إلامَhow long? أرامِيI strive فيamid المُنىhopes وأُرادِيand I pursue
إلامَ أرامِي في المُنى وأُرادِي
وحشوand the core صلاحِيmy well-being فيin الزّمانtime فسادِيmy ruin
وحشو صلاحِي في الزّمان فسادِي
How long shall I strive amid hopes and pursue them,
While my well-being in time has my ruin at its core?
وفجعِيand my bereavement بماwith whatever نالتْattained يدايmy two hands موكّلٌcharged
وفجعِي بما نالتْ يداي موكّلٌ
فماso not سرّنِيdelighted me أنّيthat I بلغتُI attained مرادِيmy desire
فما سرّنِي أنّي بلغتُ مرادِي
And my bereavement is set upon whatever my hands have gained,
So attaining my desire has brought me no joy.
فكمso how many منof مصيباتٍcalamities إذاif لمnot يُصبنَنِيthey strike me
فكم من مصيباتٍ إذا لم يُصبنَنِي
رواحاًin the afternoon وإمساءًand at evening فهنّthen they غوادِmorning arrivals
رواحاً وإمساءً فهنّ غوادِ
How many calamities, if they do not strike me
In the afternoon or evening, come at dawn.
كأنّas though جوادِيmy steed يومَon the day يطلبنِيseeks me الرّدىdeath
كأنّ جوادِي يومَ يطلبنِي الرّدى
ولاand no ناصرٌdefender لِيfor me منهagainst it غيرُother than جوادِa steed
ولا ناصرٌ لِي منه غيرُ جوادِ
As though my steed could help on the day death seeks me,
Though I have no defender against it but a steed.
ولاand no وَزَرٌrefuge منهfrom it بزُرقِin the blue of أسنّتِيmy spearheads
ولا وَزَرٌ منه بزُرقِ أسنّتِي
ولاnor بيضwhite أسيافيmy swords وسُمرِand brown صِعادِيmy spear shafts
ولا بيض أسيافي وسُمرِ صِعادِي
Nor any refuge from it in my blue spearheads,
Nor in my white swords and brown spear shafts.
أفيis it on? كلّevery يومٍday يقرعstrikes الموتُdeath مَرْوَتِيmy flint
أفي كلّ يومٍ يقرع الموتُ مَرْوَتِي
ويُضرمُand ignites أحشائيmy entrails بِغَيرِwithout زنادِfire-strikers
ويُضرمُ أحشائي بِغَيرِ زنادِ
Must death strike my flint every day,
And set my entrails ablaze without a fire-striker?
فياso, O أسهماًarrows يمضينthey fly past حولaround جوانبِيmy sides
فيا أسهماً يمضين حول جوانبِي
لرامِيof the archer الرّدىdeath أنّىhow? يُصبْنَthey strike فؤادِيmy heart
لرامِي الرّدى أنّى يُصبْنَ فؤادِي
O arrows that fly all around my sides,
From death's archer—how do they strike my heart?
فرُزْءٌso a loss علىupon رُزءٍa loss وفجعٌand bereavement يُبيتنِيmakes me spend the night
فرُزْءٌ على رُزءٍ وفجعٌ يُبيتنِي
علىon حَرِّthe heat of جمرٍembers أوor فِراشِa bed of قَتادِthornbush
على حَرِّ جمرٍ أو فِراشِ قَتادِ
Loss upon loss, and bereavement, make me spend the night
On burning embers or a bed of thornbush.
وَهَلand is? طَمَعِيmy hope فيfor العيشِliving إلّاanything but جَهالةٌfolly
وَهَل طَمَعِي في العيشِ إلّا جَهالةٌ
وفيand in كفّthe hand of روّادِscouts of الحِمامِdeath قيادِيmy rein
وفي كفّ روّادِ الحِمامِ قيادِي
Is my hope of living anything but folly,
When my rein lies in the hand of death's scouts?
يُسارُone is led بناwith us فيin كلِّevery يومٍday وليلةٍand night
يُسارُ بنا في كلِّ يومٍ وليلةٍ
إِلىtoward حُفَرٍpits تُطوىare lined لناfor us بوهادِin hollows
إِلى حُفَرٍ تُطوى لنا بوهادِ
We are led along every day and night
Toward pits lined for us in low-lying ground.
