ذَنبٌ إِلى الدَهرِ ما لَهُ شافع

ذَنبٌ إِلى الدَهرِ ما لَهُ شافع

وَنَبوَةٌ ما لِخَطبِها دافِع

وَنَبوَةٌ ما لِخَطبِها دافِع

A sin against Time, with no intercessor,

A sin against fate with no intercessor,

and a misfortune whose affliction none can repel:

A prophecy without a defender against its misfortunes,

فَضلٌ بَعيدُ المَنال يَصحبُه

فَضلٌ بَعيدُ المَنال يَصحبُه

قَلبٌ ذَكيٌّ وَمَنطِقٌ رائِع

قَلبٌ ذَكيٌّ وَمَنطِقٌ رائِع

excellence hard to attain, accompanied by

A virtue too difficult to attain accompanied by

a keen heart and splendid speech,

A wise heart and eloquent tongue,

وَشيمةٌ شَأنُها الوَفاءُ إِذا

وَشيمةٌ شَأنُها الوَفاءُ إِذا

خانَ زَمانٌ أُهَيلَهُ خانِع

خانَ زَمانٌ أُهَيلَهُ خانِع

and a nature whose way is loyalty whenever

And a trait whose custom is loyalty when

a treacherous age betrays its little folk.

An era has betrayed it in submission,

فَعادَها تُمسي في بُلَهنِيَةٍ

فَعادَها تُمسي في بُلَهنِيَةٍ

وَخَفضِ عَيشٍ فِناؤُهُ واسِع

وَخَفضِ عَيشٍ فِناؤُهُ واسِع

So oppose these, and you will dwell in comfort,

So it spends its evenings in distress

and easy living, with a spacious courtyard.

And a life of lowliness with extensive ruin.

وَاِهجُر دُروس العُلوم هَجرَ قِلىً

وَاِهجُر دُروس العُلوم هَجرَ قِلىً

فَهيَ عَنِ الرِزقِ مانِعٌ قاطِع

فَهيَ عَنِ الرِزقِ مانِعٌ قاطِع

And forsake the study of learning with utter aversion,

And I abandoned the lessons of knowledge and turned away

for it is a barrier that cuts off livelihood.

For they hinder sustenance and cut it off,

وَاِجفُ أَخا الفَضلِ كَي تَنالَ مُنى

وَاِجفُ أَخا الفَضلِ كَي تَنالَ مُنى

وَاِصحَب أَخا الجَهلِ يَسعَدِ الطالِع

وَاِصحَب أَخا الجَهلِ يَسعَدِ الطالِع

Shun the man of merit to attain your wishes,

And I befriended the ignorant brother so you may gain favor

and befriend the ignorant; your star will prosper.

And the rising star will bring you joy.

فَمَن يَكُن في الزَمان ذا أَدبٍ

فَمَن يَكُن في الزَمان ذا أَدبٍ

يَأكُل ما عاشَ في مِعىً ضائِع

يَأكُل ما عاشَ في مِعىً ضائِع

For whoever in this age possesses learning

So whoever in this age has etiquette,

eats, as long as he lives, into a wasted gut.

Will eat though his life passes in loss.

وَالشعر فَاِطرقه كَم طرقتُ بِهِ

وَالشعر فَاِطرقه كَم طرقتُ بِهِ

آذانَ قَومٍ فَلَم تَجِد سامِع

آذانَ قَومٍ فَلَم تَجِد سامِع

As for poetry, ply it—how often I have knocked with it

And as for poetry, how I have pursued it,

upon people's ears, yet you found no listener—

Yet its ears of a people did not find a listener.

مِن كُلِّ سَيّارَةٍ غَدَت مَثلا

مِن كُلِّ سَيّارَةٍ غَدَت مَثلا

حَدّثَ عَنها المُهَذَّبُ البارِع

حَدّثَ عَنها المُهَذَّبُ البارِع

with many a far-traveling verse that became proverbial,

Every automobile that sped became an example

spoken of by the refined, accomplished man.

That the cultivated and skillful speaker talked about.

لا عَيبَ تُرمى بِهِ سَلِمتَ سِوى

لا عَيبَ تُرمى بِهِ سَلِمتَ سِوى

جَفوة حَظٍّ وُقِيتَه هاجِع

جَفوة حَظٍّ وُقِيتَه هاجِع

No fault is imputed to it—may you be safe—save

No fault can be attributed to it but

the coldness of slumbering fortune—may you be spared it.

