مَلامَكَyour reproach إِنَّهُindeed it is عَهدٌan occasion قَريبُrecent
مَلامَكَ إِنَّهُ عَهدٌ قَريبُ
وَرُزءٌand a calamity ماnot عَفَتhave faded مِنهُfrom it النُدوبُthe scars
وَرُزءٌ ما عَفَت مِنهُ النُدوبُ
Spare me your reproach: the loss is recent,
My angels, it is a near covenant
A calamity whose scars have not faded.
And a misfortune from which the wounds have not healed
تُعَلِّلُنيconsole me أَضاليلُthe delusions الأَمانيof wishes
تُعَلِّلُني أَضاليلُ الأَماني
بِعَيشٍwith a life بَعدَafter قَيصَرَQaysar لاnot يَطيبُis pleasant
بِعَيشٍ بَعدَ قَيصَرَ لا يَطيبُ
The delusions of wishes console me
The delusions of wishes make excuses for me
With a life after Qaysar that brings no joy.
Of a life after Caesar that does not taste good
تَوَلّىdeparted العَيشُlife إِذwhen وَلّىdeparted التَصابيyouthful dalliance
تَوَلّى العَيشُ إِذ وَلّى التَصابي
وَماتَand died الحُبُّlove إِذwhen ماتَdied الحَبيبُthe beloved
وَماتَ الحُبُّ إِذ ماتَ الحَبيبُ
Life departed when youthful dalliance departed,
Life has turned away since the loved ones turned away
And love died when the beloved died.
And love died when the beloved died
نَصيبيmy share كانَwas مِنof دُنيايَmy world وَلّىhas gone
نَصيبي كانَ مِن دُنيايَ وَلّى
فَلاso neither الدُنياthe world تُحَسُّis felt وَلاnor النَصيبُthe share
فَلا الدُنيا تُحَسُّ وَلا النَصيبُ
The share I had of my world has gone,
My fortune from my life has turned away
And neither the world nor that share can be felt.
So neither life feels good, nor fortune
ضَجيعُa bedfellow مُسَنَّدينَthose propped up بِكَفرِat Kafr توثىTutha
ضَجيعُ مُسَنَّدينَ بِكَفرِ توثى
خُفوتاًin silence مِثلَlike ماhow خَفَتَfell silent الشُروبُthe drinkers
خُفوتاً مِثلَ ما خَفَتَ الشُروبُ
He lies beside others propped up at Kafr Tutha,
Lying down, leaning, in the blasphemy of Tuwa
In silence, just as drinkers fall silent.
Silently like the fading of drinking
هُجودٌsleepers لَمnot يَسَلasked after بِهِمِabout them حَفِيٌّa caring friend
هُجودٌ لَم يَسَل بِهِمِ حَفِيٌّ
وَلَمand not تُقلَبare turned لِضَجعَتِهِمduring their repose جُنوبُsides
وَلَم تُقلَب لِضَجعَتِهِم جُنوبُ
Sleepers whom no caring friend has asked after,
Slumbering whom no guard asked about
Whose sides are never turned in their repose.
And for their lying down no sides were tossed
تُغَلَّقُare shut tightly دورَهُمtheir houses عَنهُمagainst them عِشاءًat night
تُغَلَّقُ دورَهُم عَنهُم عِشاءً
وَقَدand indeed عَزّواwere mighty بِهاin them زَمَناًfor a time وَهيبواand were held in awe
وَقَد عَزّوا بِها زَمَناً وَهيبوا
Their houses are shut against them at night,
Their houses are locked to them in the evening
Though once they were mighty there and held in awe.
Though they had made it prosper for a time and feared
تُقِضُّrack أَضالِعيmy ribs أَنفاسُbreaths وَجدٍof anguish
تُقِضُّ أَضالِعي أَنفاسُ وَجدٍ
لِمُختَضَرٍfor one cut down young كَماas اِختُضِرَwas cut down green القَضيبُthe bough
لِمُختَضَرٍ كَما اِختُضِرَ القَضيبُ
Sighs of anguish rack my ribs
The sighs of passion break my ribs
For one cut down young, as a green bough is cut.
