سلمتِ وما الديارُ بسالماتٍ

سلمتِ وما الديارُ بسالماتٍ

على عنَت البلى يا دارَ هندِ

على عنَت البلى يا دارَ هندِ

You have survived, though dwellings are not spared,

You bid farewell, yet the abodes are not at peace

despite decay's affliction, O dwelling of Hind.

From the ravages of time, O land of India!

ولا برِحتْ مفوَّقةُ الغوادي

ولا برِحتْ مفوَّقةُ الغوادي

تُصيبُ رباكِ من خَطَإٍ وعمدِ

تُصيبُ رباكِ من خَطَإٍ وعمدِ

May the morning clouds, their arrows nocked, never cease

Nor has the lofty-stationed one ceased,

striking your heights, by chance and by intent,

Inflicting your Lord with errors and wickedness,

بموقِظةِ الثرى والتربُ هادٍ

بموقِظةِ الثرى والتربُ هادٍ

ومُجديةِ الحيا والعامُ مُكدي

ومُجديةِ الحيا والعامُ مُكدي

with rain that wakes the earth when its dust lies still,

With the awakening of soil and the dormant dust,

and brings abundant moisture when the year yields nothing.

And the decline of life and the distressing years.

على أني متى مطرَتْكِ عيني

على أني متى مطرَتْكِ عيني

ففضلٌ ما سقاكِ الغيثُ بعدي

ففضلٌ ما سقاكِ الغيثُ بعدي

Yet whenever my eye has rained upon you,

Yet whenever my eyes rain upon you,

the rain that waters you after me is merely surplus.

It is a favor what the rain has watered you after me.

أميلُ إليكِ يجذبني فؤادي

أميلُ إليكِ يجذبني فؤادي

وغيرُكِ ما استقام السيرُ قصدي

وغيرُكِ ما استقام السيرُ قصدي

I turn toward you, drawn by my heart,

My heart inclines toward you and draws me,

though, while the journey keeps its course, my destination is elsewhere.

And none but you makes my course go straight.

وأُشفق أن تبدِّلكِ المطايا

وأُشفق أن تبدِّلكِ المطايا

بوطأتها كأنَّ ثراكِ خدّي

بوطأتها كأنَّ ثراكِ خدّي

And I fear that the mounts may alter you

I fear the caravans will change you

with their tread, as though your soil were my cheek.

With their treading, as if your soil were my cheek.

أرى بكِ ما أراه فمستعيرٌ

أرى بكِ ما أراه فمستعيرٌ

حشاي وواجدٌ بالبين وجدي

حشاي وواجدٌ بالبين وجدي

I see in you what I see in myself: you borrow

I see in you what I see, so I borrow

my heart and feel my anguish at separation.

My joy and find in separation agony.

وليتِك إذ نحلتِ نحولَ جسمي

وليتِك إذ نحلتِ نحولَ جسمي

بقِيتِ على النحول بقاءَ عهدي

بقِيتِ على النحول بقاءَ عهدي

Would that, when you wasted as my body wastes,

Would that you, when you granted the wasting of my body

you had endured in your wasting as my pledge endures.

Remained in that wasting as long as my pact endures!

وما أهلوكِ يومَ خلوتِ منهم

وما أهلوكِ يومَ خلوتِ منهم

بأوّلِ غَدرةٍ للدهر عندي

بأوّلِ غَدرةٍ للدهر عندي

The loss of your people, when you stood empty of them,

And how could they bid you farewell when they left from you

was not Time's first betrayal of me.

With the first betrayal of fate according to me?

سلي الأيام ما فعلت بأنسي

سلي الأيام ما فعلت بأنسي

وعيشٍ لي على البيضاء رغدِ

وعيشٍ لي على البيضاء رغدِ

Ask the days what they have done to my happiness,

Ask the days what they did with my joy,

and to the easy life I had at al-Bayda';

And a life of comfort and prosperity for me,

وفي الأحداج عن رشإٍ حبيبٍ

وفي الأحداج عن رشإٍ حبيبٍ

على لونيه من صِلةٍ وصدِّ

على لونيه من صِلةٍ وصدِّ

and, among the camel-litters, ask about a beloved young gazelle,

And in intimacies, about a beloved friend

in his two colors of union and rejection.

