أَلا لا أَرى الأَحداثَ حَمداً وَلا ذَمّا

أَلا لا أَرى الأَحداثَ حَمداً وَلا ذَمّا

فَما بَطشُها جَهلاً وَلا كَفُّها حِلما

فَما بَطشُها جَهلاً وَلا كَفُّها حِلما

Indeed, I deem the turns of fate worthy of neither praise nor blame.

I see in Fate’s events neither praise nor blame,

Their violence is not folly, nor their restraint forbearance.

Her strikes are not from folly, nor her respite from grace.

إِلى مِثلِ ما كانَ الفَتى مَرجِعُ الفَتى

إِلى مِثلِ ما كانَ الفَتى مَرجِعُ الفَتى

يَعودُ كَما أُبدي وَيُكري كَما أَرمى

يَعودُ كَما أُبدي وَيُكري كَما أَرمى

A man's return is to the state in which he once was;

To the state he once was, the young man returns,

he returns as he was brought forth, and dwindles as he once grew.

He goes back as he began, dissolving as he formed.

لَكِ اللَهُ مِن مَفجوعَةٍ بِحَبيبِها

لَكِ اللَهُ مِن مَفجوعَةٍ بِحَبيبِها

قَتيلَةِ شَوقٍ غَيرِ مُلحِقِها وَصما

قَتيلَةِ شَوقٍ غَيرِ مُلحِقِها وَصما

May God aid you, a woman grief-stricken over her beloved,

God be with you, O heart bereft of your beloved,

slain by longing that brings her no disgrace.

Slain by a longing that brings no shade of shame.

أَحِنُّ إِلى الكَأسِ الَّتي شَرِبَت بِها

أَحِنُّ إِلى الكَأسِ الَّتي شَرِبَت بِها

وَأَهوى لِمَثواها التُرابَ وَما ضَمّا

وَأَهوى لِمَثواها التُرابَ وَما ضَمّا

I yearn for the cup from which she drank,

I yearn to taste the cup from which she drank,

and for her resting there I love the earth and what it enfolds.

And for her sake, I love the earth and all it holds.

بَكَيتُ عَلَيها خيفَةً في حَياتِها

بَكَيتُ عَلَيها خيفَةً في حَياتِها

وَذاقَ كِلانا ثُكلَ صاحِبِهِ قِدما

وَذاقَ كِلانا ثُكلَ صاحِبِهِ قِدما

I wept for her in fear while she was alive;

I wept for her in fear while she still lived,

and long ago each of us tasted the loss of the other.

And each of us had tasted the other’s loss before.

وَلَو قَتَلَ الهَجرُ المُحِبّينَ كُلَّهُم

وَلَو قَتَلَ الهَجرُ المُحِبّينَ كُلَّهُم

مَضى بَلَدٌ باقٍ أَجَدَّت لَهُ صَرما

مَضى بَلَدٌ باقٍ أَجَدَّت لَهُ صَرما

Had separation killed all who love,

If separation were to slay all lovers dead,

a town still standing would have perished, so firmly did she sever ties with it.

A surviving land would perish from the severance she renewed.

عَرَفتُ اللَيالي قَبلَ ما صَنَعَت بِنا

عَرَفتُ اللَيالي قَبلَ ما صَنَعَت بِنا

فَلَمّا دَهَتني لَم تَزِدني بِها عِلما

فَلَمّا دَهَتني لَم تَزِدني بِها عِلما

I knew the nights before what they wrought upon us;

I knew the Nights before they dealt this blow,

so when they struck me, my knowledge of them did not grow.

So when they struck, they added nothing to my knowing.

مَنافِعُها ما ضَرَّ في نَفعِ غَيرِها

مَنافِعُها ما ضَرَّ في نَفعِ غَيرِها

تَغَذّى وَتَروى أَن تَجوعَ وَأَن تَظما

تَغَذّى وَتَروى أَن تَجوعَ وَأَن تَظما

Their gain lies in harm to the welfare of others;

Their boons are simply harms that profit others,

they feed and drink their fill on your hunger and thirst.

They feast and drink only that we might starve and thirst.

أَتاها كِتابي بَعدَ يَأسٍ وَتَرحَةٍ

أَتاها كِتابي بَعدَ يَأسٍ وَتَرحَةٍ

فَماتَت سُروراً بي فَمُتُّ بِها غَمّا

فَماتَت سُروراً بي فَمُتُّ بِها غَمّا

My letter reached her after despair and sorrow;

My letter reached her after despair and gloom,

she died of joy over me, and I died of grief over her.

