هوit is الوجدُlove's anguish ماwhat باليmy condition أنؤُI stagger بحملِهunder its burden
هو الوجدُ ما بالي أنؤُ بحملِه
ضلالاًin bewilderment كأنَّيas though I ماnot مُنيتُwas afflicted بمثلِهِwith its like
ضلالاً كأنَّي ما مُنيتُ بمثلِهِ
It is love's anguish; why do I stagger beneath its burden,
It is passion that makes me bear its burden,
Bewildered, as though I had never been afflicted with its like?
Leading me astray as if I had not experienced its like before,
هوًىa passion يقتضيdemands كلَّevery يومٍday برحلةٍa journey
هوًى يقتضي كلَّ يومٍ برحلةٍ
علىon ظهرِthe back of نضوٍa worn-out mount يشتكيcomplains of ثِقْلَthe weight of رحلِهِits saddle
على ظهرِ نضوٍ يشتكي ثِقْلَ رحلِهِ
A passion that demands a journey every day
A desire that demands a journey every day
On the back of a worn-out mount complaining of its saddle's weight.
On the back of a young camel complaining of the heaviness of its load,
يجاذبُنيtugs against me فضلَthe slack of الزمامِthe rein كأنَّهas though it
يجاذبُني فضلَ الزمامِ كأنَّه
يحاذِرُdreads خوفاًin fear منهof it نهشةَa bite صِلَّهِits viper
يحاذِرُ خوفاً منه نهشةَ صِلَّهِ
It tugs against me at the slack of the rein, as though
It pulls me roughly by the bridle as if
Fearful of it, it dreads its viper's bite.
Fearing that I would slip out and escape its grip,
اِذاwhen ماever عداهُpasses it by الوِردُthe watering place سارَit travels ميمَّماًheading onward
اِذا ما عداهُ الوِردُ سارَ ميمَّماً
علىin ثقةٍconfidence مِنof وبلِthe downpour of دمعيmy tears وطَلَّهِand their drizzle
على ثقةٍ مِن وبلِ دمعي وطَلَّهِ
Whenever it misses the watering place, it journeys onward,
If the flowers distract it, it continues solemnly
Confident of my tears' downpour and their drizzle.
Trusting in my flowing tears and my yearning,
يسابقُraces ظِلمانُmale ostriches النعامِostriches فكلَّماand whenever
يسابقُ ظِلمانُ النعامِ فكلَّما
عَجَزْنَthey falter انبرىit springs forward يختالُstrutting فيin سَبْقِoutstripping ظِلَّهِits shadow
عَجَزْنَ انبرى يختالُ في سَبْقِ ظِلَّهِ
It races male ostriches, and whenever
It races the shadows of ostriches so whenever
They falter, it strides proudly ahead, outrunning its own shadow.
They become exhausted it prides itself on outpacing their shadows,
خليليَّmy two friends ماwhat ليwith me لاnot أرىI see غيرَother than صاحبٍa companion
خليليَّ ما لي لا أرى غيرَ صاحبٍ
اِذاwhen ماever رأىhe sees وجديmy anguish رمانيhe assails me بعذلِهِwith his reproach
اِذا ما رأى وجدي رماني بعذلِهِ
My two friends, why do I see none but a companion
My friend, why do I see none but a companion
Who, whenever he sees my anguish, assails me with his reproaches?
Who, when he sees my passion, berates me for it?
غداhe became وهوand he مشغولٌabsorbed بعذْليin reproaching me فليتَهُso, if only he
غدا وهو مشغولٌ بعذْلي فليتَهُ
رثىwould pity ليme مِنَfor الداءَينِشُغليthe two afflictions—my preoccupation وشُغلِهِand his preoccupation
رثى لي مِنَ الداءَينِشُغلي وشُغلِهِ
He has become absorbed in reproaching me; if only he
Tomorrow he busies himself blaming me while he himself
Would pity my two afflictions: my preoccupation and his.
