سَكَنَ الْفُؤَادُ وَجَفَّتِ الآمَاقُ
وَمَضَتْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهَا الأَشْوَاقُ
My heart found peace, and yearnings departed,
And longing left in its wake.
وَنَزَعْتُ عَنْ نَزَقِ الشَّبِيبَةِ وَالصِّبَا
بَعْدَ الْمَشِيبِ وَلِلشَّبَابِ نِزَاقُ
I stripped myself of the garb of youth and childhood
After grayness, yet youth still has its sport.
لا الدَّارُ دَارٌ بَعْدَ مَا رَحَلَ الصِّبَا
عَنِّي وَلا تِلْكَ الرِّفَاقُ رِفَاقُ
The house is no home when companions depart
Nor are those friends still friends.
وَلَقَدْ جَرَيْتُ مَعَ الْغَوَايَةِ وَالصِّبَا
جَرْيَ الْكُمَيْتِ وَلِلْغَرَامِ سِبَاقُ
I ran with temptation and youth
Like a mad poet, and for love there was rivalry.
وَلَبِسْتُ هَذَا الدَّهْرَ مِنْ أَطْرَافِهِ
وَنَزَعْتُهُ وَقَمِيصُهُ أَخْلاقُ
I wore this world from its edges
And stripped it off, and its shirt was morals.
فَإِذَا الشَّبَابُ وَدِيعَةٌ وَإِذَا الْفَتَى
هَدْيٌّ لِفَاغِرَةِ الْمَنُونِ يُسَاقُ
So youth is a trust and the youth
A gift for the gaping abyss to be led.
لِلَّهِ أَيَّامٌ لَنَا مَعْرُوفَةٌ
سَبَقَتْ وَلَيْسَ لِسَبْقِهِنَّ لحَاقُ
To God belong days known to us
That went ahead and their outpacing has no catching up.
حَيْثُ الصِّبَا نَهْبٌ وَسَلْسَالُ الْهَوَى
عَذْبٌ وَآنِيَةُ السُّرُورِ دِهَاقُ
Where there was the plunder of youth and the chain of passion
Was gentle and the cup of bliss a draft.
فِي جَنَّةٍ خَضْرَاءَ وَرْدُ خُدُودِهَا
زَاهٍ وَغَيْثُ مُدَامِهَا غَيْدَاقُ
In a green garden, the cheeks of its roses
Languid, and the shower of its clouds a cascade.
سَفَرَتْ بِهَا الأَقْمَارُ مِنْ أَطْوَاقِهَا
وَتَجَمَّعَتْ بِفِنَائِهَا الْعُشَّاقُ
The moons traveled in their orbits around it
And lovers gathered in its courtyard.
فَالنُّطْقُ جَهْرٌ وَالتَّحِيَّةُ قُبْلَةٌ
بَيْنَ الأَحِبَّةِ وَالسَّلامُ عِنَاقُ
So speech is loud, greeting a kiss
Among lovers, and peace an embrace.
لا يَسْأَمُونَ اللَّهْوَ بَيْنَ مَلاعِبٍ
قَدْ قَامَ فِيهَا لِلْخَلاعَةِ سَاقُ
They do not tire of diversion amid toys
Erected there for the feast of ankles.
يَفْتَنُّ عَقْلُ الْمَرْءِ فِي تَصْوِيرِهَا
وَتَحَارُ فِي تَمْثِيلِهَا الأَحْدَاقُ
A person’s mind is seduced by depicting them
And sights wander in portraying them.
فَعَلَى الْمُرُوجِ مِنَ الْخَمَائِلِ رَفْرَفٌ
وَعَلَى الْخَمَائِلِ لِلْغُيُومِ رُوَاقُ
So above the meadows are the flutterings
Of beauties, and above the beauties an awning of clouds.
بَعَثَ الرَّبِيعُ لَهُنَّ مِنْ أَنْفَاسِهِ
فَسَمَتْ طِبَاقٌ فَوْقَهُنَّ طِبَاقُ
The spring sent them from its breaths
So tier on tier soared above them.
دُنْيَا نَعِيمٍ لا بَقَاءَ لِحُسْنِهَا
وَنَعِيمُ دُنْيَا مَا لَهَا مِيثَاقُ
A world of bliss with no permanence to its beauty
And the bliss of the world, no pact to it.
