أَخوكِyour brother مُعَذَّبٌtormented ياO أُمَّUmm (mother of) دَفرٍDafr (stench)
أَخوكِ مُعَذَّبٌ يا أُمَّ دَفرٍ
أَظَلَّتهُhave overshadowed him الخُطوبُcalamities وَأَرهَقَتهُand exhausted him
أَظَلَّتهُ الخُطوبُ وَأَرهَقَتهُ
Your brother is tormented, O Mother of Stench,
Your brother is tormented, O Umm Dafr.
calamities have overshadowed and overburdened him.
Calamities have overshadowed him and worn him down.
وَماand not زالَتceased مُعاناةُthe suffering الرَزاياof calamities
وَما زالَت مُعاناةُ الرَزايا
عَلىupon الإِنسانِhumankind حَتّىuntil أَزهَقَتهُit extinguished his life
عَلى الإِنسانِ حَتّى أَزهَقَتهُ
The endurance of disasters has never ceased
And the suffering of calamities has persisted
to press upon a human being until it destroys him.
upon man, until it has snuffed out his life.
كَأَنَّas though حَوادِثَthe mishaps الأَيّامِof days آمٌbondmaids
كَأَنَّ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ آمٌ
تُريقُthey spill بِجَهلِهاin their ignorance ماwhat أَدهَقَتهُthey filled it with
تُريقُ بِجَهلِها ما أَدهَقَتهُ
It is as though the vicissitudes of the days were brimful vessels,
As though the mishaps of days were bondmaids
spilling in ignorance what they had filled to overflowing.
who ignorantly spill what they have filled.
تَروقُكَthey charm you مِنfrom مَشارِبِهاtheir draughts بِمُرٍّwith bitterness
تَروقُكَ مِن مَشارِبِها بِمُرٍّ
وَكُلُّand all شَرابِهاtheir drink ماnot رَوَّقَتهُthey strained it clear
وَكُلُّ شَرابِها ما رَوَّقَتهُ
She pleases you with a bitter draught from her springs,
They charm you with bitterness from their draughts,
and every drink of hers is one she has made seem clear.
yet none of their drink have they strained clear.
وَنَفسيand my soul وَالحَمامَةُwhile the dove لَمnot yet تُطَوَّقwas collared
وَنَفسي وَالحَمامَةُ لَم تُطَوَّق
مُيَسَّرَةٌprepared لِأَمرٍfor a charge طَوَّقَتهُshe hung it about the neck
مُيَسَّرَةٌ لِأَمرٍ طَوَّقَتهُ
My soul, like the dove, though never ringed,
And my soul, before the dove was collared,
stands ready for a matter that has ringed it round.
was readied for a burden she hung about its neck.
أَرىI see الدُنياthe world وَماand not وُصِفَتwas described بِبِرٍّas kind
أَرى الدُنيا وَما وُصِفَت بِبِرٍّ
مَتىwhenever أَغنَتshe enriched فَقيراًa pauper أَوهَقَتهُshe ensnared him
مَتى أَغنَت فَقيراً أَوهَقَتهُ
I see the world—though never described as kind—
I see the world—never described as kind—
whenever she enriches a poor man, she ensnares him.
whenever she enriches a pauper, she ensnares him.
إِذاwhen خُشِيَتshe was feared لِشَرٍّfor evil عَجَّلَتهُshe hastened it
إِذا خُشِيَت لِشَرٍّ عَجَّلَتهُ
وَإِنand if رُجِيَتshe was hoped in لِخَيرٍfor good عَوَّقَتهُshe delayed it
وَإِن رُجِيَت لِخَيرٍ عَوَّقَتهُ
If evil is feared from her, she hastens it;
When feared for some evil, she hastens it;
if good is hoped from her, she delays it.
and when hoped in for some good, she delays it.
حَياةٌlife كَالحِبالَةِlike a snare ذاتُpossessing مَكرٍdeceit
حَياةٌ كَالحِبالَةِ ذاتُ مَكرٍ
وَنَفسُand the soul المَرءِof a person صَيدٌprey أَعلَقَتهُshe caught it
وَنَفسُ المَرءِ صَيدٌ أَعلَقَتهُ
Life is a cunning snare,
Life is like a cunning snare,
and the human soul the prey it catches.
and man's soul the prey she has caught.
