أفيقا خُمارُ الهمِّ نغَّصَني الخَمرا

أفيقا خُمارُ الهمِّ نغَّصَني الخَمرا

وسكري من الأيامِ جنّبني السُكرا

وسكري من الأيامِ جنّبني السُكرا

Sober up, you two! The hangover of sorrow has spoiled wine for me,

The wine of sorrows intoxicated me, not the forbidden drink,

Awake! For the hangover of grief has embittered my wine,

and my drunkenness from the days has kept me from getting drunk.

And my intoxication with life kept me from sweetness.

And my intoxication from the days has kept me from the vine.

تَسُرُّ خليلَيَّ المدامَةُ والذي

تَسُرُّ خليلَيَّ المدامَةُ والذي

بقَلبيَ يَأبى أن أُسَرَّ كَما سُرّا

بقَلبيَ يَأبى أن أُسَرَّ كَما سُرّا

Wine gladdens my two friends, but what

My friend finds pleasure in wine, but my heart

The draught delights my two companions, yet the burden

lies in my heart refuses to let me be gladdened as they have been.

Refuses to be made happy as he was made happy.

Within my heart forbids that I rejoice as they have done.

لبستُ صروفَ الدهرَ أخشَنَ ملبَسٍ

لبستُ صروفَ الدهرَ أخشَنَ ملبَسٍ

فعَرَّقنَني ناباً ومزَّقنني ظُفرا

فعَرَّقنَني ناباً ومزَّقنني ظُفرا

I wore time's vicissitudes as the roughest garment,

I wore the vicissitudes of fate like a rough garment

I have worn the turns of Fate like the roughest of cloaks,

so they gnawed me to the bone with fangs and tore me with claws.

That chafed me with thorns and tore me with claws.

Till they stripped my flesh with fangs and tore me with claws.

وفي كُلِّ لحظٍ لي ومَسمَعِ نغمَةٍ

وفي كُلِّ لحظٍ لي ومَسمَعِ نغمَةٍ

يُلاحظُني شَزراً ويوسِعني هُجرا

يُلاحظُني شَزراً ويوسِعني هُجرا

And in every glance of mine and every melody I hear,

And at every moment I hear a melody

In every glance I cast, in every melody I hear,

time eyes me askance and heaps abuse upon me.

That wounds me with sparks and expands me with estrangement.

Fate glares at me askance and heaps upon me scorn.

سدِكتُ بصَرفِ الدهرِ طفلاً ويافِعاً

سدِكتُ بصَرفِ الدهرِ طفلاً ويافِعاً

فأفنَيتُهُ عزماً ولم يُفنني صبرا

فأفنَيتُهُ عزماً ولم يُفنني صبرا

I clung to time's vicissitudes as a child and as a youth;

I struggled with the twists of fate as a child and youth

I grappled with the turns of Time as child and as youth,

so I wore it out through resolve; it did not wear out my patience.

So it destroyed my resolve, though it did not destroy my patience.

I wore it down with resolve, yet it wore not down my patience.

أريدُ من الأيام مالا يريدُهُ

أريدُ من الأيام مالا يريدُهُ

سوايَ ولا يجري بخاطرهِ فكرا

سوايَ ولا يجري بخاطرهِ فكرا

I want from the days what no one wants

I want from life what it does not want from me,

I seek from the days what is sought by none,

but me, nor does it cross another's mind as a thought.

Nor does the thought of it cross its mind.

Save me, a prize that crosses no other mortal's mind.

وأسألُها ما أستحقُّ قضاءَهُ

وأسألُها ما أستحقُّ قضاءَهُ

وما أنا ممّن رام حاجَتَهُ قسرا

وما أنا ممّن رام حاجَتَهُ قسرا

And I ask them for what I deserve to have fulfilled;

And I ask of it what I deserve its decree,

I demand from Fate the decree I truly deserve,

and I am not one who seeks his wish by force.

Not what I, who sought my need by force, deserve.

Though I am not one to seize his aims by brutish force.

ولي كبدٌ من رأيِ همِّتِها النوى

ولي كبدٌ من رأيِ همِّتِها النوى

فتُركِبُني من عزمِها المركبَ الوعرا

فتُركِبُني من عزمِها المركبَ الوعرا

And I have a liver whose ambition counsels far journeys,

And I have a liver spot from the pith of its determination,

I possess a spirit whose sole intent is distant lands,

so its resolve sets me riding the rugged path.

