لا الحِلمُ جادَ بِهِ وَلا بِمِثالِهِ

لا الحِلمُ جادَ بِهِ وَلا بِمِثالِهِ

لَولا اِدِّكارُ وَداعِهِ وَزِيالِهِ

لَولا اِدِّكارُ وَداعِهِ وَزِيالِهِ

The dream would not have bestowed him, nor even his like,

Not a dream fulfilled nor ideal attained

Neither the dream bestowed him, nor even his likeness,

But for the memory of his farewell and departure.

Save for memory of his farewell and companion

Had not the memory of his farewell and departure intervened.

إِنَّ المُعيدَ لَنا المَنامُ خَيالَهُ

إِنَّ المُعيدَ لَنا المَنامُ خَيالَهُ

كانَت إِعادَتُهُ خَيالَ خَيالِهِ

كانَت إِعادَتُهُ خَيالَ خَيالِهِ

Indeed, sleep, which brings his image back to us,

For sleep that repeats our dreams to us

Truly, the phantom that slumber restored to us

Brought back only an image of his image.

Would be but dreams of dreams again

Was but the shadow of a shadow returned.

بِتنا يُناوِلُنا المُدامَ بِكَفِّهِ

بِتنا يُناوِلُنا المُدامَ بِكَفِّهِ

مَن لَيسَ يَخطُرُ أَن نَراهُ بِبالِهِ

مَن لَيسَ يَخطُرُ أَن نَراهُ بِبالِهِ

All night he handed us wine with his own hand—

He hands us the wine cup with his hand

We passed the night as he handed us wine with his palm,

One to whom it never occurs that we might see him.

One whose image comes not to mind

He who we never imagined would cross our sight.

نَجني الكَواكِبَ مِن قَلائِدِ جيدِهِ

نَجني الكَواكِبَ مِن قَلائِدِ جيدِهِ

وَنَنالُ عَينَ الشَمسِ مِن خَلخالِهِ

وَنَنالُ عَينَ الشَمسِ مِن خَلخالِهِ

We plucked the stars from the necklaces upon his neck,

We string the stars into necklaces at his throat

We plucked the stars from the necklaces on his throat,

And gained the sun's very orb from his anklet.

And take the sun’s eye from his anklet

And attained the sun's very eye from his anklet.

بِنتُم عَنِ العَينِ القَريحَةِ فيكُمُ

بِنتُم عَنِ العَينِ القَريحَةِ فيكُمُ

وَسَكَنتُمُ ظَنَّ الفُؤادِ الوالِهِ

وَسَكَنتُمُ ظَنَّ الفُؤادِ الوالِهِ

You departed from the eye made sore for you,

You have turned from the discerning eye within you

You departed far from the eye that weeps sore for you,

And dwelt in the imagining of the love-distraught heart.

And dwelt in the heart’s passionate thoughts

Yet you dwelt in the thoughts of a heart distracted by love.

فَدَنَوتُمُ وَدُنُوُّكُم مِن عِندِهِ

فَدَنَوتُمُ وَدُنُوُّكُم مِن عِندِهِ

وَسَمَحتُمُ وَسَماحُكُم مِن مالِهِ

وَسَمَحتُمُ وَسَماحُكُم مِن مالِهِ

So you drew near, your nearness coming from it,

You approached and your approach was from his side

You drew near—but this nearness came only from within it,

And gave generously, your giving drawn from its wealth.

You forgave and your pardon was of his wealth

And you gave freely—yet your gifts were taken from its own store.

إِنّي لَأُبغِضُ طَيفَ مَن أَحبَبتُهُ

إِنّي لَأُبغِضُ طَيفَ مَن أَحبَبتُهُ

إِذ كانَ يَهجُرُنا زَمانَ وِصالِهِ

إِذ كانَ يَهجُرُنا زَمانَ وِصالِهِ

Indeed, I hate the apparition of the one I loved,

Indeed I hate the phantom of the one I loved

I have come to loathe the phantom of the one I love,

For it forsook us in the days of union with him.