Should sympathize with me for sharing my torment and his,
اِذاif لمnot يكنis خِلُّa friend يرجَّىcan be relied on لحادثٍfor a calamity
اِذا لم يكن خِلُّ يرجَّى لحادثٍ
يُلِمُّbefalls علىover مَرَّthe passage of الزمانِtime فخلَّهِthen leave him
يُلِمُّ على مَرَّ الزمانِ فخلَّهِ
If a friend cannot be relied upon for a calamity
If passion does not torment my heart
That strikes in the course of time, then leave him.
Then I am not of the company of love and its people,
وذيand one endowed with عَيَنٍwide eyes أبدىbared نصالَthe arrowheads of جفونهِhis eyelids
وذي عَيَنٍ أبدى نصالَ جفونهِ
فأغنتْهُso they spared him يومَthe day of الجِزْعِal-Jizʿ عنfrom رَشْقِshooting نَبْلهِhis arrows
فأغنتْهُ يومَ الجِزْعِ عن رَشْقِ نَبْلهِ
And a wide-eyed one bared the arrowheads of his eyelids,
With eyes that have always revealed the blades of their lids
Which spared him shooting his arrows on the day at al-Jizʿ.
Their streaming saved them on days of sorrow from having to draw swords,
غزالٌa gazelle غداbecame قلبيmy heart لهfor him دونَinstead of حاجرٍHajir
غزالٌ غدا قلبي له دونَ حاجرٍ
كِناساًa covert وأينand where القلبُthe heart مِنfrom قُضبِthe boughs of أثلِهِhis tamarisk
كِناساً وأين القلبُ مِن قُضبِ أثلِهِ
A gazelle for whom my heart became, instead of Hajir,
A gazelle has become my heart’s home, no longer fixed
A covert—yet how far my heart is from his tamarisk boughs!
Like a tent peg-where can the heart be found but in the dwelling of its likes?
يَهُزُّhe brandishes قناةَthe spear of القدَّthe stature فيin مَعْرَكِthe battlefield of النوىseparation
يَهُزُّ قناةَ القدَّ في مَعْرَكِ النوى
فأُمسيso I spend the evening طعيناًpierced بينamong كُثبانِthe dunes of رملهِhis sand
فأُمسي طعيناً بين كُثبانِ رملهِ
He brandishes the spear of his stature in separation's battlefield,
It shakes the bow of the slim waist in the battle of amorous play
So I spend the evening pierced among his sandy dunes.
So I spend the night moaning among sand dunes,
وماand whatever شاءَhe wishes فليزددْthen let him increase دلالاًcoyness فاِنَّنيfor I
وما شاءَ فليزددْ دلالاً فاِنَّني
صبورٌpatient علىunder حُكْمِthe rule of التجنَّيunjust reproach لأجلهِfor his sake
صبورٌ على حُكْمِ التجنَّي لأجلهِ
Let him increase his coyness as much as he wishes, for I
Let him continue to show more charm, for I
Am patient, for his sake, under the rule of unjust reproach.
Have patience for separation's judgment for his sake,
فواso, oh عجباًhow strange ماwhat ليwith me أهيمُI am enamored بكلَّهِof all of him
فوا عجباً ما لي أهيمُ بكلَّهِ
وتُعجرُنيand incapacitate me الأسقامُillnesses عنfrom حملِbearing كَلَّهِhis burden
وتُعجرُني الأسقامُ عن حملِ كَلَّهِ
How strange! Why am I enamored of all of him,
How strange! Why do I obsess over him
While illnesses leave me unable to bear his burden?
When sickness prevents me from bearing any of it?
وكنتُand I used to بِعِدَّwith a wellspring of الدمعِtears ألقىI meet فراقَهُhis departure
وكنتُ بِعِدَّ الدمعِ ألقى فراقَهُ
فكيفso how ترانيdo you see me صانعاًacting بأقلهِwith fewer of them
فكيف تراني صانعاً بأقلهِ
I used to meet his departure with a wellspring of tears;
I used to discard tears so how do you see me
How, then, do you think I fare with fewer?
Clinging to even the slightest memory?
