هُوَ الْبَيْنُ حَتَّى لا سَلامٌ وَلا رَدُّ

وَلا نَظْرَةٌ يَقْضِي بِهَا حَقَّهُ الْوَجْدُ

He is the separation, no greetings or response

No glance to fulfill the right of passion

لَقَدْ نَعَبَ الْوَابُورُ بِالْبَيْنِ بَيْنَهُمْ

فَسَارُوا وَلا زَمُّوا جِمَالاً وَلا شَدُّوا

The steamer has set sail with the separation between them

They departed without beauty or pulling of ropes

سَرَى بِهِمُ سَيْرَ الْغَمَامِ كَأَنَّمَا

لَهُ فِي تَنَائِي كُلِّ ذِي خُلَّةٍ قَصْدُ

It sailed with them like the sailing of clouds

As if it had the intention to distance all lovers

فَلا عَيْنَ إِلَّا وَهْيَ عَيْنٌ مِنَ الْبُكَى

وَلا خَدَّ إِلَّا لِلدُّمُوعِ بِهِ خَدُّ

So every eye is an eye of crying

And every cheek has tears upon it

فَيَا سَعْدُ حَدِّثْنِي بِأَخْبَارِ مَنْ مَضَى

فَأَنْتَ خَبِيرٌ بِالأَحَادِيثِ يَا سَعْدُ

So Sa'd, tell me news of those who left

You are knowledgeable of stories, O Sa'd

لَعَلَّ حَدِيثَ الشَّوْقِ يُطْفِئُ لَوْعَةً

مِنَ الْوَجْدِ أَوْ يَقْضِي بِصَاحِبِهِ الْفَقْدُ

Perhaps the talk of longing may extinguish an ember

Of passion or may fulfill the loss of the absent one

هُوَ النَّارُ في الأَحْشَاءِ لَكِنْ لِوَقْعِهَا

عَلَى كَبِدِي مِمَّا أَلَذُّ بِهِ بَرْدُ

It is a fire in the entrails, but for its fall

Upon my liver, that which cools it is most beloved

لَعَمْرُ الْمَغَانِي وَهْيَ عِنْدِي عَزِيزَةٌ

بِسَاكِنِهَا مَا شَاقَنِي بَعْدَهَا عَهْدُ

By the passions! They are dear to me

Nothing has troubled me after residing in them

لَكَانَتْ وَفيهَا مَا تَرَى عَيْنُ نَاظِرٍ

وَأَمْسَتْ وَمَا فِيها لِغَيْرِ الأَسَى وَفْدُ

If it contained what an onlooker's eye sees

It spent the night without anything but sorrow and visitors

خَلاءٌ مِنَ الأُلافِ إِلَّا عِصَابَةً

حَدَاهُمْ إِلَى عِرْفَانِهَا أَمَلٌ فَرْدُ

Emptied of friends, except for a group

Whose hopes led them to know it

دَعَتْهُمْ إِلَيْهَا نَفْحَةٌ عَنْبَرِيَّةٌ

وَبِالنَّفْحَةِ الْحَسْنَاءِ قَدْ يُعْرَفُ الْوَرْدُ

An ambergris breeze called them

And by the beautiful breeze, roses are known

وَقَفْنَا فَسَلَّمْنَا فَرَدَّتْ بِأَلْسُنٍ

صَوَامِتَ إِلَّا أَنَّهَا أَلْسُنٌ لُدُّ

We stopped and greeted with silent tongues

Except they are tongues that speak

فَمِنْ مُقْلَةٍ عَبْرَى وَمِنْ لَفْحِ زَفْرَةٍ

لَهَا شَرَرٌ بَيْنَ الْحَشَا مَا لَهُ زَنْدُ

From the blinking of an eye and the exhale of a sigh

That has embers between dignity that has no fire

فَيَا قَلْبُ صَبْرَاً إِنْ أَلَمَّ بِكَ النَّوَى

فَكُلُّ فِراقٍ أَوْ تَلاقٍ لَهُ حَدُّ

So O heart, be patient if the bier pained you

For every separation or meeting has an extent

فَقَدْ يُشْعَبُ الإِلْفَانِ أَدْنَاهُمَا الْهَوَى

وَيَلْتَئِمُ الضِّدَّانِ أَقْصَاهُمَا الْحِقْدُ

Passion may divide the closest two

And enmity may join the furthest two

عَلَى هَذِهِ تَجْرِي اللَّيَالِي بِحُكْمِها

فَآوِنَةً قُرْبٌ وَآوِنَةً بُعْدُ

