ضُروبُkinds الناسِpeople عُشّاقٌlovers ضُروباdifferent kinds
ضُروبُ الناسِ عُشّاقٌ ضُروبا
فَأَعذَرُهُمso the most excusable of them أَشَفُّهُمُfinest among them حَبيباًbeloved
فَأَعذَرُهُم أَشَفُّهُمُ حَبيباً
Different kinds of people love different things;
The ways of men are diverse, and they are lovers of diverse things,
the most excusable are those with the finest beloved.
But the most excusable is he whose beloved is the most noble.
وَماand not سَكَنيmy solace سِوىexcept قَتلِslaying الأَعاديthe enemies
وَما سَكَني سِوى قَتلِ الأَعادي
فَهَلso is there مِنany زَورَةٍvisit تَشفيheals القُلوباthe hearts
فَهَل مِن زَورَةٍ تَشفي القُلوبا
And I have no solace but the slaying of enemies;
My solace lies only in the slaying of foes—
is there, then, a visit that will heal the hearts?
Is there, then, an assault to heal these hearts?
تَظَلُّremain الطَيرُthe birds مِنهاbecause of it فيin حَديثٍconversation
تَظَلُّ الطَيرُ مِنها في حَديثٍ
تَرُدُّanswer بِهِthrough it الصَراصِرَshrill cries وَالنَعيباand cawing
تَرُدُّ بِهِ الصَراصِرَ وَالنَعيبا
The birds keep talking of that visit,
Birds linger there in conversation,
answering with shrill cries and cawing.
Answering the shrill crickets with the raven's croak.
وَقَدand already لَبِسَتhave donned دِمائَهُمُtheir blood عَلَيهِمin mourning for them
وَقَد لَبِسَت دِمائَهُمُ عَلَيهِم
حِداداًmourning dress لَمdid not تَشُقَّtear لَهاfor it جُيوباًcollars
حِداداً لَم تَشُقَّ لَها جُيوباً
They have donned their blood to mourn them—
They have donned the blood of foes as mourning garb,
mourning garments for which they tore no collars.
Yet they tore no collars in their grief.
أَدَمناwe kept up طَعنَهُمstabbing them وَالقَتلَand killing حَتّىuntil
أَدَمنا طَعنَهُم وَالقَتلَ حَتّى
خَلَطناwe mingled فيamong عِظامِهِمِtheir bones الكُعوباthe spear-shaft joints
خَلَطنا في عِظامِهِمِ الكُعوبا
We kept stabbing and killing them, until
We persisted in stabbing and slaughter
we mingled spear-shaft joints with their bones.
Until we mingled the spear-knots with their very bones.
كَأَنَّas though خُيولَناour horses كانَتhad been قَديماًlong ago
كَأَنَّ خُيولَنا كانَت قَديماً
تُسَقّىgiven to drink فيin قُحوفِهِمِtheir skullcaps الحَليباًmilk
تُسَقّى في قُحوفِهِمِ الحَليباً
As though our horses had long ago
It is as if our steeds, in days of old,
been given milk to drink from their skullcaps,
Were watered with milk from within their skulls,
فَمَرَّتso they passed غَيرَnot نافِرَةٍshying عَلَيهِمover them
فَمَرَّت غَيرَ نافِرَةٍ عَلَيهِم
تَدوسُtrampling بِناwith us الجَماجِمَthe skulls وَالتَريباand the chests
تَدوسُ بِنا الجَماجِمَ وَالتَريبا
they passed over them without shying,
So they passed over them without shrinking back,
trampling, with us aboard, skulls and chests.
Trampling beneath us skulls and chests alike.
يُقَدِّمُهاleads them وَقَدand already خُضِبَتwere stained شَواهاtheir legs
يُقَدِّمُها وَقَد خُضِبَت شَواها
فَتىًa youth تَرميhurl الحُروبُwars بِهِwith him الحُروباwars
فَتىً تَرمي الحُروبُ بِهِ الحُروبا
Leading them, their legs already stained,
Driving them on, while their shanks are dyed red,
is a youth whom wars hurl against wars.
Is a youth whom War hurls against War itself.
شَديدُintense in الخُنزُوانَةِpride لاnot يُباليhe cares
شَديدُ الخُنزُوانَةِ لا يُبالي
أَصابَhe strikes إِذاwhen تَنَمَّرَhe rages like a leopard أَمor أُصيباhe is struck
أَصابَ إِذا تَنَمَّرَ أَم أُصيبا
Fiercely proud, he cares not
Of mighty pride, he pays no heed,
whether, raging like a leopard, he strikes or is struck.
