قد طال للماطلِ أن يُقتَضَى

قد طال للماطلِ أن يُقتَضَى

وأن يعافِى من أَمرضا

وأن يعافِى من أَمرضا

It is long past time for the stalling debtor to be pressed for payment,

The procrastinator has too long delayed his duty,

and for him to heal the one he made ill.

And recovery from his illness.

سلُوا الذي حالفني في الهوى

سلُوا الذي حالفني في الهوى

بما الذي كفَّر إذ أعرضا

بما الذي كفَّر إذ أعرضا

Ask the one who made a pact with me in love

Ask him who made me a confidant in love

with what he atoned when he turned away.

With that which atoned when he was averse.

ملآن غيظا وفؤادى به

ملآن غيظا وفؤادى به

مقلَّبٌ في جمَراتِ الغضا

مقلَّبٌ في جمَراتِ الغضا

He is full of rage, while my heart, because of him,

Filled with rage is my heart because of him,

is turned over in the embers of ghada wood.

Churned in the embers of grief.

نادِ على نفسك هذا القِلَى

نادِ على نفسك هذا القِلَى

جزاءُ من حَكَّم أو فَوَّضا

جزاءُ من حَكَّم أو فَوَّضا

Cry out against yourself: this hatred

Reproach yourself, this attachment,

is the reward of one who appoints an arbiter or delegates authority.

The recompense of him who arbitrated or delegated.

صاحِ ترى برقاً على جاسمٍ

صاحِ ترى برقاً على جاسمٍ

كأنّه هِنديَّةٌ تُنتَضَى

كأنّه هِنديَّةٌ تُنتَضَى

Friend, do you see lightning over Jasim,

Shout! Do you see lightning on a cloud,

as though it were an Indian sword being unsheathed?

As if it were an Indian blade being sharpened?

أَذكرنى عهدَ عقيقِ الحِمىَ

أَذكرنى عهدَ عقيقِ الحِمىَ

ولا يُعيد الذكرُ ما قد مضَى

ولا يُعيد الذكرُ ما قد مضَى

It reminded me of the days of Aqiq al-Hima,

Remind me of the pact at passionate meetings,

but memory does not restore what has already passed.

And recollection cannot restore what has passed.

سرَى مع الطيف فهذا لمن

سرَى مع الطيف فهذا لمن

سهَر والطيفُ لمن غمَّضا

سهَر والطيفُ لمن غمَّضا

It traveled by night with the dream-vision: this is for whoever

The specter went with the phantom, so this is for one

stays awake, and the vision is for whoever closes his eyes.

Who was sleepless, and the phantom for one who winked.

إن لم يكن شجوِى فقد شاقنى

إن لم يكن شجوِى فقد شاقنى

سيّانِ مَن قاتَل أو حرَّضا

سيّانِ مَن قاتَل أو حرَّضا

Even if it did not cause my sorrow, it stirred my longing;

If my anguish has not, then it has wearied me—

the fighter and the inciter are alike.

Both he who fought and he who provoked are equal.

تالله لو تُضمِرُ أحشاؤه

تالله لو تُضمِرُ أحشاؤه

ضميرَ أحشائى لَمَا أومضا

ضميرَ أحشائى لَمَا أومضا

By God, if its entrails harbored

By God, if his inner self

the secret of my own entrails, it would not have flashed.

Harbored the secret thoughts of my inner self, it would not wink!

حىِّ غزالا بين أجفانه

حىِّ غزالا بين أجفانه

أسنَّةُ الحيَن وسيفُ القضا

أسنَّةُ الحيَن وسيفُ القضا

Greet a gazelle between whose eyelids

He revived a gazelle between his eyelids—

are the spearheads of death and the sword of fate.

The skill of coquetry and the sword of destiny.

رامٍ وما القارةُ آباؤه

رامٍ وما القارةُ آباؤه

يَستغرق السهمَ وما أنبضا

يَستغرق السهمَ وما أنبضا

An archer, though the Qara are not his forefathers,

Aloof, though his forefathers

he buries the arrow whole without twanging a bowstring.

Would exhaust the arrow and not wink.

إياك تلقاه بلا جُنَّةٍ

إياك تلقاه بلا جُنَّةٍ

خوفَ سلاحَىْ سُخطه والرِّضا

خوفَ سلاحَىْ سُخطه والرِّضا

Beware of meeting him without armor,

Beware meeting him without armor,

fearing his two weapons: his anger and his favor.

Fearing his wrath and coveting his favor.

ما تُجمعُ الأضدادُ والرأس لِمْ

ما تُجمعُ الأضدادُ والرأس لِمْ

قد جمَعَ الأسودَ والأبيضا

قد جمَعَ الأسودَ والأبيضا

Opposites are not brought together—why, then, has the head

Opposites cannot be joined, and the head

joined the black and the white?

