أي الخطوب من الزمان أزلُ

أي الخطوب من الزمان أزلُ

كل الزمان كتائبٌ وجحافلُ

كل الزمان كتائبٌ وجحافلُ

Which of time's calamities is most grievous?

What periods of youth from time have passed,

All time is battalions and mighty hosts.

All time is troops and parties.

دهرٌ بتقديم الأديب مُكاذبٌ

دهرٌ بتقديم الأديب مُكاذبٌ

وهوىً بإسعاف الحبيبِ مُباخِلُ

وهوىً بإسعاف الحبيبِ مُباخِلُ

An age that lies about advancing the man of letters,

A deceitful age presenting the literate,

And love that begrudges the beloved's favor.

And my passion stingy in aiding the beloved.

إِنَّ الكواعبَ والمآربَ والمُنى

إِنَّ الكواعبَ والمآربَ والمُنى

نهضت بهن حوادثٌ ورواحل

نهضت بهن حوادثٌ ورواحل

Indeed, the full-breasted maidens, desires, and hopes—

Indeed desires, hopes, and wishes

Calamities and riding camels have carried them away.

Arose with incidents and departures.

فأخو الغَرام من القَطيعة والهٌ

فأخو الغَرام من القَطيعة والهٌ

وأخو المرام عن العزيمة ذاهلِ

وأخو المرام عن العزيمة ذاهلِ

So the lover is distraught from estrangement,

A brother of love from estrangement and yearning,

And the seeker of his goal has lost sight of resolve.

And a brother of aspiration from resolve is absent.

فبأيما جَلدٍ يعيشُ مُتيَّمٌ

فبأيما جَلدٍ يعيشُ مُتيَّمٌ

جارتْ عليه مَنازلٌ ومُنازل

جارتْ عليه مَنازلٌ ومُنازل

With what endurance, then, can a love-stricken man live,

So with what skin can an orphan live

When dwelling places and an adversary oppress him?

Whose dwellings and homes have gone?

يا حرَّةَ الأخوين إنَّ صَبابتي

يا حرَّةَ الأخوين إنَّ صَبابتي

عظمت وما أن في وصالك طائل

عظمت وما أن في وصالك طائل

O noble lady of the two brothers, my longing

O noble of the two brothers, my youth

Has grown great, yet union with you offers no reward.

Has grown though in your union there is no use.

سد العفاف علي كل ثنية

سد العفاف علي كل ثنية

فالهجر عندي للوصال مماثل

فالهجر عندي للوصال مماثل

Chastity has barred every mountain pass to me,

Modesty has locked me from every bend,

So estrangement and union are alike to me.

So estrangement to me is similar to union.

عبقت بنشرك في الدجى ريح الصبا

عبقت بنشرك في الدجى ريح الصبا

فتضوعتْ بالطيب منكِ أصائلُ

فتضوعتْ بالطيب منكِ أصائلُ

In the darkness, the east wind grew fragrant with your scent,

The scent of your blossoms has diffused in the gloom,

So late afternoons breathed forth your perfume.

So the branches have been perfumed by you.

وسرى النسيم على المَلا فتفاوحتْ

وسرى النسيم على المَلا فتفاوحتْ

بالحزن منه منابتٌ وخمائلُ

بالحزن منه منابتٌ وخمائلُ

And the breeze crossed the open plain, making fragrant

The breeze blew upon slopes so they rustled

The upland's plants and thickets with its breath.

With sorrow - saplings and thickets.

علَّمْتِ رشق اللحظ كل مناضلٍ

علَّمْتِ رشق اللحظ كل مناضلٍ

فغدت له الشاراتُ وهي مَقاتل

فغدت له الشاراتُ وهي مَقاتل

You taught every archer how to shoot a glance,

You taught every rival the glance of the eyes,

So his targets became the body's vital spots.

So the gestures for him became fighting.

وزعمتِ أنَّكِ بالمحب رؤوفةٌ

وزعمتِ أنَّكِ بالمحب رؤوفةٌ

والغدرُ يخبرُ أنَّ زعمكِ باطل

والغدرُ يخبرُ أنَّ زعمكِ باطل

You claimed that you are compassionate toward the lover,

And you claimed you were compassionate to a lover,

But treachery declares your claim false.

While betrayal tells that your claim is false.

منعتْ حِماكِ صوارمٌ وذوابلٌ

منعتْ حِماكِ صوارمٌ وذوابلٌ

ونهى هَواكِ لوائمٌ وعواذلُ

ونهى هَواكِ لوائمٌ وعواذلُ

Sharp swords and slender spears guard your sanctuary,

Your zeal held back swords and lion's whelps,

And reproaching women and rebukers forbid loving you.