The fickleness of fortune when its time turned away.

أَخَّرَها دَهرُها العَقُورُ إِلى

أَخَّرَها دَهرُها العَقُورُ إِلى

دَهرٍ بِذي الفَضل لَم يَكُن ساجِع

دَهرٍ بِذي الفَضل لَم يَكُن ساجِع

Its savage age delayed it until

Fate, ever ungrateful, deferred it

an age that never cooed for the man of merit.

To a time when the virtuous no longer stirred.

بِهِ شُموسُ العُلوم قَد أَفلَت

بِهِ شُموسُ العُلوم قَد أَفلَت

وَأَنجُمُ الفَضلِ ما لَها طالِع

وَأَنجُمُ الفَضلِ ما لَها طالِع

In it the suns of learning have set,

In it the suns of knowledge have set

and none of merit's stars rises.

And the stars of merit no longer rose for it.

سادت بِهِ ثُلَّةٌ وَأَردفها

سادت بِهِ ثُلَّةٌ وَأَردفها

شاءٌ مِنَ الناسِ هامِلٌ راتِع

شاءٌ مِنَ الناسِ هامِلٌ راتِع

A faction ruled in it, followed by

Through it a wretched few prevailed,

sheep among mankind, untended and grazing.

And a throng of people, humble, followed suit.

وَمُغرَمٍ بِالعُلا نَصَحتُ لَهُ

وَمُغرَمٍ بِالعُلا نَصَحتُ لَهُ

وَالدينُ نُصحٌ أَتى بِهِ الشارِع

وَالدينُ نُصحٌ أَتى بِهِ الشارِع

Many a man enamored of high rank I have counseled—

And for one obsessed with high status, I gave advice

religion is sincere counsel, brought by the Lawgiver:

While religion is the advice brought by the Messenger.

دَع عَنكَ تطلابَه فَغيرُ فَتى

دَع عَنكَ تطلابَه فَغيرُ فَتى

يَغترُّ مِنهُ بِآلهِ الخادِع

يَغترُّ مِنهُ بِآلهِ الخادِع

Give up pursuing it, for many a youth

Leave off pursuing it, for the decoy ensnares

is beguiled by its deceptive mirage.

None but the foolish with its misleading hopes.

وَضَع عَنِ النَفس بَعضَ ما حَمَلت

وَضَع عَنِ النَفس بَعضَ ما حَمَلت

مِن عِبءِ دَهر لِقَدرِها واضِع

مِن عِبءِ دَهر لِقَدرِها واضِع

And lift from the soul some of what it has borne

And remove from the soul some of the burden

of the burden of an age that debases its worth.

It carries from the days, adjusting it to its capacity.

العَرَجُ فيهِ إِلى السَماءِ عَرَجَت

العَرَجُ فيهِ إِلى السَماءِ عَرَجَت

أَما تَرى نَسرُها غَدا وَاقِع

أَما تَرى نَسرُها غَدا وَاقِع

Lameness in it has ascended to heaven;

In it, the lame scaled the heavens.

do you not see its eagle now fallen?

Do you not see that its eagles have swooped down?

تُمسي بِأَيدي النَوكى مَدارِسُهُ

تُمسي بِأَيدي النَوكى مَدارِسُهُ

نُهبى وَلا مانعٌ وَلا دافِع

نُهبى وَلا مانعٌ وَلا دافِع

Its schools end up in the hands of fools,

By nightfall, its schools are prey

as plunder, with none to prevent or repel.

To the talons of the kites, unprotected and undefended.

لا دارِسٌ عِندَها سَوى طَلل

لا دارِسٌ عِندَها سَوى طَلل

وَلا عُلومٌ بَل مُعَلِّمٌ خاشِع

وَلا عُلومٌ بَل مُعَلِّمٌ خاشِع

No student is there, save a ruined trace,

It has no students but ruins,

and no learning, only a humbled teacher.

And no sciences, just a submissive teacher.

هَذا وَلَيلُ لَحظ ساهِره

هَذا وَلَيلُ لَحظ ساهِره

يَلوحُ فيهِ المَجرُّ كَالشارِع

يَلوحُ فيهِ المَجرُّ كَالشارِع

Such is my lot—and a night whose sleepless watcher saw

This during a night whose glancing star

the Milky Way shining within it like a highway.

