أَيُّهَذاO you الشاكيthe complainer وَماthough no بِكَin you داءٌillness
أَيُّهَذا الشاكي وَما بِكَ داءٌ
كَيفَhow تَغدوwill you be إِذاif غَدَوتَyou become عَليلاill
كَيفَ تَغدو إِذا غَدَوتَ عَليلا
O you who complain, though you have no illness,
O you who complain, what ails you?
O complainer who suffers from no illness, / how will you fare when you actually become sick?
How will you fare if you fall ill?
How can you start your day feeling unwell?
The worst offender on this earth is a soul / that awaits death before the time of departure has come.
إِنَّindeed شَرَّthe worst of الجُناةِthe offenders فيon الأَرضِthe earth نَفسٌa soul
إِنَّ شَرَّ الجُناةِ في الأَرضِ نَفسٌ
تَتَوَقّىguards against قَبلَbefore الرَحيلِdeparture الرَحيلاdeparture
تَتَوَقّى قَبلَ الرَحيلِ الرَحيلا
Indeed, the worst offender on earth is a soul
The worst sinner on earth is the soul
You see the thorns in the roses, yet remain blind / to the dew that crowns them like a wreath.
That seeks to ward off departure before it comes.
That longs for departure before departure is due
He is a heavy burden upon life itself, / whoever considers life to be a heavy burden.
وَتَرىand sees الشَوكَthe thorns فيamong الوُرودِthe roses وَتَعمىand is blind
وَتَرى الشَوكَ في الوُرودِ وَتَعمى
أَنto تَرىsee فَوقَهاabove them النَدىthe dew إِكليلاas a crown
أَن تَرى فَوقَها النَدى إِكليلا
And sees the thorns among the roses, yet is blind
And sees thorns in roses and is blind
And he whose own soul is devoid of beauty / sees nothing beautiful in all of existence.
To seeing the dew above them as a crown.
To see the dew above as a wreath
None is more wretched than he who sees life as bitter, / and considers its pleasures mere superfluities.
هُوَhe عِبءٌa burden عَلىupon الحَياةِlife ثَقيلٌheavy
هُوَ عِبءٌ عَلى الحَياةِ ثَقيلٌ
مَنwhoever يَظُنُّthinks الحَياةَlife عِبءًa burden ثَقيلاheavy
مَن يَظُنُّ الحَياةَ عِبءً ثَقيلا
A heavy burden upon life is he
It is a heavy burden on life
The wisest people in this life are those / who find reason to hope and make the best of it.
Who thinks life a heavy burden.
Who thinks life a heavy burden
So enjoy the morning as long as you are in it; / do not fear its passing until it actually fades.
وَالَّذيand whoever نَفسُهُhis soul بِغَيرِwithout جَمالٍbeauty
وَالَّذي نَفسُهُ بِغَيرِ جَمالٍ
لاnot يَرىsees فيin الوُجودِexistence شَيئاًanything جَميلاbeautiful
لا يَرى في الوُجودِ شَيئاً جَميلا
And whoever has a soul devoid of beauty
And he whose soul lacks beauty
And if a worry casts its shadow over your head, / cut short your brooding lest it lingers long.
Sees nothing beautiful in existence.
Sees nothing beautiful in existence
The birds of the hills have grasped life's essence, / so it is a disgrace for you to remain in ignorance.
لَيسَnone is أَشقىmore wretched مِمَّنthan one who يَرىfinds العَيشَliving مُرّاًbitter
لَيسَ أَشقى مِمَّن يَرى العَيشَ مُرّاً
وَيَظُنُّand deems اللَذاتِthe pleasures فيهِin it فُضولاsuperfluous
وَيَظُنُّ اللَذاتِ فيهِ فُضولا
None is more wretched than one who finds living bitter
None is more wretched than one who sees life as bitter
Do you not see them? Though the fields belong to others, / they make of them a stage and a place of rest.
And deems its pleasures superfluous.