And your passion restrained blamers and censors.

ولقد غَنيتِ عن اللَّوائم بالقِلى

ولقد غَنيتِ عن اللَّوائم بالقِلى

وكفاكِ منعَ حِماكِ أنكِ باخلُ

وكفاكِ منعَ حِماكِ أنكِ باخلُ

Indeed, your aversion has left you no need of reproachers,

You have been independent of blamers through aloofness,

And your stinginess suffices to guard your sanctuary.

And your zeal's preventing you was enough of stinginess.

لا تحسبي صبري لحادثِ سَلْوةٍ

لا تحسبي صبري لحادثِ سَلْوةٍ

قد تصمتُ الأشياءُ وهي قوائل

قد تصمتُ الأشياءُ وهي قوائل

Do not think my patience comes from newly found solace;

Do not think my patience is for an easy misfortune,

Things may be silent, yet still speak.

Things may be silent though they are telling.

وسلي بوجْدي تُخبرني عن جلُه

وسلي بوجْدي تُخبرني عن جلُه

قد يدركُ الخبر الخفيَّ السَّائلُ

قد يدركُ الخبر الخفيَّ السَّائلُ

And ask about my passion; you will tell me the greater part of it.

Ask my fervor which tells me of its intensity,

An inquirer may discover hidden information.

The hidden inquirer may attain the news.

إنَّ المياه حسدْنَ صفو مدامعي

إنَّ المياه حسدْنَ صفو مدامعي

فصفتْ لورَّادِ المياهِ مناهلُ

فصفتْ لورَّادِ المياهِ مناهلُ

The waters envied the clarity of my tears,

The waters envied the purity of my tears

So watering places grew clear for those who came to drink.

So they described springs for the water-seekers.

وتأوَّهي أعْدى الحمامَ وبانَهُ

وتأوَّهي أعْدى الحمامَ وبانَهُ

فالبانُ مُهتزٌ وهُنَّ هَوادلُ

فالبانُ مُهتزٌ وهُنَّ هَوادلُ

And my sighing infected the doves and their bān tree,

My sighs did the most harm to the doves,

So the bān tree sways, and they are cooing.

So they moan and they are impassionedones.

ولقد علمتُ بأنَّ نفسي صارمٌ

ولقد علمتُ بأنَّ نفسي صارمٌ

والحادثات وإن كرهتُ صياقلُ

والحادثات وإن كرهتُ صياقلُ

I have indeed learned that my soul is a sharp sword,

And indeed I knew my soul to be a keen blade,

And calamities, though I hate them, are sword-polishers.

And even if I disliked it, the tribulations are whetstones.

صبري على الازمِ الصعاب مُخبرٌ

صبري على الازمِ الصعاب مُخبرٌ

أني إلى الشَّرف المُحسَّدِ آيلُ

أني إلى الشَّرف المُحسَّدِ آيلُ

My patience through severe hardships declares

My patience with difficulties informs

That I am bound for distinction that others envy.

That I am aiming for the envied glory.

قد لاحَ في أفق السعادة بارقٌ

قد لاحَ في أفق السعادة بارقٌ

إنْ لم أبادرهُ فأمِّي هابلُ

إنْ لم أبادرهُ فأمِّي هابلُ

A lightning gleam has appeared on fortune's horizon;

A lightning has appeared on the horizon of fortune,

If I do not hasten toward it, may my mother mourn me.

If I do not hasten to it, I am a confused one.

تسمو إليه محاربٌ ومَنابرٌ

تسمو إليه محاربٌ ومَنابرٌ

وتُفلُّ فيه صوارمٌ وذوابلُ

وتُفلُّ فيه صوارمٌ وذوابلُ

Warriors and pulpits rise toward it,

Brave men and platforms rise toward it

And sharp swords and slender spears are blunted in its pursuit.

And swords and lion's whelps fail before it,

بمدجَّجين كأنَّ لمْعَ حديدهم

بمدجَّجين كأنَّ لمْعَ حديدهم

برقٌ تلاهُ من السَّحابِ الحافلُ

برقٌ تلاهُ من السَّحابِ الحافلُ

By fully armored men, as though the gleam of their iron

Armored such that the flash of their iron

Were lightning, followed by a rain-laden cloud.

Is lightning followed by laden clouds.

خلعَ الغُبارُ عليهمُ من نسجه

خلعَ الغُبارُ عليهمُ من نسجه

فكأنما فوق الدروع غلائلُ

فكأنما فوق الدروع غلائلُ

Dust robed them in its own weaving,

Dust has worn upon them from its weaving,

So it seemed sheer tunics lay over their coats of mail.

