أَيْنَwhere أَيَّامُthe days of لَذَّتِيmy delight وَشَبَابِيand my youth
أَيْنَ أَيَّامُ لَذَّتِي وَشَبَابِي
أَتُراهَاdo you suppose they تَعُودُwill return بَعْدَafter الذَّهابِdeparting
أَتُراهَا تَعُودُ بَعْدَ الذَّهابِ
Where are the days of my delight and youth?
Where are the days of my pleasure and youth,
Do you suppose they will return after departing?
Will they return after their departure?
ذَاكَthat عَهْدٌan age مَضَىhas passed وَأَبْعَدُand the most unlikely شَيْءٍthing
ذَاكَ عَهْدٌ مَضَى وَأَبْعَدُ شَيْءٍ
أَنْthat يَرُدَّrestore الزَّمانُtime عَهْدَthe days of التَّصَابِيyouthful playfulness
أَنْ يَرُدَّ الزَّمانُ عَهْدَ التَّصَابِي
That was an age now past, and the most unlikely thing is
That was an era that has passed, the furthest thing,
for time to restore the days of youthful playfulness.
That time will bring back the days of my prime.
فَأَدِيرَاso you two, pass around عَلَيَّto me ذِكْراهُits remembrance إِنِّيindeed I
فَأَدِيرَا عَلَيَّ ذِكْراهُ إِنِّي
مُنْذُsince فارَقْتُهُI parted from it شَدِيدُsevere in المُصَابِaffliction
مُنْذُ فارَقْتُهُ شَدِيدُ المُصَابِ
So you two, pass its remembrance round to me; I
So reminisce about it with me, for since
have been sorely afflicted since I parted from it.
I've been separated from it, I've faced great adversity,
كُلُّevery شَيءٍthing يَسْلُوهُhe forgets it ذُوone possessing اللُّبِّunderstanding إِلَّاexcept
كُلُّ شَيءٍ يَسْلُوهُ ذُو اللُّبِّ إِلَّا
ماضِيَthe past of اللَّهْوِmerriment فِيin زَمانِthe time of الشَّبابِyouth
ماضِيَ اللَّهْوِ فِي زَمانِ الشَّبابِ
A person of understanding forgets everything except
Everything consoles the affectionate one except
past merriment in the days of youth.
The pastimes of my carefree youth.
لَيْتَwould that شِعْرِيmy knowledge مَتَىwhen أَرَىI shall see رَوْضَةَthe garden of الْمَنstart of 'al-Manyal'
لَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَتَى أَرَى رَوْضَةَ الْمَن
يَلِend of 'al-Manyal' ذَاتَpossessing النَّخِيلِpalm trees وَالأَعْنَابِand grapevines
يَلِ ذَاتَ النَّخِيلِ وَالأَعْنَابِ
Would that I knew when I shall see al-Manyal's garden,
If only I knew when I would see the meadow of Man,
with its palm trees and grapevines,
With its palm trees and grapevines,
حَيْثُwhere تَجْرِيrun السَّفِينُthe boats مُسْتَبِقَاتٍracing one another
حَيْثُ تَجْرِي السَّفِينُ مُسْتَبِقَاتٍ
فَوْقَupon نَهْرٍa river مِثْلlike اللُّجَيْنِsilver الْمُذابِmolten
فَوْقَ نَهْرٍ مِثْل اللُّجَيْنِ الْمُذابِ
where boats race one another
Where ships race
on a river like molten silver.
Above a river like molten silver,
قَدْindeed أَحَاطَتْhave surrounded بِشَاطِئَيْهِaround its two banks قُصُورٌpalaces
قَدْ أَحَاطَتْ بِشَاطِئَيْهِ قُصُورٌ
مُشْرِقَاتٌradiant يَلُحْنَthey gleam مِثْلَlike الْقِبابِdomes
مُشْرِقَاتٌ يَلُحْنَ مِثْلَ الْقِبابِ
Palaces have surrounded both its banks,
Surrounded on its banks by brilliant palaces
radiant, gleaming like domes.