Shines in it like a street,

تَظَلُّ فيهِ النُجومُ حائِرَةً

تَظَلُّ فيهِ النُجومُ حائِرَةً

تَمشي عَلى الأُفق مَشية الظالِع

تَمشي عَلى الأُفق مَشية الظالِع

The stars remain bewildered in it,

While the stars wander confused,

walking the horizon with a limping gait.

Walking the horizon like one rising.

أَبيتُ لا أَطعَمُ الرقادَ بِهِ

أَبيتُ لا أَطعَمُ الرقادَ بِهِ

عَلى شَباب مِن شرخِيَ الرائِع

عَلى شَباب مِن شرخِيَ الرائِع

I spend the night in it, tasting no sleep,

I refused to feed sleep this night,

brooding over the youth of my splendid prime.

Youthful vigor has cracked through me magnificently.

عَهدي بِهِ وَالغَرام يَشفَعُه

عَهدي بِهِ وَالغَرام يَشفَعُه

وَالشَرخ عَونٌ إِلى الهَوى شافِع

وَالشَرخ عَونٌ إِلى الهَوى شافِع

I remember it with passion as its companion,

My pact with it and passion intercede for it

and youth a helper, an intercessor for love.

While the crack helps love's intercession.

حُسّانُ ربعٍ زاهي المَعالِمِ مِن

حُسّانُ ربعٍ زاهي المَعالِمِ مِن

حُسّانَةِ الجِيدِ لَحظُها خادِع

حُسّانَةِ الجِيدِ لَحظُها خادِع

Beauties of a dwelling with splendid landmarks, among them

It is the Husna of a brilliant quarter with features

a lovely-necked one whose glance beguiles.

From the charming Husna of its neckline.

طارحتها سَورَةُ الزَمانِ وَما

طارحتها سَورَةُ الزَمانِ وَما

مُنيتُ فيهِ مِن حَظِّيَ الوادِع

مُنيتُ فيهِ مِن حَظِّيَ الوادِع

I shared with her Time's fury, and what

The era has cast it down and I have not

I had suffered in it from my idle fortune.

Been fated in it a final meeting.

فَقَهقَهَت وَاِنثَنَت مُعاتبةً

فَقَهقَهَت وَاِنثَنَت مُعاتبةً

وَالعَتبُ لِلحُرِّ رادِعٌ قامِع

وَالعَتبُ لِلحُرِّ رادِعٌ قامِع

She laughed aloud, then turned to rebuke me—

So it laughed and bent reproachfully

and rebuke restrains and subdues the noble—

While reproach to the noble is a rebuke that suppresses.

عَجِبتُ تَشكو وَقَد رَأَيتُك في

عَجِبتُ تَشكو وَقَد رَأَيتُك في

رَوضِ اِبنِ بُستانٍ غُصنُه اليانِع

رَوضِ اِبنِ بُستانٍ غُصنُه اليانِع

I marvel that you complain, when I have seen you in

I was amazed it complained though I saw it

Ibn Bustan's garden, its flourishing bough,

In the garden of Ibn Bustan, a flourishing branch.

قاضي قُضاة الشآم سَيّدنا

قاضي قُضاة الشآم سَيّدنا

مَن لَم أَزَل في نَوالِهِ طامِع

مَن لَم أَزَل في نَوالِهِ طامِع

our master, chief of the judges of al-Sham,

O Judge of Judges of Syria, our Master

whose bounty I have never ceased to hope for.

Whose bounty I still aspire to.

خَيرُ اِمرئٍ يَمَّمتهُ وَاخِدَةً

خَيرُ اِمرئٍ يَمَّمتهُ وَاخِدَةً

نُجبُ الأَماني مِن مهمهٍ شاسِع

نُجبُ الأَماني مِن مهمهٍ شاسِع

The finest man toward whom stride

The best of men the lonely star aimed for

the noble camels of hope from a vast wilderness.

With its purest hopes in abundant ambition.

إِلَيهِ أَفضَت عُلوم وَالِدِه

إِلَيهِ أَفضَت عُلوم وَالِدِه

طابَ ثَراهُ فَحازَها نافِع

طابَ ثَراهُ فَحازَها نافِع

To him passed his father's sciences—

To him his father's knowledge flowed

may his grave's earth be sweet—and Nafiʿ acquired them,

And he received it beneficially.

