فُؤادٌa heart ماnot تُسَلّيهِconsoles it المُدامُwine
فُؤادٌ ما تُسَلّيهِ المُدامُ
وَعُمرٌand a lifespan مِثلُlike ماwhat تَهَبُbestow اللِئامُthe ignoble
وَعُمرٌ مِثلُ ما تَهَبُ اللِئامُ
A heart that wine cannot console,
A heart that wine cannot console,
And a life like what the ignoble bestow;
A life as meager as a miser's gift,
وَدَهرٌand an age ناسُهُits people ناسٌpeople صِغارٌpetty
وَدَهرٌ ناسُهُ ناسٌ صِغارٌ
وَإِنand even though كانَتare لَهُمthey have جُثَثٌbodies ضِخامُhuge
وَإِن كانَت لَهُم جُثَثٌ ضِخامُ
And an age whose people are petty people,
An age whose people are petty and small,
Even though their bodies are huge.
Even though their bodies loom vast and large.
وَماand not أَناI مِنهُمُone of them بِالعَيشِby living فيهِمamong them
وَما أَنا مِنهُمُ بِالعَيشِ فيهِم
وَلَكِنand yet مَعدِنُthe mine الذَهَبِof gold الرَغامُdust
وَلَكِن مَعدِنُ الذَهَبِ الرَغامُ
I am not one of them merely by living among them,
I am not one of them, though I dwell among them;
Yet the mine of gold is dust.
For the matrix of gold is merely dust.
أَرانِبُrabbits غَيرَexcept أَنَّهُمُthat they مُلوكٌkings
أَرانِبُ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ مُلوكٌ
مُفَتَّحَةٌwide open عُيونُهُمُtheir eyes نِيامُasleep
مُفَتَّحَةٌ عُيونُهُمُ نِيامُ
Rabbits—except that they are kings,
Rabbits they are—though they title themselves kings,
Their eyes wide open, yet asleep;
With eyes wide open, yet sound asleep.
بِأَجسامٍwith bodies يَحَرُّrages القَتلُslaughter فيهاin them
بِأَجسامٍ يَحَرُّ القَتلُ فيها
وَماand not أَقرانُهاtheir opponents إِلّاexcept الطَعامُfood
وَما أَقرانُها إِلّا الطَعامُ
With bodies where slaughter rages,
Bodies so soft the killing blow is bewildered,
Yet their only adversary is food.
And whose only adversaries are plates of food.
وَخَيلٍand cavalry ماnot يَخِرُّfalls لَهاbefore it طَعينٌa spear-struck man
وَخَيلٍ ما يَخِرُّ لَها طَعينٌ
كَأَنَّas though قَناthe lances فَوارِسِهاof its riders ثُمامُthumam grass
كَأَنَّ قَنا فَوارِسِها ثُمامُ
And cavalry before which no spear-struck man falls,
Horses before which no pierced victim falls,
As though its riders' lances were thumam grass.
As though their riders' lances were blades of grass.
خَيلُكَyour cavalry أَنتَyou yourself لاnot مَنthe one whom قُلتَyou called خِلّيmy friend
خَيلُكَ أَنتَ لا مَن قُلتَ خِلّي
وَإِنand even if كَثُرَabounds التَجَمُّلُoutward courtesy وَالكَلامُand talk
وَإِن كَثُرَ التَجَمُّلُ وَالكَلامُ
You are your own cavalry, not the one you called 'my friend',
Your steed alone is yours, not he whom you called "friend,"
Even if outward courtesy and talk abound.
No matter how much flattery and talk abound.
وَلَوand if حيزَwere gained الحِفاظُloyalty بِغَيرِwithout عَقلٍreason
وَلَو حيزَ الحِفاظُ بِغَيرِ عَقلٍ
تَجَنَّبَwould avoid عُنقَthe neck صَيقَلِهِof its polisher الحُسامُthe keen sword
تَجَنَّبَ عُنقَ صَيقَلِهِ الحُسامُ
If loyalty could be won without reason,
If loyalty could be held without wisdom's guide,
The keen sword would avoid its polisher's neck.
The sword would spare the neck of the one who polished it.
وَشِبهُand the like الشَيءِof a thing مُنجَذِبٌis drawn إِلَيهِto it
وَشِبهُ الشَيءِ مُنجَذِبٌ إِلَيهِ
وَأَشبَهُناand those of us most like بِدُنياناto our world الطِغامُthe rabble
وَأَشبَهُنا بِدُنيانا الطِغامُ
And what is like a thing is drawn to it,
Like is drawn to like by nature's law,
And those of us most like our world are the rabble.