وَأَنظُرُand I see سَهمَهاher arrow قَدalready أَرسَلَتهُshe loosed it
وَأَنظُرُ سَهمَها قَد أَرسَلَتهُ
إِلَيَّat me بِنَكبَةٍwith disaster أَوor فَوَّقَتهُshe nocked it
إِلَيَّ بِنَكبَةٍ أَو فَوَّقَتهُ
I see that she has loosed her arrow
And I see her arrow: she has already loosed it
at me with disaster—or has set it to the bow.
at me with disaster—or nocked it.
فَلاso not يُخدَعُis deceived بِحيلَتِهاby her guile أَريبٌa discerning man
فَلا يُخدَعُ بِحيلَتِها أَريبٌ
وَإِنeven if هِيَshe سَوَّرَتهُadorned him with bracelets وَنَطَّقَتهُand girdled him
وَإِن هِيَ سَوَّرَتهُ وَنَطَّقَتهُ
No wise man should be duped by her trickery,
No discerning man is fooled by her guile,
even if she decks him with bracelets and a girdle.
even if she adorns him with bracelets and a belt.
تَعَلَّقَهاbecame attached to her اِبنُthe son أُمِّكَof your mother فيin صِباهُhis youth
تَعَلَّقَها اِبنُ أُمِّكَ في صِباهُ
فَهامَso he fell madly in love بِفارِكٍwith a husband-hating wife ماnot عُلَّقَتهُshe was attached to him
فَهامَ بِفارِكٍ ما عُلَّقَتهُ
Your mother’s son became attached to her in youth,
Your mother's son grew attached to her in his youth,
and raved for a faithless woman who bound him.
and doted on a wife who hated him and never loved him.
أَجَدَّتshe renewed فيwithin مُناهُhis hopes وُعودَpromises مَينٍof falsehood
أَجَدَّت في مُناهُ وُعودَ مَينٍ
إِلىuntil أَنthat أَخلَفَتهُshe broke her promise to him وَأَخلَقَتهُand wore him out
إِلى أَن أَخلَفَتهُ وَأَخلَقَتهُ
She renewed in his hopes her lying promises
She renewed false promises within his hopes,
until she broke faith and wore him threadbare.
until she broke her promises to him and wore him out.
يُطَلِّقُhe divorces عِرسَهُhis wife إِنif مَلَّhe tires مِنهاof her
يُطَلِّقُ عِرسَهُ إِن مَلَّ مِنها
وَيَأسَفُand he grieves إِثرَafter عِرسٍa wife طَلَّقَتهُwho divorced him
وَيَأسَفُ إِثرَ عِرسٍ طَلَّقَتهُ
He divorces his bride when he tires of her,
He divorces his wife if he tires of her,
then grieves in the wake of a bride he divorced.
yet grieves after a wife who has divorced him.
أَكَلَّتهُshe wearied him النَهارَby day وَأَنصَبَتهُand exhausted him
أَكَلَّتهُ النَهارَ وَأَنصَبَتهُ
وَأَشكَتهُand made him complain الظَلامَin darkness وَأَرَّقَتهُand kept him sleepless
وَأَشكَتهُ الظَلامَ وَأَرَّقَتهُ
She wearied him by day and exhausted him,
She wearied him by day and exhausted him,
made him complain of darkness, and kept him awake.
and made him complain through the darkness and kept him sleepless.
سَقَتهُshe gave him to drink زَمانَهُthroughout his days مِقراًbitter aloe وَصاباًand spurge
سَقَتهُ زَمانَهُ مِقراً وَصاباً
وَكَأسُand the cup المَوتِof death آخِرُthe last ماof what سَقَتهُshe gave him to drink
وَكَأسُ المَوتِ آخِرُ ما سَقَتهُ
All his years she gave him colocynth and bitter poison;
Throughout his days she gave him bitter aloe and spurge to drink,
the cup of death is the last she gives him.
and death's cup was the last she gave him.
وَماand not عافَتهُshe loathed him لَكِنbut عَيَّفَتهُshe filled him with disgust
وَما عافَتهُ لَكِن عَيَّفَتهُ
وَماِنتَقَتand she did not select عُلاهُhis noble qualities بَلِrather اِنتَقَتهُshe extracted his marrow
وَماِنتَقَت عُلاهُ بَلِ اِنتَقَتهُ
She did not leave him be, but made him loathe her;
She did not loathe him, but filled him with disgust;
she did not choose his heights—she chose him.
she did not select his noble qualities, but sucked out his marrow.
