ليتَ الهوى كان علةً تُعدي

ليتَ الهوى كان علةً تُعدي

من يدنُ مني يصِبهُ من وجدي

من يدنُ مني يصِبهُ من وجدي

Would that passion were a sickness that spreads contagion:

If only love were a contagious illness,

whoever drew near me would catch it from my ardor,

so whoever draws near me would catch some of my passion.

ليَستوي العاذلونَ في ضرر ال

ليَستوي العاذلونَ في ضرر ال

عِلَّة والظاعنونَ في البعدِ

عِلَّة والظاعنونَ في البعدِ

so reproachers might equal, in the illness’s harm,

So reproachers might share the harm of the

those journeying away, in their remoteness.

illness equally with those who depart far away.

لئن تولَّوا فليسَ بي رمقٌ

لئن تولَّوا فليسَ بي رمقٌ

أحسّ فيه بفجعةِ الفَقدِ

أحسّ فيه بفجعةِ الفَقدِ

If they turn away, no breath of life remains in me

If they turn away, no spark of life remains in me

with which to feel the anguish of loss.

with which to feel the shock of loss.

ولا تقل كيف أنتَ بعدهُم ال

ولا تقل كيف أنتَ بعدهُم ال

يومَ فقد صار بعدهم بُعدي

يومَ فقد صار بعدهم بُعدي

And do not ask, “How are you after them on this

And do not ask, 'How are you after them

day?”—for after them, distance has become my lot.

today?' For their absence has become my own ruin.

والشادنُ المستقلُّ في أولِ ال

والشادنُ المستقلُّ في أولِ ال

ظَعنِ هو المستقلُّ ما عندي

ظَعنِ هو المستقلُّ ما عندي

The young gazelle, setting out at the very first

And the young gazelle setting off at the start of the

departure, is the one who carries off all I possess.

departure is the one who carried off all I had.

عجبتُ فيما عجبتُ من شفةٍ

عجبتُ فيما عجبتُ من شفةٍ

ظامئةٍ ضمَّها على وِردِ

ظامئةٍ ضمَّها على وِردِ

Among all my marveling, I marveled at a lip,

I marveled, among other marvels, at a lip,

thirsty though assured of reaching the spring,

thirsty, though he closed it over a watering-place;

ومِن جفونٍ بضعفِها قويَت

ومِن جفونٍ بضعفِها قويَت

والسقم يُعدي واللَّحظُ يَستعدي

والسقم يُعدي واللَّحظُ يَستعدي

and at eyelids that gained strength through their weakness:

and at eyelids made strong by their weakness:

sickness spreads contagion, while a glance calls for vengeance.

sickness infects, and the glance calls for aid.

وسارَ يستصحبُ المحاسنَ لا

وسارَ يستصحبُ المحاسنَ لا

يتركُ إلا الوفاءَ بالعهدِ

يتركُ إلا الوفاءَ بالعهدِ

He departed, taking every beauty as his companion,

He departed, taking all beauties with him, leaving

leaving nothing but fidelity to the covenant.

nothing behind but fidelity to his pledge.

فاعترضَ الدهرُ في نوائِبه

فاعترضَ الدهرُ في نوائِبه

يَجلو همومَ الهوى بما يُصدي

يَجلو همومَ الهوى بما يُصدي

Then Time confronted me amid its calamities,

Then Time intervened with its calamities,

polishing away love’s cares with what brings tarnish;

polishing away love's cares with what causes rust.

يَجلو شديداً أشدُّ منه وكم

يَجلو شديداً أشدُّ منه وكم

تليت شداً يلينُ في شدِّ

تليت شداً يلينُ في شدِّ

clearing one harsh trial with one still harsher—and how many

A harsher trial dispels a harsh one—and how often

a hardship have I faced that softened before my resolve!

I followed a hardship that softens amid hardship [reading uncertain].