And thinks pleasure in it excessive
They sing, though the hawk dominates the sky above them, / and hunters control the paths below.
أَحكَمُthe wisest of الناسِpeople فيin الحَياةِlife أُناسٌsome people
أَحكَمُ الناسِ في الحَياةِ أُناسٌ
عَلَّلوهاexplained it فَأَحسَنواand did well at التَعليلاexplaining
عَلَّلوها فَأَحسَنوا التَعليلا
The wisest people in life are those
The best people in life are those
They sing, though they have seen some of their kin taken alive, / and others meeting their end in death.
Who have explained it, and explained it well.
Who gave it meaning and made the best meaning
They sing, though their lifespan is but part of a year; / do you weep, when you may live for so long?
فَتَمَتَّعso take pleasure بِالصُبحِin the morning ماas long as دُمتَyou remain فيهِin it
فَتَمَتَّع بِالصُبحِ ما دُمتَ فيهِ
لاdo not تَخَفfear أَنthat يَزولَit passes حَتّىuntil يَزولاit passes
لا تَخَف أَن يَزولَ حَتّى يَزولا
So enjoy the morning while you are in it;
So enjoy the dawn as long as you are in it
At dawn, upon the branches, they chant / verses of passion and love in holy recitation.
Do not fear its passing until it passes.
Do not fear it will disappear until it disappears
At times they alight upon the soil, / pecking at grains or strutting with trailing tails.
وَإِذاand if ماever أَظَلَّovershadows رَأسَكَyour head هَمٌّa worry
وَإِذا ما أَظَلَّ رَأسَكَ هَمٌّ
قَصِّرِshorten البَحثَthe pondering فيهِover it كَيلاlest يَطولاit last long
قَصِّرِ البَحثَ فيهِ كَيلا يَطولا
And if a worry shadows your head,
And if worries shade your head
Whenever stillness seizes the branches, / they flutter their wings until the boughs sway in applause.
Cut short your pondering of it, lest it linger.
Shorten your search in it so it does not lengthen
And when the setting sun gilds the hills, / they stand atop them, whispering to the twilight.
أَدرَكَتhave grasped كُنهَهاits essence طُيورُthe birds الرَوابيthe hills
أَدرَكَت كُنهَها طُيورُ الرَوابي
فَمِنَso, of العارِshame أَنthat تَظَلَّyou remain جَهولاignorant
فَمِنَ العارِ أَن تَظَلَّ جَهولا
The birds of the hills have grasped life's essence;
The birds of the meadows understood its essence
So seek joy just as the birds seek / a deep, cooling shade in the midday heat.
It is shameful, then, for you to remain ignorant.
It is shameful for you to remain ignorant
Learn the love of nature from them, / and leave gossip and idle talk to the crowds.
ماdo you not تَراهاyou see them وَالحَقلُwhile the field مِلكُproperty of سِواهاothers besides them
ما تَراها وَالحَقلُ مِلكُ سِواها
تَخِذَتthey have made فيهِin it مَسرَحاًa roaming ground وَمَقيلاand a noon resting place
تَخِذَت فيهِ مَسرَحاً وَمَقيلا
Do you not see them, though the field belongs to others,
While she sees the field belonging to another
For he who dreads the critics will encounter / a critic in every person at every turn.
Making it a place to roam and rest at noon?
She made it her theater and dwelling
You belong to the earth, first and last, / whether you are a king or a humble slave.
تَتَغَنّىthey sing وَالصَقرُwhile the falcon قَدhas مَلَكَseized الجَوَّthe sky
تَتَغَنّى وَالصَقرُ قَد مَلَكَ الجَوَّ
عَلَيهاabove them وَالصائِدونَand the hunters السَبيلاthe path
عَلَيها وَالصائِدونَ السَبيلا
They sing, though the falcon has seized the sky
She sings while the falcon owns the air
There is no immortality beneath the sky for any living thing, / so why do you chase the impossible?
Above them, and the hunters the path.