That resemble domes,
مَلْعَبٌa pleasure-ground تَسْرَحُroam freely النَّوَاظِرُthe eyes مِنْهُfrom it
مَلْعَبٌ تَسْرَحُ النَّوَاظِرُ مِنْهُ
بَيْنَamong أَفْنانِthe boughs of جَنَّةٍa garden وَشعابِand glens
بَيْنَ أَفْنانِ جَنَّةٍ وَشعابِ
A pleasure-ground from which the eyes wander
A playground where sights roam
among a garden's boughs and glens.
Among the groves and valleys of paradise,
كُلَّماwhenever شَافَهَkisses النَّسِيمُthe breeze ثَراهُits soil
كُلَّما شَافَهَ النَّسِيمُ ثَراهُ
عَادَreturns مِنْهُfrom it بِنَفْحَةٍwith a waft of fragrance كَالْمَلابِlike malab perfume
عَادَ مِنْهُ بِنَفْحَةٍ كَالْمَلابِ
Whenever the breeze kisses its soil,
Whenever the breeze blows across its soil,
it returns from it with a fragrance like malab perfume.
It returns with a fragrance like musk.
ذَاكَthat مَرْعَىthe pasture of أُنْسِيmy joy وَمَلْعَبُand the playground of لَهْوِيmy merriment
ذَاكَ مَرْعَى أُنْسِي وَمَلْعَبُ لَهْوِي
وَجَنَىand the fruit of صَبْوَتِيmy youthful passion وَمَغْنَىand the haunt of صِحابِيmy companions
وَجَنَى صَبْوَتِي وَمَغْنَى صِحابِي
That was the pasture of my joy and the playground of my merriment,
That is my pasture of intimacy and my playground of amusement
the fruit of my youthful passion and the haunt of my companions.
And yield of my youth and refuge of my companions.
لَسْتُI do not أَنْسَاهُforget it ماas long as حَيِيتُI live وَحاشَاand far be it
لَسْتُ أَنْسَاهُ ما حَيِيتُ وَحاشَا
أَنْthat تَرانِيyou see me لِعَهْدِهِfor its days غَيْرَnot صَابِيyearning
أَنْ تَرانِي لِعَهْدِهِ غَيْرَ صَابِي
I shall not forget it as long as I live, and far be it
I shall not forget it as long as I live, and far be it
that you should see me without longing for its days.
That you would see me indifferent to that era.
لَيْسَnot يَرْعَىhonors حَقَّthe due of الْودادِaffection وَلاnor يَذْstart of 'remembers'
لَيْسَ يَرْعَى حَقَّ الْودادِ وَلا يَذْ
كُرُend of 'remembers' عَهْداًa bond إِلَّاexcept كَريمُnoble in النِّصَابِlineage
كُرُ عَهْداً إِلَّا كَريمُ النِّصَابِ
None honors the claims of affection or remembers
None can properly tend affection or recall
a bond except one of noble stock.
A time except the generous man.
فَلَئِنْso even if زالَit has vanished فَاشْتِيَاقِيthen my longing إِلَيْهِfor it
فَلَئِنْ زالَ فَاشْتِيَاقِي إِلَيْهِ
مِثْلُlike قَوْلِيmy verse باقٍenduring عَلَىthrough الأَحْقَابِthe ages
مِثْلُ قَوْلِي باقٍ عَلَى الأَحْقَابِ
Though it has vanished, my longing for it,
So if it has gone, my longing for it
like my verse, endures through the ages.
Remains like my words for generations.
ياO نَدِيمَيَّmy two boon companions مِنْfrom سَرَنْدِيبَSarandib كُفَّاyou two, cease
يا نَدِيمَيَّ مِنْ سَرَنْدِيبَ كُفَّا
عَنْfrom مَلامِيreproaching me وَخَلِّيانيand you two, leave me لِمَاto what بِيafflicts me
عَنْ مَلامِي وَخَلِّياني لِمَا بِي
O my two boon companions from Sarandib, cease
O my boon companion from Serendib, stop
reproaching me, and leave me to what ails me.
