أَبقىleft behind الزمانُTime بِهِon him ندوبَscars عِضاضof biting
أَبقى الزمانُ بِهِ ندوبَ عِضاض
وَرمىand pelted سوادَthe blackness of قُرونهِhis locks ببياضِwith whiteness
وَرمى سوادَ قُرونهِ ببياضِ
Time has left upon him scars from savage biting,
Time left the scars of its bites upon him,
And streaked the black of his side-locks with white.
And pelted the blackness of his locks with white.
نَفَرتshied away بِهِfrom him كأَسُthe cup of النَديمthe boon companion وأَغمَضتand closed their eyes
نَفَرت بِهِ كأَسُ النَديم وأَغمَضت
عَنهُaway from him الكواعِبُthe full-breasted maidens أيّماutterly إِغماضclosing the eyes
عَنهُ الكواعِبُ أيّما إِغماض
The drinking-cup recoiled from him in his companion’s hand, and the full-bosomed maidens
The boon companion's cup shied from him, and eyes were closed
Shut their eyes to him—utterly shut them.
Against him by the full-breasted maidens—utterly closed.
وَلَرُبَماand often جُعلتwere made محاسنُthe beauties of وَجههِhis face
وَلَرُبَما جُعلت محاسنُ وَجههِ
لِجفونِهاfor their eyelids غَرضاًa target مِنَamong الأغراضِthe targets
لِجفونِها غَرضاً مِنَ الأغراضِ
Yet once, perhaps, the beauty of his face was made
Yet often the beauty of his face had been made
A target, among all targets, for their eyelids’ glances.
A target among targets for their eyelids.
حسَرَstripped away المشيبُgray hair قِناعهhis veil عَنfrom رأَسهِhis head
حسَرَ المشيبُ قِناعه عَن رأَسهِ
فَرَمَينَهso they pelted him بالصَدِّwith rebuff والإِعراضِand aversion
فَرَمَينَه بالصَدِّ والإِعراضِ
Gray age has drawn the veil away from his head,
Gray hair stripped his veil from his head,
So they assailed him with rebuff and aversion.
So they pelted him with rebuff and aversion.
إِثنانِtwo لاnot تَصبواare drawn النساءُwomen إِليهماto the two of them
إِثنانِ لا تَصبوا النساءُ إِليهما
ذوone with شيبَةgray hair وَمُحالِفُand one allied with الإِنفاضِdestitution
ذو شيبَة وَمُحالِفُ الإِنفاضِ
There are two to whom women feel no longing:
There are two whom women do not desire:
A gray-haired man, and one forever allied with poverty.
A gray-haired man and one bound to destitution.
فَوَعودهنَّso their promises إِذاwhen وَعَدنَكَthey promise you باطلٌare worthless
فَوَعودهنَّ إِذا وَعَدنَكَ باطلٌ
وَبُروقُهُنَّand their lightning flashes كَواذِبُdeceitful الإِيماضِin flashing
وَبُروقُهُنَّ كَواذِبُ الإِيماضِ
Their promises, whenever they promise you, are vain,
So their promises, when they promise you, are worthless,
And their flashes are lightning that falsely gleams.
And their lightning flashes gleam deceitfully.
لاdo not تُنكريresent صَدّيmy turning away وَلاand do not إِعرضيturn away
لا تُنكري صَدّي وَلا إِعرضي
لَيسَis not المقلِthe poor man عَلىwith الزمانِTime بِراضِcontent
لَيسَ المقلِ عَلى الزمانِ بِراضِ
Do not reproach my turning away, nor turn away yourself;
Do not resent my turning away, nor turn away yourself;
A man reduced to want cannot be pleased with time.
A man of little means is not content with Time.
حُلّيuntie عِقالَthe hobble of مطيَّتيmy mount لاnot عَنout of قليًhatred
حُلّي عِقالَ مطيَّتي لا عَن قليً
وامضيand go فإِنيfor I ياO أُميمةUmayma ماضِam departing
وامضي فإِني يا أُميمة ماضِ
Loose my mount’s tether—not from any hatred—
Untie my mount's hobble—not out of hatred—
And go, for I too, Umayma, am going.
And go, for I, O Umayma, am departing.
عُوِّضتُI was given a replacement عنfor بُردِthe mantle of الشبابyouth مُلاءَةًa wrap
عُوِّضتُ عن بُردِ الشباب مُلاءَةً
خَلَقاًthreadbare وَبِئسَand wretched is معوضَةthe recompense of المُعتاضِthe recipient of the replacement
خَلَقاً وَبِئسَ معوضَة المُعتاضِ
In exchange for youth’s fine mantle, I was given a cloak
For youth's mantle I was given a wrap,
Worn threadbare—wretched is the exchange of one thus recompensed!
Threadbare—what a wretched recompense for its recipient!
