لا الأمس يسلبك الخلود و لا الغد

لا الأمس يسلبك الخلود و لا الغد

هيهات أنت على الزمان مخلّد

هيهات أنت على الزمان مخلّد

Neither yesterday nor tomorrow can rob you of immortality.

Neither yesterday nor tomorrow deprive you of immortality,

Neither yesterday can steal your immortality, nor tomorrow;

Far from it—you are immortal through time.

Far be it! You are immortalized over time,

Far from it, you are eternalized above time.

تتجدّد الدّنيا و قلبك وحده

تتجدّد الدّنيا و قلبك وحده

دنيا تعيد شبابها و تجدّد

دنيا تعيد شبابها و تجدّد

The world renews itself, and your heart alone

The world is renewed yet your heart alone,

The world renews itself, while your heart alone

Is a world restoring its youth and renewing itself.

A world that restores its youth and renews,

Is a world that restores its youth and regenerates.

لك من خيالك عالم متناسق

لك من خيالك عالم متناسق

بهج تعاود خلقه و تدوّد

بهج تعاود خلقه و تدوّد

From your imagination you have a harmonious world,

From your imagination you have a harmonious world,

From your imagination, you possess a harmonious realm,

Joyful—you create it anew, and [unclear; literally, grows worm-eaten].

Delight that repeats its creation and smolders,

Joyous, which you recreate and continuously perfect.

أمّا البسيطة فهي فيه خميلة

أمّا البسيطة فهي فيه خميلة

ولع الرّبيع بها و رحت تغرّد

ولع الرّبيع بها و رحت تغرّد

As for the earth, within it she is a leafy grove,

In it, simplicity is charming,

As for the earth, within it, it is a lush garden,

With which spring fell in love, while you began to sing.

Spring is infatuated with it and chirps happily,

Which spring has enamored, and you began to sing.

و سكبت في الأنغام قلبك دمعة

و سكبت في الأنغام قلبك دمعة

لا كالدّموع و رحمة تتنهّد

لا كالدّموع و رحمة تتنهّد

And into melodies you poured your heart as a tear,

And you poured into melodies a teardrop from your heart,

You poured your heart into the melodies as a tear,

Unlike other tears, and as mercy that sighs.

Not like tears, but a sigh of compassion,

Not like ordinary tears, but a sighing mercy.

خلع الحياة على البلى فكأنّه

خلع الحياة على البلى فكأنّه

للبعث من قبل الأوان يمهّد

للبعث من قبل الأوان يمهّد

It bestowed life upon decay, as though it

Life adorns decay as if

It bestowed life upon decay, as though it were

Were paving the way for resurrection before its time.

Preparing for resurrection before its time,

Paving the way for resurrection before its appointed time.

قيس و ليلى بعد طول كراهمت

قيس و ليلى بعد طول كراهمت

ثغر يرفّ ووجنو تتورّد

ثغر يرفّ ووجنو تتورّد

Qays and Layla, after their long slumber,

After long resentment, Qais and Layla

Qays and Layla, after their long slumber,

A quivering mouth and a cheek growing rosy,

A mouth that trembles, and a cheek that reddens,

A trembling lip and a blossoming cheek,

بعثا كعهدهما القديم فمن رأى

بعثا كعهدهما القديم فمن رأى

تلك العيون يرفّ فيها الإثمد

تلك العيون يرفّ فيها الإثمد

Were resurrected as in their days of old—who has seen

Revived as in their old days, so whoever saw

Were resurrected as in their ancient covenant; who then has seen

Those eyes in which antimony kohl shimmers?

Those eyes with dew in them would melt,

Those eyes wherein the kohl flickers?

في كلّ قلفية حياة تجتلى

في كلّ قلفية حياة تجتلى

و منى تضوع و زفرة تتردّد

و منى تضوع و زفرة تتردّد

In every rhyme a life is revealed,

In every creek, a life manifests itself,

In every rhyme, a life is unveiled,

And hopes waft their fragrance, and a sigh echoes.

And wishes that sigh and murmurs that echo,

Where desires exude fragrance, and a sigh reverberates.

صور الجزيرة ما جلوت من العلى

صور الجزيرة ما جلوت من العلى

و الحسن لا ما أوّلته الحسّد

و الحسن لا ما أوّلته الحسّد

The peninsula's images are what you unveiled of grandeur

The images of the peninsula unveiled from on high

The images of the Peninsula are what you revealed of its greatness,

And beauty—not what the envious read into them.

And beauty not distorted by envy,

And of beauty, not what the envious misinterpreted:

الحبّ و الخيم المنيفة و القرى

الحبّ و الخيم المنيفة و القرى

و لبانة عند الغدير و موعد

و لبانة عند الغدير و موعد

Love, lofty tents, and hospitality,

Love, and the pleasant tents, and the villages,

Love, the lofty tents, and the hospitality,

And a cherished desire beside the pool, and a tryst,

And Labana at the creek, and the rendezvous,

A longing by the stream, and a rendezvous.