When he was absent from us for a time

For it abandons us even in the moment of reunion.

مِثلُ الصَبابَةِ وَالكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

مِثلُ الصَبابَةِ وَالكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

فارَقتُهُ فَحَدَثنَ مِن تَرحالِهِ

فارَقتُهُ فَحَدَثنَ مِن تَرحالِهِ

Like longing, melancholy, and sorrow,

Like sadness, gloom, and sorrow

Like the longing, the gloom, and the sorrow,

I parted from him, and they arose from his departure.

When I left him, strange lands me enchanted

I parted from him, and they sprang from his leaving.

وَقَدِ اِستَقَدتُ مِنَ الهَوى وَأَذَقتُهُ

وَقَدِ اِستَقَدتُ مِنَ الهَوى وَأَذَقتُهُ

مِن عِفَّتي ما ذُقتُ مِن بَلبالِهِ

مِن عِفَّتي ما ذُقتُ مِن بَلبالِهِ

And I have exacted vengeance on love and made it taste

And I have weaned myself from passion and let it taste

I have exacted my due from passion and made it taste

Through my chastity, what I tasted of its torment.

Of my chastity what I have tasted of its torment

Of my chastity, what I once tasted of its torment.

وَلَقَد ذَخَرتُ لِكُلِّ أَرضٍ ساعَةً

وَلَقَد ذَخَرتُ لِكُلِّ أَرضٍ ساعَةً

تَستَجفِلُ الضِرغامَ عَن أَشبالِهِ

تَستَجفِلُ الضِرغامَ عَن أَشبالِهِ

And I have stored up for every land an hour

And I have stored for every land an hour

And I have held in reserve for every land an hour

That drives the lion in terror from his cubs.

That entices the darkness away from its cubs

That would startle the lion away from his cubs.

تَلقى الوُجوهُ بِها الوُجوهَ وَبَينَها

تَلقى الوُجوهُ بِها الوُجوهَ وَبَينَها

ضَربٌ يَجولُ المَوتُ في أَجوالِهِ

ضَربٌ يَجولُ المَوتُ في أَجوالِهِ

In it, faces meet faces, with between them

Faces meet faces and between them

Where faces meet faces, and passing between them

Blows within whose sweeps death roams.

Stalks a death roaming in its times

Is a striking where Death roams freely in its rounds.

وَلَقَد خَبَأتُ مِنَ الكَلامِ سُلافُهُ

وَلَقَد خَبَأتُ مِنَ الكَلامِ سُلافُهُ

وَسَقَيتُ مَن نادَمتُ مِن جِريالِهِ

وَسَقَيتُ مَن نادَمتُ مِن جِريالِهِ

And I have stored away the first-pressed wine of speech,

And I have hidden the start of words

And I have stored away the purest vintage of speech,

And given my drinking companions its crimson wine.

And quenched those I blamed with their houses destroyed

While pouring for my companions only the dregs.

وَإِذا تَعَثَّرَتِ الجِيادُ بِسَهلِهِ

وَإِذا تَعَثَّرَتِ الجِيادُ بِسَهلِهِ

بَرَّزتُ غَيرَ مُعَثَّرٍ بِحِبالِهِ

بَرَّزتُ غَيرَ مُعَثَّرٍ بِحِبالِهِ

And when fine steeds stumbled on its level ground,

And when the steeds stumble on its plain

And when steeds stumble upon the easy plains,

I raced ahead, untripped by its sand ridges.

I release others not hobbled by their reins

I surge forward, unhindered by any snare.

وَحَكَمتُ في البَلَدِ العَراءِ بِناعِجٍ

وَحَكَمتُ في البَلَدِ العَراءِ بِناعِجٍ

مُعتادِهِ مُجتابِهِ مُغتالِهِ

مُعتادِهِ مُجتابِهِ مُغتالِهِ

And ruled the bare wilderness with a swift camel,

And I judge in the barren land with she-camels

I have ruled the barren wastes with a swift white camel,

Familiar with it, traversing it, destroying it.

