نَقيلُ مع الدنيا وقد أورقت لنا

نَقيلُ مع الدنيا وقد أورقت لنا

إلى دَوحةٍ لا ظلَّ فيها ولا جنى

إلى دَوحةٍ لا ظلَّ فيها ولا جنى

We rest at noon with the world, now leafed out for us,

I move along with life though it has flowered for us,

beside a spreading tree with neither shade nor fruit.

To a land where is no shade or fruits to pick.

ونغترُّ عُجبا بالبقاءِ وإنما

ونغترُّ عُجبا بالبقاءِ وإنما

بقاؤك يا مغرورُ ساقَ لك الفنا

بقاؤك يا مغرورُ ساقَ لك الفنا

In conceit we are deceived by survival, yet

And foolishly we marvel at remaining alive,

your survival, deluded one, has brought you death.

Yet your remaining, o deluded one, is but leading to extinction.

أقمتُ وسار السابقون فسرَّني

أقمتُ وسار السابقون فسرَّني

وما ظعنَ الجيرانُ إلا لأظعنا

وما ظعنَ الجيرانُ إلا لأظعنا

I stayed while those before me departed, and that pleased me;

I stood still while the foremost passed, so it saddened me,

but the neighbors departed only so that I would depart.

And the neighbors did not blame except to blame me too.

وصوَّت دهري باسم غيري مغالطا

وصوَّت دهري باسم غيري مغالطا

وإني وإن لم يُسْمِ أوَّلُ من عنَى

وإني وإن لم يُسْمِ أوَّلُ من عنَى

My fate called out another's name, deceptively,

And my fate called in another's name, falsely,

yet I, though it did not name me, was the first it meant.

Yet I - though unnamed at first - am the one who was meant.

وكيف نرجِّي ودَّ يوم وليلةٍ

وكيف نرجِّي ودَّ يوم وليلةٍ

يزيدان مما يُعديان بنقصنا

يزيدان مما يُعديان بنقصنا

How can we hope for affection from a day and a night

And how can we hope for the love of a day and night

that grow through what they inflict, by diminishing us?

That add to our loss what they take away each minute?

يُسيغ أبونا الدهرُ منّا دماءَنا

يُسيغ أبونا الدهرُ منّا دماءَنا

وتأكُلنا من هذه الأرض أمُّنا

وتأكُلنا من هذه الأرض أمُّنا

Our father, Time, swallows our blood,

Our father, Time, makes our blood lawful to him,

and our mother, this earth, devours us.

And our mother, this earth, feeds on us.

ألا طرَقتْ صَمَّاءُ لا تفهم الرُّقَى

ألا طرَقتْ صَمَّاءُ لا تفهم الرُّقَى

ولا ترهبُ الحاوين مسرىً ومَكمَنا

ولا ترهبُ الحاوين مسرىً ومَكمَنا

Lo, a deaf serpent has come by night, understanding no spells,

Alas, the unhearing arrows came, not understanding glory,

nor fearing snake-charmers on its night-prowl or in its lair.

Nor dreading the protected tents and covert places.

لأبنائنا ما فوّقتْ من نبالها

لأبنائنا ما فوّقتْ من نبالها

رمتْ أعزلاً أو دارعا متحصِّنا

رمتْ أعزلاً أو دارعا متحصِّنا

The arrows it has nocked are for our sons;

For our sons they exceeded in the speed of their flying,

it has shot at the unarmed, or the armored and fortified.

Striking the unarmored or the armed and mailed.

أصابتْ صميما من رجالٍ أعزّةٍ

أصابتْ صميما من رجالٍ أعزّةٍ

علَيَّ نَحتْهم والمصابُ بها أنا

علَيَّ نَحتْهم والمصابُ بها أنا

It struck the very best among men dear

They hit the essential parts of honored men,

to me; it aimed at them, yet I am the one stricken by it.

Cutting them down for me though others were hit.

أحبّاي مدّ الدهرُ نحو حبيبهم

أحبّاي مدّ الدهرُ نحو حبيبهم

يدا لم تصافِح قطُّ إلا لتغبُنا

يدا لم تصافِح قطُّ إلا لتغبُنا

My dear ones—Time stretched toward their beloved

My loved ones - Time stretched out a hand to them, his beloveds,

a hand that never clasped another except to cheat.

A hand that never shook another's except to cheat us.

تراءت عيونُ الخطب خُزرا لعينهم

تراءت عيونُ الخطب خُزرا لعينهم

ألا ليت أعمى ناظراً لهُمُ رَنا

ألا ليت أعمى ناظراً لهُمُ رَنا

Calamity's eyes appeared to theirs, glaring askance;

Their eyes saw the calamities as mote-like,

ah, would that one blind of eye had gazed their way!

Would that the observer of them for us had been blind!

