Sol 6.1

  1. أَجَلٌ وَإِن طالَ الزَمانُ مُوافي

    أَخلى يَدَيكَ مِنَ الخَليلِ الوافي

    An appointed end, though time be long, will come;

    it has emptied your hands of the faithful friend.

  2. داعٍ إِلى حَقٍّ أَهابَ بِخاشِعٍ

    لَبِسَ النَذيرَ عَلى هُدىً وَعَفافِ

    A caller to truth summoned a humble soul,

    who wore the warning of gray hair, guided and chaste.

  3. ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ فَلَم يَكُن رُزئي بِهِ

    دونَ المُصابِ بِصَفوَةِ الأُلّافِ

    Youth departed, and my loss of it was not

    less than my bereavement of the choicest companions.

  4. جَلَلٌ مِنَ الأَرزاءِ في أَمثالِهِ

    هِمَمُ العَزاءِ قَليلَةُ الإِسعافِ

    A grave calamity—at the like of it,

    the powers of consolation offer little help.

  5. خَفَّت لَهُ العَبَراتُ وَهيَ أَبِيَّةٌ

    في حادِثاتِ الدَهرِ غَيرُ خِفافِ

    Tears hastened for him, though they are reluctant,

    not quick to fall at the calamities of time.

  6. وَلِكُلِّ ما أَتلَفتَ مِن مُستَكرَمٍ

    إِلّا مَوَدّاتِ الرِجالِ تَلافِ

    For every precious thing you have destroyed,

    there is redress, except the affections of men.

  7. ما أَنتِ يا دُنيا أَرُؤيا نائِمٍ

    أَم لَيلُ عُرسٍ أَم بِساطُ سُلافِ

    What are you, O world: a sleeper's dream,

    or a wedding night, or a carpet for fine wine?

  8. نَعماؤُكِ الرَيحانُ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

    مَسَّت حَواشيهِ نَقيعَ زُعافِ

    Your blessings are sweet basil, except that

    its edges have touched an infusion of deadly poison.

  9. ما زِلتُ أَصحَبُ فيكِ خُلقاً ثابِتاً

    حَتّى ظَفِرتُ بِخُلقِكِ المُتَنافي

    I kept to a steadfast character within you,

    until I discovered your inconsistent character.

  10. ذَهَبَ الذَبيحُ السَمحُ مِثلَ سَمِيِّهِ

    طُهرَ المُكَفَّنِ طَيِّبَ الأَلفافِ

    The generous sacrificed one departed, like his namesake,

    pure in his shroud, with fragrant winding sheets.

  11. كَم باتَ يَذبَحُ صَدرَهُ لِشَكاتِهِ

    أَتُراهُ يَحسَبُها مِنَ الأَضيافِ

    How often he spent the night sacrificing his breast for his illness!

    Did he, I wonder, count it among his guests?

  12. نَزَلَت عَلى سَحرِ السَماحِ وَنَحرِهِ

    وَتَقَلَّبَت في أَكرَمِ الأَكنافِ

    It settled on generosity's lungs and throat,

    and moved about within the noblest bosom.

  13. لَجَّت عَلى الصَدرِ الرَحيبِ وَبَرَّحَت

    بِالكاظِمِ الغَيظَ الصَفوحِ العافي

    It persisted against that spacious breast and tormented

    the man who restrained his anger, pardoning and forgiving.

  14. ما كانَ أَقسى قَلبَها مِن عِلَّةٍ

    عَلِقَت بِأَرحَمِ حَبَّةٍ وَشَغافِ

    How hard-hearted was that illness

    that clung to the tenderest heart-core and its sheath!

  15. قَلبٌ لَوِ اِنتَظَمَ القُلوبَ حَنانُهُ

    لَم يَبقَ قاسٍ في الجَوانِحِ جافي

    A heart whose tenderness, had it encompassed all hearts,

    would have left no cruel, unfeeling heart within the ribs.

  16. حَتّى رَماهُ بِالمَنِيَّةِ فَاِنجَلَت

    مَن يَبتَلي بِقَضائِهِ وَيُعافي

    Until He struck him with death, and the illness cleared—

    He who afflicts by His decree and heals.

  17. أَخَنتَ عَلى الفَلَكِ المُدارِ فَلَم يَدُرِ

    وَعَلى العُبابِ فَقَرَّ في الرَجّافِ

    It ravaged the turning sphere, and it turned no more,

    and the surge, which stilled within the trembling sea.

  18. وَمَضَت بِنارِ العَبقَرِيَّةِ لَم تَدَع

    غَيرَ الرَمادِ وَدارِساتِ أَثافي

    And carried off genius's fire, leaving

    nothing but ashes and weathered hearthstones.