Blaming me and leave me to my sorrows,
كَيْفَhow لاnot أَنْدُبُI lament الشَّبابَyouth وَقَدْand already أَصْـstart of 'I have become'
كَيْفَ لا أَنْدُبُ الشَّبابَ وَقَدْ أَصْـ
بَحْتُend of 'I have become' كَهْلاًmiddle-aged فيin مِحْنَةٍan ordeal وَاغْتِرابِand exile
بَحْتُ كَهْلاً في مِحْنَةٍ وَاغْتِرابِ
How could I not lament youth, when I have
How can I not mourn my youth when I have
grown middle-aged amid affliction and exile?
Become an old man in hardship and estrangement?
أَخْلَقَhas worn away الشَّيْبُgray hair جِدَّتِيmy freshness وَكَسَانِيand clothed me
أَخْلَقَ الشَّيْبُ جِدَّتِي وَكَسَانِي
خِلْعَةًa bestowed robe مِنْهُfrom it رَثَّةَthreadbare in الْجِلْبَابِthe outer garment
خِلْعَةً مِنْهُ رَثَّةَ الْجِلْبَابِ
Gray hair has worn away my freshness and clothed me
Old age has wrapped my bones and clothed me
in a robe of its own, a threadbare mantle.
In the ragged garb of decrepitude,
وَلَوَىand bent شَعْرَthe hair of حاجِبَيَّmy two eyebrows عَلَىover عَيْـstart of 'my eyes'
وَلَوَى شَعْرَ حاجِبَيَّ عَلَى عَيْـ
ـنَيَّend of 'my eyes' حَتَّىuntil أَطَلَّit overhung كَالْهُدَّابِlike a fringe
ـنَيَّ حَتَّى أَطَلَّ كَالْهُدَّابِ
And it bent the hair of my brows over my
And twisted the hair of my eyebrows over
eyes, until it overhung them like a fringe.
My eyes until it hung like curtains,
لاnot أَرَىI see الشَيءَthe thing حِينَwhen يَسْنَحُit appears إِلَّاexcept
لا أَرَى الشَيءَ حِينَ يَسْنَحُ إِلَّا
كَخَيالٍlike a phantom كَأَنَّنِيas though I فيin ضَبابِfog
كَخَيالٍ كَأَنَّنِي في ضَبابِ
I see a thing when it appears only
I see nothing clearly when it appears
as a phantom, as though I were in fog.
As if I am in a fog,
وَإِذَاand when مَاemphatic particle دُعِيتُI am called حِرْتُI am bewildered كَأَنِّيas though I
وَإِذَا مَا دُعِيتُ حِرْتُ كَأَنِّي
أَسْمَعُhear الصَّوْتَthe voice مِنْfrom وَرَاءِbehind حِجابِa veil
أَسْمَعُ الصَّوْتَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجابِ
And whenever I am called, I am bewildered, as though I
And when I am called I am confused as though
hear the voice from behind a veil.
I hear voices from behind a veil.
كُلَّمَاwhenever رُمْتُI sought نَهْضَةًa rising أَقْعَدَتْنِيit kept me seated
كُلَّمَا رُمْتُ نَهْضَةً أَقْعَدَتْنِي
وَنْيَةٌweariness لاnot تُقِلُّهاbear it أَعْصابِيmy sinews
وَنْيَةٌ لا تُقِلُّها أَعْصابِي
Whenever I try to rise, I am kept seated by
Whenever I attempt to stand, frailty forces me back down,
a weariness my sinews cannot bear.
My nerves cannot endure it.
لَمdid not تَدَعْleave صَوْلَةُthe onslaught of الحَوَادِثِcalamities مِنِّيof me
لَم تَدَعْ صَوْلَةُ الحَوَادِثِ مِنِّي
غَيْرَanything but أَشْلاءِthe remnants of هِمَّةٍresolve فِيin ثِيَابِclothes
غَيْرَ أَشْلاءِ هِمَّةٍ فِي ثِيَابِ
The onslaught of calamities has left of me
The blows of fate have left me
only shreds of resolve in clothes.
