سَقيمٌ نَهاهُ سُقمُ جَفنَيهِ أَن يَسلو

سَقيمٌ نَهاهُ سُقمُ جَفنَيهِ أَن يَسلو

ويأمرُهُ أَن لا يُطاوِعهُ العَذلُ

ويأمرُهُ أَن لا يُطاوِعهُ العَذلُ

A lovesick man: his eyelids' languor has forbidden him to forget,

Sickness forbade his eyelids to sleep

And bids him be at odds with reproach.

And ordered him not to obey languor

فيا لكَ مِن أَمرٍ وَنهيٍ تَجمَّعا

فيا لكَ مِن أَمرٍ وَنهيٍ تَجمَّعا

عَلى واحدٍ ما فِيهِ عَن واحدٍ فَضلُ

عَلى واحدٍ ما فِيهِ عَن واحدٍ فَضلُ

Oh, what a command and prohibition, joined together

What a command and prohibition combined

Upon one man, with no strength to spare beyond one demand!

Against one who is unequaled and peerless

لَه كُلّ يومٍ مِن صُدودِكَ لَوعَةٌ

لَه كُلّ يومٍ مِن صُدودِكَ لَوعَةٌ

تعوَّدَ أَن يَتلو بِها زَفرَةً تَعلو

تعوَّدَ أَن يَتلو بِها زَفرَةً تَعلو

Each day your turning away brings him burning anguish;

Each day your rejection causes him agony

He has grown used to uttering with it a sigh that rises high.

He is accustomed to sighing woefully

تكرُّ علَيهِ النائِباتُ كأنَّها

تكرُّ علَيهِ النائِباتُ كأنَّها

طَلائِعُ خَيلٍ جاءَ يَقدُمُها الشِّبلُ

طَلائِعُ خَيلٍ جاءَ يَقدُمُها الشِّبلُ

Calamities charge against him as though they were

Misfortunes attack him as if they were

A cavalry vanguard, arriving with Shibl—the lion cub—at its head.

Vanguards of horsemen led by a lion cub

سِوى أنَّها غَدَّارةٌ كلَّما وَفى

سِوى أنَّها غَدَّارةٌ كلَّما وَفى

وبينَ الوَفا والغَدرِ يومَ الوَغى فَصلُ

وبينَ الوَفا والغَدرِ يومَ الوَغى فَصلُ

Except that they are treacherous whenever he keeps faith;

Except they are treacherous, whenever trustworthy

And on the day of battle, fidelity and treachery stand apart.

On the battle day, the difference between loyalty and betrayal is clear

فتىً أن يَجر صَرفُ الزَّمانِ فَصَعدَةٌ

فتىً أن يَجر صَرفُ الزَّمانِ فَصَعدَةٌ

لَها في يَدَيهِ كلَّما اعتَدلَت عَدلُ

لَها في يَدَيهِ كلَّما اعتَدلَت عَدلُ

A youth: if Time's turns are unjust, a straight spear

It is hard on a young man that the course of time pulls him

In his hands, whenever held straight, dispenses justice.

And its hands upon him rise and fall

وإِن يَفتَخِر قومٌ عَليهِ فإنَّما

وإِن يَفتَخِر قومٌ عَليهِ فإنَّما

لَهُم قَولُهُم في فَخرِهم ولَه فِعلُ

لَهُم قَولُهُم في فَخرِهم ولَه فِعلُ

And if a people boast of surpassing him, they have only

If a people take pride over him, they only

Their vaunting words; his are deeds.

Have their words to boast, but he has his deeds

مَناقِبُ يا ابنَ اللَّيثِ ضاقَت على امرئٍ

مَناقِبُ يا ابنَ اللَّيثِ ضاقَت على امرئٍ

يُحاوِلُها من حَيثُ حاوَلَها الشِّبلُ

يُحاوِلُها من حَيثُ حاوَلَها الشِّبلُ

Virtues, O son of al-Layth—the lion—have proved too hard for any man

Virtues, O son of the Lion, are too narrow for one

Who seeks them where Shibl—the lion cub—has sought them.

Who seeks them from where the lion cub sought them

تمكنتَ من دنياكَ إنِّيَ إنَّما

تمكنتَ من دنياكَ إنِّيَ إنَّما

دَعوتُ دُعاءً لَيسَ يقبلُه البَذلُ

دَعوتُ دُعاءً لَيسَ يقبلُه البَذلُ

May you gain mastery of your world; indeed, I have only

You gained your world, I only

Offered a prayer that generosity will not accept.

Prayed a prayer generosity does not accept

ولا زالَت الأيامُ فينا بَخيلَةً

ولا زالَت الأيامُ فينا بَخيلَةً

بِمِثلِكَ أَن يُقنَى وكَيفَ ولا مِثلُ

بِمِثلِكَ أَن يُقنَى وكَيفَ ولا مِثلُ

And may the days never cease to be miserly among us

And the days with us remain stingy

In letting us possess your like—and how could they not, when you have no equal?

That the like of you is content, but there is no like