ماnot زرتَyou visited إلّاexcept; only خداعاًdeceitfully أيّهاO السّاريnight traveler
ما زرتَ إلّا خداعاً أيّها السّاري
ثمّthen اِنقَضيتَyou vanished وماand not قضّيتُI fulfilled أوطاريmy desires
ثمّ اِنقَضيتَ وما قضّيتُ أوطاري
You visited only to deceive, O night traveler;
You only visited to deceive, O fleeting one,
Then you vanished, and I had not fulfilled my desires.
Then you vanished before my wishes were fulfilled.
أَنّىhow could يَزورhe visit عَلىthrough الظّلماءِthe darkness مِنْfrom شَحَطٍgreat distance
أَنّى يَزور عَلى الظّلماءِ مِنْ شَحَطٍ
مَنْwho كانَwas صُبْحاًby day وَقُرباًand nearby غيرَnot زَوَّارِa frequent visitor
مَنْ كانَ صُبْحاً وَقُرباً غيرَ زَوَّارِ
How could he visit through darkness, from afar,
How can one who was a morning and nearby visitor
Who, by day and close at hand, was no visitor?
Visit those in darkness, away from the frequented paths?
وَلَيسَand does not يَنفَعُbenefit مَنone who يُضحِيspends the morning بمَجْدَبَةٍin a barren land
وَلَيسَ يَنفَعُ مَن يُضحِي بمَجْدَبَةٍ
أَنْthat باتَhe spent the night ماemphatic particle بَينَamong جنّاتٍgardens وأنهارِand rivers
أَنْ باتَ ما بَينَ جنّاتٍ وأنهارِ
Nor does it help one who spends the morning in a wasteland
It is futile for one who sacrificed with a blade
That he spent the night among gardens and rivers.
To sleep between gardens and rivers.
قَدalready زارَنيvisited me قَبلكَbefore you الشّيبُgray hair المُلِمُّthe visiting guest ضحىًat midmorning
قَد زارَني قَبلكَ الشّيبُ المُلِمُّ ضحىً
فماso not هَشِشْتُI welcomed gladly لهtoward it ماemphatic particle بينamong زوّاريmy visitors
فما هَشِشْتُ له ما بين زوّاري
Gray hair, that visiting guest, came to me before you in broad daylight,
Old age with its hardships visited me at dawn before you,
And I did not welcome it gladly among my visitors.
Yet I did not become frail between my visitors.
وكنتُand I used to أعذرُexcuse نفسيmyself قبلbefore زَوْرتِهِits visit
وكنتُ أعذرُ نفسي قبل زَوْرتِهِ
فَالآنَso now ضاقَتْhave dwindled عَلىfor اللّذّاتِpleasures أعذارِيmy excuses
فَالآنَ ضاقَتْ عَلى اللّذّاتِ أعذارِي
I used to excuse myself before its visit;
I used to excuse myself before his visit,
So now my excuses for pleasure have dwindled.
But now pleasures have become too constricted for my excuses.
لَوامِعgleams لَمdid not تكنْbe للغيثfor rain جاذبةًattracting
لَوامِع لَم تكنْ للغيث جاذبةً
وأنجُمٌand stars لمdid not تُنِرْgive light للمُدْلِجِfor the night traveler السَّاريjourneying by night
وأنجُمٌ لم تُنِرْ للمُدْلِجِ السَّاري
Gleams that never drew down rain,
Radiant stars unmoved by rain,
And stars that gave no light to the traveler journeying by night.
Luminous stars giving no light to the fading twinkler.
لاno مرحباًwelcome ببياضٍto whiteness لمdid not يكنbe وَضَحاًradiance
لا مرحباً ببياضٍ لم يكن وَضَحاً
لغُرّةِof the bright brow of الصُّبحِdawn أوor لمعاًa gleam لنُوّارِof blossoms
لغُرّةِ الصُّبحِ أو لمعاً لنُوّارِ
No welcome to a whiteness that was not the radiance
No welcome to a whiteness that was not brilliant
Of dawn's bright brow, or the gleam of blossoms.
At the morn’s flush or did not shine for the lamplighters.
