أَعِدْrestore ياO دَهْرُTime أَيَّامَthe days of الشَّبَابِyouth
أَعِدْ يا دَهْرُ أَيَّامَ الشَّبَابِ
وَأَيْنَbut where مِنَof الصِّبَاyouth دَرْكُattainment of الطِّلابِthe quest
وَأَيْنَ مِنَ الصِّبَا دَرْكُ الطِّلابِ
Restore, O Time, the days of youth!
But how can the quest for youth be fulfilled?
زَمَانٌa time كُلَّماwhenever لاحَتْappeared بِفِكْرِيin my mind
زَمَانٌ كُلَّما لاحَتْ بِفِكْرِي
مَخَايِلُهُits images بَكَيْتُI wept لِفَرْطِat the intensity of ماwhat بِيis within me
مَخَايِلُهُ بَكَيْتُ لِفَرْطِ ما بِي
A time—whenever there flashed through my mind
its images, I wept, so great was my distress.
مَضَىit passed عَنِّيfrom me وَغَادَرَand left بِيwithin me وَلُوعاًa yearning
مَضَى عَنِّي وَغَادَرَ بِي وَلُوعاً
تَوَلَّدَarose مِنْهُfrom it حُزْنِيmy sorrow وَاكْتِئَابِيand my dejection
تَوَلَّدَ مِنْهُ حُزْنِي وَاكْتِئَابِي
It passed from me and left within me a longing
from which my sorrow and dejection sprang.
وَكَيْفَand how تَلَذُّfinds pleasure بَعْدَafter الشَّيْبِgray hair نَفْسِيmy soul
وَكَيْفَ تَلَذُّ بَعْدَ الشَّيْبِ نَفْسِي
وَفِيand in اللَّذَّاتِpleasures إِنْif سَنَحَتْthey present themselves عَذَابِيmy torment
وَفِي اللَّذَّاتِ إِنْ سَنَحَتْ عَذَابِي
And how can my soul find pleasure after gray hair,
when pleasures, if they come, hold my torment?
أَصُدُّI turn away عَنِfrom النَّعِيمِbliss صُدُودَthe withdrawal of عَجْزٍhelplessness
أَصُدُّ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ صُدُودَ عَجْزٍ
وَأُظْهِرُand I display سَلْوَةًdetachment وَالْقَلْبُwhile the heart صَابِيyearning
وَأُظْهِرُ سَلْوَةً وَالْقَلْبُ صَابِي
I turn from pleasure in helpless withdrawal,
and show detachment, though my heart still yearns.
وَمَاand there is nothing فِيin الدَّهْرِTime خَيْرٌbetter مِنْthan حَيَاةٍa life
وَمَا فِي الدَّهْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ حَيَاةٍ
يَكُونُis قِوَامُهاits mainstay رَوْحَthe fresh breath of الشَّبَابِyouth
يَكُونُ قِوَامُها رَوْحَ الشَّبَابِ
Nothing in this world is better than a life
whose mainstay is the fresh breath of youth.
فَيَاso, oh للهِby God كَمْhow many لِيwere mine مِنْof لَيَالٍnights
فَيَا للهِ كَمْ لِي مِنْ لَيَالٍ
بِهِin it سَلَفَتْpassed وَأَيَّامٍand days عِذَابِsweet
بِهِ سَلَفَتْ وَأَيَّامٍ عِذَابِ
Oh, by God, how many nights were mine,
spent in youth, and days of sweetness!
إِذِwhen النَّعْمَاءُbliss وَارِفَةٌspreading shade عَلَيْنَاover us
إِذِ النَّعْمَاءُ وَارِفَةٌ عَلَيْنَا
وَمَرْعَىand the pasture of اللَّهْوِmerriment مُخْضَرُّgreen along الْجَنَابِthe edges
وَمَرْعَى اللَّهْوِ مُخْضَرُّ الْجَنَابِ
When bliss spread its shade above us,
and pleasure's pasture was green on every side.