Matching my complexion in attachment and friendship,

يماطلُ ثم يُنجزُ كلَّ دَيْنٍ

يماطلُ ثم يُنجزُ كلَّ دَيْنٍ

ولم ينجز بذي العلمين وعدي

ولم ينجز بذي العلمين وعدي

He delays, then settles every debt,

Who plays coy and then fulfills every debt,

yet at Dhu al-'Alamayn he never fulfilled his promise to me.

Yet did not fulfill to "The Lord of Two Easts" my promise.

تبسّم بالبراق وصاب غيث

تبسّم بالبراق وصاب غيث

فلو مُلِكَ الفِداءُ لكنتُ أَفدي

فلو مُلِكَ الفِداءُ لكنتُ أَفدي

He smiled at al-Biraq, and rain fell;

He smiled with radiance and poured forth rain,

if ransom were mine to give, I would ransom

So if ransom could avail, I would ransom him.

ثناياه وفاه ولا أغالي

ثناياه وفاه ولا أغالي

بما في المزن من برقٍ وبَرْدِ

بما في المزن من برقٍ وبَرْدِ

his teeth and mouth—without overpaying—

His sides and mouth I do not overvalue,

with all the lightning and hail in the clouds.

For what is in the clouds of lightning and hail.

ألاَ مَن عائدٌ ببياضِ يومٍ

ألاَ مَن عائدٌ ببياضِ يومٍ

لعيني بين أحناء وصمدِ

لعيني بين أحناء وصمدِ

Ah, who will bring back the brightness of a day

Will one return with the whiteness of a day,

to my eye, between Ahna' and Samad,

To my eyes between inclinations and steadfastness?

وعِينٍ بالطُّوَيلع بارزاتٍ

وعِينٍ بالطُّوَيلع بارزاتٍ

على قَسَماتِهنّ حياءُ نجدِ

على قَسَماتِهنّ حياءُ نجدِ

and the wide-eyed maidens appearing at al-Tuwayli',

And eyes gazing long at al-Tawyla'

the modesty of Najd upon their faces?

On their eyelids the shyness of Najd.

نظرنَ فما غزالتُه بلحظٍ

نظرنَ فما غزالتُه بلحظٍ

ومِسْنَ فما أراكتُه بقدِّ

ومِسْنَ فما أراكتُه بقدِّ

They looked—its gazelle had no glance to compare;

They looked but no gazelle of his with a glance,

and swayed—its arak tree had no stature to compare.

And touched but did not thin his compactness with their wrists.

وبلهاء الصِّبا تبغي سِقاطي

وبلهاء الصِّبا تبغي سِقاطي

إذا حلّلتها هزَلتْ بجِدّي

إذا حلّلتها هزَلتْ بجِدّي

And a girl guileless in youth seeks to catch my slips;

The foolishness of youth seeking my downfall,

when I let her loose, she makes sport of my seriousness.

If I humor it, jesting with my earnestness.

تَعدُّ سنيَّ تعجَبُ من وقاري

تَعدُّ سنيَّ تعجَبُ من وقاري

ولم يجتزْ مراحَ العمر عَدِّي

ولم يجتزْ مراحَ العمر عَدِّي

She counts my years, astonished at my gravity,

It counts my years and wonders at my dignity;

though my years have not passed beyond life's playground.

But the phases of life have not passed my tally.

فما للشَّيْب شدَّ عليّ ركضاً

فما للشَّيْب شدَّ عليّ ركضاً

فطوّح بي ولم أبلغ أشُدِّي

فطوّح بي ولم أبلغ أشُدِّي

Why, then, has gray hair charged upon me at a gallop,

So why has old age attacked me with galloping pace

and flung me away before I reached my prime?

And toppled me when I've not reached my prime?

يعيّرني ولم أره شآني

يعيّرني ولم أره شآني

تنبه حظُّه بخمولِ جَدّي

تنبه حظُّه بخمولِ جَدّي

A man reproaches me, though I have never seen him surpass me;

It taunts me though it has not seen my mettle aroused.

his fortune awakened when my luck lay dormant.

Its fortune was alert to my listlessness.

