ألا عوجا لمجتَمَعِ السِّيالِ

ألا عوجا لمجتَمَعِ السِّيالِ

فثَمَّ شفاءُ ما بي من خبَالِ

فثَمَّ شفاءُ ما بي من خبَالِ

Come, you two, turn aside to the acacia grove;

Alas for the disturbed society,

For there lies the cure for the madness in me.

Therein lies the cure for my worries.

وإنْ أنكرتُما منّي ضلالاً

وإنْ أنكرتُما منّي ضلالاً

فماذا ضرّ غيري من ضلالي

فماذا ضرّ غيري من ضلالي

And if you two disapprove of my straying,

And if you both deny I was misguided,

What harm has my straying done to anyone else?

Who else is harmed by my misguidance?

فإمّا شئتُما أن تُسعِداني

فإمّا شئتُما أن تُسعِداني

فمُرّا بي على الدِّمَنِ البَوالي

فمُرّا بي على الدِّمَنِ البَوالي

If you two wish to help me,

Whether you wish to make me happy,

Then take me past the weatherworn camp ruins.

March me to the houses of separation.

خَرِسْن فلو ملكن النُّطقَ يوماً

خَرِسْن فلو ملكن النُّطقَ يوماً

شكون إليك من جَنَفِ اللّيالي

شكون إليك من جَنَفِ اللّيالي

They are mute; if ever they could speak,

Be silent, for if they gained speech one day,

They would lament to you the injustice of the nights.

They would complain to you of the injustice of nights.

لَعَلِّي أنْ أرى طَلَلاً لحُبٍّ

لَعَلِّي أنْ أرى طَلَلاً لحُبٍّ

وآثاراً لأيّامِ الوِصالِ

وآثاراً لأيّامِ الوِصالِ

Perhaps I may see a remnant of love,

Perhaps I will see ruins of a love,

And traces of the days of union.

And traces of the days of union.

نصيبُ مُصاحبي منّى حنينٌ

نصيبُ مُصاحبي منّى حنينٌ

حنينُ الرّائماتِ إلى الفِصالِ

حنينُ الرّائماتِ إلى الفِصالِ

My companion's share from me is a yearning cry,

My companion’s share of me is yearning,

The cry of loving mother-camels for their weaned young;

The yearning of the bereaved for separation.

ومُنْهَلٌّ من العَبَراتِ تجري

ومُنْهَلٌّ من العَبَراتِ تجري

فينطِقُ إِنْ سكتُّ بسوء حالي

فينطِقُ إِنْ سكتُّ بسوء حالي

And a downpour of tears that flow,

And a spring of tears flows,

Speaking, if I fall silent, of my wretched state;

So it speaks though I stay silent in my misery.

ومُسْتَرَقٍ من الأحشاء يخبُو

ومُسْتَرَقٍ من الأحشاء يخبُو

أُوارُ النّارِ وهو على اِشتعالِ

أُوارُ النّارِ وهو على اِشتعالِ

And a sigh stolen from my depths—the fire's

And something stolen from my heart hides

Heat subsides, while that sigh burns on.

The fires’ peaks while it remains ablaze.

وفي الغادين من يمنٍ فتاةٌ

وفي الغادين من يمنٍ فتاةٌ

تُضام مَعادةً شبه الغزالِ

تُضام مَعادةً شبه الغزالِ

Among the morning travelers from Yemen is a maiden,

And of the beauties of the past, there is a gazelle

Wronged when she is again likened to a gazelle.

Who meets for rendezvous like the gazelle.

أُشاق إلى المواعد من هواها

أُشاق إلى المواعد من هواها

وإِنْ كانتْ تُسَوِّف بالمُحالِ

وإِنْ كانتْ تُسَوِّف بالمُحالِ

Love for her makes me yearn for our trysts,

I yearn for the promised meetings with her love

Though she puts me off with impossibilities.

Though she puts it off with the impossible.

وذلّلنا طويلُ الهجر حتّى

وذلّلنا طويلُ الهجر حتّى

قنعنا في التّزاور بالخيالِ

قنعنا في التّزاور بالخيالِ

Long estrangement has humbled us until

And estrangement made us humble until

We are content with phantom visits.

We sufficed with apparitions for visits.

وخبّرها الوشاةُ بنا إليها

وخبّرها الوشاةُ بنا إليها

بما جعلته عذراً في المَلالِ

بما جعلته عذراً في المَلالِ

The slanderers brought her tales about us,

And the slanderers told her of me

Which she made an excuse for weariness.

What made excuses in boredom.

