عيدٌ بِأَيَّةِ حالٍ عُدتَ يا عيدُ

عيدٌ بِأَيَّةِ حالٍ عُدتَ يا عيدُ

بِما مَضى أَم بِأَمرٍ فيكَ تَجديدُ

بِما مَضى أَم بِأَمرٍ فيكَ تَجديدُ

Eid, in what state have you returned, O Eid?

The feast, in what state have you returned, O feast?

Eid, in what state have you returned, O Eid? With past sorrows, or does some new decree attend you?

With what has passed, or with something new in you?

Is it with what has passed, or is there in you something renewed?

As for my loved ones, the desert lies between us; would that between me and you lay deserts upon deserts.

أَمّا الأَحِبَّةُ فَالبَيداءُ دونَهُمُ

أَمّا الأَحِبَّةُ فَالبَيداءُ دونَهُمُ

فَلَيتَ دونَكَ بيداً دونَها بيدُ

فَلَيتَ دونَكَ بيداً دونَها بيدُ

As for the loved ones, the desert lies between me and them.

As for the loved ones, the desert lies between us,

Were it not for high ambition, no lean, swift mount would cross these wastes with me.

So would that deserts lay between me and you, with more deserts beyond them.

Would that, without you, the desert and they were deserted!

Yet once, slender maidens, radiant as my blade's gleam, were sweeter to embrace than cold steel.

لَولا العُلى لَم تَجُب بي ما أَجوبُ بِها

لَولا العُلى لَم تَجُب بي ما أَجوبُ بِها

وَجناءُ حَرفٌ وَلا جَرداءُ قَيدودُ

وَجناءُ حَرفٌ وَلا جَرداءُ قَيدودُ

But for glory, none would carry me through the lands I traverse:

Were it not for my pride, my heart would not ache with what makes it ache,

Fate has left nothing in my heart nor my liver for a beauty's eye or graceful neck to enslave.

Neither a stout-cheeked, lean, hardy she-camel nor a sleek, long-backed mare.

And to be chained is but letters, not truly being chained.

O cupbearers, is this wine within your goblets, or do they brim with care and sleepless nights?

وَكانَ أَطيَبَ مِن سَيفي مُضاجَعَةً

وَكانَ أَطيَبَ مِن سَيفي مُضاجَعَةً

أَشباهُ رَونَقِهِ الغيدُ الأَماليدُ

أَشباهُ رَونَقِهِ الغيدُ الأَماليدُ

And sweeter bedfellows than my sword were

And sweeter to me than my sword was to sleep

Am I a rock? Why am I not moved by this flowing wine or these melodic songs?

Its equals in radiance—the graceful, supple women.

On the dunes like gazelles curled up.

If I seek the dark red wine, pure and clear, I find it—but the soul's beloved is lost.

لَم يَترُكِ الدَهرُ مِن قَلبي وَلا كَبِدي

لَم يَترُكِ الدَهرُ مِن قَلبي وَلا كَبِدي

شَيْئاً تُتَيِّمُهُ عَينٌ وَلا جيدُ

شَيْئاً تُتَيِّمُهُ عَينٌ وَلا جيدُ

Time has not left in my heart or my liver

Time has left in my heart and my liver

What burdens I have met from the world! Yet strangest of all: I am envied for that which makes me weep.

Anything that an eye or a neck could enthrall.

Nothing for an eye to orphan or a bosom to mourn.

I have become the wealthiest man in hope and hand; I am rich, yet my only funds are empty promises.

يا ساقِيَيَّ أَخَمرٌ في كُؤوسِكُما

يا ساقِيَيَّ أَخَمرٌ في كُؤوسِكُما

أَم في كُؤوسِكُما هَمٌّ وَتَسهيدُ

أَم في كُؤوسِكُما هَمٌّ وَتَسهيدُ

O my two cupbearers, is there wine in your cups,

O cupbearer, is it wine in your cups

I have lodged with liars whose guest is denied both hospitality and the freedom to depart.

Or is there worry and sleeplessness in your cups?

Or in your cups anxiety and vigil?

True men give from their hands; these give only with their tongues—may they and their "bounty" perish!

أَصَخرَةٌ أَنا مالي لا تُحَرِّكُني

أَصَخرَةٌ أَنا مالي لا تُحَرِّكُني

هَذي المُدامُ وَلا هَذي الأَغاريدُ

هَذي المُدامُ وَلا هَذي الأَغاريدُ

Am I a rock? Why am I not stirred

I am rocks; why can’t you move me,

Death does not seize a single soul among them without holding a stick to ward off its stench.