Has joined black and white.

كأَنّ فرعِى حَلبةٌ أرسلوا

كأَنّ فرعِى حَلبةٌ أرسلوا

دُهما وشُهبا فوقها رُكَّضا

دُهما وشُهبا فوقها رُكَّضا

As though my hair were a racecourse where they released

As if my branch were an arena where they released

black steeds and gray ones, racing over it,

Tears and meteors over it that were goaded.

طالبةً شأوَ امرىء سابقٍ

طالبةً شأوَ امرىء سابقٍ

كلُّ جَناح خَلفَه هُيِّضا

كلُّ جَناح خَلفَه هُيِّضا

seeking to catch up with a man in the lead;

Seeking the glory of a preceding horseman

every wing behind him has been shattered.

Whose every wing behind him was ruffled.

شيَّدتِ الآباء من قبله

شيَّدتِ الآباء من قبله

له البناءَ الأطولَ الأعرضا

له البناءَ الأطولَ الأعرضا

His forefathers, before him, raised

The ancestors before him

for him the tallest, broadest edifice.

Built for him the tallest, broadest edifice.

مَعاشرٌ كانت مساعيهُمُ

مَعاشرٌ كانت مساعيهُمُ

أغطيةَ الأرض وحشوَ الفضا

أغطيةَ الأرض وحشوَ الفضا

Clans whose endeavors were

A band whose exertions

coverings for the earth and the filling of space.

Were blankets over the earth and padding of the firmament.

مذ غمسوا في الماء أطرافَهم

مذ غمسوا في الماء أطرافَهم

ما أَجَنَ الماءُ ولا عَرْمَضا

ما أَجَنَ الماءُ ولا عَرْمَضا

Since they dipped their fingertips into water,

Since they dipped their fingertips in water

the water has never grown foul or mossy.

The water rippled not, nor were disturbed.

لو وطِئوا الضخر بأقدامهم

لو وطِئوا الضخر بأقدامهم

أو لمَستهُ راحُهم رَوّضا

أو لمَستهُ راحُهم رَوّضا

If they trod rock with their feet,

If they trod on stone with their feet,

or their palms touched it, it would become a meadow.

Or if their palms touched it, it would be gentled.

لم تعدَم الدنيا ولا الدينُ مِن

لم تعدَم الدنيا ولا الدينُ مِن

أبنائهم وزارةً أو قَضا

أبنائهم وزارةً أو قَضا

Neither the world nor religion has lacked, from

The world and religion were not devoid of

their sons, ministerial or judicial service.

Their sons' ministry or judgment.

بينا ترى أقلامَهم رُفَّفا

بينا ترى أقلامَهم رُفَّفا

حتى ترى أسيافَهم حُيَّضا

حتى ترى أسيافَهم حُيَّضا

No sooner do you see their pens fluttering

While you see their pens stowed

than you see their swords menstruating.

Until you see their swords burnished.

ولم يزل واطىءُ أعقابهم

ولم يزل واطىءُ أعقابهم

ينهَض حتى لم يجد مَنهَضا

ينهَض حتى لم يجد مَنهَضا

And whoever follows on their heels has kept

And the tread of their heels continued

rising until he found nowhere further to rise.

To rise until it found no riser.

طاب ثَراه فنما فرعُهُ

طاب ثَراه فنما فرعُهُ

ويُخرِج الزُّبدةَ من أمخضا

ويُخرِج الزُّبدةَ من أمخضا

His soil was good, so his branch grew;

Blessed be his soil, so his branch thrived

and whoever churns brings out the butter.

And produced cream from the curds.

محكَّم في العلمِ إن شاء أنَّ

محكَّم في العلمِ إن شاء أنَّ

يختلَّ في مَرعاه أو يُحمِضا

يختلَّ في مَرعاه أو يُحمِضا

He is master of learning, whether he wishes

Skilled in knowledge, if he wished, he could

to graze on sweet herbage in its pasture or on salt plants.

Err in his pasture or turn acidic.

كِنانةُ الآداب في كفِّه

كِنانةُ الآداب في كفِّه

متى رمَى أسهمَها أَغْرَضا

متى رمَى أسهمَها أَغْرَضا

The quiver of the literary arts is in his palm;

The essence of manners is in his palm;

whenever he shoots its arrows, he hits the target.

Whenever he shot its arrows, they hit their mark.

يَفهم مَغزَى القول من قبل أن

يَفهم مَغزَى القول من قبل أن

يُرفعَ أو يُنصَب أو يُخفَضا

يُرفعَ أو يُنصَب أو يُخفَضا

He understands a saying's meaning before it

He understands the meaning of words before

receives a nominative, accusative, or genitive ending.

They are raised, declined, or dragged.

