خليليَّmy two friends ماwhat لِلعَيشwith life لَيسَis not بطيّبِpleasant
خليليَّ ما لِلعَيش لَيسَ بطيّبِ
وَماand what ليwith me فيهِin it امرداًbeardless مِثلُlike اشيَبِa gray-haired man
وَما لي فيهِ امرداً مِثلُ اشيَبِ
My two friends, what ails life, that it is not sweet?
My friend, life has no sweetness
And why am I, beardless in it, like a gray-haired man?
And I have no desire for it like an old man.
تمرُّpass اللَياليthe nights بيover me طِوالاًlong منfrom الاسىsorrow
تمرُّ اللَيالي بي طِوالاً من الاسى
كأَنَّas though طِوالاًlong ones منof قَناًspears قدalready مَررنَthey have passed بيthrough me
كأَنَّ طِوالاً من قَناً قد مَررنَ بي
The nights pass over me, long with sorrow,
The nights pass me by, long with sorrow,
As though long spears had passed through me.
As if a long line of spears has passed by me.
وأحتَقرand I scorn اللذاتpleasures حتىّto the point that كانَّنيas though I
وأحتَقر اللذات حتىّ كانَّني
تَضلَّعتُI took my fill منهاof them منذُsince ماwhen لَمdid not ازَلI cease to be صبيa child
تَضلَّعتُ منها منذُ ما لَم ازَل صبي
And I scorn pleasures, as though
I belittle pleasures until it was as if
I had taken my fill of them ever since childhood.
I was saturated with them since I was a boy.
ارىI see هَذِهِthis الدنياworld فتُخدَشُso is scratched مقلَتيmy eye
ارى هَذِهِ الدنيا فتُخدَشُ مقلَتي
كأَنَّas though شِعاعَthe rays of الشمسthe sun تبلُarrows (likely نبل) مُذَرِّبِsharpened
كأَنَّ شِعاعَ الشمس تبلُ مُذَرِّبِ
I look upon this world, and my eye is scratched,
I see this world and it irritates my eyelid,
As though the sun's rays were sharpened arrows.
Like the rays of sun hitting a sleepy eye.
نَعَمyes انماonly الدنياthe world بعينيin the two eyes of خبيرهاone who knows it well
نَعَم انما الدنيا بعيني خبيرها
قَذىًgrit in the eye وهيَwhile it is كحلٌkohl ذُرَّsprinkled فيin مقلةthe eye of الغبيthe fool
قَذىً وهيَ كحلٌ ذُرَّ في مقلة الغبي
Yes, the world, in the eyes of one who knows it, is merely
Yes, this world to my experienced eye
Grit, though it is kohl sprinkled into the fool's eye.
Is just specks, while to the foolish it is kohl.
أَلَمhave you not تَرَseen ماwhat فيهاis in it منof العجبwonder الَّذيwhich
أَلَم تَرَ ما فيها من العجب الَّذي
تجيئُكit comes to you منهُfrom it كلevery يومٍday باعجبِwith something stranger
تجيئُك منهُ كل يومٍ باعجبِ
Have you not seen the wonders it contains,
Have you not seen the wonders in it
From which it brings you something stranger every day?
That bring you something more amazing every day?
تحجَّبُis veiled فيهاin it الشمسthe sun عنfrom اعينthe eyes of المَهىthe oryxes
تحجَّبُ فيها الشمس عن اعين المَهى
وَقَدand yet رقَبتهاhas watched it عينُthe eye of حرباءِa chameleon تَنضُبِa tanḍub shrub
وَقَد رقَبتها عينُ حرباءِ تَنضُبِ
In it the sun is veiled from the eyes of oryxes,
The sun is veiled from the eyes of the fascinated,
Yet a chameleon's eye has watched it from a tanḍub shrub.
While to the sharp-eyed hyena its neck is exposed.
وَتُغمَرand are immersed فيin لُجِّthe depths of البحارthe seas زَعانِفٌfins
وَتُغمَر في لُجِّ البحار زَعانِفٌ
وَقَدand yet فاتَhas eluded منهاof them قطرةٌa drop كلَّevery مِخلَبِtalon
وَقَد فاتَ منها قطرةٌ كلَّ مِخلَبِ
And fins are immersed in the depths of the seas,
Fins are submerged in the depths of the seas,
Yet a single drop of them eludes every talon.
While every claw has missed just a drop.
