رِدي مُرَّ الوُرودِ وَلا تَعافي

رِدي مُرَّ الوُرودِ وَلا تَعافي

فَما يَنأى بِيَومِكِ أَن تَخافي

فَما يَنأى بِيَومِكِ أَن تَخافي

Drink the bitter draught, and do not recoil;

Give glad tidings of the flowers and do not shy away

for fear will not put off your appointed day.

For there is no day of yours that can disappear completely

فَطَوراً تُعرَضينَ عَلى زُلالٍ

فَطَوراً تُعرَضينَ عَلى زُلالٍ

وَطَوراً تُعرَضينَ عَلى ذُعافِ

وَطَوراً تُعرَضينَ عَلى ذُعافِ

For at times you are brought to clear water,

Sometimes you may be offered as pure water

and at times you are brought to deadly poison.

And other times offered as murky water

وَمَن يَشرَب بِصافٍ غَيرَ رَنقٍ

وَمَن يَشرَب بِصافٍ غَيرَ رَنقٍ

يَرِد يَوماً بِرَنقٍ غَيرِ صافي

يَرِد يَوماً بِرَنقٍ غَيرِ صافي

And whoever drinks clear water, free of murk,

He who drinks fresh water without weariness

will one day reach murky water, far from clear.

Will one day return to weariness without freshness

غَمَستُ يَدَيَّ في أَمرٍ فَمَن لي

غَمَستُ يَدَيَّ في أَمرٍ فَمَن لي

وَأَينَ بِنَزعِ كَفّي وَاِنكِفافي

وَأَينَ بِنَزعِ كَفّي وَاِنكِفافي

I plunged both hands into an affair—who will help me?

I have immersed my hands in a matter, so who can help me

And how can I pull my hand free and withdraw?

And where can I possibly withdraw my palms and recoil

كَفاني أَنَّني حَربٌ لِقَومي

كَفاني أَنَّني حَربٌ لِقَومي

وَذَلِكَ لي مِنَ الضَرّاءِ كافِ

وَذَلِكَ لي مِنَ الضَرّاءِ كافِ

It is enough for me that I am a foe to my people;

It suffices me that I am at war for my people

and that is affliction enough for me.

And that, for me, is enough from adversity

حَطَمتُ صِعادَهُم حَتّى اِستَقاموا

حَطَمتُ صِعادَهُم حَتّى اِستَقاموا

مُجاوَزَةً بِهِم حَدَّ الثِقافِ

مُجاوَزَةً بِهِم حَدَّ الثِقافِ

I broke their spear-shafts until they themselves stood straight,

I have destroyed their arrogance until they walked straight

carrying them beyond the limits of the straightening-frame.

Bypassing them to the point of over-refinement

فَصِرتُ لِذَمِّهِم غَرَضاً رَجيماً

فَصِرتُ لِذَمِّهِم غَرَضاً رَجيماً

يُراموني بِمِثلِ حَصى القِذافِ

يُراموني بِمِثلِ حَصى القِذافِ

So I became a target pelted by their censure;

So I have become for their insults an unpopular target

they pelt me with the like of hurled stones.

They pelt me with pebbles and insults

وَأُكذِبُ بِالتَصَوُّنِ مُدَّعيهِم

وَأُكذِبُ بِالتَصَوُّنِ مُدَّعيهِم

وَأُلجِمُ قائِليهِم بِالعَفافِ

وَأُلجِمُ قائِليهِم بِالعَفافِ

And by guarding my honor I prove their accusers false,

And I am accused of pretension by their claimants

and bridle their spokesmen with chastity.