نُبَكّيwe shed tears لِلمُغَيَّبِfor the one buried فيin ثَراهُhis earth
نُبَكّي لِلمُغَيَّبِ في ثَراهُ
وَذَلِكَand that one مُستَرَقٌّis enslaved أَعتَقَتهُshe freed him
وَذَلِكَ مُستَرَقٌّ أَعتَقَتهُ
We weep for the one hidden in his earth,
We weep for him hidden in his earth,
yet he was an enslaved captive whom she freed.
though he is an enslaved man she has set free.
عَجوزُa crone خِيانَةٍof treachery حَضَنَتcradled وَليداًan infant
عَجوزُ خِيانَةٍ حَضَنَت وَليداً
فَلَدَّتهُthen forced medicine into him الكَريهَthe loathsome draught وَشَرَّقَتهُand made him choke
فَلَدَّتهُ الكَريهَ وَشَرَّقَتهُ
A treacherous old woman nursed a newborn,
A treacherous crone cradled an infant,
fed him what was hateful, and made him choke.
then forced a loathsome draught into him and made him choke.
أَذاقَتهُshe let him taste شَهِيّاًsomething delicious مِنfrom جَناهاher harvest
أَذاقَتهُ شَهِيّاً مِن جَناها
وَصَدَّتand barred فاهُhis mouth عَمّاfrom what ذَوَّقَتهُshe let him taste
وَصَدَّت فاهُ عَمّا ذَوَّقَتهُ
She let him taste sweetness from her fruit,
She let him taste something delicious from her harvest,
then turned his mouth from what she let him taste.
then barred his mouth from what she had let him taste.
تُشَوِّقُهُshe makes him long إِلَيهِfor it بِسوءِwith wickedness طَبعٍof nature
تُشَوِّقُهُ إِلَيهِ بِسوءِ طَبعٍ
لِيُشفيهِto bring him near death عَذابٌa torment شَوَّقَتهُshe made him crave it
لِيُشفيهِ عَذابٌ شَوَّقَتهُ
Out of viciousness she makes him yearn for it,
With her wicked nature she makes him long for it,
so that a torment she taught him to desire might cure him.
so a torment she made him crave may bring him to death's brink.
أَضَرَّتshe harmed بِالصَفاthe rock وَتَخَوَّنَتهُand gradually eroded it
أَضَرَّت بِالصَفا وَتَخَوَّنَتهُ
وَمَرَّتand passed بِالصَفاءِover clarity فَرَنَّقَتهُthen clouded it
وَمَرَّت بِالصَفاءِ فَرَنَّقَتهُ
She harmed the solid rock and betrayed its soundness;
She harmed the rock and wore it away,
she passed over purity itself and clouded it.
and passed over clarity, making it turbid.
عَدَدناwe counted مِنamong كَتائِبِهاher battalions المَناياdeaths
عَدَدنا مِن كَتائِبِها المَنايا
وَكَمand how often فَتَكَتshe struck down بِجَمعٍa throng فَرَّقَتهُshe scattered it
وَكَم فَتَكَت بِجَمعٍ فَرَّقَتهُ
We counted deaths among her battalions—
We counted deaths among her battalions,
how often she has struck down a host and scattered it.
and how often she struck down a throng and scattered it!
قَضَتshe settled دَينَthe debt اِبنِof the son آمِنَةٍof Amina وَجازَتand passed
قَضَت دَينَ اِبنِ آمِنَةٍ وَجازَت
بِإيوانِby the vaulted hall اِبنِof the son هُرمُزَof Hurmuz فَاِرتَقَتهُthen climbed it
بِإيوانِ اِبنِ هُرمُزَ فَاِرتَقَتهُ
She exacted the debt of the son of Āmina, then passed on,
She settled the debt of Amina's son, and passed
and mounted the palace of the son of Hormuz.
by the vaulted hall of Hurmuz's son and climbed it.
طَوَتshe folded away عَنهُfrom him النَسيمَthe breeze وَقَدthough already حَبَتهُshe had granted it to him
طَوَت عَنهُ النَسيمَ وَقَد حَبَتهُ
وَحَيَّتهُand greeted him بِنورٍwith light فَتَقَتهُshe unfolded it
وَحَيَّتهُ بِنورٍ فَتَقَتهُ
She folded the breeze away from him after bestowing it,
She folded the breeze away from him, though she had given it to him,
and greeted him with a light that she split open.
and greeted him with light she had unfolded.
