أَحَقُّmost deserving عافٍvanished thing بِدَمعِكَof your tears الهِمَمُlofty aspirations
أَحَقُّ عافٍ بِدَمعِكَ الهِمَمُ
أَحدَثُmost recent شَيءٍthing عَهداًin acquaintance بِهاwith them القِدَمُantiquity
أَحدَثُ شَيءٍ عَهداً بِها القِدَمُ
Of all that has vanished, lofty aspirations most deserve your tears.
High ambitions have the greatest right to your flowing tears,
The most recent thing to have known them is antiquity.
For the newest thing about them now is that they are ancient history.
وَإِنَّماand only الناسُthe people بِالمُلوكِthrough kings وَماand not
وَإِنَّما الناسُ بِالمُلوكِ وَما
تُفلِحُprosper عُربٌArabs مُلوكُهاtheir kings عَجَمُnon-Arabs
تُفلِحُ عُربٌ مُلوكُها عَجَمُ
People depend upon their kings, and no
For men are but a reflection of their kings,
Arabs prosper whose kings are non-Arabs.
And no Arab race shall prosper while ruled by foreign hands.
لاno أَدَبٌrefinement عِندَهُمamong them وَلاand no حَسَبٌnobility
لا أَدَبٌ عِندَهُم وَلا حَسَبٌ
وَلاand no عُهودٌpledges لَهُمfor them وَلاand no ذِمَمُbonds of honor
وَلا عُهودٌ لَهُم وَلا ذِمَمُ
They have neither refinement nor nobility,
They possess no culture, no lineage of renown,
Neither pledges nor bonds of honor.
No keeping of covenants, no honor to be found.
بِكُلِّin every أَرضٍland وَطِئتُهاI have trodden it أُمَمٌnations
بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ وَطِئتُها أُمَمٌ
تُرعىare herded لِعَبدٍfor a slave كَأَنَّهاas though they were غَنَمُsheep
تُرعى لِعَبدٍ كَأَنَّها غَنَمُ
In every land I have trodden there are nations
In every land I tread are nations vast,
Herded for a slave as though they were sheep.
Herded by a slave as though they were but sheep.
يَستَخشِنُhe finds rough الخَزَّsilken fabric حينَwhen يَلمُسُهُhe touches it
يَستَخشِنُ الخَزَّ حينَ يَلمُسُهُ
وَكانَand was يُبرىsharpened بِظُفرِهِwith his fingernail القَلَمُthe reed pen
وَكانَ يُبرى بِظُفرِهِ القَلَمُ
He finds silk rough when he touches it,
He finds the silk too coarse against his skin,
Yet once a reed pen was sharpened with his fingernail.
Though once he sharpened reed-pens with his fingernail.
إِنّيindeed I وَإِنand although لُمتُI reproached حاسِدِيَّmy enviers فَماyet not
إِنّي وَإِن لُمتُ حاسِدِيَّ فَما
أُنكِرُI deny أَنّيthat I am عُقوبَةٌa punishment لَهُمُfor them
أُنكِرُ أَنّي عُقوبَةٌ لَهُمُ
Though I have reproached my enviers, I do not
Though I rebuke the ones who envy me,
Deny that I am a punishment to them.
I cannot deny that I am a punishment to them.
وَكَيفَand how لاnot يُحسَدُis envied اِمرُؤٌa man عَلَمٌeminent
وَكَيفَ لا يُحسَدُ اِمرُؤٌ عَلَمٌ
لَهُhe has عَلىupon كُلِّevery هامَةٍhead قَدَمُa foot
لَهُ عَلى كُلِّ هامَةٍ قَدَمُ
How should so eminent a man not be envied,
For how could such a titan escape envy’s gaze,
When he has a foot upon every head?
When his foot rests upon every lofty skull?