Accustomed, covered, concealing

Who knows the wild, traverses it, and conquers its void.

يَمشي كَما عَدَتِ المَطِيُّ وَرائَهُ

يَمشي كَما عَدَتِ المَطِيُّ وَرائَهُ

وَيَزيدُ وَقتَ جَمامِها وَكَلالِهِ

وَيَزيدُ وَقتَ جَمامِها وَكَلالِهِ

It walks as fast as the mounts racing behind it,

Walking as the pacing camels behind them

He walks at a pace that matches the others' gallop behind him,

And gains speed when they are rested and it is weary.

Prolonging their period of silence and stillness

And speeds on while they rest, despite his fatigue.

وَتُراعُ غَيرَ مُعَقَّلاتٍ حَولَهُ

وَتُراعُ غَيرَ مُعَقَّلاتٍ حَولَهُ

فَيَفوتُها مُتَجَفِّلاً بِعِقالِهِ

فَيَفوتُها مُتَجَفِّلاً بِعِقالِهِ

And the mounts around it take fright, unhobbled,

While others, unhobbled, are stunned around them

The herds around him are startled, though unbound,

Yet it outstrips them, fleeing in fright despite its hobbles.

So they pass by them scornfully with their bridles

Yet he outstrips them in shy flight, though bound by his cord.

فَغَدا النَجاحُ وَراحَ في أَخفافِهِ

فَغَدا النَجاحُ وَراحَ في أَخفافِهِ

وَغَدا المِراحُ وَراحَ في إِرقالِهِ

وَغَدا المِراحُ وَراحَ في إِرقالِهِ

So success lives, morning and evening, in its padded feet,

And success comes gently walking

Success sets out at dawn and returns in his hoof-prints,

And high spirits live, morning and evening, in its swift trot.

While sorrow goes stumbling in its chains

And joy moves with him, morning and night, in his trot.

وَشَرِكتُ دَولَةَ هاشِمٍ في سَيفِها

وَشَرِكتُ دَولَةَ هاشِمٍ في سَيفِها

وَشَقَقتُ خيسَ المُلكِ عَن رِئبالِهِ

وَشَقَقتُ خيسَ المُلكِ عَن رِئبالِهِ

And I shared the sword of Hashim's dynasty,

And I made the state of Hashim share its sword

I have shared with the dynasty of Hashim in its Sword,

And cleft the thicket of kingship to reveal its lion—

And tore the rags of wretched power off its tatters

And parted the kingdom's thicket to reveal its Lion.

عَن ذا الَّذي حُرِمَ اللُيوثُ كَمالَهُ

عَن ذا الَّذي حُرِمَ اللُيوثُ كَمالَهُ

يُنسي الفَريسَةَ خَوفَهُ بِجَمالِهِ

يُنسي الفَريسَةَ خَوفَهُ بِجَمالِهِ

This one, whose perfection lions were denied,

Of the one whom the lions were denied perfection

The one whose perfection all other lions are denied,

Whose beauty makes his prey forget their fear of him.

Who makes prey forget its fear with his beauty

Who makes the prey forget its terror through his beauty.

وَتَواضَعُ الأُمَراءُ حَولَ سَريرِهِ

وَتَواضَعُ الأُمَراءُ حَولَ سَريرِهِ

وَتُري المَحَبَّةَ وَهيَ مِن آكالِهِ

وَتُري المَحَبَّةَ وَهيَ مِن آكالِهِ

And princes humble themselves around his throne,

And princes bow before his throne

The princes humble themselves around his throne,

And display affection, though they are among his prey.

And love is seen to be one of his eaters

Feigning affection, though they are but prey for his feast.