سقَى الله قبرا بالخُضَيريّة الحيا

سقَى الله قبرا بالخُضَيريّة الحيا

فخضَّره ما أمطرَ المُزْنُ أدكنا

فخضَّره ما أمطرَ المُزْنُ أدكنا

May God water a grave in al-Khudayriyya with rain,

May God water a grave in Al-Khudayriyyah with fresh rain,

and make it green as long as dark rain-clouds pour.

Till what the clouds poured on it grows intensely dark.

أميلوا أميلوا من هوادي جيادِكم

أميلوا أميلوا من هوادي جيادِكم

إليه فحيّوا نخبةَ المجد والسنا

إليه فحيّوا نخبةَ المجد والسنا

Turn, turn the necks of your noble steeds

Turn, turn your steeds aside from the valley, my companions,

toward it, and salute the choicest of glory and radiance.

And go to it, salute the excellence and loftiness there!

قِفوا جِّردوها واعقِلوها عقيرةً

قِفوا جِّردوها واعقِلوها عقيرةً

ليهزلَها فِقدانُ من كان أسمنا

ليهزلَها فِقدانُ من كان أسمنا

Halt; strip them bare and tether them, hamstrung,

Stop, strip it bare, and approach it step by step,

so that losing him who fattened them may make them thin,

That what the loss of its dweller made slender may fatten.

ومجرورة مبروزة من سروجها

ومجرورة مبروزة من سروجها

مكسّرة من حولها البيضُ والقنا

مكسّرة من حولها البيضُ والقنا

and dragged along, bared of their saddles,

Drawn out yet threatening, with its saddlebags broken,

with swords and spears broken around them.

Its white and black marker-stones cracked and torn up.

لعلّ أبا نصرٍ يردُّ تحيّةً

لعلّ أبا نصرٍ يردُّ تحيّةً

وما هو إلا فاعلٌ لو تمكّنا

وما هو إلا فاعلٌ لو تمكّنا

Perhaps Abu Nasr will return a greeting,

Perhaps Father Nasr will return a greeting there,

and he surely would, if only he could.

Though he could only do it if we enabled him.

أيا صاحبي والترب بيني وبينه

أيا صاحبي والترب بيني وبينه

برغميَ ما اخترتُ الثرى لك مسكنا

برغميَ ما اخترتُ الثرى لك مسكنا

O my companion, with dust between me and him,

My friend, though the earth lies between me and him,

against my will—I did not choose the earth as your home.

In spite of me, how I wished the soil to be your dwelling!

عهدتك منّاعا أبياً فما الذي

عهدتك منّاعا أبياً فما الذي

خُدعتَ به فانقدتَ للموت مذعِنا

خُدعتَ به فانقدتَ للموت مذعِنا

I knew you staunch in defense and unyielding; what was it

I knew you to be one who refused and was defiant,

that deceived you, so you submitted to death, submissive?

Then by what were you deluded that you submitted to death?

نعاك ليَ الناعي فما كدتُ منكِرا

نعاك ليَ الناعي فما كدتُ منكِرا

ليومك وهو الحقُّ أن أتيقَّنا

ليومك وهو الحقُّ أن أتيقَّنا

The death-messenger told me you had died; disbelieving, I could scarcely

Let the announcer announce your departure, but I could not

be certain of your death, though it was the truth.

Deny your day though it be the truth we ascertain.

فشكَّكْتُه مستوحشا من سماعه

فشكَّكْتُه مستوحشا من سماعه

وعمَّيتُه حتى انجلى وتبيَّنا

وعمَّيتُه حتى انجلى وتبيَّنا

I made him doubt, distraught at hearing it,

So I doubted, in desolation on hearing him,

and confused him, until the truth emerged clear and certain.

And refused sight till at last I saw clearly.

أصابَ الردى من شاءَ بعدك إنني

أصابَ الردى من شاءَ بعدك إنني

أرى كلَّ يومٍ بعدَ يومك هيِّنا

أرى كلَّ يومٍ بعدَ يومك هيِّنا

Let death strike whom it will after you; indeed, I

The worst misfortune strikes whom it will after you.

find every day after your day easy to bear.

But I see each day after your day as mean and paltry.

لخولستُ منك البدرَ ليلةَ تمِّهِ

لخولستُ منك البدرَ ليلةَ تمِّهِ

وجوذبتُ منك الغصنَ ساعةَ يجتنَى

وجوذبتُ منك الغصنَ ساعةَ يجتنَى

In losing you, I was surely robbed of the moon on its full night,

I gained the full moon on the night it becomes full from you,

and in you the bough was wrested from me at the moment of its harvest.

And plucked from you the branch at the hour it is to be picked.

وكنت لآمالي الفسحية مَسرَحا

وكنت لآمالي الفسحية مَسرَحا

لوَ اَن المنايا فيك أمهلتِ المُنى

لوَ اَن المنايا فيك أمهلتِ المُنى

You would have been a pasture for my far-ranging hopes,

You were the wide plain for my hopes to race on,

had the fates granted those wishes more time in you.