And the riffraff are most suited to this world.
وَلَوand if لَمnot يَعلُrose high إِلّاexcept ذوone of مَحَلٍّstanding
وَلَو لَم يَعلُ إِلّا ذو مَحَلٍّ
تَعالىwould rise الجَيشُthe army وَاِنحَطَّand would sink القَتامُthe dust
تَعالى الجَيشُ وَاِنحَطَّ القَتامُ
And if none rose high except those of standing,
If none but the worthy ever rose to heights,
The army would rise and the dust would sink.
The army would tower high while the dust settled low.
وَلَوand if لَمnot يَرعَshepherded إِلّاexcept مُستَحِقٌّone deserving
وَلَو لَم يَرعَ إِلّا مُستَحِقٌّ
لِرُتبَتِهِof his rank أَسامَهُمُwould pasture them المُسامُthe one being pastured
لِرُتبَتِهِ أَسامَهُمُ المُسامُ
And if none shepherded except one worthy
And if none but the deserving grazed the land,
Of his rank, the one being pastured would pasture them.
The shepherd would pasture them in their rightful place.
وَمَنand whoever خَبَرَhas known الغَوانيbeautiful women فَالغَوانيthen beautiful women
وَمَن خَبَرَ الغَواني فَالغَواني
ضِياءٌa radiance فيin بَواطِنِهِits depths ظَلامُdarkness
ضِياءٌ في بَواطِنِهِ ظَلامُ
And to one who has known beautiful women, they are
He who knows the ways of fair maidens finds
A radiance with darkness in its depths.
A radiant light concealing darkness within.
إِذاif كانَis الشَبابُyouth السُكرَdrunkenness وَالشَيـand gray—
إِذا كانَ الشَبابُ السُكرَ وَالشَيـ
ـبُ—hair هَمّاًsorrow فَالحَياةُthen life هِيَitself الحِمامُdeath
ـبُ هَمّاً فَالحَياةُ هِيَ الحِمامُ
If youth is drunkenness, and gray—
If youth is a drunken stupor, and old age
—hair is sorrow, then life itself is death.
Is only grief, then life is truly death.
وَماand not كُلٌّeveryone بِمَعذورٍis excused بِبُخلٍfor miserliness
وَما كُلٌّ بِمَعذورٍ بِبُخلٍ
وَلاand not كُلٌّeveryone عَلىfor بُخلٍmiserliness يُلامُis blamed
وَلا كُلٌّ عَلى بُخلٍ يُلامُ
Not everyone is excused for miserliness,
Not every soul is excused for being miserly,
Nor is everyone blamed for miserliness.
Nor is every soul to be blamed for thrift.
وَلَمand not أَرَI have seen مِثلَthe like of جِيرانيmy neighbors وَمِثليand the like of me
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ جِيراني وَمِثلي
لِمِثليfor one like me عِندَamong مِثلِهِمِthe likes of them مُقامُa dwelling
لِمِثلي عِندَ مِثلِهِمِ مُقامُ
I have never seen the like of my neighbors or myself—
I have never seen the likes of my neighbors and me—
One like me dwelling among the likes of them.
That one like me should dwell among the likes of them.
بِأَرضٍin a land ماwhatever اِشتَهَيتَyou desire رَأَيتَyou see فيهاin it
بِأَرضٍ ما اِشتَهَيتَ رَأَيتَ فيها
فَلَيسَso not يَفوتُهاis missing from it إِلّاexcept الكَرامُthe noble
فَلَيسَ يَفوتُها إِلّا الكَرامُ
In a land where you see whatever you desire,
In a land where you see whatever you desire,
So nothing is missing from it but the noble.
Where nothing is lacking—save for noble men.
فَهَلّاso why not كانَwere نَقصُthe deficiency الأَهلِof the inhabitants فيهاin it
فَهَلّا كانَ نَقصُ الأَهلِ فيها
وَكانَand were لِأَهلِهاfor its people مِنهاfrom it التَمامُperfection
وَكانَ لِأَهلِها مِنها التَمامُ
If only its people's deficiency had been in the land,
Would that the scarcity lay in its resources,
And its people had drawn perfection from it.
And that its people possessed that abundance instead.
بِهاin it الجَبَلانِthe two mountains مِنof صَخرٍrock وَفَخرٍand glory
بِها الجَبَلانِ مِن صَخرٍ وَفَخرٍ
أَنافاrise high ذاthis one المُغيثُal-Mughith وَذاand this one اللِكامُal-Likam
أَنافا ذا المُغيثُ وَذا اللِكامُ
There the two mountains, of rock and of glory,
Within it stand two mountains: one of rock, one of glory;
Rise high: this is al-Mughith, and that is al-Likam.