When his rage turns leopard-wild, if he strikes or is struck.
أَعَزميO my resolve طالَhas grown long هَذاthis اللَيلُnight فَاِنظُرso look
أَعَزمي طالَ هَذا اللَيلُ فَاِنظُر
أَمِنكَis it of you الصُبحُthe dawn يَفرَقُis afraid أَنto يَؤوباreturn
أَمِنكَ الصُبحُ يَفرَقُ أَن يَؤوبا
O my resolve, this night drags on; see:
O my resolve, this night has grown long; look and see—
does dawn fear to return because of you?
Does the Dawn fear you, that it dares not return?
كَأَنَّas though الفَجرَthe dawn حِبٌّa beloved مُستَزارٌinvited to visit
كَأَنَّ الفَجرَ حِبٌّ مُستَزارٌ
يُراعيwatches warily مِنwithin دُجُنَّتِهِits darkness رَقيباa watcher
يُراعي مِن دُجُنَّتِهِ رَقيبا
As though dawn were a beloved invited to visit,
As though the Dawn were a lover sought in secret,
wary of a watcher in the night's darkness.
Watching for a guardian from out the gloom.
كَأَنَّas though نُجومَهُits stars حَليٌornaments عَلَيهِupon it
كَأَنَّ نُجومَهُ حَليٌ عَلَيهِ
وَقَدand already حُذِيَتhad been shod قَوائِمُهُits legs الجُبوباthe earth
وَقَد حُذِيَت قَوائِمُهُ الجُبوبا
As though its stars were ornaments upon it,
As if the stars were jewels adorning the night,
and its feet had been shod with the earth itself.
While its legs are shod deep within the earth.
كَأَنَّas though الجَوَّthe sky قاسىsuffered ماwhat أُقاسيI suffer
كَأَنَّ الجَوَّ قاسى ما أُقاسي
فَصارَso became سَوادُهُits blackness فيهِwithin it شُحوباpallor
فَصارَ سَوادُهُ فيهِ شُحوبا
As though the sky had suffered what I suffer,
As if the very air endured my suffering,
and its blackness had turned to pallor within it.
Turning its blackness into a sickly pallor.
كَأَنَّas though دُجاهُits darkness يَجذِبُهاdraws it out سُهاديmy sleeplessness
كَأَنَّ دُجاهُ يَجذِبُها سُهادي
فَلَيسَso not تَغيبُit vanishes إِلّاexcept أَنthat يَغيباit vanishes
فَلَيسَ تَغيبُ إِلّا أَن يَغيبا
As though my sleeplessness were drawing out its darkness,
As if my insomnia drags at its darkness,
which will not vanish unless my sleeplessness vanishes.
So it shall not depart until my wakefulness departs.
أُقَلِّبُI keep moving فيهِin it أَجفانيmy eyelids كَأَنّيas though I
أُقَلِّبُ فيهِ أَجفاني كَأَنّي
أَعُدُّI count بِهِby it عَلىagainst الدَهرِTime الذُنوباsins
أَعُدُّ بِهِ عَلى الدَهرِ الذُنوبا
I keep blinking through it, as though
I turn my gaze within it, as though I were
I were tallying through it the sins of Time.
Counting the sins of Time against me.
وَماand not لَيلٌa night بِأَطوَلَlonger مِنthan نَهارٍa day
وَما لَيلٌ بِأَطوَلَ مِن نَهارٍ
يَظَلُّremains بِلَحظِby the gaze of حُسّاديmy enviers مَشوباtainted
يَظَلُّ بِلَحظِ حُسّادي مَشوبا
And no night is longer than a day
Yet no night is longer than a day
that stays tainted by my enviers' gaze.
That remains tainted by the glaring eyes of envy.
وَماand not مَوتٌdeath بِأَبغَضَmore hateful مِنthan حَياةٍa life
وَما مَوتٌ بِأَبغَضَ مِن حَياةٍ
أَرىI see لَهُمُfor them مَعيalongside me فيهاin it نَصيباa share
أَرى لَهُمُ مَعي فيها نَصيبا
And no death is more hateful than a life
And no death is more loathsome than a life
in which I see them holding a share alongside me.
Wherein I see they hold a share beside me.
