أَلا عَلِّلاني قَبلَ أَن يَأتِيَ المَوتُ

أَلا عَلِّلاني قَبلَ أَن يَأتِيَ المَوتُ

وَيُبنى لِجُثماني بِدارِ البِلى بَيتُ

وَيُبنى لِجُثماني بِدارِ البِلى بَيتُ

Come, you two, cheer me before death comes,

Oh how I wish to be advised before death comes

And a house is built for my body in the abode of decay.

And a house of ruin is built for my body

أَلا عَلِّلاني كَم حَبيبٍ تَعَذَّرَت

أَلا عَلِّلاني كَم حَبيبٍ تَعَذَّرَت

مَوَدَّتُهُ عَن وَصلِهِ قَد تَسَلَّيتُ

مَوَدَّتُهُ عَن وَصلِهِ قَد تَسَلَّيتُ

Come, you two, cheer me: many a beloved grew elusive

Oh how I wish to be advised, how many a beloved

In his affection; I have learned to live without his company.

Whose affection was inaccessible to reunion I endured

أَلا عَلِّلاني لَيسَ سَعيِي بِمُدرَكٍ

أَلا عَلِّلاني لَيسَ سَعيِي بِمُدرَكٍ

وَلا بِوُقوفي بِالَّذي خُطَّ لي فَوتُ

وَلا بِوُقوفي بِالَّذي خُطَّ لي فَوتُ

Come, you two, cheer me: my striving cannot ensure attainment,

Oh how I wish to be advised, my efforts are not for attainment

Nor can standing still forfeit what was written for me.

Nor for standing at that which was destined I missed

فَأَهلَكَني ما أَهلَكَ الناسَ كُلَّهُم

فَأَهلَكَني ما أَهلَكَ الناسَ كُلَّهُم

صُروفُ المُنى وَالحِرصُ وَاللَوُّ وَاللَيتُ

صُروفُ المُنى وَالحِرصُ وَاللَوُّ وَاللَيتُ

What destroyed all people has destroyed me:

So I was destroyed by what destroyed all people

The turns of hope, greed, ‘if only,’ and ‘would that.’

The turns of fate, greed, infatuation, and would that I had

أَلا رُبَّ دَسّاسٍ إِلى الكَيدِ حامِلٍ

أَلا رُبَّ دَسّاسٍ إِلى الكَيدِ حامِلٍ

ضِبابَ حُقودٍ قَد عَرَفتُ وَدارَيتُ

ضِبابَ حُقودٍ قَد عَرَفتُ وَدارَيتُ

Ah, many a schemer, creeping toward guile and bearing

Oh how many a sly enemy bearing

Lizards of rancor, have I known and humored.

Grudges’ clouds I knew and chased away

فَعادَ صَديقاً بَعدَما كانَ شائِناً

فَعادَ صَديقاً بَعدَما كانَ شائِناً

بَعيدَ الرِضى عَنّي فَصافى وَصافَيتُ

بَعيدَ الرِضى عَنّي فَصافى وَصافَيتُ

So he became a friend after being a detractor,

So he became a friend after he had been hostile

Once far from pleased with me; he offered true friendship, and I returned it.

Far from pleased with me, but then reconciled and I reconciled

وَخِطَّةِ رِبحٍ في العُلى قَد أَجَبتُها

وَخِطَّةِ رِبحٍ في العُلى قَد أَجَبتُها

وَخِطَّةِ خَسفٍ ذاتِ بَخسٍ تَأَبَّيتُ

وَخِطَّةِ خَسفٍ ذاتِ بَخسٍ تَأَبَّيتُ

Many a gainful course toward eminence I have accepted,

And I answered the plan of profitable gain

And many a course of abasement and deprivation I have refused.