Over her and the hunters on the road
Every star is destined to set, but / the star's tragedy is to fear its own setting.
تَتَغَنّىthey sing وَرَأَتand have seen بَعضَهاsome of them يُؤis taken (opening fragment)
تَتَغَنّى وَرَأَت بَعضَها يُؤ
خَذُis taken (closing fragment) حَيّاًalive وَالبَعضَand others يَقضيdie قَتيلاslain
خَذُ حَيّاً وَالبَعضَ يَقضي قَتيلا
They sing, though they have seen some of their number
She sings though she saw some of them taken alive
The rose's destiny in the garden is to wither; / be wise, and embrace it before the withering comes.
Taken alive, and others die slain.
And others meet their death
And if you find a patch of shade upon the earth, / rest within it until the shadows shift.
تَتَغَنّىthey sing وَعُمرُهاwhile their lifespan بَعضُpart of عامٍa year
تَتَغَنّى وَعُمرُها بَعضُ عامٍ
أَفَتَبكيwill you then weep? وَقَدthough perhaps تَعيشُyou live طَويلاlong
أَفَتَبكي وَقَد تَعيشُ طَويلا
They sing, though their lives last part of a year;
She sings though her life is part of a year
And when the sky turns gloomy, anticipate / rain upon the plains that will bring them to life.
Will you then weep, though you may live long?
Will she cry though she may live long?
Say to those who exhaust their tear ducts: / "Has your weeping quenched your burning thirst?"
فَهيَso they فَوقَon الغُصونِthe branches فيat الفَجرِdawn تَتلوrecite
فَهيَ فَوقَ الغُصونِ في الفَجرِ تَتلو
سُوَرَchapters of الوَجدِrapture وَالهَوىand love تَرتيلاin measured chant
سُوَرَ الوَجدِ وَالهَوى تَرتيلا
So, on the branches at dawn, they recite
So over the branches in the dawn she recites
We did not come into this life to suffer, / so put your minds at ease, O people of reason.
Chapters of rapture and love in measured chant.
Verses of passion and love chanting
Whoever heaps worries upon himself / shall be seized by them in a disastrous grasp.
وَهيَand they طَوراًat times عَلىupon الثَرىthe earth واقِعاتٌalighted
وَهيَ طَوراً عَلى الثَرى واقِعاتٌ
تَلقُطُpick up الحَبَّthe grain أَوor تُجَرُّtrail الذُيولاthe tails
تَلقُطُ الحَبَّ أَو تُجَرُّ الذُيولا
And at times they alight upon the earth,
And at times on the ground fallen
Be like the nightingale singing in its nest, / who, even when bound, pays no heed to its chains.
Picking up grain, or trailing their tails.
She picks seeds or drags her tail
Be not a crow chasing worms in the dirt, / nor an owl in the night weeping over ruins.
كُلَّماwhenever أَمسَكَholds الغُصونَthe branches سُكونٌstillness
كُلَّما أَمسَكَ الغُصونَ سُكونٌ
صَفَّقَتthey clap لِلغُصونِfor the branches حَتّىuntil تَميلاthey sway
صَفَّقَت لِلغُصونِ حَتّى تَميلا
Whenever stillness takes hold of the branches,
Whenever stillness held the branches
Be a brook flowing through the earth, glistening, / watering the fields on either bank.
They clap for the branches until they sway.
She flapped to the branches until they swayed
In it the stars bathe, and within it, / every person and everything finds its reflection.
فَاِذاso when ذَهَّبَgilds الأَصيلُthe late afternoon الرَوابيthe hills
فَاِذا ذَهَّبَ الأَصيلُ الرَوابي
وَقَفَتthey stand فَوقَهاupon them تُناجيwhisper to الأَصيلاthe late afternoon
وَقَفَت فَوقَها تُناجي الأَصيلا
And when late afternoon gilds the hills,
So when the companion birds left
Do not be a vessel that confines the water, / until it stagnates and turns into mud.
