تَقولُ وَحادي الفَقرِ يُزعِجُ مَرقَدي

تَقولُ وَحادي الفَقرِ يُزعِجُ مَرقَدي

إِلى أَينَ يا ظَمآنُ قُلتُ إِلى البَحرِ

إِلى أَينَ يا ظَمآنُ قُلتُ إِلى البَحرِ

She says, as poverty’s camel-driver rouses me from my bed,

You say, "Poverty's companion disturbs my rest"

“Where to, O thirsty one?” I said, “To the sea.”

I said, "To where, O thirst?" "To the sea," was the reply.

فَقالَت أَما تَخشى عَوادِيَ لُجِّهِ

فَقالَت أَما تَخشى عَوادِيَ لُجِّهِ

فَتُمسي عَلى كَفٍّ وَأَنتَ عَلى ظَهرِ

فَتُمسي عَلى كَفٍّ وَأَنتَ عَلى ظَهرِ

She said, “Do you not fear the perils of its depths,

"Don't you fear," she said, "the sea's tumultuous tides

and end up on a palm, though you are on a back?”

That you'll end up empty-handed though now carefree?"

فَقُلتُ سِوى البَحرِ الَّذي قَد عَنَيتِهِ

فَقُلتُ سِوى البَحرِ الَّذي قَد عَنَيتِهِ

أَرَدتُ فَلَم أَنشَط إِلى اللُجَجِ الخُضرِ

أَرَدتُ فَلَم أَنشَط إِلى اللُجَجِ الخُضرِ

I said, “A sea other than the one you had in mind

I said, "Except for the sea I've longed for,

was what I sought; I felt no longing for the green depths,

I wouldn't stir, not even for meadows green."

وَلَكِن إِلى البَحرِ الَّذي إِن لَقيتُهُ

وَلَكِن إِلى البَحرِ الَّذي إِن لَقيتُهُ

غَنيتُ مِنَ العَليا دَعيني مِنَ الفَقرِ

غَنيتُ مِنَ العَليا دَعيني مِنَ الفَقرِ

but for the sea that, if I meet it,

Rather, the sea that, were we to meet, would enrich me,

would enrich me with lofty honors—spare me talk of poverty.

Freeing me from want, let me be, from poverty.

فَلي هِمَّةٌ قَد أَكرَمَتني هُمومُها

فَلي هِمَّةٌ قَد أَكرَمَتني هُمومُها

وَلَم أَمتَهِنها بِالطَماحِ إِلى الوَفرِ

وَلَم أَمتَهِنها بِالطَماحِ إِلى الوَفرِ

For I have an ambition whose cares have ennobled me,

So my ambition has endowed me ambitions

and I have not debased it by yearning for abundant wealth.”

That I've not debased, craving for plenty.

فَقالَت تَواضَع فَالزَمانُ كَما تَرى

فَقالَت تَواضَع فَالزَمانُ كَما تَرى

فَقُلتُ نَعَم بَينَ السَماكَينِ وَالنَسرِ

فَقُلتُ نَعَم بَينَ السَماكَينِ وَالنَسرِ

She said, “Be humble, for the times are as you see.”

"Be humble," she said, "for time, as you can see,

I said, “Yes—between the two Simāk stars and the Eagle.”

I said, "Yes, between falcon and fish my place will be."

وَماذا أَرى مِن ذا الزَمانِ وَرَبُّهُ

وَماذا أَرى مِن ذا الزَمانِ وَرَبُّهُ

يُصَرِّفُهُ فيما أَرادَ مِنَ الأَمرِ

يُصَرِّفُهُ فيما أَرادَ مِنَ الأَمرِ

And what do I see of this age, when its Lord

And what do I see of this age? Its Lord

directs it in whatever affairs He wills?

Turns it to what He wants, as He sees fit.

أَيَأمُلُ حُرٌّ غَيرَهُ لِمُرادِهِ

أَيَأمُلُ حُرٌّ غَيرَهُ لِمُرادِهِ

وَمالِكُهُ لَم يَرضَ عَبداً سِوى الحُرِّ

وَمالِكُهُ لَم يَرضَ عَبداً سِوى الحُرِّ

Does a free man look to anyone but Him for what he desires,

Can the freeman hope to have his way

when his Master has accepted no slave but a free man?

When his Master wouldn't let any but the free?

فَلا تَذكُرَنَّ الدَهرَ إِلّا بِصالِحٍ

فَلا تَذكُرَنَّ الدَهرَ إِلّا بِصالِحٍ

وَإِيّاكُمُ وَالدَهرَ فَالصُلحُ لِلدَهرِ

وَإِيّاكُمُ وَالدَهرَ فَالصُلحُ لِلدَهرِ

So never speak of Time except in good terms,

So name no time but with good, I say,

and beware of Time—make your peace with Time.

And beware of time, for in time good can stay.