتَهhis petitioners
أَضَرَّ بإِفْراطِ النَّوالِ عُفَاتَه
فَرَغْبَتُهمso their wish فِيfor أَنْthat تَغِبَّbe intermittent رِغَابُهhis lavish gifts
فَرَغْبَتُهم فِي أَنْ تَغِبَّ رِغَابُه
He has harmed his petitioners through excessive giving,
His excessive bestowals have corrupted moral purity,
so they wish his lavish gifts would come less often.
And they hope his wishes would become scarce.
وأَغْنىand enriched وأَقْنَىand endowed القَاصِدِينthose seeking لِبَابِهhis door
وأَغْنى وأَقْنَى القَاصِدِين لِبَابِه
فَجاءَso came لهto him منfrom كُلِّevery شُكرٍthanksgiving لُبابُهits essence
فَجاءَ له من كُلِّ شُكرٍ لُبابُه
He has enriched and endowed those who seek his door,
He has satisfied and enriched those who visit his court,
and the essence of every thanksgiving has come to him.
And he has received gratitude from all who are thankful.
فلاso no مُلتجٍseeker of refuge إِلاexcept عليهon him اتِّكالُهhis reliance
فلا مُلتجٍ إِلا عليه اتِّكالُه
ولاand no مُرتَجٍhopeful petitioner إِلاexcept إليهto him مَآبُهhis return
ولا مُرتَجٍ إِلا إليه مَآبُه
No seeker of refuge relies on anyone but him,
Every desperate one relies only on him,
and no hopeful petitioner returns anywhere but to him.
And every aspiring one’s destination is only him.
أَرىI see الدَّهْرَtime بحراًas a sea وهْوand he فيin البحرthe sea دُارُهhis abode
أَرى الدَّهْرَ بحراً وهْو في البحر دُارُه
وكُلُّand all الورَىhumankind حَصْباؤهits pebbles وحَبَابُهand its bubbles
وكُلُّ الورَى حَصْباؤه وحَبَابُه
I see time as a sea, and his abode is in that sea;
I see the days as an ocean with his house within it,
all humankind are its pebbles and its bubbles.
And all of existence as its pebbles and shells.
يَقِلُّis too little لهfor him أَنَّthat البسيطةَthe earth دَارُهhis home
يَقِلُّ له أَنَّ البسيطةَ دَارُه
وأَنَّand that نجومَthe stars الأُفْقِof the horizon فيهاin it صِحَابُهhis companions
وأَنَّ نجومَ الأُفْقِ فيها صِحَابُه
It is too little for him that the earth should be his home,
It says to him that the wilderness is his abode,
and that the stars of its horizon should be his companions.
And the stars of the horizon are his companions.
وَماand not هُوhe إِلاَّexcept لِلفضَائِلِfor virtues أُفْقُهاtheir horizon
وَما هُو إِلاَّ لِلفضَائِلِ أُفْقُها
وخاطُرهand his mind الوقَّادُblazing فِيهاamong them شِهابُهits shooting star
وخاطُره الوقَّادُ فِيها شِهابُه
He is nothing but the horizon of virtues,
Yet he is the horizon of all virtues,
and his blazing mind is the shooting star within it.
And his thoughts sailing within it are shooting stars.
تُفَلِّلُblunt عَزْماتِthe resolves الكَتائِبof battalions كُتْبُهhis letters
تُفَلِّلُ عَزْماتِ الكَتائِب كُتْبُه
ويُذْهِبُand dispels أَزْمَاتِthe crises الخُطُوبِof calamities خِطَابُهhis discourse
ويُذْهِبُ أَزْمَاتِ الخُطُوبِ خِطَابُه
His letters blunt the resolve of battalions,
His writings undo the sorrows of misfortunes,
and his discourse dispels the crises of calamity.
And his discourse eliminates the griefs of tribulations.
يُفرِّسُravages أَلْبابَthe minds الرِّجالof men كَلامُهhis speech
يُفرِّسُ أَلْبابَ الرِّجال كَلامُه
فماfor not هوhe إِلاَّexcept اللَّيثُthe lion والطِّرسُand the page غَابُهhis thicket
فما هو إِلاَّ اللَّيثُ والطِّرسُ غَابُه
His speech ravages the minds of men;
His words analyze the hearts of men -
he is nothing but a lion, and the page is his thicket.
He is none but the lion and the bold leopard.
