عَدُوُّكَyour enemy مَذمومٌcondemned بِكُلِّby every لِسانِtongue
عَدُوُّكَ مَذمومٌ بِكُلِّ لِسانِ
وَلَوand even if كانَwere مِنamong أَعدائِكَyour enemies القَمَرانِthe sun and moon
وَلَو كانَ مِن أَعدائِكَ القَمَرانِ
Your enemy is condemned by every tongue,
Your foe is condemned by every tongue,
even if the sun and moon were among your enemies.
Even if the Sun and Moon were numbered among your enemies.
وَلِلَّهِand God has سِرٌّa secret فيin عُلاكَyour exalted rank وَإِنَّماand only
وَلِلَّهِ سِرٌّ في عُلاكَ وَإِنَّما
كَلامُthe talk of العِداthe foes ضَربٌa kind مِنَof الهَذَيانِdelirium
كَلامُ العِدا ضَربٌ مِنَ الهَذَيانِ
And God has a secret in your exalted rank; indeed,
God holds a secret in your high station;
your foes' talk is only a kind of delirium.
The prattle of foes is but a form of delirium.
أَتَلتَمِسُdo they seek? الأَعداءُthe enemies بَعدَafter الَّذيwhat رَأَتthey have seen
أَتَلتَمِسُ الأَعداءُ بَعدَ الَّذي رَأَت
قِيامَthe establishment of دَليلٍproof أَوor وُضوحَclarity of بَيانِexplanation
قِيامَ دَليلٍ أَو وُضوحَ بَيانِ
Do your enemies seek, after what they have seen,
Do your enemies seek, after witnessing what they have seen,
an established proof or a clear explanation?
Further proof to stand or a clearer demonstration?
رَأَتthey have seen كُلَّeveryone مَنwho يَنويintends لَكَagainst you الغَدرَtreachery يُبتَلىis afflicted
رَأَت كُلَّ مَن يَنوي لَكَ الغَدرَ يُبتَلى
بِغَدرِby the betrayal of حَياةٍlife أَوor بِغَدرِby the betrayal of زَمانِtime
بِغَدرِ حَياةٍ أَو بِغَدرِ زَمانِ
They have seen everyone who plans treachery against you afflicted
They saw that whoever harbors treachery against you is struck down
by life's betrayal or by time's treachery.
By the treachery of life or the betrayal of time.
بِرَغمِagainst the will of شَبيبٍShabib فارَقَleft السَيفُthe sword كَفَّهُhis hand
بِرَغمِ شَبيبٍ فارَقَ السَيفُ كَفَّهُ
وَكاناand the two were عَلىdespite العِلّاتِthe differences يَصطَحِبانِkeeping company
وَكانا عَلى العِلّاتِ يَصطَحِبانِ
Against Shabib's will, the sword left his hand,
Much to Shabib's dismay, the sword parted from his hand,
though the two had kept company despite their differences.
Though through all hardships, they were inseparable companions.
كَأَنَّas though رِقابَthe necks of الناسِpeople قالَتsaid لِسَيفِهِto his sword
كَأَنَّ رِقابَ الناسِ قالَت لِسَيفِهِ
رَفيقُكَyour companion قَيسِيٌّof Qays وَأَنتَand you يَمانِYemeni
رَفيقُكَ قَيسِيٌّ وَأَنتَ يَمانِ
As though people's necks had said to his sword:
It was as if the necks of men whispered to his blade:
'Your companion is of Qays, and you are Yemeni.'
"Your master is of Qays, while you are of Yemen."
فَإِنso if يَكُhe be إِنساناًa human being مَضىwent لِسَبيلِهِon his way
فَإِن يَكُ إِنساناً مَضى لِسَبيلِهِ
فَإِنَّthen indeed المَناياdeath غايَةُthe end of الحَيَوانِall living beings
فَإِنَّ المَنايا غايَةُ الحَيَوانِ
If he be a man who has gone his way,
If he was but a man who has gone his way,
then death is the end of all that lives.