And I silence their speakers with chastity

وَلَو أَنّي أَطَعتُ الرُشدَ يَوماً

وَلَو أَنّي أَطَعتُ الرُشدَ يَوماً

لَأَبدَلتُ التَحامُلَ بِالتَجافي

لَأَبدَلتُ التَحامُلَ بِالتَجافي

And had I ever obeyed sound judgment,

Had I obeyed reason one day

I would have traded strenuous effort for aloofness,

I would have replaced intolerance with disengagement

وَأَغضَيتُ اللَواحِظَ عَن ذُنوبٍ

وَأَغضَيتُ اللَواحِظَ عَن ذُنوبٍ

وَمَوضِعُها لِعَيني غَيرُ خافِ

وَمَوضِعُها لِعَيني غَيرُ خافِ

and turned my glances away from sins,

And I would have overlooked sins

though their whereabouts are not hidden from my eye.

Whereas for my eyes they are not hidden

وَلَكِنَّ الحَمِيَّةَ فِيَّ تَأبى

وَلَكِنَّ الحَمِيَّةَ فِيَّ تَأبى

قَراري لِلرِجالِ عَلى التَكافي

قَراري لِلرِجالِ عَلى التَكافي

But the pride within me refuses

But zeal in me refuses

my accepting equality with other men.

My satisfaction with men based on reciprocity

وَأَنظُرُ سُبَّةً وَعَظيمَ عارٍ

وَأَنظُرُ سُبَّةً وَعَظيمَ عارٍ

رِضايَ مِنَ المُنازِعِ بِالكَفافِ

رِضايَ مِنَ المُنازِعِ بِالكَفافِ

And I regard as a disgrace and a grievous shame

And I see insults and great shame

my settling for a draw with an adversary.

My consent from the disputer is with sufficiency

وَلَو أَنّي رَمَيتُ أَصابَ سَهمي

وَلَو أَنّي رَمَيتُ أَصابَ سَهمي

وَلَكِنّي أُنَقِّبُ عَن شِغافي

وَلَكِنّي أُنَقِّبُ عَن شِغافي

And if I shot, my arrow would hit its mark;

Had I shot an arrow, it would have hit

but I probe into my own heart's core.

But I dig for what is hidden from me

فَما سَهمي السَديدُ مِنَ النَوابي

فَما سَهمي السَديدُ مِنَ النَوابي

وَلا باعي الطَويلُ مِنَ الضِعافِ

وَلا باعي الطَويلُ مِنَ الضِعافِ

For my sure-aimed arrow is not among those that miss,

So neither is my straight arrow from archers

nor is my long reach among the weak.

Nor is my thrower’s from the weak

وَلي أَنفٌ كَأَنفِ اللَيثِ يَأبى

وَلي أَنفٌ كَأَنفِ اللَيثِ يَأبى

شَميمي لِلمَذَلَّةِ وَاِستِيافي

شَميمي لِلمَذَلَّةِ وَاِستِيافي

And I have a nose like the lion's, which will not allow

And I have the nose of a lion that refuses

me to smell humiliation or catch its scent.

For my breath the disgrace and exhaustion

وَقَد عَرَفَ العِدى وَبَلَوا قَديماً

وَقَد عَرَفَ العِدى وَبَلَوا قَديماً

خُطايَ إِلى المَنايا وَاِزدِلافي

خُطايَ إِلى المَنايا وَاِزدِلافي

And the foes have long known and put to the test

And enemies have known of old

my strides toward death and my advance.

My offenses unto death and approaching

لِيَ العَزمُ الَّذي قَد جَرَّبوهُ

لِيَ العَزمُ الَّذي قَد جَرَّبوهُ

يَقُدُّ مَضارِبَ البيضِ الخِفافِ

يَقُدُّ مَضارِبَ البيضِ الخِفافِ

Mine is the resolve they have already tested,

Mine is the resolve which they have tested

which cleaves the striking edges of light, gleaming swords.

Driving the striking white steeds

وَرَبطُ الجَأشِ وَالأَقدامُ زُلٌّ

وَرَبطُ الجَأشِ وَالأَقدامُ زُلٌّ

يُزَلزِلُها الرَدى يَومَ الوِقافِ

يُزَلزِلُها الرَدى يَومَ الوِقافِ

And steadfastness of heart, while feet slip,

Binding the brave ones, and feet slipping

as death shakes them on the day of battle.