وودَّ على غضارة حُلَّتيهِ

وودَّ على غضارة حُلَّتيهِ

مكانَ الرقع من أسمال بُردي

مكانَ الرقع من أسمال بُردي

Yet, despite the fresh splendor of his two robes, he coveted

It wished upon the coarseness of my attire,

the place of the patches in my tattered cloak.

The place of patches, some striped cloak.

وما ورقُ الغنى المنفوضُ عنّي

وما ورقُ الغنى المنفوضُ عنّي

بمُعرٍ من حُسام المجدِ غِمدي

بمُعرٍ من حُسام المجدِ غِمدي

The leaves of wealth shaken from me

No leaf of wealth flutters about me,

have not stripped my scabbard of glory's sword.

With a flash of swords of glory sheathed.

حملتُ وليس عن جَلَدٍ بقلبي

حملتُ وليس عن جَلَدٍ بقلبي

حُمولَةَ واسع الجنبين جَلْدِ

حُمولَةَ واسع الجنبين جَلْدِ

I bore—not through any fortitude in my heart—

I carried burdens though no hero in my heart,

the load of one broad-flanked and hardy.

The burdens of the wide-chested camel hide.

تبادهني النوائب مستغرّاً

تبادهني النوائب مستغرّاً

فأدفعها بعزمةِ مستعِدّ

فأدفعها بعزمةِ مستعِدّ

Calamities catch me off guard,

Misfortunes tempt me, while I remain deceived,

yet I repel them with a ready man's resolve.

So I repel them with resolved intention.

يزِلُّ الحوفُ عن سكنات قلبي

يزِلُّ الحوفُ عن سكنات قلبي

زليلَ الماءِ عن صفحاتِ جلدي

زليلَ الماءِ عن صفحاتِ جلدي

Fear slips from the quiet recesses of my heart,

Fear departs the dwellings of my heart,

as water slips from the surfaces of my skin.

Feeble as water on my skin's surfaces.

دع الدنيا تَرِفَّ على بنيها

دع الدنيا تَرِفَّ على بنيها

وتُجلِبُ بالجفاء عليّ وحدي

وتُجلِبُ بالجفاء عليّ وحدي

Let the world be gentle with its children

Let the world overflow upon its people,

and assail me alone with estrangement.

And bring harshness upon me alone!

وفِرْ أموالَهم تنمو وتزكو

وفِرْ أموالَهم تنمو وتزكو

فليس كنوزُها ثمناً لحمدي

فليس كنوزُها ثمناً لحمدي

And spare their wealth: let it grow and flourish;

And spare their wealth to grow and ripen,

the world's treasures are no price for my praise.

For its treasures are no price for my praise.

لعل حوائ الآمال فيهم

لعل حوائ الآمال فيهم

تُطَرَّقُ من أبي سعدٍ بسعدِ

تُطَرَّقُ من أبي سعدٍ بسعدِ

Perhaps the hopes left barren among them

Perhaps the circumstances of hopes are in them,

will be made fruitful by Abu Sa'd with good fortune.

Will bring me from my father Saʿd good fortune.

فتى عَقدتْ تمائمُه فطيماً

فتى عَقدتْ تمائمُه فطيماً

على أُكرومةٍ ووفاءِ عَقدِ

على أُكرومةٍ ووفاءِ عَقدِ

A youth whose amulets bound him, newly weaned,

A youth whose amulets Fortune bound kindly,

to nobility and the faithful keeping of a pact.

On a nature and loyalty of knot.

وربَّته على خُلُق المعالي

وربَّته على خُلُق المعالي

غرائزُ من أبٍ عالٍ وجَدِّ

غرائزُ من أبٍ عالٍ وجَدِّ

He was reared in the character of lofty deeds

And his instincts for the traits of glory raised him,

by innate qualities from an exalted father and grandfather.

The prompts of a lofty father and grandfather.

فما مجَّت له أُذُنٌ سؤالاً

فما مجَّت له أُذُنٌ سؤالاً

ولا سمحتْ له شَفَةٌ بردِّ

ولا سمحتْ له شَفَةٌ بردِّ

No ear of his has ever spat out a request,

No ear went around to him seeking requests,

and no lip of his has consented to refusal.