And the plan of devastating loss I refused

وَزادُ التُقى مِثلُ الرَفيقِ مُقَدَّماً

وَزادُ التُقى مِثلُ الرَفيقِ مُقَدَّماً

تَزَوَّدَ قَلبي سائِغاً لي وَأَسرَيتُ

تَزَوَّدَ قَلبي سائِغاً لي وَأَسرَيتُ

And piety's provision, like a companion sent ahead,

With piety’s provision held ahead like a companion

My heart took as welcome sustenance, and I journeyed by night.

My heart pleasantly provisioned itself and I provisioned

فَلاقَيتُهُ في مَنزِلٍ قَد أُعِدَّ لي

فَلاقَيتُهُ في مَنزِلٍ قَد أُعِدَّ لي

مَحَلّاً كَريماً لا يَرومُ فَأَقرَيتُ

مَحَلّاً كَريماً لا يَرومُ فَأَقرَيتُ

So I met it in an abode already prepared for me,

So I met Him in an abode prepared for me

A noble lodging it never leaves; there I was welcomed.

An honorable lodging I do not aim for, and I lodged

وَمِن عَجَبِ الأَيّامِ بَغيُ مَعاشِرٍ

وَمِن عَجَبِ الأَيّامِ بَغيُ مَعاشِرٍ

غِضابٍ عَلى سَبقي إِذا أَنا جارَيتُ

غِضابٍ عَلى سَبقي إِذا أَنا جارَيتُ

Among the wonders of the days is the aggression of people

And from the wonders of days the hatred of comrades

Angry at my outstripping them whenever I compete.

Bent on affliction when I surpass them I experienced

لَهُم رَحِمٌ دُنياهُمُ يَعرِفونَها

لَهُم رَحِمٌ دُنياهُمُ يَعرِفونَها

إِذا أَنهَكوها بِالقَطيعَةِ أَبقَيتُ

إِذا أَنهَكوها بِالقَطيعَةِ أَبقَيتُ

They have a bond of kinship they recognize in this world;

To them belongs a womb-world they know

When they wear it out by severing ties, I preserve it.

When they exhaust it with estrangement I give life

يَصُدّونَ عَن شُكري وَتُهجَرُ سُنَّتي

يَصُدّونَ عَن شُكري وَتُهجَرُ سُنَّتي

عَلى قُربِ عَهدٍ مِثلَ ما يُهجَرُ البَيتُ

عَلى قُربِ عَهدٍ مِثلَ ما يُهجَرُ البَيتُ

They turn away from thanking me, and my example is forsaken,

They bar me from gratitude and my way is shunned

Though little time has passed, just as a house is abandoned.

Shortly after proximity like a house is shunned

فَذَلِكَ دَأبُ البِرِّ مِنّي وَدَأبُهُم

فَذَلِكَ دَأبُ البِرِّ مِنّي وَدَأبُهُم

إِذا قُتِلوا نُعمايَ بِالكُفرِ أَحيَيتُ

إِذا قُتِلوا نُعمايَ بِالكُفرِ أَحيَيتُ

Such is my practice of kindness, while theirs is this:

So that is the way of righteousness from me and their way

Whenever they kill my favors with ingratitude, I revive them.

When they kill my blessings with disbelief I give life

يُغيظُهُمُ فَضلي عَلَيهِم وَنَقصُهُم

يُغيظُهُمُ فَضلي عَلَيهِم وَنَقصُهُم

كَأَنِّيَ قَسَّمتُ الحُظوظَ فَحابَيتُ

كَأَنِّيَ قَسَّمتُ الحُظوظَ فَحابَيتُ

My superiority over them and their deficiency enrage them,

My exceeding them angers them and their deficiency

As though I had apportioned fortunes and shown favoritism.

As though I distributed the lots and favored

وَكَم كُرَبٍ أَخّاذَةٍ بِحُلوقِهِم

وَكَم كُرَبٍ أَخّاذَةٍ بِحُلوقِهِم

مُصَمِّمَةِ البَلوى كَشَفتُ وَجَلَّيتُ

مُصَمِّمَةِ البَلوى كَشَفتُ وَجَلَّيتُ

How many anguishes, clutching at their throats,

And how many firm coiling afflictions in their throats

Relentless in affliction, have I lifted and dispelled.

