ذَهَبَdeparted الصِّبَاyouth وَتَوَلَّتِand passed away الأَيَّامُthe days
ذَهَبَ الصِّبَا وَتَوَلَّتِ الأَيَّامُ
فَعَلَىso upon الصِّبَاyouth وَعَلَىand upon الزَّمَانِtime سَلامُfarewell
فَعَلَى الصِّبَا وَعَلَى الزَّمَانِ سَلامُ
Youth has gone, and the days have passed away.
The spring has left and the days have turned,
So farewell to youth, and farewell to time.
So farewell to spring and to time!
تَاللَّهِby God أَنْسَىI forget (negation implied) مَاas long as حَيِيتُI live عُهُودَهُits bygone days
تَاللَّهِ أَنْسَى مَا حَيِيتُ عُهُودَهُ
وَلِكُلِّand for every عَهْدٍpledge فِيamong الْكِرَامthe noble ذِمَامُa binding obligation
وَلِكُلِّ عَهْدٍ فِي الْكِرَام ذِمَامُ
By God, I shall not forget its days as long as I live,
By God, I forget the pacts I lived,
And every pledge among the noble carries a binding obligation.
For every pact has a fixed term.
إِذwhen نَحْنُwe فِيin عَيْشٍa life تَرِفُّflutter ظِلالُهُits shades
إِذ نَحْنُ فِي عَيْشٍ تَرِفُّ ظِلالُهُ
وَلَنَاand we have بِمُعْتَرِكin the battleground of الْهَوَىlove آثَامُsins
وَلَنَا بِمُعْتَرِك الْهَوَى آثَامُ
When we lived a life whose shades fluttered,
When we lived in luxurious ease
And in love's battleground we had our sins;
And sinned in the battlefield of passion.
تَجْرِيcirculates عَلَيْنَاamong us الْكَأْسُthe cup بَيْنَamid مَجَالِسٍgatherings
تَجْرِي عَلَيْنَا الْكَأْسُ بَيْنَ مَجَالِسٍ
فِيهَاin them السَّلامُgreeting تَعَانُقٌembracing وَلِزَامُand holding close
فِيهَا السَّلامُ تَعَانُقٌ وَلِزَامُ
The cup circulated among us at gatherings
The goblet circulated between gatherings
Where greeting meant embracing and holding close.
Wherein were intimacy, union and binding.
فِيamong فِتْيَةٍyoung men فَاضَoverflowed النَّعِيمُdelight عَلَيْهِمُupon them
فِي فِتْيَةٍ فَاضَ النَّعِيمُ عَلَيْهِمُ
وَنَمَاهُمُand nurtured them التَّبْجِيلُreverence وَالإِعْظَامُand high esteem
وَنَمَاهُمُ التَّبْجِيلُ وَالإِعْظَامُ
Among young men upon whom delight had overflowed,
Among youths overwhelmed with bliss,
And whom reverence and high esteem had nurtured.
Whom esteem and respect made grow.
ذَهَبَتْcarried along بِهِمْwith them شِيَمُtraits الْمُلُوكِof kings فَلَيْسَso there is no فِيin
ذَهَبَتْ بِهِمْ شِيَمُ الْمُلُوكِ فَلَيْسَ فِي
تَلْعَابِهِمْtheir merrymaking هَذْرٌidle chatter وَلاnor إِبْرَامُimportunity
تَلْعَابِهِمْ هَذْرٌ وَلا إِبْرَامُ
Kingly virtues carried them along; there was nothing in
The traits of kings left them, thus in
Their merrymaking of idle chatter or importunity.
Their play there was no nonsense or haughtiness.
لاnot يَنْطِقُونَthey speak بِغَيْرِwith anything but آدَابِthe courtesy of الْهَوَىlove
لا يَنْطِقُونَ بِغَيْرِ آدَابِ الْهَوَى
سُمحُgenerous النُّفُوسِsouls عَلَىamid الْبَلاءِadversity كِرَامُnoble
سُمحُ النُّفُوسِ عَلَى الْبَلاءِ كِرَامُ
They spoke only with the courtesy of love,
They spoke not but the etiquette of love -
Generous of soul, noble in adversity.
