هلِis الشيبُgray hair إلّاanything but غُصّةٌa choking lump فيin الحَيازِمِthe breasts
هلِ الشيبُ إلّا غُصّةٌ في الحَيازِمِ
وداءٌand a disease لرّباتِto the ladies of الخدورcurtained chambers النّواعمِthe tender ones
وداءٌ لرّباتِ الخدور النّواعمِ
Is gray hair anything but a choking lump in the breast,
Is this gray hair naught but grief in my temples,
and a sickness to the tender ladies of curtained chambers?
And a disease for the gentle, tender-cheeked damsels?
يَحِدْنَthey turn aside إذاwhen أبصَرْنَهthey see it عنfrom سبيلهِits path
يَحِدْنَ إذا أبصَرْنَه عن سبيلهِ
صُدودَthe recoil of النّشاوىthe intoxicated عنfrom خبيثfoul المطاعمِfoods
صُدودَ النّشاوى عن خبيث المطاعمِ
When they see it, they turn aside from its path,
Whenever they see it they bar the way before it,
as drunkards recoil from foul food.
Hindering the advances of an evil suitor.
نعمّمتُهُI donned it as a turban بعدafter الشّبيبةِyouth ساخطاًresentfully
نعمّمتُهُ بعد الشّبيبةِ ساخطاً
فكانso was بياضُthe whiteness of الشّيبِgray hair شرَّthe worst of عمائميmy turbans
فكان بياضُ الشّيبِ شرَّ عمائمي
I donned it as a turban after youth, resentfully,
After my youth I accepted it reluctantly,
and gray hair's whiteness was the worst of my turbans.
So my hair's whiteness was the worst of turbans.
وقُنّعتُand I was veiled منهby it بِالمَخوفِin something fearsome كأنّنيas though I
وقُنّعتُ منه بِالمَخوفِ كأنّني
تقنّعتُI veiled myself منfrom طاقاتِهِits locks بالأراقمِin speckled serpents
تقنّعتُ من طاقاتِهِ بالأراقمِ
And I was veiled by it in terror, as though
I resigned myself to its alarming me, as though
I had wrapped myself in the speckled serpents of its locks.
I resigned myself to its violent treats.
وهيّبنيand made me afraid منهof it كماas هابfeared عائجٌone turning aside
وهيّبني منه كما هاب عائجٌ
علىtoward الغابِthe thickets هيباتِthe terrors of اللّيوثِlions الضّراغمِmighty
على الغابِ هيباتِ اللّيوثِ الضّراغمِ
It made me fear it, as one who turns aside
It overawes me as a lone old man is overawed
toward the thickets fears the terrors of mighty lions.
By a lion's terrifyings in the dense thicket.
وهدّدنيand threatened me فيin كلّevery يومٍday وليلةٍand night
وهدّدني في كلّ يومٍ وليلةٍ
سَناthe radiance of وَمْضِهِits flash بالقارعاتِwith calamities الحواطمِcrushing
سَنا وَمْضِهِ بالقارعاتِ الحواطمِ
And every day and night I was threatened
It threatens me every day and night
by its flashing radiance with crushing calamities.
With the swiftness of its advance and deadly blows.
كفانِيَit spared me عُذّاليmy reproachers علىfor طرْبَةِthe rapture of الصِّباyouth
كفانِيَ عُذّالي على طرْبَةِ الصِّبا
وقامand undertook بلَوْمٍrebuke عِفْتُهُI loathed it منfrom لوائميmy censors
وقام بلَوْمٍ عِفْتُهُ من لوائمي
It took the place of my reproachers over youth's rapture,
My blamer for the madness of youth has sufficed me,
and gave the rebuke I had loathed from my censors.
And its gravity put an end to my frolics.