كَسَتهُshe clothed him in شَبابَهُhis youth وَنَضَتهُand stripped it عَنهُfrom him
كَسَتهُ شَبابَهُ وَنَضَتهُ عَنهُ
وَكَرَّتand turned back لِلمَشيبِupon gray hair فَمَزَّقَتهُthen tore it apart
وَكَرَّت لِلمَشيبِ فَمَزَّقَتهُ
She clothed him in youth, then stripped it from him,
She clothed him in his youth and stripped it from him,
returned with gray age, and tore him apart.
and turned upon his gray hair, tearing it apart.
وَعاثَتand ravaged فيwithin قُواهُhis strength فَحَمَّلَتهُthen burdened him
وَعاثَت في قُواهُ فَحَمَّلَتهُ
وَقِدماًand long ago أَيَّدَتهُshe strengthened him فَنَزَّقَتهُthen made him reckless
وَقِدماً أَيَّدَتهُ فَنَزَّقَتهُ
She ravaged his powers and burdened him,
She ravaged his strength and burdened him,
though once she strengthened him—then ripped him through.
and long ago she strengthened him and made him reckless.
تُميتُshe kills مُسافِراًa traveler ظُلماًunjustly بِهَجلٍin a wilderness
تُميتُ مُسافِراً ظُلماً بِهَجلٍ
وَفيand in بَحرِthe sea المَهالِكِof perils غَرَّقَتهُshe drowned him
وَفي بَحرِ المَهالِكِ غَرَّقَتهُ
She kills a traveler unjustly in a wasteland,
She unjustly kills a traveler in a wilderness,
and drowns him in the sea of perils.
and has drowned him in the sea of perils.
فَإِمّاso either فيin أَريزٍbitter cold أَخصَرَتهُshe numbed him
فَإِمّا في أَريزٍ أَخصَرَتهُ
وَإِمّاor فيin هَجيرٍnoonday heat حَرَّقَتهُshe burned him
وَإِمّا في هَجيرٍ حَرَّقَتهُ
In bitter cold she cuts his life short,
Either she numbed him in bitter cold,
and in scorching heat she burns him.
or burned him in the noonday heat.
وَماand not حَقَنَتhave spared دَمَthe blood الإِنسانِof humankind فيهاwithin her
وَما حَقَنَت دَمَ الإِنسانِ فيها
رُموسٌgraves فيin الرَغامِthe dust تَفَوَّقَتهُthey sipped it little by little
رُموسٌ في الرَغامِ تَفَوَّقَتهُ
Within her, nothing has spared human blood;
Nor has man's blood been spared within her
not even graves that rise above it in the dust.
by graves in the dust, which sipped it drop by drop.
وَقَدand already رَفَعَتshe raised غَمائِمَclouds لِلرَزاياof calamities
وَقَد رَفَعَت غَمائِمَ لِلرَزايا
عَلىover وَجهِthe face التُرابِof the earth فَطَبَّقَتهُthen blanketed it
عَلى وَجهِ التُرابِ فَطَبَّقَتهُ
She has raised clouds of calamity
She has raised clouds of calamities
and spread them across the face of earth.
over the earth's face and blanketed it.
تُؤَمِّلُyou hope for مَخلَصاًan escape مِنfrom ضيقِthe straits أَمرٍof a plight
تُؤَمِّلُ مَخلَصاً مِن ضيقِ أَمرٍ
وَلَيسَand not يُفَكُّis released عانٍa captive أَوثَقَتهُshe bound him
وَلَيسَ يُفَكُّ عانٍ أَوثَقَتهُ
You hope for escape from a straitened plight,
You hope for escape from dire straits,
but no captive she has bound is set free.
but no captive she has bound is set free.
هِيَshe اِفتَتَحَتopened لَهُfor him فيwithin الأَرضِthe earth بَيتاًa house
هِيَ اِفتَتَحَت لَهُ في الأَرضِ بَيتاً
فَبَوَّتهُso she lodged him النَزيلَas the guest وَأَطبَقَتهُand sealed it
فَبَوَّتهُ النَزيلَ وَأَطبَقَتهُ
She opened for him a house in the earth,
She opened a house for him within the earth,
lodged the guest there, and shut it tight.
lodged him there as its guest, and sealed it shut.
