اِختَرتَyou chose يَومَday الهَولِterror يَومَday وَداعِfarewell
اِختَرتَ يَومَ الهَولِ يَومَ وَداعِ
وَنَعاكَand announced your death فيamid عَصفِthe raging الرِياحِwinds الناعيthe death-announcer
وَنَعاكَ في عَصفِ الرِياحِ الناعي
You chose the day of terror for your day of farewell,
You chose the day of terror as your day of farewell,
And amid the raging winds the herald mourned you.
and amid the raging winds the herald announced your death.
هَتَفَcried out النُعاةُthe death-announcers ضُحىًat midmorning فَأَوصَدَso closed دونَهُمagainst them
هَتَفَ النُعاةُ ضُحىً فَأَوصَدَ دونَهُم
جُرحُthe wound الرَئيسِof the leader مَنافِذَgateways الأَسماعِof hearing
جُرحُ الرَئيسِ مَنافِذَ الأَسماعِ
The mourners called at morning, but against them
The death-announcers cried out at midmorning, but against them
The president’s wound sealed every passage of hearing.
the leader's wound closed the gateways of hearing.
مَنwhoever ماتَdied فيamid فَزَعِthe terror القِيامَةِof Resurrection لَمdid not يَجِدfind
مَن ماتَ في فَزَعِ القِيامَةِ لَم يَجِد
قَدَماًa foot تُشَيِّعُescorting to burial أَوor حَفاوَةَwarm care ساعيof one who hastens
قَدَماً تُشَيِّعُ أَو حَفاوَةَ ساعي
Whoever dies amid the panic of Doomsday finds
Whoever dies amid the terror of Resurrection finds no
No foot to follow him, no welcome from one who comes.
foot to follow his bier, nor the warm care of one who hastens.
ماwhat ضَرَّharm would it do لَوif صَبَرَتwaited رِكابُكَyour mounts ساعَةًan hour
ما ضَرَّ لَو صَبَرَت رِكابُكَ ساعَةً
كَيفَhow الوُقوفُhalting إِذاwhen أَهابَcalled out الداعيthe summoner
كَيفَ الوُقوفُ إِذا أَهابَ الداعي
What harm if your mounts had waited one more hour?
What harm would it have done had your mounts waited an hour?
But how could they halt once the caller summoned?
How can one halt when the summoner calls?
خَلِّleave الجَنائِزَfunerals عَنكَaside from you لاdo not تَحفِلpay heed بِهاto them
خَلِّ الجَنائِزَ عَنكَ لا تَحفِل بِها
لَيسَis not الغُرورُvanity لِمَيِّتٍfor a dead man بِمَتاعِany benefit
لَيسَ الغُرورُ لِمَيِّتٍ بِمَتاعِ
Leave funeral processions behind; pay them no heed—
Leave funerals aside; pay them no heed.
Vanity is no provision for the dead.
Vanity is no benefit to a dead man.
سِرgo فيbeneath لِواءِthe banner العَبقَرِيَّةِof genius وَاِنتَظِمand take your place among
سِر في لِواءِ العَبقَرِيَّةِ وَاِنتَظِم
شَتّىvaried المَواكِبِprocessions فيهِwithin it وَالأَتباعِand followers
شَتّى المَواكِبِ فيهِ وَالأَتباعِ
March beneath the banner of genius and take your place
Go beneath the banner of genius, and take your place among
Among its many processions and its followers.
the varied processions and followers beneath it.
وَاِصعَدَand ascend سَماءَthe heaven الذِكرِof renown مِنby أَسبابِهاits ladders
وَاِصعَدَ سَماءَ الذِكرِ مِن أَسبابِها
وَاِظهَرand appear بِفَضلٍwith merit كَالنَهارِlike daylight مُذاعِwidely proclaimed
وَاِظهَر بِفَضلٍ كَالنَهارِ مُذاعِ
Ascend the heaven of renown by its pathways,
And climb the heaven of renown by its ladders,
And shine with merit, proclaimed abroad like day.
and stand forth with merit proclaimed as plainly as day.
