أَحاوِلُ خرقاً في الحياةِ فما أجرا

أَحاوِلُ خرقاً في الحياةِ فما أجرا

وآسَفُ أن أمضي ولم أُبقِ لي ذكرا

وآسَفُ أن أمضي ولم أُبقِ لي ذكرا

I try to break through in life, yet I dare not.

I try to make a breakthrough in life but gain nothing,

And I regret departing without leaving a memory of myself.

And I regret that I will pass away leaving no legacy.

ويُؤلمني فرطُ افتكاري بأنَّني

ويُؤلمني فرطُ افتكاري بأنَّني

سأذهبُ لا نفعاً جلبتُ ولا ضُرّا

سأذهبُ لا نفعاً جلبتُ ولا ضُرّا

And it pains me to brood so much on the thought that I

It pains me that I obsess about how

will depart, having brought neither benefit nor harm.

I will leave with no benefit or harm done.

مضتْ حِججٌ عَشْرٌ ونفسي كأنها

مضتْ حِججٌ عَشْرٌ ونفسي كأنها

من الغيظ سيلٌ سُدَّ في وجهه المجرى

من الغيظ سيلٌ سُدَّ في وجهه المجرى

Ten years have passed, and my soul seems

Ten years have passed while my soul is like

a torrent of rage, its channel barred before it.

A raging torrent dammed up, unable to flow.

خيَرْتُ بها ما لو تخلَّدتُ بعدَه

خيَرْتُ بها ما لو تخلَّدتُ بعدَه

لمَا ازدَدْتُ عِلماً بالحياةِ ولا خُبرا

لمَا ازدَدْتُ عِلماً بالحياةِ ولا خُبرا

In them I experienced so much that, were I to live forever afterward,

With it I chose what - had I become immortal thereafter -

I would gain no further knowledge or experience of life.

Would not increase my knowledge of life or experience.

وأبصرتُ ما أهوى على مثلهِ العمى

وأبصرتُ ما أهوى على مثلهِ العمى

وأُسمعتُ ما أهوى على مثلهِ الوَقْرا

وأُسمعتُ ما أهوى على مثلهِ الوَقْرا

And I saw what makes me prefer blindness to its like,

And I saw what the blind crave,

and was made to hear what makes me prefer deafness to its like.

And heard what the deaf crave.

وقد أبقتِ البلوى على الوجهِ طابَعاً

وقد أبقتِ البلوى على الوجهِ طابَعاً

وخلَّفَتِ الشحناءُ في كبِدي نَغرا

وخلَّفَتِ الشحناءُ في كبِدي نَغرا

Affliction has left a mark upon my face,

Afflictions have left their mark on my face,

and enmity has left my liver inflamed.

And sorrows have left a wound festering in my liver.

تأمَّلْ إلى عيني تجدْ خَزَراً بها

تأمَّلْ إلى عيني تجدْ خَزَراً بها

ووجهي تُشاهِدْه عن الناس مُزورّا

ووجهي تُشاهِدْه عن الناس مُزورّا

Look into my eye: you will find a sidelong glare there,

Look at my eyes and you will find them full of decay,

and you will see my face turned away from people.

And my face appears dishonest to people.

ألم تَرَني من فرطِ شكٍّ ورِيبةٍ

ألم تَرَني من فرطِ شكٍّ ورِيبةٍ

أُري الناسِ ، حتى صاحبي ، نظراً شزرا

أُري الناسِ ، حتى صاحبي ، نظراً شزرا

Have you not seen me, from excessive doubt and suspicion,

Don't you see how, out of extreme doubt and suspicion,

give people—even my friend—a hostile sidelong look?

I look at people, even my friend, with darting glances?

لبستُ لباسَ الثعلبيِّينَ مُكرهاً

لبستُ لباسَ الثعلبيِّينَ مُكرهاً

وغطَّيتُ نفساً إنَّما خُلقت نَسرا

وغطَّيتُ نفساً إنَّما خُلقت نَسرا

I unwillingly donned the garb of foxlike men,

I have reluctantly worn the garb of deceivers

and cloaked a soul created only to be an eagle.