وَنَحنُand we المُزمِعونَare resolved upon وَشيكَan imminent سَيرٍjourney
وَنَحنُ المُزمِعونَ وَشيكَ سَيرٍ
لِنَسلُكَto travel فيalong طَريقٍa road طَرَّقَتهُshe laid it out
لِنَسلُكَ في طَريقٍ طَرَّقَتهُ
We are resolved upon a journey soon,
We are resolved upon an imminent journey,
to travel a road she has beaten out.
to follow a road she has laid out.
هَوَتmay she perish أُمٌّa mother لَناof ours غَدَرَتshe betrayed وَخانَتand deceived
هَوَت أُمٌّ لَنا غَدَرَت وَخانَت
وَلَمand not تَشفِshe healed السَليلَthe offspring وَلاnor رَقَتهُrecited a healing charm for him
وَلَم تَشفِ السَليلَ وَلا رَقَتهُ
A mother of ours fell upon us—she betrayed and deceived,
May that mother of ours perish—she betrayed and deceived!
and neither healed her offspring nor showed him tenderness.
She neither healed her child nor recited a healing charm for him.
إِذاwhen اِلتَفَتَturns away اِبنُهاher son عَنهاfrom her بِزُهدٍin renunciation
إِذا اِلتَفَتَ اِبنُها عَنها بِزُهدٍ
ثَنَتهُshe draws him back بِزُخرُفِيٍّwith gilded show نَمَّقَتهُshe embellished it
ثَنَتهُ بِزُخرُفِيٍّ نَمَّقَتهُ
If her son turns from her in renunciation,
When her son turns away from her in renunciation,
she bends him back with finery she has adorned.
she draws him back with gilded show she has embellished.
وَلَوand if قَدِرَwere able العَبيدُthe slaves عَلىto إِباقٍescape
وَلَو قَدِرَ العَبيدُ عَلى إِباقٍ
لَبادَرَwould hasten عَبدُa slave سوءٍof wretchedness أَوبَقَتهُshe ruined him
لَبادَرَ عَبدُ سوءٍ أَوبَقَتهُ
If slaves possessed the power to flee,
If slaves were able to flee,
a wretched slave whom she ruined would hasten away.
a wretched slave she has ruined would hasten to do so.
أُقاتُI am fed الشَيءَone thing بَعدَafter الشَيءِanother thing فيهاwithin her
أُقاتُ الشَيءَ بَعدَ الشَيءِ فيها
لِيُمسِكُنيto sustain me فَليَتيso would that I لَمnot أُقَتهُhad been fed it
لِيُمسِكُني فَليَتي لَم أُقَتهُ
In her I sustain one thing after another
In her I am fed one thing after another
so that she may keep me—would that I had not sustained it.
to keep me alive—would that I had never been fed it!
عَذَلَتI reproached حُشاشَةًa remnant of life حَرَصَتit yearned عَلَيهاfor her
عَذَلَت حُشاشَةً حَرَصَت عَلَيها
فَجاءَتنيso it came to me بِعُذرٍwith an excuse لَفَّقَتهُit patched it together
فَجاءَتني بِعُذرٍ لَفَّقَتهُ
She reproached a remnant of life I was anxious to preserve,
I reproached a spark of life that yearned for her,
then came to me with an excuse she had fabricated.
and it brought me an excuse it had patched together.
وَتُسأَلُand you will be asked عَنabout بَقاءٍa lifetime أُعطيتَهُyou were given it
وَتُسأَلُ عَن بَقاءٍ أُعطيتَهُ
غَداًtomorrow فيon أَيِّwhich شَيءٍthing أَنفَقتَهُyou spent it
غَداً في أَيِّ شَيءٍ أَنفَقتَهُ
You will be questioned about the span you were given:
And you will be asked about the lifetime granted you,
tomorrow, on what did you spend it?
tomorrow: 'On what did you spend it?'
وَلَستُand I am not بِفاتِحٍone who opens لِلرِزقِto livelihood باباًa door
وَلَستُ بِفاتِحٍ لِلرِزقِ باباً
إِذاwhen أَيديthe hands الحَوادِثِof events أَغلَقَتهُclosed it
إِذا أَيدي الحَوادِثِ أَغلَقَتهُ
I cannot open a door to sustenance
And I cannot open a door to livelihood
when the hands of circumstance have closed it.
when the hands of events have closed it.
