الما بشعر قام كالطلل البالي

الما بشعر قام كالطلل البالي

يمثل نفس القوم في الزمن الخالي

يمثل نفس القوم في الزمن الخالي

Draw near, you two, to poetry standing like a timeworn ruin,

The water that poetry embodied rose like fading ruins,

portraying the people's spirit in ages gone by,

Representing the souls of people in empty times,

وافراح ناس بعد خفض ونعمة

وافراح ناس بعد خفض ونعمة

عليهم اناخ الدهر يقسو بكلكال

عليهم اناخ الدهر يقسو بكلكال

and the joys of people, after ease and plenty,

And the joys of people after decline and blessing,

upon whom Time knelt, pressing cruelly with its breast,

Upon them time settled harshly altogether,

وشقوة اجيال مشوا في حياتهم

وشقوة اجيال مشوا في حياتهم

كما قد تلقوه على نهج اجيال

كما قد تلقوه على نهج اجيال

and the misery of generations who walked through their lives

And the misery of generations who walked in their lives,

as they had received it, along the path of generations.

As they received it on the path of generations,

وما الشعر الا ما يمثل اهله

وما الشعر الا ما يمثل اهله

فينقل من ماض اناسا الى الحال

فينقل من ماض اناسا الى الحال

Poetry is nothing but that which portrays its people,

For poetry is nothing but what represents its people,

bringing people from the past into the present.

Transporting from a past people to the present,

وما كل شعر قد سمعت بجيد

وما كل شعر قد سمعت بجيد

ولا كل ماء قد وردت بسلسال

ولا كل ماء قد وردت بسلسال

Not every poem I have heard is good,

And not all poetry I have heard is good,

nor is all water I have come to drink sweet and flowing.

Nor is all water I have come across chained,

اذا لم يكن شعر الفتى من شعوره

اذا لم يكن شعر الفتى من شعوره

فما هو مقبول ولا هو ذو بال

فما هو مقبول ولا هو ذو بال

If a young man's poetry does not spring from his feeling,

If the youth's poetry is not from his feelings,

it is neither acceptable nor of any worth.

Then it is neither acceptable nor regarded,

وان قصرت الفاظه عن مراده

وان قصرت الفاظه عن مراده

فليس من استحقاقه غير اهمال

فليس من استحقاقه غير اهمال

And if its words fall short of his intent,

And if his words fall short of his purpose,

it deserves nothing but neglect.

He deserves nothing but neglect,

وان يزك معناه ولم يزك لفظه

وان يزك معناه ولم يزك لفظه

فذاك كخود في دريس واسمال

فذاك كخود في دريس واسمال

And if its meaning is fine but its wording is not,

And if its meaning is pure but not its wording,

it is like a maiden in a worn garment and rags.

That is like a cheek with pockmarks and moles,

وما راقني ممن تقدم عهدهم

وما راقني ممن تقدم عهدهم

سوى الصدق ان الصدق اجمل سربال

سوى الصدق ان الصدق اجمل سربال

Nothing pleased me among those of earlier times

And of those before whose pursuit failed due to ignorance,

except truthfulness: truthfulness is the fairest robe.

I liked nothing but their honesty, for honesty is the best attire,

ويا حبذا هذا الجديد لو انه

ويا حبذا هذا الجديد لو انه

اتانا بوجه من طلاء به خال

اتانا بوجه من طلاء به خال

And how welcome this new poetry would be, if only it

And how wonderful this modernity would be if

came to us with a face free of paint.

It came to us with a face painted with a beauty spot,

وما عن قلى رفضي الغلاة وانما

وما عن قلى رفضي الغلاة وانما

هنالك اميال تخالف اميالي

هنالك اميال تخالف اميالي

My rejection of the extremists is not out of hatred; rather,

And my rejection of extremists does not come

there are inclinations that oppose my own.

From my disposition, for desires differ,

قد انهار صرح الشعر الا اقله

قد انهار صرح الشعر الا اقله

وقد كان ملء العين كالجبل العالي

وقد كان ملء العين كالجبل العالي

The edifice of poetry has collapsed, save a little of it,

The edifice of poetry has collapsed except a little,

though once it filled the eye like a lofty mountain.