يَهابُهُfears him أَبسأُmost familiar الرِجالِof men بِهِwith him
يَهابُهُ أَبسأُ الرِجالِ بِهِ
وَتَتَّقيand fear حَدَّthe edge of سَيفِهِhis sword البُهَمُdauntless warriors
وَتَتَّقي حَدَّ سَيفِهِ البُهَمُ
Even the men most familiar with him fear him,
Even those most familiar hold him in awe,
And dauntless warriors dread his sword's edge.
And the bravest knights dread the edge of his sword.
كَفانِيَspares me الذَمَّreproach أَنَّنيthat I am رَجُلٌa man
كَفانِيَ الذَمَّ أَنَّني رَجُلٌ
أَكرَمُnoblest مالٍwealth مَلَكتُهُI have possessed it الكَرَمُgenerosity
أَكرَمُ مالٍ مَلَكتُهُ الكَرَمُ
It saves me from reproach that I am a man
It suffices for blame that I am but a man,
Whose noblest possession is generosity.
Whose most precious wealth is his nobility.
يَجنيbrings harm الغِنىwealth لِلِّئامِto the base لَوif only عَقَلواthey understood
يَجني الغِنى لِلِّئامِ لَو عَقَلوا
ماwhat لَيسَdoes not يَجنيbring harm عَلَيهِمِupon them العَدَمُpoverty
ما لَيسَ يَجني عَلَيهِمِ العَدَمُ
Wealth brings the base—if only they understood—
Wealth gathers for the base—if they but knew—
Harm that poverty does not bring upon them.
Shame that poverty itself could not inflict.
هُمُthey لِأَموالِهِمfor their riches وَلَسنَand they are not لَهُمtheirs
هُمُ لِأَموالِهِم وَلَسنَ لَهُم
وَالعارُand shame يَبقىendures وَالجُرحُand the wound يَلتَإِمُheals
وَالعارُ يَبقى وَالجُرحُ يَلتَإِمُ
They belong to their riches; their riches do not belong to them.
They belong to their gold, not it to them;
Shame endures, while a wound heals.
The flesh-wound heals, but disgrace endures forever.
مَنwhoever طَلَبَseeks المَجدَglory فَليَكُنthen let him be كَعَلِيـlike ʿAlī (continued)
مَن طَلَبَ المَجدَ فَليَكُن كَعَلِيـ
ـيٍcompletion of ʿAlī يَهَبُhe gives الأَلفَa thousand وَهوَwhile he يَبتَسِمُsmiles
ـيٍ يَهَبُ الأَلفَ وَهوَ يَبتَسِمُ
Whoever seeks glory, let him be like ʿAlī,
Let him who seeks glory resemble Ali,
Who gives a thousand while smiling.
Who bestows a thousand coins while smiling.
وَيَطعَنُand he thrusts at الخَيلَthe cavalry كُلَّevery نافِذَةٍpiercing thrust
وَيَطعَنُ الخَيلَ كُلَّ نافِذَةٍ
لَيسَthere is not لَهاfor it مِنbecause of وَحائِهاits swiftness أَلَمُpain
لَيسَ لَها مِن وَحائِها أَلَمُ
And strikes the cavalry with every piercing thrust,
He pierces the cavalry with thrusts so swift,
Too swift to cause any pain.
The victims feel no pain from the sudden blow.
وَيَعرِفُand he knows الأَمرَthe matter قَبلَbefore مَوقِعِهِits occurrence
وَيَعرِفُ الأَمرَ قَبلَ مَوقِعِهِ
فَماso no لَهُfor him بَعدَafter فِعلِهِhis deed نَدَمُregret
فَما لَهُ بَعدَ فِعلِهِ نَدَمُ
He knows a matter before it occurs,
He perceives the event before it comes to pass,
So he feels no regret after his deed.
So no regret pursues him when the deed is done.