وماand not نافِعِيbenefiting me فيin هذهthis الدَّارabode مرّةًeven once
وما نافِعِي في هذه الدَّار مرّةً
بناءُbuilding أهاضيبيmy rocky heights ورفعُand raising عِمادِيmy pillars
بناءُ أهاضيبي ورفعُ عِمادِي
Never in this abode will it profit me
To build up my rocky heights and raise my pillars.
فَياso, O قُربَcloseness بينbetween الفقرِpoverty فيهاin it مِنَfrom الغِنىwealth
فَيا قُربَ بين الفقرِ فيها مِنَ الغِنى
وَبينَand between اِزدِراعِيmy sowing تارةًat one time وحصادِيand my reaping
وَبينَ اِزدِراعِي تارةً وحصادِي
How short the gap here between poverty and wealth,
And between my sowing one time and my reaping!
وَماand not إِنْat all (emphasis) وَفىmade amends غيثُthe rain of الرّدىdeath فيfor أصادقِيmy friends
وَما إِنْ وَفى غيثُ الرّدى في أصادقِي
بأنْby the fact that عَلِقَتْtook hold يمناهُits right hand لِيfor me بأعادِupon enemies
بأنْ عَلِقَتْ يمناهُ لِي بأعادِ
Death's rain has not made amends for my friends
By its right hand seizing enemies for my sake.
وَمَنand whoever كانَwas يُرديslaying ذاone endowed with حذارٍcaution وفطنةٍand discernment
وَمَن كانَ يُردي ذا حذارٍ وفطنةٍ
فماذاthen what use is? ملامُblaming المهمِلthe heedless man المتمادِيone who persists
فماذا ملامُ المهمِل المتمادِي
And if it slays one endowed with caution and discernment,
Why blame the heedless man who persists?
سَلِask الدّهرَtime عنabout ساداتthe lords of لَخْمٍLakhm وحِمْيَرٍand Himyar
سَلِ الدّهرَ عن سادات لَخْمٍ وحِمْيَرٍ
وأبناءِand the sons of نَهْدٍNahd بعدهمْafter them ومُرادِand Murad
وأبناءِ نَهْدٍ بعدهمْ ومُرادِ
Ask time about the lords of Lakhm and Himyar,
And, after them, the sons of Nahd and Murad.
وَهَلand has? بَقيتْremained للعينfor the eye والقلبِand the heart بهجةٌdelight
وَهَل بَقيتْ للعين والقلبِ بهجةٌ
بهوجِamid the fury of اللّيالِيthe nights فيin ديارِthe dwellings of إيادِIyad
بهوجِ اللّيالِي في ديارِ إيادِ
Has any delight remained for the eye and heart
Amid the nights' fury in the dwellings of Iyad?
وَهَلand have? تَرَكتْleft أَيديthe hands of الرّدىdeath مِنany مُخبّرٍbearer of news
وَهَل تَرَكتْ أَيدي الرّدى مِن مُخبّرٍ
لآلِfor the house of نِزارٍNizar كلَّevery يومِday of تَنادِmutual calling
لآلِ نِزارٍ كلَّ يومِ تَنادِ
Have the hands of death left any bearer of news
For Nizar's house on each day of calling?
وَلَوand if كنتُI were مَوعوظاًadmonished بِشيءِby something عَرفتهI knew it
وَلَو كنتُ مَوعوظاً بِشيءِ عَرفته
يُقلِّلُlessens حِرصِيmy craving لاِتَّعظتُI would have taken warning بعادِfrom 'Ad
يُقلِّلُ حِرصِي لاِتَّعظتُ بعادِ
Had I taken warning from anything I knew
That lessened my craving, I would have taken warning from 'Ad.
مَضواthey passed away بعدَafter أَنthat كانواthey were يُظنّwas thought بقاؤهمtheir continued existence
مَضوا بعدَ أَن كانوا يُظنّ بقاؤهم
يكونwould be علىin الدّنياthis world بغيرwithout نفادِend
يكون على الدّنيا بغير نفادِ
They passed away, after their continued existence was thought
To endure in this world without end.
وقدand already قلّدواthey garlanded الأعناقَnecks منَّاbounty وأترعواand filled
وقد قلّدوا الأعناقَ منَّا وأترعوا
بطونthe bellies of الّلياليthe nights منwith لُهاًgifts وأيادِand favors
بطون الّليالي من لُهاً وأيادِ
They had garlanded necks with bounty and filled
The bellies of the nights with gifts and favors.