No lip was permitted to him any coldness.

إذا اخضرّت بنانُ أبٍ كريمٍ

إذا اخضرّت بنانُ أبٍ كريمٍ

فصِبغتُها إلى الأبناء تُعدِي

فصِبغتُها إلى الأبناء تُعدِي

When a generous father's fingers turn green,

When the shoots of a generous father grow green,

their dye spreads to his children.

Their dye extends to the sons.

تطاولَ للكمالِ فلم يُفتْهُ

تطاولَ للكمالِ فلم يُفتْهُ

على قُربِ الوِلاد مكانُ بُعدِ

على قُربِ الوِلاد مكانُ بُعدِ

He reached toward perfection, and did not miss,

He reached for perfection but it did not elude him,

despite his recent birth, any far-off station.

Despite the nearness of birth no place for distance.

وتمَّ فعُلِّق الأبصارَ بدراً

وتمَّ فعُلِّق الأبصارَ بدراً

ولم يَعلَقْ له شَعَرٌ بخدِّ

ولم يَعلَقْ له شَعَرٌ بخدِّ

He reached fullness, a full moon that held all eyes,

He fulfilled and so gazes were fixed as a full moon,

before any hair had clung to his cheek.

For him no poetry was composed for his cheek.

رآه أبوه وابن الليث شبل

رآه أبوه وابن الليث شبل

لسَدَّةِ ثُغرةٍ وهو ابن مَهدِ

لسَدَّةِ ثُغرةٍ وهو ابن مَهدِ

His father saw him—a lion's son is a lion cub—

His father and cousin saw him as a lion cub,

ready to close a breach while still a cradle-child.

For the status of a gap-toothed one, while still a baby.

فقال لحاسديه شُقِيتُمُ بي

فقال لحاسديه شُقِيتُمُ بي

وهذا ابني به تَشقَوْنَ بعدي

وهذا ابني به تَشقَوْنَ بعدي

And he said to his enviers, 'You have suffered through me;

So he said to his enviers: "You are miserable through me,

this is my son: through him you will suffer after me.'

And this is my son, through whom you'll be miserable after me."

جَرَى ولداتِهِ فمضى وكدُّوا

جَرَى ولداتِهِ فمضى وكدُّوا

لو أنَّ الريحَ مُدْرَكَةٌ بكدِّ

لو أنَّ الريحَ مُدْرَكَةٌ بكدِّ

He raced his contemporaries: he sped ahead, while they toiled,

His progeny flowed, so he passed away and they plotted,

if only the wind could be overtaken by toil!

As if the winds could be reached by scheming.

إذا سبروه عن عَوصاءَ أدلَى

إذا سبروه عن عَوصاءَ أدلَى

بها فَنَجا على غَرَرِ التحدّي

بها فَنَجا على غَرَرِ التحدّي

When they test him on a hard question, he offers

When they probed him about rugged places, he came down

its answer, emerging safe through the challenge's hazards.

Upon them and so escaped by the deceits of defiance.

دَعُوا دَرَجَ الفضائل مزلِقاتٍ

دَعُوا دَرَجَ الفضائل مزلِقاتٍ

لماضٍ بالفضائلِ مستبِدِّ

لماضٍ بالفضائلِ مستبِدِّ

Leave the slippery stairways of excellence

They left the degrees of merits slippery,

to one who advances in excellence and claims it alone.

For one whose past merits were binding.

وما حسدُ النجومِ على المعالي

وما حسدُ النجومِ على المعالي

ولو ذابَ الحصا حسدا بمُجدي

ولو ذابَ الحصا حسدا بمُجدي

The stars' envy of lofty deeds—

The celestial stars envy not for merits,

even if pebbles melted with envy—would avail nothing.

Even if only pebbles dripped envy for my glory!

أبا سعدٍ ولو عثروا بعيبٍ

أبا سعدٍ ولو عثروا بعيبٍ

مشوا فيه بحقٍّ أو تعدّي

مشوا فيه بحقٍّ أو تعدّي

Abu Sa'd, if they discovered a fault,

O father of Saʿd, even if they found a fault,

they would carry it about, rightly or wrongfully.