For one blossoming as the rod blossomed
أُرَثّيهِI elegize him وَلَوand if صَدَقَproved true اِختِياريmy choice
أُرَثّيهِ وَلَو صَدَقَ اِختِياري
لَكانَit would have been مَكانَin place of مَرثِيَتيmy elegy النَسيبُlove poetry
لَكانَ مَكانَ مَرثِيَتي النَسيبُ
I elegize him; had my choice prevailed,
I would elegize him, if my choice were true
Love poetry would have taken my elegy's place.
My cousin would have been in place of my elegy
وَكُنتُand I was وَتُربُهُمwhile their earth يُحثىis heaped عَلَيهِمupon them
وَكُنتُ وَتُربُهُم يُحثى عَلَيهِم
كَنِضوِlike one wasted by الداءِillness آيَسَهُleft him hopeless الطَبيبُthe physician
كَنِضوِ الداءِ آيَسَهُ الطَبيبُ
And as their earth was heaped upon them, I was
And I would be the bandages rubbed on them
Like a wasted invalid left hopeless by the physician.
Like the incurable patient abandoned by the doctor
كَفىit is enough حَزَناًas sorrow بِأَنَّthat الحُزنَsorrow يَخبوdies down
كَفى حَزَناً بِأَنَّ الحُزنَ يَخبو
ذَكِيُّblazing الجَمرِembers عَنهُfrom it وَاللَهيبُand the flame
ذَكِيُّ الجَمرِ عَنهُ وَاللَهيبُ
It is sorrow enough that grief dies down,
It is enough of sorrow that grief subsides
Its blazing embers and its flame fading away.
The live coal from it and the flames
أَأَنسىshall I forget مَنone whom يُذَكِّرُنيهِreminds me of him أَلّاthat no
أَأَنسى مَن يُذَكِّرُنيهِ أَلّا
نَديدَpeer يَنوبُcan substitute عَنهُfor him وَلاand no ضَريبُequal
نَديدَ يَنوبُ عَنهُ وَلا ضَريبُ
Can I forget him, when I am reminded
Shall I forget whom he reminds me not even
That no peer can replace him, nor any equal?
A substitute nor a ransom takes his place
وَأَترُكُand leave لِلثَرىto the earth مَنone whom كُنتُI used to أَخشىfear
وَأَترُكُ لِلثَرى مَن كُنتُ أَخشى
عَلَيهِfor him العَينَthe eye تومِئُgestures أَوor تَريبُcauses unease
عَلَيهِ العَينَ تومِئُ أَو تَريبُ
And leave to the earth one for whom I used to fear
And leave to the earth whom I used to fear
An eye's gesture or an unsettling look?
The eye hints at or harms him
وَأَصفَحُand turn away لِلبَلىfor decay عَنfrom ضَوءِthe radiance وَجهٍof a face
وَأَصفَحُ لِلبَلى عَن ضَوءِ وَجهٍ
غَنيتُI used to يَروعُنيfrightens me مِنهُfrom it الشُحوبُpallor
غَنيتُ يَروعُني مِنهُ الشُحوبُ
And yield to decay the radiance of a face
And pardon decay the radiance of a face
Whose pallor used to frighten me?
Whose paleness frightened me
وَمِنand among حَقِّthe rights الأَحِبَّةِof loved ones لَوif only أَجَنَّتenclosed
وَمِن حَقِّ الأَحِبَّةِ لَو أَجَنَّت
رَمائِمَهاtheir remains الجَوانِحُthe ribs وَالقُلوبُand the hearts
رَمائِمَها الجَوانِحُ وَالقُلوبُ
And it is the right of loved ones—would that
It is the right of loved ones even if
Ribs and hearts could enclose their remains!