وَالأَمرُand command وَالنَهيُand prohibition وَالسَلاهِبُand tall steeds وَالـand the (continued)
وَالأَمرُ وَالنَهيُ وَالسَلاهِبُ وَالـ
ـبيضُbright swords لَهُhis وَالعَبيدُand slaves وَالحَشَمُand retainers
ـبيضُ لَهُ وَالعَبيدُ وَالحَشَمُ
Command and prohibition, tall steeds and the
His are the command, the decree, the towering steeds,
Bright swords are his, and slaves and retainers.
The gleaming swords, the servants, and the slaves.
وَالسَطَواتُand the onslaughts الَّتيthat سَمِعتَyou have heard بِهاof them
وَالسَطَواتُ الَّتي سَمِعتَ بِها
تَكادُalmost مِنهاfrom them الجِبالُthe mountains تَنفَصِمُsplit asunder
تَكادُ مِنها الجِبالُ تَنفَصِمُ
And the onslaughts you have heard of
And the mighty assaults of which you have heard,
Almost rend the mountains asunder.
From which the very mountains nearly split apart.
يُرعيكَhe lends you سَمعاًan ear فيهِin it اِستِماعٌattentive listening إِلىto الدthe (continued)
يُرعيكَ سَمعاً فيهِ اِستِماعٌ إِلى الد
داعيcaller وَفيهِand in it عَنِto الخَناobscenity صَمَمُdeafness
داعي وَفيهِ عَنِ الخَنا صَمَمُ
He lends you an ear that listens to the
He lends an ear that listens to the supplicant,
Caller, yet is deaf to obscenity.
Yet remains deaf to all obscenity and vice.
يُريكَhe shows you مِنof خَلقِهِhis creation غَرائِبَهُits wonders
يُريكَ مِن خَلقِهِ غَرائِبَهُ
فيin مَجدِهِhis glory كَيفَhow تُخلَقُare fashioned النَسَمُliving souls
في مَجدِهِ كَيفَ تُخلَقُ النَسَمُ
He shows you the wonders of his making:
He reveals through his nature such wonders to you,
In his glory, how souls are fashioned.
Showing, in his glory, how noble souls are forged.
مِلتُI turned إِلىtoward مَنone who يَكادُalmost بَينَكُماbetween you two
مِلتُ إِلى مَن يَكادُ بَينَكُما
إِنif كُنتُماyou two were السائِلَينِthe petitioners يَنقَسِمُhe divides himself
إِن كُنتُما السائِلَينِ يَنقَسِمُ
I turned toward one who, between you two, would almost—
I inclined toward one who would nearly divide himself
If you were both petitioners—divide himself.
Between you both, were you to ask his aid.
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat صيغَwere fashioned مِنfrom مَواهِبِهِhis gifts
مِن بَعدِ ما صيغَ مِن مَواهِبِهِ
لِمَنfor the one whom أُحِبُّI love الشُنوفُearrings وَالخَدَمُand anklets
لِمَن أُحِبُّ الشُنوفُ وَالخَدَمُ
After there were fashioned from his gifts
After his lavish gifts had fashioned earrings
Earrings and anklets for the one I love.
And provided servants for the one I love.
ماno بَذَلَتhas bestowed ماwhat بِهِwith it يَجودُhe lavishes يَدٌhand
ما بَذَلَت ما بِهِ يَجودُ يَدٌ
وَلاand no تَهَدّىhas found its way لِماto what يَقولُhe says فَمُmouth
وَلا تَهَدّى لِما يَقولُ فَمُ
No hand has bestowed what he gives,
No hand has ever bestowed what he bestows,
Nor has any mouth found words to match his.
Nor any mouth been guided to speak as he speaks.
بَنوsons of العَفَرنىal-ʿAfarnā مَحَطَّةَat the lair of الأَسَدِthe lion الthe (continued)
بَنو العَفَرنى مَحَطَّةَ الأَسَدِ ال
أُسدُlions وَلَكِنbut رِماحُهاtheir lances الأَجَمُthe thickets
أُسدُ وَلَكِن رِماحُها الأَجَمُ
The sons of al-ʿAfarnā, in the lion's lair, are the
Sons of the Lion, dwelling in the lion’s den;
Lions, but their lances are their thickets.