وقصّرand fell short عنِّيof me باعُthe reach of كلِّevery لَذاذَةٍpleasure
وقصّر عنِّي باعُ كلِّ لَذاذَةٍ
وقصّرand fell short دونيbefore reaching me خَطْوُthe steps of كلِّevery مُخالِمِintimate companion
وقصّر دوني خَطْوُ كلِّ مُخالِمِ
Every pleasure's reach fell short of me,
It has shortened the hand of every pleasure for me,
and every intimate companion's steps stopped short of me.
And outstripped me in every race.
فواللَّهِso, by God ماnot أَدريI know أَصُكَّتْwere they struck? مفارقيmy hair-partings
فواللَّهِ ما أَدري أَصُكَّتْ مفارقي
بِفِهْرِby a stone of مَشيبٍgray age أوْor بفهرِby a stone of مُراجِمِa stone-flinger
بِفِهْرِ مَشيبٍ أوْ بفهرِ مُراجِمِ
By God, I cannot tell: were my hair-partings struck
So, by God, I know not whether my loss of youth
by gray age's stone, or a stone-flinger's stone?
Was due to the hurling of gray hair or deadly shafts.
ولمّاand when سقانِيهِgave it to me to drink الزّمانُTime شربتُهُI drank it
ولمّا سقانِيهِ الزّمانُ شربتُهُ
كماas أُوجِرَwas forced to swallow المَأْسورُthe captive مُرَّthe bitterness of العلاقمِcolocynths
كما أُوجِرَ المَأْسورُ مُرَّ العلاقمِ
When Time gave it to me to drink, I drank it
And when time made me drink it, I drank it
as a captive is forced to swallow bitter colocynth.
As a prisoner drinks bitter, painful draughts.
حَنَتْنِيَbent me منهfrom it الحانياتُbending afflictions كأنّنيas though I
حَنَتْنِيَ منه الحانياتُ كأنّني
إذاwhen ظَلْتُI remained يوماًfor a day قائماًstanding غيرُnot قائمِupright
إذا ظَلْتُ يوماً قائماً غيرُ قائمِ
Its bending afflictions bowed me, as though
The greetings grieved me over it as though
even standing all day, I were not upright.
I were deranged if I stayed standing instead of sitting.
وَأَصبحتُand I became يُستَبْطىis deemed slow مُثُولِيmy rising to stand ويُدَّعىand it is alleged
وَأَصبحتُ يُستَبْطى مُثُولِي ويُدَّعى
وَماand not صدقواthey spoke truth فيَّabout me اِختلالُthe faltering of العزائمِresolves
وَما صدقوا فيَّ اِختلالُ العزائمِ
And now I am thought slow to rise, and they claim—
And I woke to having my standing doubted and claimed
falsely of me—that my resolve has faltered.
Falsely that I had lost my resolution.
فَلاso not أَناI مَدعوٌّinvited ليومِto a day of تَفاكُهٍmerriment
فَلا أَنا مَدعوٌّ ليومِ تَفاكُهٍ
ولاnor أَنَاI مرجُوٌّrelied upon ليومِon a day of تخاصمِconflict
ولا أَنَا مرجُوٌّ ليومِ تخاصمِ
So I am not invited to a day of merriment,
So I am not invited to a day of joyfulness,
nor am I looked to on a day of strife.
Nor am I hoped for on a day of contention.
فلاso do not تطلباyou two ask منّيof me لقاءَan encounter with محاربٍa warrior
فلا تطلبا منّي لقاءَ محاربٍ
فَماfor not أَناI إِلّاexcept فيin ثيابِthe clothes of مُسالِمِa man of peace
فَما أَنا إِلّا في ثيابِ مُسالِمِ
So do not ask me, you two, to face a warrior,
Do not seek from me the meeting of an adversary;
for I wear only the garb of a man of peace.
I am nothing but a man dressed in peace.