رثىpitied ليme أناسٌpeople لاnot رَثَواmay they pity ليme مِنَfor الجوىburning grief
رثى لي أناسٌ لا رَثَوا لي مِنَ الجوى
غداةَthe morning of النوىseparation مِنfrom فيضِthe flood of دمعيmy tears وفِعْلِهِand their effect
غداةَ النوى مِن فيضِ دمعي وفِعْلِهِ
People pitied me—may they never pity me!—for my burning grief,
Some pitied me, but did not pity me for passion
On separation's morning, at my tears' flood and what it wrought.
The morning after intimacy from the overflow of my tears and deeds,
اِذاwhen هبَّتِblows الريحُthe wind الشَّمالُthe north وجَدْتُنيI find myself
اِذا هبَّتِ الريحُ الشَّمالُ وجَدْتُني
أسائلُهاI question it عنabout جمعِreuniting شمليmy company بشملِهِwith his company
أسائلُها عن جمعِ شملي بشملِهِ
Whenever the north wind blows, I find myself
When the north wind blows, it finds me
Asking it about reuniting my company with his.
Asking about being reunited with him,
كأنَّas though لهذاfor this البعدِdistance عنديagainst me كماas أرىI see
كأنَّ لهذا البعدِ عندي كما أرى
ذُحولاًblood-debts فماso not ينفكُّit ceases طالبَseeking ذَحلِهِits revenge
ذُحولاً فما ينفكُّ طالبَ ذَحلِهِ
As though this distance had against me, so it seems,
As if this distance seems to have, as I see,
Blood-debts, for it never ceases seeking its revenge.
Humps so the seeker of the beloved cannot be released from seeking them out,
إِذاif لمnot يكنis فيin الحبَّlove قلبيmy heart معذَّباًtormented
إِذا لم يكن في الحبَّ قلبي معذَّباً
فماthen not أناI مِنamong ركبِthe caravan of الغرامِpassion وأهلِهِand its people
فما أنا مِن ركبِ الغرامِ وأهلِهِ
If my heart is not tormented in love,
If my heart is not tortured by love,
Then I am not of passion's caravan or its people.
Then I am not of the caravan of love and its people,
ومرَّand passed نسيمٌa breeze بتُّI spent the night أسألُI question نفحَهُits breath وقدand indeed كانَit was
ومرَّ نسيمٌ بتُّ أسألُ نفحَهُ وقد كانَ
لولاbut for الهجرُestrangement مِنamong بعضِsome of رُسْلِهِhis messengers
لولا الهجرُ مِن بعضِ رُسْلِهِ
A breeze passed; I spent the night questioning its breath, and it would have been,
A breeze passed by the daughter of the tribe and I asked its gentle blow
But for estrangement, one of his messengers.
But without separation, how some of his messengers?
تلقَّيتُهI welcomed it أبغيI seek الشفاءَhealing كعهدِناas was our wont
تلقَّيتُه أبغي الشفاءَ كعهدِنا
بهwith it عندwhen اِهداءِoffering السلامِgreetings ونقلِهِand conveying them
به عند اِهداءِ السلامِ ونقلِهِ
I welcomed it seeking healing, as in our former dealings
I received it hoping for healing as we used to
With it, when it offered greetings and conveyed them.
When conveying greetings and messengers,
فلمbut not أرَI saw فيهin it غيرَother than ماwhat يبعثُstirs الجوىburning grief
فلم أرَ فيه غيرَ ما يبعثُ الجوى
لقلبيfor my heart ويكفيهِand is enough for it تعذُّرُthe impossibility of وصلِهِunion with him
لقلبي ويكفيهِ تعذُّرُ وصلِهِ
But I found in it only what stirred burning grief
But I saw in it nothing but what stirs the passion
In my heart; the impossibility of union with him is grief enough.
In my heart, and that is enough to make his visit impossible,
غرامٌa passion يرينيshows me كلَّevery يومٍday أدلَّةًproofs
غرامٌ يريني كلَّ يومٍ أدلَّةً
بأنَّthat المناياdeaths بينَbetween ذُلَّيmy abasement ودَلَّهِand his coyness
بأنَّ المنايا بينَ ذُلَّي ودَلَّهِ
A passion that shows me proofs each day
A love that shows me each day proofs
That death lies between my abasement and his coyness.
