وما خُلقَ الإِنْسان إِلا لِيَنْطوي

وما خُلقَ الإِنْسان إِلا لِيَنْطوي

عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الأَيّامِ بُؤْسى وأَنْعُمُ

عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الأَيّامِ بُؤْسى وأَنْعُمُ

And man was created only to be enfolded

Man was not created but to be afflicted

By hardship and blessings brought by the days.

By days of misery and days of bliss

ولَوْلا اخْتياري حاسِدي صُلْتُ صَوْلَةً

ولَوْلا اخْتياري حاسِدي صُلْتُ صَوْلَةً

تَروحُ وماءُ البَحْرِ مِنْ هَوْلِها دَمُ

تَروحُ وماءُ البَحْرِ مِنْ هَوْلِها دَمُ

But for my preference for my envier, I would launch an assault

Had it not been for the spite of my detractor

That would pass, leaving the sea's water turned to blood by its terror.

I would have galloped like a surging sea

ويأَيُّها المُسْتامُ حَرْبي بِجَهْلِهِ

ويأَيُّها المُسْتامُ حَرْبي بِجَهْلِهِ

وذو الجَهْلِ يَغْلو ساعَةً ثُمَّ يَنْدَمُ

وذو الجَهْلِ يَغْلو ساعَةً ثُمَّ يَنْدَمُ

And O you who bid for war with me in your ignorance—

O you who reprehend me in your ignorance

And the ignorant man goes too far for a while, then regrets it.

The ignorant exceed briefly then regret

إِذا وَصَلَتْنا بِالأَميرِ رِكابُنا

إِذا وَصَلَتْنا بِالأَميرِ رِكابُنا

فَلَيْسَ لَنا عَتَبٌ عَلى الدَّهْرِ يُعْلَمُ

فَلَيْسَ لَنا عَتَبٌ عَلى الدَّهْرِ يُعْلَمُ

When our mounts bring us to the prince,

When our procession reaches the prince

Then we have no known grievance against Time.

No fault can be found in fate we know

وإِنْ نَحْنُ أَعْصَمْنا الرَّجاءَ بِحَبْلِهِ

وإِنْ نَحْنُ أَعْصَمْنا الرَّجاءَ بِحَبْلِهِ

فَإِنّا بِأَمْراسِ الكَواكِبِ نُعْصَمُ

فَإِنّا بِأَمْراسِ الكَواكِبِ نُعْصَمُ

And if we fasten our hope to his rope,

Though we fortified hope with its rope

Then we are held secure by the ropes of the stars.

We are protected by the stars' decree

ومِنْ أَيِّ وَجْهٍ وَاجَهَتْهُ عُيونُنا

ومِنْ أَيِّ وَجْهٍ وَاجَهَتْهُ عُيونُنا

تَبَدّى لَها بَدْرٌ وبَحْرٌ وضَيْغَمُ

تَبَدّى لَها بَدْرٌ وبَحْرٌ وضَيْغَمُ

And from whichever side our eyes face him,

However we turned our eyes upon him

A full moon, a sea, and a lion appear to them.

The full moon, sea, and clouds appeared

سَمّاحٌ بِتَيّارِ الغَمامِ مُسَرْبَلٌ

سَمّاحٌ بِتَيّارِ الغَمامِ مُسَرْبَلٌ

وفَخْرٌ بِلأَلآءِ النُّجومِ مُعَمَّمُ

وفَخْرٌ بِلأَلآءِ النُّجومِ مُعَمَّمُ

A lavish giver, robed in the torrent of the clouds,

He flows like clouds' downpour cloaked

And glory, turbaned in the glitter of the stars.

And prides in stars like a crowned king

وشانيكَ يَدْري أَنْهُ غَيْر بَالِغٍ

وشانيكَ يَدْري أَنْهُ غَيْر بَالِغٍ

مَداكَ ولَكِنْ يَرْتَجي ويُرَجِّمُ

مَداكَ ولَكِنْ يَرْتَجي ويُرَجِّمُ

And your hater knows he cannot attain

While you know you haven't reached him yet

Your stature, yet he hopes and guesses blindly.

You still aspire and make great efforts

طَما بَحْرُكَ السَّامي عَلَيْهِ فَلَوْ لَجا

طَما بَحْرُكَ السَّامي عَلَيْهِ فَلَوْ لَجا

إِلى الفَلَكِ الدَّوّارِ ما كَانَ يَسْلَمُ

إِلى الفَلَكِ الدَّوّارِ ما كَانَ يَسْلَمُ

Your lofty sea has surged over him; even if he sought refuge

Your exalted sea though lofty, if it dares

In the revolving celestial sphere, he would not escape unharmed.

To reach the spinning celestial sphere, won't be saved

إِذا انْآَدَتِ الأَرْماحُ في هَبْوَةِ الوَغى

إِذا انْآَدَتِ الأَرْماحُ في هَبْوَةِ الوَغى

غَدَتْ بِكَ في عَوَجِ الضُّلوعِ تُقَوَّمُ

غَدَتْ بِكَ في عَوَجِ الضُّلوعِ تُقَوَّمُ

When the spears bend in the dust cloud of battle,

When in the frenzy of battle spears clash

Through you they become straight within the curves of ribs.

They straighten crooked ribs through you

سُرىً قاسمتنا الأَيْنَ فيها رِكابُنا

سُرىً قاسمتنا الأَيْنَ فيها رِكابُنا

تَجَشَّمُ مِنْها مِثْلَما نَتَجَشَّمُ

تَجَشَّمُ مِنْها مِثْلَما نَتَجَشَّمُ

A night journey in which our mounts shared weariness with us,

The stars that determine our destiny divided us

They endure as much of it as we endure.

We undertake from them like they undertake from us

تَجوبُ جِبالاً تَبْلُغُ الأُفْقَ رِفْعَةً

تَجوبُ جِبالاً تَبْلُغُ الأُفْقَ رِفْعَةً

ومِنْ دونِها العُقْبانُ في الجَوِّ حُوَّمُ

ومِنْ دونِها العُقْبانُ في الجَوِّ حُوَّمُ

They traverse mountains that reach the horizon in height,

They roam mountains reaching the horizon

And beneath them eagles circle in the air.

While below them crows circle in the air

إِذا ما عَلَوْنا فَالصُخورُ لِوَطْئِنا

إِذا ما عَلَوْنا فَالصُخورُ لِوَطْئِنا

مَراقٍ إِلى الجَوْزاءِ والطَّوْدُ سُلَّمُ

مَراقٍ إِلى الجَوْزاءِ والطَّوْدُ سُلَّمُ

When we ascend, the rocks beneath our tread are

When we ascend rocks become stairs

Steps to al-Jawza, and the mountain is a ladder.

Leading to almond trees and tangled brambles