لحىmay He curse اللَهGod دنياكyour world الَّتيwhich جُلُّmost of ماwhat بهاis in it
لحى اللَه دنياك الَّتي جُلُّ ما بها
طِلاءُa coating of جَمالٍbeauty فوقَover قبحٍugliness محجَّبِveiled
طِلاءُ جَمالٍ فوقَ قبحٍ محجَّبِ
May God curse your world, most of whose contents
May God ugly your world, which is mostly just
Are a coating of beauty over veiled ugliness.
A beautiful façade over hidden ugliness.
فانىso how يَطيبis pleasant العيشِlife فيهاin it لمنto one who يَرىsees
فانى يَطيب العيشِ فيها لمن يَرى
بِعينَيهِwith his two eyes ذاكthat القبحَugliness غيرَnot منقَّبِveiled
بِعينَيهِ ذاك القبحَ غيرَ منقَّبِ
How, then, can life in it be sweet to one who sees
So how can life in it be sweet to one who sees
With his own eyes that ugliness unveiled?
That ugliness with unblinking eyes?
واقبَحُand the ugliest ماwhat فيهاis in it أَمانٍhopes تَرومُهاyou seek them
واقبَحُ ما فيها أَمانٍ تَرومُها
فَتَغدوso they become وقاهاmay He protect them اللَهGod أَمنَعَmost inaccessible مطلبِa goal
فَتَغدو وقاها اللَه أَمنَعَ مطلبِ
And ugliest in it are hopes you seek,
The ugliest thing in it is the safety you seek from it
Which become—may God guard them—the most inaccessible of goals.
That in the morning, God protect you, is the hardest thing to attain.
ثَرىyou see (likely ترى) الشيءَthe thing مَبذولاًfreely offered فانbut if رمتَهُyou seek it غداit becomes
ثَرى الشيءَ مَبذولاً فان رمتَهُ غدا
واقربand nearer منthan لقياهُmeeting it عنقاءُʿAnqāʾ, a mythical bird مُغربِelusive
واقرب من لقياهُ عنقاءُ مُغربِ
You see a thing freely offered; but if you seek it, it changes,
You see something offered so if you seek it, it disappears,
And finding the elusive ʿAnqāʾ would be easier than finding it.
And the closest thing to finding it is the far horizon.
كانكas though you منهاfrom her تَبتَغيseek سلبَهُto seize it وقدand already
كانك منها تَبتَغي سلبَهُ وقد
احبَّتهُshe loved it حبَّthe love of المستهامthe love-crazed المعذَّبِthe tormented
احبَّتهُ حبَّ المستهام المعذَّبِ
As though you sought to rob her of it, when
It is as if you want to rob it, and it has fallen
She had loved it as a tormented, love-crazed lover does.
In love with its captor, tortured with passion.
يَمُرُّis bitter بفيهاin her mouth ثمَّthen انif رمتَهُyou seek it حلاit turns sweet
يَمُرُّ بفيها ثمَّ ان رمتَهُ حلا
لهاto her شأنَin the manner of طفلٍa child جاهِلٍfoolish متقلّبِfickle
لها شأنَ طفلٍ جاهِلٍ متقلّبِ
It is bitter in her mouth; yet if you seek it, it turns sweet
It passes by so if you seek it, it dissolves,
To her, just as with a foolish, fickle child.
Having the nature of an ignorant, fickle child.
فاقربُso the nearest دانٍone approaching منكto you كُلُّevery مبغضٍhated thing
فاقربُ دانٍ منك كُلُّ مبغضٍ
وابعدُand the farthest نآءٍone distant عنكfrom you كُلُّevery محبَّبِbeloved thing
وابعدُ نآءٍ عنك كُلُّ محبَّبِ
So every hated thing is nearest at hand,
The closest companion to you is every hater
And every beloved thing is farthest from you.
And the furthest intimacy from you is every beloved.
وَبيand I have غُصَّةٌa choking grief لَيسَdoes not الزَمانTime يُسيغُهاswallow it
وَبي غُصَّةٌ لَيسَ الزَمان يُسيغُها
اذاif نَشِبَتit lodged فيin حلقِهits throat بعضَsome degree of منشَبِlodging
اذا نَشِبَت في حلقِه بعضَ منشَبِ
And I have a choking grief that Time could not swallow
I have a choking grief that time does not soothe
If it lodged even slightly in its throat.
When it lodges in its throat like an arrowhead.