The generosity of soul in ordeal is nobility.
مِنْfrom كُلِّevery أَبْلَجَradiant man يُسْتَضَاءُillumination is sought بِنُورِهِby his light
مِنْ كُلِّ أَبْلَجَ يُسْتَضَاءُ بِنُورِهِ
كَالْبَدْرِlike the full moon حَلَّىadorned صَفْحَتَيْهِits two cheeks غَمَامُa cloud
كَالْبَدْرِ حَلَّى صَفْحَتَيْهِ غَمَامُ
Each a radiant man whose light illumined others,
Eyes yearn for them in their deeds
Like the full moon, a cloud adorning its two cheeks.
And the people walk under their flags.
سَهْلُgentle الْخَلِيقَةِin temperament لاnot يَسُوءُoffends جَلِيسَهُhis companion
سَهْلُ الْخَلِيقَةِ لا يَسُوءُ جَلِيسَهُ
بَيْنَamong الْمَقَامَةِthe assembled company وَاضِحٌbright-faced بَسَّامُever smiling
بَيْنَ الْمَقَامَةِ وَاضِحٌ بَسَّامُ
Gentle in nature, he never offended his companion,
So if he speaks the heads bow down
Among the assembled company, bright-faced and ever smiling.
And if he calls to arms the ranks stand up.
مُتَوَاضِعٌhumble لِلْقَوْمِtoward the people تَحْسَبُyou think أَنَّهُthat he is
مُتَوَاضِعٌ لِلْقَوْمِ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّهُ
مَوْلىًa servant لَهُمْto them فِيin الدَّارِthe house وَهْوَthough he is هُمَامُa noble lord
مَوْلىً لَهُمْ فِي الدَّارِ وَهْوَ هُمَامُ
Humble toward the people, you would think him
We sported and played in the green gardens,
Their servant in the house, though he was a noble lord.
None but our steeds roamed in them.
تَرْنُوgaze الْعُيُونُthe eyes إِلَيْهِtoward him فِيin أَفْعَالِهِhis deeds
تَرْنُو الْعُيُونُ إِلَيْهِ فِي أَفْعَالِهِ
وَتَسِيرُand march تَحْتَbeneath لِوَائِهِhis banner الأَقْوَامُpeoples
وَتَسِيرُ تَحْتَ لِوَائِهِ الأَقْوَامُ
Eyes gazed toward him in all his deeds,
Until we awoke when the spring had gone -
And peoples marched beneath his banner.
Lo, sweetness and spring are dreams.
فَإِذَاso when تَكَلَّمَhe spoke فَالرُّؤُوسُthen the heads خَوَاضِعٌbowed
فَإِذَا تَكَلَّمَ فَالرُّؤُوسُ خَوَاضِعٌ
وَإِذَاand when تَنَاهَضَhe rose فَالصُّفُوفُthen the ranks قِيَامُstanding
وَإِذَا تَنَاهَضَ فَالصُّفُوفُ قِيَامُ
When he spoke, heads bowed,
Think not that life lasts for one living softly -
And when he rose, the ranks stood up.
Alas, time has no permanence.
نَلْهُوwe amuse ourselves وَنَلْعَبُand we play بَيْنَamong خُضْرِgreen حَدَائِقٍgardens
نَلْهُو وَنَلْعَبُ بَيْنَ خُضْرِ حَدَائِقٍ
لَيْسَتْare not بِغَيْرِby any but خُيُولِنَاour horses تُسْتَامُgrazed
لَيْسَتْ بِغَيْرِ خُيُولِنَا تُسْتَامُ
We amused ourselves and played among green gardens
The months come and their hours pass
That none but our horses grazed.