So it makes me ride the rugged ship of its resolution.

Driving me, by its resolve, to ride the rugged path.

تروق بني الدنيا عجائبُها ولي

تروق بني الدنيا عجائبُها ولي

فُؤادٌ ببيضِ الهند لا بيضها مغرى

فُؤادٌ ببيضِ الهند لا بيضها مغرى

The world's wonders delight its sons, but I have

The wonders of the world tempt me, but I have

The world's wonders delight the common sons of earth,

a heart enamored of India's white blades, not the world's fair-skinned women.

A heart that is not tempted by its white henna.

But I have a heart seduced by Indian steel, not fair maids.

أخو همَمٍ رحّالَةٌ لا تزالُ بي

أخو همَمٍ رحّالَةٌ لا تزالُ بي

نَوىً تقطع البيداءَ أو أقطعَ العُمرا

نَوىً تقطع البيداءَ أو أقطعَ العُمرا

I am brother to lofty ambitions, a wanderer, forever borne by

I am a fellow of lofty aspirations, ever moving

A brother of ambitions, a wanderer whom distance

journeys across the wilderness, until I have traversed my life.

With determination to traverse the desert or shorten my life.

Compels to cross the wasteland, or else cut short my life.

ومَن كان عزمي بين جنَبيهِ حثَّهُ

ومَن كان عزمي بين جنَبيهِ حثَّهُ

وخيَّلَ طول الأرضِ في عينه شِبرا

وخيَّلَ طول الأرضِ في عينه شِبرا

Whoever has my resolve between his sides—it spurs him on

Whoever had my determination between his ribs

Whosoever holds a resolve like mine within his ribs,

and makes the earth's length seem a handspan in his eye.

Goaded him and made the length of the earth seem to him a span.

Finds the vastness of the earth shrink to a mere span.

صحِبتُ ملوكَ الأرضِ مغتبِطاً بهم

صحِبتُ ملوكَ الأرضِ مغتبِطاً بهم

وفارقتُهم ملآنَ من شنفٍ صدرا

وفارقتُهم ملآنَ من شنفٍ صدرا

I kept company with the kings of the earth, delighted with them,

I kept company with the kings of the earth, rejoicing in them,

I kept company with the kings of earth, delighting in them,

and parted from them with my breast brimming with loathing.

And left them with a breast full of disdain.

Yet I departed them with a bosom brimming with disdain.

ولمّا رأيتُ العبدَ للحُرِّ مالِكاً

ولمّا رأيتُ العبدَ للحُرِّ مالِكاً

أبيتُ إباء الحُرِّ مسترزقاً حُرّا

أبيتُ إباء الحُرِّ مسترزقاً حُرّا

And when I saw the slave as master of the free man,

And when I saw the slave possessing the freeman,

And when I saw the slave become master over the free,

I refused as a free man refuses, seeking sustenance from a free man.

I refused with the refusal of the freeman to live as a hireling, even a free one.

I scorned, with a free man's pride, to seek my bread from such.

ومصرُ لعمري أهل كلِّ عجيبَةٍ

ومصرُ لعمري أهل كلِّ عجيبَةٍ

ولا مثل ذا المخصِيِّ أعجوبَةً نُكرا

ولا مثل ذا المخصِيِّ أعجوبَةً نُكرا

And Egypt, by my life, is home to every marvel,

By my life, Egypt is the land of every wonder,

Egypt, by my life, is the home of every wonder,

but no monstrous marvel compares to this eunuch.

And nothing rivals this wondrous Obelisk.

Yet no marvel is so vile as this eunuch in his state.

يُعَدُّ إذا عُدَّ العجائِبُ أوّلاً

يُعَدُّ إذا عُدَّ العجائِبُ أوّلاً

كما يُبتدى في العدِّ بالأصبَعِ الصُغرى

كما يُبتدى في العدِّ بالأصبَعِ الصُغرى

When wonders are counted, he is counted first,

It is counted first among wonders

He is reckoned the first when monstrosities are tallied,

just as counting begins with the little finger.

As counting starts with the little finger.

Just as the count begins with the smallest finger's place.

فيا هِرمَلَ الدنيا ويا عبرَة الورى

فيا هِرمَلَ الدنيا ويا عبرَة الورى

ويا أيُّها المخصِيُّ مَن أُمُّكَ البظرا

ويا أيُّها المخصِيُّ مَن أُمُّكَ البظرا

So, O wild rue of the world, O warning to mankind,

O hoary pillar of the world, lesson to all!