فُجِعَwas bereaved البَيانُeloquence وَأَهلُهُand its practitioners بِمُصَوِّرٍof a word-painter
فُجِعَ البَيانُ وَأَهلُهُ بِمُصَوِّرٍ
لَبِقٍdeft بِوَشيِat embroidering المُمتِعاتِdelightful works صَناعِa master craftsman
لَبِقٍ بِوَشيِ المُمتِعاتِ صَناعِ
Eloquence and all its people mourn an artist,
Eloquence and its people were bereaved of a word-painter,
A deft craftsman in embroidering delights—
deft at embroidering delightful works, a master craftsman,
مَرموقِadmired أَسبابِthe charms الشَبابِof youth وَإِنeven though بَدَتappeared
مَرموقِ أَسبابِ الشَبابِ وَإِن بَدَت
لِلشَيبِof gray hair فيin الفَودِthe temple الأَحَمِّthe black-haired رَواعيstartling signs
لِلشَيبِ في الفَودِ الأَحَمِّ رَواعي
Distinguished by the tokens of youth, although
admired for the charms of youth, though there appeared
Gray hair had sent scouts into the raven-dark temple.
startling signs of gray in his black-haired temple.
تَتَخَيَّلُyou imagine المَنظومَverse فيin مَنثورِهِhis prose
تَتَخَيَّلُ المَنظومَ في مَنثورِهِ
فَتَراهُand so you see it تَحتَbeneath رَوائِعِthe wonders الأَسجاعِof rhymed phrases
فَتَراهُ تَحتَ رَوائِعِ الأَسجاعِ
One could imagine measured verse within his prose
You imagine verse within his prose,
And see it beneath the splendors of his rhymed cadences.
and see it beneath the wonders of his rhymed phrases.
لَمdid not يَجحَدِdisown الفُصحىclassical Arabic وَلَمand did not يَهجُمassail عَلىupon
لَم يَجحَدِ الفُصحى وَلَم يَهجُم عَلى
أُسلوبِهاits style أَوor يُزرِbelittle بِالأَوضاعِthe conventions
أُسلوبِها أَو يُزرِ بِالأَوضاعِ
He neither disavowed classical Arabic nor assaulted
He did not disown classical Arabic, nor assail
Its style, nor brought its forms into contempt.
its style or belittle its conventions.
لَكِنbut جَرىhe ran وَالعَصرَalongside the age فيin مِضمارِهاits racecourse
لَكِن جَرى وَالعَصرَ في مِضمارِها
شَوطاًa race فَأَحرَزَand so attained غايَةَthe utmost الإِبداعِin creative excellence
شَوطاً فَأَحرَزَ غايَةَ الإِبداعِ
Rather, he and his age raced within its course;
But he ran alongside his age upon its racecourse,
He ran his lap and reached the goal of innovation.
a race, and attained the utmost in creative excellence.
حُرُّnoble البَيانِeloquence قَديمُهُits ancient form وَجَديدُهُand its new form
حُرُّ البَيانِ قَديمُهُ وَجَديدُهُ
كَالشَمسِlike the sun جِدَّةَin freshness رُقعَةٍof disk وَشُعاعِand ray
كَالشَمسِ جِدَّةَ رُقعَةٍ وَشُعاعِ
Eloquence is free—its ancient and its new—
Noble eloquence, ancient and new,
Like the sun, forever fresh in compass and in ray.
is like the sun, ever fresh in disk and ray.
يونانُGreece لَوif بيعَتwere sold بِهوميرٍfor Homer لَماthen would not
يونانُ لَو بيعَت بِهوميرٍ لَما
خَسِرَتsuffer loss لَعَمرُكَby your life صَفقَةُthe bargain المُبتاعِof the buyer
خَسِرَت لَعَمرُكَ صَفقَةُ المُبتاعِ
Had Greece been sold in exchange for Homer,
Had Greece been sold for Homer, then never
The buyer, by your life, would have made no losing bargain.
would the buyer's bargain have suffered loss, by your life.
ياO مُرسِلَyou who cast النَظَراتِglances فيupon الدُنياthe world وَماand what
يا مُرسِلَ النَظَراتِ في الدُنيا وَما
فيهاis within it عَلىwith ضَجَرٍweariness وَضيقِand narrowness ذِراعِof arm's reach
فيها عَلى ضَجَرٍ وَضيقِ ذِراعِ
O you who cast your gaze upon the world and all
O you who cast your glances upon the world and all
Within it, weary and sorely constrained,
within it, with weariness and a straitened reach,
وَمُرَقرِقَand you who make well up العَبَراتِtears تَجريflowing رِقَّةًin compassion
وَمُرَقرِقَ العَبَراتِ تَجري رِقَّةً
لِلعالَمِfor the world الباكيweeping مِنَfrom الأَوجاعِpains
لِلعالَمِ الباكي مِنَ الأَوجاعِ
And you who let your tears run clear and tender
and you who let tears well, flowing in compassion
For the weeping world and all its pains:
for the world weeping from its pains:
مَنwhoever ضاقَfelt confined بِالدُنياby the world فَلَيسَis therefore not حَكيمَهاits sage
مَن ضاقَ بِالدُنيا فَلَيسَ حَكيمَها
إِنَّindeed الحَكيمَthe sage بِهاwithin it رَحيبُbroad الباعِof reach
إِنَّ الحَكيمَ بِها رَحيبُ الباعِ
Whoever finds the world constricting is no sage of it;
Whoever finds the world too narrow is not its sage;
Its true sage ranges through it with ample reach.
the sage within it is broad of reach.