They exaggerated it whether in truth or aggression.

وقد تسرى العيوبُ على التصافي

وقد تسرى العيوبُ على التصافي

فكيفَ بها بحقٍّ أو تعدّي

فكيفَ بها بحقٍّ أو تعدّي

Faults may spread even amid sincere friendship;

Shortcomings may be kept hidden in the flawless,

what then of them, rightly or wrongfully pursued?

So what of them in truth or aggression?

ولكن فتَّهم فنجوتَ منهم

ولكن فتَّهم فنجوتَ منهم

نَجاءَ اللحن بالخصمِ الألدِّ

نَجاءَ اللحن بالخصمِ الألدِّ

But you surpassed them and escaped from them,

But their wits failed so you escaped them,

as a shrewd speaker escapes the most stubborn opponent.

The incorrectness of an opponent, harsh.

وملَّكَكَ الفخارُ فلم تنازَع

وملَّكَكَ الفخارُ فلم تنازَع

بقُلٍّ في النديّ ولا بحَشْدِ

بقُلٍّ في النديّ ولا بحَشْدِ

Glory made you king, and none contested you,

Victory made you master so you did not contend,

whether a few in the assembly or a multitude.

With little spirit for hostility or zeal.

أبٌ لك يُلحِمُ العلياءَ طولاً

أبٌ لك يُلحِمُ العلياءَ طولاً

وخالٌ في عِراصِ المجد يُسدِي

وخالٌ في عِراصِ المجد يُسدِي

Your father weaves high renown's weft with bounty,

A father who unites the noble for lengthy time,

and your maternal uncle lays the warp in glory's courts.

And a maternal uncle flooding the valley of glory.

ولم يعدِلْ أبا لك يَعرُبيّاً

ولم يعدِلْ أبا لك يَعرُبيّاً

زميلٌ مثلُ خالك في مَعَدِّ

زميلٌ مثلُ خالك في مَعَدِّ

No peer has equaled your Ya'rubi father,

None rivals your father, O Arab,

not even one like your maternal uncle among Ma'add.

A peer like your uncle in might.

جزيتُك عن وفائك لي ثناءً

جزيتُك عن وفائك لي ثناءً

يودّ أخي مكانَك فيه عندي

يودّ أخي مكانَك فيه عندي

I repaid your loyalty to me with praise

I paid you for your loyalty to me with praise

in which my brother wishes he held your place with me.

Which my brother would wish in your place from me.

ولولا الودُّ عزّ عليك مدحي

ولولا الودُّ عزّ عليك مدحي

ولولا الفضلُ عزّ عليك ودّي

ولولا الفضلُ عزّ عليك ودّي

Without affection, my praise would be hard for you to obtain;

Were it not for love, my praise of you would be difficult,

without merit, my affection would be hard for you to obtain.

And were it not for merit, my affection difficult.

بني عبد الرحيم بكم تعالت

بني عبد الرحيم بكم تعالت

يدي ووري على الظلماء زَندي

يدي ووري على الظلماء زَندي

Sons of 'Abd al-Rahim, through you has risen

O Banū ʿAbd al-Raḥīm, how lofty

my hand, and my fire-stick has sparked against the darkness.

My hand and gold were upon the ignorant!

وإن أودَى بنيسابور قومي

وإن أودَى بنيسابور قومي

فجدُّكُمُ من الأملاك جدِّي

فجدُّكُمُ من الأملاك جدِّي

Though my people perished in Nishapur,

If the people of Nishapur did wrong my people,

your ancestor among the kings is my ancestor.

Then your grandfather is among my glories.

وأصدقُ ما محضتُ القومَ مدحي

وأصدقُ ما محضتُ القومَ مدحي

إذا ما كان مَجدُ القوم مَجدي

إذا ما كان مَجدُ القوم مَجدي

My praise of a people is purest and truest

Truest is my praising a people when

when their glory is my own glory.

The people's glory is my glory.

تُفاعِيني لتُردِيَني الليالي

تُفاعِيني لتُردِيَني الليالي

فأذكرُكم فتنهسُني بدُرْدِ

فأذكرُكم فتنهسُني بدُرْدِ

The nights beguile me like a viper, seeking my ruin;

You vie with me so the nights destroy me,

but I remember you, and they bite me with toothless mouths.