أبَعْدَis it after أنْthat سَمَقَتْrose high فيin العزِّhonor أبنيتِيmy edifices
أبَعْدَ أنْ سَمَقَتْ في العزِّ أبنيتِي
وجالتِand ranged across الأرضَthe earth آثاريmy deeds وأخباريand my tidings
وجالتِ الأرضَ آثاري وأخباري
After my edifices have towered in honor,
After my buildings reached glory,
And my deeds and tidings have ranged across the earth,
My traces and tales roamed the land.
ونِلتُand I attained ماwhat ذِيدَwas driven away عنهfrom it كلُّevery مُلتَمِسٍseeker
ونِلتُ ما ذِيدَ عنه كلُّ مُلتَمِسٍ
عفواًeffortlessly وطامَنْand bowed back عنهfrom it كلُّevery جبّارِtyrant
عفواً وطامَنْ عنه كلُّ جبّارِ
And I have won what every seeker was driven away from,
And I attained what every ambitious person was denied,
Effortlessly, and from which every tyrant recoiled,
Unconditionally, while every tyrant despaired of it.
وداسand trod بيwith me أُفُقَthe horizon of الجوزاءal-Jawza مُنتعلاًwearing sandals
وداس بي أُفُقَ الجوزاء مُنتعلاً
ماwhat شِيدwas built منfrom فضلthe excellence of أقداريmy ranks وأخطاريand my distinctions
ما شِيد من فضل أقداري وأخطاري
And al-Jawza's horizon was trodden with me as its sandals by
The horizon of Gemini trampled me arrogantly,
The edifice built from the excellence of my rank and standing—
Destroying my superiority, my perils and my concerns.
يَرومhe seeks شَأويmy reach وقدthough already عزّbecame difficult اللّحاقُcatching up بهwith it
يَروم شَأوي وقد عزّ اللّحاقُ به
طمّاعةٌa grasping soul مِنfrom قَصيرِone short of الخطوstride عثّارِoften stumbling
طمّاعةٌ مِن قَصيرِ الخطو عثّارِ
Does someone seek to match my reach, though catching up is hard—
He aspires to rival me, though joining me is remote,
A grasping soul in a short-striding man, forever stumbling?
A greediness from one with faltering steps and scattered traces.
أَضَلَّهُdiverted him اللّؤمُbaseness عنfrom ذمِّيmy censure وجنّبهُand spared him
أَضَلَّهُ اللّؤمُ عن ذمِّي وجنّبهُ
خُمولُهُhis obscurity وَقْعَthe blows of أنيابيmy fangs وأظفاريand my claws
خُمولُهُ وَقْعَ أنيابي وأظفاري
His baseness diverted him from my censure; he was shielded
Meanness distracted him from blaming me and prevented him
By his obscurity from the blows of my fangs and claws.
From the strikes of my fangs and claws.
وَقَدand indeed عَجَمْتُمyou tested أنابيبيmy spear shafts فلمso did not تجدواyou find
وَقَد عَجَمْتُم أنابيبي فلم تجدوا
فيهنّin them إلّاexcept صَليباًhard; firm غيرَnot خَوّارِweak; yielding
فيهنّ إلّا صَليباً غيرَ خَوّارِ
And you have tested my shafts, yet found nothing
You tied up my water springs but found in them
In them except what was hard, not weak.
Nothing but crosses, without murmuring waters.
وَماand not نَهَضتمْyou shouldered بأعباءٍwith burdens نهضتُI shouldered بهاwith them
وَما نَهَضتمْ بأعباءٍ نهضتُ بها
ولاand not أحطتمْyou encompassed بأطرافيaround my boundaries وأقطاريand my domains
ولا أحطتمْ بأطرافي وأقطاري
And you have not shouldered burdens that I shouldered,
You did not take on burdens I took on,
Nor encompassed my boundaries and my domains.
Nor encompassed my edges and far reaches.