وَلاand do not تَدفَعاyou two ward off بيwith me عنكماfrom you both غُشْمَthe violence of غاشمٍa tyrant
وَلا تَدفَعا بي عنكما غُشْمَ غاشمٍ
فإنِّيَfor I am فيin أيديthe hands of المشيبِgray age الغواشمِtyrannous
فإنِّيَ في أيدي المشيبِ الغواشمِ
Nor use me to shield you both from a tyrant's violence,
Do not drive me to face a glowering aggressor;
for I am in gray age's tyrannous hands.
I am in the hands of white hair that attacks violently.
فَلوso if كُنتُI were آسوI heal منكماin you both الكَلْمَthe wound ماnot رأتْwould see
فَلو كُنتُ آسو منكما الكَلْمَ ما رأتْ
عيونُكماthe eyes of you both عنديupon me كُلومَthe wounds of الكوالِمِwounding calamities
عيونُكما عندي كُلومَ الكوالِمِ
If I could heal the wounds of you both, never would
If I were to disdain to speak to you,
your eyes see on me the wounds that calamities inflict.
Your eyes would never have seen reticent silence in me.
وإنّيand I am أميمٌwounded in the skull بالمشيبِby gray age فخلِّياso leave me, you two
وإنّي أميمٌ بالمشيبِ فخلِّيا
ولاand do not تطلباyou two seek عنديfrom me علاجَa cure for الأمائِمِskull wounds
ولا تطلبا عندي علاجَ الأمائِمِ
Gray age has wounded my skull; leave me, you two,
But I am blest with white hair, so leave me be
and seek no treatment from me for wounds to the skull.
And do not seek from me a cure for turbans.
مشيبٌgray hair كخَرْقِlike the rift of الصُّبحِdawn عالٍovertopping بياضُهُits whiteness
مشيبٌ كخَرْقِ الصُّبحِ عالٍ بياضُهُ
بُرودَthe mantles of اللّياليnights الحالكاتِpitch-black العوارمِfierce
بُرودَ اللّيالي الحالكاتِ العوارمِ
Gray hair like dawn's rift, its whiteness overtopping
A white hair like the dawn's breach, its whiteness raising
the mantles of pitch-black, fierce nights.
The cooled nights' pitch black darkness,
وتطلعand rise فيin أُفقِthe horizon of الشّبابِyouth نجومُهُits stars
وتطلع في أُفقِ الشّبابِ نجومُهُ
طلوعَlike the rising of الدَّرارِيbrilliant stars فيin خلالِthe midst of الغمائمِclouds
طلوعَ الدَّرارِي في خلالِ الغمائمِ
And its stars rise on the horizon of youth,
And its stars appearing on the youth's horizon
as brilliant stars rise amid the clouds.
Like the rise of meteors through the clouds' midst.
كأنِّيَas though I منهbecause of it كلّمَاwhenever رمتُI sought نهضةًa rising
كأنِّيَ منه كلّمَا رمتُ نهضةً
إلىtoward اللّهوِpleasure مقبوضُbound الخُطاsteps بالأداهمِby black fetters
إلى اللّهوِ مقبوضُ الخُطا بالأداهمِ
Because of it, whenever I seek to rise
So that whenever I set out to indulge myself
toward pleasure, my steps seem bound in black irons.
My steps pulled back as if fettered by possessions,
تُساندنِيsupport me الأيديhands وقدand once كنتُI was برهةًfor a time
تُساندنِي الأيدي وقد كنتُ برهةً
غنيّاًself-sufficient بنفسيby myself عنwithout دِعامِthe support of الدّعائِمِprops
غنيّاً بنفسي عن دِعامِ الدّعائِمِ
Hands support me, though for a time I was
While hands support me when once I needed no pillar
self-sufficient, needing no support from props.
To lean on for support.
وَأخشَعand I cower فيbefore الخطبِthe trouble الحقيرtrivial ضراعةًin submission
وَأخشَع في الخطبِ الحقير ضراعةً
وقدand once كنتI was دفّاعاًa forceful repeller of صدورَthe onrush of العظَائمِgreat calamities
وقد كنت دفّاعاً صدورَ العظَائمِ
And I cower in submission before a petty trouble,
And I show humility in matters I once stamped out,
though once I drove back the onrush of great calamities.