نَطِيرُwe fly مَعَwith السُّرُورِjoy إِذَاwhen انْتَشَيْنَاwe grow intoxicated
نَطِيرُ مَعَ السُّرُورِ إِذَا انْتَشَيْنَا
بِأَجْنِحَةِon wings of الْخَلاعَةِwantonness وَالتَّصَابِيand youthful frolic
بِأَجْنِحَةِ الْخَلاعَةِ وَالتَّصَابِي
We flew with joy when we grew intoxicated,
on wings of wantonness and youthful play.
فَغُدْوَتُنَاso our morning outing وَرَوْحَتُنَاand our evening outing سَوَاءٌalike
فَغُدْوَتُنَا وَرَوْحَتُنَا سَوَاءٌ
لعَابٌplay فيwithin لعَابٍplay فيwithin لعَابِplay
لعَابٌ في لعَابٍ في لعَابِ
Our morning and our evening were alike:
play within play within play.
وَرُبَّتَand many a رَوْضَةٍgarden مِلْناwe turned إِلَيْهَاtoward it
وَرُبَّتَ رَوْضَةٍ مِلْنا إِلَيْهَا
وَقَرْنُwhile the rim of الشَّمْسِthe sun تِبْرِيُّgolden الإِهَابِin skin
وَقَرْنُ الشَّمْسِ تِبْرِيُّ الإِهَابِ
And many a garden we turned toward,
while the sun's rim wore a skin of gold.
نَمَتْgrew أَدْوَاحُهاits great trees وسَمَتْand rose high فَكَانَتْso they became
نَمَتْ أَدْوَاحُها وسَمَتْ فَكَانَتْ
عَلَىover السَّاحاتِthe open spaces أَمْثَالَlikenesses of الْقِبابِdomes
عَلَى السَّاحاتِ أَمْثَالَ الْقِبابِ
Its great trees grew and rose until they stood
like domes above the open spaces.
فَزَهْرُso the blossoms of غُصُونِهَاits branches طَلْقُcheerful الْمُحَيَّاof face
فَزَهْرُ غُصُونِهَا طَلْقُ الْمُحَيَّا
وَجَدْوَلُand the stream of مائِهاits water عَذْبُsweet of الرُّضابِsaliva
وَجَدْوَلُ مائِها عَذْبُ الرُّضابِ
The blossoms on its boughs were bright of face,
and its stream's saliva was sweet.
كَأَنَّas though غُصُونَهاits branches غِيدٌsupple maidens تَهَادَىswaying gracefully
كَأَنَّ غُصُونَها غِيدٌ تَهَادَى
مِنَof الزَّهْرِflowers الْمُنَمَّقِrichly patterned فيin ثِيَابِrobes
مِنَ الزَّهْرِ الْمُنَمَّقِ في ثِيَابِ
As though its branches were supple maidens swaying
in robes of richly patterned flowers.
سَقَتْهَاwatered them السُّحْبُthe clouds رَيِّقَهاtheir choicest rain فَمَالَتْso they swayed
سَقَتْهَا السُّحْبُ رَيِّقَها فَمَالَتْ
كَمَاas مَالَswayed النَّزِيفُone drunk مِنَfrom الشَّرَابِwine
كَمَا مَالَ النَّزِيفُ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ
The clouds gave them their choicest rain, and they swayed
as one drunk with wine sways.
فَسَبَّحَso sang praise طَيْرُهاits birds شُكْراًin gratitude وَأَثْنَتْand it sang praise
فَسَبَّحَ طَيْرُها شُكْراً وَأَثْنَتْ
بِأَلْسِنَةِwith the tongues of النَّباتِthe plants عَلَىof السَّحَابِthe clouds
بِأَلْسِنَةِ النَّباتِ عَلَى السَّحَابِ
Its birds sang praise in thanks, and it extolled
the clouds with the tongues of its plants.