Their souls and hearts did their worst
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod الجَزيرَةَal-Jazira لاnot لِشَيءٍfor anything
سَقى اللَهُ الجَزيرَةَ لا لِشَيءٍ
سِوىexcept أَنthat يَرتَويdrink its fill ذاكَthat القَليبُthe well
سِوى أَن يَرتَوي ذاكَ القَليبُ
May God water al-Jazira, for no reason
God watered the peninsula not for anything
Except that that well may drink its fill.
Except to quench that heart
مُلَطٌّstaying put بِالطَريقِbeside the road وَلَيسَand he does not يُصغيlisten
مُلَطٌّ بِالطَريقِ وَلَيسَ يُصغي
لِأَنجِيَةِto the whispered conversations الطَريقِof the road وَلاand not يُجيبُreply
لِأَنجِيَةِ الطَريقِ وَلا يُجيبُ
He stays beside the road, yet does not listen
Deaf to the call of the road and does not
To the road's whispered conversations, nor reply.
Respond to the woes of the road or answer
تَعودُvisit الباكِياتُthe weeping women مُجاوِريهِhis neighbors
تَعودُ الباكِياتُ مُجاوِريهِ
وَيُزوىand is withheld النَوحُwailing عَنهُfrom him وَالنَحيبُand sobbing
وَيُزوى النَوحُ عَنهُ وَالنَحيبُ
Weeping women visit his neighbors,
The weeping women, his neighbors, return
Yet wailing and sobbing are withheld from him.
And the weeping and lamenting stops for him
وَأَيُّهُمُand which of them يُعيرُlends عَلَيكَfor you دَمعاًa tear
وَأَيُّهُمُ يُعيرُ عَلَيكَ دَمعاً
وَآلِسُand Alis دونَbetween you and أَهلِكَyour family وَالدُروبُand the passes
وَآلِسُ دونَ أَهلِكَ وَالدُروبُ
And which of them lends a tear for you,
And which of them loans you a tear
With Alis and the passes between you and your kin?
While your family and homes are desolate
وَماand not كانَتwould have been لِتَبعُدَto keep far عَنكَfrom you عَينٌan eye
وَما كانَت لِتَبعُدَ عَنكَ عَينٌ
سَفوحُprofusely shedding الدَمعِtears لَوif أَنّيthat I قَريبُnear
سَفوحُ الدَمعِ لَو أَنّي قَريبُ
Nor would an eye have stayed far from you,
No eye would have stayed far from you
Streaming with tears, had I been near.
Floods of tears if I were near
يُرينيكَshow you to me المُنىhopes خَلساًfurtively وَأَنّىand how
يُرينيكَ المُنى خَلساً وَأَنّى
بِرُؤيَةِwith seeing مَنone whom تُغَيِّبُهُconceals him الغُيوبُthe unseen
بِرُؤيَةِ مَن تُغَيِّبُهُ الغُيوبُ
My hopes show you to me in stolen glimpses; yet how
Fate shows you to me furtively yet how
Can I see one whom the unseen conceals?
Can I see whom absence makes absent
وَكَيفَand how يَؤوبُreturns مَنone whom تُمضيcarry away المَناياthe fates of death
وَكَيفَ يَؤوبُ مَن تُمضي المَنايا
وَقَدand indeed يَمضيdeparts الشَبابُyouth فَماthen does not يَؤوبُreturn
وَقَد يَمضي الشَبابُ فَما يَؤوبُ
And how can one return whom death carries off,
How can one who passes away return
When even youth departs and never returns?
When youth passes away and does not return
أُلامُI am blamed إِذاwhen ذَكَرتُكَI remember you فَاِستَهَلَّتthen pour forth
أُلامُ إِذا ذَكَرتُكَ فَاِستَهَلَّت
غُروبُtorrents العَينِof the eye تَتبَعُهاfollow them الغُروبُtorrents
غُروبُ العَينِ تَتبَعُها الغُروبُ
I am blamed when I recall you and there gush forth
My pains when I remember you the sunsets
Torrents from the eye, followed by more torrents.
