أَحَبّ القَرينَة لَم تَصحَبِ
وَحَبلُ اللُبانَةِ لَم يُقضَبِ
I love the companion, though she has not joined me,
The beloved companion did not accompany me,
and the cord of longing has not been severed.
And the rope of affection was not tied.
وَقَد وَخَطَ الشَيبُ في لِمَّتي
بِشَيءٍ مِنَ الشَعرِ الأَشهَبِ
And gray has already flecked my locks
And grey hair has crept into my beard
with a little ash-gray hair.
With some ashen poetry.
وَأَقصَرَ عَنّي جُنونُ الشَبا
بِ بَعدَ غَرانِقِهِ المُعجِبِ
And the madness of youth has left me
And the madness of youth has evaded me
after its captivating prime.
After its wondrous intoxication.
فَإِن يَأَدُبِ اللَهوُ أَهلَ الشَبا
ب لا أُرى فيهِم وَلا أَلعَبِ
For if diversion invites the young,
So if the reckless youths are disciplined
I am not seen among them, nor do I play.
I do not see myself among them or play.
وَما لِلشَبابِ إِذا جالَ دو
نَ مَيعَتِهِ الشَيبُ مِن مَطلَبِ
And what hope is there of youth, when
What is youth when old age comes
gray hair stands in the way of its prime?
Without its company seeking it out?
لَعَمري لَقَد أَصحَرَت خَيلُها
بِأَكنافِ دِجلَةَ للمُصعَبِ
By my life, its cavalry came out into open country
By my life, their horses have frolicked
along the banks of the Tigris, against Mus‘ab.
On the banks of the Tigris with difficulty.
وَرَدنا الفُرات وَخابورَهُ
وَكانا هُما ثِقَةَ المَشرَبِ
We reached the Euphrates and its Khabur,
And we returned to the Euphrates and its monk,
and both were dependable watering places.
Which were the refuge of drinking.
عَلى كُلِّ رَبوٍ تَرى مُعلِماً
يُصَرِّفُ كَالجَمَلِ الأَجرَبِ
On every rise you see a warrior bearing a battle-mark,
On every hill you see a teacher
gnashing his teeth like a mangy camel.
Who sifts like a lame camel.
لِضاحِيَةِ الشَمسِ في رَأسِهِ
شُعاعٌ يُلَألِئُ كَالكَوكَبِ
In the sun's full glare, upon his head,
For the radiant sun on his head
a ray sparkles like a star.
A ray shines like a planet.
إِذا ما مُنافِقُ أَهلِ العِرا
قِ عوتِبَ يَوماً فَلَم يُعتَبِ
If ever a hypocrite among the people of Iraq
If the hypocrite of Iraq is blamed one day
was reproached one day and made no amends,
He is not admonished.
دَلَفنا إِلَيهِ بِذي تُدرَأٍ
قَليلٍ التَفَقُّدِ لِلغُيَّبِ
we advanced upon him with a mighty force,
We approached him with little inspection
scarcely looking for absent men,
Of the absentee and the covered.
بِجَيشٍ مَتى هَبَطو غائِطاً
وَإِن كانَ ذا كَلَأٍ يَجدِبِ
with an army that, whenever it entered a hollow,
With an army, whenever they descend to defecate
left it barren, even if it had pasture.
Even if the meadow is barren.
وَما قُلتُها رَهبَةً إِنَّما
يَحِلُّ العِقابُ عَلى المُذنِبِ
And I did not say it out of fear: only
And I did not say it out of fear, but
the guilty suffer punishment.
Punishment is due upon the sinner.
وَلا سائِلاً إِنَّ عِندَ الإِلَ
ه خَيرَ المَسائِلِ وَالمَطلَبِ
Nor as a petitioner; indeed, with God
Nor asking, for with God is the best
are the best things to ask for and seek.
Of requests and desires.
يُميتُ وَيُحيي فَما لِلرِجا
لِ إِلّا إِلى اللَهِ مِن مَرغَبِ
He causes death and gives life; so men have
He gives death and gives life, so what can men hope for
nowhere to turn in hope except to God.
Except to God from whom gifts are sought?
مَتى يَحمِلِ اللَهُ رَحلَ اِمرِئٍ
عَلى ظَهرِ مَكروهَةٍ يَركَبِ
Whenever God sets a man's saddle
When will God carry the burden of a man
on the back of a hardship, he rides.
On an unpleasant mount he rides?
وَلَيسَ اِمرُؤٌ نائِلاً مِن هَوا
هُ شَيئاً إِذا هُوَ لَم يُكتَبِ
And no man attains anything he desires
And no man attains anything of his desire
unless it has been written.
If it is not written.
Sol 6.1