And covered a self that was created to soar.

ومسَّحتُ من ذيلِ الحَمامِ تملّقاً

ومسَّحتُ من ذيلِ الحَمامِ تملّقاً

وأنزلتُ من عَليا مكانتهِ صقرا

وأنزلتُ من عَليا مكانتهِ صقرا

And I stroked the doves' tail in flattery,

I have fawned like a dove, demeaning my position,

and brought a falcon down from its lofty station.

Bringing down my lofty status to that of a vulture.

وعُدتُ مليء الصدَّرِ حِقداً وقُرحةً

وعُدتُ مليء الصدَّرِ حِقداً وقُرحةً

وعادت يدي من كلِّ ما أمَّلَتْ صِفرا

وعادت يدي من كلِّ ما أمَّلَتْ صِفرا

And I returned, my breast full of rancor and soreness,

And I've returned full of resentment and wounds,

and my hand returned empty of all it had hoped for.

While my hands now fail to grasp anything.

أقولُ اضطراراً قد صبَرتُ على الأذى

أقولُ اضطراراً قد صبَرتُ على الأذى

على أنني لا أعرِفُ الحُرَّ مُضطرّا

على أنني لا أعرِفُ الحُرَّ مُضطرّا

I say I have endured harm under compulsion,

I say I have been forced to show patience for harm,

though I know no free man who is compelled.

Yet I do not know free will while coerced.

وليس بحُرٍّ مَن إذا رامَ غايةً

وليس بحُرٍّ مَن إذا رامَ غايةً

تخوَّفَ أن ترمي به مَسلكاً وعْرا

تخوَّفَ أن ترمي به مَسلكاً وعْرا

Nor is he free who, when he seeks a goal,

One cannot be free if, when seeking a goal,

fears that it will cast him onto a rugged path.

He fears the path ahead may be rocky and steep.

وما أنتَ بالمُعطي التمرُّدِ حقَّه

وما أنتَ بالمُعطي التمرُّدِ حقَّه

إذا كنت تخشى أن تجوعَ وأن تَعرى

إذا كنت تخشى أن تجوعَ وأن تَعرى

And you do not give rebellion its due

You cannot grant defiance its due right

if you fear going hungry and naked.

If you fear going hungry and naked.

وهل غيرَ هذا ترتجي من مَواطنٍ

وهل غيرَ هذا ترتجي من مَواطنٍ

تُريد على أوضاعها ثورةً كبرى

تُريد على أوضاعها ثورةً كبرى

And can you expect anything else from lands

Is this not what you expect from places

against whose established order you seek a great revolution?

Whose ways you wish to stir into great revolt?

مشى الدهرُ نحوي مستثيراً خطوبَه

مشى الدهرُ نحوي مستثيراً خطوبَه

كأني بعينِ الدهر قيصرُ أو كسرى

كأني بعينِ الدهر قيصرُ أو كسرى

Time advanced toward me, rousing its calamities,

Time has walked toward me, rousing its calamities,

as though, in Time's eyes, I were Caesar or Khosrow.

As if I am, in the eyes of Time, Caesar or Chosroes.

وقد كانَ يكفي واحدٌ من صروفهِ

وقد كانَ يكفي واحدٌ من صروفهِ

لقد أسرفتْ إذ أقبلتْ زُمراً تترى

لقد أسرفتْ إذ أقبلتْ زُمراً تترى

And one of its reversals alone would have sufficed;

One of its twists would have sufficed -

they exceeded all bounds, coming in throngs, one after another.

Excessive are the waves that came in succession!

مشى لي كعاداتِ المخانيثِ دارعاً

مشى لي كعاداتِ المخانيثِ دارعاً

يُنازِل قِرْناً مُثخَناً حاسِراً صدرا

يُنازِل قِرْناً مُثخَناً حاسِراً صدرا

It advanced against me armored, as effeminate men are wont,

It walked toward me like the walk of hermaphrodites,

to fight a rival grievously wounded, with his breast bare,

Confronting with a broken and defeated chest.

