أَوَدُّ مِنَ الأَيّامِ مالا تَوَدُّهُ

وَأَشكو إِلَيها بَينَنا وَهيَ جُندُهُ

I prefer days that you do not like,

I ask of Time what Time does not desire,

And I complain to them about us while they are its army.

And complain to it of our distance, though it is distance's guard.

يُباعِدنَ حِبّاً يَجتَمِعنَ وَوَصلُهُ

فَكَيفَ بِحِبٍّ يَجتَمِعنَ وَصَدُّهُ

They separate a love that unites, and its union,

The days drive a love apart when union is near;

So how can love unite when its separateness is stronger?

How then with a love where only rejection stands?

أَبى خُلُقُ الدُنيا حَبيباً تُديمُهُ

فَما طَلَبي مِنها حَبيباً تَرُدُّهُ

The nature of this world refused a lasting beloved.

The world's nature forbids a beloved to remain,

So my quest from it is not for a beloved that lasts.

So why do I ask it to bring one back again?

وَأَسرَعُ مَفعولٍ فَعَلتَ تَغَيُّراً

تَكَلُّفُ شَيءٍ في طِباعِكَ ضِدُّهُ

The quickest thing to change is what you force yourself to do

The swiftest deed to undergo a change

Against your nature—its opposite undoes it.

Is feigning a nature that is not your own.

رَعى اللَهُ عيساً فارَقَتنا وَفَوقَها

مَهاً كُلُّها يولى بِجَفنَيهِ خَدُّهُ

May God watch over Isa since she left us, though over her

May God protect the white camels that bore away

Is a moon, its cheeks wholly turning away.

Maidens who wipe their cheeks against their lids.

بِوادٍ بِهِ ما بِالقُلوبِ كَأَنَّهُ

وَقَد رَحَلوا جيدٌ تَناثَرَ عِقدُهُ

In a land where there is nothing in hearts as though

In a valley holding the heat of hearts; it seemed,

They left, a necklace coming undone as they walked away,

When they departed, a necklace of pearls unstrung.

إِذا سارَتِ الأَحداجُ فَوقَ نَباتِهِ

تَفاوَحَ مِسكُ الغانِياتِ وَرَندُهُ

When the slender ones walked above its plants,

When the camel-litters moved above its brush,

The scent of singing slave-girls wafted around.

The fragrance of musk and laurel filled the air.

وَحالٍ كَإِحداهُنَّ رُمتُ بُلوغَها

وَمِن دونِها غَولُ الطَريقِ وَبُعدُهُ

In a state like one of them, she reached maturity,

I sought a fortune lovely as those dames,

With beyond her the expanse of the road and its distance.

But blocked by road-ghouls and the endless waste.

وَأَتعَبُ خَلقِ اللَهِ مَن زادَ هَمُّهُ

وَقَصَّرَ عَمّا تَشتَهي النَفسُ وُجدُهُ

I tire the people of God most when my worries increase

The weariest of God's creatures is he whose ambition soars,

And fall short of what my soul desires to find.

While his means fall short of what his soul adores.

فَلا يَنحَلِل في المَجدِ مالُكَ كُلُّهُ

فَيَنحَلَّ مَجدٌ كانَ بِالمالِ عَقدُهُ

So do not squander all your wealth vaingloriously

Do not let all your wealth dissolve in glory's quest,

Lest glory knotted to wealth come undone.

For glory's knot is by wealth's cord secured.

وَدَبِّرهُ تَدبيرَ الَّذي المَجدُ كَفُّهُ

إِذا حارَبَ الأَعداءَ وَالمالُ زَندُهُ

Manage it as one whose glory is his palm,

Manage it like one whose hand is Glory itself,

When he wars with enemies and wealth is his weapon.

When fighting foes, with Wealth as his striking arm.

فَلا مَجدَ في الدُنيا لِمَن قَلَّ مالُهُ

وَلا مالَ في الدُنيا لِمَن قَلَّ مَجدُهُ

For there is no glory in this world for one whose wealth is little,

There is no glory in this world for him of little means,

Nor wealth in this world for one whose glory is small.

Nor wealth for him whose glory has run dry.

