رَأَيتُ غُلاماً مَليحَ الرُواء

رَأَيتُ غُلاماً مَليحَ الرُواء

تَلوحُ النَباهَةُ في مُقلَتِه

تَلوحُ النَباهَةُ في مُقلَتِه

I saw a boy, handsome in appearance,

I saw a handsome boy, radiance shining in his eyelashes

I saw a boy of comely appearance,

intelligence gleaming in his eye.

I said, “Winter is imposing itself on us,

With keen intelligence gleaming in his eyes,

فَقُلتُ تَجَنّى عَلَينا الشِتاء

فَقُلتُ تَجَنّى عَلَينا الشِتاء

وَقَد نَفِدَ الفَحمُ مَعَ كَثرَتِه

وَقَد نَفِدَ الفَحمُ مَعَ كَثرَتِه

So I said, "Winter has wronged us,

and coal has run out even when plentiful.”

So I said, "Winter has tyrannized us,"

and coal has run out, despite its abundance.

Is there a cure for this affliction?

"And the coal has run out, despite its abundance."

فَهَل مِن دَواءٍ لِهَذا البَلاء

فَهَل مِن دَواءٍ لِهَذا البَلاء

لَدَيكَ أَجابَ اِقفُلوا المَدرَسه

لَدَيكَ أَجابَ اِقفُلوا المَدرَسه

Is there any remedy for this affliction

You said, “Close the school.”

"Is there any remedy for this affliction"

at your disposal?" He answered, "Close the school."

I said, “A small child who loves open spaces

"That you know of?" He answered: "Close the schools."

فَقُلتُ صَغيرٌ يُحِبُّ الفَضاء

فَقُلتُ صَغيرٌ يُحِبُّ الفَضاء

وَيَكرَهُ ما لَيسَ مِن فِطرَتِه

وَيَكرَهُ ما لَيسَ مِن فِطرَتِه

So I said, "A child who loves open space

and hates what isn’t natural for him.”

I thought, "A child who loves the open air,"

and hates what goes against his nature."

And I saw a thief in the corner,

"And detests that which is contrary to his nature."

وَأَبصَرتُ لِصّاً عَلى الزاوِيَه

وَأَبصَرتُ لِصّاً عَلى الزاوِيَه

كَثيرَ التَلَفُّتِ نَحوَ القُصور

كَثيرَ التَلَفُّتِ نَحوَ القُصور

And I saw a thief on the corner,

looking often toward the mansions,

Then I spotted a thief upon the corner,

repeatedly glancing toward the palaces.

I said “Our homes lack coal,

Glancing frequently towards the mansions.

فَقُلتُ مَنازِلُنا خالِيَه

فَقُلتُ مَنازِلُنا خالِيَه

مِنَ الفَحم وَالفَحمُ نار وَنور

مِنَ الفَحم وَالفَحمُ نار وَنور

So I said, "Our homes are empty

and coal means fire and light.”

I said, "Our homes are devoid"

of coal—and coal is fire and light."

He said “Your icy nights

"Of coal, and coal is both fire and light."

فَقالَ لَياليكُم الداجِيَه

فَقالَ لَياليكُم الداجِيَه

تَزول وَلَكِن بِهَدمِ السُجون

تَزول وَلَكِن بِهَدمِ السُجون

He said, "Your pitch-dark nights

will pass but only by demolishing prisons.”

He replied, "Your pitch-black nights"

will end, but only by tearing down the prisons."

I said “A wretched sort, wretched indeed,

"Will pass, but only through the demolition of prisons."

فَقُلتُ شَقِيٌّ مِنَ الأَشقِياء

فَقُلتُ شَقِيٌّ مِنَ الأَشقِياء

يُجاهِدُ مِن أَجلِ حُرِّيَتِه

يُجاهِدُ مِن أَجلِ حُرِّيَتِه

So I said, "A rogue among rogues,

struggling for the sake of his freedom.”

I thought, "A wretch among the wretched,"

striving for his freedom."

And I returned to a wealthy man,

"Struggling for the sake of his liberty."

وَعُدتُ إِلى رَجُلٍ موسَرٍ

وَعُدتُ إِلى رَجُلٍ موسَرٍ

لَهُ شُهرَة وَلَهُ مَنزِلَه

لَهُ شُهرَة وَلَهُ مَنزِلَه

And I returned to a wealthy man,

renowned, owning his mansion,

Then I turned to a wealthy man,

who had renown and standing.

I said “A secret remains secret

Possessing fame and high standing.

فَقُلتُ سَرِيُّ كَلامُ السَرِيِّ

فَقُلتُ سَرِيُّ كَلامُ السَرِيِّ

إِذا وَقَعَ الناسُ في مُشكِلَه

إِذا وَقَعَ الناسُ في مُشكِلَه

So I said, "Noble are a nobleman's words

when people face hardship,”

I said, "O Noble one—and the speech of the noble"

when people fall into trouble.

