نَسِيَ الطينُ ساعَةً أَنَّهُ طينٌ

حَقيرٌ فَصالَ تيها وَعَربَد

The clay forgot for a moment that it was just clay,

The clay forgot for a moment that it was only clay,

So it strutted arrogantly and acted pompously.

Basely formed, yet it swaggered in arrogance and ran wild.

وَكَسى الخَزُّ جِسمَهُ فَتَباهى

وَحَوى المالَ كيسُهُ فَتَمَرَّد

It clothed its body in silk, so it became conceited,

Fine silk clothed his body, so he strutted with boastfulness,

And filled its purse with money, so it rebelled.

And his purse held wealth, so he turned rebellious.

يا أَخي لا تَمِل بِوَجهِكَ عَنّي

ما أَنا فَحمَة وَلا أَنتَ فَرقَد

My brother, do not turn your face from me disdainfully,

O my brother, do not turn your face away from me in disdain;

I am not just a lump, and you are not a precious gem.

I am not a lump of coal, nor are you a shining star.

أَنتَ لَم تَصنَعِ الحَريرَ الَّذي

تَلبَس وَاللُؤلُؤَ الَّذي تَتَقَلَّد

You did not weave the silk you wear,

You did not weave the silk that you wear,

Nor string the pearls you flaunt.

Nor did you craft the pearls that adorn your neck.

أَنتَ لا تَأكُلُ النُضارَ إِذا جِع

ت وَلا تَشرَبُ الجُمانَ المُنَضَّد

When hungry, it's not succulent fruits you eat,

You do not consume gold when you hunger,

Nor do you drink vintage wines when thirsty.

Nor do you drink strings of pearls to quench your thirst.

أَنتَ في البُردَةِ المُوَشّاةِ مِثلي

في كِسائي الرَديمِ تَشقى وَتُسعَد

In your coat of wool, you're just like me

You, in your embroidered cloak, are just like me,

In my old clothes, suffering and feeling joy.

Wrapped in my tattered garment: we both suffer and find joy.

لَكَ في عالَمِ النَهارِ أَماني

وَرُأى وَالظَلامُ فَوقَكَ مُمتَد

You have hopes and dreams in the world of light,

In the daylight world, you harbor hopes and visions,

While darkness hangs over me.

While the darkness stretches vast above you.

وَلِقَلبي كَما لِقَلبِكَ أَحلا

مٌ حِسانٌ فَإِنَّهُ غَيرُ جَلمَد

But my heart, like yours, has beautiful, tender dreams-

And my heart, just like yours, holds beautiful dreams;

For it is not rigid and hard.

For truly, it is not made of solid rock.

أَأَمانِيَّ كُلَّها مِن تُرابٍ

وَأَمانيكَ كُلَّها مِن عَسجَد

My dreams are all made of dust,

Are all my hopes composed only of dust,

While yours are made of alabaster.

While all your desires are forged from gold?

وَأَمانِيَّ كُلُّها لِلتَلاشي

وَأَمانيكَ لِلخُلودِ المُؤَكَّد

My dreams are bound to fade away,

Are my hopes destined to vanish into nothingness,

While you expect yours to last forever.

While yours are guaranteed eternal life?

لا فَهَذي وَتِلكَ تَأتي وَتَمضي

كَذَويها وَأَيُّ شَيءٍ يُؤَبَّد

But neither will last, both will vanish,

No! Both yours and mine come and go alike,

For what thing endures eternally?

Just like their owners; for what in this world lasts forever?

أَيُّها المُزدَهي إِذا مَسَّكَ السُقــ

ـمُ أَلا تَشتَكي أَلا تَتَنَهَّد

You who are so arrogant - when misfortune strikes you,

O you who boast! When sickness strikes your frame,

Won't you complain? Won't you moan?

Do you not complain? Do you not heave heavy sighs?

وَإِذا راعَكَ الحَبيبُ بِهَجرٍ

وَدَعَتكَ الذِكرى أَلا تَتَوَجَّد

And when your lover abandons you,

And if your beloved terrifies you with desertion,

Won't memory's call make you burn?

And memories summon you, do you not ache with longing?

أَنتَ مِثلي يَبَشُّ وَجهُكَ لِلنُعمى

وَفي حالَةِ المَصيبَةِ يَكمَد

Like me, your face beams when life is kind,

You are like me: your face brightens at blessings,

And in times of sorrow, it withers.

And in times of calamity, it turns dark with grief.