She died of joy for me; I died of grief for her.

حَرامٌ عَلى قَلبي السُرورُ فَإِنَّني

حَرامٌ عَلى قَلبي السُرورُ فَإِنَّني

أَعُدُّ الَّذي ماتَت بِهِ بَعدَها سُمّا

أَعُدُّ الَّذي ماتَت بِهِ بَعدَها سُمّا

Joy is forbidden to my heart, for I

All joy is now forbidden to my heart, for I

count what killed her as poison now that she is gone.

Count what she died of—joy itself—as fatal poison.

تَعَجَّبُ مِن خَطّي وَلَفظي كَأَنَّها

تَعَجَّبُ مِن خَطّي وَلَفظي كَأَنَّها

تَرى بِحُروفِ السَطرِ أَغرِبَةً عُصما

تَرى بِحُروفِ السَطرِ أَغرِبَةً عُصما

She marvelled at my handwriting and words, as though she

She marveled at my script and words, as if she saw

saw white-marked crows in the letters of the line.

Within the inked lines, strange birds with white-marked feet.

وَتَلثَمُهُ حَتّى أَصارَ مِدادُهُ

وَتَلثَمُهُ حَتّى أَصارَ مِدادُهُ

مَحاجِرَ عَينَيها وَأَنيابَها سُحما

مَحاجِرَ عَينَيها وَأَنيابَها سُحما

And she kissed it until its ink had turned

She kissed the page until the ink became

her eye sockets and canine teeth black.

Dark smudges on her eyelids and her teeth.

رَقا دَمعُها الجاري وَجَفَّت جُفونُها

رَقا دَمعُها الجاري وَجَفَّت جُفونُها

وَفارَقَ حُبّي قَلبَها بَعدَ ما أَدمى

وَفارَقَ حُبّي قَلبَها بَعدَ ما أَدمى

Her flowing tears have ceased, and her eyelids have dried;

Her flowing tears ceased, her eyelids dried at last,

and love for me left her heart after making it bleed.

And my love left her heart, after it made it bleed.

وَلَم يُسلِها إِلّا المَنايا وَإِنَّما

وَلَم يُسلِها إِلّا المَنايا وَإِنَّما

أَشَدُّ مِنَ السُقمِ الَّذي أَذهَبَ السُقما

أَشَدُّ مِنَ السُقمِ الَّذي أَذهَبَ السُقما

Nothing consoled her but death; and indeed

Nothing could solace her but death; indeed,

what banished sickness is harsher than sickness itself.

The cure that ends the pain is harsher than the pain.

طَلَبتُ لَها حَظّاً فَفاتَت وَفاتَني

طَلَبتُ لَها حَظّاً فَفاتَت وَفاتَني

وَقَد رَضِيَت بي لَو رَضيتُ بِها قِسما

وَقَد رَضِيَت بي لَو رَضيتُ بِها قِسما

I sought good fortune for her, but lost her, and it eluded me;

I sought a fortune for her sake; she passed, and it escaped me,

she was content with me, if only I had been content with her as my lot.

She was content with me, had I but found content in her.

فَأَصبَحتُ أَستَسقي الغَمامُ لِقَبرِها

فَأَصبَحتُ أَستَسقي الغَمامُ لِقَبرِها

وَقَد كُنتُ أَستَسقي الوَغى وَالقَنا الصُمّا

وَقَد كُنتُ أَستَسقي الوَغى وَالقَنا الصُمّا

Now I ask the clouds for rain upon her grave,

Now I beseech the clouds to rain upon her grave,

though once I sought rain from battle and solid spears.

Though once I sought my rain from war and solid spears.

وَكُنتُ قُبَيلَ المَوتِ أَستَعظِمُ النَوى

وَكُنتُ قُبَيلَ المَوتِ أَستَعظِمُ النَوى

فَقَد صارَتِ الصُغرى الَّتي كانَتِ العُظمى

فَقَد صارَتِ الصُغرى الَّتي كانَتِ العُظمى

Shortly before her death I thought separation immense;

Before this death, I held mere distance in great dread,

now what had been the greater grief has become the lesser.

But now the greatest fear has shrunk to be the least.