As if there were locks upon the coats of mail.

جلبوا الصفاح إلى الكفاح صَوادياً

جلبوا الصفاح إلى الكفاح صَوادياً

وثَنوا وهُنَّ من النفوس نواهِلُ

وثَنوا وهُنَّ من النفوس نواهِلُ

They brought the sword-blades thirsty into combat,

They brought the good news of battle with swords,

And turned back, while the blades drank their fill of souls.

And they bent - though they are determined souls.

ثمَّ استمرَّ طِرادهمْ فلو أنه

ثمَّ استمرَّ طِرادهمْ فلو أنه

في قعر دجلة ثار منه قَساطل

في قعر دجلة ثار منه قَساطل

Then their charging continued; had it been

Then their charge continued so if it

In the Tigris's depths, dust clouds would have risen from it.

Had arisen from the depths of the Tigris with urns

وعلتْ رؤوسٌ بالضراب صواعداً

وعلتْ رؤوسٌ بالضراب صواعداً

ثم انثنتْ في الجو وهي نوازلُ

ثم انثنتْ في الجو وهي نوازلُ

And heads flew upward under the blows,

And heads rose with the blows skyward

Then turned back in midair, descending.

Then bent in the air - and they are descending misfortunes.

فكأنما هي في الظَّلام كواكبٌ

فكأنما هي في الظَّلام كواكبٌ

طلعَ الصباحُ فهن منه أوافِلُ

طلعَ الصباحُ فهن منه أوافِلُ

As though they were stars in the darkness:

It is as if they are, in the darkness, planets

Morning rose, and at its coming they set.

The dawn rose so they from it are setting ones.

لا تُنكري ذكري حديثَ مطالبي

لا تُنكري ذكري حديثَ مطالبي

إنَّ العتيق من السَّوابق صاهل

إنَّ العتيق من السَّوابق صاهل

Do not object to my speaking of my ambitions;

Do not deny my mention, my requests,

A thoroughbred among the racehorses surely neighs.

The old of the first ones is conversing.

هي عزًّةٌ تعْتادُ كل مُمجَّدٍ

هي عزًّةٌ تعْتادُ كل مُمجَّدٍ

فتقولُ عنه قصائدٌ ورسائل

فتقولُ عنه قصائدٌ ورسائل

It is noble pride that visits every man of glory,

It is glory which every glorified one gets used to

So poems and epistles speak of him.

So it says poems and messages about him.

طربي بها ما يستفيقُ وفي الحَشا

طربي بها ما يستفيقُ وفي الحَشا

منها فُضولُ لواعجٍ وبلابلُ

منها فُضولُ لواعجٍ وبلابلُ

My rapture in it never sobers; within my breast

It delighted me - whatever awakens in the thickets -

From it come overflowing pangs and anxieties.

Extra for the thrushes and nightingales.

طربَ ابن خالدٍ الكريم إذا طَرا

طربَ ابن خالدٍ الكريم إذا طَرا

عافٍ أو التفَّتْ عليه وسائل

عافٍ أو التفَّتْ عليه وسائل

Like noble Ibn Khalid's joy when there appears

It delighted Ibn Khalid the generous when it was moving around

A seeker of bounty, or entreaties crowd around him.

Healthy or infatuated by affairs.

شهمٌ أعارَ الصَّقر حدَّة لحظِه

شهمٌ أعارَ الصَّقر حدَّة لحظِه

فقضت على مُهج الطيور أجادل

فقضت على مُهج الطيور أجادل

A gallant man who lent the falcon the sharpness of his gaze,

Valiant who lent the hawk the sharpness of its glance

So falcons put an end to birds' lives.

So it finished off the marrow of the birds, the prey.

ماضٍ إذا ضَنَّ الجبانُ بنفسهِ

ماضٍ إذا ضَنَّ الجبانُ بنفسهِ

يقظٌ إذا نام الذهولُ الغافلُ

يقظٌ إذا نام الذهولُ الغافلُ

Resolute when the coward hoards his own life,

Firm, when the coward felt secure in himself,

Alert when the distracted, heedless man sleeps.

Wakeful, when the heedless one slept.

وله إذا حبسَ الغمامُ نوالَه

وله إذا حبسَ الغمامُ نوالَه

عن مُعتفيه وقيلَ عامٌ ماحلُ

عن مُعتفيه وقيلَ عامٌ ماحلُ

And he has, when the cloud withholds its bounty

For him, if the clouds held back his gifts,

From those seeking it, and the year is called barren,

In a barren year, it is said: "reaching".