وَيُميتُ قَبلَ قِتالِهِ وَيَبَشُّ قَب

وَيُميتُ قَبلَ قِتالِهِ وَيَبَشُّ قَب

لَ نَوالِهِ وَيُنيلُ قَبلَ سُؤالِهِ

لَ نَوالِهِ وَيُنيلُ قَبلَ سُؤالِهِ

And he kills before he fights, and smiles be-

He kills before fighting and rejoices before attaining

He slays before fighting, and smiles

fore he bestows his bounty, and gives before he is asked.

He reaches before asking and attains before seeking

Before bestowing, and gives before one can ask.

إِنَّ الرِياحَ إِذا عَمَدنَ لِناظِرٍ

إِنَّ الرِياحَ إِذا عَمَدنَ لِناظِرٍ

أَغناهُ مُقبِلُها عَنِ اِستِعجالِهِ

أَغناهُ مُقبِلُها عَنِ اِستِعجالِهِ

Surely, when the winds head toward a watcher,

The winds, when they conspire against a watcher

If the winds intended to strike an eye with dust,

Their approach spares him the need to urge them to haste.

Their approach spares him having to hurry

Their mere approach would save it the need to blink.

أَعطى وَمَنَّ عَلى المُلوكِ بِعَفوِهِ

أَعطى وَمَنَّ عَلى المُلوكِ بِعَفوِهِ

حَتّى تَساوى الناسُ في إِفضالِهِ

حَتّى تَساوى الناسُ في إِفضالِهِ

He gave, and favored kings with his pardon,

He gave and favored over kings with his pardon

He gave freely and graced kings with his pardon,

Until all people were equal in his generosity.

Until people equaled in his bestowal

Until all people became equal in his bounty.

وَإِذا غَنوا بِعَطائِهِ عَن هَزِّهِ

وَإِذا غَنوا بِعَطائِهِ عَن هَزِّهِ

والى فَأَغنى أَن يَقولوا والِهِ

والى فَأَغنى أَن يَقولوا والِهِ

And when his gifts enrich them beyond the need to shake him,

And when they sang his giving, needing no urge

If his gifts suffice them without need of asking,

He keeps giving, sparing them the plea, 'Keep it coming.'

He enriched, no need to say "My Lord!"

He gives again, sparing them the need to call him Master.

وَكَأَنَّما جَدواهُ مِن إِكثارِهِ

وَكَأَنَّما جَدواهُ مِن إِكثارِهِ

حَسَدٌ لِسائِلِهِ عَلى إِقلالِهِ

حَسَدٌ لِسائِلِهِ عَلى إِقلالِهِ

And it is as though his bounty, through its abundance,

It was as if his open hand was a critic

It is as though his generosity, so vast and frequent,

Were envy of his petitioner for having so little.

Jealous of the asks of his decreased giving

Were envy of the beggar for possessing so little.

غَرَبَ النُجومُ فَغُرنَ دونَ هُمومِهِ

غَرَبَ النُجومُ فَغُرنَ دونَ هُمومِهِ

وَطَلَعنَ حينَ طَلَعنَ دونَ مَنالِهِ

وَطَلَعنَ حينَ طَلَعنَ دونَ مَنالِهِ

The stars set, sinking below his ambitions,

The stars set, so they set, heedless of his worries

The stars set, yet sink far below his ambitions,

And when they rose, they rose below his reach.

And rose when they rose, heedless of his attainment

And rise, yet rise far beneath his attainments.

وَاللَهُ يُسعِدُ كُلَّ يَومٍ جَدَّهُ

وَاللَهُ يُسعِدُ كُلَّ يَومٍ جَدَّهُ

وَيَزيدُ مِن أَعدائِهِ في آلِهِ

وَيَزيدُ مِن أَعدائِهِ في آلِهِ

And God makes his fortune prosper every day,

And God makes happy each day His seriousness

God grants success to his endeavor every day,

And adds to his family from among his enemies.

And adds, of His enemies, to His family

And adds his enemies to the number of his subjects.

