مالي وللحادثاتِ الصُّمِّ تَطْرُقني

مالي وللحادثاتِ الصُّمِّ تَطْرُقني

حتى كأني لمَحْذوراتها هَدَفُ

حتى كأني لمَحْذوراتها هَدَفُ

What have I to do with the deaf calamities that strike me,

Misfortunes besiege me silently,

until I seem a target for their terrors?

As if I were their target.

تُعطى الذي لا يُواتِيني فإنْ أَخَذَتْ

تُعطى الذي لا يُواتِيني فإنْ أَخَذَتْ

مني فما ليس لي من بعدِه خَلَف

مني فما ليس لي من بعدِه خَلَف

They give what does not suit me; but if they take

It gives to the one who does not gratify me, so if it takes

from me, it is something for which I have no replacement.

From me, I have no replacement thereafter.

أَلومُها وهْي لا تُصْغِي لَمعْتَبةٍ

أَلومُها وهْي لا تُصْغِي لَمعْتَبةٍ

أَخدْعةٌ أم جنونٌ ذاك أَم صَلَف

أَخدْعةٌ أم جنونٌ ذاك أَم صَلَف

I blame them, though they lend no ear to reproach;

I blame it while it does not listen to a reproach -

is that deception, madness, or arrogance?

Is it a trick or madness or obstinacy?

أرى الزمانَ يُعادِى كلَّ ذي أدبٍ

أرى الزمانَ يُعادِى كلَّ ذي أدبٍ

يا ليت شِعْري ألؤمٌ منه أم خَرَف

يا ليت شِعْري ألؤمٌ منه أم خَرَف

I see Time hostile to every man of learning;

I see time as hostile to every well-mannered person.

would that I knew: is it baseness on its part, or senility?

I wonder if it is unjust or senile.

دَعْنى من العلمِ والآداب قاطبةً

دَعْنى من العلمِ والآداب قاطبةً

إنْ كنتَ طالبَ دنيا فالغِنى الشَّرف

إنْ كنتَ طالبَ دنيا فالغِنى الشَّرف

Spare me learning and the literary arts altogether;

Leave me from knowledge and manners altogether

if you seek worldly gain, then wealth is honor.

If you seek the life of this world - for wealth is honor.

أَرى النفوس تُوالى كلَّ ذي جِدَةٍ

أَرى النفوس تُوالى كلَّ ذي جِدَةٍ

بالطبعِ فهْي إلى ما شاء تنصرِف

بالطبعِ فهْي إلى ما شاء تنصرِف

I see souls befriend every wealthy man

I see souls incline to every person of resolve

by nature; they turn toward whatever he wishes.

By nature - so they turn to what they desire.

لا تصحب العلم إلا والغِني معَه

لا تصحب العلم إلا والغِني معَه

أَوْلا فحَظُّك منه الهمُّ والأَسف

أَوْلا فحَظُّك منه الهمُّ والأَسف

Do not keep company with learning unless wealth accompanies it;

Do not accompany knowledge unless with wealth as well,

otherwise, your share of it is worry and sorrow.

Else your share of it will be worry and sorrow.

عيشُ الفتى تحت ذلِّ الفقرِ منزلةٌ

عيشُ الفتى تحت ذلِّ الفقرِ منزلةٌ

لا يستقرُّ عليها مَنْ له أَنَفُ

لا يستقرُّ عليها مَنْ له أَنَفُ

A young man's life beneath poverty's humiliation is a station

The life of a young man under the humility of poverty

where no one with self-respect will settle.

Is a position no one of dignity can settle upon.

لأَركبَنَّ بعزمي كلَّ مهْلكةٍ

لأَركبَنَّ بعزمي كلَّ مهْلكةٍ

إما غِنىً ترتضيه النفسُ أو تلف

إما غِنىً ترتضيه النفسُ أو تلف

With my resolve, I shall surely ride into every deadly peril:

I will ride with my determination every deadly terrain -

either wealth that satisfies the soul, or death.

Either wealth that satisfies the soul or perdition.

من لم يَبِن لم يَبِنْ فانهضْ تجدْ سببا

من لم يَبِن لم يَبِنْ فانهضْ تجدْ سببا

لا قَدْرَ للدُّرِّ لما حازَه الصَّدف

لا قَدْرَ للدُّرِّ لما حازَه الصَّدف

Whoever does not depart will not stand out; so rise, and you will find a way.

Who did not build did not build, so get up and find a cause -

The pearl has no worth while the shell holds it.

The pearls have no power over what the oyster attained.