فَلَقَدْ مَضَى ذَاكَ الزَّمَانُ بِحُسْنِهِ
وَسَمَا إِلَيَّ الْهَمُّ وَالإِيرَاقُ
So indeed that time passed with its beauty
And worry and sleeplessness came over me.
وَغَدَوْتُ حَرَّانَ الْفُؤَادِ كَأَنَّمَا
ضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ بِرُحْبِهَا الآفَاقُ
I became burning of heart as though
Its expanse had narrowed around me.
نَفِسَتْ عَلَيَّ بَنُو الزَّمَانِ شَمَائِلِي
فَلَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ خِفَّةٌ وَنِزَاقُ
The people of the age sneered at my features
So for them in that are frivolity and derision.
حَسِبُوا التَّحَوُّلَ فِي الطِّبَاعِ خَلِيقَةً
وَتَحَوُّلُ الأَخْلاقِ لَيْسَ يُطَاقُ
They supposed the change of nature a trait
But the change of character cannot be endured.
تَاللَّهِ أَهْدَأُ أَوْ تَقُومُ قِيَامَةٌ
فِيهَا الدِّمَاءُ عَلَى الدِّمَاءِ تُرَاقُ
By God! Do I quell or rise in an uprising
In which blood flows over blood?
تَرْتَدُّ عَيْنُ الشَّمْسِ فِي سَتَرَاتِهَا
وَيَضِلُّ فِي هَبَوَاتِهَا الإِشْرَاقُ
The eye of the sun turns back in its veils
And dawn wanders lost in its wanderings.
شَعْوَاءُ تَلْتَهِمُ الْفَضَاءَ وَيَرْتَقِي
مِنْهَا عَلَى حُبُكِ السَّمَاءِ نِطَاقُ
Flames that consume the horizon and a pillar of smoke
Climbs upon the firmament’s hem.
أَنَا لا أَقَرُّ عَلَىالْقَبِيحِ مَهَابَةً
إِنَّ الْقَرَارَ عَلَى الْقَبِيحِ نِفَاقُ
I do not settle on ugly out of fear
Settling on ugly is hypocrisy.
قَلْبِي عَلَى ثِقَةٍ وَنَفْسِي حُرَّةٌ
تَأْبَى الدَّنِيَّ وَصَارِمِي ذَلَّاقُ
My heart is assured and my soul is free
Refusing baseness with my keen sword.
فَعَلامَ يَخْشَى الْمَرْءُ فُرْقَةَ رُوحِهِ
أَوَ لَيْسَ عَاقِبَةُ الْحَيَاةِ فِرَاقُ
So why would a man fear his soul’s separation
When the outcome of life is leave-taking?
فَارْغَبْ بِنَفْسِكَ وَهْيَ فِي أَثْوابِهَا
إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ شَامٌ فَتِلْكَ عِرَاقُ
Then roam while it is in its robes
If you are not one who travels far.
لا خَيْرَ فِي عَيْشِ الْجَبَانِ يَحُوطُهُ
مِنْ جَانِبَيهِ الذُّلُّ وَالإِمْلاقُ
No good is the coward’s living, hemmed in
On both sides by meekness and pliancy.
عَابُوا عَلَيَّ حَمِيَّتِي وَنِكَايَتِي
وَالنَّارُ لَيْسَ يَعِيبُهَا الإِحْرَاقُ
They blamed my zeal and vengeance
Yet fire is not faulted for burning.
فَاضْرَحْهُمُ ضَرْحَ الْعُيُونِ قَذَاتَهَا
وَحَذَارِ لا تَعْلَقْ بِكَ الْعُلَّاقُ
So tear them with the claws of eyes
And beware hanging nets.
فَالنَّاسُ أَشْبَاهٌ وَشَتَّى بَيْنَهُمْ
تَدْنُو الْجُسُومُ وَتَبْعُدُ الأَخْلاقُ
For people are similar with difference among them—
Forms draw near and characters distance.
فَاعْرِفْهُمُ وَاحْذَرْ تَشَابُهَ أَمْرِهِمْ
لا تَسْتَوِي الأَغْلالُ وَالأَطْوَاقُ
So recognize them and beware confusing their matter.
Not equal are shackles and expanses.
لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الرِّفْقَ يَنْزِعُ غِلَّهُمْ
الشَّرُّ دَاءٌ مَا لَهُ إِفْرَاقُ
Do not suppose gentleness removes their fetters—
Evil is a disease, no healing dispels it.
شَرُوا الضَّلالَةَ بِالْهُدَى وَاغْتَرَّهُمْ
لِينُ الْحَيَاةِ وَمَاؤُهَا الرَّقرَاقُ
They deemed misguidance guidance and it seduced them—
The smoothness of life and its drink tempting.
فَتَرَى الْفَتَى مِنْهُمْ كَأَنَّ بِرَأْسِهِ
نَزْغَ الْجُنُونِ فَلَيْسَ فِيهِ لَيَاقُ
So you see among them a youth as though
In his head was the tugging of madness.
مُتَلَوِّنُ الأَخْلاقِ بَيْنَ عَشِيرِهِ
جَهْلاً كَمَا يَتَلَوَّنُ الشِّقْرَاقُ
Changing morals among his clan
Ignorant, as the chameleon changes color.
لَهِجٌ بِعَارِيَةِ الْحَيَاةِ وَمَا دَرَى
أَنَّ الْحَيَاةَ إِلَى الْمَنُونِ مَسَاقُ
Lewd with the nakedness of life yet unaware
That life to mortality is led.
لَوْ كَانَ يَسْلَمُ فِي الزَّمَانِ مِنَ الرَّدَى
حَيٌّ لَعَاشَ بِجَوِّهِ السَّيْذَاقُ
If one were safe in the age from decrepitude
A living one would live enjoying its freshness.
أَرْبَى عَلَى شِمْرَاخِ أَرْعَنَ بَاذِخٍ
سَامٍ لَهُ فَوْقَ السَّحَائِبِ طَاقُ
Roaring on the pinnacle of a towering
And lofty date palm to the clouds its crown.
نَهْمَانُ يَعْتَلِقُ الْقَطَا بِمَخَالِبٍ
حُجْنٍ لَهُنَّ بِوَقْعِهَا تَصْعَاقُ
A resolute one clinging to wild beasts with
Rended talons for which their striking has echoes.
لا يَسْتَقِرُّ بِهِ الْجَنَاحُ وَطَرْفُهُ
مُتَقَلِّبٌ يَسْمُو بِهِ الإِرْشَاقُ
The wing does not settle with it and its edge
Ever-turning, ambition makes it soar.
بَيْنَا كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَصَابَ عِصَابَةً
لِلطَّيْرِ أَرْسَلَهَا صَدَىً مِحْرَاقُ
While thus suddenly it met a flock
Of birds unleashed on it with burning sound.
فَسَمَا فَحَلَّقَ فَاسْتَدَارَ فَصَكَّهَا
بِمُذَرَّبٍ تَمْكُو لَهُ الأَعْنَاقُ
It soared then wheeled then rounded and beat them
With outspread wings whose necks obey.
تَسْمُو فَيَتْبَعُهَا فَتَهْوِي وَهْوَ فِي
آثَارِهَا مَرَّ الشِّهَابِ حِرَاقُ
They rise and it follows them as they plunge and after
Them plunge the sparks of a shooting star.
مَذْعُورَةٌ تَبْغِي الْفِرَارَ مِنَ الرَّدَى
إِنَّ الْفِرَارَ مِنَ الْمَنُونِ وَثَاقُ
In panic seeking escape from fate
But escape from death has shackles.
حَتَّى إِذَا فَتَرَتْ وَحَطَّ بِهَا الْوَنَى
سَقَطَتْ فَلَيْسَ لِنَفْسِهَا أَرْمَاقُ
Until when they weakened and weariness overtook them,
They fell and had no power for flight.
فَأَتَى فَمَزَّقَهَا كَمَا حَكَمَ الرَّدَى
وَلِكُلِّ نَفْسٍ مَرَّةً إِزْهَاقُ
So he came and tore them as fate decreed
And for each soul once there is snatching away.
أَفَذَاكَ أَمْ ضِرْغَامُ خِيسٍ مُدْهِسٌ
تَنْجَابُ عَنْ أَنْيَابِهِ الأَشْدَاقُ
Or is it an abject hyena, slinking, from it
Between the meadows flows a creeping rivulet?
