هَبْ من زمانِكَ بعضَ الجِدّ للَّعبِ

هَبْ من زمانِكَ بعضَ الجِدّ للَّعبِ

وأهجرْ إلى راحةٍ شيئاً من التعبِ

وأهجرْ إلى راحةٍ شيئاً من التعبِ

Give some of your serious time over to play,

Spare some of your time for play, my friend,

And forsake a little toil for rest.

And give yourself some rest from toil and pain.

ما كلُّ ما فات من حظٍّ بلَّيتُهُ

ما كلُّ ما فات من حظٍّ بلَّيتُهُ

عجزٌ ولا كلُّ ما يأتي بمُجتلَبِ

عجزٌ ولا كلُّ ما يأتي بمُجتلَبِ

Not every missed share of fortune has as its undoing

Not all the past that I have wasted

Incapacity; nor is everything that comes something one has secured.

Was weakness; nor all the future, certain gain.

لا تحسَبِ الهمّةَ العَلياءَ مُوجِبةً

لا تحسَبِ الهمّةَ العَلياءَ مُوجِبةً

رزقاً على قِسمة الأقدارِ لم يجبِ

رزقاً على قِسمة الأقدارِ لم يجبِ

Do not think lofty ambition entitles you

Seek not a livelihood through lofty aspirations;

To sustenance that fate's apportionment has not ordained.

Sustenance is apportioned, as Fate ordains.

لو كان أفضلُ مَنْ في الناس أسْعَدَهم

لو كان أفضلُ مَنْ في الناس أسْعَدَهم

ما أنحطّتِ الشمسُ عن عالٍ من الشُّهُبِ

ما أنحطّتِ الشمسُ عن عالٍ من الشُّهُبِ

If the best among people were the most fortunate,

If the best of men enjoyed the happiest fortunes,

The sun would not sink beneath a star on high.

The sun would never sink from its high domain.

أو كان أسْيَرُ ما في الأُفْق أسْلَمَهم

أو كان أسْيَرُ ما في الأُفْق أسْلَمَهم

دام الهلالُ فلم يُمْحَقْ ولم يَغبِ

دام الهلالُ فلم يُمْحَقْ ولم يَغبِ

Or if the most far-ranging in the heavens were the safest,

Or if the noblest star were free from all misfortune,

The crescent would endure, neither effaced nor gone.

The crescent moon would never suffer loss or wane.

يا سائقَ الرَّكْبِ غَرْبيّاً وراءك لي

يا سائقَ الرَّكْبِ غَرْبيّاً وراءك لي

قلبٌ إلى غير نجدٍ غيرٌ منُقلِبِ

قلبٌ إلى غير نجدٍ غيرٌ منُقلِبِ

O driver of the caravan westward, behind you I have

O leader of the caravan, heading westward,

A heart that will turn toward no land but Najd.

My heart inclines away from Najd's barren plain,

تلفُّتاً فخِلال الضَّيْقِ مُتَّسَعٌ

تلفُّتاً فخِلال الضَّيْقِ مُتَّسَعٌ

ورُبّ منجذِبٍ في زِيّ مجتنِبِ

ورُبّ منجذِبٍ في زِيّ مجتنِبِ

Look back: amid constriction there is room,

Seeking breadth amid the straits of life,

And many an attracted soul wears the guise of one aloof.

And shunning all that gives me grief and pain.

قِفْ نَادِيا آل بكر في بيوتكُمُ

قِفْ نَادِيا آل بكر في بيوتكُمُ

بيضاءُ يُطرِبها في حُسنها حَرَبي

بيضاءُ يُطرِبها في حُسنها حَرَبي

Stop and call: ‘House of Bakr, in your dwellings

Stop, call the Bani Bakr in their dwellings,

Is a fair woman, in all her beauty, whom my anguish delights.’