وَلاand not ضرَبتمْyou struck ونَقْعُwhile the dust of الحَربِwar مُلتبِسٌwas thickly mingled
وَلا ضرَبتمْ ونَقْعُ الحَربِ مُلتبِسٌ
فيwithin فَيلقٍan army host كَزُهاءِlike the vastness of اللّيلnight جرّارِvast; advancing in force
في فَيلقٍ كَزُهاءِ اللّيل جرّارِ
Nor have you struck while battle's dust swirled thick,
You did not fight when the strikes of war were underway
Within a vast, advancing host like the great mass of night.
Among regiments swift as the darkness of night.
لاmay not يبعدِcast away اللَّهُGod أقواماًgroups of men مضواthey passed on سَلَفاًas predecessors
لا يبعدِ اللَّهُ أقواماً مضوا سَلَفاً
كانواthey were علىagainst نَبَواتِthe setbacks of الدّهرِtime أنصاريmy helpers
كانوا على نَبَواتِ الدّهرِ أنصاري
May God not cast away those men who have gone before,
May God not distance people who passed on before,
Who were my helpers against the setbacks of time.
Who supported my prophecies through the ages.
شموسُthe suns of دَجنيmy gloom ومقْباسِيand my torch علىamid غَسَقٍdeep dusk
شموسُ دَجني ومقْباسِي على غَسَقٍ
وفيand in الحَنادِسِpitch-dark nights أنواريmy lights وأقماريand my moons
وفي الحَنادِسِ أنواري وأقماري
The suns of my gloom, and my torch in deep dusk,
My shining suns in the darkness,
And in pitch-black nights, my lights and my moons.
My lights and moons in the lamps.
قومٌmen إذاwhen نزلواthey alighted داراًat a house علىin عَجَلٍhaste
قومٌ إذا نزلوا داراً على عَجَلٍ
كانواthey were نزولاًguests معwith النّعمىblessings علىupon الدّارِthe house
كانوا نزولاً مع النّعمى على الدّارِ
Men who, when they alighted at a house in haste,
A people, when they quickly descended on a house,
Were guests who brought blessings to that house.
Were like the blind descending on a home.
وإنand if أهَبْتُI called out بهمْto them فيon يومِa day of معركةٍbattle
وإن أهَبْتُ بهمْ في يومِ معركةٍ
جاؤواthey came ولمand did not يمطُلواdelay عنهاfrom it بأعذارِwith excuses
جاؤوا ولم يمطُلوا عنها بأعذارِ
And if I called on them on a day of battle,
And if I rallied them on a battle day,
They came, without hanging back from it with excuses.
They came without delaying with excuses.
لاnot يَرهبونَthey fear سِوىexcept إيلامِthe pain of لائمةٍa reproach
لا يَرهبونَ سِوى إيلامِ لائمةٍ
وَلاand not يَخافونَthey fear إلّاexcept جانبَthe verge of العارِdisgrace
وَلا يَخافونَ إلّا جانبَ العارِ
They fear nothing but the pain of reproach,
They fear only the blame of a critic,
And dread nothing but the brink of disgrace.
And dread only the side of disgrace.
كَأنّهمْas though they وُلدواwere born فيin الحَربِwar وَاِرتَضعواand suckled
كَأنّهمْ وُلدوا في الحَربِ وَاِرتَضعوا
بسائلٍon a flowing liquid منof نجيعblood; gore الطّعنspear thrusts موّارِsurging
بسائلٍ من نجيع الطّعن موّارِ
As though they were born in war and suckled
As if they were born in war and suckled
On a surging flow of blood from spear thrusts.
On the swords’ dripping blood.
لاnot يعرفُhe knows المالَwealth إلّاexcept حينwhen يجعلُهُhe makes it
لا يعرفُ المالَ إلّا حين يجعلُهُ
سداًa barrier لثلْمٍfor a breach وإغناءًand enrichment لإفقارِto relieve poverty
سداً لثلْمٍ وإغناءً لإفقارِ
Each knows wealth only when he makes it
They know money only when it dams a breach
A barrier to a breach and relief for poverty.
Or enriches poverty.
جِفانُهُhis serving bowls كجوابِيlike the cisterns of الماءِwater فاهقةٌbrimming
جِفانُهُ كجوابِي الماءِ فاهقةٌ
وخُلْقُهُand his character كزلالٍlike clear water بينهاamong them جارِflowing
وخُلْقُهُ كزلالٍ بينها جارِ
His serving bowls, like water cisterns, brim,
Their palms are calloused from striking with the sword,
And his character is like clear water flowing among them.
