خَيرُ الهَوى ما نَجا مِنَ الكَمَدِ

خَيرُ الهَوى ما نَجا مِنَ الكَمَدِ

وَعاشِقُ العِزِّ ماجِدُ الكَبِدِ

وَعاشِقُ العِزِّ ماجِدُ الكَبِدِ

The best love is that which escapes anguish;

The best love is that which escapes decay,

and the lover of honor is noble of heart.

And the lover of glory has a liver that's hardened.

ما حَمَلَ الذُلَّ ظَهرُ مارِنَةٍ

ما حَمَلَ الذُلَّ ظَهرُ مارِنَةٍ

وَلا اِنزَوى عَن طَبيعَةِ الصَيَدِ

وَلا اِنزَوى عَن طَبيعَةِ الصَيَدِ

No supple lance's shaft has ever borne humiliation,

The back of the ostrich never bore humiliation,

nor swerved from its proud nature.

Nor did it shy away from the nature of the hunt.

كَيفَ يُرَبّي الحَياةَ مُقتَبِلٌ

كَيفَ يُرَبّي الحَياةَ مُقتَبِلٌ

يَرى المُنى عاقِراً بِلا وَلَدِ

يَرى المُنى عاقِراً بِلا وَلَدِ

How can a youth cherish life

How can one who faces life raise a family

when he sees hopes barren, without offspring?

When he sees wishes barren without children?

يَعذُلُني في الزَماعِ كُلُّ فَتىً

يَعذُلُني في الزَماعِ كُلُّ فَتىً

وَالسَيفُ إِن قَرَّ في الغُمودِ صَدي

وَالسَيفُ إِن قَرَّ في الغُمودِ صَدي

Every young man reproaches me for my resolve,

The youths blame me during hard times,

yet a sword rusts if it rests in its scabbard.

Yet the sword, when settled in its sheath, makes a clanging sound.

أَنا النُضارُ الَّذي يُضَنُّ بِهِ

أَنا النُضارُ الَّذي يُضَنُّ بِهِ

لَو قَلَّبَتني يَمينُ مُنتَقِدِ

لَو قَلَّبَتني يَمينُ مُنتَقِدِ

I am the pure gold that would be jealously prized,

I am the blossom in which they take pride,

were an assayer's right hand to turn me over.

If turned by the right hand of the critic.

إِنّي أَظُنُّ الظُنونَ صادِقَةً

إِنّي أَظُنُّ الظُنونَ صادِقَةً

كَأَنَّ يَومي طَليعَةٌ لِغَدي

كَأَنَّ يَومي طَليعَةٌ لِغَدي

I believe my surmises true,

I think pure thoughts,

as though my today were the vanguard of my tomorrow.

As if my day heralds my tomorrow.

ما وَتَرَ الدَهرُ لِمَّتي وَيَدي

ما وَتَرَ الدَهرُ لِمَّتي وَيَدي

تَأخُذُ قَبلَ المَشيبِ بِالقَودِ

تَأخُذُ قَبلَ المَشيبِ بِالقَودِ

Time has not wronged my locks, while my hand

Fate has not bound my hand and destiny

exacts retribution before gray hair comes.

To be seized by death before old age.

تَغدُرُ بي وَفرَتي وَكُنتُ إِذا

تَغدُرُ بي وَفرَتي وَكُنتُ إِذا

طَلَبتُ غَيرَ الوَفاءِ لَم أَجِدِ

طَلَبتُ غَيرَ الوَفاءِ لَم أَجِدِ

My thick locks betray me, though whenever

It betrayed me, my ability, though whenever

I sought anything but fidelity, I found none.

I sought anything but loyalty, I did not find.

بَعدَكُم حَنَّتِ الرِكابُ وَسا

بَعدَكُم حَنَّتِ الرِكابُ وَسا

لَ الرَكبُ بِالصَحصَحانِ وَالجَدَدِ

لَ الرَكبُ بِالصَحصَحانِ وَالجَدَدِ

After you, the riding camels yearned, and on streamed

After you the camel litters have pined,

the caravan over open plains and firm ground.

The camel litters for the newly arrived and the returning.