Having been an obstruction to great affairs.
وقدand once كنتُI was أبّاءًfiercely resistant علىagainst كلّevery جاذِبٍone who pulls
وقد كنتُ أبّاءً على كلّ جاذِبٍ
فلمّاbut when علانيcovered me الشّيبُgray hair لانَتْgrew pliant شَكائميmy bridle-bits
فلمّا علاني الشّيبُ لانَتْ شَكائمي
And once I fiercely resisted anyone who tugged at me,
And I was defiant toward every attractor;
but when gray hair covered me, my bridle-bits grew pliant.
But when white hair weakened me, my resolution gave way.
ولمّاand when عرانيovertook me ظِلُّهُits shadow وحملتُهُand I bore it
ولمّا عراني ظِلُّهُ وحملتُهُ
أنِسْتُI grew accustomed علىwith عَمْدٍdeliberate intent بحَمْلِto bearing المظالِمِinjustices
أنِسْتُ على عَمْدٍ بحَمْلِ المظالِمِ
And when its shadow overtook me and I bore it,
And when its shadow covered me and I bore it
I deliberately grew accustomed to bearing wrongs.
I grew accustomed to bearing injustices.
فلاso let not ينغُضَنْever toss رأسيmy head إلىtoward العزّglory بعدماafter
فلا ينغُضَنْ رأسي إلى العزّ بعدما
تجلّلهُhas shrouded it منهfrom it مُذلُّthe humbler of الجماجمِskulls
تجلّلهُ منه مُذلُّ الجماجمِ
So let my head not toss toward glory, now that
So let not my head bow down to honor
it has been shrouded by gray age, the humbler of skulls.
After the turbans of humiliation covered it.
فياso, O صِبغَةًdye حُمِّلتُهاI was made to bear it غيرَnot راغبٍwilling
فيا صِبغَةً حُمِّلتُها غيرَ راغبٍ
وياand O صبغةًdye بُدِّلْتُهاI was given it in exchange غيرَnot سائمِweary
ويا صبغةً بُدِّلْتُها غيرَ سائمِ
O dye I was made to bear unwillingly,
O dye I have borne you without wanting to!
and O dye substituted for one I had not tired of!
O dye I have changed you without happy consent!
وياand O زائريmy visitor منfrom غيرother than أنthat أستزيرهُI invite him to visit
ويا زائري من غير أن أستزيرهُ
كماas زِيرَwas visited حَيْزومُthe breast of الفتىthe young man باللّهاذِمِby keen spearheads
كما زِيرَ حَيْزومُ الفتى باللّهاذِمِ
And O visitor whom I never invited,
O you visiting me without my granting permission
as a young man's breast is visited by keen spearheads!
As youth is visited against its will by gray hair!
أقِمْstay لاdo not تَرِمْdepart عنّيfrom me وإنْand even if لمnot تكنْyou are هوىًan object of desire
أقِمْ لا تَرِمْ عنّي وإنْ لم تكنْ هوىً
فكمfor how often قدindeed سَخِطْناwe have resented فَقْدَthe loss of غيرِwhat is not مُلائمِagreeable
فكم قد سَخِطْنا فَقْدَ غيرِ مُلائمِ
Stay; do not leave me, though you are not what I desire,
Stay! Do not cast me off, even if you are not beloved,
for often we have resented losing what did not suit us.
For how often have we disliked one with whom we could not dispense!
فمنso who مبدِليwill exchange for me منfrom صبحِهِits dawn بظلامِهِfor its darkness
فمن مبدِلي من صبحِهِ بظلامِهِ
ومَنand who عائِضِيwill compensate me عنfor بِيضهِits white hairs بالسّواهمِwith dark ones
ومَن عائِضِي عن بِيضهِ بالسّواهمِ
Who will give me its darkness in place of its dawn,
Who will change me from my morn to my darkness
and who will trade me dark hairs for its white?