Like mirage's gleam, and the years fade away,
حَتَّىuntil انْتَبَهْنَاwe awoke بَعْدَafter مَاthat ذَهَبَdeparted الصِّبَاyouth
حَتَّى انْتَبَهْنَا بَعْدَ مَا ذَهَبَ الصِّبَا
إِنَّindeed اللَّذَاذَةَpleasure وَالصِّبَاand youth أَحْلامُdreams
إِنَّ اللَّذَاذَةَ وَالصِّبَا أَحْلامُ
Until we awoke, after youth had gone:
While people between them come and go,
Pleasure and youth are dreams.
As the days flow by with them.
لاdo not تَحْسَبَنَّever suppose الْعَيْشَlife دَامَlasts لِمُتْرَفٍfor one living in luxury
لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الْعَيْشَ دَامَ لِمُتْرَفٍ
هَيْهَاتَfar from it لَيْسَthere is no عَلَىagainst الزَّمَانِtime دَوَامُpermanence
هَيْهَاتَ لَيْسَ عَلَى الزَّمَانِ دَوَامُ
Never suppose life endures for one steeped in luxury;
No bird escapes nor clawed beast remains,
Far from it—nothing lasts against time.
And the fate of life is annihilation.
تَأْتِيcome الشُّهُورُthe months وَتَنْتَهِيand end سَاعَاتُهَاtheir hours
تَأْتِي الشُّهُورُ وَتَنْتَهِي سَاعَاتُهَا
لَمْعَthe flash of السَّرَابِthe mirage وَتَنْقَضِيand pass away الأَعْوَامُthe years
لَمْعَ السَّرَابِ وَتَنْقَضِي الأَعْوَامُ
The months arrive, and their hours end
So repel the worries of your soul when they afflict you
Like the flash of a mirage, and the years pass away.
With the cup, for it is over worries a sword.
وَالنَّاسُand people فِيمَاin what بَيْنَbetween ذَلِكَthat وَارِدٌone arriving
وَالنَّاسُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَارِدٌ
أَوْor صَادِرٌone departing تَجْرِيflow بِهِwith him الأَيَّامُthe days
أَوْ صَادِرٌ تَجْرِي بِهِ الأَيَّامُ
And people, meanwhile, are either arriving
For life lasts not in its colors
Or departing, carried along by the days.
Except when the goblet circulates round it.
لاno طَائِرٌbird يَنْجُوescapes وَلاnor ذُوone possessing مِخْلَبٍa talon
لا طَائِرٌ يَنْجُو وَلا ذُو مِخْلَبٍ
يَبْقَىremains وَعَاقِبَةُand the outcome of الْحَيَاةlife حِمَامُdeath
يَبْقَى وَعَاقِبَةُ الْحَيَاة حِمَامُ
No bird escapes, nor does any taloned creature
Of wine that leaves the aged when he gets intoxicated
Remain; the end of life is death.
After the flames of old age - but he is a lad.
فَادْرَأْso ward off هُمُومَthe cares of النَّفْسِthe soul عَنْكَfrom yourself إِذَاwhen اعْتَرَتْthey assail
فَادْرَأْ هُمُومَ النَّفْسِ عَنْكَ إِذَا اعْتَرَتْ
بِالْكَأْسِwith the cup فَهْيَfor it is عَلَىagainst الْهُمُومِcares حُسَامُa keen sword
بِالْكَأْسِ فَهْيَ عَلَى الْهُمُومِ حُسَامُ
So ward off the soul's cares whenever they assail you
Time toyed with it and left its body
With the cup: it is a keen sword against cares.
A wraith over which imaginations collapse.
فَالْعَيْشُfor life لَيْسَdoes not يَدُومُendure فِيin أَلْوَانِهِits hues
فَالْعَيْشُ لَيْسَ يَدُومُ فِي أَلْوَانِهِ
إِلَّاexcept إِذَاwhen دَارَتْcirculates عَلَيْهِover it الْجَامُthe goblet
إِلَّا إِذَا دَارَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْجَامُ
For life does not endure in all its hues
Red wine which lovers circulated and which formed
Except when the goblet circulates through it.
A firmament around which constellations revolve.