لَو لَم تَكُن تَجري عَلى أَسيافِهِ

لَو لَم تَكُن تَجري عَلى أَسيافِهِ

مُهجاتُهُم لَجَرَت عَلى إِقبالِهِ

مُهجاتُهُم لَجَرَت عَلى إِقبالِهِ

If there did not flow along his swords

Were their blood not flowing on his swords

If their lifeblood did not flow upon his swords,

Their lifeblood, it would flow upon his good fortune.

Their throats would flow toward his attainment

It would surely have flowed at his mere approach.

لَم يَترُكوا أَثَراً عَلَيهِ مِنَ الوَغى

لَم يَترُكوا أَثَراً عَلَيهِ مِنَ الوَغى

إِلّا دِماءهُمُ عَلى سِربالِهِ

إِلّا دِماءهُمُ عَلى سِربالِهِ

They left no trace of battle upon him,

They left upon him no trace from the tumult

They left no mark upon him from the heat of battle,

Except their blood upon his tunic.

Save their blood on his cloak

Save for their own blood upon his coat of mail.

فَلِمِثلِهِ جَمَعَ العَرَمرَمُ نَفسَهُ

فَلِمِثلِهِ جَمَعَ العَرَمرَمُ نَفسَهُ

وَبِمِثلِهِ اِنفَصَمَت عُرى أَقتالِهِ

وَبِمِثلِهِ اِنفَصَمَت عُرى أَقتالِهِ

So, for one like him, the mighty host gathered itself,

The like of him gathered resolve

For one like him the vast army gathers its strength,

And by one like him the bonds of his rivals were snapped.

And in the like of him the ropes of war came untied

And by one like him are the enemy's bonds shattered.

يا أَيُّها القَمَرُ المُباهي وَجهَهُ

يا أَيُّها القَمَرُ المُباهي وَجهَهُ

لا تُكذَبَنَّ فَلَستَ مِن أَشكالِهِ

لا تُكذَبَنَّ فَلَستَ مِن أَشكالِهِ

O moon, vying with his face in splendor,

O you the proud-faced shining moon

O Moon that boasts in rivalry with his face,

Do not be deceived, for you are no peer of his.

Lie not, for you are not one of His forms

Do not be deceived; you are not of his likeness.

وَإِذا طَما البَحرُ المُحيطُ فَقُل لَهُ

وَإِذا طَما البَحرُ المُحيطُ فَقُل لَهُ

دَع ذا فَإِنَّكَ عاجِزٌ عَن حالِهِ

دَع ذا فَإِنَّكَ عاجِزٌ عَن حالِهِ

And when the encircling ocean swells, say to it,

And if the pounding inclusive sea roars at you

And if the encompassing Ocean swells in pride, tell it:

Give this up: you cannot match his stature.

Say "Desist, for you cannot comprehend his state."

"Cease this, for you fall short of his nature."

وَهَبَ الَّذي وَرِثَ الجُدودَ وَما رَأى

وَهَبَ الَّذي وَرِثَ الجُدودَ وَما رَأى

أَفعالَهُم لِاِبنٍ بِلا أَفعالِهِ

أَفعالَهُم لِاِبنٍ بِلا أَفعالِهِ

He gave away what he inherited from his forefathers, and did not regard

And the Inheritor gifted that which He inherited

He gave away what he inherited from his sires, deeming

Their deeds as belonging to a son with no deeds of his own.

And saw not their deeds to a son without deeds

Their deeds insufficient for a son without deeds of his own.

حَتّى إِذا فَنِيَ التُراثُ سِوى العُلا

حَتّى إِذا فَنِيَ التُراثُ سِوى العُلا

قَصَدَ العُداةَ مِنَ القَنا بِطِوالِهِ

قَصَدَ العُداةَ مِنَ القَنا بِطِوالِهِ

Until, when the inheritance was exhausted, save for glory,

Until when the heritage ran out but for the banner

Until, when all heritage was spent save high glory,

He made for his enemies with long lances,

He went straight for the foes with its length

He sought the enemy with the length of his spears.