إيهٍ أبا نصرٍ وأنت امرؤٌ

إيهٍ أبا نصرٍ وأنت امرؤٌ

لا يسترِدُّ الدهرُ ما أَقرضا

لا يسترِدُّ الدهرُ ما أَقرضا

Go on, Abu Nasr—you are a man

Woe! O Abu Nasr, you are a man

from whom Time never reclaims what it lent.

From whom fate does not reclaim what it loaned!

منحتنى الودَّ فجازيتُه

منحتنى الودَّ فجازيتُه

بالشكر والمُثنِى كمن عَوّضا

بالشكر والمُثنِى كمن عَوّضا

You granted me affection, and I repaid it

You granted me affection, so I repaid you

with thanks; the praiser is like one who repays.

With thanks and praise, like one who compensated.

خيمَّ في قلبي نظيرٌ له

خيمَّ في قلبي نظيرٌ له

مذ عقَد الأَطنابَ ما قَوَّضا

مذ عقَد الأَطنابَ ما قَوَّضا

Its counterpart has pitched camp in my heart;

A peer to it settled in my heart

since it fastened its tent ropes, it has never struck camp.

Since the plaits of curls were untangled.

مثل خلال فيك اثوابها

مثل خلال فيك اثوابها

أَبَى لها التطهيرُ أن تُرحَضا

أَبَى لها التطهيرُ أن تُرحَضا

Like the virtues in you, whose garments

Like spots on your garments—

purity refuses to let be washed.

Purification refused to remove them.

وكلُّ ما يبنيهِ هذا الهوى

وكلُّ ما يبنيهِ هذا الهوى

بالنأىِ والتفريقِ لن يُنقَضا

بالنأىِ والتفريقِ لن يُنقَضا

And all that this love builds

And all that this passion builds

will never be undone by distance and separation.

With estrangement and separation will not be demolished.

لا ينفَع القربُ بجسمٍ إذا

لا ينفَع القربُ بجسمٍ إذا

لم يك قلبٌ مُصْغيا مُنِغضا

لم يك قلبٌ مُصْغيا مُنِغضا

Bodily nearness is no help if

Proximity of body is no use if

the heart does not listen and nod in response.

There is no receptive, blinking heart.

كم من بعيدٍ عاشقاً وامقا

كم من بعيدٍ عاشقاً وامقا

ومن قريبٍ شائنا مبغضا

ومن قريبٍ شائنا مبغضا

How many a distant one is enamored and affectionate,

How many a distant lover there is, and intimate

and a nearby one disparaging and hateful!

Hater! One detested, the other loved!

ما زُخُرفُ القول بمُجْدٍ وقد

ما زُخُرفُ القول بمُجْدٍ وقد

غُيّض في الأحشاء ما غُيِّضا

غُيّض في الأحشاء ما غُيِّضا

Ornamented speech is of no avail when

The embellishment of words with glory is worthless when

what was in the inward parts has been drained away.

What is concealed in the breast has been concealed.

والسيفُ إن كانَ كَهاما فهل

والسيفُ إن كانَ كَهاما فهل

يُمضيه أن أُذِهبَ أو فُضِّضا

يُمضيه أن أُذِهبَ أو فُضِّضا

And if a sword is blunt, can

A sword, if it rusts—does wiping

gilding or silvering make it cut?

Or polishing avail to sharpen it?

أُنبئْتُ رَيْبا فىَّ جَمْجَمْتَهُ

أُنبئْتُ رَيْبا فىَّ جَمْجَمْتَهُ

ويبلُغُ التصريحَ مَن عَرَّضا

ويبلُغُ التصريحَ مَن عَرَّضا

I was told of a suspicion about me you had muttered;

I was warned of a suspicion about me;

and whoever hints reaches the point of saying it outright.

My skull roared over it.

مرَّ كما مرَّ نسيمُ الصبا

مرَّ كما مرَّ نسيمُ الصبا

مزعِزعا بالرِّفقِ ماءَ الأضى

مزعِزعا بالرِّفقِ ماءَ الأضى

It passed as the breeze of the east wind passed,

And intimation reaches one who winked.

gently stirring the water of the pools.

The reproach of my friend startles me, yet

دُعابةٌ ساءت ظنونى لها

دُعابةٌ ساءت ظنونى لها

ما ألينَ السيفَ وما أَجْرضا

ما ألينَ السيفَ وما أَجْرضا

A jest that made me think ill of it—

The lion startles me not when it growls!

how soft the sword, and how it chokes!

And secrets are secure with me, though inside me

لم أدر إنسانٌ به ناطقٌ

لم أدر إنسانٌ به ناطقٌ

أم حيَّة القُفِّ الذي نَضنَضَاَ

أم حيَّة القُفِّ الذي نَضنَضَاَ

I could not tell whether a human was speaking it,

There is nothing suppressed or aborted.

or a snake of the rocky upland was flicking its tongue.