I undid and relieved

عَرَفتُ زَماني بُؤسَهُ وَرَخائَهُ

عَرَفتُ زَماني بُؤسَهُ وَرَخائَهُ

وَلاقَيتُ مَكروهَ الخُطوبِ وَعانَيتُ

وَلاقَيتُ مَكروهَ الخُطوبِ وَعانَيتُ

I have known my age, its misery and its ease,

I knew my time, its misery and comfort

And faced the cruelty of calamities and suffered.

And I faced the hated misfortunes and endured

وَدَهرٍ مُؤاتٍ قَد مَلَكتُ نَعيمَهُ

وَدَهرٍ مُؤاتٍ قَد مَلَكتُ نَعيمَهُ

وَأُعطيتُ مِن حَلواءِ عَيشٍ وَأَعطَيتُ

وَأُعطيتُ مِن حَلواءِ عَيشٍ وَأَعطَيتُ

Many a favorable time I have enjoyed in all its comfort,

And a favorable fate whose bliss I possessed

Receiving some of life's sweetness, and giving in turn.

And I was given the sweetness of livelihood and I gave

وَآخَرُ يُشجيني صَبَرتُ لِمَضِّهِ

وَآخَرُ يُشجيني صَبَرتُ لِمَضِّهِ

وَكَم مِن شَجىً تَحتَ التَصَبُّرِ قاسَيتُ

وَكَم مِن شَجىً تَحتَ التَصَبُّرِ قاسَيتُ

Another grieved me; I endured its sting,

And another that grieves me, for its pain I was patient

And how much choking grief I have borne beneath forced patience.

And how many agonies beneath composure I tasted

وَخَصمٍ يَهُدُّ القَرمَ رَجعُ جَوابِهِ

وَخَصمٍ يَهُدُّ القَرمَ رَجعُ جَوابِهِ

مَلَأتُ لَهُ صاعَ الخِصامِ فَوَفَّيتُ

مَلَأتُ لَهُ صاعَ الخِصامِ فَوَفَّيتُ

Many an adversary whose resounding reply would crush a champion—

And an adversary whose foolish talk is abundant

I filled the measure of dispute for him and gave it in full.

I filled for him contention’s bucket and sufficed

أُصافي بَني الشَحناءِ ما جَمجَموا بِها

أُصافي بَني الشَحناءِ ما جَمجَموا بِها

لِبُقيا فَإِن أَغرَوا بِيَ الشَرَّ أَغرَيتُ

لِبُقيا فَإِن أَغرَوا بِيَ الشَرَّ أَغرَيتُ

I offer friendship to the sons of rancor while they keep it concealed,

I match the fabrications of the hostile what they muddled with it

Out of forbearance; if they unleash evil against me, I unleash it too.

For the remains, and if they delude me with evil I deluded

وَأَتبَعُ مِصباحَ اليَقينِ فَإِن بَدا

وَأَتبَعُ مِصباحَ اليَقينِ فَإِن بَدا

لِيَ الشَكُّ في شَيءٍ يُريبُ تَناهَيتُ

لِيَ الشَكُّ في شَيءٍ يُريبُ تَناهَيتُ

I follow the lamp of certainty; but if there appears

And I follow the lantern of certainty, so if

To me doubt about anything suspect, I desist.

Doubt in something uncertain appears, I refrain

وَبَهماءَ دَيمومٍ كَسَوتُ قِفارَها

وَبَهماءَ دَيمومٍ كَسَوتُ قِفارَها

مَناسِمَ حُرجوجٍ وَبَهماءَ عَرَّيتُ

مَناسِمَ حُرجوجٍ وَبَهماءَ عَرَّيتُ

Many a vast, trackless desert—its wastes I clothed

And the desolation of perpetuity I covered its expanses

With a lean she-camel's footpads; many a dark waste I laid bare.