وَبِأَرعَنٍ لَبِسَ العَجاجَ إِلَيهِمِ

وَبِأَرعَنٍ لَبِسَ العَجاجَ إِلَيهِمِ

فَوقَ الحَديدِ وَجَرَّ مِن أَذيالِهِ

فَوقَ الحَديدِ وَجَرَّ مِن أَذيالِهِ

And with a vast host that wore dust as it advanced upon them,

With a deaf mute He clothed Himself toward them

With a massive host that wore the dust like a cloak against them,

Over its iron armor, dragging the dust's trailing skirts.

Above the iron, trailing its hem

Over their armor, trailing its hem along the ground.

فَكَأَنَّما قَذِيَ النَهارُ بِنَقعِهِ

فَكَأَنَّما قَذِيَ النَهارُ بِنَقعِهِ

أَو غَضَّ عَنهُ الطَرفَ مِن إِجلالِهِ

أَو غَضَّ عَنهُ الطَرفَ مِن إِجلالِهِ

So it was as though daylight's eye were stung by its dust,

As if the daylight were embroidered with its spots

As if the Day itself were blinded by its dust,

Or had lowered its gaze before it in reverence.

Or averted its gaze from him in reverence

Or lowered its gaze in reverence before him.

الجَيشُ جَيشُكَ غَيرَ أَنَّكَ جَيشُهُ

الجَيشُ جَيشُكَ غَيرَ أَنَّكَ جَيشُهُ

في قَلبِهِ وَيَمينِهِ وَشِمالِهِ

في قَلبِهِ وَيَمينِهِ وَشِمالِهِ

The army is your army, yet you are its army,

The army is your army but you are its army

The army is yours, yet you alone are its army,

At its center, its right wing, and its left.

In its heart, its right, and its left

In its heart, its right wing, and its left.

تَرِدُ الطِعانَ المُرَّ عَن فُرسانِهِ

تَرِدُ الطِعانَ المُرَّ عَن فُرسانِهِ

وَتُنازِلُ الأَبطالَ عَن أَبطالِهِ

وَتُنازِلُ الأَبطالَ عَن أَبطالِهِ

You face bitter spear-combat on behalf of its horsemen,

You turn aside the repeated piercing from its horsemen

You deflect the bitter thrusts from its horsemen,

And duel champions on behalf of its champions.

And make champions concede to their champions

And duel the champions on behalf of your own.

كُلٌّ يُريدُ رِجالَهُ لِحَياتِهِ

كُلٌّ يُريدُ رِجالَهُ لِحَياتِهِ

يا مَن يُريدُ حَياتَهُ لِرِجالِهِ

يا مَن يُريدُ حَياتَهُ لِرِجالِهِ

Everyone wants his men for the sake of his own life;

Each man wants his own men for his life

Every king desires his men to preserve his life,

O you who want your life for the sake of your men!

O You who want your life for your men

O you who desire your life only for your men!

دونَ الحَلاوَةِ في الزَمانِ مَرارَةٌ

دونَ الحَلاوَةِ في الزَمانِ مَرارَةٌ

لا تُختَطى إِلّا عَلى أَهوالِهِ

لا تُختَطى إِلّا عَلى أَهوالِهِ

Before the sweetness of life lies bitterness,

Apart from sweetness in time there is bitterness

Before the sweetness of Time lies a bitterness

Which can be crossed only through time's terrors.

That is not traversed but upon its horrors

That cannot be crossed save over its terrors.

فَلِذاكَ جاوَزَها عَلِيٌّ وَحدَهُ

فَلِذاكَ جاوَزَها عَلِيٌّ وَحدَهُ

وَسَعى بِمُنصُلِهِ إِلى آمالِهِ

وَسَعى بِمُنصُلِهِ إِلى آمالِهِ

That is why Ali alone passed beyond it,

And so Ali alone transcended it

Thus Ali alone has crossed beyond it,

And strove with his sword toward his hopes.

And walked with his blade toward his hopes

And strove with his blade to reach his hopes.