O senile hag of the world, O warning to all mankind,

and O eunuch, who is your uncircumcised mother?

And O Obelisk, who was your mother, I wonder?

O eunuch, born of a mother defined by her lust.

نُوَيبيَّةٌ لم تدرِ أن بُنَيَّها الـ

نُوَيبيَّةٌ لم تدرِ أن بُنَيَّها الـ

نـُوَيبيَّ بعدَ اللَه يُعبَدُ في مِصرا

نـُوَيبيَّ بعدَ اللَه يُعبَدُ في مِصرا

A little Nubian woman who did not know that her little son, the

A Nubian who did not know that her son

A trivial Nubian wench who knew not that her son,

little Nubian, is worshipped in Egypt after God.

Would be worshipped in Egypt after God.

That little calamity, would be worshipped in Egypt after God.

ويستَخدمُ البيضَ الكواعِبَ كالدُمى

ويستَخدمُ البيضَ الكواعِبَ كالدُمى

ورومَ العِبِدَّى والغطارِفَة الغُرّا

ورومَ العِبِدَّى والغطارِفَة الغُرّا

And he makes fair-skinned, budding-breasted maidens like dolls serve him,

He makes concubines serve him like idols

He commands fair, buxom maidens like playthings,

and Roman slaves and illustrious nobles.

And subjects the Copts and Gyptians by force.

And dominates the Roman thralls and the noble chiefs alike.

قضاءٌ من اللَه العلِيِّ أرادَهُ

قضاءٌ من اللَه العلِيِّ أرادَهُ

ألا رُبَّما كانت إرادتُهُ شَرّا

ألا رُبَّما كانت إرادتُهُ شَرّا

A decree from God Most High, which He willed—

A decree of God Most High which He willed,

A decree from God the Most High, which He willed;

lo, sometimes His will has been evil.

Though perhaps His will in this was evil.

Yet perchance His will was to visit evil upon us.

وللَه آياتٌ ولَيسَتَ كهَذهِ

وللَه آياتٌ ولَيسَتَ كهَذهِ

أظُنُّكَ يا كافورُ آيتَهُ الكبرى

أظُنُّكَ يا كافورُ آيتَهُ الكبرى

And God has signs, but none is like this one;

And God has signs unlike this one.

God possesses signs, yet none resemble this—

I think, Kafur, you are His greatest sign.

I think you, Kafur, are His greatest sign.

Methinks, O Kafur, you are His greatest sign of all.

لعَمريَ ما دهرٌ بهِ أنت طيِّبٌ

لعَمريَ ما دهرٌ بهِ أنت طيِّبٌ

أيَحسَبُني ذا الدهرُ أحسَبُهُ دَهرا

أيَحسَبُني ذا الدهرُ أحسَبُهُ دَهرا

By my life, no age with you in it is good;

By my life, no time with you in it is good,

By my life, no age is wholesome wherein you dwell,

does this age think I regard it as an age?

Does this time reckon I reckon it time?

Does this age suppose I reckon it an age at all?

وأكفُرُ يا كافورُ حين تلوحُ لي

وأكفُرُ يا كافورُ حين تلوحُ لي

ففارَقتُ مُذ فارقتُكَ الشركَ والكُفرا

ففارَقتُ مُذ فارقتُكَ الشركَ والكُفرا

And I lapse into unbelief, Kafur, whenever you appear before me;

And I disbelieve, O Kafur, when you appear to me,

I turn infidel, O Kafur, whenever you appear,

so, since I parted from you, I have parted from polytheism and unbelief.

So since I left you I have abandoned idolatry and unbelief.

So I abandoned idolatry and sin the moment I abandoned you.

عثَرت بسَيري نحو مصرَ فلا لَعاً

عثَرت بسَيري نحو مصرَ فلا لَعاً

بها ولَعاً بالسيرِ عنها ولا عَثرا

بها ولَعاً بالسيرِ عنها ولا عَثرا

I stumbled by traveling toward Egypt—may there be no recovery

I stumbled in my journey to Egypt - no, not stumbled,

I stumbled in my march toward Egypt—may there be no recovery

there, but recovery in traveling away from it, and no stumbling.

Stumbled in leaving it, nor stumbled in reaching it.

For that land—only a passion to depart, and a stumble-free flight.

