لَعَمرِيَ ما خُلِّفتُ إِلّا لِما أَرى

لَعَمرِيَ ما خُلِّفتُ إِلّا لِما أَرى

وَراءَ رِجالٍ اَسلَموني لِما بِيا

وَراءَ رِجالٍ اَسلَموني لِما بِيا

By my life, I was left behind only to see what I see,

By my life! I was left behind only to see

By my life, I have been left behind only to witness this, Outlasting men who surrendered me to my plight.

behind men who abandoned me to what afflicts me.

Men who surrendered me to what is in me

Indeed, I see no hastener outrun his fate, Nor anyone hoping to remain who actually stays.

أَلا لا أَرى هَذا المُسَرِّعَ سابِقاً

أَلا لا أَرى هَذا المُسَرِّعَ سابِقاً

وَلا أَحَداً يَرجو البَقِيَّةَ باقِيا

وَلا أَحَداً يَرجو البَقِيَّةَ باقِيا

Lo, I do not see this hastening man getting ahead,

Behold! I see not this swift one outrun

I have seen Death block every path of escape, Leading men by the rein, or driving them forth.

nor anyone hoping to endure who will endure.

Nor anyone who hopes for rest left resting

I never feared that my end would come to this: Tending barren camels, drinking milk sour and clear.

رَأَيتُ المَنايا طَبَّقَت كُلَّ مَرصَدٍ

رَأَيتُ المَنايا طَبَّقَت كُلَّ مَرصَدٍ

يَقُدنَ قِياداً أَو يُجَرِّدنَ حادِيا

يَقُدنَ قِياداً أَو يُجَرِّدنَ حادِيا

I have seen death’s fates encompass every lurking-place,

I’ve seen death pervade each watchtower

So the camel-yards have become dusty and bleak, While the tribe's quarters are bright and ablaze.

leading by the reins, or sending forth a camel-driver.

Taking some captive, stripping others bare

To You, O God of Truth, I raise my plea, In refuge and fear lest You prolong my infirmity.

وَما كُنتُ أَخشى أَن تَكونَ مَنِيَّتي

وَما كُنتُ أَخشى أَن تَكونَ مَنِيَّتي

ضَريبَ جِلادِ الشَولِ خَمطاً وَصافِيا

ضَريبَ جِلادِ الشَولِ خَمطاً وَصافِيا

I never feared that my death would come from

And I feared not that my end would be

If it be a cure, then let the cure be a blessing, And if it be death, then decree what You must decree.

blended milk of hardy, slack-uddered she-camels, soured and pure.

The stroke of a whipping blade, a piercing spear

Meeting You is better than infirmity and trial, For I have lived long days and endured many nights.

فَأَمسى جَنابُ الشَولِ أضغبَرَ كابِيا

فَأَمسى جَنابُ الشَولِ أضغبَرَ كابِيا

وَأَمسى جَنابُ الحَيِّ أَبلَجَ وارِيا

وَأَمسى جَنابُ الحَيِّ أَبلَجَ وارِيا

So the she-camels’ quarters became dust-gray and dim,

And so the whipping blade grew heedless and dull

I lived as my father did until I reached his full age; I outlived my uncles, and outlived my mother's kin.

while the tribe’s quarters became bright and blazing.

While the piercing blade grew blunt and bare

I hope for fresh youth and returned health, But how can a man hope for what he will never find?

إِلَيكَ إِلَهَ الحَقَّ أَرفضعُ رَغبَتي

إِلَيكَ إِلَهَ الحَقَّ أَرفضعُ رَغبَتي

عِياذاً وَخَوفاً أَن تُطيلَ ضَمانِيا

عِياذاً وَخَوفاً أَن تُطيلَ ضَمانِيا

To You, God of truth, I raise my plea,

To You, God of Truth, I raise my longing

How, when I have weathered ninety pilgrimages, And my heart holds a burden that is what it is?

seeking refuge and fearing that You prolong my infirmity.

As refuge and fear prolong my stay

I know not what this hidden burden is, Nor to which enemy I now offer my cup.