Followed by sunsets began to set
وَلَوand if أَنَّthat الجِبالَthe mountains فَقَدنَlost إِلفاًa beloved companion
وَلَو أَنَّ الجِبالَ فَقَدنَ إِلفاً
لَأَوشَكَwould nearly جامِدٌsolid rock مِنهاof them يَذوبُmelt
لَأَوشَكَ جامِدٌ مِنها يَذوبُ
And if the mountains lost a beloved companion,
If the mountains lost a friend
Their solid rock would all but melt.
A frozen one among them would melt
لَعَمريby my life إِنَّindeed دَهراًan age غالَsnatched away إِلفيmy beloved companion
لَعَمري إِنَّ دَهراً غالَ إِلفي
وَماليand my wealth لِلخَؤونُis truly treacherous لَناto us الشَعوبُthe death-dealer
وَمالي لِلخَؤونُ لَنا الشَعوبُ
By my life, an age that snatched my beloved
By my life, a lifetime was unfaithful to my friendship
And my wealth is indeed our treacherous destroyer.
And woe to us, we have become outcasts
فَإِنthen if سِتٌّsix وَسُتّونَand sixty اِستَقَلَّتhas departed
فَإِن سِتٌّ وَسُتّونَ اِستَقَلَّت
فَلاthen may not كَرَّتreturn بِرَجعَتِهاwith its return الخُطوبُcalamities
فَلا كَرَّت بِرَجعَتِها الخُطوبُ
Then, if six-and-sixty has departed,
Sixty-six years gained independence
May calamities not return with its return.
And events no longer returned
لَقَدindeed سَرَّpleased الأَعاديthe enemies فِيَّconcerning me أَنّيthat I
لَقَد سَرَّ الأَعادي فِيَّ أَنّي
بِرَأسِat Ras العَينِal-Ayn مَحزونٌsorrowful كَئيبُdejected
بِرَأسِ العَينِ مَحزونٌ كَئيبُ
It has indeed pleased my enemies that I
The enemies rejoiced about me that I am
Am sorrowful and dejected at Ras al-Ayn,
Sorrowful, depressed, and in gloom
وَأَنّيand that I اليَومَtoday عَنfrom وَطَنيmy homeland شَريدٌan exile
وَأَنّي اليَومَ عَن وَطَني شَريدٌ
بِلاwithout جُرمٍa crime وَمِنand of ماليmy wealth حَريبُrobbed
بِلا جُرمٍ وَمِن مالي حَريبُ
And that today I am an exile from my homeland,
Today I am exiled from my homeland
Without a crime, and robbed of my wealth.
Without crime, dispossessed of my money
تَعاظَمَتِgrew immense الحَوادِثُmisfortunes حَولَaround حَظّيmy lot
تَعاظَمَتِ الحَوادِثُ حَولَ حَظّي
وَشُبَّتand were kindled دونَin the way of بُغيَتِيَmy desire الحُروبُwars
وَشُبَّت دونَ بُغيَتِيَ الحُروبُ
Misfortunes have grown great around my lot,
Great events surrounded my fortune
And wars were kindled between me and my desire,
And wars bloomed without my enmity
عَلىat حينِthe time when اِستَتَمَّfully seized الوَهنُweakness عَظميmy bones
عَلى حينِ اِستَتَمَّ الوَهنُ عَظمي
وَأُعطِيَand was granted فِيَّover me ماwhatever اِحتَكَمَclaimed المَشيبُgray hair
وَأُعطِيَ فِيَّ ما اِحتَكَمَ المَشيبُ
At a time when weakness had fully seized my bones,
While weakness permeated my bones
And gray hair was granted all the sway it claimed over me.