Both tower high: this is the Patron, and that is al-Likam.
وَلَيسَتand it is not مِنamong مَواطِنِهِhis homelands وَلَكِنand yet
وَلَيسَت مِن مَواطِنِهِ وَلَكِن
يَمُرُّhe passes بِهاthrough it كَماjust as مَرَّpassed الغَمامُthe clouds
يَمُرُّ بِها كَما مَرَّ الغَمامُ
It is not one of his homelands, yet
This land is not his native home, and yet
He passes through it as clouds pass.
He passes over it just as the rain-cloud passes.
سَقىmay give drink to اللَهُGod اِبنَthe son of مُنجِبَةٍa mother of noble offspring سَقانيgave me drink
سَقى اللَهُ اِبنَ مُنجِبَةٍ سَقاني
بِدَرٍّwith flowing milk ماno لِراضِعِهِfor its suckling فِطامُweaning
بِدَرٍّ ما لِراضِعِهِ فِطامُ
May God give drink to the son of a mother of noble offspring, who gave me drink
May God water the son of the noble mother who watered me
Of flowing milk whose suckling is never weaned.
With a bounty from which there is no weaning.
وَمَنand one whose إِحدىone of فَوائِدِهِhis benefits العَطاياgifts
وَمَن إِحدى فَوائِدِهِ العَطايا
وَمَنand one whose إِحدىone of عَطاياهُhis gifts الدَوامُpermanence
وَمَن إِحدى عَطاياهُ الدَوامُ
And one whose gifts are but one of his benefits,
Among his many benefits are his gifts,
And one of whose gifts is permanence.
And among his gifts is the gift of permanence.
فَقَدfor indeed خَفِيَhas become hidden الزَمانُtime بِهِthrough him عَلَيناfrom us
فَقَد خَفِيَ الزَمانُ بِهِ عَلَينا
كَسِلكِlike the thread الدُرِّof pearls يُخفيهِconceals it النِظامُthe strung pearls
كَسِلكِ الدُرِّ يُخفيهِ النِظامُ
For indeed, through him time has become hidden from us,
Through him, the ravages of Time are hidden from us,
As a pearl-string's thread is concealed by the strung pearls.
As the string is hidden by the pearls it holds in line.
تَلَذُّdelights لَهُhim المُروءَةُnoble virtue وَهيَand it تُؤذيcauses pain
تَلَذُّ لَهُ المُروءَةُ وَهيَ تُؤذي
وَمَنand whoever يَعشَقloves يَلَذُّis delightful لَهُto him الغَرامُlove's torment
وَمَن يَعشَق يَلَذُّ لَهُ الغَرامُ
Noble virtue delights him, though it brings pain,
Virtue delights him, though it brings him pain,
And whoever loves delights in love's torment.
For he who truly loves finds pleasure in the burning.
تَعَلَّقَهاhe loved it هَوىwith the passion قَيسٍof Qays لِلَيلىfor Layla
تَعَلَّقَها هَوى قَيسٍ لِلَيلى
وَواصَلهاand he found union with it فَلَيسَso there is no بِهِin him سَقامُsickness
وَواصَلها فَلَيسَ بِهِ سَقامُ
He loved it with Qays's passion for Layla,
He clings to glory as Qays clung to Layla,
And found union with it, so no sickness afflicts him.
Yet he attained her, leaving no sickness in his soul.
يَروعُhe awes رَكانَةًwith dignity وَيَذوبُand melts ظَرفاًwith charm
يَروعُ رَكانَةً وَيَذوبُ ظَرفاً
فَماso not نَدريwe know أَشَيخٌan old man? أَمor غُلامُa youth
فَما نَدري أَشَيخٌ أَم غُلامُ
He awes with dignity and melts with charm,
He strikes awe with his gravity, yet melts with charm;
So we cannot tell: an old man or a youth?
So we know not: is he a wise elder or a youth?
وَتَملِكُهُand master him المَسائِلُrequests فيin نَداهُhis generosity
وَتَملِكُهُ المَسائِلُ في نَداهُ
وَأَمّاand as for فيin الجِدالِdispute فَلاthen not يُرامُcan be assailed
وَأَمّا في الجِدالِ فَلا يُرامُ
Requests master him in his generosity,
Petitions rule him when it comes to his bounty,
But in dispute he is unassailable.
But in the heat of battle, he remains unconquered.
