دعlet be اللياليthe nights فلِلمعاليfor lofty deeds have
دع الليالي فلِلمعالي
حكمٌsway علىover جَورهاtheir tyranny يَجورُtyrannizes
حكمٌ على جَورها يَجورُ
Leave the nights alone—for lofty deeds
Let the nights be, for lofty deeds hold
Let the nights pass, for their injustice oppresses
have a judgment that overrules their tyranny.
sway that tyrannizes over their tyranny.
As if they had not seen Ali
كأنهاas though they ماnot رأتhad seen علِياًAli
كأنها ما رأت علِياً
فيin يدهhis hand الهمُّsorrow والسرورُand joy
في يده الهمُّ والسرورُ
As though they had never seen ʿAlī,
It is as though they had never seen Ali,
In his hand worries and joys
in whose hand lie sorrow and joy:
in whose hand lie sorrow and joy.
From calamities to gifts
منfrom المناياdeaths إلىto العطاياgifts
من المنايا إلى العطايا
تردادgoing to and fro كفَّيهhis two hands والمسيرُand the course
ترداد كفَّيه والمسيرُ
from deaths to bounties
From death to gifts
The return of his palms and journey
runs the repeated sweep and course of his two hands.
his two hands move to and fro and take their course.
If they extend an hour for a matter
إنif سَعتاthey both strive ساعةًan hour لأمرٍfor an affair
إن سَعتا ساعةً لأمرٍ
مخيِّمٍlooming أخلفَتfell short أمورُaffairs
مخيِّمٍ أخلفَت أمورُ
If for an hour they pursue a purpose
If for an hour they strive over an affair
Of an installed affair, events come after
firmly settled, affairs miscarry.
that looms, other affairs fall short.
For him from drinking when the night darkens
لهhe has منamong السُّمرِthe brown spears حينwhen يَدجوgrows dark
له من السُّمرِ حين يَدجو
ليلthe night عجاجِdust-clouds الوغىbattle سميرُa nighttime companion
ليل عجاجِ الوغى سميرُ
Among the brown-shafted spears he has, when darkens
He has among the brown spears, when darkness deepens,
The night of tumultuous clamor grows long
the night of battle’s dust, a nocturnal companion.
a companion in the night of battle's dust.
In his two rests among them
يطولُgrows long فيin راحتَيهhis two palms منهاamong them
يطولُ في راحتَيه منها
إلىto نحورthroats العدىthe foes القصيرُthe short one
إلى نحور العدى القصيرُ
In his palms, the short one among them lengthens
In his two palms, one of them grows long—
To the short necks of the enemies
toward the throats of the foe.
the short one—reaching the throats of foes.
What do you think it shows to whom it shows
ماذاwhat تراهُyou deem it لمنfor one whom تَراهyou see him
ماذا تراهُ لمن تَراه
أكثَرhas increased إعراضَهاtheir turning away الدهورُthe ages
أكثَر إعراضَها الدهورُ
What do you think awaits one whom you see
What do you deem fitting for one you see
Most of its ages are aloof
the ages have so greatly shunned?
increasingly shunned by the ages?
It has intoxicated him with wine
قدalready أسكرتُهI made him drunk علىon top of خُمارٍa hangover
قد أسكرتُه على خُمارٍ
وبعدَand after نكباتِهاtheir calamities تَدورُthey turn
وبعدَ نكباتِها تَدورُ
They have made him drunk while still hungover,
I have made him drunk on top of a hangover,
And after its setbacks it turns
and after their blows they wheel back again.
and after their calamities they keep turning.
And you are the excellent protector from it
وأنتand you نعمَhow excellent المجيرُthe protector منهاagainst them
وأنت نعمَ المجيرُ منها
تمنعُyou shield إنif سلَّمhands over المجيرُthe protector
تمنعُ إن سلَّم المجيرُ
And you are indeed the finest refuge from them:
And you are an excellent protector against them;
You prevent if the protected surrenders
you defend even when the protector yields.
you shield him if the protector gives him up.
Are you pleased with him being preoccupied
هلare ...? أنتyou راضٍcontent لهfor him بصرفٍwith a turn of fate
هل أنت راضٍ له بصرفٍ
أنتَyou علىof صَرفِهaverting it قَديرُcapable
أنتَ على صَرفِه قَديرُ
Are you content that a turn of fate should befall him
Are you content that he should suffer a turn of fate
You have power over his preoccupation
when you have power to turn it away?
that you have the power to turn aside?
No eye of his stole sleep
ماnot سرَقَتstole عينُهhis eye رُقاداًsleep
ما سرَقَت عينُه رُقاداً
إلاexcept وأوردتهand brought him فيهin it صورُTyre
إلا وأوردته فيه صورُ
His eye never stole a moment’s sleep
His eye has never stolen sleep
Except images came to him in it
without Tyre ushering him into it.
without Tyre bringing him to her within it.
As if his passion is a wing
كأنَّماas though شوقُهhis longing جناحٌa wing
كأنَّما شوقُه جناحٌ
بهwith it إلىto أرضِهاher land يطيرُhe flies
به إلى أرضِها يطيرُ
As though his longing were a wing
It is as though his longing were a wing
With it he flies to its land
on which he flies to her land.
with which he flies to her land.
It has embraced him residing
قدalready ضمَّهhas enfolded him واقعاًalighted مقيماًsettled
قد ضمَّه واقعاً مقيماً
يرقُبُawaits ماwhat يأمرcommands الأميرُthe emir
يرقُبُ ما يأمر الأميرُ
Clasped by it, he has alighted and remains,
It has enfolded him, alighted and settled,
Watching what the leader commands
awaiting what the prince commands.
awaiting what the emir commands.
Partial English translation: 25 of 26 Arabic lines translated.