وَاللَيلُ بَينَ النُجومِ تَحسَبُهُ

وَاللَيلُ بَينَ النُجومِ تَحسَبُهُ

يَخطِرُ في نَثرَةٍ مِنَ الزَرَدِ

يَخطِرُ في نَثرَةٍ مِنَ الزَرَدِ

And night amid the stars—you would think it

The night amidst the stars seems

struts in a coat of linked mail.

To glimmer with its scattering of pearls.

لَيلي بِبَغداذَ لا أَقَرُّ بِهِ

لَيلي بِبَغداذَ لا أَقَرُّ بِهِ

كَأَنَّني فيهِ ناظِرُ الرَمَدِ

كَأَنَّني فيهِ ناظِرُ الرَمَدِ

In my night in Baghdad, I find no rest,

My night in Baghdad gives me no rest,

as though I were an inflamed eye within it.

As if I were watching one with diseased eyes.

يَنفُرُ نَومي كَأَنَّ مُقلَتَهُ

يَنفُرُ نَومي كَأَنَّ مُقلَتَهُ

تُشرَجُ أَجفانُها عَلى ضَمَدِ

تُشرَجُ أَجفانُها عَلى ضَمَدِ

My sleep flees, as though its eye

My sleep is disturbed as if its eyelid

had its lids fastened shut upon rancor.

Were being peeled back over an inflammation.

أُفكِرُ في حالَةٍ أُطاوِلُها

أُفكِرُ في حالَةٍ أُطاوِلُها

وَفَعلَةٍ تَخضِبُ القَنا بِيَدي

وَفَعلَةٍ تَخضِبُ القَنا بِيَدي

I ponder a station I strive to attain,

I reflect on a condition I prolong

and a deed that stains the lances in my hand.

And an action that dyes the lances with my hands.

لِلنَفسِ أَن تَبعَثَ العَزائِمَ وَال

لِلنَفسِ أَن تَبعَثَ العَزائِمَ وَال

رَأيَ وَكُلُّ الفِعالِ لِلجَسَدِ

رَأيَ وَكُلُّ الفِعالِ لِلجَسَدِ

To the soul belongs the stirring of resolve and

It is for the soul to rouse determination and perspective,

judgment; all action belongs to the body.

While all action belongs to the body.

ها إِنَّها نَومَةٌ بِسَورَتِها

ها إِنَّها نَومَةٌ بِسَورَتِها

أَقالَتِ العَينَ عَثرَةَ السَهَدِ

أَقالَتِ العَينَ عَثرَةَ السَهَدِ

Behold, a spell of sleep, in its overpowering rush,

It is a nap, with its effects,

has pardoned the eye's stumble into sleeplessness.

That has relieved the eye of drowsiness.

لا اِطَّرَدَت بي إِلَيكَ سابِحَةٌ

لا اِطَّرَدَت بي إِلَيكَ سابِحَةٌ

حَتّى أَرى النَقعَ عالِيَ الكَتَدِ

حَتّى أَرى النَقعَ عالِيَ الكَتَدِ

May no fleet mare bear me to you

No swimming woman drives me insistently to you

until I see the dust rise above the withers.

Until I see the sand dunes rising high.

ما لِيَ لا أَركَبُ البِعادَ وَلا

ما لِيَ لا أَركَبُ البِعادَ وَلا

أُدعى عَلى القُربِ بَيضَةَ البَلَدِ

أُدعى عَلى القُربِ بَيضَةَ البَلَدِ

Why do I not ride afar, nor

Why do I neither ride faraway nor

at home earn the name 'the town's egg'—its foremost man?

Call down upon nearness the egg of the city?

أَصحَبُ مَن لا أَلومُ صُحبَتَهُ

أَصحَبُ مَن لا أَلومُ صُحبَتَهُ

غَيرَ نَزورِ النَدى وَلا جَحِدِ

غَيرَ نَزورِ النَدى وَلا جَحِدِ

I accompany one whose companionship I do not fault,

I accompany those whose company I do not blame,

neither scant in generosity nor grudging:

Other than the visiting of dew or denial.