بِهِمّةٍ لا يَزالُ قائِدُها

بِهِمّةٍ لا يَزالُ قائِدُها

عَزمٌ يَقدُّ المُهَنّد القاطِع

عَزمٌ يَقدُّ المُهَنّد القاطِع

with an ambition always led by

With a resolve always led

a resolve that cleaves the sharp Indian sword,

By determination that drives the piercing spearhead,

وَمَنطقٍ لَو وَعى فَصاحَتَهُ

وَمَنطقٍ لَو وَعى فَصاحَتَهُ

سحبانُ أَضحى لِنَفسهِ باخِع

سحبانُ أَضحى لِنَفسهِ باخِع

and speech whose eloquence, had it been grasped by

And speech - if its eloquence were understood,

Sahban, would have made him his own destroyer.

Suhban would seem to himself just babbling nonsense.

مَولىً أَياديهِ جُودها هامِع

مَولىً أَياديهِ جُودها هامِع

وَبابُ ناديهِ مَلجأ الفازِع

وَبابُ ناديهِ مَلجأ الفازِع

A patron whose favors rain down in bounty,

My Master, his open-handed munificence gathers,

and whose hall's door is refuge for the fearful.

And the door of his assembly is refuge for the desperate.

إِلى ذُراهُ أَتَيتُ مُشتَكياً

إِلى ذُراهُ أَتَيتُ مُشتَكياً

بَينَ يَدَيهِ لِقِصَّتي رافِع

بَينَ يَدَيهِ لِقِصَّتي رافِع

To his heights I came complaining,

To his family I came complaining

presenting my case before him:

Laying my story openly before them.

دَيناً عَلى الدَهرِ قَد أَلطَّ بِهِ

دَيناً عَلى الدَهرِ قَد أَلطَّ بِهِ

أَلدُّ خَصمٍ عَلى الفَتى رائِع

أَلدُّ خَصمٍ عَلى الفَتى رائِع

a debt owed by Time, obstinately withheld by

A debt against fate that the most malicious adversary

the bitterest adversary, terrifying to a man.

Burdened the youth with.

من ذاكَ ما الناظِرُ البَصيرُ يَرى

من ذاكَ ما الناظِرُ البَصيرُ يَرى

تَوزيعهُ مِن عُلوفة الجامِع

تَوزيعهُ مِن عُلوفة الجامِع

Among it is what the discerning overseer judges

None but the observant sage sees

should be allotted from the congregational mosque's stipend.

Its distribution from the all-encompassing bounty,

وَحاجَةٌ ما في النَفسِ ما قُضيَت

وَحاجَةٌ ما في النَفسِ ما قُضيَت

عَنها سُكوتي لَدَيكُم شافِع

عَنها سُكوتي لَدَيكُم شافِع

And a certain need in my soul remains unfulfilled;

And a need in my soul not yet fulfilled

my silence about it intercedes with you:

For which my silence before you is no intercessor.

إِنجاز وَعدٍ أَوجبتُمُ كَرَماً

إِنجاز وَعدٍ أَوجبتُمُ كَرَماً

لِعَبدِ رِقٍّ بِبابكم خاضِع

لِعَبدِ رِقٍّ بِبابكم خاضِع

fulfillment of a promise you generously undertook

Fulfilling a promise you graciously made

for a bondsman, submissive at your gate.

To a slave of humble status at your door.

رِضاه فيما يَراه سَيِّدُهُ

رِضاه فيما يَراه سَيِّدُهُ

فَخَيرُ عَبدٍ بِقِسمَةٍ قانِع

فَخَيرُ عَبدٍ بِقِسمَةٍ قانِع

His contentment lies in whatever his master chooses,

His consent is in what his Master deems fit.

for the best servant is content with his allotted share.

The best slave is content with his allotted share.

وَاِسلَم وَدُم ما رَقَت عَلى فَنَنٍ

وَاِسلَم وَدُم ما رَقَت عَلى فَنَنٍ

وُرقٌ وَما افتنّ في ربىً ساجِع

وُرقٌ وَما افتنّ في ربىً ساجِع

Be safe and endure, as long as there climb upon a bough

And I submit, and my tears flowed over arts

gray doves, and as long as a cooer varies its song upon the hills.

While moisture and weeping saturate the pillow.