وَفي الناسِ مَن يَرضى بِمَيسورِ عَيشِهِ

وَمَركوبُهُ رِجلاهُ وَالثَوبُ جِلدُهُ

Among people there are those who are content with a modest living,

Among men are those content with an easy life,

Their mounts are their legs and their clothes are their skins.

Their mount their feet, their own skin their only garb.

وَلَكِنَّ قَلباً بَينَ جَنبَيَّ مالَهُ

مَدىً يَنتَهي بي في مُرادٍ أَحُدُّهُ

But I have a heart between my ribs whose

But within my ribs beats a heart that knows no bounds,

Expanse ends for me in some desire I love most,

No limit to the vast ambition I define.

يَرى جِسمَهُ يُكسى شُفوفاً تَرُبُّهُ

فَيَختارُ أَن يُكسى دُروعاً تَهُدُّهُ

Who sees his body clothed in fine garments that soil it,

It sees the body clad in silks that comfort it,

So prefers to be clothed in armor that protects him.

Yet chooses the weight of mail that wears it down.

يُكَلِّفُني التَهجيرَ في كُلِّ مَهمَهٍ

عَليقي مَراعيهِ وَزادِيَ رُبدُهُ

You task me to wander on every mission,

It drives me through the noon heat of every waste,

My provisions are my hopes, my travel-food is my determination.

Where grazing is my fodder, and wild game my feast.

وَأَمضى سِلاحٍ قَلَّدَ المَرءُ نَفسَهُ

رَجاءُ أَبي المِسكِ الكَريمِ وَقَصدُهُ

The surest weapon a man arms himself with

The sharpest weapon a man can gird himself with

Is hope in my generous father and his purpose.

Is the hope of Abu al-Misk and seeking his domain.

هُما ناصِرا مَن خانَهُ كُلُّ ناصِرٍ

وَأُسرَةُ مَن لَم يُكثِرِ النَسلَ جَدُّهُ

They both help whoever every helper betrayed,

They are the defenders of one betrayed by all aid,

And are family to whoever’s ancestors left no extended family.

The kin of him whose lineage has run thin.

أَنا اليَومَ مِن غِلمانِهِ في عَشيرَةٍ

لَنا والِدٌ مِنهُ يُفَدّيهِ وُلدُهُ

Today I am one of his young men, among a tribe

Today I stand among his pages, within a clan

To whom we have a father who ransoms his sons with his life.

Where he is a father whose sons would die for him.

فَمَن مالِهِ مالُ الكَبيرِ وَنَفسُهُ

وَمَن مالِهِ دَرُّ الصَغيرِ وَمَهدُهُ

Whoever’s wealth is the wealth of the great, his own self,

From his bounty comes the elder's wealth and life,

And whoever’s wealth is the pearl of the little one, his cradle.

From his bounty, the infant's milk and cradle-rest.

نَجُرُّ القَنا الخَطِيَّ حَولَ قِبابِهِ

وَتَردي بِنا قُبُّ الرِباطِ وَجُردُهُ

We pull the battle lines taut around his tents,

We trail our long spears around his royal tents,

As the collar of encampment comes undone around us.

While thoroughbreds, lean and swift, beneath us bound.

وَنَمتَحِنُ النُشّابَ في كُلِّ وابِلٍ

دَوِيُّ القِسِيِّ الفارِسِيَّةِ رَعدُهُ

We try the spears in every downpour

We test our arrows in the thick of every storm,

Whose thunder is the rumble of Persian armor.

Where the twang of Persian bows provides the thunder.

فَإِلّا تَكُن مِصرُ الشَرى أَو عَرينُهُ

فَإِنَّ الَّذي فيها مِنَ الناسِ أُسدُهُ

For if Egypt is not the land of war or its lair,

If Egypt be not the lion's thicket or his den,

Then the lion among its people is just a cat.

Surely the men within it are his pride of lions.

سَبائِكُ كافورٍ وَعِقيانُهُ الَّذي

بِصُمِّ القَنا لا بِالأَصابِعِ نَقدُهُ

Ingots of camphor whose currency is not fingers

His ingots of gold and camphor are of the sort

But the edge of the sword—that is its value.