مَنَعَ الطَّرِيقَ فَمَا تَجُوسُ خِلالَهُ
فِي سَيْرِهَا الطُّرَّاقُ وَالْمُرَّاقُ
Those who walk about fear the poison of its drool
To touch it has no counter poison.
غَضْبَانُ يَضْرِبُ ذَيْلَهُ وَيَلُفُّهُ
مِنْ جَانِبَيْهِ كَأَنَّهُ مِخْرَاقُ
In the darkness glow two ember eyes
Blazing yet no lids cover them.
عَصَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ النَّائِجَاتُ وَخَابَ مِنْ
هَامِ الْوُحُوشِ لَهُ حَشاً وَصِفَاقُ
It steals along and crashes into bushes and plunges
At them its protruding and sharpened tusk.
فَسَمَا فَأَبْصَرَ رَاعِيَيْنِ تَخَلَّفَا
بِالْعِيرِ تَصْدَحُ بَيْنَهُنَّ نِيَاقُ
The beasts left it the wilderness and plunged
Seeking salvation—their assembly minds.
فَأَجَمَّ قُوَّتَهُ وَشَدَّ بِوَثْبَةٍ
صُمُّ الصُّخُورِ لِوَقْعِهَا أَفْلاقُ
Until when anxieties assumed themselves around it
Lost with them as the depths cleared.
حَتَّى إِذا اعْتَرَضَ الرِّحَالَ إِذَا بِهَا
يَقِظٌ تَلِينُ لِكَفِّهِ الأَرْزَاقُ
But time struck it with its arrow.
Truly time upon us takes aim.
مُتَقَلِّدٌ سَيْفَاً تَرِفُّ مُتُونُهُ
رَفَّ الْمَصَابِحِ شَفَّهُنَّ لِيَاقُ
Wonders that the wasteland fell short of
Which the experts disputed the causes of.
فَتَصَاوَلا حَتَّى إِذَا مَا اسْتَنْفَدَا
مَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُمَا وَضَاقَ خِنَاقُ
So listen—not all words are good
And for every saying in hearing is a taste.
هَمَّا بِبَعْضِهِمَا فَمَاتَا مِيتَةً
لَهُمَا بِهَا حَتَّى الْمَعَادِ وِفَاقُ
Words descended to me from its balconies
And sights represented my discourse.
أَمْ أَرْقَشٌ مَرِسٌ يَسِيلُ كَأَنَّهُ
بَيْنَ الْخَمَائِلِ جَدْوَلٌ دَفَّاقُ
يَتَنَاذَرُ الرَّاقُونَ سُمَّ لُعَابِهِ
رُعْباً فَلَيْسَ لِمَسِّهِ دِرْيَاقُ
تَسِمُ الظَّلامَ ذُبَالَتَانِ بِرَأْسِهِ
تَقِدَان لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَطْبَاقُ
يَسْرِي فَيَقْتَحِمُ السِّرَارَ وَيَرْتَمِي
بِسَنَاهُمَا الْمُتَنَبِّلُ الْمِرْشَاقُ
تَرَكَ الْوُحُوشُ لَهُ الْفَلاةَ وَأَوْغَلَتْ
طَلَبَ النَّجَاةِ فَجَمْعُها أَحْذَاقُ
حَتَّى إِذَا ظَنَّ الظُّنُونَ بِنَفْسِهِ
تِيهاً بِهَا وَخَلَتْ لَهُ الأَعْمَاقُ
أَنْحَى فَأَقْصَدَهُ الزَّمَانُ بِسَهْمِهِ
إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ لَنَابِلٌ مِيفَاقُ
حِكَمٌ تَحَيَّرَتِ الْبَرِيَّةُ دُونَهَا
وَتَنَازَعَتْ أَسْبَابَهَا الْحُذَّاقُ
فَاسْمَعْ فَمَا كُلُّ الْكَلامِ بِطَيِّبٍ
وَلِكُلِّ قَوْلٍ فِي السَّمَاعِ مَذَاقُ
نَزَلَ الْكَلامُ إِلَيَّ مِنْ شُرُفَاتِهِ
وَتَمَثَّلَتْ بِحَدِيثِيَ الآفَاقُ