And take me back from the blackness to the white?
ومنand who حاملٌwill bear عنّيfor me الغَداةَthis morning غرامهُits burden
ومن حاملٌ عنّي الغَداةَ غرامهُ
وقدand once كنتُI was نهّاضاًrising stoutly بثِقْلunder the weight of المغارِمِdebts
وقد كنتُ نهّاضاً بثِقْل المغارِمِ
And who will bear its burden for me this morning,
Who will carry for me, in the early morning, the love
though once I readily shouldered the weight of debts?
I once carried despite the heavy burdens?
فياso, O بيضَwhite hairs بِيضَwhite hairs of الرّأْسِthe head هلis there لِيَfor me عَوْدَةٌa return
فيا بيضَ بِيضَ الرّأْسِ هل لِيَ عَوْدَةٌ
إلىto السُّودِblack hairs منamong أغياركُنّyour opposites الفواحمِcoal-black
إلى السُّودِ من أغياركُنّ الفواحمِ
O white hairs, white hairs of my head, may I return
O you whitening the whiteness of the head, can I hope
to the black hairs, your coal-black opposites?
To return to blackness from your jostling midst?
تنازحنَthey withdrew far away بالبِيضbecause of the white hairs الطّوالعِrising شُرَّداًfleeing
تنازحنَ بالبِيض الطّوالعِ شُرَّداً
كماas شرّدscattered الإصباحُdaybreak أحلامَthe dreams of نائِمِa sleeper
كما شرّد الإصباحُ أحلامَ نائِمِ
They fled afar before the rising white hairs,
You vie with the dawns, wildly dispersed,
as daybreak scatters a sleeper's dreams.
As the daybreak dispersed a slumberer's dreams.
وياand O فجرَdawn of رأسيmy head هلis there إلىto ليلةِthe night of المُنىdesires
ويا فجرَ رأسي هل إلى ليلةِ المُنى
سبيلٌa path وكرّاتِand returns of المواضيbygone nights القوائمِstill enduring
سبيلٌ وكرّاتِ المواضي القوائمِ
O dawn of my head, is there, to the night of desire,
O dawn upon my head, is there a way
a path, and a way back to bygone nights that still endure?
To the night of bliss and erect, spear-like tents?
ليالِيَnights when أُفدىI am ransomed بالنّفوسِwith souls وأرتديand I robe myself
ليالِيَ أُفدى بالنّفوسِ وأرتدي
منfrom البِيضfair women إِسعافاًas a favor ببيضِin white المعاصِمِwrists
من البِيض إِسعافاً ببيضِ المعاصِمِ
Nights when souls were offered for my ransom and I robed myself
Nights I would ransom with my soul, and don
in white wrists, through the favor of fair women.
White chain-mail against the white swords' evil.
فإنْso if كانis فقدانيmy loss of الشبيبةَyouth لازماًinevitable
فإنْ كان فقداني الشبيبةَ لازماً
فحُزْنيthen my grief عليهاfor it الدّهرَforever ضربةُa stroke لازمِinescapable
فحُزْني عليها الدّهرَ ضربةُ لازمِ
If my loss of youth is inevitable,
If losing my youth is fated,
then lifelong grief for it is a stroke I cannot escape.
Then my sadness for it will last forever.
وإنْand if لمnot يكنْis نَوْحيmy lament بشافٍhealing وأدمعيand my tears
وإنْ لم يكنْ نَوْحي بشافٍ وأدمعي
فدمعُthen the tears of الحياrain كافٍsufficient ونوْحُand the mourning of الحمائمِdoves
فدمعُ الحيا كافٍ ونوْحُ الحمائمِ
And if my lament and tears bring no healing,
If my wailing and tears for one restored to health
then the tears of rain suffice, and the mourning of doves.
Are not sincere, the tears of the living are enough, and the mourning of doves.
Sol 6.1