Tested by the tips of spears, not by the touch of hands.

بَلاها حَوالَيهِ العَدُوُّ وَغَيرُهُ

وَجَرَّبَها هَزلُ الطِرادِ وَجِدُّهُ

Its environs the enemy plundered, and others,

The enemy and friend alike have tested them,

And the zeal of exile tested it, joking and serious.

In the jest of practice and the grim of war.

أَبو المِسكِ لا يَفنى بِذَنبِكَ عَفوُهُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ يَفنى بِعُذرِكَ حِقدُهُ

Abu al-Misk does not negate forgiveness if you slip,

Abu al-Misk: his pardon outlasts your every sin,

But it does fade if you offer no excuse for your hatred.

Yet his malice vanishes at your first excuse.

فَيا أَيُّها المَنصورُ بِالجَدِّ سَعيُهُ

وَيا أَيُّها المَنصورُ بِالسَعيِ جَدُّهُ

O you made victorious by striving, his striving is his victory,

O you whose striving is crowned by Fortune's hand,

O you made victorious by victory, his striving earned it.

And you whose Fortune is by striving crowned!

تَوَلّى الصِبا عَنّي فَأَخلَفتُ طيبَهُ

وَما ضَرَّني لَمّا رَأَيتُكَ فَقدُهُ

Youth turned away from me, but when I saw you I felt no loss,

Youth has turned from me, and I have lost its scent,

For it had grown old in this time, while in your presence its bloom returned.

Yet its loss harmed me not when I beheld your face.

لَقَد شَبَّ في هَذا الزَمانِ كُهولُهُ

لَدَيكَ وَشابَت عِندَ غَيرِكَ مُردُهُ

If only the day of travel could tell of its heat,

In this age, with you, the old have found their youth,

Then you could ask it, and the night tell of its cold.

While with others, even the beardless turn to gray.

أَلا لَيتَ يَومَ السَيرِ يُخبِرُ حَرُّهُ

فَتَسأَلَهُ وَاللَيلَ يُخبِرُ بَردُهُ

If only you could see me distracted, wandering,

Would that the heat of my travel-day could speak to you,

Then know I am the edge of your sword.

Or the night reveal to you its biting cold,

وَلَيتَكَ تَرعاني وَحَيرانُ مُعرِضٌ

فَتَعلَمَ أَنّي مِن حُسامِكَ حَدُّهُ

When I undertake something I want,

Would that you watched me when the path was blocked,

Its far reaches draw near and its hardest part grows simple.

To know that I am the very edge of your sword.

وَأَنّي إِذا باشَرتُ أَمراً أُريدُهُ

تَدانَت أَقاصيهِ وَهانَ أَشَدُّهُ

People have been confusing me and you,

And that when I pursue a goal I truly desire,

But when you appeared clearly to me, its distinction was clear.

Its ends draw near, and its hardships turn to ease.

وَما زالَ أَهلُ الدَهرِ يَشتَبِهونَ لي

إِلَيكَ فَلَمّا لُحتَ لي لاحَ فَردُهُ

It's said that when I see an army and its lord

The people of this age all looked alike to me,

Before you, the lord is just your army's servant.

Until you shone forth, unique and unparalleled.

يُقالُ إِذا أَبصَرتُ جَيشاً وَرَبُّهُ

أَمامَكَ رَبٌّ رَبُّ ذا الجَيشِ عَبدُهُ

And the grinning mouth throws down the gauntlet—I know

When I behold an army and its leader, it is said:

He is near to the hand of redemption, faithful to his covenant.

"Before you is a Lord to whom this leader is a thrall."

وَأَلقى الفَمَ الضَحّاكَ أَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

قَريبٌ بِذي الكَفِّ المُفَدّاةِ عَهدُهُ

So those who long for you visited you from me,

I meet that smiling mouth, and well I know

While among people, none but you reject all others.

It keeps a pact with that hand we hold so dear.

فَزارَكَ مِنّي مَن إِلَيكَ اِشتِياقُهُ

وَفي الناسِ إِلّا فيكَ وَحدَكَ زُهدُهُ

Whoever does not make your house their goal misses out,

One has visited you whose longing is for you alone,

And comes to know that was the limit of their effort.