وَيَوْمٍand many a day ناعِمِgentle at الطَّرَفَيْنِboth ends نَادٍdewy
وَيَوْمٍ ناعِمِ الطَّرَفَيْنِ نَادٍ
عَلِيلِmild of الْجَوِّair هَلْهَالِthin of الرَّبَابِclouds
عَلِيلِ الْجَوِّ هَلْهَالِ الرَّبَابِ
And on many a day, gentle at both ends and dewy,
with mild breezes and thin, gauzy clouds,
سَبَقْتُI outstripped بِهِon it الشُّرُوقَsunrise إِلَىtoward التَّصَابِيyouthful frolic
سَبَقْتُ بِهِ الشُّرُوقَ إِلَى التَّصَابِي
بُكُوراًearly قَبْلَbefore تَنْعابِthe cawing of الغُرابِthe raven
بُكُوراً قَبْلَ تَنْعابِ الغُرابِ
I beat the sunrise to youthful frolic,
early, before the raven's caw.
وسُقْتُand I drove مَعَwith الْغُواةِthe wayward كُمَيْتَa bay-red wine لَهْوٍof revelry
وسُقْتُ مَعَ الْغُواةِ كُمَيْتَ لَهْوٍ
جَمُوحاًheadstrong لاnot تَلِينُit yields عَلَىto الْجِذَابِthe tugging of reins
جَمُوحاً لا تَلِينُ عَلَى الْجِذَابِ
And with the wayward I drove revelry's bay-red wine,
headstrong, unyielding to the tugging of the reins.
إِذَاwhen أَلْجَمْتَهاyou bridle it بِالْمَاءِwith water قَرَّتْit grows still
إِذَا أَلْجَمْتَها بِالْمَاءِ قَرَّتْ
وَدَارَand circled بِجِيدِهاaround its neck لَبَبُa breast-strap of الْحَبابِbubbles
وَدَارَ بِجِيدِها لَبَبُ الْحَبابِ
When you bridled it with water, it grew still,
and a breast-strap of bubbles circled its neck.
مُوَرَّدَةًrose-red إِذَاwhen اتَّقَدَتْit blazed بِكَفٍّin a hand
مُوَرَّدَةً إِذَا اتَّقَدَتْ بِكَفٍّ
جَلَتْهاit revealed it لِلأَشِعَّةِto the sunbeams فيin خِضَابِdye
جَلَتْها لِلأَشِعَّةِ في خِضَابِ
Rose-red, when it blazed within a hand,
it showed that hand to the sunbeams, dyed red.
هُوَit was العَصْرُthe age الَّذِيin which دَارَتْcircled عَلَيْنَاaround us
هُوَ العَصْرُ الَّذِي دَارَتْ عَلَيْنَا
بِهِduring it اللَّذَّاتُpleasures واضِعَةَlaying aside النِّقَابِthe veil
بِهِ اللَّذَّاتُ واضِعَةَ النِّقَابِ
That was the age when there circled around us
pleasures, with their veils laid aside.
نُجَاهِرُwe speak openly بِالْغَرَامِof passionate love وَلاand do not نُبَالِيcare
نُجَاهِرُ بِالْغَرَامِ وَلا نُبَالِي
وَنَنْطِقُand we speak بِالصَوابِwhat is right وَلاand do not نُحَابِيshow favoritism
وَنَنْطِقُ بِالصَوابِ وَلا نُحَابِي
We proclaimed our love and did not care,
and spoke what was right, showing no favoritism.
فَيَاso, oh لَكَto you مِنْof زَمانٍa time عِشْتُI lived فِيهِin it
فَيَا لَكَ مِنْ زَمانٍ عِشْتُ فِيهِ
نَدِيمَa boon companion to الرَّاحِwine وَالْهيفِand slender maidens الكِعابِfull-bosomed
نَدِيمَ الرَّاحِ وَالْهيفِ الكِعابِ
Ah, what an age, in which I lived
as companion to wine and slender, full-bosomed maidens!