خليّاً من الأعوانِ لا ذُخرَ عندَه

خليّاً من الأعوانِ لا ذُخرَ عندَه

سوى الصبرِ أوحشْ بالذي صحبَ الصَّبرا

سوى الصبرِ أوحشْ بالذي صحبَ الصَّبرا

bereft of helpers, with no reserve at his disposal

Alone, with no allies, its only provision

but patience—how desolate is one who keeps patience company!

Patience - the most desolate companion of patience.

وما كانَ ذنبي عندَه غيرَ أنني

وما كانَ ذنبي عندَه غيرَ أنني

إذا مسَّني بالخيرِ لم أُطِلِ الشكرا

إذا مسَّني بالخيرِ لم أُطِلِ الشكرا

My only offense in its eyes was that,

My sin to it was nothing but that,

when it touched me with good fortune, I did not prolong my thanks.

When it brought me good, I was seldom thankful.

ولم أتكفَّفْ باليسيرِ ولم أكنْ

ولم أتكفَّفْ باليسيرِ ولم أكنْ

كمستأنِسٍ بالقُلِّ مستكثِرٍ نَزْرا

كمستأنِسٍ بالقُلِّ مستكثِرٍ نَزْرا

Nor did I beg for a little, nor was I

I did not accept the trivial happily or try to get

like one content with scarcity, deeming a pittance abundant.

More of the little, like one content with scraps.

طموحٌ يريني كلَّ شيءٍ أنالُه

طموحٌ يريني كلَّ شيءٍ أنالُه

وإنْ جلَّ قَدرْاً دونَ ما أبتغي قدرا

وإنْ جلَّ قَدرْاً دونَ ما أبتغي قدرا

Ambition makes me see everything I attain,

An ambition that showed me grasping everything,

however great its worth, as worth less than what I seek.

Though much was beyond what I seek to attain.

حلَبتُ كِلا شطرَيْ زماني تمعّناً

حلَبتُ كِلا شطرَيْ زماني تمعّناً

فلم أحمَدِ الشطر الذي فَضَلَ الشطرا

فلم أحمَدِ الشطر الذي فَضَلَ الشطرا

I thoroughly milked both halves of my lifetime,

I examined both halves of my life closely,

yet did not praise the half that surpassed the other.

Yet I did not praise the better half over the other.

شرِبتُ على الحالينِ بؤسٍ ونعمةٍ

شرِبتُ على الحالينِ بؤسٍ ونعمةٍ

وكابدتُ في الحالينِ ما نغَّصَ السكرا

وكابدتُ في الحالينِ ما نغَّصَ السكرا

I drank in both conditions, hardship and prosperity,

I drank bitterness and bliss in both conditions

and in both endured what spoiled my intoxication.

And endured in both what spoils pleasure.

حُبيتُ بنَدمانٍ وخمرٍ فغاظني

حُبيتُ بنَدمانٍ وخمرٍ فغاظني

بأنيَ لا مُلكاً حُبيتُ ولا قصرا

بأنيَ لا مُلكاً حُبيتُ ولا قصرا

I was favored with a drinking companion and wine, yet it angered me

I loved wine and song, so it resented me

that I had been granted neither a kingdom nor a palace.

Because I loved no kingdom or palace.

ولو بهما مُتّعتُ ما زلتُ ساخطاً

ولو بهما مُتّعتُ ما زلتُ ساخطاً

على الدهر إذ لم يَحْبُني حاجةً أُخرى

على الدهر إذ لم يَحْبُني حاجةً أُخرى

And had I enjoyed both, I would still have been resentful

Had I enjoyed these, I'd still be discontent

toward Time, for not granting me some other desire.

With fate for not granting me any other desire.

فما انفكَّ حتَّى استرجعَ الدهرُ حُلوَه

فما انفكَّ حتَّى استرجعَ الدهرُ حُلوَه

وحتَّى أراني أنني لم أذُق مرّا

وحتَّى أراني أنني لم أذُق مرّا

And this went on until Time reclaimed its sweetness,

Until it took back its sweetness,

and showed me that I had never tasted bitterness before.

And showed me I had not tasted bitterness.