فَتىً رَأى الدَهرَ غَيرَ مُؤتَمَنٍ

فَتىً رَأى الدَهرَ غَيرَ مُؤتَمَنٍ

فَما فَشا سِرُّهُ إِلى أَحَدِ

فَما فَشا سِرُّهُ إِلى أَحَدِ

a young man who found time untrustworthy,

A young man who saw Time as untrustworthy,

so his secret never spread to anyone.

So he confided his secret to no one.

وَاِتَّهَمَ الخَيلَ فَهوَ يَمتَحِنُ ال

وَاِتَّهَمَ الخَيلَ فَهوَ يَمتَحِنُ ال

مُهرَةَ قَبلَ الطَرادِ بِالطَرَدِ

مُهرَةَ قَبلَ الطَرادِ بِالطَرَدِ

He distrusted horses, so he tests the

He suspected horses, so he tests

filly before mounted combat by putting her through a chase.

The trained one before the race with driving away.

في كُلِّ فَجٍّ يَقودُ راحِلَةً

في كُلِّ فَجٍّ يَقودُ راحِلَةً

تَجذِبُها الأَرضُ جِذبَةَ المَسَدِ

تَجذِبُها الأَرضُ جِذبَةَ المَسَدِ

Through every mountain pass he leads a riding she-camel,

In every expanse he leads a riding beast

which the earth draws onward with the tug of a twisted rope.

That the ground pulls like a voracious eater.

لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ غِلمَةً رَكِبوا

لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ غِلمَةً رَكِبوا

أَغراضَهُمُ وَاِستَفَوا مِنَ البُعُدِ

أَغراضَهُمُ وَاِستَفَوا مِنَ البُعُدِ

May God never banish young men who rode

May God not remove young men who rode

their aims, and took their fill of distance.

Their purposes and benefited from remoteness.

رَمَوا بِعَهدِ النَعيم وَاِصطَنَعوا

رَمَوا بِعَهدِ النَعيم وَاِصطَنَعوا

كُلَّ بَخيلِ الذُبابِ مُطَّرَدِ

كُلَّ بَخيلِ الذُبابِ مُطَّرَدِ

They cast away their days of ease and took into service

They discarded the covenant of bliss and imitated

every straight lance with an unyielding point.

Every stingy housefly that is driven away.

قَلّوا عَلى كَثرَةِ العَدُوِّ لَهُم

قَلّوا عَلى كَثرَةِ العَدُوِّ لَهُم

كَم عَدَدٍ لا يُعَدُّ في العُدَدِ

كَم عَدَدٍ لا يُعَدُّ في العُدَدِ

They were few, despite the multitude of their enemies;

For their many enemies they said,

how many a number counts for nothing in the reckoning!

“How many in number who cannot be counted!”

لي فيهِمُ أَشرَفُ الحُظوظِ إِذا ال

لي فيهِمُ أَشرَفُ الحُظوظِ إِذا ال

رَوعُ أَعانَ الحُسامَ بِالعَضَدِ

رَوعُ أَعانَ الحُسامَ بِالعَضَدِ

Among them mine is the noblest share when

For me among them are the noblest portions if

terror lends the arm's aid to the cutting sword.

Ferocity aids the swords with support.

وَأَينَ مِثلُ الحُسَينِ إِن حَسُنَت

وَأَينَ مِثلُ الحُسَينِ إِن حَسُنَت

صَنائِعُ البيضِ وَالقَنا القَصِدِ

صَنائِعُ البيضِ وَالقَنا القَصِدِ

And where is anyone like al-Husayn, when splendid

And where is the like of al-Husayn, if the acts

are the deeds of bright swords and straight spears?

Of the white blades and the lances are made fine?

أَبلَجُ إِن صاحَتِ المَطِيُّ بِهِ

أَبلَجُ إِن صاحَتِ المَطِيُّ بِهِ

فَدى التَنائي بِعَيشَةِ الرَغَدِ

فَدى التَنائي بِعَيشَةِ الرَغَدِ

Bright-browed: when the riding camels called him,

I shine if the riding camels shout for him,

he gave up a life of ease for distant travel.

Ransoming the best life with pleasant life.

ما خَلَعَ الدَهرُ عَنهُ سّابِغَةً

ما خَلَعَ الدَهرُ عَنهُ سّابِغَةً

وَاللَيثُ لا يُنتَضى مِنَ اللَبَدِ

وَاللَيثُ لا يُنتَضى مِنَ اللَبَدِ

Time has never stripped him of his full coat of mail,

Time has not stripped it of its perfect garment,

and a lion is never unsheathed from its mane.