فَياso, O هبةَHibat (gift) اللَّهِAllah (God) اِرتُجعتَyou were reclaimed إلىinto الرّدىdeath
فَيا هبةَ اللَّهِ اِرتُجعتَ إلى الرّدى
وقدand indeed كنتyou were فيin فضلٍexcellence ذُبالةَa lamp-wick نادِan assembly
وقد كنت في فضلٍ ذُبالةَ نادِ
O Hibat Allah, you have been reclaimed by death,
Though in virtue you had been the assembly's lamp-wick.
وماand not زلتَyou ceased خرّاجاًever departing عنfrom الغيّerror والهوىand passion
وما زلتَ خرّاجاً عن الغيّ والهوى
مَدَىthroughout الدّهرِall time ولّاجاًever entering لكلِّinto every رشادِright guidance
مَدَى الدّهرِ ولّاجاً لكلِّ رشادِ
You were always turning away from error and passion,
All your days, entering every way of right guidance.
وَكُنتَand you were لِعَينِيto my eye ثمّthen قلبِيmy heart سوادَهits black center
وَكُنتَ لِعَينِي ثمّ قلبِي سوادَه
وليسand is not بياضٌwhiteness فيهماin both of them كسوادِlike blackness
وليس بياضٌ فيهما كسوادِ
You were the black center of my eye, then of my heart;
No whiteness in either could rival that blackness.
فَواللَّهِso, by God ماnot أَدرِيI know أغالdid ... steal away? نعيُّهُnews of his death
فَواللَّهِ ما أَدرِي أغال نعيُّهُ
رُقادِيَmy sleep حُزْناًthrough grief أمor أطارَmade fly away فؤادِيmy heart
رُقادِيَ حُزْناً أم أطارَ فؤادِي
By God, I do not know: did the news of his death steal
My sleep through grief, or send my heart flying?
علىdespite أنّهthe fact that it ذرّscattered الأسىsorrow فيin جوانحِيmy inner ribs
على أنّه ذرّ الأسى في جوانحِي
وَأَودعَand lodged منّيof mine فيin الجفونِthe eyelids سُهادِيmy sleeplessness
وَأَودعَ منّي في الجفونِ سُهادِي
Yet it scattered sorrow among my ribs,
And lodged my sleeplessness within my eyelids.
وماand not ضرّنِيharmed me والنّومُwhile sleep ليسdoes not يزورنِيvisit me
وما ضرّنِي والنّومُ ليس يزورنِي
دجىًin night-darkness وضحىًand morning light أنِّيthat I بغيرwithout وِسادِa pillow
دجىً وضحىً أنِّي بغير وِسادِ
It does not trouble me, when sleep never visits me,
In night-darkness or morning light, that I have no pillow.
فإنْso if لمnot أعِرْI lend جسمِيmy body عليكfor you حِدادَهits mourning garb
فإنْ لم أعِرْ جسمِي عليك حِدادَه
فَقلبِيَthen my heart حزناًin grief فيin ثيابِclothes of حِدادِmourning
فَقلبِيَ حزناً في ثيابِ حِدادِ
If I have not lent my body its mourning garb for you,
My heart, in sorrow, wears mourning clothes.
وَللَّهِand to God خَطبٌa calamity زارنيvisited me بعدafter هجعةٍa brief sleep
وَللَّهِ خَطبٌ زارني بعد هجعةٍ
فحرّمso denied فيwithin عينَيَّmy two eyes طعمَthe taste of رُقادِيmy slumber
فحرّم في عينَيَّ طعمَ رُقادِي
What a calamity, by God, visited me after a brief sleep,
And denied my eyes the taste of slumber.
وَشرّدand drove away عنّيfrom me باِصطِبارٍwith patient endurance عهدتُهI had known it
وَشرّد عنّي باِصطِبارٍ عهدتُه
وَأَحرجand constricted حَيزومِيmy chest وأضعفand weakened آدِيmy strength
وَأَحرج حَيزومِي وأضعف آدِي
It drove away from me the patience I had known,
Constricted my chest, and weakened my strength.
وَعَرّفand made known ماwhat بينِيbetween me وَبيَنand between بلابلٍanxieties
وَعَرّف ما بينِي وَبيَن بلابلٍ
عمرتُI lived وماand not يمررنthey passed لِيbelonging to me ببلادِthrough lands
عمرتُ وما يمررن لِي ببلادِ
And made me familiar with anxieties
That, throughout my life, had never passed through my land.