And old age passed judgment on me
وَقَدand may يَرِدُreach المَناهِلَthe watering places مَنone who يُحَلّاis driven away
وَقَد يَرِدُ المَناهِلَ مَن يُحَلّا
عَلىwhile in ظَمَإٍthirst وَيَغنَمُand wins spoils مَنone who يَخيبُfails
عَلى ظَمَإٍ وَيَغنَمُ مَن يَخيبُ
Yet the watering places may be reached by one driven off
One who is refused may gain springs
While thirsty, and one who fails may win spoils.
And one who is disappointed may gain
وَأَيسَرُand the easiest فائِتٍlost thing خَلَفاًto replace سَريعاًquickly
وَأَيسَرُ فائِتٍ خَلَفاً سَريعاً
رِقابُcapital assets المالِof wealth يُرزَؤُهاis deprived of them الكَسوبُthe industrious earner
رِقابُ المالِ يُرزَؤُها الكَسوبُ
And the easiest loss to replace swiftly
The easiest loss to replace quickly
Is wealth itself, which an industrious earner may lose.
Are bonds of money, scorned by making
فَمَنthen who ذاis it يَسأَلُasks البَجَلِيَّal-Bajali عَمّاabout what
فَمَن ذا يَسأَلُ البَجَلِيَّ عَمّا
يَذُمُّcondemns مِنَof اِختِياريmy choice أَوor يَعيبُfinds fault with
يَذُمُّ مِنَ اِختِياري أَو يَعيبُ
Who, then, will ask al-Bajali about what
So who will ask the wanderer about
He condemns or finds blameworthy in my choice?
What I dislike in my choice or fault
يُعَنِّفُنيrebukes me عَلىfor بَغَتاتِthe sudden impulses عَزميof my resolve
يُعَنِّفُني عَلى بَغَتاتِ عَزمي
وَكُنتُand I used to be وَلاand not يُعَنِّفُنيrebukes me الأَريبُthe discerning one
وَكُنتُ وَلا يُعَنِّفُني الأَريبُ
He rebukes me for my sudden resolutions,
He reproaches me for my whims of determination
Though once no discerning man would rebuke me.
Though no critic reproached me
وَقَدand indeed أَكدىfailed الصَوابُsound judgment عَلَيَّfor me حَتّىuntil
وَقَد أَكدى الصَوابُ عَلَيَّ حَتّى
وَدِدتُI wished بِأَنَّthat شانِيَّmy hater المُصيبُthe one in the right
وَدِدتُ بِأَنَّ شانِيَّ المُصيبُ
And sound judgment has failed me so utterly
The right has insisted on me until
That I wished my hater were the one in the right.
I wish that the one hitting the target were I
لَعَلَّperhaps أَخاكَyour brother يَرقُبُwatches هَلwhether تُطاطيbring low
لَعَلَّ أَخاكَ يَرقُبُ هَل تُطاطي
لَهُbefore him مِنّيof me النَوائِبُcalamities إِذwhen تَنوبُbefall
لَهُ مِنّي النَوائِبُ إِذ تَنوبُ
Perhaps your brother watches to see whether I am brought low
Perhaps your brother watches in case
Before him by calamities when they strike.
Misfortunes from me strike him when they come
فَأَينَthen where is النَفسُthe soul ذاتُendowed with الفَضلِvirtue عَمّاaway from what
فَأَينَ النَفسُ ذاتُ الفَضلِ عَمّا
تَسَكَّعُyou stumble blindly فيهِin it وَالصَدرُand the breast الرَحيبُspacious
تَسَكَّعُ فيهِ وَالصَدرُ الرَحيبُ
How far a virtuous soul stands from what
So where is the soul with abundant merit from
You stumble blindly through—and a broad, generous breast!
What it wanders in and the vast chest
فَأَولىthen woe لِلظَلومِto the wrongdoer لَوَif أَنَّthat نَفسيmy soul
فَأَولى لِلظَلومِ لَوَ أَنَّ نَفسي
بِشَيءٍwith anything مِنof مَوَدَّتِهِhis affection تَطيبُtakes comfort
بِشَيءٍ مِن مَوَدَّتِهِ تَطيبُ
Woe to the wrongdoer, if my soul
It would be better for the unjust soul if
Should find comfort in any of his affection.