وجوزِيتُ شرّاً عن طُموحي فها أنا

وجوزِيتُ شرّاً عن طُموحي فها أنا

برغميَ لا خِلاًّ تخِذتُ ولا خمرا

برغميَ لا خِلاًّ تخِذتُ ولا خمرا

And I was repaid with evil for my ambition; here I am,

And I was punished for my ambition. Now here I am,

having gained neither friend nor wine, against my will.

Against my will, without a friend or wine.

فانْ يُشمِتِ الأقوامَ أخذي فلم أكن

فانْ يُشمِتِ الأقوامَ أخذي فلم أكن

بأوَّلِ مأخوذٍ على غِرَّةٍ غدرا

بأوَّلِ مأخوذٍ على غِرَّةٍ غدرا

If my capture makes the peoples gloat, I am not

So let the people gloat over my downfall -

the first to be treacherously seized unawares.

I'm not the first to be caught unexpectedly in betrayal.

وإنْ تفترِسْني الآكلاتُ فبعدَ ما

وإنْ تفترِسْني الآكلاتُ فبعدَ ما

وثِقتُ بها فاستلَّتِ النابَ والظُفرا

وثِقتُ بها فاستلَّتِ النابَ والظُفرا

And if the devourers tear me apart, it is after

And if wild beasts prey upon me, it is after

I trusted them, and they unsheathed fang and claw.

I had trusted them, and they bared their fangs and claws.

وإن تُلهبِ الشكوى قوافيَّ حُرقةً

وإن تُلهبِ الشكوى قوافيَّ حُرقةً

وغيظاً فاني قادحٌ كبِداً حرّى

وغيظاً فاني قادحٌ كبِداً حرّى

And if lament sets my rhymes ablaze with anguish

And if anguish sets my verses aflame with sorrow

and rage, I am striking sparks from a burning liver.

And anger, I am one whose liver is burnt with rage.

وكنتُ متى أغضبْ على الدَّهر أرتجلْ

وكنتُ متى أغضبْ على الدَّهر أرتجلْ

مُحرَّقةَ الأبياتِ قاذفةً جمرا

مُحرَّقةَ الأبياتِ قاذفةً جمرا

Whenever I grew angry with Time, I would improvise

And whenever I grew angry at fate, I would extemporize

a poem of burning verses, hurling embers,

Verses hurling embers,

كشأنِ " زيادٍ " حين أُحرجَ صدرُهُ

كشأنِ " زيادٍ " حين أُحرجَ صدرُهُ

وضُويقَ حتى قال خُطبتَه البترا

وضُويقَ حتى قال خُطبتَه البترا

like Ziyad, when his breast was constricted

Like Ziyad when frustration choked his chest

and he was hemmed in until he delivered his 'Truncated' sermon;

And stifled him until he spoke his disjointed sermon.

أو المتنبّي حينَ قالَ تذمُّراً

أو المتنبّي حينَ قالَ تذمُّراً

" أفيقا خُمارُ الهمِّ بغَّضني الخمرا"

" أفيقا خُمارُ الهمِّ بغَّضني الخمرا"

or al-Mutanabbi, when he said in protest:

Or Mutanabbi when he said in discontent,

'Sober up, you two! Grief's hangover has made me hate wine.'

"Does the intoxication of grief make me hate wine?"

وما زلتُ ذاك المرءَ يوسِعُ دهرَه

وما زلتُ ذاك المرءَ يوسِعُ دهرَه

وأوضاعَه ، والناسَ كلَّهمُ كفرا

وأوضاعَه ، والناسَ كلَّهمُ كفرا

And I remain that man who overwhelms his age,

I remained one whom time and its ways appeased,

its conditions, and all people with repudiation.

While all people around me were infidels.

تحولتُ من طبعٍٍ لآخرَ ضدِّه

تحولتُ من طبعٍٍ لآخرَ ضدِّه

من الشيمةِ الحسناءِ للشيمةِ النَكرا

من الشيمةِ الحسناءِ للشيمةِ النَكرا

I changed from one temperament to another, its opposite,

I changed from one nature to another, its opposite -

from a gracious disposition to an odious one.

From good morals to evil morals.