إِذَاwhenever ذَكَرَتْهُrecalls it نَفْسِيmy soul أَبْصَرَتْهُbeholds it
إِذَا ذَكَرَتْهُ نَفْسِي أَبْصَرَتْهُ
كَأَنِّيas though I مِنْهُof it أَنْظُرُI look فِيin كِتابِa book
كَأَنِّي مِنْهُ أَنْظُرُ فِي كِتابِ
Whenever my soul recalls it, it beholds it
as though I were viewing it in a book.
تَحَوَّلَmoved away ظِلُّهُits shade عَنِّيfrom me وَأَذْكَىand kindled
تَحَوَّلَ ظِلُّهُ عَنِّي وَأَذْكَى
بِقَلْبِيin my heart لَوْعَةًa burning anguish مِثلَlike الشِّهَابِa meteor
بِقَلْبِي لَوْعَةً مِثلَ الشِّهَابِ
Its shade moved away from me and kindled
within my heart a burning anguish like a meteor.
كَذَاكَsuch is الدَّهْرُTime مَلَّاقٌa flatterer خَلُوبٌa beguiler
كَذَاكَ الدَّهْرُ مَلَّاقٌ خَلُوبٌ
يَغُرُّit deceives أَخَاthe man of الطَّمَاعَةِgreed بِالْكِذَابِwith lies
يَغُرُّ أَخَا الطَّمَاعَةِ بِالْكِذَابِ
Such is Time—a flatterer, a beguiler,
deceiving the greedy man with lies.
فَلاso do not تَرْكَنْrely إِلَيْهِon it فَكُلُّfor every شَيْءٍthing
فَلا تَرْكَنْ إِلَيْهِ فَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ
تَرَاهُyou see it بِهِin it يَؤُولُcomes ultimately إِلَىto ذَهابِpassing away
تَرَاهُ بِهِ يَؤُولُ إِلَى ذَهابِ
So do not trust it, for everything
you see in it will, in the end, pass away.
وَعِشْand live فَرْداًalone فَمَاfor there is no فيamong الناسِpeople خِلٌّclose friend
وَعِشْ فَرْداً فَمَا في الناسِ خِلٌّ
يَسُرُّكَgladdens you فيin بِعَادٍdistance وَاقْتِرَابِand nearness
يَسُرُّكَ في بِعَادٍ وَاقْتِرَابِ
Live alone, for among people there is no friend
who gladdens you both far away and near.
حَلَبْتُI milked الدَّهْرَTime أَشْطُرَهُall its teats مَلِيَّاًfor a long while
حَلَبْتُ الدَّهْرَ أَشْطُرَهُ مَلِيَّاً
وَذُقْتُand I tasted الْعَيْشَlife مِنْof أَرْيٍhoney وَصابِand bitter sap
وَذُقْتُ الْعَيْشَ مِنْ أَرْيٍ وَصابِ
Long have I milked Time at all its teats,
and tasted life, its honey and its bitter sap.
فَمَاso not أَبْصَرْتُI saw فِيamong الإِخْوَانِfriends نَدْبَاًa noble man
فَمَا أَبْصَرْتُ فِي الإِخْوَانِ نَدْبَاً
يَجِلُّis too great عَنِfor الْمَلامَةِblame وَالْعِتَابِand reproach
يَجِلُّ عَنِ الْمَلامَةِ وَالْعِتَابِ
Yet among friends I have seen no noble man
who is above blame and reproach.
وَلَكِنَّاand yet we نُعَاشِرُkeep company with مَنْthose whom لَقِينَاwe meet
وَلَكِنَّا نُعَاشِرُ مَنْ لَقِينَا
عَلَىaccording to حُكْمِthe rule of الْمُرُوءَةِhonorable conduct وَالتَغَابِيand feigned ignorance
عَلَى حُكْمِ الْمُرُوءَةِ وَالتَغَابِي
Yet we keep company with those we meet,
as honor dictates, and with feigned ignorance.
Sol 6.1