White houses, made lovely by the showers of rain,

لما رأت أُدْمَةً نُكْراً وغائرةً

لما رأت أُدْمَةً نُكْراً وغائرةً

شهباءَ راكضةً في الدُّهم من قُضُبي

شهباءَ راكضةً في الدُّهم من قُضُبي

When she saw an unwelcome dark complexion and a raiding host,

When the black she-camel saw them, unknown, distant,

Gray-white, galloping among my dark branches,

Galloping through the vale, long-necked and lean,

لوتْ وقد أضحكتْ رأسي الخطوبُ لها

لوتْ وقد أضحكتْ رأسي الخطوبُ لها

وجهاً إلى الصدّ يُبكيني ويَضحَك بي

وجهاً إلى الصدّ يُبكيني ويَضحَك بي

She turned—and calamities had made my head laugh for her—

She laughed till the tears ran down my cheeks,

A face toward rejection that makes me weep and mocks me.

Turning towards me, smiling, to make me weep again.

لا تعجبي اليومَ من بيضائها نظراً

لا تعجبي اليومَ من بيضائها نظراً

إلى سِنِييّ فمن سودائها عجبي

إلى سِنِييّ فمن سودائها عجبي

Do not marvel today at its white hairs in view

Marvel not today at her whiteness, looking

Of my years; it is its black hairs that astonish me.

At my grey hairs - for her blackness I did pine.

ما زلتُ علماً بأنَّ الهمّ محترِمٌ

ما زلتُ علماً بأنَّ الهمّ محترِمٌ

عُمرَ الشبيبةِ أبكيها ولم أَشب

عُمرَ الشبيبةِ أبكيها ولم أَشب

I have never ceased—knowing that care cuts short

I knew the deferred sorrow respects

The span of youth—to weep for it, even before I turned gray.

The days of youth - for them I weep in vain.

وُسُومُ شَيْبٍ فإن حقَّقتِ ناظرةً

وُسُومُ شَيْبٍ فإن حقَّقتِ ناظرةً

فإنهنّ وُسُومٌ فيَّ للنُّوَبِ

فإنهنّ وُسُومٌ فيَّ للنُّوَبِ

Marks of gray hair—but if you look closely,

These white hairs, if you look at them closely,

They are misfortunes' brands upon me.

Are scars on me from the claws of Time.

تُرَى ندامايَ ما بين الرُّصافةِ فال

تُرَى ندامايَ ما بين الرُّصافةِ فال

بَيْضاءِ راوِين من خمرٍ ومن طربِ

بَيْضاءِ راوِين من خمرٍ ومن طربِ

I wonder: are my drinking companions, between al-Rusafa and

You'd think my revels with the lads of Rusafa

Al-Bayda, sated with wine and delight?

Were but a tale of wine and joy and cheer.

أو عالمِين وقد بُدِّلتُ بَعدَهُمُ

أو عالمِين وقد بُدِّلتُ بَعدَهُمُ

ما دارُ أنسي وما كأسي وما نشبي

ما دارُ أنسي وما كأسي وما نشبي

Or do they know, now that I have been changed after leaving them,

Yet I've been changed, after those friends,

What my house of joy, my cup, and my wealth have become?

My drink abandoned, and my song and lute.

فارقتهم فكأني ذاكراً لهُمُ

فارقتهم فكأني ذاكراً لهُمُ

نضوٌ تلاقت عليه عضَّتا قتب

نضوٌ تلاقت عليه عضَّتا قتب

I parted from them, and when remembering them I am like

When I left them 'twas as though, remembering them,

A wasted camel upon which the two jaws of a packsaddle meet.

I tasted sweetness, but their mention stung like fear.

سقَى رضايَ عن الأيام بينهمُ

سقَى رضايَ عن الأيام بينهمُ

غيثٌ وبان عليها بَعدَهم غضبي

غيثٌ وبان عليها بَعدَهم غضبي

May rain water my contentment with the days among them;

My former bliss with them pleased me awhile,

My anger at those days grew plain after they were gone.

But after them displeasure filled my heart.