Far from me! Guile is not the adornment of my nature,

لكنّ سمعِى قاء ما قاله

لكنّ سمعِى قاء ما قاله

كأنه بالصاب قد مُضمِضا

كأنه بالصاب قد مُضمِضا

But my hearing vomited out what he said,

Nor is the raiment of betrayal my cloak!

as though its mouth had been rinsed with bitter sap.

Sorrow has not clothed me, immersed,

يروعنى عتبُ خليلى ولا

يروعنى عتبُ خليلى ولا

يروعنى الليثُ إذا قَضقضا

يروعنى الليثُ إذا قَضقضا

My dear friend's reproach frightens me; yet

Nor has wish robed me, sopping.

the lion does not frighten me when it gnashes its fangs.

I admit the truth before

وتسكُن الأسرارُ منّى حشىً

وتسكُن الأسرارُ منّى حشىً

ليس بهنّ مُخدَجا مُجهَضا

ليس بهنّ مُخدَجا مُجهَضا

And secrets dwell in my inward parts,

My companion is obliged to impose it.

where none is delivered prematurely or miscarried.

How could I spurn him who is my soul? If

هيهات ما الزورُ حُلَى شيمتى

هيهات ما الزورُ حُلَى شيمتى

ولا لباسُ الغدر لي مَعرِضا

ولا لباسُ الغدر لي مَعرِضا

Far from it! Falsehood is no adornment of my character,

The body separates, it is inevitable.

nor is the garb of treachery my attire.

What fault but for time that

ولا لَبونى بالأسى حافلا

ولا لَبونى بالأسى حافلا

ولا عِشارى بالمنى مُخَّضا

ولا عِشارى بالمنى مُخَّضا

Nor is my milch-camel brimming with sorrow,

Dresses mankind in a borrowed garb?

nor are my full-term she-camels laboring with hopes.

All its states have changed me,

معترفٌ بالحقّ من قبل أن

معترفٌ بالحقّ من قبل أن

يوجَبَ للصاحب أن يُفرَضا

يوجَبَ للصاحب أن يُفرَضا

I acknowledge what is due before

And in them there is no satisfactory state—

it is ordained as a friend's binding right.

Either walking on its embers

وكيف أجفو من هو الروح إن

وكيف أجفو من هو الروح إن

فارقِت الجسمَ فُواقا قضى

فارقِت الجسمَ فُواقا قضى

And how can I shun one who is the soul? If

Or mounted on its burning sands.

it leaves the body for an instant, the body dies.

He whom fate has been gentle with

ما الذنبُ إلا للزمان الذي

ما الذنبُ إلا للزمان الذي

إن ألبس الإناسن ثوبا نَضا

إن ألبس الإناسن ثوبا نَضا

The fault is only Time's, which,

Must drink what it stirred.

if it clothes a person in a robe, strips it away.

Struggle to attain sustenance and you will obtain it,

تقلَّبتْ بى كلُّ حالاتهِ

تقلَّبتْ بى كلُّ حالاتهِ

وليس فيها حالةٌ تُرتَضَى

وليس فيها حالةٌ تُرتَضَى

All its changing states have tossed me about,

For the ledger is full when you stir it.

and not one of them is acceptable.

The hunger of lions would persist

إِما علىَ رَمضائه ماشيا

إِما علىَ رَمضائه ماشيا

أو راكبا شامسةً ريِّضا

أو راكبا شامسةً ريِّضا

Either walking on its scorching ground,

If they were benighted in their lairs.

or riding a restive, unbroken mare.

I blame my days for being

من يكن الدهر له ماتحا

من يكن الدهر له ماتحا

لا بدّ أ يشرَب ما خَوّضا

لا بدّ أ يشرَب ما خَوّضا

Whoever has Time drawing water for him

Thankful to God for what He ordained.

must drink whatever it has muddied.

جُلْ في طِلاب الرزق تَظفَرْ به

جُلْ في طِلاب الرزق تَظفَرْ به

فالسَّجلُ مملوءٌ إذا خُضْخِضا

فالسَّجلُ مملوءٌ إذا خُضْخِضا

Roam in pursuit of livelihood, and you will obtain it;

for the bucket is filled when it is shaken.

لطال جوعُ الأُسْدِ لو اصبحت

لطال جوعُ الأُسْدِ لو اصبحت

وأعتمتْ في خِيسها رُبَّضا

وأعتمتْ في خِيسها رُبَّضا

The lions' hunger would last long if they passed their mornings

and evenings lying in their thicket.

أذمُّ أيامى على أننى

أذمُّ أيامى على أننى

لأَحمدُ الله على ما قضى

لأَحمدُ الله على ما قضى

I blame my days, although I

do indeed praise God for what He has decreed.