هِيَit وَالزَمانُand time بِأَرضِهِwith its earth وَسَمائِهِand its sky
هِيَ وَالزَمانُ بِأَرضِهِ وَسَمائِهِ
فيin لُجَّةِthe deep sea الأَقدارِof destinies نِضوُa threadbare remnant شِراعِof a sail
في لُجَّةِ الأَقدارِ نِضوُ شِراعِ
The world and Time, with all his earth and sky,
It and time, with its earth and sky,
Are but a weather-beaten sail upon the sea of destinies.
are a threadbare sail in the deep sea of destinies.
مَنwhoever شَذَّstrayed ناداهُcalled him إِلَيهِto itself فَرَدَّهُand so brought him back
مَن شَذَّ ناداهُ إِلَيهِ فَرَدَّهُ
قَدَرٌfate كَراعٍlike a shepherd سائِقٍdriving بِقِطاعِwith flocks
قَدَرٌ كَراعٍ سائِقٍ بِقِطاعِ
Whoever strays, Fate calls back and restores,
Whoever strays is summoned to it and brought back
Like a shepherd driving on his flock.
by fate, like a shepherd driving flocks.
ماthere is none خَلفُهُbehind it إِلّاexcept مَقودٌone being led طائِعٌobedient
ما خَلفُهُ إِلّا مَقودٌ طائِعٌ
مُتَلَفِّتٌturning عَنaway from كِبرِياءِthe pride مُطاعِof one obeyed
مُتَلَفِّتٌ عَن كِبرِياءِ مُطاعِ
Behind Fate trails none but one bridled and obedient,
Behind it are only those led along, obedient,
Looking back upon the pride of having once been obeyed.
turning away from the pride of being obeyed.
جَبّارُa titan ذِهنٍof intellect أَوor شَديدُstrong شَكيمَةٍin resolve
جَبّارُ ذِهنٍ أَو شَديدُ شَكيمَةٍ
يَمضيproceeds مُضِيَّthe advance العاجِزِof the helpless المُنصاعِthe submissive
يَمضي مُضِيَّ العاجِزِ المُنصاعِ
A tyrant intellect or one of iron will
A titan of intellect, or one of unyielding resolve,
Moves on as helplessly as any yielding man.
moves onward like the helpless, submissive man.
مَنwho شَوَّهَdisfigured الدُنياthe world إِلَيكَin your eyes فَلَمso you did not تَجِدfind
مَن شَوَّهَ الدُنيا إِلَيكَ فَلَم تَجِد
فيin المُلكِthe realm غَيرَother than مُعَذَّبينَthe tormented جِياعِhungry
في المُلكِ غَيرَ مُعَذَّبينَ جِياعِ
Who disfigured the world for you, until you found
Who disfigured the world in your eyes, so that you found
Throughout its realm only the tortured and the hungry?
throughout the realm only the tormented and hungry?
أَبِكُلِّis it in every عَينٍeye فيهِwithin it أَوor وَجهٍface تَرىyou see
أَبِكُلِّ عَينٍ فيهِ أَو وَجهٍ تَرى
لَمَحاتِglints دَمعٍof tears أَوor رُسومِtraces دِماعِof weeping
لَمَحاتِ دَمعٍ أَو رُسومِ دِماعِ
Is it in every eye and every face you see
In every eye or face within it, do you see
A glint of tears, the lineaments of weeping?
glints of tears or traces of weeping?
ماnot هَكَذاlike this الدُنياthe world وَلَكِنbut rather نُقلَةٌa change of state
ما هَكَذا الدُنيا وَلَكِن نُقلَةٌ
دَمعُthe tears القَريرِof the contented وَعَبرَةُand the tear المُلتاعِof the anguished
دَمعُ القَريرِ وَعَبرَةُ المُلتاعِ
The world is not so; it is a shifting round—
The world is not so; they are but a change of state—
The tear of one at ease, the tear of one distraught.
the contented one's tears and the anguished one's weeping.