عَرَفتُI have known نَوائِبَcalamities الحَدَثانِTime's changes حَتّىuntil
عَرَفتُ نَوائِبَ الحَدَثانِ حَتّى
لَوِif اِنتَسَبَتthey claimed a lineage لَكُنتُI would surely be لَهاfor them نَقيباa genealogist
لَوِ اِنتَسَبَت لَكُنتُ لَها نَقيبا
I have known the calamities of Time so well that,
I have known the calamities of fortune so intimately
were they to claim a lineage, I would be their genealogist.
That were they to trace their kin, I would be their chief.
وَلَمّاand when قَلَّتِgrew scarce الإِبلُthe camels اِمتَطيناwe mounted
وَلَمّا قَلَّتِ الإِبلُ اِمتَطينا
إِلىtoward اِبنِIbn (son of) أَبيAbi (father of) سُلَيمانَSulayman الخُطوباcalamities
إِلى اِبنِ أَبي سُلَيمانَ الخُطوبا
And when camels grew scarce, we mounted
When camels grew scarce, we mounted calamities
calamities to reach Ibn Abi Sulayman:
To ride toward Ibn Abi Sulayman.
مَطاياmounts لاnot تَذِلُّsubmit لِمَنto whoever عَلَيهاis upon them
مَطايا لا تَذِلُّ لِمَن عَلَيها
وَلاand not يَبغيseeks لَهاfor them أَحَدٌanyone رُكوباriding
وَلا يَبغي لَها أَحَدٌ رُكوبا
mounts that never yield to those astride them,
Mounts that yield not to the rider,
and that no one wishes to ride.
Beasts upon which no man seeks to sit.
وَتَرتَعُand they graze دونَinstead of نَبتِplants الأَرضِthe earth فيناon us
وَتَرتَعُ دونَ نَبتِ الأَرضِ فينا
فَماso not فارَقتُهاI parted from them إِلّاexcept جَديباbarren
فَما فارَقتُها إِلّا جَديبا
They graze on us instead of the earth's grass,
They graze upon us rather than the pasture,
so I parted from them utterly barren—
So I parted from them only when stripped bare.
إِلىto ذيone possessing شيمَةٍa character شَعَفَتhas captivated فُؤاديmy heart
إِلى ذي شيمَةٍ شَعَفَت فُؤادي
فَلَولاهُso were it not for him لَقُلتُI would have composed بِهاabout it النَسيباlove poetry
فَلَولاهُ لَقُلتُ بِها النَسيبا
bound for one whose character has captivated my heart;
To one whose character enraptured my heart;
were it not for him, I would have sung love verses to it.
Were it not for him, I would have sung love-verses to those perils.
تُنازِعُنيcontends with me هَواهاlove of it كُلُّevery نَفسٍsoul
تُنازِعُني هَواها كُلُّ نَفسٍ
وَإِنeven though لَمdoes not تُشبِهِresemble الرَشَأَthe gazelle fawn الرَبيباhand-reared
وَإِن لَم تُشبِهِ الرَشَأَ الرَبيبا
Every soul vies with me in loving it,
Every soul vies with me in love for his nature,
though it resembles no hand-reared gazelle fawn.
Though it resembles not the gazelle raised in grace.
عَجيبٌa marvel فيin الزَمانِthe age وَماyet no عَجيبٌmarvel
عَجيبٌ في الزَمانِ وَما عَجيبٌ
أَتىcame مِنfrom آلِthe house of سَيّارٍSayyar عَجيباastonishing
أَتى مِن آلِ سَيّارٍ عَجيبا
He is a marvel in this age; yet no marvel
A wonder in this age, yet no wonder at all,
from the house of Sayyar is astonishing.
For a marvel has sprung from the house of Sayyar.
وَشَيخٌand an elder فيin الشَبابِyouth وَلَيسَand not شَيخاًan elder
وَشَيخٌ في الشَبابِ وَلَيسَ شَيخاً
يُسَمّىis called كُلُّevery مَنone who بَلَغَhas reached المَشيباgray-haired age
يُسَمّى كُلُّ مَن بَلَغَ المَشيبا
An elder in youth; yet not an elder
An elder in his youth, yet not the elder
is everyone called who has grown gray.
So named merely for reaching the age of gray hair.