حتى إذا أنجُم العُلى طلعَت

حتى إذا أنجُم العُلى طلعَت

في فلكٍ سَعدُهُ أبو سَعدِ

في فلكٍ سَعدُهُ أبو سَعدِ

Until—when the stars of lofty glory rose

Until, when the stars of loftiness rose

in the sphere of his fortune, Abū Saʿd—

in a sphere whose good fortune is Abu Sa'd,

ألقَت شِهاباً لكلِّ نائبةٍ

ألقَت شِهاباً لكلِّ نائبةٍ

فما يُردى إلا لكي يُردى

فما يُردى إلا لكي يُردى

they cast a meteor against every calamity;

they cast a meteor at every calamity:

it is brought down only that it may bring down.

nothing is hurled down except to strike down.

أجرامُها المكرماتُ والمننُ البي

أجرامُها المكرماتُ والمننُ البي

ضُ تَوالَت سوابقَ الوعدِ

ضُ تَوالَت سوابقَ الوعدِ

Their celestial bodies are munificent deeds and favors, pure

Their bodies are noble deeds and white favors,

white, succeeding one another and outstripping promise:

coming in succession, outrunning promises.

خلائق كلَّما لمعنَ سرى

خلائق كلَّما لمعنَ سرى

كلّ كريم بهنَّ يَستهدي

كلّ كريم بهنَّ يَستهدي

virtues by which, whenever toward some gain

Virtues: whenever they shine, by night travels

any generous man journeys, he finds guidance.

every noble soul, seeking guidance from them.

وهمَّةٌ تركبُ السّماكَ ولا

وهمَّةٌ تركبُ السّماكَ ولا

تبرحُ في الأرض مع ذوي القصدِ

تبرحُ في الأرض مع ذوي القصدِ

And an ambition that mounts al-Simāk, yet

And a resolve that rides al-Simak, yet

remains upon the earth among people of purpose.

remains on earth with those who come seeking.

رأى العلى والندى قواعِدها

رأى العلى والندى قواعِدها

فليس يبني إلا بما يُسدي

فليس يبني إلا بما يُسدي

He saw lofty glory and generosity as its foundations,

He deemed glory and generosity its foundations,

and builds only with what he himself bestows.

so he builds only with what he bestows.

كأنه كلما مضى قلم

كأنه كلما مضى قلم

في يده إذ يُعيدُ أو يُبدي

في يده إذ يُعيدُ أو يُبدي

It is as though, whenever a pen moves

As though, whenever a pen runs

in his hand—whether he repeats or originates—

in his hand, as he repeats or sets forth,

يكتبُ بالأملس المثقفِ أو

يكتبُ بالأملس المثقفِ أو

بأملسِ المتنِ قاطعِ الحدِّ

بأملسِ المتنِ قاطعِ الحدِّ

he writes with a polished, straightened spear, or

he writes with a smooth, straightened spear, or

with a smooth-spined sword, keen of edge.

with a smooth-backed, sharp-edged sword.

وإن جرى حادثٌ جرت يده

وإن جرى حادثٌ جرت يده

يلحقُ فيه اليراعُ بالجردِ

يلحقُ فيه اليراعُ بالجردِ

And if a crisis arises, his hand races;

And if an event races on, his hand races too,

therein the reed pen catches up with sleek steeds

the reed pen catching up with the sleek steeds,

في حلبةٍ لونُها كلون أيا

في حلبةٍ لونُها كلون أيا

ديه إلى أن تصيرَ كالبردِ

ديه إلى أن تصيرَ كالبردِ

across an arena whose color is that of his bounteous

on a racecourse whose color is like that of his

hands—except that it turns into patterned cloth.

favors, until it resembles a striped cloak.

يريكَ فيها نظامَ خاطِره

يريكَ فيها نظامَ خاطِره

مفصلاً من قلائِد المجدِ

مفصلاً من قلائِد المجدِ

There he shows you the ordered string of his thought,

He shows you there the ordered string of his thought,

set gem by gem from necklaces of glory.

set with gems from the necklaces of glory.

وما المساعي في الجود راجيةً

وما المساعي في الجود راجيةً

إلا دواعي الثناءِ والحمدِ

إلا دواعي الثناءِ والحمدِ

His endeavors in generosity hope for nothing

And endeavors in generosity hope for nothing

except occasions for praise and gratitude.

but occasions for praise and thanks.