وكنتُ وَديعاً طيب النفسِ هادئاً

وكنتُ وَديعاً طيب النفسِ هادئاً

فاصبحتُ وحشاً والِغاً في دمٍ نَمرا

فاصبحتُ وحشاً والِغاً في دمٍ نَمرا

I had been gentle, good-hearted, calm;

I was gentle, kind-hearted and calm -

then became a beast lapping blood—a leopard.

I became ferocious, vicious, and bloodthirsty.

فلَو دَبَّر الباغونَ للكيدِ خطةً

فلَو دَبَّر الباغونَ للكيدِ خطةً

رأوا أنَّني منهُمْ بَتدبيرِها أحرى

رأوا أنَّني منهُمْ بَتدبيرِها أحرى

If the oppressors devised a scheme of intrigue,

If the deceitful had plotted a scheme of treachery

they would see me better fitted than themselves to devise it.

They'd see me as one of them in carrying it out.

وَلو ملكَ قارونٍ ملكتُ دَفعتُه

وَلو ملكَ قارونٍ ملكتُ دَفعتُه

على كرهِ بعض الناسِ بعضَهم أجرا

على كرهِ بعض الناسِ بعضَهم أجرا

And if I possessed Qarun's wealth, I would pay it out

And if Qarun possessed wealth, I would have seized it

as wages for some people's hatred of others.

And forced some people against their will to pay tax.

وِشجَّعتُ ما أقوى يراعةَ كاتبٍ

وِشجَّعتُ ما أقوى يراعةَ كاتبٍ

يُزيحُ بها عن كلِّ ذي عورةٍ سِترا

يُزيحُ بها عن كلِّ ذي عورةٍ سِترا

And I would encourage, as best I could, a writer's reed-pen,

I would have encouraged the strongest satire

which he uses to strip the veil from everyone with something shameful to hide.

That removes the cover from every disgraced person.

وَمجَّدتُ من بَثَّ الدعايةَ ضدَّهم

وَمجَّدتُ من بَثَّ الدعايةَ ضدَّهم

ومن قالَ في تَسخيفِ آرائهم شعرا

ومن قالَ في تَسخيفِ آرائهم شعرا

And I would glorify whoever spread propaganda against them,

And I would have praised whoever circulated propaganda against them

and whoever composed verses ridiculing their opinions.

And recited poetry to ridicule their views.

وِلو حُمَّ لي أنْ أحكمَ الناسَ ساعةً

وِلو حُمَّ لي أنْ أحكمَ الناسَ ساعةً

وأن أتوَلى فيهُمُ النهىَ والأمرا

وأن أتوَلى فيهُمُ النهىَ والأمرا

And were it decreed that I should rule people for an hour,

If I ruled people for an hour

and wield among them the power to forbid and command,

And assumed authority over them in prohibitions and commands,

لمزَّقتُ وَجهاً بالخديعةِ باسِماً

لمزَّقتُ وَجهاً بالخديعةِ باسِماً

ولا شيتُ ثَغراً بالضَغينةِ مُفترّا

ولا شيتُ ثَغراً بالضَغينةِ مُفترّا

I would tear apart a face smiling with deceit,

I would have torn a face with deception in the name of justice,

and obliterate a mouth parted in malice.

And slit open a mouth with false accusations.

وَقَطَّعتُ كفَّيْ من يمدُّ يمينَهُ

وَقَطَّعتُ كفَّيْ من يمدُّ يمينَهُ

يَصافحني في حين تَطعنُني اليسرى

يَصافحني في حين تَطعنُني اليسرى

And I would cut off both hands of one who extends his right

I would have cut off the hands of those who extend them

to shake my hand while his left stabs me.

To shake my hand while their left hand stabs me.

وَعاتَبتُ سراً من يضِلُّ لنفسةِ

وَعاتَبتُ سراً من يضِلُّ لنفسةِ

ومن ضلَّلَ الجمهورَ أخزيتهُ جَهْرا

ومن ضلَّلَ الجمهورَ أخزيتهُ جَهْرا

And I would privately rebuke one who goes astray himself,

And I would have secretly rebuked those who misguide

and publicly disgrace one who leads the public astray.