وَقَد كنتُ اِعتَزمتُ الصّبرَ عنها

وَقَد كنتُ اِعتَزمتُ الصّبرَ عنها

فلمّا أن بدأتُ به بدا لِي

فلمّا أن بدأتُ به بدا لِي

I had resolved to endure without her,

I had intended to be patient with her

But as soon as I began, I changed my mind.

But when I began with it, it seemed to me

سقى نجداً ومَن بجنوب نجدٍ

سقى نجداً ومَن بجنوب نجدٍ

مَلِثُّ الوَدْقِ منهمرُ العَزالي

مَلِثُّ الوَدْقِ منهمرُ العَزالي

May Najd, and those south of Najd, be watered

It waters Najd and the South of Najd

By a cloud of ceaseless rain, its spouts streaming.

A pouring rain of relation and separation.

كأنَّ بروقَه يخفقن بُلْقٌ

كأنَّ بروقَه يخفقن بُلْقٌ

خرجن على الظّلام بلا جِلالِ

خرجن على الظّلام بلا جِلالِ

As though its flickering lightning were piebald horses

As if its lightning fluttered distinguished ones

Emerging into the darkness without horse-coverings;

Who went out into the darkness without glory.

وأسيافٌ سُلِلْن على الديّاجي

وأسيافٌ سُلِلْن على الديّاجي

لها عهدٌ قريبٌ بالصّقالِ

لها عهدٌ قريبٌ بالصّقالِ

And swords drawn against the night-darkness,

And swords were drawn upon warriors

Their acquaintance with polishing still fresh.

That have a near covenant with the whetstone.

فَكم بِجنوب نجدٍ من عزيزٍ

فَكم بِجنوب نجدٍ من عزيزٍ

صغيرِ الذّنبِ مُحتَمَلِ الدّلالِ

صغيرِ الذّنبِ مُحتَمَلِ الدّلالِ

How many a cherished one is south of Najd,

So how many honored ones in the South of Najd

Slight in fault, whose coyness is indulged!

Small of guilt, tolerable coquetry.

إذا سلّى العواذلُ فيه قلباً

إذا سلّى العواذلُ فيه قلباً

مشوقاً لم يكن عنه بسالِ

مشوقاً لم يكن عنه بسالِ

When reproaching women try to soothe a heart in love with him,

When the slender ones seduced a longing heart in him

Still yearning, it cannot forget him.

It was not devoid of determination.

فقولوا للأُلى دَرَجوا ملوكاً

فقولوا للأُلى دَرَجوا ملوكاً

وحازوا باللُّها رِبَقَ الرّجالِ

وحازوا باللُّها رِبَقَ الرّجالِ

So tell those who have lived as kings

So tell the family to tread kings

And grasped men's halters through their largesse:

And win the yardstick of men with coyness.

أجِيلوا نظرةً بيني بويهٍ

أجِيلوا نظرةً بيني بويهٍ

تَرَوْا سَعَةً على ضيق المجالِ

تَرَوْا سَعَةً على ضيق المجالِ

Cast a glance toward the sons of Buwayh;

Make a quick glance between my Buwaih

You will see breadth despite the narrow scope.

To see latitude despite the narrowness of range.

لهمْ في كلّ نائبةٍ حلومٌ

لهمْ في كلّ نائبةٍ حلومٌ

ثِقالٌ لا تُوازنُ بالجبالِ

ثِقالٌ لا تُوازنُ بالجبالِ

In every calamity they possess sound judgment,

For them in every misfortune there are forbearances

So weighty that mountains cannot counterbalance it.

Heavy, cannot be weighed against mountains.

وفي العلياءِ فخرُ الملك يسمو

وفي العلياءِ فخرُ الملك يسمو

سُمُوَّ البدرِ في غُرَرِ اللّيالي

سُمُوَّ البدرِ في غُرَرِ اللّيالي

In the heights of honor, Fakhr al-Mulk rises,

And in their nobility the pride of kingship rises

As the full moon rises on radiant nights.

Like the rise of the full moon in the dark nights.

وقد علمتْ ملوكُ بني بويهٍ

وقد علمتْ ملوكُ بني بويهٍ

بأنّك حاسمُ الدّاءِ العُضالِ

بأنّك حاسمُ الدّاءِ العُضالِ

The kings of the sons of Buwayh have known

And the Buwaih kings knew

That you eradicate the intractable disease;

You who resolve the most complex of afflictions.

وأنّك في الخطوبِ الجُونِ منهمْ

وأنّك في الخطوبِ الجُونِ منهمْ

مكانَ النّارِ في طَرَفِ الذُّبالِ

مكانَ النّارِ في طَرَفِ الذُّبالِ

And amid dark calamities, you are to them

And that for you among perilous situations

What flame is at the tips of wicks.

