أُرَاقِبُ فِي الظَّلْمَاءِ مَا اللَّيْلُ يَحْجُبُ

وَأَقْرَأُ فِي الأَسْحَارِ مَا اللهُ يَكْتُبُ

I observe in the darkness what the night conceals,

And I read at dawn what God has decreed.

وَأَسْتَعْرِضُ الأَيَّامَ يَوْمِي الَّذِي مَضَى

دَلِيلٌ عَلَى يَوْمِي الَّذِي أَتَرَقَّبُ

I review the days - my day that has passed

Is guide to my day that is yet to come.

فَلاَ تَسْأَلُوا عَنِّي وَحَظِّي فَإِنَّنَا

لأَمْثَالِ أَهْلِ الشَّرْقِ وَالْغَرْبِ مَضْرَبُ

So ask not of my fate and my fortune,

For we are but as the people of East and West.

طَوَى الدَّهْرُ مِنْ عُمْرِي ثَلاثِينَ حِجَّةً

طَوَيْتُ بِهَا الأَصْقَاعَ أَسْعَى وَأَدْأَبُ

Time has spanned thirty pilgrimages of my life,

And with them I traversed lands far and wide.

أُغَرِّبُ خَلْفَ الرِّزْقِ وَهْوَ مُشَرِّقٌ

وَأُقْسِمُ لَوْ شَرَّقْتُ كَانَ يُغَرِّبُ

I travel westward pursuing livelihood, though it lies east,

And I swear, were I to travel east, it would lie west.

وَأَنْفُرُ مِنْ وَادٍ لِطَوْدٍ كَأَنَّنِي

وَقَدْ بَوَّقَ الدَاعُونَ لِلصَّيْدِ رَبْرَبُ

I flee a valley as if the hunters

Have sounded calls to the hunt - baying their hounds.

لِئَنْ غَرَّدَتْ لِلشَّاعِرِينَ بَلاَبِلٌ

فَإِنَّ غُرَابَ الشُّؤْمِ حَوْلِيَ يَنْعَبُ

Though songbirds may trill their song for poets,

Crows of ill-omen circle above me, cawing.

وَإِنْ كَانَ عِلْمَاً ثَابِتَاً قَوْلُ بَعْضِهِمْ

لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ نَجْمٌ فَنَجْمِي الْمُذَنَّبُ

If it be proven knowledge, what some have claimed -

That each person has a star, mine is a shooting star.

وَمَرْكَبَةٍ لِلنَقْلِ رَاحَتْ يَجُرُّهَا

حِصَانَانِ: مُحْمَرٌّ هَزِيلٌ وَأَشْهَبُ

I ride in a carriage drawn by two steeds:

One sorrel and lean, the other grayish-white.

لَهَا خَيْمَةٌ تَدْعُو إِلَى الْهُزْءِ شَدَّهَا

غَرَابِيلُ أَدْعَى لِلْوَقَارِ وَأَنْسَبُ

It has a tent whose ragged drapes

Appear dignified and appropriate.

جَلَسَتْ إِلَى حُوذِيِّهَا وَوَرَاءَنَا

صَنَادِيقُ فِيهَا مَا يَسُرُّ وَيُعْجِبُ

My companions sit with me, and behind us

Are boxes containing what gladdens and pleases.

حَوَتْ سِلَعَاً مِنْ كُلِّ نَوْعٍ يَبِيعُهَا

فَتَىً مَا أَسْتَحَلَّ البَيْعَ لَوْلا التَّغَرُّبُ

They hold wares of every kind, sold

By a noble youth - though selling ill suits his dignity - driven by the need to wander.

وَرَاحَتْ كَأَنَّ البَرَّ بَحْرٌ نِجَادُهُ

وَأَغْوَارهُ أَمْوَاجهُ، وَهْيَ مَرْكَبُ

The carriage moves as though the land is a sea, with depths

And waves, and it a vessel

تَبِينُ وَتَخْفَى فِي الرُّبَى وَحِيَالهَا

فَيَحْسَبُهَا الرَاؤُونَ تَطْفُو وَتَرْسُبُ

Appearing and disappearing in the mirages, so viewers

Think it is floating and sinking.