قَساhe is hard فَالأُسدُso the lions تَفزَعُfear مِنfrom قُواهُhis strength
قَسا فَالأُسدُ تَفزَعُ مِن قُواهُ
وَرَقَّand he is tender فَنَحنُso we نَفزَعُfear أَنthat يَذوباhe may melt
وَرَقَّ فَنَحنُ نَفزَعُ أَن يَذوبا
He is hard, so lions fear his strength;
He is harsh, so that lions tremble at his might;
and tender, so we fear that he may melt.
He is gentle, so that we fear he might melt away.
أَشَدُّmore violent مِنَthan الرِياحِthe winds الهوجِraging بَطشاًin assault
أَشَدُّ مِنَ الرِياحِ الهوجِ بَطشاً
وَأَسرَعُand swifter فيin النَدىgenerosity مِنهاthan they هُبوباin blowing
وَأَسرَعُ في النَدى مِنها هُبوبا
More violent in assault than the raging winds,
Fiercer in assault than the gale-force winds,
and swifter to blow with bounty than they.
Yet swifter than their gusts in bestowing generosity.
وَقالواand they said ذاكَthat one أَرمىthe best archer مَنwhom رَأَيناwe have seen
وَقالوا ذاكَ أَرمى مَن رَأَينا
فَقُلتُso I said رَأَيتُمُyou have seen الغَرَضَthe target القَريباnearby
فَقُلتُ رَأَيتُمُ الغَرَضَ القَريبا
They said, 'That is the best archer we have seen.'
They said, "He is the truest marksman we have seen."
I said, 'You have seen the nearby target.'
I replied, "You have only seen the target close at hand."
وَهَلand can يُخطيmiss بِأَسهُمِهِwith his arrows الرَماياthe targets
وَهَل يُخطي بِأَسهُمِهِ الرَمايا
وَماand not يُخطيmisses بِماwith what ظَنَّhe surmises الغُيوباthe unseen
وَما يُخطي بِما ظَنَّ الغُيوبا
Can he miss his targets with his arrows,
How could he miss the mark with his arrows,
when his surmises never miss the unseen?
When his intuition misses not the secrets of the unseen?
إِذاwhen نُكِبَتis upended كِنانَتُهُhis quiver اِستَبَنّاwe discern
إِذا نُكِبَت كِنانَتُهُ اِستَبَنّا
بِأَنصُلِهاon its arrowheads لِأَنصُلِهاfrom its arrowheads نُدوباscars
بِأَنصُلِها لِأَنصُلِها نُدوبا
When his quiver is upended, we discern
When his quiver is upturned, we discern
scars on its arrowheads left by its own arrowheads.
Upon the arrowheads the scars made by their very kin.
يُصيبُhe strikes بِبَعضِهاwith some of them أَفواقَthe nocks of بَعضٍothers
يُصيبُ بِبَعضِها أَفواقَ بَعضٍ
فَلَولاso but for الكَسرُthe breaking لَاِتَصَلَتthey would join قَضيباas one rod
فَلَولا الكَسرُ لَاِتَصَلَت قَضيبا
With some he strikes the nocks of others;
He strikes the notch of one arrow with another;
but for the breaking, they would join into one rod.
Were they not to shatter, they would form a single rod.
بِكُلِّwith every مُقَوَّمٍstraightened shaft لَمhas not يَعصِdisobeyed أَمراًa command
بِكُلِّ مُقَوَّمٍ لَم يَعصِ أَمراً
لَهُof his حَتّىuntil ظَنَنّاهُwe thought it لَبيباintelligent
لَهُ حَتّى ظَنَنّاهُ لَبيبا
With every straightened shaft that has disobeyed no command
With every straightened shaft that disobeyed no command,
of his, until we thought it intelligent.
Until we deemed the wood itself wise.
يُريكَshows you النَزعُthe draw بَينَbetween القَوسِthe bow مِنهُof his
يُريكَ النَزعُ بَينَ القَوسِ مِنهُ
وَبَينَand between رَمِيِّهِhis target الهَدَفَthe massive figure المَهيباawe-inspiring
وَبَينَ رَمِيِّهِ الهَدَفَ المَهيبا
The draw reveals, between his bow
The draw reveals the bond between his bow
and his target, his awe-inspiring bulk.
And the awesome target he strikes.