And I remember you so you revive me with your pearls.

وأزحَمُ فيكُمُ نكباتِ دهري

وأزحَمُ فيكُمُ نكباتِ دهري

بعصبةِ غالبٍ وبني الأشدِّ

بعصبةِ غالبٍ وبني الأشدِّ

Through you I push back the calamities of my time,

I thrust into you the setbacks of my fate

with Ghalib's band and the sons of al-Ashadd.

With the band of a victor and the sons of lions.

لذلك ما حبوتكُمُ صفايا

لذلك ما حبوتكُمُ صفايا

ذخائرُ خيرُ ما أحبو وأُهدي

ذخائرُ خيرُ ما أحبو وأُهدي

For that I have bestowed on you choice gifts,

Therefore never did I love pure (worthy) things

treasures, the best that I bestow and offer.

Except the treasures of the best I loved and was gifted.

طوالعُ من حجابِ القلبِن عفوي

طوالعُ من حجابِ القلبِن عفوي

بهنَّ يُبدُّ غايةَ كلِّ جُهدِ

بهنَّ يُبدُّ غايةَ كلِّ جُهدِ

They rise from the heart's veil; my spontaneous art

Rising spontaneously from veils of the hearts,

through them outstrips the utmost of every effort.

By them the utmost exertion’s goal appears.

تجوبُ الأرض وتقطعُ كلَّ يوم

تجوبُ الأرض وتقطعُ كلَّ يوم

مدَى عامين للساري المُجِدِّ

مدَى عامين للساري المُجِدِّ

They traverse the earth, covering every day

You tour the land, traveling each day

two years' distance for a diligent night traveler.

Two years’ distance for the noble horseman.

يَرِيَن وبعدُ لم يُروَين حسناً

يَرِيَن وبعدُ لم يُروَين حسناً

كأنّ سطورَهن وُشوعُ بُرْدِ

كأنّ سطورَهن وُشوعُ بُرْدِ

They spark with beauty before they are even recited,

They show and yet their beauty is not sated,

as though their lines were the woven strands of a cloak.

As if their lines were tattooed with hailstones.

إذا رَوَّت رجالَكُمُ كُهولاً

إذا رَوَّت رجالَكُمُ كُهولاً

سأرن لصبيةٍ منكم ومُدِ

سأرن لصبيةٍ منكم ومُدِ

When they have slaked the thirst of your men in maturity,

When they water your men as mature ones,

they leave a portion for your children and beardless youths.

They will show some of your boys as infants.

ولولاكم لما ظفرت بكفءٍ

ولولاكم لما ظفرت بكفءٍ

يَسُرُّ ولا سعت قدماً لرشدِ

يَسُرُّ ولا سعت قدماً لرشدِ

Without you, they would never have found a worthy mate

Were it not for you I'd not gain a match

to delight them, nor taken a step toward sound judgment.

Whose company gives joy or feet guidance.

ولكن زفّها الأحرارُ منكم

ولكن زفّها الأحرارُ منكم

فما أشقيت حرّتَها بعبدِ

فما أشقيت حرّتَها بعبدِ

But the freeborn among you escorted them as brides,

But your freemen married them to me,

so I did not make their freeborn bride wretched with a slave.

So I did not suffer her nobility's loss to a slave.

فَضَلتم سؤدداً وفضَلتُ قولاً

فَضَلتم سؤدداً وفضَلتُ قولاً

فكلٌّ في مداه بغير نِدِّ

فكلٌّ في مداه بغير نِدِّ

You excelled in lordship, and I excelled in verse,

You have excelled by giving wealth and I words,

each unmatched within his own domain.

So each in his own domain without rival.

بكم خُتم الندَى وبِيَ القوافي

بكم خُتم الندَى وبِيَ القوافي

بقيتم وحدكم وبقيتُ وحدي

بقيتم وحدكم وبقيتُ وحدي

With you generosity was sealed, and with me the rhymes;

Through you sincerity was sealed and through me rhymes.

you alone remain, and I alone remain.

You remained uniquely you and I remained uniquely I.