تَمَنّىwished for دَولَةًsovereignty رَجُلٌa man غَبِيٌّfoolish
تَمَنّى دَولَةً رَجُلٌ غَبِيٌّ
وَلَوand even if حازَhe gained المَمالِكَkingdoms ماnot وَقَتهُthey protected him
وَلَو حازَ المَمالِكَ ما وَقَتهُ
A foolish man wished for dominion,
A foolish man longed for sovereignty,
yet even if he owned kingdoms, they would not protect him.
though even kingdoms, had he gained them, would not protect him.
وَإِنَّand indeed المُلكَkingship طَودٌa mountain أَثبَتَتهُthey set it firm
وَإِنَّ المُلكَ طَودٌ أَثبَتَتهُ
صُروفُthe vicissitudes الدَهرِof time ثُمَّتَthen أَقلَقَتهُthey unsettled it
صُروفُ الدَهرِ ثُمَّتَ أَقلَقَتهُ
Kingship is a mountain the turns of time made firm,
And kingship is a mountain set firm
then made it tremble.
by time's vicissitudes, which then unsettled it.
وَمَنand whoever يَظفَرattains بِأَمرٍa thing يَبتَغيهِhe seeks it
وَمَن يَظفَر بِأَمرٍ يَبتَغيهِ
فَأَقضِيَةُthen the decrees المُهَيمِنِof the Guardian وَفَّقَتهُgranted him success
فَأَقضِيَةُ المُهَيمِنِ وَفَّقَتهُ
Whoever gains a thing he seeks,
And whoever attains a thing he seeks,
the decrees of the All-Governing have granted it.
the Guardian's decrees have granted him success.
لَناwe have مُهَجٌhearts يُمازِجُهاmingles with them خِداعٌdeceit
لَنا مُهَجٌ يُمازِجُها خِداعٌ
تَوَدُّthey wish قَسِيَّهاtheir counterfeit coin لَوif only نَفَّقَتهُthey passed it off
تَوَدُّ قَسِيَّها لَو نَفَّقَتهُ
We have souls in which deception is mingled,
We have hearts mingled with deceit,
longing to make even their hardness pass for fair.
wishing they could pass off their counterfeit coin.
وَوالِدَةٌand a mother بَنَتbuilt جَسَداًa body بِنَحضٍwith flesh
وَوالِدَةٌ بَنَت جَسَداً بِنَحضٍ
وَفاءَتand turned back فَيئَةًa return فَتَعَرَّقَتهُthen gnawed its flesh from the bones
وَفاءَت فَيئَةً فَتَعَرَّقَتهُ
A mother built a body of flesh,
And a mother built a body of flesh,
then returned, stripped its flesh, and gnawed it bare.
then turned back and gnawed its flesh from the bones.
تَوَطَّأَتِshe trampled الفَطيمَthe weanling عَلىwith اِعتِمادٍdeliberate intent
تَوَطَّأَتِ الفَطيمَ عَلى اِعتِمادٍ
فَماso not أَبقَتshe showed mercy عَلَيهِto him وَلاnor اِتَّقَتهُavoided him
فَما أَبقَت عَلَيهِ وَلا اِتَّقَتهُ
She trampled the weaned child as he leaned for support,
She deliberately trampled the weanling,
sparing nothing of him and showing no fear.
neither sparing him nor holding back from him.
وَلَمand not تَكُshe was رائِماًa tender mother ساءَتshe harmed رَضيعاًa suckling
وَلَم تَكُ رائِماً ساءَت رَضيعاً
وَحَنَّتand yearned بَعدَهاafter that فَتَمَلَّقَتهُthen coaxed him
وَحَنَّت بَعدَها فَتَمَلَّقَتهُ
She was no tender mother; she mistreated a suckling,
She was no tender mother: she harmed a suckling,
then afterward yearned for him and coaxed him.
then afterward yearned for him and coaxed him.
حَياتُكَyour life هَجعَةٌa slumber سُهدٌwakefulness وَنَومٌand sleep
حَياتُكَ هَجعَةٌ سُهدٌ وَنَومٌ
وَرُؤياand a dream هاجِعٍof a sleeper ماnot أَنَّقَتهُshe made it lovely
وَرُؤيا هاجِعٍ ما أَنَّقَتهُ
Your life is a doze—sleeplessness and sleep—
Your life is a slumber—wakefulness and sleep—
and a sleeper’s dream that leaves him wakeful.
and a sleeper's dream she has not made lovely.