فَإِن كانَ بُرءاً فَاِجعَلِ البُرءِ نِعمَةً

فَإِن كانَ بُرءاً فَاِجعَلِ البُرءِ نِعمَةً

وَإِن كانَ فَيضاً فَاِقضِ ما أَنتَ قاضِيا

وَإِن كانَ فَيضاً فَاِقضِ ما أَنتَ قاضِيا

If it is recovery, make that recovery a blessing;

If tis innocence, make innocence a boon

Every year you summon doctors to my side, Yet they provide nothing but vanity and wind.

and if it is death, decree what You will decree.

If a surplus, fulfill what You ordain

If you cauterize one vein to stop the ill, You leave beside it another vein feeding the disease.

لِقاؤُكَ خَيرٌ مِن ضَمانٍ وَفِتنَةٍ

لِقاؤُكَ خَيرٌ مِن ضَمانٍ وَفِتنَةٍ

وَقَد عِشتُ أَيّاماً وَعِتُ لَيالِيا

وَقَد عِشتُ أَيّاماً وَعِتُ لَيالِيا

Meeting You is better than infirmity and affliction;

To meet You is better than refuge or trial

So burn not my skin; it matters not to you, Whether you treated me long ago or refrained.

I have lived through days and lived through nights.

And I have lived days, wearied of nights

If you desist, that is my desire, But if you persist, do not block my fate.

لَبِستُ أَبي حَتّى تَمَلَّيتُ عُمرَهُ

لَبِستُ أَبي حَتّى تَمَلَّيتُ عُمرَهُ

وَبَلَّيتُ أَعمامي وَبَلَّيتُ خالِيا

وَبَلَّيتُ أَعمامي وَبَلَّيتُ خالِيا

I wore my father’s company until I had enjoyed his whole lifetime,

I wore out my father’s lifetime

Just wait two months, or perhaps half of a third, Until that time when my absence hides me away.

and outlived my paternal uncles, and outlived my maternal uncle.

And outlived my uncles and maternal uncle

I have drunk bitter herbs and swallowed vile drafts, And submitted the mouths of my veins to the brand.

أُرَجّي شَباباً مُطرَهِمّاً وَصِحَّةً

أُرَجّي شَباباً مُطرَهِمّاً وَصِحَّةً

وَكَيفَ رَجاءُ المَرءِ ما لَيسَ لاقِيا

وَكَيفَ رَجاءُ المَرءِ ما لَيسَ لاقِيا

I hope for flourishing youth and health;

I wish for rains of youth and wellness

Just to prolong my life a little while, Though I see no healer for my ill if God heals not.

but how can a person hope for what he will never encounter?

Yet how can one wish what he will not find

We drank medicines and sought cures, yet no harm would it have been, Had we not treated, if God had decreed the end.

وَكَيفَ وَقَد جَرَّبتُ تِسعينَ حِجَّةً

وَكَيفَ وَقَد جَرَّبتُ تِسعينَ حِجَّةً

وَضَمَّ فُؤادي نَوطَةً هِيَ ما هِيا

وَضَمَّ فُؤادي نَوطَةً هِيَ ما هِيا

How indeed, when I have experienced ninety years,

How, when I've tried threescore and ten pilgrimages

She said, "The land has afflicted him," and surmised, As he complains of pains in chest and head.

and my heart harbors a swelling—whatever it is?

And my heart harbors a knot, being what it is

I say to Kannaz, "Climb the heights," yet he refused; I think no sheep will escape his neglect.

وَلا عِلمَ لي ما نَوطَةٌ مُستَكِنَّةٌ

وَلا عِلمَ لي ما نَوطَةٌ مُستَكِنَّةٌ

وَلا أَيُّ مَن عادَيتُ أَسقي سِقائِيا

وَلا أَيُّ مَن عادَيتُ أَسقي سِقائِيا

I do not know what that hidden swelling is,

I know not what knot resides within

Tracking white specks in the heart of Yadhbul, Grazing on withered, ancient stalks.

nor which of my enemies I should give my waterskin to.

Nor whom of foes I've given to drink

What ails you, wild goats, running blindly? You met a hunter, watching and casting his spear.