And the lion is not scratched off of the liquid pitch.

لَو أَمطَرَتهُ السَماءُ أَنجُمَها

لَو أَمطَرَتهُ السَماءُ أَنجُمَها

عِزّاً لَما قالَ لِلسَماءِ قَدي

عِزّاً لَما قالَ لِلسَماءِ قَدي

Were the sky to rain its stars upon him

If the sky rained its stars down upon him,

as honor, he would never tell the sky, 'Enough for me.'

He would not say to the sky, “Enough!”

لا يَسأَلُ الضَيفُ عَن مَنازِلِهِ

لا يَسأَلُ الضَيفُ عَن مَنازِلِهِ

وَمَنزِلُ البَدرِ غَيرُ مُفتَقَدِ

وَمَنزِلُ البَدرِ غَيرُ مُفتَقَدِ

The guest need not ask where his dwellings are,

The guest need not ask about his houses,

and the full moon's abode is never lost from sight.

And the house of the moon is not sought.

رَأى الظُبى في الغُمودِ آجِنَّةً

رَأى الظُبى في الغُمودِ آجِنَّةً

وَالخَيلَ مَلطومَةً عَنِ الأَمَدِ

وَالخَيلَ مَلطومَةً عَنِ الأَمَدِ

He saw sword-edges stagnating in their scabbards,

He saw the antelopes in the thickets leaping

and horses beaten back from the goal.

And the horses disabled from the battle.

فَاِستَلَّ أَسيافَهُ وَأَورَدَها

فَاِستَلَّ أَسيافَهُ وَأَورَدَها

غَمرَ المَنايا بِمائِها الثَمدِ

غَمرَ المَنايا بِمائِها الثَمدِ

So he drew his swords and brought them

So he unsheathed his swords and made them drink

to death's flood, bearing their scant water.

The gulps of death with their sharpness.

تَخلِقُ أَجفانُها وَيَعرِضُها

تَخلِقُ أَجفانُها وَيَعرِضُها

دَمُ الطُلى في غَلائِلٍ جُدَدِ

دَمُ الطُلى في غَلائِلٍ جُدَدِ

Their scabbards wear out, but they are displayed

Their eyelids would be created and displayed by

by the blood of throats in fresh tunics.

The blood of melted metal in new strands.

يا قائِدَ الخَيلِ في سَنابِكِها

يا قائِدَ الخَيلِ في سَنابِكِها

ما يَشمَتُ السَهلُ مِنهُ بِالجَلَدِ

ما يَشمَتُ السَهلُ مِنهُ بِالجَلَدِ

O leader of horses, within whose hooves lies

O leader of the horses in their horseshoes,

that which lets soft ground gloat over the hard!

The plains do not gloat over him with wounds.

يَفديكَ يَومَ الخِصامِ مُمتَهِنٌ

يَفديكَ يَومَ الخِصامِ مُمتَهِنٌ

كَأَنَّهُ مُضغَةٌ لِمُزدَرِدِ

كَأَنَّهُ مُضغَةٌ لِمُزدَرِدِ

May a scorner ransom you on the day of conflict,

A despised man ransom you on the day of dispute,

as though he were a morsel for a devourer.

As if he were a bite for the snarling one.

وَصارِخٍ رافِعٍ عَقيرَتَهُ

وَصارِخٍ رافِعٍ عَقيرَتَهُ

فَكَكتَ عَنهُ جَوامِعَ الزَرَدِ

فَكَكتَ عَنهُ جَوامِعَ الزَرَدِ

And many a crier, raising his voice,

And a screaming challenger raising his voice,

you freed from the bonds of linked mail.

So the coats of mail were removed from him.

إِذا المُنى قابَلَتكَ أَوجُهُها

إِذا المُنى قابَلَتكَ أَوجُهُها

صَفَّدتَ باعَ المَطالِ بِالصَفَدِ

صَفَّدتَ باعَ المَطالِ بِالصَفَدِ

When hopes turn their faces toward you,

When different sorts of death faced you,

you fetter delay's long arm with bounty.