With scintillating mirages, and the desolation I laid bare

شَغَلتُ هُمومَ النَفسِ عَنّي بِرِحلَةٍ

شَغَلتُ هُمومَ النَفسِ عَنّي بِرِحلَةٍ

فَأَصبَحتُ مِنها فَوقَ رَحلي وَأَمسَيتُ

فَأَصبَحتُ مِنها فَوقَ رَحلي وَأَمسَيتُ

I distracted my soul's cares from me with a journey,

I preoccupied the soul’s worries with a journey

So, free of them, I spent morning and evening upon my saddle.

And I became above it in my equipment by morning and evening

وَماءِ خَلاءٍ قَد طَرَقتُ بِسُدفَةٍ

وَماءِ خَلاءٍ قَد طَرَقتُ بِسُدفَةٍ

عَلَيهِ القَطا كَأَنَّ آجِنَهُ الزَيتُ

عَلَيهِ القَطا كَأَنَّ آجِنَهُ الزَيتُ

Many a wilderness pool I have reached in darkness,

And a spring whose surroundings I knocked with a vessel

Sandgrouse upon it, its stagnant water like oil.

Like oil flows down it

وَمَرقَبَةٍ مِثلِ السِنانِ عَلَوتُها

وَمَرقَبَةٍ مِثلِ السِنانِ عَلَوتُها

كَأَنّي لِأَردافِ الكَواكِبِ ناجَيتُ

كَأَنّي لِأَردافِ الكَواكِبِ ناجَيتُ

Many a lookout, like a spearhead, I have climbed,

And an outlook post like a spear I climbed

As though I whispered to the hindquarters of the stars.

As though for the saddle seats of stars I whispered

وَأُمنِيَةٍ لَم أَمنَعِ النَفسَ رَومَها

وَأُمنِيَةٍ لَم أَمنَعِ النَفسَ رَومَها

بَلَغتُ وَأُخرى بَعدَها قَد تَمَنَّيتُ

بَلَغتُ وَأُخرى بَعدَها قَد تَمَنَّيتُ

Many a wish I did not forbid my soul to pursue

And a wish I did not forbid my soul its intent

I attained, then wished for another after it.

I attained and another thereafter I wished

وَحَربٍ عَوانٍ يُثقِلُ الأَرضَ حَملُها

وَحَربٍ عَوانٍ يُثقِلُ الأَرضَ حَملُها

وَيَلمَعُ في أَطرافِ أَرماحِها المَوتُ

وَيَلمَعُ في أَطرافِ أَرماحِها المَوتُ

Many a long-raging war, whose burden weighed down the earth,

And a vicious war whose burden weighs down the land

With death flashing at the tips of its spears,

And death glints on the edges of its spears

شَهِدتُ بِصَبرٍ لا تُوَلّي جُنودُهُ

شَهِدتُ بِصَبرٍ لا تُوَلّي جُنودُهُ

فَحاسَيتُ أَكواسَ المَنايا وَساقَيتُ

فَحاسَيتُ أَكواسَ المَنايا وَساقَيتُ

I faced with steadfastness whose armies never retreat;

I witnessed with patience whose troops do not retreat

So I traded cups of death, drinking and giving drink.

So I tasted the goblets of doom and I served them

وَضَيفٍ رَمَتني لَيلَةٌ بِسَوادِهِ

وَضَيفٍ رَمَتني لَيلَةٌ بِسَوادِهِ

فَحَيّاهُ بِشري قَبلَ زادي وَحَيَّيتُ

فَحَيّاهُ بِشري قَبلَ زادي وَحَيَّيتُ

Many a guest whose dark form a night cast upon me—

And a guest the night tossed me in its darkness

My cheerfulness greeted him before my provisions, and I welcomed him.