Themselves and the masses - I would have disgraced them openly.

رأيتُ من الإِنسانِ يُطغيه عُجْبُه

رأيتُ من الإِنسانِ يُطغيه عُجْبُه

من الخزي ما تأباهُ وحشيَّةٌ تَضرى

من الخزي ما تأباهُ وحشيَّةٌ تَضرى

I have seen in man, driven to tyranny by his conceit,

I have seen in humankind an arrogance that would shame

shameful things that a ravening wild beast would reject.

Even the ferocity of wild animals.

إذا أُغرِيتْ هذي بأكلِ فريسةٍ

إذا أُغرِيتْ هذي بأكلِ فريسةٍ

فهذا بأنْ يلهو بتعذيبها مُغرى

فهذا بأنْ يلهو بتعذيبها مُغرى

If the beast is enticed to eat its prey,

When tempted by devouring prey, a beast

the man is enticed to amuse himself by torturing it.

Finds torturing it gratifying.

أتعرفُ كم من أصيَدٍ مُمتلٍ قهرا

أتعرفُ كم من أصيَدٍ مُمتلٍ قهرا

وكم حُرَّةٍ تشكو ومَن حولَها ، الفقرا

وكم حُرَّةٍ تشكو ومَن حولَها ، الفقرا

Do you know how many proud men are filled with the anguish of oppression,

Do you know how many forced prey, and how many

and how many free women, and those around them, lament poverty,

Free people complaining while poverty surrounds them,

لينعُمَ مَن إنْ عاشَ لم يُدرَ نفعُه

لينعُمَ مَن إنْ عاشَ لم يُدرَ نفعُه

وإنْ ماتَ لم يعرِف له أحدٌ قبرا

وإنْ ماتَ لم يعرِف له أحدٌ قبرا

so that someone may prosper whose usefulness is unknown in life,

Live so some may enjoy life without known benefit,

and whose grave no one knows when he dies?

And die with none knowing their grave?

أتعرفُ ما يأتيه في السرِّ ناصبٌ

أتعرفُ ما يأتيه في السرِّ ناصبٌ

على العينِ منظاراً على الناسِ مغترّا

على العينِ منظاراً على الناسِ مغترّا

Do you know what he does in secret, this man who sets

Do you know the slander a lurker brings in secret

a monocle upon his eye, arrogantly looking down on people?

While pretending to people he is wise or wealthy?

يُقلِّبهُ بينَ الجموعِ دلالةً

يُقلِّبهُ بينَ الجموعِ دلالةً

على أنه أذكى من الناس أو أثرى

على أنه أذكى من الناس أو أثرى

He turns it about among the crowds as a sign

What distinguishes him from others is merely

that he is cleverer than other people, or wealthier.

Mastering dancing and musical rhythms.

وما ميَّزتْهُ عن سواه فوارقٌ

وما ميَّزتْهُ عن سواه فوارقٌ

سوى أنه قد أتقنَ الرَّقصَ والزمرا

سوى أنه قد أتقنَ الرَّقصَ والزمرا

Yet no distinctions set him apart from others

And here is one whose one hand is in his pocket

except that he has mastered dancing and piping.

While the other toys with his moustache arrogantly.

وهذا الذي إحدى يديهِ بجيبهِ

وهذا الذي إحدى يديهِ بجيبهِ

وأُخراهما تلهو بشاربه كِبرا

وأُخراهما تلهو بشاربه كِبرا

And this one, with one hand in his pocket,

If they searched his sleeves they would find

and the other playing with his mustache in arrogance—

Deformities packed together in multitudes.

ولو فتَّشوا منه السَّبالينِ شاهدوا

ولو فتَّشوا منه السَّبالينِ شاهدوا

خلالَهما العاهاتِ محشورةً حشرا

خلالَهما العاهاتِ محشورةً حشرا

if they inspected the two ends of his mustache, they would see

And here is one who, despite comfort and indulgence

defects packed tightly between them.

Appears with a face yellow from malice.