You shackled the sellers of requests with shackles.

رُبَّ مَخوفٍ كَأَنَّ طَلعَتَهُ

رُبَّ مَخوفٍ كَأَنَّ طَلعَتَهُ

تَلقى المَطايا بِطَلعَةِ الأَسَدِ

تَلقى المَطايا بِطَلعَةِ الأَسَدِ

Many a dreaded place whose aspect

How often a fright, as if its rising

meets the riding camels with a lion's face—

Were the horses meeting the rising of the lion!

حَطَطتَ فيهِ الرِحالَ مُحتَزِماً

حَطَطتَ فيهِ الرِحالَ مُحتَزِماً

وَأَنتَ ثاني المُهَنَّدِ الفَرَدِ

وَأَنتَ ثاني المُهَنَّدِ الفَرَدِ

you set down your saddles there, firmly girded,

You alighted among them solemnly,

with only a single Indian blade for company.

While you are the unique, the distinguished hero.

تَسحَبُ بُردَيكَ في مَلاعِبِهِ

تَسحَبُ بُردَيكَ في مَلاعِبِهِ

وَما اِقتَفَتهُ بَرائِنُ الأَسَدِ

وَما اِقتَفَتهُ بَرائِنُ الأَسَدِ

You trail your two cloaks through its haunts

You drag your robe in its grounds

and wherever lions' claws have left their tracks.

While the coats of mail did not pursue it.

زادَكَ في كُلِّ ما خُصِصتَ بِهِ

زادَكَ في كُلِّ ما خُصِصتَ بِهِ

في كُلِّ أَمنٍ وَيَومِ مُحتَشِدِ

في كُلِّ أَمنٍ وَيَومِ مُحتَشِدِ

Your provision in all that distinguishes you,

Your increase in all you were endowed with,

in every time of safety and every day of mustering,

In every security and mobilized day!

كُلَّ أَصَمَّ الكُعوبِ مُعتَدِلٍ

كُلَّ أَصَمَّ الكُعوبِ مُعتَدِلٍ

خَلَت أَنابيبُهُ مِنَ الأَودِ

خَلَت أَنابيبُهُ مِنَ الأَودِ

is every straight lance with solid joints,

Every stubborn, straightening neck,

whose shaft-sections are free of crookedness;

Its vertebrae are free of deviation.

وَكُلَّ طاغي الغِرارِ تَلحَظُهُ

وَكُلَّ طاغي الغِرارِ تَلحَظُهُ

مِن غِمدِهِ في طَرائِقٍ قِدَدِ

مِن غِمدِهِ في طَرائِقٍ قِدَدِ

and every fierce-edged sword that you glimpse

And every arrogant, deluded one you glance at

through its sheath's torn, ragged strips;

Out of its sheath in firm strips.

وَلَأمَةٍ سالَ فَوقَها زَرَدٌ

وَلَأمَةٍ سالَ فَوقَها زَرَدٌ

كَالماءِ في قِطعَةٍ مِنَ الزَبَدِ

كَالماءِ في قِطعَةٍ مِنَ الزَبَدِ

and a coat of armor over which chain mail flows

And a nation above which a coat of mail flows

like water in a patch of foam.

Like water above a piece of froth.

حُكمُكَ بِالسَيفِ غَيرُ مُنهَجِمٍ

حُكمُكَ بِالسَيفِ غَيرُ مُنهَجِمٍ

وَأَنتَ بِالضَربِ غَيرُ مُتَّئِدِ

وَأَنتَ بِالضَربِ غَيرُ مُتَّئِدِ

Your judgment by the sword does not crumble,

Your rule is by the sword without astrology,

and you are never slow to strike.

And you are a striker without aiming carefully.

لِلَّهِ بيتٌ رَفَعتَ عِمَّتَهُ

لِلَّهِ بيتٌ رَفَعتَ عِمَّتَهُ

أَغناهُ سُلطانُهُ عَنِ العَمَدِ

أَغناهُ سُلطانُهُ عَنِ العَمَدِ

How splendid a house whose turban you raised!

By God, a house you erected and gave height to,

Its authority has spared it the need for pillars.

Its sovereignty enriched it, needing no columns.