They stand upon them, whispering to the late afternoon.
She stood over them conversing with the companions
With the dawn, be a breeze that showers the flowers / with sunshine at times, and at times with kisses.
فَاِطلُبِso seek اللَهوَdelight مِثلَماjust as تَطلُبُseek الأَطthe birds (opening fragment)
فَاِطلُبِ اللَهوَ مِثلَما تَطلُبُ الأَط
يارُbirds (closing fragment) عِندَduring الهَجيرَthe midday heat ظِلّاًshade ظَليلاdense
يارُ عِندَ الهَجيرَ ظِلّاً ظَليلا
So seek delight, just as the birds seek
So seek pleasure as birds seek
Not a scorching wind from the sandstorms / that fills the earth with wailing in the dark.
Deep shade in the midday heat.
In exile, shade and shelter
And in the night, be a star that brings comfort / to the forests, the rivers, the hills, and the plains.
وَتَعَلَّمand learn حُبَّlove of الطَبيعَةِnature مِنهاfrom them
وَتَعَلَّم حُبَّ الطَبيعَةِ مِنها
وَاِترُكِand leave القالَgossip لِلوَرىto humankind وَالقيلاand hearsay
وَاِترُكِ القالَ لِلوَرى وَالقيلا
And learn from them to love nature,
And learn the love of nature from her
Not a darkness that loathes the worlds and mankind, / casting a heavy veil over all things.
And leave gossip and hearsay to humankind.
And leave nonsense to people and tales
O complainer who suffers from no illness, / be beautiful within, and you will see the whole universe as beautiful.
فَالَّذيfor whoever يَتَّقيavoids العَواذِلَthe reproachers يَلقىfinds
فَالَّذي يَتَّقي العَواذِلَ يَلقى
كُلَّevery حينٍmoment فيin كُلِّevery شَخصٍperson عَذولاa reproacher
كُلَّ حينٍ في كُلِّ شَخصٍ عَذولا
For whoever tries to avoid reproachers will find
For he who avoids caprices will find
At every moment, a reproacher in every person.
Every time in everyone pleasant
أَنتَyou لِلأَرضِto the earth أَوَّلاًfirst وَأَخيراًand last
أَنتَ لِلأَرضِ أَوَّلاً وَأَخيراً
كُنتَyou were مَلكاًa king أَوor كُنتَyou were عَبداًa slave ذَليلاlowly
كُنتَ مَلكاً أَو كُنتَ عَبداً ذَليلا
You belong to the earth, first and last,
You are to the earth first and last
Whether you are a king or a lowly slave.
Whether you were king or abject slave
لاno خُلودٌimmortality تَحتَbeneath السَماءِthe sky لِحَيٍّfor a living being
لا خُلودٌ تَحتَ السَماءِ لِحَيٍّ
فَلِماذاso why تُراوِدُyou court المُستَحيلاthe impossible
فَلِماذا تُراوِدُ المُستَحيلا
No living being has immortality beneath the sky;
There is no eternity under the sky for the living
Why, then, do you court the impossible?
So why pursue the impossible?
كُلُّevery نَجمٍstar إِلىtoward الأُفولِsetting وَلَكِنand yet
كُلُّ نَجمٍ إِلى الأُفولِ وَلَكِن
آفَةُthe bane of النَجمِthe star أَنthat يَخافَit fears الأُفولاsetting
آفَةُ النَجمِ أَن يَخافَ الأُفولا
Every star is destined to set, but
Every star is bound to set but
The star's bane is to fear its setting.
The bane of a star is to fear setting
غايَةُthe end of الوَردِthe roses فيin الرِياضِthe gardens ذُبولٌwithering
غايَةُ الوَردِ في الرِياضِ ذُبولٌ
كُنbe حَكيماًwise وَاِسبِقand outpace إِلَيهِto it الذُبولاwithering
كُن حَكيماً وَاِسبِق إِلَيهِ الذُبولا
The end of roses in the gardens is withering;
The goal of flowers in gardens is to wither
Be wise, and reach them before withering does.