The nights flow according to their judgment

Once near, another time far

وما كُنْتُ لَوْلا الْحُبُّ أَخْضَعُ لِلَّتي

تُسِيءُ وَلَكِنَّ الْفَتَى لِلْهَوى عَبْدُ

I would not have been submissive to she who

Does wrong, but the young man is enslaved to passion

فَعُودِي صُلْبٌ لا يَلِينُ لِغَامِزٍ

وَقَلْبِيَ سَيْفٌ لا يُفَلُّ لَهُ حَدُّ

So my determination does not soften to a critic

And my heart is a sword that has no notched blade

إِبَاءٌ كَمَا شَاءَ الفَخَارُ وَصَبْوَةٌ

يَذِلُّ لَهَا في خِيسِهِ الأَسَدُ الْوَرْدُ

Refusal, as the potter willed, and bravery

That the meek lion lowers to

وَإِنَّا أُنَاسٌ لَيْسَ فِينَا مَعَابَةٌ

سِوَى أَنَّ وادِينَا بِحُكْمِ الْهَوَى نَجْدُ

We are people with no disgrace

Except that our valley judges with passion, we help

نَلِينُ وإِنْ كُنَّا أَشِدَّاءَ لِلْهَوَى

وَنَغْضَبُ في شَرْوَى نَقِيرٍ فَنَشْتَدُّ

We soften even if we are firm with passion

We rage in the neighing of a stallion and become severe

وَحَسْبُكَ مِنَّا شِيمَةٌ عَرَبِيَّةٌ

هِيَ الْخَمْرُ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِ مِنْ دُونِها حَرْدُ

It is enough that you know our Arab nature

It is wine, if turpentine does not come without it

وَبِي ظَمأٌ لَمْ يَبْلُغِ الْماءُ رِيَّهُ

وَفِي النَّفْسِ أَمْرٌ لَيْسَ يُدْرِكُهُ الْجَهْدُ

I have a thirst that water does not quench

And in the soul is a matter that effort cannot attain

أَوَدُّ وَما وُدُّ امْرِئٍ نَافِعٌ لَهُ

وإِنْ كانَ ذَا عَقْلٍ إِذَا لم يَكُنْ جَدُّ

I love, and the love of a man does not benefit him

If he has intellect, when he has no seriousness

وَمَا بِيَ مِنْ فَقْرٍ لِدُنْيَا وإِنَّمَا

طِلابُ الْعُلا مَجْدٌ وإِنْ كَانَ لِي مَجْدُ

I have no poverty of worldly things, but

Seeking the heights is glory, even if I have glory

وَكَمْ مِنْ يَدٍ لِلَّهِ عِنْدِي وَنِعْمَةٍ

يَعَضُّ عَلَيْهَا كَفَّهُ الْحاسِدُ الْوَغْدُ

How many gifts I have from God

That the envious malignant person bites his hand over

أَنَا الْمَرْءُ لا يُطْغِيهِ عِزٌّ لِثَرْوَةٍ

أَصَابَ وَلا يُلْوِي بِأَخْلاقِهِ الْكَدُّ

I am the man whom wealth does not make arrogant

Nor does hardship curve his morals

أَصُدُّ عَنِ الْمَوفُورِ يُدْرِكُهُ الْخَنَا

وَأَقْنَعُ بِالْمَيْسُورِ يَعْقُبُهُ الْحَمْدُ

My trait is loving loyalty innately

What good is a heart that has no lasting pact

وَمَنْ كَانَ ذَا نَفْسٍ كَنَفْسِي تَصَدَّعَتْ

لِعِزَّتِهِ الدُّنْيَا وذَلَّتْ لَهُ الأُسْدُ

But brothers in Egypt and companions

Who forgot us, no promise or oath from them

وَمَنْ شِيَمِي حُبُّ الْوَفاءِ سَجِيَّةً

وَما خَيْرُ قَلْبٍ لا يَدُومُ لَهُ عَهْدُ

I yearn for them in longing, though between us

Are aspirations that weary the closest of relatives

وَلَكِنَّ إِخْوَاناً بِمِصْرَ وَرُفْقَةً

نَسُونَا فَلا عَهْدٌ لَدَيْهِمْ ولا وَعْدُ

So O dwellers of Fustat, what is with our letters

Lying with you a month without response?