وَتَدْخُلُ قَلْبَ الغَابِ وَالصُّبْحُ مُسْفِرٌ

فَتَحْسَبُ أَنَّ اللَّيْلَ لِلَّيْلِ مُعْقِبُ

It enters the forest's depths at dawn,

So you would think the night follows the night.

تَمُرُّ عَلَى صُمِّ الصَّفَا عَجَلاتُهَا

فَنَسْمَعُ قَلْبَ الصَّخْرِ يَشْكُو وَيَصْخَبُ

Its wheels pass over the soundless valley,

And we hear the rocks moan and scrape.

وَتَرْقُصُ فَوْقَ النَّاتِئَاتِ مِنَ الحَصَى

فَنُوشِكُ مِنْ تِلْكَ الخَلاَعَةِ نُقْلَبُ

It dances over the rocky protrusions -

We almost overturn because of its reckless swaying.

نَبِيتُ بِأَكْوَاخٍ خَلَتْ مِنْ أُنَاسِهَا

وَقَامَ عَلَيْهَا البُومُ يَبْكِي وَيَنْدُبُ

We spend nights in shacks abandoned by their dwellers,

Where owls weep and lament their loss.

مُفَكَّكَة جُدْرَانُهَا وَسُقُوفُهَا

يُطِلُّ عَلَيْنَا النَّجْمُ مِنْهَا وَيَغْرُبُ

Their walls and roofs are crumbling,

And the stars gaze at us through the holes as they set.

عَلَيْهَا نُقُوشٌ لَمْ تُخَطَّطْ بِرِيشَةٍ

تَظُنُّ صِبَاغَاً لَوْنَهَا وَهْوَ طُحْلُبُ

On them are markings - no brush has decorated them;

You would think them colored by algae.

يُغَنِّي لَنَا فِيهَا الْهَوَاءُ كَأَنَّهُ

يُنَوِّمُنَا، وَالْبَرْدُ لِلنَّوْمِ مُذْهِبُ

The wind sings to us in them as though

Lulling us to sleep, while the cold dispels drowsiness.

فَنُمْسِي وَفِي أَجْفَانِنَا الشَّوْقُ لِلْكَرَى

وَنُضْحِي وَجَمْرُ السُّهْدِ فِيهِنَّ يَلْهَبُ

We sleep with longing in our eyes for friends left behind,

And wake with burning embers of affection still aglow.

وَمَأْكَلُنَا مِمَّا نَصِيدُ وَطَالَمَا

طَوَيْنَا لأَنَّ الصَّيْدَ عَنَّا مُغَيَّبُ

Our food is what we hunt, though often

We go hungry when prey eludes us.

وَنَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُ الخَيْلُ تَارَةً

وَطَوْرَاً تَعَافُ الخَيْلُ مَا نَحْنُ نَشْرَبُ

At times we drink what the horses drink,

At others the horses disdain what we drink.

حَيَاةُ مَشَقَّاتٍ وَلَكِنْ لِبُعْدِهَا

عَنِ الذُّلِّ تَصْفُو لِلأَبِيِّ وَتَعْذُبُ

A life of hardship, but in its distance

From disgrace, it is wholesome and sweet to one with spirit.

وَقَدْ نَلْتَقِي بَعْضَ الجَمِيلاَتِ صُدْفَةً

فَيُطْرِبْنَنَا وَالْمُبْدُع الغِيد مُطْرِبُ

We chance to meet some beauties along the way

Who delight us, while talented singers also please us.

وَكُلُّ مَكَانٍ فِيهِ لِلْحُسْنِ مَرْتَعٌ

وَلِلطَّرْفِ مَلْهَىً فِيهِ لِلْحُبِّ مَلْعَبُ

Every land has a pasture for beauty,

And a playground of love for the eyes to frolic in.