و سكينة الصحراء إلاّ هازجا

و سكينة الصحراء إلاّ هازجا

مرحا يعيد حداءه و يردّد

مرحا يعيد حداءه و يردّد

And the desert's stillness, save for a singer

And the serenity of the desert, ever lively

And the stillness of the desert, save for a singer

Merry, repeating and echoing his camel-driving song.

Playful, restoring its vigor and repeating,

Joyfully repeating and echoing his camel-chant.

يا شاعر الدّنيا لقد أسكرتها

يا شاعر الدّنيا لقد أسكرتها

ماذا تغنّيها و ماذا تنشد

ماذا تغنّيها و ماذا تنشد

O poet of the world, you have intoxicated her;

O poet of the world! You have intoxicated it

O poet of the world, you have intoxicated it;

What do you sing to her, and what do you recite?

What do you sing to it and what do you chant?

What do you sing to it, and what do you chant?

خفّت بزينتها إليك مشوقة

خفّت بزينتها إليك مشوقة

سكرى تعبّ كؤوسها و تعربد

سكرى تعبّ كؤوسها و تعربد

She hastened to you in her finery, yearning,

Dimmed by its beauty, it appeals to you

It rushed to you in its adornments, yearning,

Drunk, draining her cups and carousing.

Intoxicated, its cups tiresome and muddled,

Drunk, draining its cups and reveling.

و جلت على الشعراء قبلك حسنها

و جلت على الشعراء قبلك حسنها

لكن أراك شهدت ما لم يشهدوا

لكن أراك شهدت ما لم يشهدوا

And she unveiled her beauty to the poets before you,

Revealing to poets before you its charm

It had displayed its beauty to the poets before you,

Yet I see you witnessed what they did not—

But I see you witnessed what they never witnessed,

But I see you witnessed what they never did.

الزاهدين بها ولو كشفت لهم

الزاهدين بها ولو كشفت لهم

سرّ الحياة المجتلى لم يزهدوا

سرّ الحياة المجتلى لم يزهدوا

Those who renounced her; had she unveiled to them

The ascetics would blame it, and if the secret

Those who renounced it—even if it had unveiled to them

Life's manifest secret, they would not have renounced her.

Of manifest life was revealed, they would not renounce,

The manifest secret of life, they would not have abstained.

نظروا إلى خير الوجود و حسنه

نظروا إلى خير الوجود و حسنه

شزرا كما نظر الضياء الأرمد

شزرا كما نظر الضياء الأرمد

They looked at existence's goodness and beauty

They looked at the best of existence and its beauty

They looked upon the goodness of existence and its beauty

Askance, as a man with sore eyes looks at light.

Askance, as the blind look at the light,

Askance, as the sore-eyed gazes at the light.

أطريت فتنتها فدع في غيّه

أطريت فتنتها فدع في غيّه

من راح يعذل حسنها و يفنّد

من راح يعذل حسنها و يفنّد

You extolled her allure; so leave in his delusion

You unleashed its seductions, so leave be

You praised its charm, so leave in his delusion

Whoever set about censuring her beauty and disparaging it.

Those who came to denounce its beauty and undo it,

Whoever sets out to censure and refute its beauty.

العبقريّة شعلة من نارها

العبقريّة شعلة من نارها

حمراء ناضرة اللّظى تتوقّد

حمراء ناضرة اللّظى تتوقّد

Genius is a flame from her fire,

Genius is a red flame, vivid, from its fire

Genius is but a spark from its fire,

Red, radiant in its blaze, burning bright.

That kindles and blazes,

Red, with radiant flames, burning fiercely.

و الشّعر و النّغم الشجيّ و رحمة

و الشّعر و النّغم الشجيّ و رحمة

تسع الوجود و نقمة تتوعّد

تسع الوجود و نقمة تتوعّد

And poetry, and plaintive melody, and mercy

And poetry, and plaintive melody, and compassion

And poetry, sorrowful melody, and a mercy

That embraces existence, and wrath that threatens.

That embraces existence, and vengeance that threatens,

That encompasses existence, and a threatening vengeance.

يا فتنة الدنيا يذمّك معشر

يا فتنة الدنيا يذمّك معشر

و الحقّ كلّ الحقّ في أن يحمدوا

و الحقّ كلّ الحقّ في أن يحمدوا

O enchantment of the world, some people condemn you,

O temptation of the world! A group blames you

O charm of the world, a faction disparages you,

Yet what is right, wholly right, is that they praise you.

And the truth, the whole truth, is that they should praise,

Yet truth, all truth, lies in their praising you.

ألهب نبوغك في الحياة و حبّها

ألهب نبوغك في الحياة و حبّها

و أنا الضمين بأنّه لا يخمد

و أنا الضمين بأنّه لا يخمد

Set your genius ablaze in life and love of her,

Ignite your brilliance in life and love it

Ignite your genius in life and its love,

And I pledge that it will not go out.