Who renounces all mankind save you.

يُخَلِّفُ مَن لَم يَأتِ دارَكَ غايَةً

وَيَأتي فَيَدري أَنَّ ذَلِكَ جُهدُهُ

If I gain what I hope from you, perhaps

He leaves behind those who have not sought your door,

I will drink water too much for birds to reach.

And comes to you, knowing this is the utmost goal.

فَإِن نِلتُ ما أَمَّلتُ مِنكَ فَرُبَّما

شَرِبتُ بِماءٍ يَعجِزُ الطَيرَ وِردُهُ

Your promise is action, for it is

If I attain what I have hoped from you,

The equal of the truthful man's word and promise.

Then I have drunk from springs no bird can reach.

وَوَعدُكَ فِعلٌ قَبلَ وَعدٍ لِأَنَّهُ

نَظيرُ فَعالِ الصادِقِ القَولِ وَعدُهُ

So be good to me in your patronage, like one who tests

Your promise is a deed before it is a word,

To show you the advance of a steed and its drive.

For it mirrors the act of one who speaks the truth.

فَكُن في اِصطِناعي مُحسِناً كَمُجَرِّبٍ

يَبِن لَكَ تَقريبُ الجَوادِ وَشَدُّهُ

If you doubt a sword, then test it—

Be gracious in employing me, as one who tests;

Either reject or prepare it.

The horse's worth is proven when he runs.

إِذا كُنتَ في شَكٍّ مِنَ السَيفِ فَاِبلُهُ

فَإِمّا تُنَفّيهِ وَإِمّا تُعِدُّهُ

The Indian blade is no different from others

If you are in doubt regarding the sword, then test it:

If the scabbard does not leave it and its sheath.

You will either cast it off or count it true.

وَما الصارِمُ الهِندِيُّ إِلّا كَغَيرِهِ

إِذا لَم يُفارِقهُ النِجادُ وَغِمدُهُ

You are thanked in every circumstance,

The sharp Indian blade is but like any other,

Even if its only asset is a cheerful face.

If it never leaves its sheath and baldric strap.

وَإِنَّكَ لَلمَشكورُ في كُلِّ حالَةٍ

وَلَو لَم يَكُن إِلّا البَشاشَةَ رِفدُهُ

So any fortune, whether past or to come,

Yet you are he who is thanked in every state,

A glance from you is its equal to me.

Even if your only gift were a smiling face.

فَكُلُّ نَوالٍ كانَ أَو هُوَ كائِنٌ

فَلَحظَةُ طَرفٍ مِنكَ عِندِيَ نِدُّهُ

I am in an ocean of goodness, its source

For every gift that was or ever shall be

Your gifts—I hope for their continuation, as it continues.

Is matched, for me, by a single glance from you.

وَإِنّي لَفي بَحرٍ مِنَ الخَيرِ أَصلُهُ

عَطاياكَ أَرجو مَدَّها وَهيَ مَدُّهُ

My ambition was not for temporary advantage I'd gain

I swim within a sea of good whose source

But for pride that renews itself that I strive for,

Is your bounty; I hope for its tide, and you are that tide.

وَما رَغبَتي في عَسجَدٍ أَستَفيدُهُ

وَلَكِنَّها في مَفخَرٍ أَستَجِدُّهُ

That one generously gives when his generosity exposes others',

My desire is not for gold that I might gain,

And one praises when his praise exposes others' praise.

But for a glory that I may renew.

يَجودُ بِهِ مَن يَفضَحُ الجودَ جودُهُ

وَيَحمَدُهُ مَن يَفضَحُ الحَمدَ حَمدُهُ

For no ill star has passed you

Bestowed by one whose bounty puts Bounty itself to shame,

That you did not face it while your face brought good fortune.

And praised by one whose praise puts Praise to shame.

فَإِنَّكَ ما مَرَّ النُحوسُ بِكَوكَبٍ

وَقابَلتَهُ إِلّا وَوَجهُكَ سَعدُهُ

For never did ill-fortune pass a star,

But that your face, confronting it, became its lucky sign.