  19. حَمَلوا عَلى الأَكتافِ نورَ جَلالَةٍ

    يَذَرُ العُيونَ حَواسِدَ الأَكتافِ

    They bore upon their shoulders a light of majesty

    that left the eyes envious of the shoulders.

  20. وَتَقَلَّدوا النَعشَ الكَريمَ يَتيمَةً

    وَلَكَم نُعوشٍ في الرِقابِ زِيافِ

    And wore the noble bier like a peerless pearl;

    how many biers about men's necks are counterfeit!

  21. مُتَمايِلَ الأَعوادِ مِمّا مَسَّ مِن

    كَرَمٍ وَمِمّا ضَمَّ مِن أَعطافِ

    Its wooden beams swaying from their touch of

    nobility, and from the body they embraced.

  22. وَإِذا جَلالُ المَوتِ وافٍ سابِغٌ

    وَإِذا جَلالُ العَبقَرِيَّةِ ضافي

    And behold, death's majesty, complete and enfolding;

    and behold, genius's majesty, flowing wide.

  23. وَيحَ الشَبابِ وَقَد تَخَطَّرَ بَينَهُم

    هَل مُتِّعوا بِتَمَسُّحٍ وَطَوافِ

    Alas for the young, as he swayed among them!

    Were they granted the joy of touching him and circling him?

  24. لَو عاشَ قُدوَتُهُمُ وَرَبُّ لِوائِهِم

    نَكَسَ اللِواءَ لِثابِتٍ وَقّافِ

    Had he lived, their exemplar and master of their banner,

    he would have lowered the banner for one steadfast and firm.

  25. فَلَكَم سَقاهُ الوُدَّ حينَ وِدادُهُ

    حَربٌ لِأَهلِ الحُكمِ وَالإِشرافِ

    For often he gave him affection to drink, when loving him

    was war against those in power and authority.

  26. لا يَومَ لِلأَقوامِ حَتّى يَنهَضوا

    بِقَوادِمٍ مِن أَمسِهِم وَخَوافي

    Peoples have no present until they rise

    on primary and secondary feathers from their yesterday.

  27. لا يُعجِبَنَّكَ ما تَرى مِن قُبَّةٍ

    ضَرَبوا عَلى مَوتاهُمُ وَطِرافِ

    Let not the dome you see impress you,

    or the leather tent they have pitched over their dead.

  28. هَجَموا عَلى الحَقِّ المُبينِ بِباطِلٍ

    وَعَلى سَبيلِ القَصدِ بِالإِسرافِ

    They assailed plain truth with falsehood,

    and the path of moderation with extravagance.

  29. يَبنونَ دارَ اللَهِ كَيفَ بَدا لَهُم

    غُرُفاتِ مُثرٍ أَو سَقيفَةَ عافي

    They build God's house however they please,

    as a rich man's chambers or a beggar's lean-to.

  30. وَيُزَوِّرونَ قُبورَهُم كَقُصورِهُم

    وَالأَرضُ تَضحَكُ وَالرُفاتُ السافي

    And dress up their graves like their palaces,

    while the earth laughs, and the windblown remains with it.

  31. فُجِعَت رُبى الوادي بِواحِدِ أَيكِها

    وَتَجَرَّعَت ثُكلَ الغَديرِ الصافي

    The valley's hills were bereaved of their grove's peerless tree,

    and drank down grief for the limpid pool.

  32. فَقَدَت بَناناً كَالرَبيعِ مُجيدَةً

    وَشيَ الرِياضِ وَصَنعَةَ الأَفوافِ

    They lost fingers that, like spring, were skilled

    at embroidering gardens and crafting striped cloth.

  33. إِن فاتَهُ نَسَبُ الرَضِيِّ فَرُبَّما

    جَرَيا لِغايَةِ سُؤدُدٍ وَطِرافِ

    Though he lacked al-Radi's lineage, perhaps

    the two raced toward the same goal of glory and noble standing.

  34. أَو كانَ دونَ أَبي الرَضِيِّ أُبُوَّةً

    فَلَقَد أَعادَ بَيانَ عَبدِ مَنافِ

    Or if his paternal lineage fell below al-Radi's father's,

    he surely revived the eloquence of Abd Manaf.

  35. شَرَفُ العِصامِيّينَ صُنعُ نُفوسِهِم

    مَن ذا يَقيسُ بِهِم بَني الأَشرافِ

    The honor of self-made men is their souls' own work;

    who could measure nobles' sons against them?

  36. قُل لِلمُشيرِ إِلى أَبيهِ وَجَدِّهِ

    أَعَلِمتَ لِلقَمَرَينِ مِن أَسلافِ

    Say to him who points to his father and grandfather:

    Have you known any ancestors of the sun and moon?