It felt goodwill toward him
أَيَغضَبُdoes he grow angry أَنthat يُعاتَبَhe is reproached بِالقَوافيin verses
أَيَغضَبُ أَن يُعاتَبَ بِالقَوافي
وَفيهاand in them المَجدُglory وَالحَسَبُand lineage الحَسيبُnoble
وَفيها المَجدُ وَالحَسَبُ الحَسيبُ
Does he grow angry at being reproached in verse,
Will he be angry to be blamed in verse
Though verse holds glory and noble lineage?
When in it is honor and enough merit
وَكَمand how many مِنof آمِلٍone hoping for هَجويmy satire لِيَحظىto gain favor
وَكَم مِن آمِلٍ هَجوي لِيَحظى
بِذِكرٍwith a mention مِنهُfrom it يَصعَدُrises أَوor يَصوبُdescends
بِذِكرٍ مِنهُ يَصعَدُ أَو يَصوبُ
How many have hoped for my satire, to gain
How many a hopeful lampooner wishes
A mention through it, whether rising or falling.
To gain a mention from it ascending or aiming
فَكَيفَthen how بِسُيَّرٍwith far-traveling verses مُتنَخَلّاتٍcarefully sifted
فَكَيفَ بِسُيَّرٍ مُتنَخَلّاتٍ
تَجوبُthey traverse مِنَof التَنائِفِthe desert wastes ماwhatever تَجوبُthey traverse
تَجوبُ مِنَ التَنائِفِ ما تَجوبُ
What, then, of far-traveling, carefully sifted poems,
So how about the excellent smooth-flowing
That range across desert wastes far and wide?
Poems that roam with wanderings
يُنافِسُvies with سامِعٌa listener فيهاfor them أَباهُhis father
يُنافِسُ سامِعٌ فيها أَباهُ
إِذاwhen جَعَلَتthey begin بِسُؤدُدِهِabout his eminence تُهيبُto call aloud
إِذا جَعَلَت بِسُؤدُدِهِ تُهيبُ
A listener vies with his own father for them,
A listener competes against his father in them
When they begin to proclaim his eminence.
When they make his arrogance tremble
بَلَغنَthey reached الأَرضَthe earth لَمdid not يَلغُبنَgrow weary فيهاin it
بَلَغنَ الأَرضَ لَم يَلغُبنَ فيها
وَبَعضُand some الشِعرِpoetry يُدرِكُهُovertakes it اللُغوبُweariness
وَبَعضُ الشِعرِ يُدرِكُهُ اللُغوبُ
They have reached across the earth without tiring,
They have reached the ends of earth without failing in it
While some poetry is overtaken by weariness.
And some poetry is reached by ignoramuses
فَإِلّاthen if not تُحسَبِare credited الحَسَناتُgood deeds مِنّاfrom us
فَإِلّا تُحسَبِ الحَسَناتُ مِنّا
لِصاحِبِهاto their doer فَلاthen let not تُحصَbe counted الذُنوبُsins
لِصاحِبِها فَلا تُحصَ الذُنوبُ
If our good deeds are not credited
So unless good deeds are counted for
To their doer, then let sins go uncounted.
Their owner, sins are not counted
أَتوبُI repent مِنَof الإِساءَةِwrongdoing إِنif أَلَمَّتoccurs
أَتوبُ مِنَ الإِساءَةِ إِن أَلَمَّت
وَأَعرِفُand I know مَنone who يُسيءُdoes wrong وَلاand not يَتوبُrepents
وَأَعرِفُ مَن يُسيءُ وَلا يَتوبُ
I repent of wrongdoing, should it occur,
I repent from wrongdoing if it touched me
And I know one who does wrong and does not repent.
And I acknowledge him who wrongs and does not repent
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.