مِنْof خَمْرَةٍwine تَذَرُleaves الْكَبِيرَthe old man إِذَاwhen انْتَشَىhe becomes intoxicated
مِنْ خَمْرَةٍ تَذَرُ الْكَبِيرَ إِذَا انْتَشَى
بَعْدَafter اشْتِعَالِthe blazing of الشَّيْبِgray hair وَهْوَwhile he is غُلامُa boy
بَعْدَ اشْتِعَالِ الشَّيْبِ وَهْوَ غُلامُ
Of a wine that leaves the old man, once intoxicated,
The eye goes not straight in its glitter
After gray hair has flared, a boy again.
And feet slip when meeting it.
لَعِبَplayed الزَّمَانُtime بِهَاwith it فَغَادَرَso it left جِسْمَهَاits body
لَعِبَ الزَّمَانُ بِهَا فَغَادَرَ جِسْمَهَا
شَبَحَاًa phantom تَهَافَتُfalter دُونَهُbefore it الأَوْهَامُimaginings
شَبَحَاً تَهَافَتُ دُونَهُ الأَوْهَامُ
Time played with it, leaving its body
The riders camp when its goblet glistens,
A phantom before which imaginings falter.
And when its light disappears they stop.
حَمْرَاءُred دَارَcircled بِهَاaround it الْحَبَابُbubbles فَصَوَّرَتْso it depicted
حَمْرَاءُ دَارَ بِهَا الْحَبَابُ فَصَوَّرَتْ
فَلَكاًa celestial sphere تَحُفُّsurround سَمَاءَهُits sky الأَجْرَامُheavenly bodies
فَلَكاً تَحُفُّ سَمَاءَهُ الأَجْرَامُ
Red, with bubbles circling it, it depicted
It was imprisoned in perfect musk -
A celestial sphere whose sky heavenly bodies surround.
Light upon which gloom did not descend.
لاnot تَسْتَقِيمُholds steady الْعَيْنُthe eye فِيin لَمَعَانِهَاits brilliance
لا تَسْتَقِيمُ الْعَيْنُ فِي لَمَعَانِهَا
وَتَزِلُّand slip عِنْدَupon لِقَائِهَاencountering it الأَقْدَامُfeet
وَتَزِلُّ عِنْدَ لِقَائِهَا الأَقْدَامُ
The eye cannot hold steady in its brilliance,
Till when it congealed and its essence evaporated,
And feet slip when they encounter it.
And bodies could not bear it.
تَعْشُوgrope in dimness الرِّكَابُthe riding camels فِإِنْthen if تَبَلَّجَshines forth كَأْسُهَاits cup
تَعْشُو الرِّكَابُ فِإِنْ تَبَلَّجَ كَأْسُهَا
سَارُواthey travel وَإِنْand if زَالَfades الضِّيَاءُthe light أَقَامُواthey halt
سَارُوا وَإِنْ زَالَ الضِّيَاءُ أَقَامُوا
The mounts grope in dimness; if its cup shines forth,
Its flammability kindled, so were it not for its blending
They travel on, and if the light fades, they halt.
With water after water, flames would have ignited.
حُبِسَتْit was confined بِأَكْلَفَin a dusky vessel لَمْdid not يَصِلْreach لِفِنَائِهِto its enclosure
حُبِسَتْ بِأَكْلَفَ لَمْ يَصِلْ لِفِنَائِهِ
نُورٌlight وَلَمْand did not يَسْرَحْroam عَلَيْهِover it ظَلامُdarkness
نُورٌ وَلَمْ يَسْرَحْ عَلَيْهِ ظَلامُ
It was held in a dusky vessel whose confines
It charms eyes with its light but is
No light reached, nor did darkness roam over it.
A chill for its drinker and peace.