وَفي كُلِّ عامس تَدعُوانِ أَطِبَّةً

وَفي كُلِّ عامس تَدعُوانِ أَطِبَّةً

إِلَيَّ وَما يُجدونَ إِلّا الهَواهِيا

إِلَيَّ وَما يُجدونَ إِلّا الهَواهِيا

And every year you two summon physicians

And every year you call physicians to me

If sharp-tipped arrows miss their mark, The ravenous hunting dogs will not miss.

to me, but they bring only empty prattle.

Yet all they find are empty sighs

We and they were like the sons of Sabat, parted ways; One went to the highlands, the other to the coast.

فَإِن تَحسِما عِرقاً مِنَ الداءِ تَترُكا

فَإِن تَحسِما عِرقاً مِنَ الداءِ تَترُكا

إِلى جِنبِهِ عِرقاً مِنَ الداءِ ساقِيا

إِلى جِنبِهِ عِرقاً مِنَ الداءِ ساقِيا

If you two cauterize one vein of the illness, you leave

If you sever a vein of illness, you leave

The coastal one cast down his anchor there, And the other stuck fast, saying, "I leave not my place."

beside it another vein feeding the illness.

Alongside it a channel of illness flowing

My brothers spent the night in the bounty of Ibn Mundhir, While my cousins went thirsty, denied and dry.

فَلا تَحرِقا جِلدي سَواءٌ عَلَيكُما

فَلا تَحرِقا جِلدي سَواءٌ عَلَيكُما

أَداوَيتُما العَصرَينِ أَم لَم تُداوِيا

أَداوَيتُما العَصرَينِ أَم لَم تُداوِيا

So do not burn my skin; it is all the same for you two

So burn not my skin—it is equal to you

If a messenger returns from them bearing a scroll, It brings only trouble, like a captive's cry.

whether you treat me night and day or leave me untreated.

Whether you've treated the two epochs or not

You recognize in its title the tone of its text, While inside lies a deaf calamity, mimicking doom.

فَإِن تُقصِرا عَنّي تَكُن لِيَ حاجَةٌ

فَإِن تُقصِرا عَنّي تَكُن لِيَ حاجَةٌ

وَإِن تَبسُطا لا تَمنَعاني قَضائِيا

وَإِن تَبسُطا لا تَمنَعاني قَضائِيا

If you two hold back from me, I shall be in need;

If you fall short of me, I'll have need

O Abu Khalid, smooth your garments down; You shall not see a delegation coming till the end of time.

and if you persist, you cannot avert my destined end.

And if you stretch out, you'll not deny my fate

Nor any obedience, until you clash with spears, Spears and men with knotted forelocks prepared for war.

أَلا فَالبِثا شَهرَينِ أَو نِصفَ ثالِثٍ

أَلا فَالبِثا شَهرَينِ أَو نِصفَ ثالِثٍ

إِلى ذاكُما ما غَيَّبَتني غِيابِيا

إِلى ذاكُما ما غَيَّبَتني غِيابِيا

Lo, wait two months, or half a third,

Come! Then, two months, or half a third

I did not snatch a year amidst the hardships, When the cold struck, save to find a remedy.

until then, if my unseen fates have not hidden me away.

To the One who made absent my absence

On a day of dark dust and raging storm, I cleared the gloom with bounty that adorns the coming years.

شَرِبتُ الشُكاعى وَالتَدَدتُ أَلِدَّةً

شَرِبتُ الشُكاعى وَالتَدَدتُ أَلِدَّةً

وَأَقبَلتُ أَفواهَ العُروقِ المَكاوِيا

وَأَقبَلتُ أَفواهَ العُروقِ المَكاوِيا

I drank shuka’a herb and took medicines through the side of my mouth,

I've drunk chamomile and clung to gentleness

And a stubborn adversary in the quarrel I left behind; He was full of riot, but turned away tamed.

and exposed the mouths of my veins to cauterizing irons,

And set to mouths of veins the hot irons—

لِأُنسَأَ في عُمري قَليلاً وَما أَرى

لِأُنسَأَ في عُمري قَليلاً وَما أَرى

لِدائِيَ إِن لَم يَشفِهِ اللَهُ شافِيا

لِدائِيَ إِن لَم يَشفِهِ اللَهُ شافِيا

so that my lifetime might be prolonged a little; yet I see

To gain from my life a little and yet I see

no healer for my illness unless God heals it.