Shaken by fate on the day of stopping

وَقَد كَلَّت صَوارِمُها وَمَلَّت

وَقَد كَلَّت صَوارِمُها وَمَلَّت

عَرانينُ القُنيِّ مِنَ الرُعافِ

عَرانينُ القُنيِّ مِنَ الرُعافِ

And its keen swords have dulled, and wearied

Their swords are blunt, and the spearheads

are the spears' noses from bleeding.

Of the slim spears are bent from striking

فَعالُ أَغَرَّ رَيّانِ العَوالي

فَعالُ أَغَرَّ رَيّانِ العَوالي

مِنَ الأَعداءِ مَلآنِ الصِحافِ

مِنَ الأَعداءِ مَلآنِ الصِحافِ

The deeds of a noble man, whose spearpoints are well slaked

The lofty one did errors make

with enemies' blood, and whose platters are brimful.

Of enemies filling up pages

يُضيفُ فَلا يُمَيَّزُ مَن يَراهُ

يُضيفُ فَلا يُمَيَّزُ مَن يَراهُ

أَماراتِ المُضيفِ مِنَ المُضافِ

أَماراتِ المُضيفِ مِنَ المُضافِ

He entertains guests, so whoever sees him cannot distinguish

He hosts yet does not distinguish

the signs of the host from those of the guest.

The signs of host from guest

إِذا عُدَّ المَناقِبُ جاءَ بَيتي

إِذا عُدَّ المَناقِبُ جاءَ بَيتي

يَجُرُّ ذُيولَ أَحسابٍ ضَوافي

يَجُرُّ ذُيولَ أَحسابٍ ضَوافي

When noble deeds are counted, my house comes forward,

If virtues be counted, my house comes

trailing the hems of abundant ancestral honors.

Dragging behind lineages of glories

أَقِلّوا لا أَبا لَكُمُ وَخَلّوا

أَقِلّوا لا أَبا لَكُمُ وَخَلّوا

مُطاعَنَةَ الأَسِنَّةِ بِالأَشافي

مُطاعَنَةَ الأَسِنَّةِ بِالأَشافي

Desist—may you have no father!—and abandon

Desist, no more, and leave off

dueling against spearheads with cobblers' awls.

The smiting of tongues with cruelties

فَقَد مُدَّت غَياباتُ المَخازي

فَقَد مُدَّت غَياباتُ المَخازي

عَلى عَرَصاتِكُم مَدَّ الطِرافِ

عَلى عَرَصاتِكُم مَدَّ الطِرافِ

For the dark coverings of disgrace have been spread

For the long absence of the reproachers

over your courtyards like a leather tent.

Has stretched over your plains

صَفَوتُ لَكُم فَرَنَّقتُم غَديري

صَفَوتُ لَكُم فَرَنَّقتُم غَديري

وَأَيُّ مُضاغِنٍ رَجَعَ المُصافي

وَأَيُّ مُضاغِنٍ رَجَعَ المُصافي

I was true to you, but you muddied my pool;

I clarified it for you, yet you turned away from my abundance

and what grudge-bearer ever became a sincere friend?

And which returner has brought back the pure?

وَيوشِكُ أَن يُقامَ عَلى التَقالي

وَيوشِكُ أَن يُقامَ عَلى التَقالي

أَنابيبٌ رَجَعنَ إِلى التَصافي

أَنابيبٌ رَجَعنَ إِلى التَصافي

And soon there will be raised in mutual hatred

And it is about to be set upon the rendezvous

spear-shafts that had returned to amity.

Pipes returned to harmony

مَضى زَمَنُ التَمازُجِ وَالتَداني

مَضى زَمَنُ التَمازُجِ وَالتَداني

وَذا زَمَنُ التَزايُلِ وَالتَنافي

وَذا زَمَنُ التَزايُلِ وَالتَنافي

The time of mingling and drawing close has passed;

The time of blending and nearing has passed

and this is the time of separation and mutual rejection.