That death lies between my disgrace and dishonor,
وقدand indeed كانَhe was قبلَbefore البينِseparation بالوصلِin granting union ماطلاًstalling
وقد كانَ قبلَ البينِ بالوصلِ ماطلاً
ومَنْand who ليfor me بعصرِwith the days of القربِnearness منهto him ومطلِهِand his delay
ومَنْ لي بعصرِ القربِ منه ومطلِهِ
Before separation, he used to delay our union;
Before separation he used to procrastinate meeting me
Who will give me the days of nearness to him and his delays?
But who can help me in the time of proximity and his view?
ومَنْand who ليfor me بأنْthat تدنواdraw near الديارُthe dwellings وأنْand that أرىI see
ومَنْ لي بأنْ تدنوا الديارُ وأنْ أرى
يدَthe hand of الجَوْرِinjustice قدalready شُلَّتْhas been paralyzed بسلطانِby the authority of عدلِهِhis justice
يدَ الجَوْرِ قد شُلَّتْ بسلطانِ عدلِهِ
Who will bring the dwellings close and let me see
And who can help bring the houses closer so I can see
The hand of injustice paralyzed by the authority of his justice?
The hand of injustice paralyzed by the authority of his justice?
مقالةُthe utterance of ذيone possessed of شوقٍlonging يذوبُmelts صبابةًwith ardent love
مقالةُ ذي شوقٍ يذوبُ صبابةً
الىtoward شهدِthe honey of فيهhis mouth لاnot إلىtoward شهدِthe honey of نحِلهِhis bees
الى شهدِ فيه لا إلى شهدِ نحِلهِ
The words of one who melts with longing
The words of one burning with longing, melting with love
For the honey of his mouth, not the honey of his bees.
Not for the bees' honey but for the honey of his lips,
ومنْand who ليfor me بأيامِwith the days of النُخَيلِal-Nukhayl وطيبِهاand their sweetness
ومنْ لي بأيامِ النُخَيلِ وطيبِها
حنيناًin longing إلىfor مَنْthose who حلَّdwelt أفياءَthe shades of نخِلهِits palms
حنيناً إلى مَنْ حلَّ أفياءَ نخِلهِ
Who will restore the days of al-Nukhayl and their sweetness,
And who can help me with the days of vitality and their goodness
In yearning for those who dwelt in the shade of its palms?
Yearning for the one who made its lofty date palms fruitful?
همُthey كلَّفونيthey charged me with جوبَtraversing كلِّevery تنوفةٍdesolate wilderness
همُ كلَّفوني جوبَ كلِّ تنوفةٍ
تَشُقُّis arduous علىfor قُبِّthe lean mounts of الفريقِthe company وبُزلِهِand its mature camels
تَشُقُّ على قُبِّ الفريقِ وبُزلِهِ
They made me cross every desolate wilderness
They tasked me with traversing every difficult mountain path
That taxes the caravan's lean mounts and its mature camels.
That tries the clan's leader and his retinue,
يُروِّعهاterrify them منهof it أعاليthe heights of هضابِهِits plateaus
يُروِّعها منه أعالي هضابِهِ
ويَذعِرُهاand frightens them فيهin it تباعدُthe remoteness of هَجْلِهِits open plain
ويَذعِرُها فيه تباعدُ هَجْلِهِ
Its lofty plateaus fill them with terror,
Frightening them with its high plateaus
And the remoteness of its open plain frightens them.
And terrifying them with the great distance between its dunes,
يميناًan oath بمجدولِby one with corded الذراعينِforelegs تامكhigh-humped
يميناً بمجدولِ الذراعينِ تامك
يَرَىit considers غَبنَاًan injustice أنthat يُستضامَit be oppressed بجَدْلِهِdespite its sturdy build
يَرَى غَبنَاً أن يُستضامَ بجَدْلِهِ
I swear by a high-humped camel with corded forelegs,
Leaning to the right with braided arms it resents
That deems it an injustice to be oppressed despite its sturdy build.