While their manners are gentle waters flowing by them.
كَمhow often قَدindeed بلغتُI attained بهمْthrough them فيin مطلبٍa quest أَرَبِيmy desire
كَم قَد بلغتُ بهمْ في مطلبٍ أَرَبِي
وكمand how often أحذتُunclear; probably 'I took' بهمْthrough them منfrom معشرٍa people ثاريmy vengeance
وكم أحذتُ بهمْ من معشرٍ ثاري
How often, through them, I gained my desire in a quest,
How often have I achieved a lofty goal through them,
And how often, through them, I took vengeance on a people,
And how often have I checked a hostile tribe!
وكمand how often جَرَرْتُI drew back حقوفيunclear; probably 'my rights' بعدafter ماthat شَحَطَتْthey grew distant
وكم جَرَرْتُ حقوفي بعد ما شَحَطَتْ
بنصرهمwith their aid منfrom لَهاةِthe uvula of الضّيغمِthe lion الضّاريthe ravening one
بنصرهم من لَهاةِ الضّيغمِ الضّاري
And how often I reclaimed my rights, after they grew distant,
How often I have dragged my rights after they were debased
With their aid, from the throat of the ravening lion.
By the vile, vicious, perfidious beast.
المُطعمينthose who feed others علىin خَصْبٍplenty ومَسْغَبَةٍand famine
المُطعمين على خَصْبٍ ومَسْغَبَةٍ
والمنعمينand those who bestow bounty علىin عُسرٍhardship وإيسارِand affluence
والمنعمين على عُسرٍ وإيسارِ
Those who feed others in plenty and in famine,
Who live in prosperity and luxury,
And bestow bounty in hardship and in affluence.
And in ease or hardship.
طاحواthey fell; perished وماand not طاحfell حزنيmy grief بعدهمْafter them ونأَوْاand they went far away
طاحوا وما طاح حزني بعدهمْ ونأَوْا
عنّيfrom me وماand not نزحواthey departed منfrom بينamong أفكاريmy thoughts
عنّي وما نزحوا من بين أفكاري
They fell, but my grief did not fall after them; they went far
They fell, but my sorrow for them did not fall.
From me, yet never departed from my thoughts.
They parted from me, but they did not depart from my thoughts.
رُزِئتُهُمI was bereaved of them فيدِيso my hand منfrom بعدهمafter them صَفِرتْwas emptied
رُزِئتُهُم فيدِي من بعدهم صَفِرتْ
منof النّفيسprecious things وقلبيand my heart منof هوىًdesire عارِbare
من النّفيس وقلبي من هوىً عارِ
I was bereaved of them; after them my hand was emptied
I spurned them, so my hand after them was emptied
Of precious things, and my heart is bare of desire.
Of the precious, while my heart was emptied of passions.
وَلَمand did not يَفتهمْelude them وقَدand indeed حازواthey attained الكمالperfection علىabove
وَلَم يَفتهمْ وقَد حازوا الكمال على
كلّall الخَلائقcreation إلّاexcept طولُlength of أَعمارِlifetimes
كلّ الخَلائق إلّا طولُ أَعمارِ
Nothing eluded them, having attained perfection above
They did not lack, after attaining perfection
All creation, except long lives.
Above all creation, except for length of life.
وَقَدand indeed مَررناwe passed بدارٍby a dwelling بعدهمْafter them خَشَعَتْwas humbled
وَقَد مَررنا بدارٍ بعدهمْ خَشَعَتْ
بعدَafter اِعتِلاءٍstanding high وأقْوَتْand became deserted بعدafter أعمارِlifetimes (probably 'habitation' here)
بعدَ اِعتِلاءٍ وأقْوَتْ بعد أعمارِ
And we passed a dwelling that, after them, lay humbled
And we passed by an abode after them that was humbled,
After standing high, and lay deserted after habitation.
Though once lofty, now weakened by time.
Sol 6.1