هَبيني أَخَذتُ الثَأرَ فيكِ مِنَ العِدا

هَبيني أَخَذتُ الثَأرَ فيكِ مِنَ العِدا

فَكَيفَ بِأَخذِ الثَأرِ فيكِ مِنَ الحُمّى

فَكَيفَ بِأَخذِ الثَأرِ فيكِ مِنَ الحُمّى

Suppose I took revenge for you upon the enemies;

Suppose I took revenge for you upon my foes,

then how could I take revenge for you upon fever?

How does one take revenge against a burning fever?

وَما اِنسَدَّتِ الدُنيا عَلَيَّ لِضيقِها

وَما اِنسَدَّتِ الدُنيا عَلَيَّ لِضيقِها

وَلَكِنَّ طَرفاً لا أَراكِ بِهِ أَعمى

وَلَكِنَّ طَرفاً لا أَراكِ بِهِ أَعمى

The world has not closed in on me because it is narrow;

The world has not closed in on me for lack of space,

but an eye with which I cannot see you is blind.

But any eye wherein you dwell not remains blind.

فَوا أَسَفا أَن لا أُكِبَّ مُقَبِّلاً

فَوا أَسَفا أَن لا أُكِبَّ مُقَبِّلاً

لِرَأسِكِ وَالصَدرِ الَّذي مُلِئا حَزما

لِرَأسِكِ وَالصَدرِ الَّذي مُلِئا حَزما

Alas, that I cannot bend down to kiss

Alas, that I can not bend down to kiss

your head and breast, both filled with sound judgment;

Your head, and that breast filled with prudence and resolve.

وَأَن لا أُلاقي روحَكِ الطَيِّبَ الَّذي

وَأَن لا أُلاقي روحَكِ الطَيِّبَ الَّذي

كَأَنَّ ذَكِيَّ المِسكِ كانَ لَهُ جِسما

كَأَنَّ ذَكِيَّ المِسكِ كانَ لَهُ جِسما

and cannot meet your sweet spirit, which

That I may not encounter your pure soul, which seemed

seemed to have fragrant musk for its body.

As if the scent of musk had formed its very frame.

وَلَو لَم تَكوني بِنتَ أَكرَمِ والِدٍ

وَلَو لَم تَكوني بِنتَ أَكرَمِ والِدٍ

لَكانَ أَباكِ الضَخمَ كَونُكِ لي أُمّا

لَكانَ أَباكِ الضَخمَ كَونُكِ لي أُمّا

Even had you not been the daughter of the noblest father,

Even were you not the daughter of a noble line,

your being my mother would itself have been your illustrious father.

Being a mother to me would prove your grandeur.

لَئِن لَذَّ يَومُ الشامِتينَ بِيَومِها

لَئِن لَذَّ يَومُ الشامِتينَ بِيَومِها

فَقَد وَلَدَت مِنّي لِأَنفِهِمُ رَغما

فَقَد وَلَدَت مِنّي لِأَنفِهِمُ رَغما

If her dying day made the gloaters' day sweet,

If gloaters find a sweetness in her day of death,

she bore in me one who would rub their noses in the dust:

She bore in me a son to grind their pride to dust.

تَغَرَّبَ لا مُستَعظِماً غَيرَ نَفسِهِ

تَغَرَّبَ لا مُستَعظِماً غَيرَ نَفسِهِ

وَلا قابِلاً إِلّا لِخالِقِهِ حُكما

وَلا قابِلاً إِلّا لِخالِقِهِ حُكما

he wandered abroad, deeming none great but himself,

He roamed afar, esteeming nothing but himself,

and accepting no judgment except his Creator's,

Accepting judgment from none other than his God.

وَلا سالِكاً إِلّا فُؤادَ عَجاجَةٍ

وَلا سالِكاً إِلّا فُؤادَ عَجاجَةٍ

وَلا واجِداً إِلّا لِمَكرُمَةٍ طَعما

وَلا واجِداً إِلّا لِمَكرُمَةٍ طَعما

and taking no path but the heart of a dust-cloud,

He treads no path but through the heart of battle-dust,

and finding savor only in a noble deed.

And finds no taste in anything but noble deeds.