Lions they are, with lances for their thicket.
قَومٌa people بُلوغُcoming of age الغُلامِof the boy عِندَهُمُamong them
قَومٌ بُلوغُ الغُلامِ عِندَهُمُ
طَعنُpiercing نُحورِthroats of الكُماةِarmored warriors لاnot الحُلمُa wet dream
طَعنُ نُحورِ الكُماةِ لا الحُلمُ
A people among whom a boy's coming of age
A people for whom a boy’s coming of age
Is piercing armored warriors' throats, not a wet dream.
Is piercing warriors’ throats, not the dreams of sleep.
كَأَنَّماas though يولَدُis born النَدىgenerosity مَعَهُمwith them
كَأَنَّما يولَدُ النَدى مَعَهُم
لاneither صِغَرٌchildhood عاذِرٌan excuse وَلاnor هَرِمُold age
لا صِغَرٌ عاذِرٌ وَلا هَرِمُ
As though generosity were born with them;
It is as if generosity were born with them;
Neither childhood nor old age is an excuse.
Neither youth nor age serves as an excuse.
إِذاwhen تَوَلَّواthey undertake عَداوَةًhostility كَشَفواthey reveal it
إِذا تَوَلَّوا عَداوَةً كَشَفوا
وَإِنand if تَوَلَّواthey undertake صَنيعَةًa kindness كَتَمواthey conceal it
وَإِن تَوَلَّوا صَنيعَةً كَتَموا
When they undertake hostility, they reveal it;
If they harbor enmity, they declare it openly;
When they undertake a kindness, they conceal it.
Yet if they do a good deed, they veil it in silence.
تَظُنُّyou think مِنfrom فَقدِكَyour not finding اِعتِدادَهُمُtheir reckoning of favors
تَظُنُّ مِن فَقدِكَ اِعتِدادَهُمُ
أَنَّهُمthat they أَنعَمواbestowed favors وَماand did not عَلِمواknow
أَنَّهُم أَنعَموا وَما عَلِموا
Because you find no reckoning of their favors, you think
You would think, seeing how little they recount their gifts,
They bestowed them without even knowing.
That they bestowed their favors all unawares.
إِنif بَرَقواthey flash فَالحُتوفُthen deaths حاضِرَةٌare at hand
إِن بَرَقوا فَالحُتوفُ حاضِرَةٌ
أَوor نَطَقواthey speak فَالصَوابُthen sound judgment وَالحِكَمُand wise sayings
أَو نَطَقوا فَالصَوابُ وَالحِكَمُ
If they flash, death is at hand;
If they thunder threats, then death is surely present;
Or if they speak, sound judgment and wise sayings.
And if they speak, it is wisdom and truth alone.
أَوor حَلَفواthey swear بِالغَموسِby a damning oath وَاِجتَهَدواand strive earnestly
أَو حَلَفوا بِالغَموسِ وَاِجتَهَدوا
فَقَولُهُمthen their saying خابَmay be disappointed سائِليmy petitioner القَسَمُthe oath
فَقَولُهُم خابَ سائِلي القَسَمُ
Or if they swear a damning oath with all their might,
Or if they swear a binding oath, they strive only
Their oath is, 'May my petitioner be disappointed!'
To ensure the petitioner is never disappointed.
أَوor رَكِبواthey ride الخَيلَthe horses غَيرَnot مُسرَجَةٍsaddled
أَو رَكِبوا الخَيلَ غَيرَ مُسرَجَةٍ
فَإِنَّthen indeed أَفخاذَهُمtheir thighs نَهاfor them (apparently لَها) حُزُمُgirths
فَإِنَّ أَفخاذَهُم نَها حُزُمُ
Or if they ride the horses unsaddled,
Or if they mount their steeds without a saddle,
Their thighs are girths for them.
Their gripping thighs become the steady girths.