While I guarantee it will not fade,

For I am the guarantor that it shall never be extinguished.

الكنز بين يديك فانثر درّه

الكنز بين يديك فانثر درّه

إنّي أراه يزيد حين يبدّد

إنّي أراه يزيد حين يبدّد

The treasure is in your hands; scatter its pearls,

The treasure is in your hands, so scatter its pearls

The treasure is in your hands, so scatter its pearls;

For I see it grow when it is scattered.

I see it increase as it is dispersed,

Indeed, I see it increasing when it is dispersed.

ظلم الجمال أبا عليّ من رأى

ظلم الجمال أبا عليّ من رأى

أنّ الجمال غواية تتودّد

أنّ الجمال غواية تتودّد

Beauty is wronged, Abu Ali, by whoever believes

The one who saw beauty as seduction, wronged me

He has wronged beauty, O Abu Ali, whoever believes

That beauty is a temptation seeking affection.

And you ascended in images of bliss, counting them

That beauty is a temptation seeking to seduce.

و سموت في صور النعيم تعدّها

و سموت في صور النعيم تعدّها

من نعمة الله التي لا تجحد

من نعمة الله التي لا تجحد

And you rose high among images of bliss, reckoning them

Among God's blessings that cannot be denied

You ascended through the images of bliss, counting them

As part of God's grace, which cannot be denied.

The truth and creativity are of its breaths

Among the graces of God that cannot be denied.

الحقّ و الإبداع من نفحاتها

الحقّ و الإبداع من نفحاتها

و الهير من أسمائها و السؤدد

و الهير من أسمائها و السؤدد

Truth and creativity are among its fragrant breaths,

And nobility and happiness are among its names,

Truth and creativity are among its breezes,

And goodness and eminence are among its names.

Love of beauty is acceptable worship

And goodness is among its names, alongside glory.

حبّ الجمال عبادة مقبولة

حبّ الجمال عبادة مقبولة

و الله يلمح في الجمال و يعبد

و الله يلمح في الجمال و يعبد

Love of beauty is accepted worship,

And God glimpses in beauty and is worshipped,

The love of beauty is an accepted worship,

And God is glimpsed in beauty and worshipped.

O poet of the world! Your call is abundant

And God is glimpsed in beauty and is worshipped.

يا شاعر الدّنيا نديّك حافل

يا شاعر الدّنيا نديّك حافل

و الجمع مصغ و المواكب حشّد

و الجمع مصغ و المواكب حشّد

O poet of the world, your assembly is thronged,

And the crowds listen, the processions amassed,

O poet of the world, your assembly is crowded,

And the gathering listens intently, and the processions are massed.

Awaiting your magic, O formidable one,

The gathering listens, and the processions are thronged.

ينتظرون السّحر من جبّاره

ينتظرون السّحر من جبّاره

هيهات دون السّحر باب موصد

هيهات دون السّحر باب موصد

They await magic from its mighty master;

Alas! Without magic, the door is barred,

They await the magic from its mighty master;

In vain—a bolted door stands before the magic.

They complain to you while you are hostage to death

Alas, without the magic, the door remains locked.

يشكى إليك و أنت رهن منيّة

يشكى إليك و أنت رهن منيّة

و تزار في عنت الخطوب و تقصد

و تزار في عنت الخطوب و تقصد

Complaints are laid before you, though death holds you captive,

And endure the adversities of misfortunes and aim,

Complaints are brought to you while you are a hostage to death,

And you are visited and sought amid the trials of calamity.

The sword is hoped for even when sheathed

You are visited and sought out in the hardship of calamities.

و لقد يرجّى السيف و هو ملثّم

و لقد يرجّى السيف و هو ملثّم

و لقد يهاب اللّيث و هو مصفّد

و لقد يهاب اللّيث و هو مصفّد

And hope is indeed placed in the sword, though it is veiled,

And the lion is feared even when shackled,

And indeed, the sword is hoped for even when it is sheathed,

And the lion is indeed feared, though it is chained.

So go as spring went over the meadows

And indeed, the lion is feared even while it is chained.

فاذهب كما ذهب الرّبيع على الرّبى

فاذهب كما ذهب الرّبيع على الرّبى

منه يد و على القلوب له يد

منه يد و على القلوب له يد

Then depart as spring departed; upon the hills

With a hand on them, and over hearts, a hand,

So depart, just as the spring departs over the hills,

Its hand of bounty rests, and upon hearts another hand.

And you have command in rhetoric, time acknowledges,

Leaving a hand upon them, and a hand upon the hearts.

و لك الإمارة في البيان يقرّها

و لك الإمارة في البيان يقرّها

أمس الزّمان و لا يضيق بها الغد

أمس الزّمان و لا يضيق بها الغد

And sovereignty in eloquence is yours, acknowledged

Neither past nor future too narrow for it,

Yours is the principality of eloquence, acknowledged

By time's yesterday; tomorrow will not be too narrow for it.

By the yesterdays of time, and tomorrow shall not find it too narrow.