لاneither الفَقرُpoverty بِالعَبَراتِfor tears خُصَّwas singled out وَلاnor الغِنىwealth
لا الفَقرُ بِالعَبَراتِ خُصَّ وَلا الغِنى
غِيَرُvicissitudes الحَياةِof life لَهُنَّtheirs is حُكمُsway مَشاعِshared by all
غِيَرُ الحَياةِ لَهُنَّ حُكمُ مَشاعِ
Neither poverty alone is marked for tears, nor wealth;
Neither poverty nor wealth is singled out for tears;
Life’s vicissitudes impose on them a common law.
life's vicissitudes rule over all alike.
ماnot زالَceased فيin الكوخِthe hut الوَضيعِlowly بَواعِثٌcauses
ما زالَ في الكوخِ الوَضيعِ بَواعِثٌ
مِنهاfrom them وَفيand in القَصرِthe palace الرَفيعِlofty دَواعيoccasions
مِنها وَفي القَصرِ الرَفيعِ دَواعي
Always within the humble hut are motives
There have always been causes in the lowly hut
For tears, and in the lofty palace causes too.
arising from them, and occasions in the lofty palace.
فيin القَفرِthe wilderness حَيّاتٌsnakes يُسَيِّبُهاhe lets them loose بِهِtherein
في القَفرِ حَيّاتٌ يُسَيِّبُها بِهِ
حاويthe snake-charmer القَضاءِof fate وَفيand in الرِياضِthe gardens أَفاعيvipers
حاوي القَضاءِ وَفي الرِياضِ أَفاعي
In the wastes are snakes, released there
In the wilderness are snakes, set loose there
By Fate the snake-charmer—and in gardens, vipers.
by fate's snake-charmer; and in the gardens, vipers.
وَلَرُبَّand many a بُؤسٍmisery فيin الحَياةِlife مُقَنَّعٍmasked
وَلَرُبَّ بُؤسٍ في الحَياةِ مُقَنَّعٍ
أَربىgrew greater عَلىthan بُؤسٍmisery بِغَيرِwithout قِناعِa mask
أَربى عَلى بُؤسٍ بِغَيرِ قِناعِ
Many a misery in life goes masked
And many a misery in life, masked,
And outweighs a misery that wears no veil.
exceeds a misery that wears no mask.
ياO مُصطَفىMustafa (chosen one) البُلَغاءِof the eloquent أَيَّwhat a يَراعَةٍreed-pen
يا مُصطَفى البُلَغاءِ أَيَّ يَراعَةٍ
فَقَدواthey lost وَأَيَّand what a مُعَلِّمٍteacher بِيَراعِwith a reed-pen
فَقَدوا وَأَيَّ مُعَلِّمٍ بِيَراعِ
O choicest of the eloquent, what a pen
O Mustafa, elect among the eloquent, what a reed-pen
They have lost—and what a master of the pen!
they have lost, and what a teacher with a reed-pen!
اليَومَtoday أَبصَرتَyou saw الحَياةَlife فَقُلso tell لَناto us
اليَومَ أَبصَرتَ الحَياةَ فَقُل لَنا
ماذاwhat وَراءَbeyond سَرابِهاits mirage اللَمّاعِglittering
ماذا وَراءَ سَرابِها اللَمّاعِ
Today you have seen life; then tell us
Today you have seen life: tell us,
What lies beyond its glittering mirage.
what lies beyond its glittering mirage?
وَصِفِand describe المَنونَdeath فَكَمfor how often قَعَدتَyou sat تَرىseeing لَهاof it
وَصِفِ المَنونَ فَكَم قَعَدتَ تَرى لَها
شَبَحاًa phantom بِكُلِّin every قَرارَةٍhollow وَيَفاعِand height
شَبَحاً بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَيَفاعِ
Describe death—for how often you sat watching
And describe death, for how often you sat seeing its
Its specter in every hollow and upon every height.
phantom in every hollow and on every height!
سَكَنَfell silent الأَحِبَّةُloved ones وَالعِدىand foes وَفَرَغتَand you are free مِنof
سَكَنَ الأَحِبَّةُ وَالعِدى وَفَرَغتَ مِن
حِقدِrancor الخُصومِof opponents وَمِنand of هَوىaffection الأَشياعِof supporters
حِقدِ الخُصومِ وَمِن هَوى الأَشياعِ
Friends and foes are still, and you are free from
Loved ones and enemies have fallen silent, and you are free of
The rancor of enemies and the bias of partisans.
the rancor of opponents and the affection of supporters.