No cure for it, if God doesn't heal, healing

شَرِبنا وَداوَينا وَما كانَ ضَرَّنا

شَرِبنا وَداوَينا وَما كانَ ضَرَّنا

إِذا اللَهُ حَمَّ القَدرَ أَلّا تُداوِيا

إِذا اللَهُ حَمَّ القَدرَ أَلّا تُداوِيا

We drank and applied remedies; it would not have harmed us,

We drank and treated, and it did us no harm

once God had fixed the decree, had you two left me untreated.

If God protects from fate—no treatment healing!

وَقالَت أَتَت أَرضٌ بِهِ وَتَخَيَّلَت

وَقالَت أَتَت أَرضٌ بِهِ وَتَخَيَّلَت

فَأَمسى لَما في الصَدرِ وَالرَأسِ شاكينا

فَأَمسى لَما في الصَدرِ وَالرَأسِ شاكينا

And she said, ‘A tremor has seized him,’ and formed her suspicions;

It came to a land, so it fancied

so he came to complain of what was in his chest and head.

And made complaint of what’s in chest and head

أَقولُ لِكَنّازٍ تَوَقَّل فَإِنَّهُ

أَقولُ لِكَنّازٍ تَوَقَّل فَإِنَّهُ

أَبى لا اَظُنُّ الظَأنَ مِنهُ نَواجِيا

أَبى لا اَظُنُّ الظَأنَ مِنهُ نَواجِيا

I say to Kannaz, ‘Climb up!’—for he

I say to a weeper who laments, for he

has refused; I do not think the sheep will escape him.

Refuses—I think not the lamb from him will ring

تَتَبَّعُ أَوضاحاً بِسُرَّةِ يَذبُلِ

تَتَبَّعُ أَوضاحاً بِسُرَّةِ يَذبُلِ

وَتَرعى هَشيماً مِن حَليمَةِ بالِيا

وَتَرعى هَشيماً مِن حَليمَةِ بالِيا

She follows white patches at the navel of Yadhbul,

You follow tracks by the Sura's light that fade

and grazes on withered, crumbling herbage from Halimah.

And you pasture on rubble from Kinda's ruins

فَما لَكِ مِن أَروى تَعادَيتِ بِالعَمى

فَما لَكِ مِن أَروى تَعادَيتِ بِالعَمى

وَلا قَيتِ كَلّاباً مُطِلّاً وَرامِيا

وَلا قَيتِ كَلّاباً مُطِلّاً وَرامِيا

What is wrong with you, wild she-goat? May you race blindly,

So why did you, being blind, make enemies?

and meet a huntsman watching from above, and an archer!

You did not watch like a waiting marksman.

فَإِن أَخطَأَت نَبلاً حَداداً ظُباتُها

فَإِن أَخطَأَت نَبلاً حَداداً ظُباتُها

عَلى القَصدِ لا تُخطِئُ كِلاباً ضَوارِيا

عَلى القَصدِ لا تُخطِئُ كِلاباً ضَوارِيا

If she escapes arrows whose tips are sharp,

If their arrows miss a dreadful lion

aimed straight, she will not escape ravening dogs.

On purpose, they'll not miss mangy dogs.

وَكُنّا وَهُم كَاِبنَي سَباتٍ تَفَرَّقا

وَكُنّا وَهُم كَاِبنَي سَباتٍ تَفَرَّقا

سِوىً ثُمَّ كانا مُنجِداً وَتِهامِيا

سِوىً ثُمَّ كانا مُنجِداً وَتِهامِيا

And we and they were like the two sons of Sabat, who parted,

We and they were like two doses of poison—

once alike, then one going to Najd and the other to Tihamah.

Parted, then made accusations and blame.

فَأَلقى التَهامي مِنهُما بِلَطاتِهِ

فَأَلقى التَهامي مِنهُما بِلَطاتِهِ

وَأَلَطَ هَذا لا أَريمُ مَكانِيا

وَأَلَطَ هَذا لا أَريمُ مَكانِيا

So the Tihami of the two laid down his load,

So the accuser unleashed his slips,

and this one stayed put: ‘I will not leave my place.’