And it had been, filling the eye, like a high mountain,

واما حياض كان ثراً نميرها

واما حياض كان ثراً نميرها

فانك لا تلقى بها غير او شال

فانك لا تلقى بها غير او شال

As for pools whose sweet water was once abundant,

As for the reservoirs that were overflowing,

you find in them nothing but scant trickles.

You will not find in them anything but a bucket or two,

ولم ارض فيمن خاب للجهل سعيهم

ولم ارض فيمن خاب للجهل سعيهم

كمغترف ماء يفيض بغربال

كمغترف ماء يفيض بغربال

Nor was I content among those whose efforts failed through ignorance,

And I do not like those whose efforts failed due to ignorance,

like one scooping overflowing water with a sieve.

Like one drawing water that overflows from a sieve,

رأيت ابتذالا فيك يا شعر زاريا

رأيت ابتذالا فيك يا شعر زاريا

وما كان هذا في مصيرك آمالي

وما كان هذا في مصيرك آمالي

I saw in you, O poetry, a degrading vulgarity,

I saw in you, O poetry, despicable vulgarity,

and this was not what I had hoped for your fate.

And this was not among my hopes for your fate,

اردتك خلواً من عيوب زرية

اردتك خلواً من عيوب زرية

فانك عندي ذلك الجوهر الغالي

فانك عندي ذلك الجوهر الغالي

I wanted you free of shameful flaws,

I wanted you vacant of trivial defects,

for to me you are that precious jewel.

For you are to me that precious essence,

كأنك لم تركب جواداً لغارة

كأنك لم تركب جواداً لغارة

ولم تتبطن كاعباً ذات خلخال

ولم تتبطن كاعباً ذات خلخال

As though you had never mounted a steed for a raid,

As if you have not ridden a horse for plunder,

nor lain with a budding-breasted maiden wearing an anklet.

Nor been girded as a dancer with anklets,

يجادلني في الشعر لا عن روية

يجادلني في الشعر لا عن روية

فرق من اللنقاد كلهم قال

فرق من اللنقاد كلهم قال

Arguing poetry with me, without reflection,

Those who argue with me about poetry argue not with insight,

are groups of critics, all hostile.

A group of critics, all of them said,

كلانا ملّم بالصواب بزعمه

كلانا ملّم بالصواب بزعمه

ولكن صوت المبطلين هو العالي

ولكن صوت المبطلين هو العالي

Each of us claims to know what is right,

Each of us is well-versed in what is right, he claims,

but the voice of those in the wrong is the louder.

But the voice of the falsifiers is louder,

كلانا اذا خاض العجاجة مبسل

كلانا اذا خاض العجاجة مبسل

ولكنما ابسالهم غير ابسالي

ولكنما ابسالهم غير ابسالي

Each of us is valiant when plunging into battle's dust,

Both of us, when we plunge into confusion are soaked,

but their valor is not mine.

But their being soaked is not like my being soaked,

هنالك حرب شبها السخط والرضى

هنالك حرب شبها السخط والرضى

وما كل من خاضوا الحروب بابطال

وما كل من خاضوا الحروب بابطال

There is a war kindled by displeasure and approval,

There, war resembles anger and acceptance,

and not all who enter wars are heroes.

And not all who plunged into wars were heroes,

نشأت على استقلال نفس تمردت

نشأت على استقلال نفس تمردت

فلا ارتضى نسجا على غير منوالي

فلا ارتضى نسجا على غير منوالي

I grew up with an independent soul that rebelled,

I was raised on the independence of a rebellious soul,

so I accept no weaving on a loom other than mine.

So I accept no weaving but my own,

ولا ادعى اني انفردت بمقولي

ولا ادعى اني انفردت بمقولي

ولكنني راض كغيري باقوالي

ولكنني راض كغيري باقوالي

Nor do I claim that my utterance is unique,

Nor do I claim to be unique in my sayings,

but I, like others, am content with my words.

But I am content, like others, with my words,

سوى ما اريهم انني ان قفوتهم

سوى ما اريهم انني ان قفوتهم

شأوت وأني فوق اجرد ذيال

شأوت وأني فوق اجرد ذيال

Except that I show them that, if I follow them,

Except that I see that if I accompany them,

I outstrip them, and that I ride a sleek, long-tailed steed.