أَدُموعي خِل وَدَمعُكَ شَهدٌ

وَبُكائي زُل وَنَوحُكَ سُؤدُد

My tears are vinegar while yours are honey,

Are my tears vinegar, while your tears are honey?

My weeping is cheap, while yours is precious.

Is my weeping a humiliation, while your wailing is glory?

وَاِبتِسامي السَرابُ لا رَيَّ فيهِ

وَاِبتِساماتُكَ اللَآلي الخَرَّد

My smile is a mirage, containing no water,

Is my smile a dry mirage that offers no water,

While your smiles are shimmering pearls.

While your smiles are pristine, unpierced pearls?

فَلَكٌ واحِدٌ يُظِلُّ كِلَينا

حارَ طَرفي بِه وَطَرفُكَ أَرمَد

The same sun shades us both,

A single firmament shades the both of us,

Scorching my eyes while yours go blind.

Where my gaze wanders in wonder, and yours is bleary with ailment.

قَمَرٌ واحِدٌ يُطِلُّ عَلَينا

وَعَلى الكوخ وَالبِناءِ المُوَطَّد

The same moon looms over us,

A single moon looks down upon us both,

On cottage and castle both it shines.

Upon the humble hut and the fortified palace alike.

إِن يَكُن مُشرِقاً لِعَينَيكَ إِنّي

لا أَراهُ مِن كُوَّةِ الكوخِ أَسوَد

If to your eyes its light is radiant,

If it shines brightly for your eyes, I assure you,

To me, from my hut, it appears black.

I do not see it as black from the window of my hut.

النُجومُ الَّتي تَراها أَراها

حينَ تَخفى وَعِندَما تَتَوَقَّد

The stars you see, I also see,

The very stars you behold, I behold as well,

When they fade, and when they glow bright.

Both when they vanish and when they blaze with light.

لَستَ أَدنى عَلى غِناكَ إِلَيها

وَأَنا مَعَ خَصاصَتي لَستُ أُبعَد

You are not nearer to them though wealthy,

You are no closer to them, despite your wealth,

While I, though deprived, am not far.

Nor am I, in my poverty, any further away.

أَنتَ مِثلي مِنَ الثَرى وَإِلَيهِ

فَلِماذا يا صاحِبي التيه وَالصَد

You and I both come from dust, and back to dust

You are like me: from the soil you came, and to it you return;

We will return, my friend- So why the aloofness and rebuff?

So why, my friend, this arrogance and this turning away?

كُنتَ طِفلاً إِذ كُنتُ طِفلا وَتَغدو

حينَ أَغدو شَيخاً كَبيراً أَدرَد

As infants we were peers, and as bent old men,

You were a child when I was a child, and you shall become,

We will be equal, quavering side by side.

When I do, an old man, toothless and withered.

لَستُ أَدري مِن أَينَ جِئت وَلا ما

كُنتُ أَو ما أَكونُ يا صاحِ في غَد

I do not know where I came from, what I was,

I do not know from where I came, nor what

Or what I will be tomorrow, O friend!

I was, or what I shall become tomorrow, my friend.

أَفَتَدري إِذَن فَخَبِّر وَإِلّا

فَلِماذا تَظُنُّ أَنَّكَ أَوحَد

Do you know? Then enlighten me! If not,

Do you know, then? Tell me! And if not,

Why do you assume you are matchless?

Why do you presume that you are singular and supreme?

أَلَكَ القَصرُ دونَهُ الحَرَسُ الشا

كي وَمِن حَولِهِ الجِدارُ المُشَيَّد

Does the palace belong to you, guarded by soldiers,

Is the palace yours, guarded by armed sentries,

Surrounded by walls you have built?

And surrounded by high, fortified walls?

فَاِمنَعِ اللَيلَ أَن يَمُدَّ رَواقاً

فَوقَه وَالضَبابَ أَن يَتَلَبَّد

Then forbid the night to cast its veil upon it,

Then forbid the night from spreading its canopy

And mist to wrap round its heights!

Over your towers, and stop the fog from gathering thick.

وَاِنظُرِ النورَ كَيفَ يَدخُلُ لا يَط

لُبُ أُذناً فَما لَهُ لَيسَ يُطرَد

See how the light enters without asking permission -

And observe the light: how it enters without asking

It does not even knock, yet is not turned away.

For permission; see how it cannot be expelled.

مرقَدٌ واحِدٌ نَصيبُكَ مِنهُ

أَفَتَدري كَم فيكَ لِلذَرِّ مَرقَد

One grave is all that will be your share and mine -

One sleeping spot is your share of that vast space;

Do you know how much of it will be yours?