Is like the position of fire on the wick’s end.

ولمّا رامها مَن رام منهمْ

ولمّا رامها مَن رام منهمْ

عَجِلْتَ إِليه من قبل العِجالِ

عَجِلْتَ إِليه من قبل العِجالِ

And when any of them sought it,

So when he who wished from them transgressed,

You hastened to him ahead of the swift.

You hurried to him before haste.

ليوثٌ كالأجادل ضارياتٌ

ليوثٌ كالأجادل ضارياتٌ

على صَهَواتِ خيلٍ كالرِّئالِ

على صَهَواتِ خيلٍ كالرِّئالِ

Fierce lions, like hunting falcons,

Lions like courageous heroes, mares

On the backs of horses like young ostriches,

On the withers of steeds like mirages.

تَحُفُّ بصلّ رملةِ بطنِ وادٍ

تَحُفُّ بصلّ رملةِ بطنِ وادٍ

تَناذرُ منه أصلالُ الرّمالِ

تَناذرُ منه أصلالُ الرّمالِ

Surround a viper of the sand in a valley's bed,

They surround the prayer of the valley’s expanse

Of whom the sand-vipers warn one another.

From which the slopes of sands are warned.

إِذا ما همّ طوّح بالتّمادي

إِذا ما همّ طوّح بالتّمادي

وداس السِّلْمَ في طرقِ القتالِ

وداس السِّلْمَ في طرقِ القتالِ

When he resolves, he casts all delay aside

When the knight intent on continuation dashed

And tramples peace along the roads of battle.

And trampled the peace in the ways of war.

وأرغمها أنوفاً من أناسٍ

وأرغمها أنوفاً من أناسٍ

غَدَوْا يَستنزِلون عن النِّزالِ

غَدَوْا يَستنزِلون عن النِّزالِ

He rubbed in the dust the noses of men

And made those with too much self-regard taste defeat

Who had begun urging withdrawal from combat.

Who marched to avoid the fight.

وقد ساموك مشكلةً لَموعاً

وقد ساموك مشكلةً لَموعاً

كما لمع الفضاءُ بلمعِ آلِ

كما لمع الفضاءُ بلمعِ آلِ

They burdened you with a glittering quandary,

And they likened you, burning with fury

As open land shimmers with the glint of a mirage.

As the horizon shone with the gleam of a new moon.

وظنّ بك الغُواةُ الصَّدَّ عنها

وظنّ بك الغُواةُ الصَّدَّ عنها

وما رِيعَتْ قرومُك بالإفالِ

وما رِيعَتْ قرومُك بالإفالِ

The misguided thought you would turn away from it,

And the transgressors thought to bar you from it

But your mighty camel-stallions were not frightened by calves.

But your spears were not dulled by avoidance.

فيا لشجاعةٍ بك ما أفادتْ

فيا لشجاعةٍ بك ما أفادتْ

من النّعماء عندك للموالي

من النّعماء عندك للموالي

What courage is yours! How much it has bestowed

So what courage you have that benefited

Of bounty from you upon your loyal retainers!

From blessings in your presence the loyal!

وأيّةُ صَعْبَةٍ ذلّلتَ قسْراً

وأيّةُ صَعْبَةٍ ذلّلتَ قسْراً

قرَاها أيّ ذلٍّ للرّجالِ

قرَاها أيّ ذلٍّ للرّجالِ

And what an unruly she-camel you tamed by force,

And what arduous thing you overpowered by force

Whose back brought men such humiliation!

To reduce the difficulty for men!

فقد عَلَّمتَ كيف تفوت شرّاً

فقد عَلَّمتَ كيف تفوت شرّاً

وكيف تجوز ضيّقةَ المجالِ

وكيف تجوز ضيّقةَ المجالِ

You have taught how to escape evil,

For you taught how to avert evil

And how to pass through narrow confines.

And how to traverse the narrowness of range.

وليس يَضِلّ إِثْرَكَ مَن هَدَتْهُ

وليس يَضِلّ إِثْرَكَ مَن هَدَتْهُ

مواقعُ مَنْسِمِ العَوْدِ الجَلالِ

مواقعُ مَنْسِمِ العَوْدِ الجَلالِ

None goes astray behind you when guided

And none lose your tracks who are guided

By the footprints of the mighty, mature camel.

By the positions of the star of glory.

إذا ما كنتَ لي وَزَراً حصيناً

إذا ما كنتَ لي وَزَراً حصيناً

على نُوَبِ الزّمانِ فما أُبالي

على نُوَبِ الزّمانِ فما أُبالي

If you are my impregnable refuge

If you were an impenetrable armor for me

Against time's calamities, I have no care.