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen اصْطَفَقَتْit surged وَطَارَand flew off فِدَامُهَاits cloth stopper
حَتَّى إِذَا اصْطَفَقَتْ وَطَارَ فِدَامُهَا
وَثَبَتْit leapt فَلَمْand did not تَثْبُتْstand firm لَهَاagainst it الأَجْسَامُbodies
وَثَبَتْ فَلَمْ تَثْبُتْ لَهَا الأَجْسَامُ
Until, when it surged and its cloth stopper flew off,
So by it polish the rust of worries and be not
It leapt, and bodies could not withstand it.
A fool made dizzy by sorrows.
وَقَدَتْblazed حِمَيَّتُهَاits fiery strength فَلَوْلاso were it not for مَزْجُهَاmixing it
وَقَدَتْ حِمَيَّتُهَا فَلَوْلا مَزْجُهَا
بِالْمَاءِwith water بَعْدَafter الْمَاءِwater شَبَّwould have flared ضِرَامُa blaze
بِالْمَاءِ بَعْدَ الْمَاءِ شَبَّ ضِرَامُ
Its fiery strength blazed; had it not been mixed
And know that no man lives forever
With water, then more water, a blaze would have flared.
And that health and sickness are in time.
تَسِمُbrands الْعُيُونَthe eyes بِنُورِهَاwith its light لَكِنَّهَاbut it is
تَسِمُ الْعُيُونَ بِنُورِهَا لَكِنَّهَا
بَرْدٌcoolness عَلَىfor شُرَّابِهَاits drinkers وَسَلامُand peace
بَرْدٌ عَلَى شُرَّابِهَا وَسَلامُ
It brands the eyes with its light, yet it is
The youth pines all his life, and truly it
Coolness and peace for those who drink it.
Is a disease to him, if balances be set right.
فَاصْقُلْso polish away بِهَاwith it صَدْأَthe rust of الْهُمُومِcares وَلاand do not تَكُنْbe
فَاصْقُلْ بِهَا صَدْأَ الْهُمُومِ وَلا تَكُنْ
غِرّاًa naive man تَطِيشُunsettle بِلُبِّهِwith his reason الآلامُpains
غِرّاً تَطِيشُ بِلُبِّهِ الآلامُ
So polish away with it the rust of cares; do not be
So glance with your eye - do you see any nation
A naive man whose reason is unhinged by pain.
That lasted? And is there rest for a wayfarer?
وَاعْلَمُand know بِأَنَّthat الْمَرْءَman لَيْسَis not بِخَالِدٍimmortal
وَاعْلَمُ بِأَنَّ الْمَرْءَ لَيْسَ بِخَالِدٍ
وَالدَّهْرُand time فِيهِwithin it صِحَّةٌhealth وَسَقَامُand sickness
وَالدَّهْرُ فِيهِ صِحَّةٌ وَسَقَامُ
And know that man is not immortal,
These cities - after their order their people left them,
And time contains both health and sickness.
And these pyramids - and they became ruins.
يَهْوَىdesires الْفَتَىthe young man طُولَlength of الْحَيَاةِlife وَإِنَّهَاthough it is
يَهْوَى الْفَتَى طُولَ الْحَيَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا
دَاءٌa disease لَهُfor him لَوْif يَسْتَبِينُhe discerned clearly عُقَامُincurable
دَاءٌ لَهُ لَوْ يَسْتَبِينُ عُقَامُ
A young man longs for length of life, though it is
Naught lasts but the deception
For him, if he could see clearly, an incurable disease.
In fate over which dreams stumble.
فَاطْمَحْso raise بِطَرْفِكَwith your gaze هَلْdo ...? تَرَىyou see مِنْany أُمَّةٍnation
فَاطْمَحْ بِطَرْفِكَ هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ أُمَّةٍ
خَلَدَتْhas lived forever وَهَلْand is there لاِبْنِfor the son of السَّبِيلِthe road مُقَامُan abode
خَلَدَتْ وَهَلْ لاِبْنِ السَّبِيلِ مُقَامُ
So lift your gaze: do you see any nation
And I had realized matters through others
That has lived forever? Has the wayfarer a lasting abode?
And reversal and decree came upon me.