Be wise and precede them in withering
وَإِذاand if ماever وَجَدتَyou find فيon الأَرضِthe earth ظِلّاًshade
وَإِذا ما وَجَدتَ في الأَرضِ ظِلّاً
فَتَفَيَّءso take shade بِهِin it إِلىuntil أَنthat يَحولاit shifts away
فَتَفَيَّء بِهِ إِلى أَن يَحولا
And if you find shade upon the earth,
And if you find shade on earth
Take shelter in it until it shifts away.
Take shelter in it until it shifts
وَتَوَقَّعand expect إِذاwhen السَماءُthe sky اِكفَهَرَّتturns gloomy
وَتَوَقَّع إِذا السَماءُ اِكفَهَرَّت
مَطَراًrain فيupon السُهولِthe plains يُحيِrevives السُهولاthe plains
مَطَراً في السُهولِ يُحيِ السُهولا
And when the sky turns gloomy, expect
And anticipate, when the sky grows dark
Rain upon the plains that brings the plains to life.
Rain in the plains reviving the plains
قُلsay لِقَومٍto people يَستَنزِفونَwho drain المَآقيthe eye corners
قُل لِقَومٍ يَستَنزِفونَ المَآقي
هَلhave ...? شُفيتُمyou have been healed مَعَwith البُكاءِweeping غَليلاburning anguish
هَل شُفيتُم مَعَ البُكاءِ غَليلا
Say to those who drain their eyes of tears:
Say to a people who drain valleys dry
Have you found relief from your burning anguish through weeping?
Did you heal your anguish with crying?
ماnot أَتَيناwe came إِلىinto الحَياةِlife لِنَشقىfor us to suffer
ما أَتَينا إِلى الحَياةِ لِنَشقى
فَأَريحواso give rest أَهلاO people of العُقولِintellect العُقولاthe minds
فَأَريحوا أَهلا العُقولِ العُقولا
We did not come into life to suffer;
We did not come to life to suffer
So, people of reason, give your minds rest.
So comfort, people of reason, reason
كُلُّevery مَنone who يَجمَعُgathers الهُمومَthe worries عَلَيهِupon himself
كُلُّ مَن يَجمَعُ الهُمومَ عَلَيهِ
أَخَذَتهُhave seized him الهُمومُthe worries أَخذاًa grip وَبيلاgrievous
أَخَذَتهُ الهُمومُ أَخذاً وَبيلا
Whoever gathers worries upon himself
All who gather worries upon themselves
Is seized by those worries with a grievous grip.
Worries have seized them in a painful seizure
كُنbe هَزاراًa nightingale فيin عُشِّهِits nest يَتَغَنّىit sings
كُن هَزاراً في عُشِّهِ يَتَغَنّى
وَمَعand despite الكَبلِthe fetter لاnot يُباليit heeds الكُبولاthe chains
وَمَع الكَبلِ لا يُبالي الكُبولا
Be a nightingale singing in its nest,
Be playful in your nest, singing
And, though fettered, paying no heed to chains;
And with shackles cares not for shackles
لاnot غُراباًa crow يُطارِدُpursuing الدودَthe worms فيin الأَرthe earth (opening fragment)
لا غُراباً يُطارِدُ الدودَ في الأَر
ضِearth (closing fragment) وَبوماًand an owl فيat اللَيلِnight يَبكيweeping over الطُلولاthe ruins
ضِ وَبوماً في اللَيلِ يَبكي الطُلولا
Not a crow pursuing worms in the earth,
Not a raven chasing worms in the soil
Nor an owl at night lamenting the ruins.