And this is the time of separation and avoiding

لَئِن أَعلى بِناءَكُمُ اِصطِناعي

لَئِن أَعلى بِناءَكُمُ اِصطِناعي

فَسَوفَ يَثُلُّ عَرشَكُمُ اِنحِرافي

فَسَوفَ يَثُلُّ عَرشَكُمُ اِنحِرافي

If indeed my patronage raised your edifice high,

If I straighten your crooked building

then my turning away will topple your throne.

Then I will demolish the throne of your deviation

أُداوي داءَهُم فَيَزيدُ خُبثاً

أُداوي داءَهُم فَيَزيدُ خُبثاً

وَلَيسَ لِداءِ ذي البَغضاءِ شافِ

وَلَيسَ لِداءِ ذي البَغضاءِ شافِ

I treat their disease, but it grows more malignant;

I cure their disease, yet it grows more evil

and the sickness of one who harbors hatred has no healer.

And the disease of hatred has no healer

حَنَوتُ عَلَيهِمُ وَلَرُبَّ حانٍ

حَنَوتُ عَلَيهِمُ وَلَرُبَّ حانٍ

عَلى جانٍ وَإِن بَعُدَ التَلافي

عَلى جانٍ وَإِن بَعُدَ التَلافي

I was tender toward them—and many a person is tender

I have been gentle to them, and how often a tender one

toward a wrongdoer, though redress is far away.

Has been upon an unkind one, even if the harmony is distant

فَما قَلبي وَإِن جَهِلوا بِقاسٍ

فَما قَلبي وَإِن جَهِلوا بِقاسٍ

وَلا حِلمي وَإِن قَطَعوا بِهافِ

وَلا حِلمي وَإِن قَطَعوا بِهافِ

For my heart is not hard, though they behave rashly;

So neither is my heart cruel, even if they are ignorant of it

nor does my forbearance falter, though they sever ties.

Nor is my forbearance, even if they cut it off

فَما تُغني القَوادِمُ مِن جَناحٍ

فَما تُغني القَوادِمُ مِن جَناحٍ

تَحامَلَ إِن قَعَدنَ بِهِ الخَوافي

تَحامَلَ إِن قَعَدنَ بِهِ الخَوافي

For what use are the primary feathers of a wing

For preceding steps of rapprochement are of no use

straining to rise, if the secondaries hold it back?

If the frightened ones remain seated in their burrows

وَعِندي لِلزَمانِ مُسَوَّماتٌ

وَعِندي لِلزَمانِ مُسَوَّماتٌ

مِنَ الأَشعارِ تَختَرِقُ الفَيافي

مِنَ الأَشعارِ تَختَرِقُ الفَيافي

And I hold in store for Time marked steeds

And I have for time phrased poems

of verse that traverse the desert wastes.

That penetrate through the gaps

قَصائِدُ أَنسَتِ الشُعَراءَ طُرّاً

قَصائِدُ أَنسَتِ الشُعَراءَ طُرّاً

عُواؤَهُمُ عَلى أَثَرِ القَوافي

عُواؤَهُمُ عَلى أَثَرِ القَوافي

Poems that made the poets, every one, forget

Verses that make poets forget

their howling on the trail of rhymes.

Their woeful composition of rhymes

بَوارِدُ لِلغَليلِ كَأَنَّ قَلبي

بَوارِدُ لِلغَليلِ كَأَنَّ قَلبي

يَعُبُّ بِهِنَّ في بَردِ النِطافِ

يَعُبُّ بِهِنَّ في بَردِ النِطافِ

Cooling draughts for burning thirst, as though my heart

Downpours for the thirsty, as if my heart

were drinking deeply, through them, of cool, clear water.

Pours through them in the cold of hardship

أَسُرُّ بِهِنَّ أَقواماً وَأَرمي

أَسُرُّ بِهِنَّ أَقواماً وَأَرمي

أُقَيواماً بِثالِثَةِ الأَثافي

أُقَيواماً بِثالِثَةِ الأَثافي

I gladden peoples with them, and pelt

I conceal through them tribes, and I strike

petty little bands with the third hearthstone.

Other tribes with the three letter root triliteral verbs