إذ نَسكُب الماءَ بُغضاً لِلمزاج به

إذ نَسكُب الماءَ بُغضاً لِلمزاج به

ونطعمُ الشُّهدَ إبقاءً على العنبِ

ونطعمُ الشُّهدَ إبقاءً على العنبِ

When we poured away water, loathing wine mixed with it,

As we pour water away in hatred of its taste,

And ate honeycomb to spare the grapes.

Yet serve up raisins for the sake of the wine.

يمشي السّقاة علينا بين منتظِرٍ

يمشي السّقاة علينا بين منتظِرٍ

بلوغَ كأسِ ووثَّابٍ فمستلِبِ

بلوغَ كأسِ ووثَّابٍ فمستلِبِ

The cupbearers walked among us, between one awaiting

The cupbearers pass round amongst expectant drinkers,

A cup's arrival and one leaping up, then snatching it.

Awaiting the brimming goblet we hold dear,

كأنما قولنا للبابليّ أدر

كأنما قولنا للبابليّ أدر

حلاوةً قولنا للمَزْيَدِيِّ هَبِ

حلاوةً قولنا للمَزْيَدِيِّ هَبِ

As though our saying to the Babylonian, ‘Pass it round,’

As though we bid the Persian bring sweetness,

Were, in sweetness, our saying to the Mazyadi, ‘Give.’

Or ask the Mezdi wine - so have we fallen here!

فِدَى عليٍّ جبانُ الكفِّ مقتصرٌ

فِدَى عليٍّ جبانُ الكفِّ مقتصرٌ

من الفخار على الموروث بالنسبِ

من الفخار على الموروث بالنسبِ

May the tight-fisted coward be Ali's ransom, restricting

By Ali's life! Mean souls are satisfied

His pride to what he inherits through lineage.

With hand-me-downs, content with their lot.

يُرَى أبوه ولا تُرْضَى مَكارُمه

يُرَى أبوه ولا تُرْضَى مَكارُمه

الأرضُ صحَّت وأودى الداءُ بالعُشُبِ

الأرضُ صحَّت وأودى الداءُ بالعُشُبِ

His father is evident, but his noble deeds win no approval;

Yet we see their father, though his virtues suffice,

The earth is healthy, but disease has destroyed the grass.

While the land throbs healthily, and herbs shoot up.

ومُشْبَعون من الدنيا وجارُهُمُ

ومُشْبَعون من الدنيا وجارُهُمُ

بادي الطَّوَى ضامرُ الجنبين بالسَّغَبِ

بادي الطَّوَى ضامرُ الجنبين بالسَّغَبِ

And those sated with worldly plenty, while their neighbor

They are sated by the world, while their neighbor

Shows his hunger, his flanks wasted by starvation.

Wastes in the wilderness, flank-spare and gaunt.

قل للأمير ولو قلت السماءُ به

قل للأمير ولو قلت السماءُ به

مفضوحةٌ الجَوْدِ لم تَظْلِمْ ولم تَحُبِ

مفضوحةٌ الجَوْدِ لم تَظْلِمْ ولم تَحُبِ

Tell the emir—were you to say, ‘Beside him the sky

Say to the Prince - and if I'm blamed, so be it -

Is shamed in generosity,’ you would neither wrong it nor sin.

"Bounty is shamed. You have done no wrong and no hurt."

أعطيتَ مالَك حتى رُبَّ حادثةٍ

أعطيتَ مالَك حتى رُبَّ حادثةٍ

أردتَ فيها الذي تُعطِي فلم تُصِبِ

أردتَ فيها الذي تُعطِي فلم تُصِبِ

You gave away your wealth, until in many a crisis

You've spent your wealth until, in every crisis

You wanted what you give away, yet could not obtain it.

You wished to help, but nothing was left to give.

لو سُمتَ نفسَك أن ترتاضَ تجرِبةً

لو سُمتَ نفسَك أن ترتاضَ تجرِبةً

بحفظ ذاتِ يدٍ يومين لم تَطِبِ

بحفظ ذاتِ يدٍ يومين لم تَطِبِ

If you tasked yourself with practicing, as a trial,

If you'd set yourself to practise restraint,

Keeping money for two days, you would not be content.