I would excel, and that I am above the barefoot,

لقد ظل هذا الشعر خمسين حجة

لقد ظل هذا الشعر خمسين حجة

يهذب اقوالي ويصلح اعمالي

يهذب اقوالي ويصلح اعمالي

For fifty years this poetry has continued

This poetry has remained for fifty pilgrimages

to refine my words and set my deeds right.

Refining my words and correcting my deeds,

فسرت على ما قد هداني سراجه

فسرت على ما قد هداني سراجه

وان كان في تلك الهداية اضلالي

وان كان في تلك الهداية اضلالي

So I walked as its lamp had guided me,

So I walked according to the lamp it guided me,

even if that guidance led me astray.

Even if in that guidance was my own misguidance,

وافصحت حتى اوهنتني كبرة

وافصحت حتى اوهنتني كبرة

وحينئذ اسمكت كالطلل البالي

وحينئذ اسمكت كالطلل البالي

And I spoke eloquently until old age weakened me,

And I spoke eloquently until old age weakened me,

and then I fell silent, like a timeworn ruin.

So I fell silent like fading ruins,

وقلت اقلني ايها الشعر عثرتي

وقلت اقلني ايها الشعر عثرتي

فقد زل رجلي وهي تحمل اثقالي

فقد زل رجلي وهي تحمل اثقالي

And I said, 'O poetry, pardon my stumble,

And I said: Carry me, O poetry, I stumbled,

for my foot has slipped while carrying my burdens.'

For my foot slipped as it bore my burdens,

فاعرض عني لا يريد اقالتي

فاعرض عني لا يريد اقالتي

واشمت في اعراضه بي عذالي

واشمت في اعراضه بي عذالي

But it turned away from me, unwilling to pardon me,

So turn away from me, unwilling to lighten my load,

and by turning away made my reproachers gloat over me.

And gloat in turning away from me and my torment,

واني ان اهلك فلست بخاسر

واني ان اهلك فلست بخاسر

لشيء كثير من عقار واموال

لشيء كثير من عقار واموال

And if I perish, I shall not be losing

If I perish, I will not have lost

much in the way of property and wealth.

Much property or wealth,

لعمرك ما في الموت شيء يهولني

لعمرك ما في الموت شيء يهولني

ولكن حياتي هذه ذات اهوال

ولكن حياتي هذه ذات اهوال

By your life, there is nothing in death that terrifies me,

By your life, nothing about death frightens me,

but this life of mine is full of terrors.

Rather, this life of mine has terrors,

على ان لي بعد الهزيمة كرة

على ان لي بعد الهزيمة كرة

اصول بها جلداً على كل مختال

اصول بها جلداً على كل مختال

Yet after defeat I have another charge,

Moreover, after defeat, I will have another try,

with which I assail, undaunted, every swaggerer.

With which I will show courage against every pretentious person,

سأجهر بالحق الذي يكتمونه

سأجهر بالحق الذي يكتمونه

وان قطعوا بالسيف يا حق اوصالي

وان قطعوا بالسيف يا حق اوصالي

I shall proclaim the truth they conceal,

I will declare aloud the truth they conceal,

even if, O Truth, they sever my limbs with the sword.

Even if they sever my limbs with the sword for the truth, O right,

واني في غيلي كرئبال غيضة

واني في غيلي كرئبال غيضة

ومن ذا ترى في غيله غير رئبال

ومن ذا ترى في غيله غير رئبال

And in my thicket I am like a lion of the grove,

And I in my rage am like a growling she-wolf,

and whom do you see in his thicket but a lion?

And who, do you think, in their rage is other than wolf-like?

لحى اللَه ناساً اخطأوا طرق العلا

لحى اللَه ناساً اخطأوا طرق العلا

ولم يطلبوا الغايات الا من المال

ولم يطلبوا الغايات الا من المال

May God curse people who missed the paths to greatness,

God has granted life to people who missed the paths of glory,

and sought their goals through wealth alone.

And sought no goals but through money.