هَذِيthese الْمَدَائِنُcities قَدْalready خَلَتْbecame empty مِنْof أَهْلِهَاtheir people
هَذِي الْمَدَائِنُ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا
بَعْدَafter النِّظَامِorder وَهَذِهِand these الأَهْرَامُthe pyramids
بَعْدَ النِّظَامِ وَهَذِهِ الأَهْرَامُ
These cities have been emptied of their people,
So silence is motion and dimness
After their ordered life—and these are the pyramids.
Burning, and silence - speech.
لاno شَيءَthing يَخْلُدُlasts forever غَيْرَexcept أَنَّthat خَدِيعَةًa deception
لا شَيءَ يَخْلُدُ غَيْرَ أَنَّ خَدِيعَةً
فِيin الدَّهْرِtime تَنْكُلُrecoil دُونَهَاbefore it الأَحْلامُintellects
فِي الدَّهْرِ تَنْكُلُ دُونَهَا الأَحْلامُ
Nothing endures forever, yet there is a deception
And life - no life - passed away,
In time before which intellects recoil.
By which bodies live, and it is ruin.
وَلَقَدْand indeed تَبَيَّنْتُI discerned الأُمُورَthings بِغَيْرِهَاthrough what differs from them
وَلَقَدْ تَبَيَّنْتُ الأُمُورَ بِغَيْرِهَا
وَأَتَىand came عَلَيَّupon me النَّقْضُundoing وَالإِبْرَامُand binding
وَأَتَى عَلَيَّ النَّقْضُ وَالإِبْرَامُ
Indeed, I have discerned things through what differs from them,
This changes and that departs against its will,
And undoing and binding have passed over me.
So at times harmony and at times discord.
فَإِذَاthen behold السُّكُونُstillness تَحَرُّكٌmotion وَإِذَاand behold الْخُمُوthe dying out (continued)
فَإِذَا السُّكُونُ تَحَرُّكٌ وَإِذَا الْخُمُو
دُending of 'dying out' تَلَهُّبٌblazing وَإِذَاand behold السُّكُوتُsilence كَلامُspeech
دُ تَلَهُّبٌ وَإِذَا السُّكُوتُ كَلامُ
Then behold: stillness is motion, and dying out
And light - had you explained your matter clearly - is darkness,
Is blazing, and silence is speech;
And the beginning - had you reflected on it - is the end.
وَإِذَاand behold الْحَيَاةُlife وَلاand no حَيَاةَlife مَنِيَّةٌdeath
وَإِذَا الْحَيَاةُ وَلا حَيَاةَ مَنِيَّةٌ
تَحْيَاlive بِهَاthrough it الأَجْسَادُthe bodies وَهْيَwhile they are رِمَامُdecayed remains
تَحْيَا بِهَا الأَجْسَادُ وَهْيَ رِمَامُ
And life—though there is no life—is death,
Through which bodies live, though they are decayed remains.
هَذَاthis one يَحُلُّsettles وَذَاكَand that one يَرْحَلُdeparts كَارِهَاًunwillingly
هَذَا يَحُلُّ وَذَاكَ يَرْحَلُ كَارِهَاً
عَنْهُfrom it فَصُلْحٌso peace تَارَةًat one time وَخِصَامُand strife
عَنْهُ فَصُلْحٌ تَارَةً وَخِصَامُ
This one settles, and that one leaves unwillingly
From it: peace at one time, strife at another.
فَالنُّورُfor the light لَوْif بَيَّنْتَyou clarified أَمْرَكَyour condition ظُلْمَةٌdarkness
فَالنُّورُ لَوْ بَيَّنْتَ أَمْرَكَ ظُلْمَةٌ
وَالْبَدْءُand the beginning لَوْif فَكَّرْتَyou pondered فِيهِon it خِتَامُan ending
وَالْبَدْءُ لَوْ فَكَّرْتَ فِيهِ خِتَامُ
For light, if you examined your condition, is darkness,
And the beginning, if you pondered it, is an end.
Partial English translation: 74 of 80 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1