Then surely death is the ultimate end of every living soul.
وَماand not كانَhe was إِلّاexcept النارَfire فيin كُلِّevery مَوضِعٍplace
وَما كانَ إِلّا النارَ في كُلِّ مَوضِعٍ
تُثيرُraising غُباراًdust فيin مَكانِthe place of دُخانِsmoke
تُثيرُ غُباراً في مَكانِ دُخانِ
And he was nothing but fire in every place,
He was nothing but a raging fire wherever he went,
raising dust instead of smoke.
Stirring up dust where one expects only smoke.
فَنالَthus he attained حَياةًa life يَشتَهيهاdesires it عَدوُّهُhis enemy
فَنالَ حَياةً يَشتَهيها عَدوُّهُ
وَمَوتاًand a death يُشَهّيmakes desirable المَوتَdeath كُلَّevery جَبانِcoward
وَمَوتاً يُشَهّي المَوتَ كُلَّ جَبانِ
Thus he attained a life his enemy desired,
He achieved a life his enemy might envy,
and a death that makes death alluring to every coward.
And a death that would make even a coward crave to die.
نَفىhe warded off وَقعَthe blows of أَطرافِthe tips of الرِماحِthe spears بِرُمحِهِwith his spear
نَفى وَقعَ أَطرافِ الرِماحِ بِرُمحِهِ
وَلَمand did not يَخشَfear وَقعَthe fall of النَجمِthe Pleiades وَالدَبَرانِand Aldebaran
وَلَم يَخشَ وَقعَ النَجمِ وَالدَبَرانِ
He warded off the blows of spear-points with his spear,
With his lance he deflected the strike of spear-points,
and did not fear the fall of the Pleiades and Aldebaran.
Yet he feared not the strike of the stars or Aldebaran.
وَلَمand did not يَدرِknow أَنَّthat المَوتَdeath فَوقَabove شَواتِهِhis scalp
وَلَم يَدرِ أَنَّ المَوتَ فَوقَ شَواتِهِ
مُعارُlent جَناحٍa wing مُحسِنِskilled in الطَيَرانِflight
مُعارُ جَناحٍ مُحسِنِ الطَيَرانِ
And he did not know that death was above his head,
He did not know that Death hovered just above his scalp,
with a wing lent to it, skilled in flight.
Borne on the borrowed wing of a swift flyer.
وَقَدand indeed قَتَلَhe killed الأَقرانَmatched opponents حَتّىuntil قَتَلتَهُyou killed him
وَقَد قَتَلَ الأَقرانَ حَتّى قَتَلتَهُ
بِأَضعَفِwith the weakest قِرنٍopponent فيin أَذَلِّthe lowliest مَكانِplace
بِأَضعَفِ قِرنٍ في أَذَلِّ مَكانِ
And he had slain his peers until you slew him
He had slain his equals until you finally slew him,
with the weakest opponent, in the lowliest place.
By the weakest of opponents in the humblest of places.
أَتَتهُcame to him المَناياdeath فيalong طَريقٍa path خَفِيَّةٍhidden
أَتَتهُ المَنايا في طَريقٍ خَفِيَّةٍ
عَلىfrom كُلِّevery سَمعٍear حَولَهُaround him وَعِيانِand sight
عَلى كُلِّ سَمعٍ حَولَهُ وَعِيانِ
Death came to him along a path hidden
Dooms approached him upon a hidden path,
from every ear and eye around him.
Unseen by any eye, unheard by any ear around him.
وَلَوand if سَلَكَتit took طُرقَthe paths of السِلاحِweapons لَرَدَّهاhe would repel it
وَلَو سَلَكَت طُرقَ السِلاحِ لَرَدَّها
بِطولِwith the reach of يَمينٍa right hand وَاِتِّساعِand breadth of جَنانِa heart
بِطولِ يَمينٍ وَاِتِّساعِ جَنانِ
And had it taken the paths of weapons, he would have repelled it
Had they come by the way of weapons, he would have repelled them
with the reach of his right arm and the breadth of his heart.