أَلَستَare you not اِبنَthe son of الأُلىthose who سَعِدواprospered وَسادواand ruled
أَلَستَ اِبنَ الأُلى سَعِدوا وَسادوا
وَلَمand not يَلِدواbegot اِمرَءًa man إِلّاexcept نَجيباnoble
وَلَم يَلِدوا اِمرَءً إِلّا نَجيبا
Are you not the son of those who prospered and ruled,
Are you not the son of those who prospered and ruled,
and begot no man except a noble one?
Begetting none but the noble-born?
وَنالواand they gained ماwhat اِشتَهَواthey desired بِالحَزمِthrough prudence هَوناًwith ease
وَنالوا ما اِشتَهَوا بِالحَزمِ هَوناً
وَصادَand hunted الوَحشَthe wild beasts نَملُهُمُtheir ants دَبيباcreeping
وَصادَ الوَحشَ نَملُهُمُ دَبيبا
They gained what they desired through prudence, with ease,
They attained their desires with ease through resolve,
and their ants, creeping along, hunted wild beasts.
As their ants might hunt wild beasts by mere stealth.
وَماand not ريحُthe scent of الرِياضِthe gardens لَهاtheir own وَلَكِنbut rather
وَما ريحُ الرِياضِ لَها وَلَكِن
كَساهاclothed them دَفنُهُمtheir burial فيin التُربِthe earth طيباwith fragrance
كَساها دَفنُهُم في التُربِ طيبا
The gardens' scent is not their own; rather,
The scent of the gardens is not their own;
their burial in the earth clothed them in fragrance.
It is your ancestors' burial that clothed the earth in perfume.
أَياO مَنyou who عادَreturned روحُthe spirit of المَجدِglory فيهِin him
أَيا مَن عادَ روحُ المَجدِ فيهِ
وَعادَand became again زَمانُهُits age التاليthe later قَشيباfresh and new
وَعادَ زَمانُهُ التالي قَشيبا
O you in whom the spirit of glory has returned,
O you in whom the spirit of Glory has returned,
and glory's later age has become new again:
Making its latter days as fresh as the first,
تَيَمَّمَنيsought me out وَكيلُكَyour agent مادِحاًpraising ليme
تَيَمَّمَني وَكيلُكَ مادِحاً لي
وَأَنشَدَنيand recited to me مِنَsome of الشِعرِpoetry الغَريباthe strange
وَأَنشَدَني مِنَ الشِعرِ الغَريبا
Your agent sought me out, praising me,
Your messenger sought me out with praise,
and recited strange verse to me.
Reciting to me verses of wondrous strain.
فَآجَرَكَso may He reward you الإِلَهُGod عَلىfor عَليلٍan ailing man
فَآجَرَكَ الإِلَهُ عَلى عَليلٍ
بَعَثتَyou sent إِلىto المَسيحِthe Messiah بِهِhim طَبيباas a physician
بَعَثتَ إِلى المَسيحِ بِهِ طَبيبا
May God reward you, then, for an ailing man
May God reward you for the sake of a sick man,
whom you sent as a physician to the Messiah.
To whom you sent a physician with the healing touch of the Messiah.
وَلَستُand I am not بِمُنكِرٍfinding strange مِنكَfrom you الهَداياthe gifts
وَلَستُ بِمُنكِرٍ مِنكَ الهَدايا
وَلَكِنbut زِدتَنيyou added for me فيهاamong them أَديباa man of letters
وَلَكِن زِدتَني فيها أَديبا
I do not find gifts from you strange,
I do not deny the bounty of your gifts,
but you have added, among them, a man of letters for me.
Yet through them, you have increased my own refinement.
فَلاso may not زالَتcease to be دِيارُكَyour dwellings مُشرِقاتٍradiant
فَلا زالَت دِيارُكَ مُشرِقاتٍ
وَلاand never دانَيتَmay you approach ياO شَمسُsun الغُروباsunset
وَلا دانَيتَ يا شَمسُ الغُروبا
May your dwellings never cease to shine,
May your abodes remain forever radiant,
and may you never approach sunset, O sun,
And may you, O Sun, never approach your setting,
لِأَصبِحَso that I become آمِناًsafe فيكَconcerning you الرَزاياcalamities
لِأَصبِحَ آمِناً فيكَ الرَزايا
كَماas أَناI آمِنٌam secure فيكَin you العُيوباflaws
كَما أَنا آمِنٌ فيكَ العُيوبا
so I may fear no calamities befalling you,
That I may be safe from calamities through you,
as I am sure of finding no flaws in you.
Just as I am safe from finding any fault in you.
Sol 6.1