أَوor شَهِدواthey attend الحَربَwar لاقِحاًpregnant أَخَذواthey take
أَو شَهِدوا الحَربَ لاقِحاً أَخَذوا
مِنfrom مُهَجِlifeblood of الدارِعينَarmored warriors ماwhatever اِحتَكَمواthey decree
مِن مُهَجِ الدارِعينَ ما اِحتَكَموا
Or if they enter a pregnant war, they take
Or if they enter war when it is raging,
From armored warriors' lifeblood whatever they decree.
They claim whatever lives they choose from armored men.
تُشرِقُshine أَعراضُهُمtheir honor وَأَوجُهُهُمand their faces
تُشرِقُ أَعراضُهُم وَأَوجُهُهُم
كَأَنَّهاas though they were فيwithin نُفوسِهِمtheir souls شِيَمُvirtues
كَأَنَّها في نُفوسِهِم شِيَمُ
Their honor and their faces shine,
Their faces and their honor shine so bright,
As though they were virtues within their souls.
As if that radiance were etched into their souls.
لَولاكَbut for you لَمnot أَترُكِI would leave البُحَيرَةَthe lake وَالـand the (continued)
لَولاكَ لَم أَترُكِ البُحَيرَةَ وَالـ
ـغَورُGhawr lowlands دَفيءٌwarm وَماؤُهاand its water شَبِمُcold
ـغَورُ دَفيءٌ وَماؤُها شَبِمُ
But for you, I would not have left the lake, with the
Were it not for you, I would not have left the Lake,
Ghawr warm and its water cold.
Where the valley is warm and the waters cool.
وَالمَوجُand the waves مِثلُlike الفُحولِbull camels مُزبِدَةًfoaming
وَالمَوجُ مِثلُ الفُحولِ مُزبِدَةً
تَهدِرُroar فيهاwithin it وَماand no بِهاin them قَطَمُrutting lust
تَهدِرُ فيها وَما بِها قَطَمُ
And the waves, like foaming bull camels,
And waves like stallions, foaming at the mouth,
Roar within it, though no rutting lust is in them.
Roaring aloud, though driven by no lust.
وَالطَيرُand the birds فَوقَabove الحَبابِthe wave-crests تَحسَبُهاyou think them
وَالطَيرُ فَوقَ الحَبابِ تَحسَبُها
فُرسانَriders بُلقٍpiebald steeds تَخونُهاbetray them اللُجُمُthe bridles
فُرسانَ بُلقٍ تَخونُها اللُجُمُ
The birds above the wave-crests—you would think them
And birds above the ripples seem to be
Riders on piebald steeds, betrayed by their bridles.
Piebald steeds whose bridles have betrayed them.
كَأَنَّهاas though it were وَالرِياحُwhile the winds تَضرِبُهاstrike it
كَأَنَّها وَالرِياحُ تَضرِبُها
جَيشاًtwo armies وَغىًof battle هازِمٌone routing وَمُنهَزِمُand one routed
جَيشاً وَغىً هازِمٌ وَمُنهَزِمُ
As though, with the winds battering it, it were
It seems, when winds are striking at its face,
Two armies at war, one routing, one routed.
A chaotic army, conquering and conquered.
كَأَنَّهاas though it were فيin نَهارِهاits daylight قَمَرٌa moon
كَأَنَّها في نَهارِها قَمَرٌ
حَفَّencircled بِهِaround it مِنfrom جِنانِهاits gardens ظُلَمُdarkness
حَفَّ بِهِ مِن جِنانِها ظُلَمُ
As though by day it were a moon,
As if it were a moon amidst the day,
Encircled by darkness from its gardens.
Encircled by the darkness of its groves.
ناعِمَةُsoft الجِسمِof body لاno عِظامَbones لَهاfor her
ناعِمَةُ الجِسمِ لا عِظامَ لَها
لَهاshe has بَناتٌdaughters وَماbut no لَهاshe has رَحِمُwomb
لَها بَناتٌ وَما لَها رَحِمُ
Soft-bodied, she has no bones;
Soft of body, possessing not a bone;
She has daughters, but no womb.