With a mighty arm and a heart vast in courage.
تَقَصَّدَهُtargeted him المِقدارُfate بَينَamong صِحابِهِhis companions
تَقَصَّدَهُ المِقدارُ بَينَ صِحابِهِ
عَلىin ثِقَةٍconfidence مِنin دَهرِهِhis time وَأَمانِand safety
عَلى ثِقَةٍ مِن دَهرِهِ وَأَمانِ
Fate singled him out among his companions,
Fate singled him out from amidst his companions,
while he trusted in his times and felt secure.
While he sat trusting in his fortune and security.
وَهَلand does? يَنفَعُbenefit الجَيشُthe army الكَثيرُvast اِلتِفافُهُits gathering around
وَهَل يَنفَعُ الجَيشُ الكَثيرُ اِلتِفافُهُ
عَلىaround غَيرِone not مَنصورٍgranted victory وَغَيرِand not مُعانِgiven aid
عَلى غَيرِ مَنصورٍ وَغَيرِ مُعانِ
And can a vast army help by gathering
Of what avail is a vast army gathered round
around one granted neither victory nor aid?
A man whom Heaven neither aids nor destines for victory?
وَدىhe paid compensation for ماwhat جَنىhe committed قَبلَbefore المَبيتِthe night's rest بِنَفسِهِwith his own life
وَدى ما جَنى قَبلَ المَبيتِ بِنَفسِهِ
وَلَمand did not يَدِهِcompensate for it بِالجامِلِwith the camel herd العَكَنانِvast
وَلَم يَدِهِ بِالجامِلِ العَكَنانِ
Before night's rest, he paid for his crime with his own life,
Before the night fell, he paid with his own soul for his crimes,
and did not pay for it with a vast herd of camels.
Settling the debt not with herds of camels, but his life.
أَتُمسِكُdoes it hold? ماwhat أَولَيتَهُyou bestowed on him يَدُthe hand of عاقِلٍa sane man
أَتُمسِكُ ما أَولَيتَهُ يَدُ عاقِلٍ
وَتُمسِكُand it grasps فيin كُفرانِهِingratitude for it بِعِنانِonto a rein
وَتُمسِكُ في كُفرانِهِ بِعِنانِ
Does a sane man's hand hold what you have bestowed on him,
Can the hand of a wise man hold onto your gifts,
yet grasp a rein in ingratitude for it?
While gripping the reins of ingratitude towards you?
وَيَركَبُand he rides ماwhat أَركَبتَهُyou mounted him upon مِنof كَرامَةٍhonor
وَيَركَبُ ما أَركَبتَهُ مِن كَرامَةٍ
وَيَركَبُand he rides لِلعِصيانِfor rebellion ظَهرَthe back of حِصانِa horse
وَيَركَبُ لِلعِصيانِ ظَهرَ حِصانِ
And does he ride the honor upon which you have mounted him,
He rides the dignity you bestowed upon him,
yet ride a horse's back in rebellion?
Yet saddles a horse to ride out in rebellion?
ثَنىbent back يَدَهُhis hand الإِحسانُkindness حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهاas though it
ثَنى يَدَهُ الإِحسانُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
وَقَدand already قُبِضَتit was clenched كانَتit was بِغَيرِwithout بَنانِfingers
وَقَد قُبِضَت كانَت بِغَيرِ بَنانِ
Kindness bent back his hand until it seemed,
Your beneficence bound his hand, until it seemed
once clenched, to have no fingers.
As though, when clenched, it possessed no fingers at all.
وَعِندَand with مَنِwhom اليَومَtoday الوَفاءُloyalty لِصاحِبٍto a companion
وَعِندَ مَنِ اليَومَ الوَفاءُ لِصاحِبٍ
شَبيبٌShabib وَأَوفىand the most loyal مَنone whom تَرىyou see أَخَوانِtwo brothers
شَبيبٌ وَأَوفى مَن تَرى أَخَوانِ
And who today keeps faith with a companion?