To keep means for your needs but two days, you'd prosper.

كأنّ مالَكَ داءٌ أنت ضامنُه

كأنّ مالَكَ داءٌ أنت ضامنُه

فما يُصِحُّك إلا علَّةُ النشبِ

فما يُصِحُّك إلا علَّةُ النشبِ

As though your wealth were a disease you carry,

It's as though your wealth were a sickness you warrant,

And nothing made you well but your wealth's sickness.

And nothing cures you but want and poverty's dearth.

لو كان يُنصفك العافون لأحتشموا

لو كان يُنصفك العافون لأحتشموا

بعضَ السؤالِ فكفُّوا أيسَر الطلبِ

بعضَ السؤالِ فكفُّوا أيسَر الطلبِ

If those seeking your bounty did you justice, they would feel shame

If they who depend on you were equitable,

At some of their asking, and forgo even the lightest request.

They'd hardly beg - even humbly make a request.

يا بدرَ عَوْفٍ وعوفُ الشمسُ في أَسَدٍ

يا بدرَ عَوْفٍ وعوفُ الشمسُ في أَسَدٍ

وأَسَدٌ شامةٌ بيضاءُ في العربِ

وأَسَدٌ شامةٌ بيضاءُ في العربِ

O full moon of Awf—Awf is the sun in Asad,

O full moon of Awf! Awf is the sun in Asad,

And Asad is a white beauty-mark among the Arabs.

Asad, a white mole on the cheek of the Arabs.

أنتُمْ أولو البأسِ والنعماءِ طارفةٌ

أنتُمْ أولو البأسِ والنعماءِ طارفةٌ

أخبارُكم وعُلىً تَلْدٌ من الحِقَبِ

أخبارُكم وعُلىً تَلْدٌ من الحِقَبِ

You are possessors of valor and bounty; fresh are

You, champions, of might and nobility,

Your tales, and your glories are ancestral, from ages past.

Your chronicles are wondrous, age-old tomes.

أحلَى القديم حديثاً جاهليَّتُكُمْ

أحلَى القديم حديثاً جاهليَّتُكُمْ

وقَصُّ أسلافِكم من رتبة الكتُبِ

وقَصُّ أسلافِكم من رتبة الكتُبِ

Of ancient things, your pre-Islamic days make the sweetest tale;

The sweetest ancient song is your early tale,

And the account of your forebears holds the rank of books.

And the histories of your forebears, held in books.

ما كنتُمُ مذ جلا الإسلامُ صفحتَهُ

ما كنتُمُ مذ جلا الإسلامُ صفحتَهُ

إلا سيوفَ نبيٍّ أو وصيِّ نَبي

إلا سيوفَ نبيٍّ أو وصيِّ نَبي

Since Islam unveiled its face, you have been nothing

Since the dawn of Islam unfolded its standard,

But swords of a prophet or a prophet's designated successor.

You've been swords of the Prophet and his successor.

بكم بِصفِّين سدَّ الدِّينُ مَسكنَهُ

بكم بِصفِّين سدَّ الدِّينُ مَسكنَهُ

وآلُ حَرْب له تحتال في الحُرَبِ

وآلُ حَرْب له تحتال في الحُرَبِ

Through you, at Siffin, religion secured its dwelling,

With you, the faith established its abode

While the house of Harb schemed against it through plunder.

In serried ranks, while war's tribes scout and probe.

وقام بالبَصْرة الإيمانُ منتصباً

وقام بالبَصْرة الإيمانُ منتصباً

والكفرُ في ضَبَّة جاثٍ على الرُّكَبِ

والكفرُ في ضَبَّة جاثٍ على الرُّكَبِ

And faith stood upright in Basra,

In Basra faith stood tall and erect

While unbelief in Dabba crouched upon its knees.

While unbelief cowered, felled, its knees on its nape.

