سَأَلَ اللوى وَسُؤالُهُ تَعليلُ

سَأَلَ اللوى وَسُؤالُهُ تَعليلُ

وَمِنَ المُحالِ بِأَن يُجيبَ مَحيلُ

وَمِنَ المُحالِ بِأَن يُجيبَ مَحيلُ

He questioned al-Liwā; his questioning was self-consolation.

Love inquired, and its question was a plea,

And it is impossible for a barren place to answer.

Yet it is impossible that the aloof would answer.

يا دارُ جُهدُ جُفونِنا وَضُلوعِنا

يا دارُ جُهدُ جُفونِنا وَضُلوعِنا

لَكِ بِالبُكاءِ وَبِالأَسى مَبذولُ

لَكِ بِالبُكاءِ وَبِالأَسى مَبذولُ

O dwelling, all the strength of our eyelids and our ribs

O abode, our eyelids and ribs have strived,

is lavished on you in weeping and sorrow.

For you, with weeping and sorrow we are spent.

زُرَّت عَلَيهِ مِنَ الرِياضِ مَلابِسٌ

زُرَّت عَلَيهِ مِنَ الرِياضِ مَلابِسٌ

خَيطُ الغَمامِ لِوَشيِها مُحلولُ

خَيطُ الغَمامِ لِوَشيِها مُحلولُ

Garments from the gardens were buttoned upon it;

It was clothed with gowns from meadows,

the clouds’ thread is unwound for their embroidery.

The thread of clouds its garment had unknit.

رَقَّ العَذولُ لِما رَأى مِن حالَتي

رَقَّ العَذولُ لِما رَأى مِن حالَتي

فَاليَومَ عادَ إِلَيهِ وَهوَ رَسولُ

فَاليَومَ عادَ إِلَيهِ وَهوَ رَسولُ

The reproacher softened at what he saw of my plight;

My companion grieved at my state,

so today he returned to him as a messenger.

So today he returned as messenger.

أَو ما تَراني حامِلاً مِن بَعدِهِ

أَو ما تَراني حامِلاً مِن بَعدِهِ

ثِقَلَ الأَسى فَكَأَنَّني مَحمولُ

ثِقَلَ الأَسى فَكَأَنَّني مَحمولُ

Or do you not see me bearing, since his departure,

Or do you not see me, after him, carrying

the weight of sorrow, so that I seem to be carried myself?

The weight of sorrow, as if I were borne?

مَن لي بِخَطٍّ بِالفَضائِلِ عارِفٍ

مَن لي بِخَطٍّ بِالفَضائِلِ عارِفٍ

فَيَحِقُّ حينَئِذٍ لِيَ التَفضيلُ

فَيَحِقُّ حينَئِذٍ لِيَ التَفضيلُ

Who will give me writing that recognizes virtues,

If only I had a letter praising virtues,

so that preference may then be my due?

Then the preference would rightly be mine.

اَغمِد لِسانَكَ أَن يَقولَ فَإِنَّهُ

اَغمِد لِسانَكَ أَن يَقولَ فَإِنَّهُ

عَضبٌ أَحاطَ بِجانِبَيهِ فُلولُ

عَضبٌ أَحاطَ بِجانِبَيهِ فُلولُ

Sheathe your tongue lest it speak, for it is

Sheathe your tongue from speaking, for it

a keen sword, both its edges beset with notches.

Encompasses fury, with warriors in its flanks.

وَاِمنَعهُ مِن نَفَثاتِهِ وَكَفى بِها

وَاِمنَعهُ مِن نَفَثاتِهِ وَكَفى بِها

فَمِنَ الكَلامِ أَسِنَّةٌ وَنُصولُ

فَمِنَ الكَلامِ أَسِنَّةٌ وَنُصولُ

And restrain it from its spittings—those alone suffice,

And prevent it from its outbursts, and suffice it

for in speech there are spearheads and blades.

With them, for in speech are sharp swords and blades.

كَفِّل زَمانَكَ أَن يُغَيِّرَ كُلَّ ما

كَفِّل زَمانَكَ أَن يُغَيِّرَ كُلَّ ما

أَنكَرتَهُ فَكَفاكَ مِنهُ كَفيلُ

أَنكَرتَهُ فَكَفاكَ مِنهُ كَفيلُ

Make time your guarantor for changing all that

Entrust your time to change all that

you have disapproved of; it is guarantor enough for you.

You disliked, for that is guarantor enough.