Being deemed inferior and disparaged for its twisting,
اِذاwhen ماever سرىit travels by night والليلُand the night فيin لونِthe color of حِلْسهِits saddlecloth
اِذا ما سرى والليلُ في لونِ حِلْسهِ
أرتنيshowed me عيونُthe eyes of الشوقِlonging آثارَthe traces of سُبلِهِits paths
أرتني عيونُ الشوقِ آثارَ سُبلِهِ
When it travels by night, and night matches its saddlecloth's color,
When the night flows in the color of its darkness
The eyes of longing show me traces of its paths.
The eyes of passion show me the traces of its paths,
وماand not الشوقُlonging إلاexcept فيin فؤادِa heart علمتُهI have known it
وما الشوقُ إلا في فؤادِ علمتُه
وكلُّand every سرورٍjoy عادهُvisited it لمnot يُسَلِّهِconsoled it
وكلُّ سرورٍ عادهُ لم يُسَلِّهِ
Longing lives only in a heart I have known,
What is passion but what I knew to be in my heart?
And every joy that visited it failed to console it.
Every joy it brought back did not make me forget it,
حِفاظاًout of fidelity وأيُّand which الناسِpeople تبقىendure عهودُهhis pledges
حِفاظاً وأيُّ الناسِ تبقى عهودُه
علىdespite غدرِthe treachery of أبناءِthe children of الزمانِtime وخَتْلِهِand its deceit
على غدرِ أبناءِ الزمانِ وخَتْلِهِ
Out of fidelity—but whose pledges endure
Faithfully remembering-but which people's pacts
Despite the treachery of time's children and its deceit?
Remain with the treachery of time and its termination?
أرىI see البرقَthe lightning خفّاقَquivering الوميضِflashes كأنَّهas though it
أرى البرقَ خفّاقَ الوميضِ كأنَّه
فؤاديmy heart وقدand indeed عانيتُI have suffered هِزَّةَthe shaking of نصلِهِits blade
فؤادي وقد عانيتُ هِزَّةَ نصلِهِ
I see the lightning's quivering flashes, as though it were
I see lightning, flashing, as if
My heart, having suffered the shaking of its blade.
It were my heart, having experienced the trembling of its blades,
وماand whatever حلَّcomes loose مِنfrom خيطِthe thread of الغمامِthe cloud فأدمعيthen my tears
وما حلَّ مِن خيطِ الغمامِ فأدمعي
تُخَجِّلُput to shame ماجادَwhat it bestowed الغمامُthe cloud بحلِّهِby unloosing it
تُخَجِّلُ ماجادَ الغمامُ بحلِّهِ
Whatever is loosed from the cloud's thread, my tears
Whatever is unleashed from the rain cloud, my tears
Put to shame what the cloud bestows by unloosing it.
Embarrass even the clouds' downpour,
وماand not زالَhas ceased دمعيmy tears عندماwhen يَبْخَلُwithholds الحياthe rain
وما زالَ دمعي عندما يَبْخَلُ الحيا
جواداًgenerous علىupon باليthe worn remains of الديارِthe dwellings بهطلِهِwith their downpour
جواداً على بالي الديارِ بهطلِهِ
My tears, whenever the rain withholds its bounty, remain
My tears are still, whenever the clouds are miserly,
Generous with their downpour over the dwellings' worn remains.
Generous to my mind, raining the land with their outpouring,
ومُسخبرِand a questioner of الرُّكبانِthe riders عَجَّرَهُhas enfeebled him الهوىpassion
ومُسخبرِ الرُّكبانِ عَجَّرَهُ الهوى
وناهيكَand enough for you عنconcerning ثِقْلِthe weight of القميصthe shirt وثِقْلِهِand its burden
وناهيكَ عن ثِقْلِ القميص وثِقْلِهِ
And a questioner of riders, whom passion has enfeebled—
The guide of the traveling party, passion deformed it
The weight of his shirt—and love's burden—tell you enough.