Against the turns of time, I would not care.

وخوّفني العُداةُ الشَّرَّ منهمْ

وخوّفني العُداةُ الشَّرَّ منهمْ

فما خطرتْ مخافتُهمْ ببالي

فما خطرتْ مخافتُهمْ ببالي

My enemies sought to frighten me with their harm,

And the enemies frightened me with their evil

But fear of them never crossed my mind.

But the notion of fearing them never occurred to me.

وراموا قطعَ أسبابٍ مِتانٍ

وراموا قطعَ أسبابٍ مِتانٍ

علقتُ بها فما قطعوا قِبالي

علقتُ بها فما قطعوا قِبالي

They sought to cut the stout cords

And they attempted to sever enduring ties

I clung to, yet did not cut even my sandal-strap.

I clung to, but they did not cut my rope.

وما نقموا سوى أنّي لديه

وما نقموا سوى أنّي لديه

شديدُ القربِ مُستَمَعُ المقالِ

شديدُ القربِ مُستَمَعُ المقالِ

They resented nothing but that, with him,

And they resented nothing but that I have with him

I am intimately close, with my words heeded;

An intensely close, listened-to conversation.

وأنّي فيه دون النّاس جمعاً

وأنّي فيه دون النّاس جمعاً

أُعادي مَن أُعادي او أوالي

أُعادي مَن أُعادي او أوالي

And that it is for him alone, to the exclusion of all others,

And that compared to all people combined

That I oppose whom I oppose, or befriend whom I befriend.

I befriend who he befriends, and follow whom he follows.

وكم لي فيه من غُرَرٍ بَواقٍ

وكم لي فيه من غُرَرٍ بَواقٍ

ومن سحرٍ سبقتُ به حلالِ

ومن سحرٍ سبقتُ به حلالِ

How many enduring gems I have in his praise,

And how many hidden pearls I have in him

And lawful magic with which I have outstripped others!

And magic I surpassed right conduct with.

يغور إلى القلوب بلا حجابٍ

يغور إلى القلوب بلا حجابٍ

ويشفيك الجواب بلا سؤالِ

ويشفيك الجواب بلا سؤالِ

It penetrates hearts without a veil,

It sinks into hearts without barriers

And the answer satisfies you without a question.

And cures you with an answer without a question.

وقافيةٍ متى اِستُمِعتْ أبرّتْ

وقافيةٍ متى اِستُمِعتْ أبرّتْ

عذوبتُها على الماء الزُّلالِ

عذوبتُها على الماء الزُّلالِ

And many a rhyme, whenever it is heard, surpasses

And a rhyme whenever it is heard

In sweetness clear, fresh water.

Its sweetness flows clearer than limpid water.

فلولا أنّها كِلَمٌ لكانتْ

فلولا أنّها كِلَمٌ لكانتْ

فريدَ نحور ربَّاتِ الحِجالِ

فريدَ نحور ربَّاتِ الحِجالِ

Were it not made of words, it would be

And were it not phrases, it would be

Choice pearls on the necks of ladies behind curtains.

The unique throat of the lady gazelles.

وهذا العيدُ والنَّيروزُ جاءا

وهذا العيدُ والنَّيروزُ جاءا

كما نهواه فيك بخير فالِ

كما نهواه فيك بخير فالِ

This Eid and Nowruz have both come,

And this holiday and Nayrouz came

As we wish for you, with a fortunate omen.

As they augured the best of omens in you.

وما اِفتَرقا بهذا العصر إلّا

وما اِفتَرقا بهذا العصر إلّا

كما اِفترقتْ يمينٌ مَعْ شمالِ

كما اِفترقتْ يمينٌ مَعْ شمالِ

In this age they are separated only

And they did not part in this time

As right and left hands are separated.

Except as the right hand parts from the left.

فدُم لتكرّمٍ أرخصتَ منه

فدُم لتكرّمٍ أرخصتَ منه

ولم يزل التّكرُّمُ وهو غالِ

ولم يزل التّكرُّمُ وهو غالِ

So live on for generosity, whose price you have lowered,

So continue with generosity you made cheaper

Though generosity has always been dear.

Though generosity never ceases being expensive.

ويا نُعمى له دومي وكوني

ويا نُعمى له دومي وكوني

على غِيَرِ الزّمان بلا زوالِ

على غِيَرِ الزّمان بلا زوالِ

And O blessing upon him, endure and remain

O my bliss that lasts, my being

Through time's vicissitudes, never passing away.

Beyond time without fading.