وَماand not غُصَّتيmy choking grief الّاexcept الَّتيthat which تُعجزdefeats الإِساhealing
وَما غُصَّتي الّا الَّتي تُعجز الإِسا
فَلَمfor not أَكُI was أَشجىchoked بالشَرابby the drink المطيَّبِmade fragrant
فَلَم أَكُ أَشجى بالشَراب المطيَّبِ
And my choking grief is only that which defeats all healing;
My grief is only that which brings despair to consolation,
For I was not choked by a fragrant draught.
For I have not been one to be consoled by sweet drink.
فَياoh غصَّةًa choking grief بينbetween الزُلالclear water وَبينهاand between it
فَيا غصَّةً بين الزُلال وَبينها
مَهامِهvast deserts يُعييexhausts طيرَهاtheir birds بعضُa little مشرَبِwater to drink
مَهامِه يُعيي طيرَها بعضُ مشرَبِ
Oh, a choking grief, between which and clear water
Oh choking grief between clarity and it,
Lie vast deserts whose birds tire seeking even a little water.
Its concerns exhaust a bird from any drinking place.
اذاwhen حدَّثتنيspeaks to me النَفسُthe soul عنهاabout it إِخالهاI think it
اذا حدَّثتني النَفسُ عنها إِخالها
تحدِّثنيis telling me بالمَستحيلof the impossible المغيَّبِhidden away
تحدِّثني بالمَستحيل المغيَّبِ
When my soul speaks to me of it, I think it
When my soul speaks to me of it, deceiving me,
Is telling me of the impossible, hidden away.
It speaks to me of the impossible, the unreal.
وانand if اناI بالسِلوانof consolation حدَّثتُهاI spoke to it فَماthen not
وان انا بالسِلوان حدَّثتُها فَما
حديثيmy words لديهاin its view غيرnothing but جَهلٍignorance مركَّبِcompound
حديثي لديها غير جَهلٍ مركَّبِ
And if I speak to it of consolation, then
And if I speak to it gently, then my words to it
My words to it are nothing but compound ignorance.
Are nothing but ignorance compounded.
فَواحَيرتاso alas, my bewilderment! وَالدهرand Time يَعبَثُtoys بالفَتىwith a young man
فَواحَيرتا وَالدهر يَعبَثُ بالفَتى
وَيُركبهُand makes him ride فيin الامرthe affair احشَنَroughest (likely أخشن) مركَبِmount
وَيُركبهُ في الامر احشَنَ مركَبِ
Oh, my bewilderment! Time toys with a young man
So I am confused, as fate toys with the young man
And sets him on the roughest mount in his affairs.
And places him in the most rugged circumstance.
يحسنmakes beautiful فيin عينيهِhis two eyes ماwhat لنwill never يَنالَهُhe attains it
يحسن في عينيهِ ما لن يَنالَهُ
وَماand what دونهُbefore it حدُّthe edge of الحُسامthe sharp sword المشطَّبِgrooved
وَما دونهُ حدُّ الحُسام المشطَّبِ
It makes lovely in his eyes what he will never attain,
Beautiful in his eyes is what he will never attain,
And what is barred by a grooved sword's edge.
While what is beneath it is the limit of polished swords.
فَلاso not هوَhe سالٍconsoled لاno ولاnor هوَhe نائِلٌattaining
فَلا هوَ سالٍ لا ولا هوَ نائِلٌ
فقلso say ماwhat تشاyou wish فيabout حالهِhis state وتعجبِand marvel
فقل ما تشا في حالهِ وتعجبِ
So he neither finds solace—no—nor attains it;
So he is neither asking nor attaining,
So say what you will of his plight, and marvel.
So say what you will of his state and be amazed.
وَلكنَّand yet هَذاthis الخَلقَhumankind سنَّlaid down لِنفسِهِfor itself
وَلكنَّ هَذا الخَلقَ سنَّ لِنفسِهِ
شَرائعَlaws لمdid not يُنزِلsend down بهاwith them اللَهGod منany نَبيprophet
شَرائعَ لم يُنزِل بها اللَه من نَبي
Yet this humankind has laid down for itself
But these people have legislated for themselves
Laws that God sent no prophet to proclaim;
Laws not sent down upon them by God through any prophet.
