أَسَيتُ عَلى الذَوائِبِ أَن عَلاها

أَسَيتُ عَلى الذَوائِبِ أَن عَلاها

نَهارِيُّ القَميصِ لَهُ اِرتِقاءُ

نَهارِيُّ القَميصِ لَهُ اِرتِقاءُ

I grieved for the tresses, for above them rose

I grieved for the twilights that adorned it

One in a daylight-white shirt, ascending.

My daytime shirt has ascension

لَعَلَّ سَوادَها دَنَسٌ عَلَيها

لَعَلَّ سَوادَها دَنَسٌ عَلَيها

وَإِنقاءُ المُسِنِّ لَهُ نَقاءُ

وَإِنقاءُ المُسِنِّ لَهُ نَقاءُ

Perhaps their blackness is a stain upon them,

Perhaps its blackness is unclean upon it

And cleansing the aged man brings him purity.

And the purity of white has purity

وَدُنيانا الَّتي عُشِقَت وَأَشقَت

وَدُنيانا الَّتي عُشِقَت وَأَشقَت

كَذاكَ العِشقُ مَعروفاً شَقاءُ

كَذاكَ العِشقُ مَعروفاً شَقاءُ

And our world, which was loved and brought misery—

And this world that was loved and pained

Thus love, as is well known, is misery.

Thus is love known as misery

سَأَلناها البَقاءَ عَلى أَذاها

سَأَلناها البَقاءَ عَلى أَذاها

فَقالَت عَنكُمُ حُظِرَ البَقاءُ

فَقالَت عَنكُمُ حُظِرَ البَقاءُ

We asked her for lasting life, despite her harm;

We asked it to stay despite its harm

So she said, 'Lasting life is barred to you.'

But it said, "Remaining upon you is forbidden"

بُعادٌ واقِعٌ فَمَتى التَداني

بُعادٌ واقِعٌ فَمَتى التَداني

وَبَينٌ شاسِعٌ فَمَتى اللِقاءُ

وَبَينٌ شاسِعٌ فَمَتى اللِقاءُ

Distance is real—when, then, shall we draw near?

Separation has occurred so when is the proximity

And separation is vast—when, then, shall we meet?

And between is vast so when is the meeting

وَدِرعُكَ إِن وَقَتكَ سِهامَ قَومٍ

وَدِرعُكَ إِن وَقَتكَ سِهامَ قَومٍ

فَما هِيَ مِن رَدى يَومٍ وِقاءُ

فَما هِيَ مِن رَدى يَومٍ وِقاءُ

And your armor, if it shields you from a people's arrows,

And your armor if it protects you from a people's arrows

Is still no protection against the death a day brings.

Then it is not protection on any day

ولَستُ كَمَن يَقولُ بِغَيرِ عِلمٍ

ولَستُ كَمَن يَقولُ بِغَيرِ عِلمٍ

سِواءٌ مِنكَ فَتكٌ وَاِتِّقاءُ

سِواءٌ مِنكَ فَتكٌ وَاِتِّقاءُ

And I am not like one who says, without knowledge,

And I am not like one who speaks without knowledge

'Your deadly assault and your caution are alike.'

Equal from you is death and caution

فَقَد وَجَبَت عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ ظُهرٍ

فَقَد وَجَبَت عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ ظُهرٍ

إِذا وافاكَ بِالماءِ السَقاءُ

إِذا وافاكَ بِالماءِ السَقاءُ

For the noon prayer has become obligatory upon you

For the noon prayer has become obligatory upon you

When the water-carrier comes to you with water.

When the water carrier comes to you with water

لَقَد أَفنَت عَزائِمَكَ الدَياجي

لَقَد أَفنَت عَزائِمَكَ الدَياجي

وَأَفرادُ الكَواكِبِ أَرفِقاءُ

وَأَفرادُ الكَواكِبِ أَرفِقاءُ

The dark nights have indeed worn away your resolve,

It has wasted your resolves and lonelinesses

And the solitary stars are companions.

And the individuals of stars are most gentle friends

فَيا سِربي لِتُدرِكنا المَنايا

فَيا سِربي لِتُدرِكنا المَنايا

وَنَحنُ عَلى السَجِيَّةِ أَصدِقاءُ

وَنَحنُ عَلى السَجِيَّةِ أَصدِقاءُ

So, my flock, let death overtake us

So my companionship to reach death together

While we are friends by nature.

While we are most truthful friends

أَرى جَرعَ الحَياةِ أَمَرَّ شَيءٍ

أَرى جَرعَ الحَياةِ أَمَرَّ شَيءٍ

فَشاهِد صِدقَ ذَلِك إِذ تُقاءُ

فَشاهِد صِدقَ ذَلِك إِذ تُقاءُ

I find swallowing life the bitterest thing;

I see a sip of life is a bitter thing

So witness the truth of that when it is vomited up.

So witness the truth of that when you take heed