كَأنّيas though I قَضيضُgravel-chafed الجنبِin the side حزناًin grief ولوعةًand anguish
كَأنّي قَضيضُ الجنبِ حزناً ولوعةً
وفَرشيand my bedding مهيداتٍunsettling troubles بغيرwithout مهادِa resting bed
وفَرشي مهيداتٍ بغير مهادِ
As though my side lay on gravel, in grief and anguish,
And my bedding were torment, with no place of rest.
وياand oh ليتنيwould that I لمّاwhen ثكلتُكI was bereaved of you لمnot أكنI had been
ويا ليتني لمّا ثكلتُك لم أكن
جعلتكI made you منamong سكّانِdwellers of دارthe house of ودادِيmy love
جعلتك من سكّانِ دار ودادِي
Would that, when I lost you, I had never
Made you a dweller in the house of my love.
وليتكand would that you لمnot تحلُلْhad alighted رِكابُكyour riding-camels عَقْوَتِيmy courtyard
وليتك لم تحلُلْ رِكابُك عَقْوَتِي
تُراوِحهاyou visit it at evening صبّاًenamored بِهاof it وَتغادِيand visit at dawn
تُراوِحها صبّاً بِها وَتغادِي
Would that your riding-camels had never alighted in my courtyard,
As you visited it at evening, enamored of it, and again at dawn.
وَماand no بَينَbetween قُربٍnearness وَاِشتِياقٍand longing عهدتُهI had known it
وَما بَينَ قُربٍ وَاِشتِياقٍ عهدتُه
حَوَتْcontained أضلُعِيmy ribs فرقٌdifference وبينand between بعادِيmy separation
حَوَتْ أضلُعِي فرقٌ وبين بعادِي
Between nearness and the longing I had known,
Held within my ribs, and my separation, there is no difference.
سَقىmay ... water اللَّهُGod مَيْتاًa dead man لاnot يُرجّىis hoped for إيابُهhis return
سَقى اللَّهُ مَيْتاً لا يُرجّى إيابُه
وَحلَّand may ... undo عليهover him رَبْطَthe ties of كلِّevery مَزادِwaterskin
وَحلَّ عليه رَبْطَ كلِّ مَزادِ
May God water a dead man whose return is beyond hope,
And loosen over him the ties of every waterskin.
وَجادَand may ... pour generously عليهِupon him كلُّevery أسحمَdark cloud مسبلٍpouring rain
وَجادَ عليهِ كلُّ أسحمَ مسبلٍ
بعَذْبٍwith sweet water صقيلِgleaming الطُّرتينon both edges بُرادِcool
بعَذْبٍ صقيلِ الطُّرتين بُرادِ
May every dark, rain-pouring cloud drench him generously
With sweet water, gleaming at both edges and cool.
لَهُit has مِنfrom وَميضِthe flash of البرقِlightning ثوبٌa robe مَعَصْفَرٌsafflower-dyed
لَهُ مِن وَميضِ البرقِ ثوبٌ مَعَصْفَرٌ
وَمِنand from رَعدِهits thunder وهناًat night زماجرُthe roars of حادِa camel-driver
وَمِن رَعدِه وهناً زماجرُ حادِ
From lightning's flash it has a safflower-dyed robe,
And from its thunder at night, a camel-driver's roars.
وَلاand may ... not زالَتِcease الأنواءُseasonal rains يسقينwater تُربَهhis dust
وَلا زالَتِ الأنواءُ يسقين تُربَه
إذاwhenever رائحٌan evening raincloud ولّىdeparts تصوّبpours down غادِa morning raincloud
إذا رائحٌ ولّى تصوّب غادِ
May the seasonal rains never cease to water his dust:
Whenever an evening cloud departs, a morning one pours down.
بلاwithout موعدٍa promise تَخشىfears لهfor it النَّفسthe soul خُلفةًnonfulfillment
بلا موعدٍ تَخشى له النَّفس خُلفةً
وَخَيرُand the best اللُّهاgifts ماthose that لمnot تكنْare بوعادِwith promises
وَخَيرُ اللُّها ما لم تكنْ بوعادِ
Without a promise whose breaking the soul would fear;
The best gifts are those that come without promises.
Sol 6.1