وَقَبضُand receiving نَوالِهِhis gifts شَرَفٌhonor وَعِزٌّand glory
وَقَبضُ نَوالِهِ شَرَفٌ وَعِزٌّ
وَقَبضُand receiving نَوالِthe gifts of بَعضِsome of القَومِthe people ذامُdisgrace
وَقَبضُ نَوالِ بَعضِ القَومِ ذامُ
Receiving his gifts is honor and glory,
To receive his gift is an honor and a glory,
But receiving some men's gifts is disgrace.
While accepting from others is a mark of shame.
أَقامَتhave settled فيon الرِقابِnecks لَهُof his أَيادٍfavors
أَقامَت في الرِقابِ لَهُ أَيادٍ
هِيَthey are الأَطواقُcollars وَالناسُand people الحَمامُdoves
هِيَ الأَطواقُ وَالناسُ الحَمامُ
His favors have settled on necks:
His favors have settled around men's necks,
They are collars, and people are doves.
Like collars, turning people into ringed doves.
إِذاwhen عُدَّare counted الكِرامُthe noble فَتِلكَthen those are عِجلٌʿIjl
إِذا عُدَّ الكِرامُ فَتِلكَ عِجلٌ
كَماjust as الأَنواءُthe stellar rain-seasons حينَwhen تُعَدُّare counted عامُa year
كَما الأَنواءُ حينَ تُعَدُّ عامُ
When the noble are counted, they are ʿIjl,
When noble men are counted, the tribe of 'Ijl stands forth,
As the rain-star seasons, when counted, make a year.
Essential as the seasons that make up the year.
تَقيprotect جَبَهاتُهُمtheir foreheads ماwhat فيin ذَراهُمtheir shelter
تَقي جَبَهاتُهُم ما في ذَراهُم
إِذاwhen بِشِفارِهاat their blade-edges حَمِيَgrows hot اللِطامُthe clash of blows
إِذا بِشِفارِها حَمِيَ اللِطامُ
Their foreheads shield whatever lies within their shelter,
Their foreheads shield those under their protection,
When the clash of blows grows hot at their blade-edges.
When the fray heats up with the clash of blades.
وَلَوand even if يَمَّمتُهُمI sought them out فيat الحَشرِthe Resurrection تَجدوyou seek a gift
وَلَو يَمَّمتُهُم في الحَشرِ تَجدو
لَأَعطَوكَthey would surely give you الَّذيwhat صَلَّواthey prayed وَصامواand they fasted
لَأَعطَوكَ الَّذي صَلَّوا وَصاموا
Even if I sought them at the Resurrection while you sought a gift,
If you sought them out on Judgment Day to beg,
They would surely give you the reward of their prayers and fasts.
They would give you the reward of their prayers and fasts.
فَإِنso if حَلُمواthey are forbearing فَإِنَّthen indeed الخَيلَthe horses فيهِمamong them
فَإِن حَلُموا فَإِنَّ الخَيلَ فيهِم
خِفافٌfleet وَالرِماحُand the lances بِهاupon them عُرامُfierceness
خِفافٌ وَالرِماحُ بِها عُرامُ
Though they are forbearing, the horses among them
If they show mildness, know that their steeds
Are fleet, and the lances upon them are fierce.
Are swift, and their lances possess a fierce bite.
وَعِندَهُمُand with them الجِفانُbowls مُكَلَّلاتٍcrowned with food
وَعِندَهُمُ الجِفانُ مُكَلَّلاتٍ
وَشَزرُand sidelong الطَعنِspear-thrusting وَالضَربُand blows التُؤامُdoubled
وَشَزرُ الطَعنِ وَالضَربُ التُؤامُ
And with them are bowls crowned with food,
With them are feasting bowls heaped high with meat,
And sidelong spear-thrusts and doubled blows.
And oblique thrusts, and blows dealt in pairs.
نُصَرِّعُهُمwe lay them low بِأَعيُنِناwith our eyes حَياءًfrom modesty
نُصَرِّعُهُم بِأَعيُنِنا حَياءً
وَتَنبوand glance away عَنfrom وُجوهِهِمِtheir faces السِهامُarrows
وَتَنبو عَن وُجوهِهِمِ السِهامُ
We lay them low with our eyes through their modesty,
We cast our eyes down before them in bashful awe,
Yet arrows glance off their faces.
While arrows glance harmlessly off their faces.