Nothing but shreds of resolve in rags.
فَجَعَتْنِيit bereaved me بِوالِدَيَّof my two parents وَأَهْلِيand my family
فَجَعَتْنِي بِوالِدَيَّ وَأَهْلِي
ثُمَّthen أَنْحَتْit turned upon تَكُرُّattacking repeatedly فِيagainst أَتْرَابِيmy peers
ثُمَّ أَنْحَتْ تَكُرُّ فِي أَتْرَابِي
It bereaved me of my parents and my family,
They have made me grieve for my parents and family,
then turned to attack my peers again and again.
Then break away from my clan.
كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday يَزُولُdeparts عَنِّيfrom me حَبِيبٌa loved one
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ يَزُولُ عَنِّي حَبِيبٌ
ياalas لِقَلْبِيfor my heart مِنْfrom فُرْقَةِthe separation from الأَحْبَابِloved ones
يا لِقَلْبِي مِنْ فُرْقَةِ الأَحْبَابِ
Every day a loved one departs from me;
Each day a dear one leaves me,
alas for my heart at parting from loved ones!
Oh my heart, separated from loved ones!
أَيْنَwhere مِنِّيfrom me حُسَيْنُHusayn بَلْnay أَيْنَwhere عَبْدُAbd ('servant') اللَّـstart of 'Allah'
أَيْنَ مِنِّي حُسَيْنُ بَلْ أَيْنَ عَبْدُ اللَّـ
ـهِend of 'Allah' رَبُّmaster of الْكَمالِexcellence وَالآدَابِand refinement
ـهِ رَبُّ الْكَمالِ وَالآدَابِ
Where is Husayn? Nay, where is Abd Allah,
Where are Hussein and Abdallah from me?
master of excellence and refinement?
The epitome of perfection and cultivation.
مَضَيَاthe two have passed away غَيْرَexcept for ذُكْرَةٍa memory وَبَقَاءُand the survival of الذstart of 'the remembrance'
مَضَيَا غَيْرَ ذُكْرَةٍ وَبَقَاءُ الذ
ذِكْرِend of 'the remembrance' فَخْرٌa glory يَدُومُendures لِلأَعْقَابِfor posterity
ذِكْرِ فَخْرٌ يَدُومُ لِلأَعْقَابِ
They have passed away, leaving only a memory; and the survival of
They have gone without memories, but the survival
remembrance is a glory that endures for posterity.
Of memory is a lasting glory for generations.
لَمْdid not أَجِدْI find مِنْهُماfrom them both بَدِيلاًa substitute لِنَفْسِيfor myself
لَمْ أَجِدْ مِنْهُما بَدِيلاً لِنَفْسِي
غَيْرَexcept حُزْنِيmy grief عَلَيْهِماover them both وَاكْتِئَابِيand my despondency
غَيْرَ حُزْنِي عَلَيْهِما وَاكْتِئَابِي
I have found no substitute for them for myself
I have found no substitute for them in myself
but my grief for them and my despondency.
Other than my sorrow for them and melancholy.
قَدْindeed لَعَمْرِيby my life عَرَفْتُI have known دَهْرِيmy times فَأَنْكَرْand found strange (verb begins)
قَدْ لَعَمْرِي عَرَفْتُ دَهْرِي فَأَنْكَرْ
تُI (verb ending) أُمُوراًthings مَاnot كُنَّthey were ليfor me فيin حِسابِreckoning
تُ أُمُوراً مَا كُنَّ لي في حِسابِ
Indeed, by my life, I have known my times, and found strange
By my life, I have recognized the days of my life and so
things I had never reckoned on.