And this one lavished—I see not my place!

وَباتَ بَنو أُمّي بِلَيلِ اِبنِ مُنذِرٍ

وَباتَ بَنو أُمّي بِلَيلِ اِبنِ مُنذِرٍ

وَأَبناءُ أَعمامي عُذوباً صَوادِيا

وَأَبناءُ أَعمامي عُذوباً صَوادِيا

And my mother’s sons lay in Ibn Mundhir’s night,

Last night the sons of my mother

and my paternal cousins lay hungry and thirsty.

And the sons of my uncles were freshly watered.

إِذا جاءَ مِنهُم قافِلٌ بِصَحيفَةٍ

إِذا جاءَ مِنهُم قافِلٌ بِصَحيفَةٍ

يَكونُ عَناءً ما يُنَبِّقُ عانِيا

يَكونُ عَناءً ما يُنَبِّقُ عانِيا

When a returning traveler from them brings a letter,

When one of them comes with a writ

what he writes as a captive brings anguish.

It troubles what the sufferer utters.

وَتَعرِفُ في عُنوانِها بَعضَ لَحنِها

وَتَعرِفُ في عُنوانِها بَعضَ لَحنِها

وَفي جَوفِها صَمعاءُ تَحكي الدَواهِيا

وَفي جَوفِها صَمعاءُ تَحكي الدَواهِيا

And you recognize some of its drift in its heading,

On its title you recognize some of its meter

and in its belly is a dire blow echoing calamities.

Inside it, deaf ones relate empty rumors.

أَبا خالِدٍ هَدِّب خميلَكَ لَن تَرى

أَبا خالِدٍ هَدِّب خميلَكَ لَن تَرى

بِعَينَيكَ وَفداً آخِرَ الدَهرِ جائِيا

بِعَينَيكَ وَفداً آخِرَ الدَهرِ جائِيا

Abu Khalid, trim your shaggy cloak; you will not see

Abu Khalid! Curb your poets—you'll never see

with your own eyes a delegation coming ever again,

Embassies again—time's final ones.

وَلا طاعَةً حَتّى تُشاجِرَ بِالقَنا

وَلا طاعَةً حَتّى تُشاجِرَ بِالقَنا

قَناً وَرِجالاً عاقِدينَ النَواصِيا

قَناً وَرِجالاً عاقِدينَ النَواصِيا

nor obedience, until you clash with spears

No obedience until you battle over

against spears and men who bind the forelocks.

Reed-pipes and men with plaited forelocks.

وَلَم أَختَلِس بَينَ الشَقائِقِ حُجَّةً

وَلَم أَختَلِس بَينَ الشَقائِقِ حُجَّةً

وَقَد وَقَعَت بِالقُرِّ إِلّا تَلافِيا

وَقَد وَقَعَت بِالقُرِّ إِلّا تَلافِيا

Nor did I snatch a plea among the sand-gullies,

And I've not stolen among the goldflowers a sermon

when it arose in the cold, except to make amends.

Save that which the mushaf recites.

وَيَومَ قَتامٍ مُزمَهِرٍّ وَهَبوَةٍ

وَيَومَ قَتامٍ مُزمَهِرٍّ وَهَبوَةٍ

جَلَوتُ بِمِرباعٍ تَزينُ المَتالِيا

جَلَوتُ بِمِرباعٍ تَزينُ المَتالِيا

And on a day of scowling dust and swirling haze,

On a day of clouds in bloom and gusts

I came away with a leader’s quarter-share that graces the followers.

I took flight on a litter adorning the heights.

وَخَصمٍ مُضِلٍّ في الضَجاجِ تَرَكتُهُ

وَخَصمٍ مُضِلٍّ في الضَجاجِ تَرَكتُهُ

وَقَد كانَ ذا شَغبِ فَوَلّى مُواتِيا

وَقَد كانَ ذا شَغبِ فَوَلّى مُواتِيا

And an adversary, misleading in loud dispute—I left him;

A misleading foe amidst the tumult I left—

he had been quarrelsome, but he turned away yielding.

He of great dissension—fleeing dejected.