يَقولونَ لي ما أَنتَ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

يَقولونَ لي ما أَنتَ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

وَما تَبتَغي ما أَبتَغي جَلَّ أَن يُسمى

وَما تَبتَغي ما أَبتَغي جَلَّ أَن يُسمى

In every town they ask me, 'What are you about,

They ask me, "What are you in every land you tread?"

and what do you seek?' What I seek is too great to be named.

"What do you seek?" The goal I seek is past all names.

كَأَنَّ بَنيهِم عالِمونَ بِأَنَّني

كَأَنَّ بَنيهِم عالِمونَ بِأَنَّني

جَلوبٌ إِلَيهِم مِن مَعادِنِهِ اليُتما

جَلوبٌ إِلَيهِم مِن مَعادِنِهِ اليُتما

As though their sons know that I

As if their very sons already know that I

bring them orphanhood from its very mines.

Am one who mines their orphanhood and brings it home.

وَما الجَمعُ بَينَ الماءِ وَالنارِ في يَدي

وَما الجَمعُ بَينَ الماءِ وَالنارِ في يَدي

بِأَصعَبَ مِن أَن أَجمَعَ الجَدَّ وَالفَهما

بِأَصعَبَ مِن أَن أَجمَعَ الجَدَّ وَالفَهما

To unite water and fire in my hand

To gather fire and water in a single hand

is no harder than uniting good fortune and understanding.

Is easier than to couple luck with wisdom here.

وَلَكِنَّني مُستَنصِرٌ بِذُبابِهِ

وَلَكِنَّني مُستَنصِرٌ بِذُبابِهِ

وَمُرتَكِبٌ في كُلِّ حالٍ بِهِ الغَشما

وَمُرتَكِبٌ في كُلِّ حالٍ بِهِ الغَشما

Yet I seek victory through the sword's point,

Yet I seek victory through the sword-edge alone,

and in every circumstance commit ruthless violence with it,

And wreak destruction with it in every plight.

وَجاعِلُهُ يَومَ اللِقاءِ تَحِيَّتي

وَجاعِلُهُ يَومَ اللِقاءِ تَحِيَّتي

وَإِلّا فَلَستُ السَيِّدَ البَطَلَ القَرما

وَإِلّا فَلَستُ السَيِّدَ البَطَلَ القَرما

and make it my greeting on the day of battle;

I make the sword my greeting on the meeting-day,

otherwise I am no lord, no hero, no noble champion.

Or else I am no master, hero, or true lord.

إِذا فَلَّ عَزمي عَن مَدىً خَوفُ بُعدِهِ

إِذا فَلَّ عَزمي عَن مَدىً خَوفُ بُعدِهِ

فَأَبعَدُ شَيءٍ مُمكِنٌ لَم يَجِد عَزما

فَأَبعَدُ شَيءٍ مُمكِنٌ لَم يَجِد عَزما

If fear of a goal's distance blunts my resolve to reach it,

If fear of distance ever dulled my sharp resolve,

then farthest of all is an attainable goal that finds no resolve.

Then distant glory would find no resolve in me.

وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ كَأَنَّ نُفوسَنا

وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ كَأَنَّ نُفوسَنا

بِها أَنَفٌ أَن تَسكُنَ اللَحمَ وَالعَظما

بِها أَنَفٌ أَن تَسكُنَ اللَحمَ وَالعَظما

I am indeed of a people, as though our souls

I come from people whose proud souls, it seems,

were too proud to inhabit flesh and bone.

Disdain to dwell within the flesh and bone.

كَذا أَنا يا دُنيا إِذا شِئتِ فَاِذهَبي

كَذا أَنا يا دُنيا إِذا شِئتِ فَاِذهَبي

وَيا نَفسُ زيدي في كَرائِهِها قُدما

وَيا نَفسُ زيدي في كَرائِهِها قُدما

Such am I, O world; depart whenever you wish.

Such am I, World! So vanish if you will;

And, O soul, grow bolder amid its hardships.

And you, my soul, charge forth into your dread.

فَلا عَبَرَت بي ساعَةٌ لا تُعِزُّني

فَلا عَبَرَت بي ساعَةٌ لا تُعِزُّني

وَلا صَحِبَتني مُهجَةٌ تَقبَلُ الظُلما

وَلا صَحِبَتني مُهجَةٌ تَقبَلُ الظُلما

May no hour pass over me that does not exalt me,

May no hour pass that does not raise me high,

nor may a soul that accepts oppression accompany me.

Nor any soul stay with me that accepts a wrong.