كَمhow many غارَةٍattacks شَنّواthey launched عَلَيكَagainst you دَفَعتَهاyou repelled it
كَم غارَةٍ شَنّوا عَلَيكَ دَفَعتَها
تَصِلُyou link الجُهودَefforts فَكُنَّand so they were خَيرَthe best دِفاعِdefense
تَصِلُ الجُهودَ فَكُنَّ خَيرَ دِفاعِ
How many raids they launched against you; you repelled them,
You repelled so many attacks they launched against you,
Joining endeavor to endeavor—the finest defense.
joining your efforts; they were the best defense.
وَالجُهدُand effort موتٍdeath; likely intended as 'yielding' فيin الحَياةِlife ثِمارَهُits fruits
وَالجُهدُ موتٍ في الحَياةِ ثِمارَهُ
وَالجُهدُand effort بَعدَafter المَوتِdeath غَيرُnot مُضاعِwasted
وَالجُهدُ بَعدَ المَوتِ غَيرُ مُضاعِ
Toil is a kind of death in life; its fruits—
And effort yields its fruits in life,
The toil that lives beyond death—are never lost.
and effort after death is not wasted.
فَإِذاand when مَضىhas passed الجيلُthe generation المِراضُdiseased صُدورُهُits breasts
فَإِذا مَضى الجيلُ المِراضُ صُدورُهُ
وَأَتىand has come السَليمُthe sound one جَوانِبَin the region of الأَضلاعِthe ribs
وَأَتى السَليمُ جَوانِبَ الأَضلاعِ
When the generation sick at heart has passed,
And when the generation with diseased breasts has passed,
And a sound generation comes, sound in every limb,
and one sound within its ribs has come,
فَاِفزَعthen seek refuge إِلىin الزَمَنِtime الحَكيمِthe wise فَعِندَهُfor with it is
فَاِفزَع إِلى الزَمَنِ الحَكيمِ فَعِندَهُ
نَقدٌcriticism تَنَزَّهَwas free عَنfrom هَوىًbias وَنِزاعِand strife
نَقدٌ تَنَزَّهَ عَن هَوىً وَنِزاعِ
Appeal to wise Time, for in its keeping lies
then seek refuge in wise Time, for with it lies
A judgment purified of passion and dispute.
criticism free of bias and strife.
فَإِذاthen if قَضىjudges لَكَfor you أُبتَyou return مِنfrom شُمِّlofty peaks العُلاof eminence
فَإِذا قَضى لَكَ أُبتَ مِن شُمِّ العُلا
بِثَنِيَّةٍwith a mountain pass بَعُدَتlay far عَلىbeyond الطَلّاعِthe climber
بِثَنِيَّةٍ بَعُدَت عَلى الطَلّاعِ
When judgment falls for you, you will return from glory’s peaks
Then, if it judges in your favor, you will return from the lofty heights
By a mountain pass beyond the reach of climbers.
with a mountain pass far beyond the climber's reach.
وَأَجَلُّand the noblest ماwhat is فَوقَabove التُرابِthe dust وَتَحتَهُand beneath it
وَأَجَلُّ ما فَوقَ التُرابِ وَتَحتَهُ
قَلَمٌa pen عَلَيهِupon it جَلالَةُmajesty الإِجماعِof unanimous agreement
قَلَمٌ عَلَيهِ جَلالَةُ الإِجماعِ
Most exalted of all above the earth and under it
And the noblest thing above the dust and beneath it
Is a pen that bears the majesty of common acclaim.
is a pen bearing the majesty of unanimous agreement.
تِلكَthose الأَنامِلُfingers نامَslept عَنهُنَّaway from them البِلىdecay
تِلكَ الأَنامِلُ نامَ عَنهُنَّ البِلى
عُطِّلنَthey were left idle مِنwithout قَلَمٍa pen أَشَمَّproud شُجاعِvaliant
عُطِّلنَ مِن قَلَمٍ أَشَمَّ شُجاعِ
Those fingers—decay has slept and passed them by—
Those fingers—decay sleeps, heedless of them—
Lie idle now, bereft of a proud and valiant pen.
have been left idle, bereft of a proud, valiant pen.
وَالجُبنُand cowardice فيin قَلَمِthe pen البَليغِof the eloquent man نَظيرُهُits counterpart
وَالجُبنُ في قَلَمِ البَليغِ نَظيرُهُ
فيin السَيفِthe sword مَنقَصَةٌa defect وَسوءُand ill سَماعِrepute
في السَيفِ مَنقَصَةٌ وَسوءُ سَماعِ
Cowardice in an eloquent writer’s pen has its counterpart
And cowardice in an eloquent man's pen, like its counterpart
In a sword: a defect and a cause of ill repute.
in the sword, is a defect and a source of ill repute.