أَحِنُّ لَهُمْ شَوْقاً عَلَى أَنَّ دُونَنَا

مَهامِهَ تَعْيَا دُونَ أَقْرَبِها الرُّبْدُ

Is it true that we remember your pact

While you have no kindness towards us?

فَيَا ساكِنِي الْفُسطَاطِ ما بالُ كُتْبِنَا

ثَوَتْ عِنْدَكُمْ شَهْراً وَلَيْسَ لها رَدُّ

So no harm, God will bring about a return

That is easy after communication is cut off

أَفِي الْحَقِّ أَنَّا ذاكِرُونَ لِعَهْدِكُمْ

وَأَنْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا لَيْسَ يَعْطِفُكُمْ وُدُّ

May God reward well whoever rewards me with its like

In misery, the prime of life flows with it

فَلا ضَيْرَ إِنَّ الله يُعْقِبُ عَوْدَةً

يَهُونُ لَهَا بَعْدَ الْمُواصَلَةِ الصَّدُّ

I spend the night remembering you in it, tossing and turning

As if I am well or the roses turned towards it

جَزَى اللهُ خَيْرَاً مَنْ جَزانِي بِمِثْلِهِ

عَلَى شُقَّةٍ غَزْرُ الحَيَاةِ بِهَا ثَمْدُ

So do not think me heedless of your affection

Going slowly, in my mind there is no uncaring stone

أَبِيتُ لِذكْراكُمْ بِها مُتَمَلْمِلاً

كَأَنِّي سَلِيمٌ أَوْ مَشَتْ نَحْوَهُ الْوِرْدُ

It is love, not turned away by distance, and perhaps

It softly sighs from the touch of separation

فَلا تَحْسَبُونِي غَافِلاً عَنْ وِدَادِكُمْ

رُوَيداً فَمَا فِي مُهْجَتِي حَجَرٌ صَلْدُ

An estrangement came between you and me and frowned

At my face, its nature is wretchedness

هُوَ الْحُبُّ لا يَثْنِيهِ نَأْيٌ وَرُبَّما

تَأَرَّجَ مِنْ مَسِّ الضِّرَامِ لَهُ النَّدُّ

I look around, I do not see anything but a nation

Of blond heads in the Balkans, missed by number

نَأَتْ بِيَ عَنْكُمْ غُرْبَةٌ وتَجَهَّمَتْ

بِوَجْهِيَ أَيَّامٌ خَلائِقُهَا نُكْدُ

Vagrants on the ridge of mountains for a raid

The light of dawn chases it when it appears

أَدُورُ بِعَيْنِي لا أَرَى غَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ

مِنَ الرُّوسِ بِالْبَلْقَانِ يُخْطِئُهَا الْعَدُّ

When we walk, evil proclaims its name

And the warrior shouts death and the army draws swords

جَوَاثٍ عَلَى هَامِ الْجِبَالِ لِغَارَةٍ

يَطِيرُ بِهَا ضَوْءُ الصَّبَاحِ إِذَا يَبْدُو

So you see between the two crowds a battlefield

In which the brave curly-haired man speaks to himself

إِذَا نَحْنُ سِرْنَا صَرَّحَ الشَّرُّ بِاسْمِهِ

وَصَاحَ الْقَنَا بِالْمَوْتِ واسْتَقْتَلَ الْجُنْدُ

On the ground, from it, streams of blood

And above, from its oozing, stars spill

فَأَنْتَ تَرَى بَيْنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَبَّةً

يُحَدِّثُ فيها نَفْسَهُ الْبَطَلُ الْجَعْدُ

When they engage, or the march retreats, I see them

As successive seas between ebb and flow

عَلَى الأَرْضِ مِنْها بِالدِّمَاءِ جَدَاوِلٌ

وَفَوْقَ سَرَاةِ النَّجْمِ مِنْ نَقْعِهَا لِبْدُ

We make them drink the drought of thirst

The defiance of quenching and the teasing of the vineyard

إِذَا اشْتَبَكُوا أَوْ رَاجَعُوا الزَّحْفَ خِلْتَهُمْ

بُحُوراً تَوَالَى بَيْنَها الْجَزْرُ والْمَدُّ

So they are between a dead body laying still, a fugitive

Wandering, a captive pulled by armor

نَشُلُّهُمُ شَلَّ الْعِطَاشِ وَنَتْ بِهَا

مُرَاغَمَةُ السُّقْيَا وَمَاطَلَهَا الْوِرْدُ

We go to council when dusk falls

And we attack them with deaths when we attack

فَهُمْ بَيْنَ مَقْتُولٍ طَرِيحٍ وَهَارِبٍ

طَلِيحٍ وَمَأْسُورٍ يُجَاذِبُهُ الْقِدُّ

And drizzling like the darkness of the sea I stirred up its clouds

With no refuge but blades and coats of mail

نَرُوحُ إِلَى الشُّورَى إِذَا أَقْبَلَ الدُّجَى

وَنَغْدُو عَلَيْهِمْ بِالمَنَايَا إِذَا نَغْدُو

I endured it while death sometimes turned red

And sometimes melted into the darkness so it blackened

وَنَقْعٍ كَلُجِّ الْبَحْرِ خُضْتُ غِمَارَهُ

ولا مَعْقِلٌ إِلَّا الْمَنَاصِلُ وَالْجُرْدُ

I was none but the lion aroused by the trail

And none but the sword separated from its sheath

صَبَرْتُ لَهُ والْمَوْتُ يَحْمَرُّ تَارَةً

وَيَنْغَلُّ طَوْراً فِي الْعَجَاجِ فَيَسْوَدُّ

Roaring, and for the heroes a whisper from weakness

Galloping, while the heart of the spear in his chest runs

فَمَا كُنْتُ إِلَّا اللَّيْثَ أَنْهَضَهُ الطَّوَى

ومَا كُنْتُ إِلَّا السَّيْفَ فَارَقَهُ الْغِمْدُ

No mind except that my spear is its conscience

No courage except that my sword has its knot

صَؤُولٌ وَلِلأَبْطَالِ هَمْسٌ مِنَ الْوَنَى

ضَرُوبٌ وقَلْبُ الْقِرْنِ في صَدْرِهِ يَعْدُو

Not all who strive attain their soul's request

Nor does guidance accompany every seeker

فَمَا مُهْجَةٌ إِلَّا وَرُمْحِي ضَمِيرُهَا

ولا لَبَّةٌ إِلَّا وَسَيْفِي لَهَا عِقْدُ

If the heart does not support you in every position

Then the sword is but a carried instrument

وَمَا كُلُّ ساعٍ بَالِغٌ سُؤْلَ نَفْسِهِ

وَلا كُلُّ طَلاَّبٍ يُصَاحِبُهُ الرُّشْدُ

If the outcome of everything, even if pure

Is annihilation, then the hated annihilation is eternity

إِذَا الْقَلْبُ لَمْ يَنْصُرْكَ فِي كُلِّ مَوْطِنٍ

فَمَا السَّيْفُ إِلَّا آلَةٌ حَمْلُهَا إِدُّ

And immortalizing one's mention after death

Is life for him, no death reaches it afterward

إِذَا كَانَ عُقْبَى كُلِّ شَيءٍ وَإِنْ زَكَا

فَنَاءٌ فَمَكْرُوهُ الْفَنَاءِ هُوَ الْخُلْدُ

So why does man fear the evil of his day

While in his tomorrow is what its occurrence is inevitable?

وَتَخْلِيدُ ذِكْرِ الْمَرءِ بَعْدَ وَفاتِهِ

حَيَاةٌ لَهُ لا مَوْتَ يَلْحَقُها بَعْدُ

To spite me, let the envious boil in rage, for I

Am sulphur to their nostrils and fire to their livers, kindled

فَفِيمَ يَخَافُ الْمَرْءُ سَوْرَةَ يَوْمِهِ

وفي غَدِهِ ما لَيْسَ مِنْ وَقْعِهِ بُدُّ

I am the praised speaker without any insult

And of the merit of nobility, enmity and opposition

لِيَضْنَ بِيَ الْحُسَّادُ غَيْظاً فَإِنَّنِي

لِآنافِهِمْ رَغْمٌ وَأَكْبَادِهِمْ وَقْدُ

So a man may envy his own son, and he himself

While an armlet may constrict the arm that carries it

أَنَا القائِلُ الْمَحْمُودُ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُبَّةٍ

وَمِنْ شِيمَةِ الْفَضْلِ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالضَّدُّ

I still remain envied for glory and greatness

And no man envied has a peer

فَقَدْ يَحْسُدُ الْمَرْءُ ابْنَهُ وَهْوَ نَفْسُهُ

وَرُبَّ سِوَارٍ ضَاقَ عَنْ حَمْلِهِ الْعَضْدُ

فَلا زِلْتُ مَحْسُوداً عَلَى الْمَجْدِ والْعُلا

فَلَيْسَ بِمَحْسُودٍ فَتىً ولَهُ نِدُّ