  37. لَو أَنَّ عُمراناً نِجارُكَ لَم تَسُد

    حَتّى يُشارَ إِلَيكَ في الأَعرافِ

    Even if Imran were your stock, you would not attain eminence

    until you were singled out upon the heights.

  38. قاضي القُضاةِ جَرَت عَلَيهِ قَضِيَّةٌ

    لِلمَوتِ لَيسَ لَها مِنِ اِستِئنافِ

    The chief of judges had a judgment passed upon him

    by death, against which there is no appeal.

  39. وَمُصَرِّفُ الأَحكامِ مَوكولٌ إِلى

    حُكمِ المَنِيَّةِ ما لَهُ مِن كافي

    And the dispenser of judgments is delivered to

    death's decree, with none to shield him.

  40. وَمُنادِمُ الأَملاكِ تَحتَ قِبابِهِم

    أَمسى تُنادِمُهُ ذِئابُ فَيافي

    And the kings' boon companion beneath their domes

    now has wolves of the wastes as boon companions.

  41. في مَنزِلٍ دارَت عَلى الصيدِ العُلا

    فيهِ الرَحى وَمَشَت عَلى الأَردافِ

    In a dwelling where, upon the proud and mighty,

    the millstone turned and passed over their followers.

  42. وَأُزيلَ مِن حُسنِ الوُجوهِ وَعِزِّها

    ماكانَ يُعبَدُ مِن وَراءِ سِجافِ

    And swept away, of faces' beauty and splendor,

    was what had been worshipped from behind a curtain.

  43. مِن كُلِّ لَمّاحِ النَعيمِ تَقَلَّبَت

    ديباجَتاهُ عَلى بِلىً وَجَفافِ

    From every face aglow with luxury, whose

    two silken cheeks have turned to decay and dryness.

  44. وَتَرى الجَماجِمَ في التُرابِ تَماثَلَت

    بَعدَ العُقولِ تَماثُلَ الأَصدافِ

    And you see the skulls in the dust grown alike,

    once their minds are gone, as alike as seashells.

  45. وَتَرى العُيونَ القاتِلاتِ بِنَظرَةٍ

    مَنهوبَةَ الأَجفانِ وَالأَسيافِ

    And you see eyes that once killed with a glance

    stripped of their eyelids and their swords.

  46. وَتُراعُ مِن ضَحِكِ الثُغورِ وَطالَما

    فَتَنَت بِحُلوِ تَبَسُّمٍ وَهُتافِ

    And the grinning mouths appall you, though so often

    they bewitched with sweet smiles and calls.

  47. غَزَتِ القُرونَ الذاهِبينَ غَزالَةٌ

    دَمُهُم بِذِمَّةِ قَرنِها الرَعّافِ

    A gazelle assailed the generations now departed;

    their blood is charged against her blood-dripping horn.

  48. يَجري القَضاءُ بِها وَيَجري الدَهرُ عَن

    يَدِها فَيا لِثَلاثَةٍ أَحلافِ

    Fate runs through her, and time runs from

    her hand—what a trio of allies!

  49. تَرمي البَرِيَّةَ بِالحُبولِ وَتارَةً

    بِحَبائِلٍ مِن خَيطِها وَكَفافِ

    She casts cords at mankind, and at times

    snares of her thread and hems.

  50. نَسَجَت ثَلاثَ عَمائِمٍ وَاِستَحدَثَت

    أَكفانَ مَوتى مِن ثِيابِ زَفافِ

    She wove three turbans, and fashioned anew

    shrouds for the dead from wedding clothes.

  51. أَأَبا الحُسَينِ تَحِيَّةً لِثَراكَ مِن

    روحٍ وَرَيحانٍ وَعَذبِ نِطافِ

    O Abu al-Husayn, a greeting to your dust, of

    repose, sweet basil, and sweet drops of water;

  52. وَسَلامُ أَهلٍ وُلَّهٍ وَصَحابَةٍ

    حَسرى عَلى تِلكَ الخِلالِ لِهافِ

    and greetings from distraught kin and companions,

    mourning those virtues, aching with longing.

  53. هَل في يَدَيَّ سِوى قَريضٍ خالِدٍ

    أُزجيهِ بَينَ يَدَيكَ لِلإِتحافِ

    Have I in my hands anything but immortal verse,

    which I send before you as a gift?

  54. ما كانَ أَكرَمَهُ عَلَيكَ فَهَل تَرى

    أَنّي بَعَثتُ بِأَكرَمِ الأَلطافِ

    How dear it was to you! Do you think

    that I have sent the most precious of gifts?

  55. هَذا هُوَ الرَيحانُ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

    نَفَحاتُ تِلكَ الرَوضَةِ المِئنافِ

    This is sweet basil, except that it is

    the fragrant breaths of that untouched garden.