وَمَا تَلْتَقِي عَيْنَا فَتَاةِ حَيِيَّةٍ

وَعَيْنَا فَتَىً إلاَّ لِكُوبِيدَ مَأْرَبُ

No eyes of a lively girl will meet

The eyes of a youth except for Cupid's battleground.

وَهَلْ أَنَا إِلاَّ شَاعِرٌ لاَنَ قَلْبُهُ

فَلَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صَوْلَةِ الحُبِّ مَهْرَبُ

Am I other than a poet whose heart

Passion has captured? I have no refuge from love's confinement.

نَفَتْنِي مِنَ الْمُدْنِ العَوَاصِمِ عِزَّتِي

فَرُحْتُ بِأَطْرَافِ الوِلايَاتِ أَضْرِبُ

My pride expelled me from the great cities,

So I delighted in wandering the provinces.

أُعَاشِرُ مَنْ لَوْ عَاشَرَ القِرْدُ بَعْضَهَمْ

لَمَا رَدَّ عَنْ دَرْوِين قَبْرٌ مُقَبَّبُ

I socialize with those whose company would shame

Even monkeys - Darwin's theories would be refuted!

وَأُنْصِتُ مُضْطَّرَاً إِلَى كُلِّ أَبْلَهٍ

كَأَنِّي بِأَسْرَارِ البَلاهَةِ مُعْجَبُ

I listen perforce to every fool,

As though impressed with the mysteries of inanity.

وَأَكْرَهُ أَشْيَاءً رَفِيقِي يُحِبُّهَا

وَأَرْغَبُ فِي أَشْيَاءَ عَنْهُنَّ يَرْغَبُ

I dislike what my companions love,

And crave what they spurn.

وَأَرْهَبُ قُطَّاعَ الطَّرِيقِ وَرُبَّمَا

تَعَمَّدْتُ إِظْهَارَ السِّلاَحِ لِيَرْهَبُوا

I fear highway robbers, and sometimes

Deliberately display arms to intimidate them.

فَعِزُّ الفَتَى الطَّاوِي الفَيَافِي مُسَدَّسٌ

كَمَا أَنَّ عِزَّ اللَيْثِ نَابٌ وَمِخْلَبُ

A wanderer's honor is a pistol, just as

A lion's honor is fang and claw.

وَمَا صِينَ حَقٌّ لاَ سِلاَحَ لِرَبِّهِ

وَأَضْعَفُ أَنْوَاعِ السِّلاَحِ التَّأَدُّبُ

China's law gains no respect lacking arms,

And the weakest weapons are those of etiquette.

وَلْولاَ نُيُوبُ الأُسْدِ كَانَتْ ذَلِيلَةً

تُسَاطُ وَتَعْنُو لِلشَّكِيمِ وَتُرْكَبُ

Were it not for the lion's fangs, it would be

Abase, shackled and ridden.

وَكَمْ ظَالِمٍ يَسْتَعْبِدُ النَّاسَ عُنْوَةً

وَحُجَّتُهُ الكُبْرَى الحُسَامُ الْمُشَطّبُ

How many oppressors enslave people by force,

Wielding swords as their greatest argument?

أَقُولُ لِنَفْسِي كُلَّمَا عَضَّهَا الأَسَى

فَآلَمَهَا : صَبْرَاً فَفِي الصَّبْرِ مَكْسَبُ

I say to my soul whenever sorrow afflicts it,

And anguish wounds it: Patience, for in patience lies gain.

لِئَنْ كَانَ صَعْبَاً حَمْلُكِ الْهَمَّ وَالأَذَى

فَحَمْلُكِ مَنَّ النَّاسِ لاَ شَكَّ أَصْعَبُ

If bearing anxiety and suffering is hard,

Bearing people's scorn is undoubtedly harder.

فَلَوْلاَ إِبَاءٌ مَازَجَ الطَّبْعَ لَمْ أَكُنْ

لِمِثْلِي مَجِيءٌ فِي البَرَارِي وَمَذْهَبُ

Were it not for stubbornness ingrained in my nature,

One like me would not have come to the wilderness as refuge.

