مجنكمyour shield ياO شبابyoung men بعديafter me
مجنكم يا شباب بعدي
فهذهfor this شمسكمyour sun تطلrises
فهذه شمسكم تطل
Your shield, O young men who come after me!
Lead on, my youthful friends, when I am gone,
For here your sun is rising.
For this is your sun rising now.
والعقلand reason عندin the face of الهوىpassion مجنa shield
والعقل عند الهوى مجن
لوif كانthere were عندamong الشبابthe young عقلreason
لو كان عند الشباب عقل
And reason is a shield in the face of passion,
Reason flees when passion reigns;
If the young had any reason.
Were youth wise, it would lack youth’s zest!
كمhow often قالsaid ياO ليلnight ذوone full of شجونsorrows
كم قال يا ليل ذو شجون
فهلbut has? أجابanswered النداءthe call ليلnight
فهل أجاب النداء ليل
How often has one full of sorrows said, 'O night!'
How often night with woeful heart complains:
But has night answered the call?
“Does it not heed my call at all, the dawn?”
ياO داخلone entering الحبlove مستغلاًseeking profit
يا داخل الحب مستغلاً
دخلتyou have entered ماthat which ليسthere is not منهfrom it دخلincome
دخلت ما ليس منه دخل
O you who enter love seeking profit,
You entered love’s domain to gain your ends:
You have entered what yields no income.
That domain is not meant for your ends!
لوif أشيعwere made public الحبlove صارbecame حوباa sin
لو أشيع الحب صار حوبا
أوor يقطعis severed الوصلunion فهوthen it is صلa viper
أو يقطع الوصل فهو صل
If love were made public, it would become a sin;
Were love proclaimed, it would become a crime.
Or if union is severed, it is a viper.
Or, if it severed ties, itself a tie.
ماhow! أضيعwasted العمرlife منof معنىone tormented
ما أضيع العمر من معنى
حياتهhis life لوعةanguish وشكلand fetters
حياته لوعة وشكل
How wasted is the life of one tormented,
No meaning can my life destroy. Its form
Whose life is anguish and fetters!
Is sadness and illusion all the while.
مسكينpoor الصبthe lovesick one لمdid not ينلهreach him الthe (continued next line)
مسكين الصب لم ينله ال
هوىlove ولمand did not يلوturn away منهfrom him عذلreproach
هوى ولم يلو منه عذل
Poor is the lovesick one: he has received no
Wretched the youth whom love has never blessed
Love, nor has reproach turned away from him.
Nor wronged so he might vent his grief!
وتلكand that ياO عاشقونlovers منيfrom me
وتلك يا عاشقون مني
نصيحةٌa piece of advice قبلbefore أنthat تزلواyou stumble
نصيحةٌ قبل أن تزلوا
And that, O lovers, is my
That, O lovers, was my advice to you
Advice, before you stumble.
Before you slip and take a fall.
إنif لمnot أكنI was قدalready نفعتbenefited نفسيmyself
إن لم أكن قد نفعت نفسي
فليthen I have علىtoward العاشقينthe lovers فضلa favor
فلي على العاشقين فضل
If I have not benefited myself,
If I could not assist myself, at least
Then I have done the lovers a favor.
My word will benefit all lovers else.
Sol 6.1