Yet do you know how many specks of dust find a bed within you?

ذُدتَني عَنه وَالعَواصِفُ تَعدو

في طِلابي وَالجَوُّ أَقتَمَ أَربَد

You denied me shelter when storms raged

You drove me from your door while storms raged,

And I sought refuge, while the sky darkened and grew cold.

Pursuing me, while the sky was dark and ashen.

بَينَما الكَلبُ واجِدٌ فيهِ مَأوىً

وَطَعاما وَالهُرُّ كَالكَلبِ يُرفَد

Yet the dog finds shelter there, and food,

Yet the dog finds a shelter within your walls,

While the donkey, like the dog, is given fodder.

And food; and the cat, like the dog, is fed.

فَسَمِعتُ الحَياةَ تَضحَكُ مِنّي

أَتَرَجّى مِنك وَتَأبى وَتُجحِد

So I heard life laughing at me

Then I heard Life laughing at my plight:

As I hoped in you, and you refused and rejected me.

That I beg from you, while you refuse and deny.

أَلَكَ الرَوضَةُ الجَميلَةُ فيها

الماء وَالطَير وَالأَزاهِر وَالنَد

Does that lovely garden belong to you,

Do you own the beautiful garden, wherein lie

With its water, birds and blooming flowers?

The water, the birds, the flowers, and the dew?

فَاِزجِرِ الريحَ أَن تَهُز وَتَلوي

شَجَرَ الرَوضِ إِنَهُ يَتَأَوَّد

Then restrain the wind from shaking and twisting

Then rebuke the wind! Forbid it from shaking

The trees - for it makes them sway.

And twisting the garden trees, which bend under its force.

وَاِلجُمِ الماءَ في الغَدير وَمُرهُ

لا يُصَفِّق إِلّا وَأَنتَ بِمَشهَد

And calm the water in the pond, order it

Bridle the water in the pool, and command it

Not to ripple except when you are present.

Not to ripple with applause unless you are watching.

إِنَّ طَيرَ الأَراكِ لَيسَ يُبالي

أَنتَ أَصغَيتَ أَم أَنا إِن غَرَّد

The birds will not care if you or I listen

The bird of the Arak tree pays no mind,

When they sing - they will warble on unimpeded.

Whether you listen or I, when it sings its song.

وَالأَزاهيرُ لَيسَ تَسخَرُ مِن فَق

ري وَلا فيكَ لِلغِنى تَتَوَدَّد

And the flowers will not mock my poverty,

The flowers do not mock my poverty,

Nor fawn over you for your wealth.

Nor do they court your favor because of your wealth.

أَلَكَ النَهرُ إِنَّهُ لِلنَسيمِ الرَط

بِ دَرب وَلِلعَصافيرِ مَورِد

Does the river belong to you? It is a path

Is the river yours? No, it is a path for the moist breeze,

For the gentle breeze, and home to the birds.

And a watering place for the sparrows.

وَهوَ لِلشُهبِ تَستَحِمُّ بِهِ في الصَي

فِ لَيلاً كَأَنَّها تَتَبَرَّد

At night the gray hairs bathe in it, seeming

It belongs to the stars that bathe in it on summer

To turn even colder in its chilly water.

Nights, as though seeking to cool their heat.

تَدَّعيهِ فَهَل بِأَمرِكَ تَجري

في عُروقِ الأَشجارِ أَو يَتَجَعَّد

You claim it is yours - but does it flow

You claim it, but is it by your command that sap flows

In the veins of trees by your command?

In the veins of trees, or that the water ripples?

كانَ مِن قَبلُ أَن تَجيء وَتَمضي

وَهوَ باقٍ في الأَرضِ لِلجَزر وَالمَد

It was here before you came and will remain

It was here before you arrived, and it shall remain after you leave,

After you go, ebbing and flowing as always.

Enduring upon the earth for the ebb and the flow.

أَلَكَ الحَقلُ هَذِهِ النَحلُ تَجني

الشَهدَ مِن زَهرِه وَلا تَتَرَدَّد

Do you own these fields? The bees gather

Is the field yours? Look at these bees gathering

Nectar from their flowers, freely wandering.

Nectar from its blooms without hesitation.

وَأَرى لِلنِمالِ مُلكاً كَبيراً

قَد بَنَتهُ بِالكَدحِ فيه وَبِالكَد

I see the ants have a vast kingdom

And I see the ants possessing a vast kingdom there,

They built with toil, with sweat and labor.

Which they built with toil and ceaseless labor.