So I greeted him ere my provision and greeted

وَباتَ بِمُمسي لَيلَةٍ غابَ شَرُّها

وَباتَ بِمُمسي لَيلَةٍ غابَ شَرُّها

وَقُمتُ فَأَطعَمتُ الثَناءَ وَأُسقيتُ

وَقُمتُ فَأَطعَمتُ الثَناءَ وَأُسقيتُ

He spent a night at my lodging, a night whose evil was absent,

And he stayed the eve of a night whose evil vanished

And I arose, fed with praise and given it to drink.

And I stood and fed praise and sated

وَنُعمى تَضيقُ النَفسُ حينَ أَرُدُّها

وَنُعمى تَضيقُ النَفسُ حينَ أَرُدُّها

شَكَرتُ عَلَيها ذا البَلادِ وَكافَيتُ

شَكَرتُ عَلَيها ذا البَلادِ وَكافَيتُ

Many a favor whose repayment constrains the soul—

And blessings that straiten the soul when I recount them

For it I thanked the lord of the land and repaid him.

I thanked the Lord of the lands and it sufficed

وَداءٍ مِنَ الأَعداءِ دَبَّت سُمومُهُ

وَداءٍ مِنَ الأَعداءِ دَبَّت سُمومُهُ

وَأَعيا رِفاءَ الشَرِّ بِالسَيفِ داوَيتُ

وَأَعيا رِفاءَ الشَرِّ بِالسَيفِ داوَيتُ

Many an illness from enemies, its poisons creeping through,

And a malady from the enemies crept its poisons

Which defied the mending of evil, I treated with the sword.

And I cured the calm of evil with the sword and healed

وَعَزمٍ كَمَتنِ السَيفِ لي وَلِصاحِبي

وَعَزمٍ كَمَتنِ السَيفِ لي وَلِصاحِبي

فَما أَظهَرَتهُ بَوحَةٌ مُنذُ أَخفَيتُ

فَما أَظهَرَتهُ بَوحَةٌ مُنذُ أَخفَيتُ

Many a resolve, like a sword's spine, held by me and my companion—

And a resolve like the bending of the sword for me and my friend

No disclosure has revealed it since I concealed it.

That an intimation since I concealed did not disclose

وَراحٍ كَلَونِ التِبرِ يَضحَكُ كَأسُها

وَراحٍ كَلَونِ التِبرِ يَضحَكُ كَأسُها

صَبَحتُ بِها شَرباً كِراماً وَغادَيتُ

صَبَحتُ بِها شَرباً كِراماً وَغادَيتُ

And wine the color of uncoined gold, its cup laughing,

And wine like the color of amber smiling in its cup

I served at dawn to noble drinkers, and visited them early.

I began at dawn honorably drinking and left

وَبَيضاءَ تُعطي العَينَ حُسناً وَنَضرَةً

وَبَيضاءَ تُعطي العَينَ حُسناً وَنَضرَةً

شَغَلتُ بِها عَصرَ الشَبابِ وَأَفنَيتُ

شَغَلتُ بِها عَصرَ الشَبابِ وَأَفنَيتُ

Many a fair-skinned woman, offering beauty and freshness to the eye—

And a fair one who gives the eye beauty and radiance

With her I occupied my youth and spent it away.

I busied with her the prime of youth and spent

سَمَوتُ لَها وَاللَيلُ قَد لاحَ نَجمُهُ

سَمَوتُ لَها وَاللَيلُ قَد لاحَ نَجمُهُ

فَلاقَيتُ بَدراً في الدُجى حينَ لاقَيتُ

فَلاقَيتُ بَدراً في الدُجى حينَ لاقَيتُ

I rose toward her when the night's star had appeared,

I ascended to her and the night shone its star

And met a full moon in the darkness when I met her.

And I met a full moon in the dimness when I met

وَكُنتُ اِمرَأً مِنّي التَصابي الَّذي تَرى

وَكُنتُ اِمرَأً مِنّي التَصابي الَّذي تَرى

فَقَد بَلَغَت مِنّي النُهى فَتَناهَيتُ

فَقَد بَلَغَت مِنّي النُهى فَتَناهَيتُ

I was a man given to the youthful folly you see,

And I was a man of the amorousness that you see

But reason has taken hold of me, and I have desisted.