She bears daughters, yet she has no womb.
يُبقَرُis slit open عَنهُنَّto reveal them بَطنُهاher belly أَبَداًforever
يُبقَرُ عَنهُنَّ بَطنُها أَبَداً
وَماand not تَشَكّىshe complains وَلاand no يَسيلُflows دَمُblood
وَما تَشَكّى وَلا يَسيلُ دَمُ
Her belly is forever slit open to bring them forth,
Her belly is forever split for them,
Yet she does not complain, and no blood flows.
Yet she complains not, and no blood is spilled.
تَغَنَّتِsang الطَيرُthe birds فيalong جَوانِبِهاher banks
تَغَنَّتِ الطَيرُ في جَوانِبِها
وَجادَتِand watered abundantly الرَوضُthe meadows حَولَهاaround her الدِيَمُsteady rains
وَجادَتِ الرَوضُ حَولَها الدِيَمُ
Birds have sung along her banks,
The birds sing out along its verdant banks,
And steady rains have watered the meadows around her.
And rain clouds generously feed the gardens round.
فَهيَso she is كَماوِيَّةٍlike a mirror مُطَوَّقَةٍrimmed
فَهيَ كَماوِيَّةٍ مُطَوَّقَةٍ
جُرِّدَwas stripped عَنهاfrom it غِشاؤُهاits covering الأَدَمُleather
جُرِّدَ عَنها غِشاؤُها الأَدَمُ
So she is like a rimmed mirror,
She gleams like a polished mirror, ringed with art,
Whose leather covering has been stripped away.
Stripped of the leather sheath that covered it.
يَشينُهاmars her جَريُهاher flowing عَلىthrough بَلَدٍa land
يَشينُها جَريُها عَلى بَلَدٍ
تَشينُهُmars it الأَدعِياءُpretenders وَالقَزَمُand base men
تَشينُهُ الأَدعِياءُ وَالقَزَمُ
Her flowing through a land mars her—
Her only flaw is flowing through a land
A land marred by pretenders and the base.
Disgraced by bastards and by petty dwarfs.
أَباO Abū الحُسَينِal-Ḥusayn اِستَمِعlisten فَمَدحُكُمُfor your praise
أَبا الحُسَينِ اِستَمِع فَمَدحُكُمُ
فيin الفِعلِdeeds قَبلَbefore الكَلامِwords مُنتَظِمُis composed
في الفِعلِ قَبلَ الكَلامِ مُنتَظِمُ
Abū al-Ḥusayn, listen, for your praise
O Abu al-Husayn, hear this: your praise
Is composed in deeds before words.
Is ordered in your deeds before my words.
وَقَدand already تَوالىfollowed in succession العِهادُrepeated showers مِنهُof it لَكُمfor you
وَقَد تَوالى العِهادُ مِنهُ لَكُم
وَجادَتِand poured abundantly المَطرَةُthe rain الَّتيthat تَسيمُgives pasture
وَجادَتِ المَطرَةُ الَّتي تَسيمُ
Already its repeated showers have fallen for you,
The rain-showers of praise have poured for you,
And the rain that gives pasture has poured abundantly.
And generous is the cloud that marks your worth.
أُعيذُكُمI seek protection for you مِنfrom صُروفِvicissitudes of دَهرِكُمُyour age
أُعيذُكُم مِن صُروفِ دَهرِكُمُ
فَإِنَّهُfor it is فيregarding الكِرامِthe noble مُتَّهَمُsuspect
فَإِنَّهُ في الكِرامِ مُتَّهَمُ
I seek protection for you from the turns of your age,
I seek God's guard for you against Time’s turns,
For it is suspect where noble men are concerned.
For Time stands accused of hunting down the noble.
Sol 6.1