أَعاذِلَ لَيسَ سَمعي لِلمَلامِ
عَفَفتُ عَنِ الغَواني وَالمُدامِ
I do not listen to blame, blame has no place for my ear,
I refrained from passion and wine,
وَبِنتُ عَنِ الشَبابِ فَلَيسَ مِنّي
وَآخِرُ كُلُّ شَيءٍ لِاِنصِرامِ
And turned away from youth—it's no more my own.
In the end all things pass away.
رَأَيتُ الدَهرَ يُنقِصُ كُلَّ يَومٍ
قُوى حَبلِ البَقاءِ وَكُلَّ عامِ
I saw time diminishing daily
The strength of continuity’s rope and every year.
يُقَتَّلُ بَعضُنا بِأَكُفِّ بَعضٍ
وَيُشحَذُ بَينَنا سَيفُ الحِمامِ
Some of us are killed by others’ palms
And between us the sword of defenders is sharpened.
وَحَربٍ قَد قَرَنتُ المَوتَ فيها
بِجَيشٍ يَهمُرُ الهَيجا لُهامِ
And in battles where I married death
To an army raging, wildly attacking,
وَفِتيانٍ يُجيبونَ المَنايا
إِذا غَضِبوا بِأَنفُسِهِم كِرامِ
And young men answering the fates
When they're angry with their noble selves.
وَطِرفٍ كَالهِراوَةِ أَعوَجِيٍّ
حَثيثِ السَيرِ يَرقى في اللِجامِ
And a gazelle, crooked, swerving,
Quick striding, rising on the reins—
وَهاجِرَةٍ يَصُدُّ العَيسَ فيها
حَرورٌ مِن لَوافِحَ كَالضِرامِ
An immigrant the stallions defend against,
Zebras from the meadows like ostriches.
تُقيمُ عَلى رُؤوسِ الرَكبِ شَمساً
كَصولِ القِرنِ بِالذَكَرِ الحُسامِ
Raising over the riders’ heads a sun
Like the horns’ points with the sharp swords.
قَطَعتُ هَجيرَهَ بِذَواتِ صَبرٍ
عَلى أَمثالِها وَاليَومُ حامي
I cut its talk with patient beings
The like of which exist, and the day grows hot.
يُصافِحنَ الظِلالَ بِكُلِّ خَرقٍ
مُصافَحَةَ المُحَيّا بِالسَلامِ
They greet the shadows at every tear
Like the winkers greeting peace.
رَمَت أَرضٌ بِهَ أَرضاً فَأَرضاً
كَنَبذِ القَومِ صائِبَةَ السِهامِ
Earth flung it at earth then earth
Like the tribe's casting of arrows.
أَبَيتُ الضَيمَ بَأسَ يَدٍ وَصَبرٍ
إِذا اِلتَقَتِ المَحامي بِالمُحامي
I refused injustice—the power of a hand and patience
When the protector meets protector.
بِأَنَّ مَكانَ بَيتي في المَعالي
مَكانَ السِلكِ في خَرَزِ النِظامِ
That my house is in the heights
Where the wire fits in sequence’s beads.