By this wine, or by these songs?

With this wine and these songs?

Each one, flabby of gut and bursting at the seams, is counted neither among men nor among women.

إِذا أَرَدتُ كُمَيتَ اللَونِ صافِيَةً

إِذا أَرَدتُ كُمَيتَ اللَونِ صافِيَةً

وَجَدتُها وَحَبيبُ النَفسِ مَفقودُ

وَجَدتُها وَحَبيبُ النَفسِ مَفقودُ

When I desire clear, dark-red wine,

When I wanted the wine pure,

Whenever a wicked slave murders his master or betrays him, must he find a paved path to power in Egypt?

I find it, while my soul's beloved is missing.

I found it so, though the beloved was lost.

The eunuch has become the leader of fugitives there; the free man is enslaved, and the slave is worshipped.

ماذا لَقيتُ مِنَ الدُنيا وَأَعجَبُهُ

ماذا لَقيتُ مِنَ الدُنيا وَأَعجَبُهُ

أَنّي بِما أَنا باكٍ مِنهُ مَحسودُ

أَنّي بِما أَنا باكٍ مِنهُ مَحسودُ

What I have suffered from this world! And strangest of all

What have I seen in life that pleases me most?

The guardians of Egypt have slept and left her to the foxes, who have gorged themselves, yet the grapes remain vast.

Is that I am envied for the very thing I weep over.

That I weep for what makes me envied.

The slave is no brother to the righteous free man, even if he were born in the robes of nobility.

أَمسَيتُ أَروَحَ مُثرٍ خازِناً وَيَداً

أَمسَيتُ أَروَحَ مُثرٍ خازِناً وَيَداً

أَنا الغَنِيُّ وَأَموالي المَواعيدُ

أَنا الغَنِيُّ وَأَموالي المَواعيدُ

I have become the rich man whose treasurer and hand are most at ease:

I have come to spend the evening in a barren camp,

Do not purchase the slave unless the stick is with him; for slaves are indeed filth and bringers of woe.

I am the wealthy one, and my wealth is promises.

I, the wealthy man, and my promises the riches.

I never thought I would live to see the day when a dog would abuse me and be praised for it.

إِنّي نَزَلتُ بِكَذّابينَ ضَيفُهُمُ

إِنّي نَزَلتُ بِكَذّابينَ ضَيفُهُمُ

عَنِ القِرى وَعَنِ التَرحالِ مَحدودُ

عَنِ القِرى وَعَنِ التَرحالِ مَحدودُ

Indeed, I have lodged with liars whose guest

I descended among liars whose hospitality

Nor did I imagine that true men had vanished, and that one like Abu al-Bayda' could still exist.

Is barred from hospitality and from departure.

Is limited, neither traveling nor women.

And that this black man with the pierced lip would be obeyed by these trembling hirelings.

جودُ الرِجالِ مِنَ الأَيدي وَجودُهُمُ

جودُ الرِجالِ مِنَ الأَيدي وَجودُهُمُ

مِنَ اللِسانِ فَلا كانوا وَلا الجودُ

مِنَ اللِسانِ فَلا كانوا وَلا الجودُ

Men's generosity comes from their hands; these men's generosity

Men’s generosity is in their hands, their generosity

A starving creature who eats from my provisions and holds me captive, only so it may be said, "He is great and sought after."

Comes from the tongue—may neither they nor such generosity exist!

Is in their tongues; they are neither generous nor is generosity theirs.

Truly, a man whose affairs are managed by a pregnant maidservant is oppressed, tearful, and faint of heart.

ما يَقبِضُ المَوتُ نَفساً مِن نُفوسِهِمُ

ما يَقبِضُ المَوتُ نَفساً مِن نُفوسِهِمُ

إِلّا وَفي يَدِهِ مِن نَتنِها عودُ

إِلّا وَفي يَدِهِ مِن نَتنِها عودُ

Death never takes one of their souls

Death seizes not any soul among their souls

Woe to this plight, and woe to him who accepts it! It is for escaping such things that swift camels were created.

Without a stick in his hand because of its stench.

Without his hand stinking because of its rottenness.

And at that point, the taste of death becomes sweet; truly, when faced with humiliation, death is like honey.