As though death had been gentle with you at your dying.

عُرِكتَ بقرنٍ لا هَوادةَ عندَه

عُرِكتَ بقرنٍ لا هَوادةَ عندَه

فعمَّق ما اسطاعَ الجروحَ وأثخنا

فعمَّق ما اسطاعَ الجروحَ وأثخنا

You were locked in struggle with an opponent who offered no truce,

You tangled with one who grants no truce,

and it deepened the wounds as much as it could, wounding grievously,

So he deepened the wounds, inflicting all he could.

إلى ساعةٍ لا يبلغُ الكيُّ داءَها

إلى ساعةٍ لا يبلغُ الكيُّ داءَها

ولم تَشفَ منها جِلدةُ القَرْفِ بالهِنا

ولم تَشفَ منها جِلدةُ القَرْفِ بالهِنا

until an hour whose sickness no cautery could reach,

Until an hour came whose pain will not lessen,

nor could tar heal the leather sack's hide of it.

And whose skin, when scratched, is not soothed by being touched gently.

ومازلتُ من أخذ الضنا منك مشفقا

ومازلتُ من أخذ الضنا منك مشفقا

عليك إلى أن جاء ما هوَّن الضَّنا

عليك إلى أن جاء ما هوَّن الضَّنا

Ever since wasting sickness seized you, I remained fearful

I continued snatching sleep from you anxiously,

for you, until there came what made that sickness seem slight.

Fearing for you, until what I feared fell.

وأستبعدُ اليومَ الذي فيه راحةٌ

وأستبعدُ اليومَ الذي فيه راحةٌ

لما تشتكي حتى دنا شرَّ ما دنا

لما تشتكي حتى دنا شرَّ ما دنا

And I thought the day that held relief far away

And I put far away the day when there is rest

for your suffering, until it drew near in the cruelest way.

From the complaints, until the worst of what drew near came near.

أبا طالب صبرا وإن كان مُعوِزا

أبا طالب صبرا وإن كان مُعوِزا

فلا فضلَ في صبرٍ إذا كان ممكنا

فلا فضلَ في صبرٍ إذا كان ممكنا

Abu Talib, have patience, though it be hard to muster,

Abu Talib, be patient, even if needy,

for there is no merit in patience when it comes easily.

For there is no merit in patience if endurance is possible.

سُلبتَ أخاً فاحفظ عليك ثوابَه

سُلبتَ أخاً فاحفظ عليك ثوابَه

فما ضَمِن اللهُ الثوابَ لتحزَنا

فما ضَمِن اللهُ الثوابَ لتحزَنا

You were robbed of a brother; safeguard for yourself the reward for his loss,

You have lost a brother, so keep safe his reward,

for God did not promise reward so that you should grieve.

For God never guaranteed the reward if we grieve.

بكرهيَ أصفيتُ المودّة باكيا

بكرهيَ أصفيتُ المودّة باكيا

له وقضَيتُ الحقَّ فيه مؤبِّنا

له وقضَيتُ الحقَّ فيه مؤبِّنا

Against my will, in tears I offered my sincerest love

I have purified my love for him in tears,

to him, and fulfilled my duty to him in eulogy.

Weeping for him and fulfilling righteousness regarding him.

على أنه لو هالكٌ رده البكا

على أنه لو هالكٌ رده البكا

نثرنا خدودا في ثراه وأجفنا

نثرنا خدودا في ثراه وأجفنا

Yet if weeping could bring back one who had died,

Yet had he lived, our weeping would restore him,

we would have strewn cheeks and eyelids upon his grave-soil,

Had we strewn cheeks in his grave and wailed.

وكان خبالا في رزيَّة مثلِه

وكان خبالا في رزيَّة مثلِه

ولُؤماً بدمع أن يصانَ ويُخزَنا

ولُؤماً بدمع أن يصانَ ويُخزَنا

and at the loss of one like him it would have been madness

He took pride in a position like his,

and meanness to spare tears and hoard them.

And it would be shameful to guard his blood and store it.

ولكنَّه ما لان جنبٌ لطارقٍ

ولكنَّه ما لان جنبٌ لطارقٍ

من الدهر إلا كان أصعبَ أخشنا

من الدهر إلا كان أصعبَ أخشنا

Yet no flank yields to a nighttime assailant

But no flank avails against a raider

from Time without that assailant growing fiercer and harsher.

From Time, except the flank that is roughest and harshest.

ومن نازَل الأحداثَ بالدمع والبكا

ومن نازَل الأحداثَ بالدمع والبكا

فمقلتَهُ أدمَى وأضلعَهُ حَنا

فمقلتَهُ أدمَى وأضلعَهُ حَنا

And whoever fights calamities with tears and weeping

And whoever contends with events with tears and weeping,

bloodies his own eye and bends his own ribs.

Time wounds his eyelids and makes his ribs ache.