Not to mention the weight of the shirt and its own weight,
تعرَّضَhe stepped forth يبغيseeking فيin النسيمِthe breeze مِنَfrom الحِمىthe protected pasture
تعرَّضَ يبغي في النسيمِ مِنَ الحِمى
سلاماًa greeting فماbut not مرَّpassed النسيمُthe breeze بحملِهِbearing it
سلاماً فما مرَّ النسيمُ بحملِهِ
He steps forth, seeking in the breeze from the protected pasture
It turned hoping to find in the breeze a cure for the fever
A greeting; yet the breeze did not pass by bearing it.
But the breeze did not carry it,
يشبِّبُsings love-verses مِنfrom فرطِthe excess of الولوعِdevotion بهندِهof his Hind
يشبِّبُ مِن فرطِ الولوعِ بهندِه
وَينسُبُand sings love-verses مِنfrom حرِّthe burning of الفراقِseparation بجُملِهِof his Juml
وَينسُبُ مِن حرِّ الفراقِ بجُملِهِ
In excess of devotion, he sings love-verses of his Hind,
It raves deliriously from excessive burning with passion for Hind
And in separation's burning heat, sings of his Juml.
And it traces its lineage due to the burning heat of separation to the camel,
صبورٌpatient علىunder حكمِthe decree of التفرُّقِseparation والقِلىand aversion
صبورٌ على حكمِ التفرُّقِ والقِلى
شكورٌgrateful لتقليدِfor the investiture of الوصالِunion وعزلِهِand its dismissal
شكورٌ لتقليدِ الوصالِ وعزلِهِ
Patient under the decree of separation and aversion,
Patient with the judgment of separation and moving camp,
Grateful for union's investiture and its dismissal.
Grateful for the tradition of intimacy and its termination,
لأفلحُsurely fortunate مَنْone who لمnot يعرفِhas known الشوقَlonging دهرَهُthroughout his life
لأفلحُ مَنْ لم يعرفِ الشوقَ دهرَهُ
ولاnor سارَtraveled فيthrough حَزْنِthe rugged ground of الغرامِpassion وسهلِهِand its level ground
ولا سارَ في حَزْنِ الغرامِ وسهلِهِ
Surely fortunate is he who has never known longing in his lifetime,
Whoever does not know passion all his life succeeds,
Nor traveled through passion's rough country and its level ground.
And does not walk in the sorrow of love and its plains,
ولستُand I am not علىdespite أزْمِthe distress of الفراقِseparation بآيسٍdespairing
ولستُ على أزْمِ الفراقِ بآيسٍ
بِانَّthat دنواَّthe nearness of الدارِthe dwelling يوديputs an end بأزلِهِto its distress
بِانَّ دنواَّ الدارِ يودي بأزلِهِ
Despite separation's distress, I do not despair
And I do not despair of the pain of separation,
That the dwelling's nearness will bring its hardship to an end.
That the approaching of the house will do away with its misery,
فأينso where رجالُthe men of النقدِcriticism دونهمُbefore them الذيwhat
فأين رجالُ النقدِ دونهمُ الذي
أنضِّدُI arrange مِنfrom جِدِّthe earnestness of القريضِpoetry وهَزلِهِand its jest
أنضِّدُ مِن جِدِّ القريضِ وهَزلِهِ
Where, then, are the critics? Before them is what
Where are the men of integrity? I composed poetry of valor and jest,
I arrange of poetry, in earnest and in jest.
If my poem did not win in the yard of prosody by some part,
فِانْso if لمnot يكنْit is فيin حَلْبةِthe racecourse of النَّظمِversification سابقاًfirst
فِانْ لم يكنْ في حَلْبةِ النَّظمِ سابقاً
فماthen not فازَwon قدْحيmy arrow فيin الَّرهانِthe wager بخَصْلِهِits prize
فما فازَ قدْحي في الَّرهانِ بخَصْلِهِ
If it is not first in the racecourse of verse,
What is poetry but the novel in its words
Then my arrow has not won its prize in the wager.