مِن كُلِّ رِخوِ وِكاءِ البَطنِ مُنفَتِقٍ

مِن كُلِّ رِخوِ وِكاءِ البَطنِ مُنفَتِقٍ

لا في الرِحالِ وَلا النِسوانِ مَعدودُ

لا في الرِحالِ وَلا النِسوانِ مَعدودُ

From each man with a loose belly-drawstring, gaping open,

From every soft, flabby belly

Who taught the eunuch nobility? Was it his white kinsmen, or his royal ancestors?

Counted neither among the saddles nor among women.

There pours forth one who is neither horseman nor courted woman.

Or his bleeding ear in the slave-trader's grip? Or his value—rejected even for two coppers?

أَكُلَّما اِغتالَ عَبدُ السوءِ سَيِّدَهُ

أَكُلَّما اِغتالَ عَبدُ السوءِ سَيِّدَهُ

أَو خانَهُ فَلَهُ في مِصرَ تَمهيدُ

أَو خانَهُ فَلَهُ في مِصرَ تَمهيدُ

Is it that whenever a vile slave assassinates his master,

Every time an evil slave assassinates his master

Of all base men, the petty Kafur is most excused for his baseness—though some excuses are merely insults in disguise.

Or betrays him, a place is prepared for him in Egypt?

Or betrays him, he is established in Egypt.

For if white stallions are incapable of noble deeds, what then can be expected of black eunuchs?

صارَ الخَصِيُّ إِمامَ الآبِقينَ بِها

صارَ الخَصِيُّ إِمامَ الآبِقينَ بِها

فَالحُرُّ مُستَعبَدٌ وَالعَبدُ مَعبودُ

فَالحُرُّ مُستَعبَدٌ وَالعَبدُ مَعبودُ

The eunuch has become the leader of runaway slaves there;

The eunuch has become leader of the villains there,

So the free man is enslaved, and the slave is worshipped.

So the free man is enslaved and the slave worshiped.

نامَت نَواطيرُ مِصرٍ عَن ثَعالِبِها

نامَت نَواطيرُ مِصرٍ عَن ثَعالِبِها

فَقَد بَشِمنَ وَما تَفنى العَناقيدُ

فَقَد بَشِمنَ وَما تَفنى العَناقيدُ

Egypt's watchmen have slept, heedless of its foxes;

The vultures of Egypt have neglected its foxes,

So the foxes are glutted, yet the grape clusters never run out.

For the starlings have perished and the bunches decayed.

العَبدُ لَيسَ لِحُرٍّ صالِحٍ بِأَخٍ

العَبدُ لَيسَ لِحُرٍّ صالِحٍ بِأَخٍ

لَو أَنَّهُ في ثِيابِ الحُرِّ مَولودُ

لَو أَنَّهُ في ثِيابِ الحُرِّ مَولودُ

A slave is no brother to a virtuous free man,

A slave is not a free man’s brother, however righteous,

Even if he were born in a free man's clothes.

Even if he is born in the clothes of the free.

لا تَشتَرِ العَبدَ إِلّا وَالعَصا مَعَهُ

لا تَشتَرِ العَبدَ إِلّا وَالعَصا مَعَهُ

إِنَّ العَبيدَ لَأَنجاسٌ مَناكيدُ

إِنَّ العَبيدَ لَأَنجاسٌ مَناكيدُ

Do not buy a slave unless the stick comes with him;

Only purchase a slave with his rod along with him,

For slaves are surely filthy and wretched.

For slaves are filthy creatures, treacherous.

ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُني أَحيا إِلى زَمَنٍ

ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُني أَحيا إِلى زَمَنٍ

يُسيءُ بي فيهِ كَلبٌ وَهوَ مَحمودُ

يُسيءُ بي فيهِ كَلبٌ وَهوَ مَحمودُ

I never thought I would live to see an age

I did not expect to live to a time

In which a dog mistreats me while he is praised.

When a dog insults me and is praised.

وَلا تَوَهَّمتُ أَنَّ الناسَ قَد فُقِدوا

وَلا تَوَهَّمتُ أَنَّ الناسَ قَد فُقِدوا

وَأَنَّ مِثلَ أَبي البَيضاءِ مَوجودُ

وَأَنَّ مِثلَ أَبي البَيضاءِ مَوجودُ

Nor did I imagine that people had vanished,

Nor did I imagine people to be gone

And that someone like Abu al-Bayda existed.

And the like of my father to exist.

وَأَنَّ ذا الأَسوَدَ المَثقوبَ مِشفَرُهُ

وَأَنَّ ذا الأَسوَدَ المَثقوبَ مِشفَرُهُ

تُطيعُهُ ذي العَضاريطُ الرَعاديدُ

تُطيعُهُ ذي العَضاريطُ الرَعاديدُ

And that this black man, whose lip is pierced,

And that the black gap-toothed one

Is obeyed by these menial, trembling cowards.

