أَصابَ الأَخفَشَينِ بَصيرُ خَطبٍ

أَصابَ الأَخفَشَينِ بَصيرُ خَطبٍ

أَعادَ الأَعشَيَينِ بِلا حِوارِ

أَعادَ الأَعشَيَينِ بِلا حِوارِ

A keen-eyed calamity struck the two Akhfashes;

The two linguists were struck by an eloquent address,

It left the two dim-sighted Aʿshās without a reply.

Bringing back the two poets without any dialogue.

وَغيلَ المازِنِيُّ مِنَ الليالي

وَغيلَ المازِنِيُّ مِنَ الليالي

بِزِندٍ مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ واري

بِزِندٍ مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ واري

And al-Māzinī was treacherously slain by the nights,

And the wine of nights intoxicated Al-Mazini,

With a sparking fire-stick from the calamities of time.

With a cup of life's vicissitudes flowing and fleeting.

وَلِلجَرميُّ ما اِجتَرَمَت يَداهُ

وَلِلجَرميُّ ما اِجتَرَمَت يَداهُ

وَحَسبُكَ مِن فَلاحٍ أَو بَوارِ

وَحَسبُكَ مِن فَلاحٍ أَو بَوارِ

And al-Jarmī has what his two hands have earned,

And enough of Al-Jurmi and what his hands did in crime,

And success or ruin is enough for you.

Whether in success or failure and fickleness.

فَأَمّا فَرخُهُ فَبِلا جَناحٍ

فَأَمّا فَرخُهُ فَبِلا جَناحٍ

يَطيرُ بِحَملِ أَقلامٍ جَواري

يَطيرُ بِحَملِ أَقلامٍ جَواري

But as for his fledgling, though wingless,

As for his chick, it has no wings,

It flies, borne by running pens.

Flying with the burden of dancing slave girls' pens.

وَلَم يَهمُم بِلَقطِ الحَبِّ يَوماً

وَلَم يَهمُم بِلَقطِ الحَبِّ يَوماً

فَيوجَدَ رَهنَ أَشراكٍ دَواري

فَيوجَدَ رَهنَ أَشراكٍ دَواري

And never once did it intend to gather grain,

And it never cared to gather grains of love one day,

And so be found captive in cunning snares.

To be held hostage in the traps of fickle horses.

وَلا يَرِدُ المِياهَ إِذا هَوافٍ

وَلا يَرِدُ المِياهَ إِذا هَوافٍ

مِنَ الأَفراخِ مُتنَ مِنَ الأَوارِ

مِنَ الأَفراخِ مُتنَ مِنَ الأَوارِ

Nor does it visit the waters when parched ones

Nor does it drink water when it's surrounded,

Among the fledglings have died of scorching heat.

By chicks, lean from starvation.

أَتَمُّ مِنَ النُسورِ بَقاءَ عُمرٍ

أَتَمُّ مِنَ النُسورِ بَقاءَ عُمرٍ

نُسورُ الطَيرِ لا الشُهُبِ السَواري

نُسورُ الطَيرِ لا الشُهُبِ السَواري

Longer-lived than the vultures—

It lives longer than eagles,

The vultures among birds, not the stars that course by night.

Eagles of birds, not of adorned wrists.

وَأَكثَرُ ماشَكاهُ مِنَ الرَزايا

وَأَكثَرُ ماشَكاهُ مِنَ الرَزايا

عَواريٌّ لِضَيعَتِهِ عَواري

عَواريٌّ لِضَيعَتِهِ عَواري

And most of the calamities it lamented

And most of its complaints of troubles,

Were loans—afflictions bringing about its loss.

Is a nakedness of its nakedness.

فُطوراً بِالمَغارِبِ مُستَشاراً

فُطوراً بِالمَغارِبِ مُستَشاراً

وَطَوراً بِالمَشارِقِ في غِرارِ

وَطَوراً بِالمَشارِقِ في غِرارِ

Now consulted in the western lands,

Sometimes counseling the sunsets,

And now in the eastern lands, in sacks.

Other times hiding in the caves at daybreak.

وَلَم يَخِفِ الحِمامَ فَأَلجَأتُهُ

وَلَم يَخِفِ الحِمامَ فَأَلجَأتُهُ

مُطِلّاتُ الصُقورِ إِلى تَواري

مُطِلّاتُ الصُقورِ إِلى تَواري

And it feared no death, yet it was driven

And it did not fear the doves, so I made it hide,

By the looming falcons into hiding.

From the attacking falcons in concealment.

أَجَلُّ مِنَ الفَريدِ لِخازِنيهِ

أَجَلُّ مِنَ الفَريدِ لِخازِنيهِ

وَأَبقى في الأَكُفِّ مِنَ السِوارِ

وَأَبقى في الأَكُفِّ مِنَ السِوارِ

More precious than a choice pearl to its keepers,

More precious to its treasuries than the unmatched,

And more lasting in the hands than a bracelet.

And more lasting in palms than bracelets.

وَما نَفَعَ المُبَرِّدَ مِن حَميمٍ

وَما نَفَعَ المُبَرِّدَ مِن حَميمٍ

وَصادَت ثَعلَباً نُوَبٌ ضَواري

وَصادَت ثَعلَباً نُوَبٌ ضَواري

And no close friend availed al-Mubarrid,

And the heated love of Al-Mubarrad was of no use,

And savage turns of fate hunted down Thaʿlab.

As crafty hyenas hunted prey.