وهذا الذي رغمَ النعيم وشرخهِ

وهذا الذي رغمَ النعيم وشرخهِ

يُرى حاملاٍ وجهاً من الحقدِ مُصفرّا

يُرى حاملاٍ وجهاً من الحقدِ مُصفرّا

And this one, despite luxury and his youthful prime,

And here is one whose words, if admired by people,

is seen bearing a face yellowed with rancor.

Makes him walk to show he has conquered Egypt.

وهذا الذي إنْ أعجبَ الناسَ قولهُ

وهذا الذي إنْ أعجبَ الناسَ قولهُ

مشى ليُريهمْ أنه فاتحٌ مِصرا..

مشى ليُريهمْ أنه فاتحٌ مِصرا..

And this one, if his words impress people,

And here is one whose certificate has exalted him -

walks to show them he is a conqueror of Egypt.

Its essence being that the lad can read a line.

وهذا الذي قد فخَّمتْه شهادةٌ

وهذا الذي قد فخَّمتْه شهادةٌ

خلاصتُها أنَّ الفتى قارئٌ سطرا

خلاصتُها أنَّ الفتى قارئٌ سطرا

And this one, whom a diploma has puffed up,

It would suffice to test him for an hour

whose gist is that the fellow can read a line—

To know he has always been unwise.

ويكفيكَ منه ساعةٌ لاختباره

ويكفيكَ منه ساعةٌ لاختباره

لتعلمَ منها أنه لم يزل غِرّا

لتعلمَ منها أنه لم يزل غِرّا

an hour with him is enough for you to test him

Assume he was inspired with all knowledge

and learn from it that he is still naive.

And analyzed creation's elements and atoms,

وهَبْ أنه قد أُلهِمَ العلمَ كلَّه

وهَبْ أنه قد أُلهِمَ العلمَ كلَّه

وحلَّلَ حتى الجوهرَ الفردَ والذرّا

وحلَّلَ حتى الجوهرَ الفردَ والذرّا

And suppose he has been inspired with all knowledge,

And that he had memorized Shakespeare's poetry

and analyzed even the indivisible substance and atoms,

And the eloquence of the cosmos served his prose.

وكانَ " شكسبيرٌ " خويدمَ شعره

وكانَ " شكسبيرٌ " خويدمَ شعره

وكانت لُغى الأكوان تخدمُه نثرا

وكانت لُغى الأكوان تخدمُه نثرا

and Shakespeare were a little servant to his poetry,

Would it be necessary for me to bow to him

and the languages of the worlds served him in prose,

And knock my knees together when he walked by?

فهل كانَ حتماً أنني أنحني له

فهل كانَ حتماً أنني أنحني له

وتصطكُ مني الركبتانِ إذا مرّا..!

وتصطكُ مني الركبتانِ إذا مرّا..!

must I then bow to him,

Did this brilliant "planet" know that he,

and must my knees knock whenever he passes?

Like myself, was free just as every person is free?

ألمْ يدرِ هذا " الكوكب ! " الفذ أنه

ألمْ يدرِ هذا " الكوكب ! " الفذ أنه

كما كان حُرّاً كان كلُّ امرئٍ حرّا

كما كان حُرّاً كان كلُّ امرئٍ حرّا

Did this peerless 'star' not know that,

I blamed my position in Iraq and it taught me

just as he was free, every person was free?

When I intended my journey to praise travel.

ذممتُ مُقامي في العراقِ وعلَّني

ذممتُ مُقامي في العراقِ وعلَّني

متى أعتزمْ مسرايَ أن أحمَدَ المسري

متى أعتزمْ مسرايَ أن أحمَدَ المسري

I have condemned my stay in Iraq; perhaps,

Perhaps I will see a span of treachery that is empty -

when I resolve on my night journey, I may praise the journey.

The persecution I faced for seeking a span was enough!

لَعلي أرى شِبْراً من الغَدر خالياً

لَعلي أرى شِبْراً من الغَدر خالياً

كفاني اضطهاداً أنني طالبٌ شِبْرا

كفاني اضطهاداً أنني طالبٌ شِبْرا

Perhaps I shall find a handspan free of treachery;

it is oppression enough for me that I seek a handspan.