حتى تقيَّلتَها إرثاً وأفضلُ ما

حتى تقيَّلتَها إرثاً وأفضلُ ما

نقلتَ دينَك شَرْعاً عن أبٍ فأبِ

نقلتَ دينَك شَرْعاً عن أبٍ فأبِ

Until you followed their example as heir; and the finest thing

Till you made it your inheritance - and the finest

You inherited was your faith as law, from father after father.

Bequest was your creed, from a father, from his fathers.

إذا رأيتَ نجيباً صحَّ مذهبُهُ

إذا رأيتَ نجيباً صحَّ مذهبُهُ

فاقطع بخيرٍ على أبنائه النُّجُبِ

فاقطع بخيرٍ على أبنائه النُّجُبِ

When you see a noble man whose way is sound,

When you see a man of pure doctrine, conclude

Be certain of goodness in his noble sons.

His sons will be noble - an excellent troop.

لا ضاع بل لم يضعْ يومَ أنتصرتَ به

لا ضاع بل لم يضعْ يومَ أنتصرتَ به

وأنت كالوِرْدِ والأعداءُ كالقَرَبِ

وأنت كالوِرْدِ والأعداءُ كالقَرَبِ

May it never be lost—indeed, it was not, the day you triumphed through it,

No chance was missed, but you missed no day of triumph,

You like the watering place, your enemies like those approaching it.

While you are the roses, and enemies, thorns.

وقد أتَوكَ براياتٍ مكرّرةٍ

وقد أتَوكَ براياتٍ مكرّرةٍ

لم تدر قبلك ما أسمُ الفرّ والهربِ

لم تدر قبلك ما أسمُ الفرّ والهربِ

They came to you with banners borne time and again,

Though they carried repeated banners against you,

Which, before you, knew not the names of flight and escape.

They learned not, before you, the meaning of flight or defeat.

تمشِي بهم ضُمَّرٌ أدْمَى روادفَها

تمشِي بهم ضُمَّرٌ أدْمَى روادفَها

غرورُ فرسانها بالفارِس الذَّرِبِ

غرورُ فرسانها بالفارِس الذَّرِبِ

Lean steeds carried them; their haunches were bloodied by

You lead them, disgraced, on roan camels,

Their riders' deluded confidence against the keen horseman.

Vain warriors on fleet mares outstripping the rest,

لما دعوتَ عليّا بينهم ضَمِنتْ

لما دعوتَ عليّا بينهم ضَمِنتْ

لك الولايةَ فيهم ساعدُ العطبِ

لك الولايةَ فيهم ساعدُ العطبِ

When you invoked Ali among them, you were assured

When you summoned Ali to their midst, you guaranteed

Of dominion over them by destruction's arm.

Yourself just rule over them - your strong arm sufficed.

حكت رءوسَ القنا فيه رءوسُهُمُ

حكت رءوسَ القنا فيه رءوسُهُمُ

حتى تموّهتِ الأعناقُ بالعَذَبِ

حتى تموّهتِ الأعناقُ بالعَذَبِ

Their heads in it resembled the heads of spears,

You severed the canes' heads amongst them, till their necks

Until their necks took on the semblance of tassels.

Were lost in the swirling, tossed eddies of death.

وطامعٌ في معاليك أرتقَى فهوى

وطامعٌ في معاليك أرتقَى فهوى

وهل يَصِحُّ مكانُ الرأسِ للذنَب

وهل يَصِحُّ مكانُ الرأسِ للذنَب

One who coveted your heights climbed, then fell;

An ambitious man aspired to your summits and fell -

Can the tail rightly take the place of the head?

Can the foot occupy the place of the head?

ما كان أحجَ فضلا تمّ فيك إلى

ما كان أحجَ فضلا تمّ فيك إلى

عيبٍ بعوِّذُه من أعين النُّوَبِ

عيبٍ بعوِّذُه من أعين النُّوَبِ

How much the excellence perfected in you needed

None closer in merit was perfected in you,

A flaw to shield it from misfortunes' eyes!

Safe from the eyes of critics, in deeds or speech.