In whom today can loyalty to a friend be found?
Shabib and the most loyal man you see are brothers.
Shabib and the most faithful you see are brothers in kind.
قَضىdecreed اللَهُGod ياO كافورُKafur أَنَّكَthat you are أَوَّلٌfirst
قَضى اللَهُ يا كافورُ أَنَّكَ أَوَّلٌ
وَلَيسَand is not بِقاضٍone to decree أَنthat يُرىbe seen لَكَfor you ثانِa second
وَلَيسَ بِقاضٍ أَن يُرى لَكَ ثانِ
God has decreed, O Kafur, that you are first,
God has decreed, O Kafur, that you are the first,
and will not decree that a second to you be seen.
And He decrees not that a second like you shall ever be seen.
فَماso why لَكَfor you تَختارُdo you choose القِسِيَّbows وَإِنَّماand indeed
فَما لَكَ تَختارُ القِسِيَّ وَإِنَّما
عَنِthrough السَعدِgood fortune يَرميshoot دونَكَin your defense الثَقَلانِhumankind and jinn
عَنِ السَعدِ يَرمي دونَكَ الثَقَلانِ
So why do you choose bows, when in truth
Why then do you choose bows for battle, when truly
through good fortune, humans and jinn shoot in your defense?
Both Men and Jinn shoot on your behalf, commanded by your luck?
وَمالَكَand why do you تُعنىconcern yourself بِالأَسِنَّةِwith spearheads وَالقَناand spear-shafts
وَمالَكَ تُعنى بِالأَسِنَّةِ وَالقَنا
وَجَدُّكَand your fortune طَعّانٌa fierce lancer بِغَيرِwithout سِنانِa spearhead
وَجَدُّكَ طَعّانٌ بِغَيرِ سِنانِ
And why concern yourself with spearheads and spear-shafts,
And why concern yourself with spearheads and lances,
when your fortune thrusts fiercely without a spearhead?
When your Fortune stabs deep without need of a spear?
وَلِمand why تَحمِلُdo you carry السَيفَthe sword الطَويلَlong نِجادُهُits baldric
وَلِم تَحمِلُ السَيفَ الطَويلَ نِجادُهُ
وَأَنتَand you غَنِيٌّfree of need عَنهُof it بِالحَدَثانِthrough time's vicissitudes
وَأَنتَ غَنِيٌّ عَنهُ بِالحَدَثانِ
And why carry the sword with the long baldric,
Why bear the weight of the sword with its long baldric,
when time's vicissitudes spare you the need for it?
When the turns of Fate suffice to spare you the need?
أَرِدwish ليfor me جَميلاًa kindness جُدتَyou bestowed أَوor لَمdid not تَجُدbestow بِهِwith it
أَرِد لي جَميلاً جُدتَ أَو لَم تَجُد بِهِ
فَإِنَّكَfor you indeed ماwhatever أَحبَبتَyou wished فيَّfor me أَتانيcame to me
فَإِنَّكَ ما أَحبَبتَ فيَّ أَتاني
Wish some good for me, whether you bestow it or not,
Wish for me a kindness—whether you grant it or not—
for whatever you wish for me comes to me.
For whatever you have loved for me has already arrived.
لَوِif الفَلَكَthe celestial sphere الدَوّارَever-revolving أَبغَضتَyou hated سَعيَهُits motion
لَوِ الفَلَكَ الدَوّارَ أَبغَضتَ سَعيَهُ
لَعَوَّقَهُwould surely hinder it شَيءٌsomething عَنِfrom الدَوَرانِrevolving
لَعَوَّقَهُ شَيءٌ عَنِ الدَوَرانِ
If you hated the revolving celestial sphere's motion,
Were you to loathe the very motion of the spinning spheres,
something would surely hinder it from revolving.
Something would surely halt them in their turning.
Sol 6.1