شَرائعَlaws of تَفريقٍdivision لماof what اللَهُGod جامِعٌbrings together
شَرائعَ تَفريقٍ لما اللَهُ جامِعٌ
وَماand not ثَمَّthere منany داعٍmotive ولاnor منany مسبِّبِcause
وَما ثَمَّ من داعٍ ولا من مسبِّبِ
Laws dividing what God brings together,
Laws of separation, while God is unified,
Though there is neither motive nor cause.
And there is no caller nor causer but Him.
لَقَدindeed فرَّقواthey divided بينbetween الجواهرessences لاسمهاbecause of their name
لَقَد فرَّقوا بين الجواهر لاسمها
كَماas لَوif فَرَقناwe distinguished بينbetween غربٍwest وَمَغرِبِand occident
كَما لَو فَرَقنا بين غربٍ وَمَغرِبِ
They have indeed divided essences on account of their names,
They have separated the essences based on their names,
As if we distinguished between west and occident.
As if we separated west from east.
وإِنand not تلكُمُthose (addressing you all) الّاexcept أَسامٍnames عجيبَةٌstrange
وإِن تلكُمُ الّا أَسامٍ عجيبَةٌ
دعوتمyou named بهاwith them انتمyou yourselves معwith الجَدّthe grandfather والابِand the father
دعوتم بها انتم مع الجَدّ والابِ
And those are nothing but strange names
Those are only marvelous names,
By which you named them, you and your grandfather and father.
Which you have called while serious or playing.
فوارغُempty لمdid not يُنزِلsend down بهاfor them اللَهُGod آيةًa verse
فوارغُ لم يُنزِل بها اللَهُ آيةً
وَلَوeven if أَوَّلوهاthey interpreted them فيin الكتابthe Book المكتَّبِwritten down
وَلَو أَوَّلوها في الكتاب المكتَّبِ
Empty names, for which God sent down no verse,
Empty, with no verses sent down about them by God,
Even if they read them into the written Book.
Even if you interpret them in the Holy Book.
كُراتٌballs منof العاجivory ابتَدرتمyou hastened لصِبغهاto color them
كُراتٌ من العاج ابتَدرتم لصِبغها
بشتىَّwith various منof الالوانِcolors فِعلَthe act of المرغبِّone who entices
بشتىَّ من الالوانِ فِعلَ المرغبِّ
Ivory balls—you hastened to color them
Balls of ivory which you have hastened to dye
With varied colors, as one seeking to entice would do.
With various colors, the work of the desirer.
وَجئتمand you came تَقولونَsaying اتَّقواavoid ماwhat بأَحمرٍwith red
وَجئتم تَقولونَ اتَّقوا ما بأَحمرٍ
صَبغناwe dyed وأُمواand seek ماwhat صَبَغناwe dyed باصهبِwith tawny
صَبغنا وأُموا ما صَبَغنا باصهبِ
And you came saying, 'Avoid what in red
And you come saying, "Beware what we have dyed red,
We have dyed, and seek what we have dyed tawny;
And believe what we have dyed green."
وايّاكُمand beware انlest تجمعواyou combine بينbetween هَذِهِthis one
وايّاكُم ان تجمعوا بين هَذِهِ
وَهذيand this one ومنand whoever يقرُبcomes near لهاتيكيُذنِبِto that one—he sins
وَهذي ومن يقرُب لهاتيكيُذنِبِ
And beware of bringing this one together
And beware that you do not join this one
With this other; whoever approaches that one sins.'
With that one, for whoever does has sinned.
وَماand not ثمَّthere بُرهانٌproof فكُلُّso all كُراتِكمyour balls
وَما ثمَّ بُرهانٌ فكُلُّ كُراتِكم
منof العاجivory إِنif تُغفَلthey are left unmarked وانand if تتخضَّبِthey are dyed
من العاج إِن تُغفَل وان تتخضَّبِ
Yet there is no proof; all your balls
There is no proof, for all your balls of ivory,
Are ivory, whether left unmarked or dyed.
Whether ignored or colored, are the same.
وانand if كانَthere is فَرقٌa difference بينهنَّamong them فربماthen perhaps
وان كانَ فَرقٌ بينهنَّ فربما
رديئتهاthe inferior one among them ذاتhaving الطِلآءِthe coating المذهَّبِgilded
رديئتها ذات الطِلآءِ المذهَّبِ
And if there is a difference among them, perhaps
And if there is a difference between them, maybe
The inferior one is the one with the gilded coating.
The ugliest is the one with more beautiful dye.
Sol 6.1