Is obeyed by the honking simpletons.

جَوعانُ يَأكُلُ مِن زادي وَيُمسِكُني

جَوعانُ يَأكُلُ مِن زادي وَيُمسِكُني

لِكَي يُقالَ عَظيمُ القَدرِ مَقصودُ

لِكَي يُقالَ عَظيمُ القَدرِ مَقصودُ

Hungry, he eats from my provisions and detains me,

A hungry man eats my provisions and stops me

So it may be said: 'He is great in rank, sought after.'

So it may be said, “The greatly esteemed one is wanted.”

إِنَّ اِمرَءً أَمَةٌ حُبلى تُدَبِّرُهُ

إِنَّ اِمرَءً أَمَةٌ حُبلى تُدَبِّرُهُ

لَمُستَضامٌ سَخينُ العَينِ مَفؤودُ

لَمُستَضامٌ سَخينُ العَينِ مَفؤودُ

Indeed, a man ruled by a pregnant slave woman

A man whose pregnant female slave manages him

Is surely oppressed, his eyes hot with tears, his heart stricken.

Is a cuckold of hot eyes and addled wits.

وَيلُمِّها خُطَّةً وَيلُمِّ قابِلِها

وَيلُمِّها خُطَّةً وَيلُمِّ قابِلِها

لِمِثلِها خُلِقَ المَهرِيَّةُ القودُ

لِمِثلِها خُلِقَ المَهرِيَّةُ القودُ

Woe to its mother—such a plight! Woe to the mother of whoever accepts it!

He assembles her a dowry and the dowry for her midwife, too,

For the like of it, the long-necked Mahri camels were created.

The likes of her, hellfire was created for.

وَعِندَها لَذَّ طَعمَ المَوتِ شارِبُهُ

وَعِندَها لَذَّ طَعمَ المَوتِ شارِبُهُ

إِنَّ المَنِيَّةَ عِندَ الذُلِّ قِنديدُ

إِنَّ المَنِيَّةَ عِندَ الذُلِّ قِنديدُ

And in that plight, death tastes sweet to its drinker;

And in her presence the taste of death is sweet to its drinker.

For death in the face of humiliation is sweet wine.

Death in disgrace is most craved.

مَن عَلَّمَ الأَسوَدَ المَخصِيَّ مَكرُمَةً

مَن عَلَّمَ الأَسوَدَ المَخصِيَّ مَكرُمَةً

أَقَومُهُ البيضُ أَم آبائُهُ الصيدُ

أَقَومُهُ البيضُ أَم آبائُهُ الصيدُ

Who taught the castrated black man a noble deed?

Who taught the black eunuch gentle manners?

Was it his white people, or his lordly forefathers?

Do his noble white forebears hunt, or his fathers before him?

أَم أُذنُهُ في يَدِ النَخّاسِ دامِيَةً

أَم أُذنُهُ في يَدِ النَخّاسِ دامِيَةً

أَم قَدرُهُ وَهوَ بِالفَلسَينِ مَردودُ

أَم قَدرُهُ وَهوَ بِالفَلسَينِ مَردودُ

Or his ear, bleeding in the slave dealer's hand?

Or is his ear criminals’ in the broker’s hand?

Or his worth, when he was rejected at a price of two copper coins?

Or his worth when he is sold in the markets reduced?

أَولى اللِئامِ كُوَيفيرٌ بِمَعذِرَةٍ

أَولى اللِئامِ كُوَيفيرٌ بِمَعذِرَةٍ

في كُلِّ لُؤمٍ وَبَعضُ العُذرِ تَفنيدُ

في كُلِّ لُؤمٍ وَبَعضُ العُذرِ تَفنيدُ

Of all the base, Kuwayfir most deserves an excuse

The vilest of villains excuses himself

For every base deed—and some excuses are reproaches.

In every vileness, and some excuse is refutation.

وَذاكَ أَنَّ الفُحولَ البيضَ عاجِزَةٌ

وَذاكَ أَنَّ الفُحولَ البيضَ عاجِزَةٌ

عَنِ الجَميلِ فَكَيفَ الخِصيَةُ السودُ

عَنِ الجَميلِ فَكَيفَ الخِصيَةُ السودُ

And that is because the virile white men are incapable

That is because the noble whites are incapable

Of noble deeds—how, then, could the black eunuchs be capable?

Of nobility, so what of the black eunuchs?