وفارَقتُ خيرَ الناس قاصِدَ شرِّهِم

وفارَقتُ خيرَ الناس قاصِدَ شرِّهِم

وأكرَمَهُم طُرّاً لأنذلِهِم طُرّا

وأكرَمَهُم طُرّاً لأنذلِهِم طُرّا

And I left the best of men, heading for their worst,

And I left the best of people, bound for the worst;

I forsook the best of men to seek out the very worst,

and the noblest of them all for the vilest of them all.

The noblest people, heading to the lowliest.

The noblest of them all for the vilest of the vile.

فعاقَبني المَخصِيُّ بالغَدرِ جازِياً

فعاقَبني المَخصِيُّ بالغَدرِ جازِياً

لأنَّ رحيلي كان عن حَلَبٍ غَدرا

لأنَّ رحيلي كان عن حَلَبٍ غَدرا

So the eunuch punished me with treachery, in recompense,

So the Mukhassi punished me with betrayal in return

So the eunuch punished me with treachery as my wage,

because my departure from Aleppo had been treachery.

Because my departure was a betrayal of Aleppo.

Since my departure from Aleppo was itself a treachery.

وما كنتُ إلا فائِلَ الرأي لم أُعَنْ

وما كنتُ إلا فائِلَ الرأي لم أُعَنْ

بحزمٍ ولا استصحَبتُ في وجهتي حِجرا

بحزمٍ ولا استصحَبتُ في وجهتي حِجرا

And I was merely unsound in judgment; I was not aided

I was but the expresser of an opinion - I did not

I was merely weak of judgment, unaided by prudence,

by prudence, nor did I take reason with me on my journey.

Act with resolution or take a shield with me on my journey.

Lacking resolve, and taking no wisdom for my guide.

وقد أُرِي الخنزيرُ أنّى مدَحتُهُ

وقد أُرِي الخنزيرُ أنّى مدَحتُهُ

ولو علِموا قد كانَ يُهجى بما يُطرا

ولو علِموا قد كانَ يُهجى بما يُطرا

And the pig was made to believe that I had praised him;

I was bold with the vipers of Egypt, so they bit me,

Even the swine was led to think I sang his praise,

if only they had known: he was being satirized in the very words of praise.

And the bold one was none but he who took the risk.

Yet had they known, the very praise was satire in disguise.

جسَرتُ على دهياء مصرَ ففُتُّها

جسَرتُ على دهياء مصرَ ففُتُّها

ولم يَكُنِ الدهياءَ إلا من استجرا

ولم يَكُنِ الدهياءَ إلا من استجرا

I dared Egypt's arch-schemer and eluded him;

I braved the calamity of Egypt and slipped its grasp,

and none is truly the arch-schemer except the one who dares.

I will exact from them something like what they inflicted

For true calamity befalls only the one who lingers.

سأجلُبُها أشباهَ ما حمَلَتْهُ من

سأجلُبُها أشباهَ ما حمَلَتْهُ من

أسنَّتِها جرداً مُقَسطلَةً غُبْرا

أسنَّتِها جرداً مُقَسطلَةً غُبْرا

I shall muster them, resembling what they carry:

Stripped bare from their tongues, grey with dust.

I shall bring against it steeds like the ones it bore,

their spearheads—sleek steeds, dust-wreathed, dust-grey.

Lean, dusty chargers, sharp as the spear-points' gleam.

وأُطلِعُ بيضاً كالشموسِ مُطِلَّةً

وأُطلِعُ بيضاً كالشموسِ مُطِلَّةً

إذا طلعَت بيضاً وإن غرَبَت حُمرا

إذا طلعَت بيضاً وإن غرَبَت حُمرا

And I shall raise white blades, looming like suns,

And make dawn a white light when it rises

And I shall unsheathe blades that rise like shining suns,

white when they rise, and red if they set.

White when it rises, though red when it sets.

Rising in brilliance white, and setting crimson red.

فإن بلَغَت نفسي المُنى فبِعَزمِها

فإن بلَغَت نفسي المُنى فبِعَزمِها

وإلا فقد أبلَغتُ في حرصِها عُذرا

وإلا فقد أبلَغتُ في حرصِها عُذرا

If my soul attains its desires, it is through its resolve;

So if my soul attains its wish, by its determination,

If my soul attains its wish, it is by its own resolve,

and if not, I have carried its striving far enough to earn an excuse.

Or else, I will have conveyed the utmost of its zeal as an excuse.

And if not, I have offered a full excuse in the striving.