وَلَوْلاَ رَجَائِي أَنْ تَظَلَّي بَعِيدَةً

عَنِ الضَّيْمِ لَمْ يُوطَأْ بِرِجْلِيَ سَبْسَبُ

And were it not for my hope that you, my soul, will remain

Far from injustice, my feet would not have trod this path.

فَلاَ تَعْذِلِي صَحْبَاً دَرُوا بِي وَمَا عَنَوا

بِأَمْرِي فَهُمْ مِنِّي إِلَى الفَقْرِ أَقْرَبُ

So reproach not my companions who ignored me

And disregarded my affairs, for they are closer to poverty than I.

وَلاَ تَأْمَلِي مِنْ غَيْرِ صَحْبِي مَعُونَةً

مَا تُخْضَبُ الكَفَّانِ وَالقَلْبُ مُجْدِبُ

Nor expect aid from any but my companions,

As hands may be dyed while the heart remains barren.

وَلاَ تَرْتَجِي الإِخْلاَصَ مِنْ كُلِّ بَاسِمٍ

فَفِي البَاسِمِينَ الْمُبْغِضُ الْمُتَحَبِّبُ

Do not anticipate sincerity from every smiling face,

For among the friendly lurks the deceitful pretender.

وَلَوْ كَانَ كُلُّ المُظْهِرِينَ لِيَ الوَفَا

وَفِيِّينَ لَمْ يُعْجِزْكِ يَا نَفْسُ مَطْلَبُ

Even if all who feign devotion to me were truly devoted,

That would not satisfy you, O soul, in what you seek!

عَتِبْتُ عَلَى نَاسٍ أَضَاعُوا مَوَدَّتِي

وَكُلُّ كَرِيمٍ خَانَهُ الصَّحْبُ يَعْتَبُ

I have reproached people who discarded my affection,

Though every noble person has been betrayed by a companion.

فَقَدْ زَعَمُوا أَنِّي هَجَوْتُ حَبِيبَهُمْ

وَأَنِّي سَأَهْجُو غَيْرَهُ حِينَ أَخْطُبُ

They claimed I lampooned their beloved,

And that I will lampoon others when I compose poetry.

وَلَسْتُ بِهَجَّاءٍ .. وَلَكِنَّهُ الْهَوَى

إِذَا قَادَ نَفْسَ الْمَرْءِ فَالنُّورُ غَيْهَبُ

I am no lampooner... but passion -

When it leads a man - dims the light of discernment.

أَنَا مَنْ يَرَى أَنَّ الرِّيَاءَ مَعَرَّةٌ

وَأَنَّ خَبِيثَ القَوْلِ فِي الصِّدْقِ طَيِّبُ

I view ostentation as shameful,

And that vile words in truth are foul ones.

وَمَا أَنَا إِلاَّ كَالزَّمَانِ وَأَهْلِهِ

أَعَافُ وَأَسْتَحْلِي وَأَرْضَى وَأَغْضَبُ

I am but as time and its people -

I pardon, pretend, satisfy, and anger.

فَأَيُّ هِجَاءٍ فِي مَقَالِي لِعَقْرَبٍ

لَهُ وَلَعٌ بِالشَّرِّ إِنَّكَ عَقْرَبُ

What lampoon is it if I say of a scorpion

Obsessed with evil, "You are a scorpion!"

فَيَا نَفْسُ إِلاَّ أَنْتِ مَا لَكِ وَاعْلَمِي

بِأَنَّ كُلَّ بَرْقٍ غَيْر بَرْقِكِ خُلَّبُ

O soul, none but you are responsible for yourself,

And know that any lightning other than your own goes astray.

تَعِبْتِ إِذَا اسْتَنْظَرْتِ خَيْرَاً مِنَ الوَرَى

وَمُسْتَقْطِرُ السَّلْوَى مِنَ الصَّابِ يَتْعَبُ

You grow weary when you look to people for good,

While one who squeezes honey from thorns grows weary.