Nor an owl in the night weeping for fledglings
كُنbe غَديراًa brook يَسيرُflowing فيacross الأَرضِthe earth رَقراshimmering (opening fragment)
كُن غَديراً يَسيرُ في الأَرضِ رَقرا
قاًshimmering (closing fragment) فَيَسقيso waters مِنfrom جانِبَيهِits two banks الحُقولاthe fields
قاً فَيَسقي مِن جانِبَيهِ الحُقولا
Be a brook flowing across the earth, shimmering,
Be a stream flowing gurgling on earth
And watering the fields on either bank.
Watering on both sides the fields
تَستَحِمُّbathe النُجومُthe stars فيهِin it وَيَلقىand finds
تَستَحِمُّ النُجومُ فيهِ وَيَلقى
كُلُّevery شَخصٍperson وَكُلُّand every شَيءٍthing مَثيلاa likeness
كُلُّ شَخصٍ وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ مَثيلا
The stars bathe in it, and
Stars bathe in it and everyone and everything finds
Every person and every thing finds a likeness.
An equal and a likeness
لاnot وِعاءًa vessel يُقَيِّدُconfines الماءَthe water حَتّىuntil
لا وِعاءً يُقَيِّدُ الماءَ حَتّى
تَستَحيلَturn into المِياهُthe waters فيهِin it وُحولاmire
تَستَحيلَ المِياهُ فيهِ وُحولا
Not a vessel that confines the water until
Not a vessel to confine water
The waters within it turn to mire.
Until the water in it becomes stale
كُنbe مَعَwith الفَجرِdawn نَسمَةًa breeze توسِعُlavishes upon الأَزthe flowers (opening fragment)
كُن مَعَ الفَجرِ نَسمَةً توسِعُ الأَز
هارَflowers (closing fragment) شَمساًsunshine وَتارَةًand at times تَقبيلاkisses
هارَ شَمساً وَتارَةً تَقبيلا
At dawn, be a breeze that showers the flowers
Be with dawn a breeze expanding the days
With sunshine, and at times with kisses.
At times a sun and at times a kiss
لاnot سُموماًa scorching wind مِنَfrom among السَوافيthe dust-driving winds اللَواتيwhich
لا سُموماً مِنَ السَوافي اللَواتي
تَملَءُfill الأَرضَthe earth فيin الظَلامِthe darkness عَويلاwith howling
تَملَءُ الأَرضَ في الظَلامِ عَويلا
Not a scorching wind from those dust-laden gusts
Not poisons from snakes that fill
That fill the earth with howling in the darkness.
The earth in darkness with wailing
وَمَعَand with اللَيلِthe night كَوكَباًa star يُؤنِسُcomforts الغاthe forests (opening fragment)
وَمَعَ اللَيلِ كَوكَباً يُؤنِسُ الغا
باتِforests (closing fragment) وَالنَهرَand the river وَالرُبىand the hills وَالسُهولاand the plains
باتِ وَالنَهرَ وَالرُبى وَالسُهولا
And at night, be a star that comforts the forests,
And with night a star comforting
And the river, the hills, and the plains.
The slumberous, the river, the hillside and plains
لاnot دُجىdarkness يَكرَهُhates العَوالِمَthe worlds وَالناand the people (opening fragment)
لا دُجى يَكرَهُ العَوالِمَ وَالنا
سَpeople (closing fragment) فَيُلقيso casts عَلىover الجَميعِall سُدولاveils
سَ فَيُلقي عَلى الجَميعِ سُدولا
Not a darkness that hates the worlds and people,
Not gloom that people and mankind dislike
And so casts veils over them all.
Casting lethargy on all
أَيُّهَذاO you الشاكيthe complainer وَماthough no بِكَin you داءٌillness
أَيُّهَذا الشاكي وَما بِكَ داءٌ
كُنbe جَميلاًbeautiful تَرَyou will see الوُجودَexistence جَميلاbeautiful
كُن جَميلاً تَرَ الوُجودَ جَميلا
O you who complain, though you have no illness,
O you who complain, what ails you?
Be beautiful, and you will see existence as beautiful.
Be beautiful and you will see existence as beautiful
Partial English translation: 40 of 80 Arabic lines translated.