  56. وَالدُرُّ إِلّا أَنَّ مَهدَ يَتيمِهِ

    بِالأَمسِ لُجَّةُ بَحرِكِ القَذّافِ

    And pearls, except that their peerless gem's cradle

    was yesterday the deep of your treasure-casting sea.

  57. أَيّامَ أَمرَحُ في غُبارِكَ ناشِئاً

    نَهجَ المِهارِ عَلى غُبارِ خِصافِ

    In the days when, a novice, I frolicked in your dust,

    like foals following the dust of Khisaf.

  58. أَتَعَلَّمُ الغاياتِ كَيفَ تُرامُ في

    مِضمارِ فَضلٍ أَو مَجالِ قَوافي

    Learning how goals are sought in

    the racecourse of excellence or the arena of rhyme.

  59. يا راكِبَ الحَدباءِ خَلِّ زِمامَها

    لَيسَ السَبيلُ عَلى الدَليلِ بِخافي

    O rider of the hump-backed bier, release its rein;

    the road is not hidden from the guide.

  60. دانَ المَطِيَّ الناسُ غَيرَ مَطِيَّةٍ

    لِلحَقِّ لا عَجلى وَلا ميجافِ

    Men have mastered all mounts save one,

    a mount of truth, neither hasty nor swift-trotting.

  61. لا في الجِيادِ وَلا النِياقِ وَإِنَّما

    خُلِقَت بِغَيرِ حَوافِرٍ وَخِفافِ

    It is neither among steeds nor she-camels; rather,

    it was created without hooves or padded feet.

  62. تَنتابُ بِالرُكبانِ مَنزِلَةَ الهُدى

    وَتَؤُمُّ دارَ الحَقِّ وَالإِنصافِ

    It visits the abode of guidance with its riders,

    and makes for the house of truth and justice.

  63. قَد بَلَّغَت رَبَّ المَدائِنِ وَاِنتَهَت

    حَيثُ اِنتَهَيتَ بِصاحِبِ الأَحقافِ

    It has borne the lord of al-Mada'in and reached

    where you arrived with the master of al-Ahqaf.

  64. نَم مِلءَ جَفنِكَ فَالغُدُوُّ غَوافِلٌ

    عَمّا يَروعُكَ وَالعَشِيُّ غَوافي

    Sleep your eyelid's fill; the mornings are heedless

    of what alarms you, and the evenings slumber.

  65. في مَضجَعٍ يَكفيكَ مِن حَسَناتِهِ

    أَن لَيسَ جَنبُكَ عَنهُ بِالمُتَجافي

    In a resting place whose virtues suffice you in this:

    your side does not turn away from it.

  66. وَاِضحَك مِنَ الأَقدارِ غَيرَ مُعَجَّزٍ

    فَاليَومَ لَستَ لَها مِنَ الأَهدافِ

    And laugh at fate's decrees, no longer rendered helpless;

    for today you are not among their targets.

  67. وَالمَوتُ كُنتَ تَخافُهُ بِكَ ظافِراً

    حَتّى ظَفِرتَ بِهِ فَدعهُ كَفافِ

    Death—you used to fear it triumphing over you,

    until you triumphed over it—so call it even.

  68. قُل لي بِسابِقَةِ الوِدادِ أَقاتِلٌ

    هُوَ حينَ يَنزِلُ بِالفَتى أَم شافي

    Tell me, by our old affection: is it a killer

    when it descends upon a man, or a healer?

  69. في الأَرضِ من أَبَوَيكَ كِنزا رَحمَةٍ

    وَهَوىً وَذَلِكَ مِن جِوارٍ كافي

    In the earth, your parents are two treasures of mercy

    and love; such companionship is enough.

  70. وَبِها شَبابُكَ وَاللِداتُ بَكَيتُهُ

    وَبَكَيتُهُم بِالمَدمَعِ الذَرّافِ

    And there lie your youth and your peers; I wept for it,

    and wept for them with a tear-streaming eye.

  71. فَاِذهَب كَمِصباحِ السَماءِ كِلاكُما

    مالَ النَهارُ بِهِ وَلَيسَ بِطافي

    Go, then, like heaven's lamp: both of you

    are brought to setting by the day, but neither is extinguished.

  72. الشَمسُ تُخلَفُ بِالنُجومِ وَأَنتَ بِال

    آثارِ وَالأَخبارِ وَالأَوصافِ

    The sun is succeeded by stars, and you by

    your works, the accounts of you, and descriptions of you.

  73. غَلَبَ الحَياةَ فَتىً يَسُدُّ مَكانَها

    بِالذِكرِ فَهوَ لَها بَديلٌ وافي

    He has conquered life, the man who fills its place

    with remembrance, a full substitute for it.