So what do you think?” He said “Make do

"Is vital when people fall into hardship,"

فَما هُوَ رَأيَكَ قالَ اِقصِر

فَما هُوَ رَأيَكَ قالَ اِقصِر

مَعَ البَردِ لا تَنفَعُ الوَلوَلَه

مَعَ البَردِ لا تَنفَعُ الوَلوَلَه

What, then, is your opinion?" He said, "Say no more:

with the cold, complaining is no use.”

"What is your view?" He said, "Desist,"

wailing does no good against the cold."

I realized the rich man’s boy

"For amidst the cold, wailing is of no use."

فَأَدرَكتُ أَنَّ فَتى الأَغنِياء

فَأَدرَكتُ أَنَّ فَتى الأَغنِياء

ضَنينٌ يَخافُ عَلى ثَروَتِه

ضَنينٌ يَخافُ عَلى ثَروَتِه

So I realized that this rich young man

was miserly, fearing for his wealth.

I realized that this scion of the wealthy

was miserly, fearing for his wealth.

And I saw a very cautious man,

Is a miser who fears for his fortune.

وَأَبصَرتُ شَخصاً كَثيرَ الحَذَر

وَأَبصَرتُ شَخصاً كَثيرَ الحَذَر

فَرُحتُ أَبُثُّ لَهُ لَوعَتي

فَرُحتُ أَبُثُّ لَهُ لَوعَتي

And I saw a very cautious person,

so I went to unburden my distress to him

Then I spotted a figure of great caution,

so I began pouring out my anguish to him.

He stared until I saw sparks

And I proceeded to pour out my anguish to him.

فَحَملَقَ حَتّى رَأَيتُ الشَرَر

فَحَملَقَ حَتّى رَأَيتُ الشَرَر

يَتيرِ سِراعاً إِلى مُهجَتي

يَتيرِ سِراعاً إِلى مُهجَتي

He glared until I saw sparks

rushing angrily toward my brain,

He stared until I saw the sparks

flying swiftly toward my heart.

and he shouted “This is war! The root of danger!

Flying swiftly towards my very soul,

وَصاحَ هِيَ الحَربُ أَصلُ الخَطَر

وَصاحَ هِيَ الحَربُ أَصلُ الخَطَر

فَرُدّوا الحُسامَ إِلى غِمدِهِ

فَرُدّوا الحُسامَ إِلى غِمدِهِ

And he cried, "War is the root of the danger!

Return the swords to their sheaths!”

And he shouted, "It is War that is the root of peril!"

So return the sword to its sheath!"

I said “An enemy, lacking in shame,

"So return the sword to its scabbard."

فَقُلتُ عَدُوٌّ قَليلُ الحَياء

فَقُلتُ عَدُوٌّ قَليلُ الحَياء

يُحاذِرُ شَرّاً عَلى دَولَتِه

يُحاذِرُ شَرّاً عَلى دَولَتِه

So I said, "An enemy with little shame,

fearing harm upon his country.”

I thought, "A shameless adversary,"

fearing harm to his country."

He was once a candidate;

"Guarding against evil befalling his state."

هُيوز وَقَد كانَ قَبلاً مُرَشَّح

هُيوز وَقَد كانَ قَبلاً مُرَشَّح

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ اِنقِلابَ الأُمور

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ اِنقِلابَ الأُمور

Hughes, who had once been a candidate—

I complained to him of the world’s upheaval.

"Hughes"—who had once been a candidate—

I complained to him of the upheaval in affairs.

When I asked for an answer, he cleared his throat

To him I complained of how affairs had overturned.

وَلَمّا طَلَبَتُ الجَوابَ تَنحنَح

وَلَمّا طَلَبَتُ الجَوابَ تَنحنَح

وَقالَ الحِلاقَةُ أَصلُ الشُرور

وَقالَ الحِلاقَةُ أَصلُ الشُرور

And when I asked for an answer, he cleared his throat

And said “Barbering is the root of evils.”

And when I sought an answer, he cleared his throat

and said, "Shaving is the root of evil."

I said “Surely the candidate jests.”

And declared, "Shaving is the root of all evils."

فَقُلتُ المُرَشَّحَ لا شَكَّ يَمزَح

فَقُلتُ المُرَشَّحَ لا شَكَّ يَمزَح

وَما زِلتُ في حَيرَة وَاِضطِراب

وَما زِلتُ في حَيرَة وَاِضطِراب

So I said, "The candidate is surely joking."

And still I remain distressed and confused,

I said, "The candidate is surely jesting,"

And I remained bewildered and troubled,

like an airplane in a gust of wind,

And I remained in bewilderment and unease,

كَطَيّارَةٍ في مَهَبِّ الهَواءِ

كَطَيّارَةٍ في مَهَبِّ الهَواءِ

إِلى أَن نَظَرتُ إِلى لِحيَتِه

إِلى أَن نَظَرتُ إِلى لِحيَتِه

like an airplane in the wind's path,

until I looked at his beard.

Like a kite caught in the gusting wind,

until I looked at his beard.

Until I cast my gaze upon his beard.