أَيامin the days when أَفراسُthe horses of الشبابyouth جوامحٌunruly
أَيام أَفراسُ الشباب جوامحٌ
تأَبىrefuse أَعنَّتهاtheir reins عَلىto الرُواضِthe horse-breakers
تأَبى أَعنَّتها عَلى الرُواضِ
In the days when youth’s horses were unruly,
In the days when youth's horses were unruly,
Their reins defying even skilled horse-tamers;
Refusing their reins to the horse-breakers.
وَركائبٍand riding camels صَرفَتturned إِليكَtoward you وجوهَهاtheir faces
وَركائبٍ صَرفَت إِليكَ وجوهَها
نَكباتُthe blows of دَهرٍan age لِلفَتىto the young man عضَّاضِfiercely biting
نَكباتُ دَهرٍ لِلفَتى عضَّاضِ
And many mounts whose faces the calamities of time
And riding camels had their faces turned toward you
Turned toward you—calamities that bite a young man hard.
By the blows of an age that bites a young man fiercely.
شَدّواthey bound بأَعوادwith the wooden frames of الرِحالthe saddles مَطيَّهُمtheir mounts
شَدّوا بأَعواد الرِحال مَطيَّهُم
مِنfrom كلّevery أَهوجَheadlong beast لِلحصىof pebbles رَضّاضa crusher
مِن كلّ أَهوجَ لِلحصى رَضّاض
They fastened their mounts to the wooden frames of the saddles,
They strapped wooden saddle-frames onto their mounts,
Each a headlong beast that pulverized the stones.
Each a headlong beast that crushes pebbles.
يَرمينَthey hurl بالمرءِwith the rider الطَريقَthe road وتارةًand at times
يَرمينَ بالمرءِ الطَريقَ وتارةً
يَحذِفنَthey pelt وَجهَthe face of الأَرضِthe earth بالرَضراضِwith gravel
يَحذِفنَ وَجهَ الأَرضِ بالرَضراضِ
They hurled their riders onward down the road, and at times
They hurl the rider along the road, and at times
Pelted the face of the earth with flying gravel.
Pelt the face of the earth with gravel.
قَطَعواthey crossed إِليكَtoward you رياضَthe meadows of كُلِّevery تَنوفَةٍwilderness
قَطَعوا إِليكَ رياضَ كُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ
وَمَهامهand trackless deserts مُلسِsmooth المتونِsurfaces عِراضِbroad
وَمَهامه مُلسِ المتونِ عِراضِ
They crossed to you the meadowlands of every wilderness
They crossed toward you the meadows of every wilderness,
And broad, smooth-backed, trackless wastes.
And broad deserts, smooth of back.
أَكلَdevoured الوَجيفُrapid trotting لُحومَهاtheir flesh (the camels') وَلحومَهُمand their flesh (the riders')
أَكلَ الوَجيفُ لُحومَها وَلحومَهُم
فأَتوكَso they came to you أنقاضاًas wrecks عَلىupon أَنقاضِwrecks
فأَتوكَ أنقاضاً عَلى أَنقاضِ
Relentless haste consumed their flesh and their riders’ flesh,
The rapid trot devoured the camels' flesh and the riders' flesh,
Until they came to you, ruins borne upon ruins.
So they came to you as wrecks upon wrecks.
وَلقَدand indeed أتَتكَthey came to you عَلىat الزَمانِTime سَواخِطاًresentful
وَلقَد أتَتكَ عَلى الزَمانِ سَواخِطاً
فَرَجِعنَso they returned عَنكَfrom you وهُنَّwhile they were عَنهُwith it رَواضِcontent
فَرَجِعنَ عَنكَ وهُنَّ عَنهُ رَواضِ
They had come to you embittered against the age,
Indeed they came to you resentful of Time,
But left you reconciled to it, though once they had rebelled.
Then returned from you content with it.
إِنَّindeed الأَمانَsafety مِنَfrom الزَمانِTime وَرَيبهِand its vicissitudes
إِنَّ الأَمانَ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَرَيبهِ
ياO عُقبَUqb شَطّاthe two shores of بَحركِyour sea الفيّاضِoverflowing
يا عُقبَ شَطّا بَحركِ الفيّاضِ
Surely refuge from time and all its treachery,
Truly, safety from Time and its vicissitudes lies
O Uqba, lies upon the shores of your overflowing sea—
O Uqb, on the two shores of your overflowing sea.
بَحرٌa sea يَلوذtake refuge المُعتَفونَseekers of gifts بِنَيلهin its bounty
بَحرٌ يَلوذ المُعتَفونَ بِنَيله
فَعمbrimming الجَداولthe channels مُترعfilled الأَحواضِthe basins
فَعم الجَداول مُترع الأَحواضِ
A sea whose bounty shelters all who come seeking favor,
A sea in whose bounty seekers of gifts take refuge,
Broad in its streams, its basins brimming full.
With brimming channels and basins filled to the brim.