جودٌ تمازجهُ البشاشةُ للَّذي

جودٌ تمازجهُ البشاشةُ للَّذي

يرجو ويشفعه السرورُ الكاملُ

يرجو ويشفعه السرورُ الكاملُ

A generosity mingled with smiles for whoever

Generosity whose charm is cheerfulness for one

Hopes, and accompanied by perfect joy.

Who hopes and facilitated by complete joy.

فكأنهُ غيثُ الربيع لناظِرٍ

فكأنهُ غيثُ الربيع لناظِرٍ

الشمس مشرقةٌ هي وورق هاطل

الشمس مشرقةٌ هي وورق هاطل

So to a beholder he is like spring rain:

It is as if it were the spring rain for one seeing

The sun itself shines, and silver pours down.

The shining sun, it and falling foliage.

وخلائقٌ رقَّتْ فلولا أنهُ

وخلائقٌ رقَّتْ فلولا أنهُ

بشر لقلت هي الفرات السائل

بشر لقلت هي الفرات السائل

And traits so gentle that, were he not

And manners which softened so if it were not

Human, I would say they were the flowing Euphrates.

That he is human, I would say it is the flowing Euphrates.

ودمائه لطفت فلولا هجره

ودمائه لطفت فلولا هجره

للخمر قلت الشاربُ المتمايلُ

للخمر قلت الشاربُ المتمايلُ

And his blood grew delicate; were it not for his forsaking

And his blood is refined so if it were not for his estrangement

Wine, I would say he was a swaying drinker.

From wine, I would say he is the swaying drinker.

لو يهجرُ القومُ الذنوبَ كهجره

لو يهجرُ القومُ الذنوبَ كهجره

للكِبْر ما وافى جهنَّم داخلُ

للكِبْر ما وافى جهنَّم داخلُ

If people shunned sins as he shuns

If the people avoided sins like his avoidance

Arrogance, no one would enter Hell.

Of arrogance, no sinner would enter Hell.

و لو استفادوا بُلغْةً من حلمه

و لو استفادوا بُلغْةً من حلمه

ما قِيدَ يوماً بالقتيل القاتلُ

ما قِيدَ يوماً بالقتيل القاتلُ

And if they gained a sustaining share of his forbearance,

And if they gained an ounce of his forbearance,

No killer would ever be executed in retribution for the slain.

No killer would be bound to the killed.

وإذا تنكَّر للأعادي مُغْضباً

وإذا تنكَّر للأعادي مُغْضباً

فالسيف يَهْبُرُ والهزبر يُصاولُ

فالسيف يَهْبُرُ والهزبر يُصاولُ

And when he turns grim toward enemies in anger,

And if he is unrecognizable to enemies angry,

Then the sword cleaves, and the lion attacks.

The sword gushes and the spear wildly strikes.

وقف الحياةَ على اللَّذيْن تكفَّلا

وقف الحياةَ على اللَّذيْن تكفَّلا

بالحمد وهو بما أرادَ الكافلُ

بالحمد وهو بما أرادَ الكافلُ

He devoted his life to the two that guarantee

The two who guaranteed livelihood with praise

Praise, and he himself guarantees what he intends.

And He is capable of what He wills.

فلِعِرْضه هو بالشَّراسة مانعٌ

فلِعِرْضه هو بالشَّراسة مانعٌ

ولمالهِ هو بالبشاشةِ باذلُ

ولمالهِ هو بالبشاشةِ باذلُ

So he fiercely defends his honor,

For his honor he prevents with aggression,

And cheerfully gives away his wealth.

And for his wealth he gives generously.

قد صحَّ أنَّ بنانهُ بحرٌ وإنْ

قد صحَّ أنَّ بنانهُ بحرٌ وإنْ

لم يُلْفَ عبرٌ عندهُ وسواحلُ

لم يُلْفَ عبرٌ عندهُ وسواحلُ

It is certain that his fingertips are a sea, even though

It is true that his offspring are a sea even if

No bank or shores are found beside it.

No Arabic poetry is composed about it and coasts.

فعلى الطُّروس لآليءٌ وجَواهرٌ

فعلى الطُّروس لآليءٌ وجَواهرٌ

وعلى العُفاة ربابُ جودٍ هاطلُ

وعلى العُفاة ربابُ جودٍ هاطلُ

For on the written pages lie pearls and jewels,

So for the destitute are fine garments and gems

And clouds of generosity pour upon seekers of bounty.

And for the barefoot are rains of generosity pouring.