For I have attained the climax so I climbed beyond

وَقُلتُ أَلا يا نَفسِ هَل بَعدَ شَيبَةٍ

وَقُلتُ أَلا يا نَفسِ هَل بَعدَ شَيبَةٍ

نَذيرٌ فَما عُذري إِذا ما تَمادَيتُ

نَذيرٌ فَما عُذري إِذا ما تَمادَيتُ

I said, ‘Ah, my soul, is there after gray hair

And I said oh soul after grey hair

Any warning? What excuse have I if I persist?’

Is there warning, what then is my excuse if I persist?

وَقَد أَبصَرَت عَيني المَنِيَّةَ تَنتَضي

وَقَد أَبصَرَت عَيني المَنِيَّةَ تَنتَضي

سُيوفَ مَشيبي فَوقَ رَأسي وَأَشفَيتُ

سُيوفَ مَشيبي فَوقَ رَأسي وَأَشفَيتُ

And my eye has seen death unsheathing

And my eye saw death brandishing

The swords of my gray hair above my head; I have come to the brink.

My grey hair’s swords above my head and I looked

فَخَلَّيتُ سُلطانَ التَصابي لِأَهلِهِ

فَخَلَّيتُ سُلطانَ التَصابي لِأَهلِهِ

وَأَدبَرتُ عَن شَأنِ الغَوِيِّ وَوَلَّيتُ

وَأَدبَرتُ عَن شَأنِ الغَوِيِّ وَوَلَّيتُ

So I left youthful folly's dominion to its people,

So I relinquished the reign of amorousness to its people

And turned from the erring man's pursuits and withdrew.

And I turned from the matter of the wanton and withdrew

فَما أَنا لَولا الذِكرُ ما قَد عَلِمتُمُ

فَما أَنا لَولا الذِكرُ ما قَد عَلِمتُمُ

أَطَعتُ عَذولي بَعدَما كُنتُ عاصَيتُ

أَطَعتُ عَذولي بَعدَما كُنتُ عاصَيتُ

Only in memory am I what you once knew;

Without remembrance I would not have known

I obeyed my reprover after having disobeyed him.

I obeyed my own lusts after being disobedient

وَقالوا مَشيبُ الرَأسِ يَحدو إِلى الرَدى

وَقالوا مَشيبُ الرَأسِ يَحدو إِلى الرَدى

فَقُلتُ أَراني قَد قَرُبتُ وَدانَيتُ

فَقُلتُ أَراني قَد قَرُبتُ وَدانَيتُ

They said, ‘The graying of the head drives one toward death.’

And they said grey hair tilts one close to destruction

So I said, ‘I see I have drawn near and come close.’

I said do you see me brought near and close?

تَبَدَّلَ قَلبي ما تَبَدَّلَ مَفرِقي

تَبَدَّلَ قَلبي ما تَبَدَّلَ مَفرِقي

بَياضُ تُقايَ قَد نَزَعتُ وَأَبقَيتُ

بَياضُ تُقايَ قَد نَزَعتُ وَأَبقَيتُ

My heart has changed as the parting of my hair has changed—

My heart changed not as my temples changed

To the whiteness of my piety; I have renounced and held fast.

I removed white marked by reverence and maintained

وَقَد طالَ ما أَترَعتُ كَأسي مِنَ الصِبا

وَقَد طالَ ما أَترَعتُ كَأسي مِنَ الصِبا

زَماناً فَقَد عَطَّلتُ كَأسي وَأَفضَيتُ

زَماناً فَقَد عَطَّلتُ كَأسي وَأَفضَيتُ

Long did I fill my cup with youthful folly

For long I tipped my cup in youth

For a time; now I have left my cup idle and withdrawn.

So I dismantled my cup after I emptied