أحببتكم وبعيدٌ بين دَوْحتنا

أحببتكم وبعيدٌ بين دَوْحتنا

فكنتُ بالحبِّ منكم أيَّ مقتَرَبِ

فكنتُ بالحبِّ منكم أيَّ مقتَرَبِ

I loved you, though our great trees stand far apart,

I loved you, though far were our encampments -

Thus, through love, how close I became to you!

Through love I approached you, from afar though I lived.

ووُدُّ سَلْمان أعطاه قرابَتَهُ

ووُدُّ سَلْمان أعطاه قرابَتَهُ

يوما ولم تُغنِ قُربَي عن أبي لَهَبِ

يوما ولم تُغنِ قُربَي عن أبي لَهَبِ

And Salman's love granted him his kinship

Solomon's affection gave his kinship to him

One day, while kinship did not avail Abu Lahab.

One day - yet my clanship did not profit my uncle Abu Lahab.

ورفَّعَ الصونُ إلا عن مناقبكم

ورفَّعَ الصونُ إلا عن مناقبكم

أسبابَ مدحِيَ في شِعري وفي خُطَبي

أسبابَ مدحِيَ في شِعري وفي خُطَبي

Self-respect has held back, from all but your virtues,

Noble deeds lifted the veil from your virtues,

The cords of my praise in my verse and speeches.

Freeing the motives of my verse and orations from need.

فما ترانِيَ أبوابُ الملوك مع ال

فما ترانِيَ أبوابُ الملوك مع ال

زِّحام فيها على الأموال والرُّتبِ

زِّحام فيها على الأموال والرُّتبِ

So kings' doors do not see me amid the

So you'll not see me crowding princes' doors

Crowds there seeking money and rank.

Jostling for wealth and rank, status and position.

قَناعةٌ رَغِبتْ بي عن زيارة مس

قَناعةٌ رَغِبتْ بي عن زيارة مس

دولِ الستورِ وعن تأميلِ محتجبِ

دولِ الستورِ وعن تأميلِ محتجبِ

Contentment turned me away from visiting one behind

Contenment has dissuaded me from visiting

Drawn curtains, and from placing hope in one who hides himself.

The courts of the mighty, or coveting the hidden.

ولي عوائدُ جُودٍ منك لو طَرَقت

ولي عوائدُ جُودٍ منك لو طَرَقت

سَتامُ مُلكَكَ لم تُحرَمْ ولم تخِبِ

سَتامُ مُلكَكَ لم تُحرَمْ ولم تخِبِ

I have accustomed favors from your bounty; should they knock

I have the habit of generosity from you - if I came

At your kingdom's locks, they would not be denied or disappointed.

To your kingdom's gate, I'd not be denied or forbidden.

ملأتُ بالشكر قلبَ الحافظ الغزِلِ ال

ملأتُ بالشكر قلبَ الحافظ الغزِلِ ال

فؤادِ منها وأُذنَ السامعِ الطَّرِبِ

فؤادِ منها وأُذنَ السامعِ الطَّرِبِ

With gratitude I filled the heart of the amorous memorizer

I have filled the heart of the faithful preserver of love poetry

For those favors, and the ear of the enraptured listener.

And the ear of the listening aesthete with gratitude.

فرأيُ جُودِك في أمثالها لفتىً

فرأيُ جُودِك في أمثالها لفتىً

أتاك بالحرمتين الدِّينِ والأدبِ

أتاك بالحرمتين الدِّينِ والأدبِ

Then let your generosity consider more such gifts for a young man

For your bounty to the likes of me seems to one

Who has come to you with two sacred claims: faith and letters.

Who came to you with two claims - religion and propriety.

ومَنْ توسَّلَ في أمرٍ فما سببٌ

ومَنْ توسَّلَ في أمرٍ فما سببٌ

اليك أوكدُ في الأمرين من سببي

اليك أوكدُ في الأمرين من سببي

And for anyone seeking a means in some matter, no bond

He who pleads a case finds no stronger

To you in these two matters is firmer than mine.

Motive, to you, than mine in both affairs.