ثَبتfirm المَقامstance إِذاwhen التَوىhe grapples بِعدّوهwith his enemy
ثَبت المَقام إِذا التَوى بِعدّوه
لَمdid not يَخشَfear مِنof زَللslipping وَلاnor إِدحاضِbeing thrown down
لَم يَخشَ مِن زَلل وَلا إِدحاضِ
Steadfast in his ground when the enemy closes round him,
Firm in his stance when he grapples with his enemy,
Fearing neither a slip nor being made to fall;
He fears neither slipping nor being thrown down.
غَيثrain تَوشَّحتِdraped themselves in الرياضthe meadows عِهادهits recurring showers
غَيث تَوشَّحتِ الرياض عِهاده
لَيثٌa lion يَطوفُprowls بِغابَةٍthrough a thicket وَغِياضِand groves
لَيثٌ يَطوفُ بِغابَةٍ وَغِياضِ
A raincloud whose successive showers clothe the meadows,
Rain whose recurring showers the meadows wear as sashes;
A lion ranging through forests and dense thickets;
A lion prowling through a thicket and groves.
وَمشمّرand one tucking up لِلمَوتِfor death ذَيلَthe hem of قَميصِهِhis shirt
وَمشمّر لِلمَوتِ ذَيلَ قَميصِهِ
قانيblood-red القَناةthe spear إِلىtoward الرَدىdoom خوّاضِone who plunges
قاني القَناة إِلى الرَدى خوّاضِ
One who hikes his garment’s hem, ready to meet death,
And one who tucks up his shirt's hem for death,
His spear blood-red, plunging headlong into destruction.
His spear blood-red, plunging headlong toward doom.
لأَبيfor Abu مُحَمَّدMuhammad المُرَجّىon whom hopes rest راحَتَاthe two palms of
لأَبي مُحَمَّد المُرَجّى راحَتَا
مَلكٍa king إِلىto أَعلىthe highest العلىheights نهّاضِever rising
مَلكٍ إِلى أَعلى العلى نهّاضِ
Abu Muhammad, in whom all hopes are placed, possesses the two hands
Abu Muhammad, on whom hopes rest, has the two hands
Of a king who ever rises toward the loftiest heights:
Of a king who rises to the highest heights.
فَيَدٌso one hand تَدفّقُgushes بِالنَدىwith bounty لِوليِّهfor his ally
فَيَدٌ تَدفّقُ بِالنَدى لِوليِّه
وَيَدٌand one hand عَلىالأعداءagainst the enemies سمٌّpoison قاضِfatal
وَيَدٌ عَلىالأعداء سمٌّ قاضِ
One hand pours generosity upon his loyal friend,
One hand gushes with bounty for his ally,
And one is deadly poison against his enemies.
And one hand is fatal poison to his enemies.
وَجناحand a wing مقصوصclipped تحيَّفpared away ريشهُits feathers
وَجناح مقصوص تحيَّف ريشهُ
رَيبُthe vicissitudes of الزمانِTime تَحيُّفَthe shearing of المِقراضَthe shears
رَيبُ الزمانِ تَحيُّفَ المِقراضَ
A wing lay clipped, its feathers ravaged
And a clipped wing, whose feathers were pared away
By the assaults of time, as though sheared by scissors.
By Time's vicissitudes as by shears—
أَنهَضتَهyou raised it وَوَصلتَand rejoined ريشthe feathers of جناحهits wing
أَنهَضتَه وَوَصلتَ ريش جناحه
وَجبرتَهand mended it ياO جابرَmender of المُنهاضِthe broken one
وَجبرتَه يا جابرَ المُنهاضِ
You raised it up and restored the feathers of its wing;
You raised it and rejoined its wing-feathers,
You set it whole, O mender of the broken.
And mended it, O mender of the broken.
نَفسيmy soul فِداؤكِyour ransom أيّwhat a ليثِlion of كَتيبةٍa battalion
نَفسي فِداؤكِ أيّ ليثِ كَتيبةٍ
يرمىhe hurls بِهاwith it بَينَamong القَناthe spears المرفاضِsplintering
يرمى بِها بَينَ القَنا المرفاضِ
My soul be your ransom! What a lion of the battle-host,
My soul be your ransom! What a lion of a battalion,
Hurled with it amid the trembling spears;
Hurling it amid the splintering spears!
وَمنازِلٍand a duelist للقَرنagainst the rival يسحَبtrailing فاضَةًa roomy coat of mail
وَمنازِلٍ للقَرن يسحَب فاضَةً
عَلَقclung النَجيعُdark blood بِثَوبِهاto its garment الفَضفاضِample
عَلَق النَجيعُ بِثَوبِها الفَضفاضِ
And what battle stations he has faced against an adversary trailing ample mail,
And a duelist facing his rival, trailing a roomy coat of mail,
With dark blood clinging to its loose-hanging garment.
Dark blood clinging to its ample garment.