أَمَوْلاَيَO my lord أَشْكُوI complain of جَوْرَthe injustice دَهرٍof an age مُبَرِّحٍtormenting
أَمَوْلاَيَ أَشْكُو جَوْرَ دَهرٍ مُبَرِّحٍ
تَطَاولَgrew overbearing بِيtoward me لمَّاwhen انْتَشَىgrew intoxicated بيwith me انْتشَاentanglement (split stem) بُهits (split ending)
تَطَاولَ بِي لمَّا انْتَشَى بي انْتشَا بُه
O my lord, I complain of the injustice of a tormenting age,
My patron! I complain of the tyranny of a cheerless fate
which grew overbearing toward me when its grip on me grew drunken.
That presumptuously strove to destroy me when it revived against me.
أَتَانِيcame to me لَكِنbut أَيْنwhere مِنِّيfrom me رُجُوعُهits return
أَتَانِي لَكِن أَيْن مِنِّي رُجُوعُه
وأَقْبَلَand approached لكنbut أَيْنwhere مِنِّيfrom me ذَهَابُهits departure
وأَقْبَلَ لكن أَيْن مِنِّي ذَهَابُه
It came to me—but how far off is its return!
It came to me, but where is it returning?
It approached—but how far off is its departure!
And it approached, but where is it heading?
قَساgrew hard قَلْبُthe heart دَهْرِيof my time بَعْدafter لينٍsoftness أَلِفْتُهI had grown used to it
قَسا قَلْبُ دَهْرِي بَعْد لينٍ أَلِفْتُه
وَمَنْand who لِيfor me بِدَهرٍwith a time لاَnot يُخَافُis feared انْقِلابُهits reversal
وَمَنْ لِي بِدَهرٍ لاَ يُخَافُ انْقِلابُه
The heart of my time hardened after a softness I had known,
The heart of my fate hardened after I had grown accustomed to its softness -
and who can give me a time whose reversal need not be feared?
Who can save me from the reversal of its state?
وإِنْand if لَمْnot تَجُدgives generously لِيto me مِنْfrom يَدَيْكyour two hands سَحابَةٌa cloud
وإِنْ لَمْ تَجُد لِي مِنْ يَدَيْك سَحابَةٌ
فَبَيْنيthen between me وبَيْنand between الْهَالِكينthose perishing تَشَابُهresemblance
فَبَيْني وبَيْن الْهَالِكين تَشَابُه
If no cloud from your hands rains generously upon me,
And if you do not find a cloud to shelter me,
then I resemble those who perish.
Then between me and the doomed, there is resemblance.
وإِنِّيand I indeed مَنْone whose كَسْبُattainment المَعَاليof high honors مُرادُهhis aim
وإِنِّي مَنْ كَسْبُ المَعَالي مُرادُه
وغَيرُand other than جَزِيلاَتِlavish العَطَايَاgifts طِلاَبُهhis quest
وغَيرُ جَزِيلاَتِ العَطَايَا طِلاَبُه
I am one whose aim is the attainment of high honors,
I am one whose purpose is attaining nobility,
and whose quest is for something other than lavish gifts.
And who seeks nothing but the most generous favors.
أَناI الحَائرُthe bewildered one السَّاريtraveling by night وأَنْتand you شِهَابُهhis guiding flame
أَنا الحَائرُ السَّاري وأَنْت شِهَابُه
أَوor الحائُمthe circling one الصَّادِيthirsty ومِنْكand from you شَرَابُهhis drink
أَو الحائُم الصَّادِي ومِنْك شَرَابُه
I am the bewildered night-traveler, and you his guiding flame,
I am the wanderer, and you are its shooting star,
or the circling, thirsty one, whose drink comes from you.
Or I am the desirer, and from you comes its drink.
فكمْand how many حاجةٍa need ليof mine ضاعwas lost مِنِّيfrom me نَجاحُهاits fulfillment
فكمْ حاجةٍ لي ضاع مِنِّي نَجاحُها
وكمand how many أَمَلٍa hope ليof mine طالَgrew long مِنِّيon my part ارْتِقَابُهwaiting for it
وكم أَمَلٍ لي طالَ مِنِّي ارْتِقَابُه
How many a need of mine has had its fulfillment slip away from me,
So how many needs of mine have failed to be attained!
and how many a hope of mine has prolonged my waiting for it.
And how many hopes of mine have prolonged anticipation!
وماand not الدَّهْرُtime إِلاexcept خادِمٌa servant أَنتَyou ربُّهits master
وما الدَّهْرُ إِلا خادِمٌ أَنتَ ربُّه
ولاand not الرِّزْقsustenance إِلاexcept مَنزِلٌa house أَنْتَyou بَابُهits door
ولا الرِّزْق إِلا مَنزِلٌ أَنْتَ بَابُه
Time is but a servant, and you its master,
Fate is but a servant whose master you are,
and sustenance but a house, and you its door.
And sustenance is but a house whose door you are.
Sol 6.1