أَنتَ في شَرعِها دَخيلٌ عَلى الحَق

ل وَلِصٌّ جَنى عَلَيها فَأَفسَد

You are a trespasser in their land, a thief

By their laws, you are but an intruder in the field,

Who has ravaged it, leaving destruction in your wake.

And a thief who has trespassed and caused ruin.

لَو مَلَكتَ الحُقولَ في الأَرضِ طُرّاً

لَم تَكُن مِن فَراشَةِ الحَقلِ أَسعَد

If you owned all the fields on earth, by force,

Even if you owned every field upon the earth,

You would not be happier than a meadow butterfly.

You would not be happier than the butterfly of the field.

أَجَميلٌ ما أَنتَ أَبهى مِنَ الوَر

دَةِ ذاتِ الشَذى وَلا أَنتَ أَجوَد

Are you more beautiful than the rose, more fragrant?

Are you beautiful? You are not more splendid than the rose,

Are you more generous, more bountiful?

With its fragrance, nor are you more generous.

أَم عَزيز وَلِلبَعوضَةِ مِن خَدَّي

كَ قوت وَفي يَدَيكَ المُهَنَّد

Or are you mighty? The gnat draws nourishment

Or are you mighty? Yet the mosquito finds food

From your cheeks, and your hands cannot drive it away.

Upon your cheek, even while you hold a sword.

أَم غَنِيٌّ هَيهاتِ تَختالُ لَولا

دودَةُ القَزِّ بِالحَباءِ المُبَجَّد

Or are you wealthy? Never! You swagger only

Or are you rich? Impossible! You would not strut

Because the lowly worm spins for you silk robes.

Were it not for the silkworm weaving your striped robes.

أَم قَوِيٌّ إِذَن مُرِ النَومَ إِذ يَغـ

ـشاك وَاللَيلُ عَن جُفونِكَ يَرتَد

Or are you powerful? Then command sleep

Or are you strong? Then command sleep, when it overtakes

To leave you, and drive old age from your temples.

Your eyes, to depart and leave your eyelids be.

وَاِمنَعِ الشَيبَ أَن يَلِمَّ بِفَو

دَيك وَمُر تَلبُثِ النَضارَةُ في الخَد

Are you all knowing? What is that fancy

And forbid gray hair from touching your temples,

Which steals through your mind in the depth of night?

And command youth to remain eternal in your cheek.

أَعَليمٌ فَما الخَيالُ الَّذي يَطـ

ـرُقُ لَيلاً في أَيِّ دُنيا يولَد

What is this life you discern, then loses sight of?

Are you all-knowing? Then what is the imagination that visits

What is this time you blame, then sing praise of?

By night—in what world is it born?

ما الحَياةُ الَّتي تَبين وَتَخفى

ما الزَمانُ الَّذي يُذَم وَيُحمَد

O clay! You are not purer or loftier

What is this life that appears and then vanishes?

Than dust I trample or use as a pillow.

What is this time that is cursed and praised?

أَيُّها الطينُ لَستَ أَنقى وَأَسمى

مِن تُرابٍ تَدوسُ أَو تَتَوَسَّد

whether you crumble or do not crumble, still

O clay! You are no purer and no more sublime

You are but a driven slave, a subjugated thing.

Than the dirt you tread upon or rest your head against.

سُدتَ أَو لَم رَسُد فَما أَنتَ إِلّا

حَيَوانٌ مُسَيَّرٌ مُستَعبَد

Any palace you build will someday decay,

Whether you ruled or did not rule, you are nothing but

Any robe you weave will one day unravel.

A creature directed by fate, enslaved by circumstance.

إِنَّ قَصراً سَمَكتُهُ سَوفَ يَندَكُّ

وَثَوباً حَبَكتَهُ سَوفَ يَنقَد

Do not let your heart become a home for strife -

The palace you raised high shall surely crumble,

My heart has become a temple for the beloved.

And the robe you wove shall surely be torn apart.

لا يَكُن لِلخِصامِ قَلبَكَ مَأوىً

إِنَّ قَلبي لِلحَبيبِ أَصبَحَ مَعبَد

I have more right to love than you, am worthier of it

Do not let your heart become a shelter for enmity;

Than a garment which wears out or wealth which dwindles.

For my heart has become a temple for the beloved.

أَنا أَولى بِالحُبِّ مِنك وَأَحرى

مِن كِساءٍ يَبلى وَمالٍ يَنفَد

I am more worthy of your love, and more deserving,

Than a garment that wears out and wealth that fades away.