قَبيلٌa tribe يَحمِلونَthey bear مِنَof المَعاليlofty honors
قَبيلٌ يَحمِلونَ مِنَ المَعالي
كَماjust as حَمَلَتbore مِنَof الجَسَدِthe body العِظامُthe bones
كَما حَمَلَت مِنَ الجَسَدِ العِظامُ
A tribe that bears lofty honors,
A tribe bearing a burden of noble deeds,
As the bones bear the body.
Vital as the bones that bear up the body.
قَبيلٌa tribe أَنتَyou أَنتَyou وَأَنتَand you مِنهُمone of them
قَبيلٌ أَنتَ أَنتَ وَأَنتَ مِنهُم
وَجَدُّكَand your grandfather بِشرٌBishr المَلِكُthe king الهُمامُthe valiant
وَجَدُّكَ بِشرٌ المَلِكُ الهُمامُ
A tribe—you are you, and you are one of them—
A tribe—and you, O matchless one, are of them,
And your grandfather is Bishr, the valiant king.
And your forefather is Bishr, the gallant king.
لِمَنwhose? مالٌwealth تُمَزَّقُهُtear it apart العَطاياgifts
لِمَن مالٌ تُمَزَّقُهُ العَطايا
وَيَشرَكُand share فيin رَغائِبِهِits treasures الأَنامُmankind
وَيَشرَكُ في رَغائِبِهِ الأَنامُ
Whose is the wealth that gifts tear apart,
Who possesses wealth that generosity tears to shreds?
And in whose treasures all mankind share?
A bounty in which all mankind takes a share.
وَلاand not نَدعوكَwe call you صاحِبَهُits companion فَتَرضىso you approve
وَلا نَدعوكَ صاحِبَهُ فَتَرضى
لِأَنَّbecause بِصُحبَةٍthrough companionship يَجِبُis required الذِمامُthe duty of protection
لِأَنَّ بِصُحبَةٍ يَجِبُ الذِمامُ
Nor can we call you its companion and win your approval,
We do not call you its master, lest you be pleased,
For companionship makes protection a duty.
Since mastery implies a duty to protect what one owns.
تُحايِدُهُyou shun it كَأَنَّكَas though you were سامِرِيٌّSamiri
تُحايِدُهُ كَأَنَّكَ سامِرِيٌّ
تُصافِحُهُshakes his hand يَدٌa hand فيهاin it جُذامُleprosy
تُصافِحُهُ يَدٌ فيها جُذامُ
You shun it as though you were Samiri,
You shun your wealth as if you were the Samaritan,
Whose hand is clasped by a hand afflicted with leprosy.
Whose hand recoils from the touch of a leper.
إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) العالِمونَthe scholars عَرَوكَthey visit you قالواthey say
إِذا ما العالِمونَ عَرَوكَ قالوا
أَفِدناteach us أَيُّهاO الحِبرُthe learned master الإِمامُthe leader
أَفِدنا أَيُّها الحِبرُ الإِمامُ
Whenever scholars visit you, they say:
When the learned come to you, they proclaim:
"Teach us, O learned master and leader!"
"Teach us, O great scholar and leader!"
إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) المُعلِمونَthe marked warriors رَأَوكَthey see you قالواthey say
إِذا ما المُعلِمونَ رَأَوكَ قالوا
بِهَذاby this one يُعلَمُis distinguished الجَيشُthe army اللُهامُvast and mighty
بِهَذا يُعلَمُ الجَيشُ اللُهامُ
Whenever marked warriors see you, they say:
And when the masters of war behold you, they say:
"By this man the vast host is distinguished."
"From him, the vast armies learn their art."
لَقَدindeed حَسُنَتhave grown fair بِكَthrough you الأَوقاتُthe times حَتّىso that
لَقَد حَسُنَت بِكَ الأَوقاتُ حَتّى
كَأَنَّكَas though you were فيin فَمِthe mouth الدَهرِof Time اِبتِسامُa smile
كَأَنَّكَ في فَمِ الدَهرِ اِبتِسامُ
Indeed, through you the times have grown so fair
The times have been made fair by your presence,
That you seem a smile in the mouth of Time.
As though you were a smile upon the lips of Time.
وَأُعطيتَand you were given الَّذيwhat لَمnot يُعطَwas given خَلقٌa created being
وَأُعطيتَ الَّذي لَم يُعطَ خَلقٌ
عَلَيكَupon you صَلاةُthe blessing رَبِّكَof your Lord وَالسَلامُand peace
عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ رَبِّكَ وَالسَلامُ
And you have been given what no created being was given;
You have been gifted what no other soul has received;
Your Lord's blessing and peace be upon you.
Upon you be the blessings of your Lord, and peace.
Sol 6.1