فَمِنso of حُلمٍa dream يَسُرُّكَthat delights you أَبطَلَتهُshe annulled it
فَمِن حُلمٍ يَسُرُّكَ أَبطَلَتهُ
وَمِنand of حُلمٍa dream يَضُرُّكَthat harms you حَقَّقَتهُshe made it real
وَمِن حُلمٍ يَضُرُّكَ حَقَّقَتهُ
A pleasant dream she brings to nothing,
Some dreams that delight you she has annulled,
and a harmful dream she makes come true.
and some dreams that harm you she has made real.
وَكَمand how often أَدّىdelivered أَمانَتُهُhis trust إِلَيهاto her
وَكَم أَدّى أَمانَتُهُ إِلَيها
أَمينٌa trustworthy man خَوَّنَتهُshe branded him treacherous وَسَرَّقَتهُand branded him a thief
أَمينٌ خَوَّنَتهُ وَسَرَّقَتهُ
How many have delivered their trust to her—
And how often has his trust been delivered to her
a trustworthy man whom she branded traitor and thief.
by a faithful man she branded treacherous and thieving!
وَقائِمُand a leader أُمَّةٍof a nation زَكَّتهُshe declared him righteous عَصراًfor a time
وَقائِمُ أُمَّةٍ زَكَّتهُ عَصراً
فَلَمّاthen when أَنthat تَمَكَّنَhe became established فَسَقَتهُshe branded him sinful
فَلَمّا أَن تَمَكَّنَ فَسَقَتهُ
A leader of a nation she praised for an age;
And a nation's leader she praised as upright for a time,
once he was established, she made him corrupt.
then, once he was established, branded him sinful.
وَإِنand if أَدنَتshe brought near لَناto us أَمَلاًa hope فَقُلناso we said
وَإِن أَدنَت لَنا أَمَلاً فَقُلنا
أَتاناit came to us أَبعَدَتهُshe sent it away وَأَسحَقَتهُand made it far distant
أَتانا أَبعَدَتهُ وَأَسحَقَتهُ
If she draws a hope near, we say,
And if she brought a hope near us and we said,
“It has come!”—then she drives it far and farther still.
'It has reached us,' she sent it far, farther away.
وَوَقتِيَand my time كَالسَفينَةِlike a ship سَيَّرَتهُshe set it sailing
وَوَقتِيَ كَالسَفينَةِ سَيَّرَتهُ
وَمِنand from سوءِthe evil الجَرائِمِof crimes أَوسَقَتهُshe loaded it
وَمِن سوءِ الجَرائِمِ أَوسَقَتهُ
My time is like a ship she has set sailing,
And my time is like a ship she has set sailing,
and laden with the worst of crimes.
and freighted with the evil of crimes.
حَثَتheaped يَبسَdry الرَغامِdust عَلىupon رَضيعٍa suckling
حَثَت يَبسَ الرَغامِ عَلى رَضيعٍ
يَدٌa hand بِأَبيهِto his father آدَمَAdam أَلحَقَتهُit joined him
يَدٌ بِأَبيهِ آدَمَ أَلحَقَتهُ
A hand cast the dry dust
Dry dust was heaped upon a suckling
upon a suckling, joining him to Adam his father.
by a hand that joined him to his father Adam.
وَكَمand how often صالَتassailed عَلىagainst بَرٍّa righteous man تَقِيٍّdevout
وَكَم صالَت عَلى بَرٍّ تَقِيٍّ
أَكُفٌّhands بِالمَواهِبِwith gifts أَرفَقَتهُthey aided him
أَكُفٌّ بِالمَواهِبِ أَرفَقَتهُ
How often they have assailed a righteous, God-fearing man—
And how often a righteous, devout man was assailed
hands that had treated him gently with gifts.
by hands that had aided him with gifts!
وَأَنفاسيand my breaths مُوَكَّلَةٌcharged بِروحٍwith a soul
وَأَنفاسي مُوَكَّلَةٌ بِروحٍ
أَراحَتهاthey brought it rest وَعُمرٍand a lifespan أَمحَقَتهُthey wore it away
أَراحَتها وَعُمرٍ أَمحَقَتهُ
My breaths are entrusted with a spirit:
And my breaths are charged with a soul
they give it rest, and efface a lifetime.
they have laid to rest, and a lifespan they have worn away.