Held captive by the subtlety of speech and its smoothness?
وماand not الشِّعرُpoetry إلاexcept ماwhat يكونُis بديعُهits artistry
وما الشِّعرُ إلا ما يكونُ بديعُه
حبيساًbound علىto دِقِّthe fine points of الكلامspeech وجِلَّهِand its grand matters
حبيساً على دِقِّ الكلام وجِلَّهِ
Poetry is only that whose artistry is
Were it not for passion or the rank of understanding I would not
Bound to both the fine and the grand in speech.
Have chosen the talent of serious thought unexpectedly with its gravity,
ولولاand but for الهوىpassion أوor رتبةُthe rank of الفهمِunderstanding لمnot ارُضْI trained
ولولا الهوى أو رتبةُ الفهمِ لم ارُضْ
قرائحَthe inborn gifts of فكرٍa mind جَدَّstrove عفواًspontaneously بجزلِهِwith its weighty speech
قرائحَ فكرٍ جَدَّ عفواً بجزلِهِ
Were it not for passion or the rank of understanding, I would not have trained
If I do not approve and am not pleased that it
The inborn gifts of a mind that strove spontaneously with its weighty speech.
Be seen though the star's place is below its place,
وانand though كنتُI am لاnot أرضىcontent ولمand not يرضَit was content أنِّهthat it
وان كنتُ لا أرضى ولم يرضَ أنِّه
يُرىbe seen ومحلُّwhile the station of النجمِthe star دونَbelow مَحَلِّهِits station
يُرى ومحلُّ النجمِ دونَ مَحَلِّهِ
Though I am not content, nor is it content, that it
What is superiority but one whose poetry
Should be seen while the star's station lies below its own.
Expresses in every language the elegance of its superiority?
وماand not الفضلُexcellence إلاexcept مَنone whose يُعبِّرُexpresses شِعرُهُhis poetry
وما الفضلُ إلا مَن يُعبِّرُ شِعرُهُ
بكلِّin every لسانٍtongue عنof نباهةِthe eminence of فضلِهِhis merit
بكلِّ لسانٍ عن نباهةِ فضلِهِ
Merit belongs only to one whose poetry speaks
So why were they dumbfounded in the face of truth
In every tongue of the eminence of his merit.
When I escaped the heat of speech with its class?
فماso what بالهمْtheir condition عندَbefore الحقيقةِthe truth أفحِمواthey were silenced
فما بالهمْ عندَ الحقيقةِ أفحِموا
وقدand indeed فُزْتُI have triumphed مِنfrom حرِّthe noblest of الكلامِspeech بفصلِهِthrough its decisiveness
وقد فُزْتُ مِن حرِّ الكلامِ بفصلِهِ
Why, then, have they been silenced before the truth,
To them: my thought is the polish of poetry just as
When I have triumphed with the decisiveness of noble speech?
You like the composition of verse for its polish,
اليهمْto them ففكريfor my thought صيقلُthe burnisher of الشِّعرِpoetry مثلماjust as
اليهمْ ففكري صيقلُ الشِّعرِ مثلما
يروقكَdelights you متنُthe blade of المَشرَفيِّthe Mashrafi sword بصقلِهِwith its polish
يروقكَ متنُ المَشرَفيِّ بصقلِهِ
To them, then! My thought is poetry's burnisher, just as
What is the sword but the man's awesomeness within it
The blade of a Mashrafi sword delights you with its polish.
And his greatest fear the moment of its drawing?
وماand not السيفُthe sword إلاexcept فيهin it للمرءِfor a man روعةٌdread
وما السيفُ إلا فيه للمرءِ روعةٌ
وأعظمُand the greatest of ماwhat يخشاهhe fears it ساعةَthe moment of سَلِّهِits unsheathing
وأعظمُ ما يخشاه ساعةَ سَلِّهِ
A sword holds nothing for a man but dread,
And what he fears most is the moment it is drawn.
Partial English translation: 98 of 100 Arabic lines translated.