اِذهَبgo وَلاand may you not تَبعَدَنَّever be far away مِنas a رَجُلٍman
اِذهَب وَلا تَبعَدَنَّ مِن رَجُلٍ
إِنَّindeed كِرامَthe noble ones الرِجالِamong men قَدalready ذَهَبواhave departed
إِنَّ كِرامَ الرِجالِ قَد ذَهَبوا
Go, yet may you never be far away—what a man you were!
Indeed, the noble among men have departed.
أَدرَكتَyou attained فَوقَbeyond الَّذيwhat طَلَبتَyou sought نَدىًbounty
أَدرَكتَ فَوقَ الَّذي طَلَبتَ نَدىً
غَمراًoverflowing وَفاتَand eluded اللِئامَthe base ماwhat طَلَبواthey sought
غَمراً وَفاتَ اللِئامَ ما طَلَبوا
You attained, beyond what you sought, a bounty
overflowing, while the base missed what they sought.
لاnot يُخلِفُreplaces الدَهرُtime ماwhat تَجودُyou give generously بِهِwith it
لا يُخلِفُ الدَهرُ ما تَجودُ بِهِ
وَلاnor يُعيرُlends الرِجالَmen ماwhat تَهَبُyou bestow
وَلا يُعيرُ الرِجالَ ما تَهَبُ
Time cannot replace what you give so freely,
nor does it lend men what you bestow.
عِرضٌhonor نَقِيٌّpure مِنَfrom الوُصومِblemishes إِذاwhen
عِرضٌ نَقِيٌّ مِنَ الوُصومِ إِذا
أَحَكَّmade itch عِرضَthe honor of المُذَمَّمِthe reviled man الجَرَبُscabies
أَحَكَّ عِرضَ المُذَمَّمِ الجَرَبُ
Yours is an honor free of blemishes, when
scabies makes the reviled man's honor itch.
مَضىpassed away التَليدُthe scion of ancient stock الأَعلىthe noblest لِطَيِّبِهِfor his goodness
مَضى التَليدُ الأَعلى لِطَيِّبِهِ
وَاِستَأخَرَand remained behind المَنسِمانِthe two camel-hooves وَالذَنبُand the tail
وَاِستَأخَرَ المَنسِمانِ وَالذَنبُ
The noblest of ancient stock has passed away, for his goodness;
the two hooves and the tail remained behind.
تَرعِيَّةٌa master herdsman طاعَتِobeyed الصِعابُthe unruly mounts لَهُhim
تَرعِيَّةٌ طاعَتِ الصِعابُ لَهُ
وَاِستَوسَقَتand gathered together فيin زَمامِهِhis rein العَرَبُthe Arabs
وَاِستَوسَقَت في زَمامِهِ العَرَبُ
A master herdsman: the unruly mounts obeyed him,
and the Arabs gathered under his rein.
ياO دَهرُTime رَشقاًhurl volleys بِكُلِّwith every نائِبَةٍcalamity
يا دَهرُ رَشقاً بِكُلِّ نائِبَةٍ
قَدِalready اِنتَهىhas ended العَتبُreproach وَاِنقَضىand has ceased العَجَبُastonishment
قَدِ اِنتَهى العَتبُ وَاِنقَضى العَجَبُ
O Time, pelt me with every calamity;
reproach has ended, and astonishment has ceased.
رُدَّhold back يَديmy hand ماas much as اِستَطَعتَyou can عَنfrom أَرَبيmy desire
رُدَّ يَدي ما اِستَطَعتَ عَن أَرَبي
لَمnot يَبقَremains ليto me بَعدَafter مَوتِهِمtheir death أَرَبُany desire
لَم يَبقَ لي بَعدَ مَوتِهِم أَرَبُ
Hold my hand back, as much as you can, from what I seek;
no desire remains to me after their death.