I have avoided matters that were not in my calculations,
وَتَجَنَّبْتُand I avoided صُحْبَةَthe company of النَّاسِpeople حَتَّىuntil
وَتَجَنَّبْتُ صُحْبَةَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى
كَانَbecame عَوْناًa help عَلَىtoward التُّقاةِpiety اجْتِنابِيmy avoidance
كَانَ عَوْناً عَلَى التُّقاةِ اجْتِنابِي
And I have shunned people's company, until
And I have avoided the company of people until
my avoidance became a help toward piety.
My avoidance has been a help to my piety.
لاnot أُبالِيI care بِماabout what يُقالُis said وَإِنْand even if كُنْـwas (verb begins)
لا أُبالِي بِما يُقالُ وَإِنْ كُنْـ
ـتُI (verb ending) مَلِيئاًfully capable بِرَدِّof answering كُلِّevery جَوابِreply
ـتُ مَلِيئاً بِرَدِّ كُلِّ جَوابِ
I care nothing for what is said, even though I am
I do not care what is said, even if I am
fully able to answer every reply.
Full of rebuttals to every answer.
قَدْindeed كَفَانيhas sufficed me بُعْدِيmy distance عَنِfrom النَّاسِpeople أَنِّيthat I
قَدْ كَفَاني بُعْدِي عَنِ النَّاسِ أَنِّي
فيin أَمانٍsafety مِنْfrom غِيبَةِthe backbiting of الْمُغْتَابِthe backbiter
في أَمانٍ مِنْ غِيبَةِ الْمُغْتَابِ
My distance from people suffices me, for I am
My distance from people has sufficed me, for I am
safe from the backbiter's slander.
Safe from the slander of the slanderers.
فَلْيَقُلْso let him say حَاسِدِيmy envier عَلَيَّabout me كَمَاas شَاstart of 'he wishes'
فَلْيَقُلْ حَاسِدِي عَلَيَّ كَمَا شَا
ءَend of 'he wishes' فَسَمْعِيso my hearing عَنِfrom الْخَنَاfoul speech فيin احْتِجَابِseclusion
ءَ فَسَمْعِي عَنِ الْخَنَا في احْتِجَابِ
So let my envier say of me whatever he wishes;
So let my envious enemies say of me as they wish,
my hearing is screened from foul speech.
For my hearing is veiled from defamation.
لَيْسَnot يَخْفَىis hidden عَلَيَّfrom me شَيْءٌanything وَلَكِنْbut
لَيْسَ يَخْفَى عَلَيَّ شَيْءٌ وَلَكِنْ
أَتَغابَىI feign ignorance والْحَزْمُand prudence إِلْفُthe companion of التَّغَابِيfeigned ignorance
أَتَغابَى والْحَزْمُ إِلْفُ التَّغَابِي
Nothing is hidden from me, but
Nothing is hidden from me, however I pretend to be oblivious,
I feign ignorance; prudence is the companion of feigned ignorance.
For composure is the habit of the composed.
وَكَفَىand suffices بِالْمَشِيبِwith gray hair وَهْوَand it أَخُوthe brother of الحَزْstart of 'prudence'
وَكَفَى بِالْمَشِيبِ وَهْوَ أَخُو الحَزْ
مِend of 'prudence' دَلِيلاًas a guide إِلىto طَرِيقِthe path of الصَّوابِright conduct
مِ دَلِيلاً إِلى طَرِيقِ الصَّوابِ
And gray hair—the brother of prudence—suffices
Graying hair, the brother of composure, is guide enough
as a guide to the path of right conduct.
To the path of wisdom.
إِنَّماonly الْمَرْءُa person صُورَةٌa form سَوْفَwill تَبْلَىwear away
إِنَّما الْمَرْءُ صُورَةٌ سَوْفَ تَبْلَى
وَانْتِهاءُand the completion of الْعُمْرانِbuilding بِدْءُthe beginning of الخَرابِruin
وَانْتِهاءُ الْعُمْرانِ بِدْءُ الخَرابِ
A person is only a form that will wear away,
Man is but an image that will fade away,
and the end of building is the beginning of ruin.
And the end of civilization is the beginning of ruin.
Sol 6.1