أَلاَ يا صَاحِ مَنْ للمَجْدِ صَاحٍ

أَلاَ يا صَاحِ مَنْ للمَجْدِ صَاحٍ

ونَخْوَةِ طامحِ العينينِ طَاحِ

ونَخْوَةِ طامحِ العينينِ طَاحِ

Ah, my friend, who is awake to glory,

Oh you who calls for glory, who voices

and swept away by pride, his eyes aspiring?

The tenderness of one whose eyes yearn -

كأَنَّ الدهرَ تفضحُه ذُنوبي

كأَنَّ الدهرَ تفضحُه ذُنوبي

فليس سِوى بِعَادي واطرّاحي

فليس سِوى بِعَادي واطرّاحي

As though my sins disgrace Time,

As if my sins have shamed the ages -

so it does nothing but banish and cast me aside.

I have but my caprice and mischief.

وغايةُ هذه الدُّنيا فَسَادٌ

وغايةُ هذه الدُّنيا فَسَادٌ

فكيفَ نكونُ منها في صَلاحِ

فكيفَ نكونُ منها في صَلاحِ

And this world's end is ruin,

The goal of worldly life is corruption.

so how can we find well-being in it?

How can we within it find righteousness?

هي الخَرقَاءُ تَنْقضُ بعدَ نَسْجٍ

هي الخَرقَاءُ تَنْقضُ بعدَ نَسْجٍ

فما فيها لحيٍّ من فَلاَحِ

فما فيها لحيٍّ من فَلاَحِ

It is the foolish woman who unravels what she has woven,

This dilapidated world unravels what is woven.

so no living being finds success in it.

No living soul succeeds through it.

يَؤولُ به الشَّبابُ الى مَشِيبٍ

يَؤولُ به الشَّبابُ الى مَشِيبٍ

ويسْلِمُهُ الغُدُوُّ الى الرَّواحِ

ويسْلِمُهُ الغُدُوُّ الى الرَّواحِ

Youth leads him to gray hair,

Youth leads to aging which leads to the grave,

and morning hands him over to evening.

And the morn hands him over to the winds.

وقد فتِنَ الأَنامُ بها وغُرُّوا

وقد فتِنَ الأَنامُ بها وغُرُّوا

كما يُغْتَرُّ بالحَدَقِ المِلاحِ

كما يُغْتَرُّ بالحَدَقِ المِلاحِ

And humankind has been beguiled by it and deceived,

The people are tempted by it and fooled

as one is deceived by beautiful eyes.

As the mirage fools the saline terrain.

وتأخذُ من جَوانبنا الليالي

وتأخذُ من جَوانبنا الليالي

كما أَخذَ المَسَاءُ من الصَّباحِ

كما أَخذَ المَسَاءُ من الصَّباحِ

And the nights wear away our sides,

The nights take from our sides

as evening has taken from morning.

As the evening takes from the morn.

أَمَا في أَهْلِهَا رَجُلٌ لَبِيبٌ

أَمَا في أَهْلِهَا رَجُلٌ لَبِيبٌ

يحسُّ فيَشْتكِي أَلمَ الجِرَاحِ

يحسُّ فيَشْتكِي أَلمَ الجِرَاحِ

Is there no discerning man among its people

Is there not among its people a reasonable man

who feels, then complains of the pain of wounds?

Who feels and complains of the pain of wounds?

أَرى التَّشْميرَ فيها كالتَّواني

أَرى التَّشْميرَ فيها كالتَّواني

وحِرْمَانَ العَطِيَّةِ كالنَّجاحِ

وحِرْمَانَ العَطِيَّةِ كالنَّجاحِ

I see exertion in it as no different from idleness,

I see reluctance in it to be haste

and being denied a gift as no different from success.

And deprivation as attainment.

وَمَنْ لبسَ التُّرابَ كمنْ علاه

وَمَنْ لبسَ التُّرابَ كمنْ علاه

فلا تَغْرُرْكَ أنفاسُ الرِّيَاحِ

فلا تَغْرُرْكَ أنفاسُ الرِّيَاحِ

And one clothed in earth is like one who stands above it;

He who wears dust is as he who wore it.

so let not the breaths of the winds deceive you.

Do not be fooled by breaths of wind.

وكيفَ يكِدُ مُهْجَتَهُ حَريصٌ

وكيفَ يكِدُ مُهْجَتَهُ حَريصٌ

يَرى الارزاقَ في ضَربِ القِداح

يَرى الارزاقَ في ضَربِ القِداح

And how can an eager man wear out his soul,

How can one who seeks his ruin tire himself

who sees sustenance in the casting of lot-arrows?

When he sees that fate is cast?

لعَمْرُ أَبي لمَمتَعِضٌ حَريُصٌ

لعَمْرُ أَبي لمَمتَعِضٌ حَريُصٌ

الى العلياءِ مُنْخرِط الجِمَاحِ

الى العلياءِ مُنْخرِط الجِمَاحِ

By my father's life, an indignant man, eager

By my father I am a weary, greedy man

for the heights, unbridled in his charge,

Stretching his wings to reach the heights.

كَصَدْرِ الذابلِ الخطّيّ أَهدَى

كَصَدْرِ الذابلِ الخطّيّ أَهدَى

اليهِ المَجْدُ شُكْري وامتدَاحِي

اليهِ المَجْدُ شُكْري وامتدَاحِي

like the point of a slender Khatti spear—

Like the breast of a fading horse, my glory

to whom glory has offered my thanks and praise—

And praise are for you, most generous.

أَحَبُّ اليَّ مِنْ بَذْلِ العَطايا

أَحَبُّ اليَّ مِنْ بَذْلِ العَطايا

وجُردِ الخَيلِ والنعْمِ المُراحِ

وجُردِ الخَيلِ والنعْمِ المُراحِ

is dearer to me than the bestowal of gifts,

I love more than gifts, horses, and possessions

and sleek horses and livestock brought home,

Praise protected, not freely permitted.

وأَجدر أنْ يُتَاحَ له ثَنَاءٌ

وأَجدر أنْ يُتَاحَ له ثَنَاءٌ

مَصُونٌ غير متبذلٍ مُباحِ

مَصُونٌ غير متبذلٍ مُباحِ

and worthier of having praise granted to him,

A man gives you deeds discreetly

kept inviolate, not cheapened or made common.

And no words vainly uttered.

فتى يُعْطيكَ فِعْلاً في حَياءٍ

فتى يُعْطيكَ فِعْلاً في حَياءٍ

ولا يُعطيكَ قولاً في ارتَياحِ

ولا يُعطيكَ قولاً في ارتَياحِ

A young man who gives you deeds with modesty,

As though in my plight, I complained

and does not give you words in glad enthusiasm.

To a submissive man, restless in worry;

كأَني اذْ شكوتُ شكوتُ مابي

كأَني اذْ شكوتُ شكوتُ مابي

الى مُتَذَللٍ قَلِقِ الوِشَاحِ

الى مُتَذَللٍ قَلِقِ الوِشَاحِ

As though, when I complained, I complained of my plight

A loathing eye and passion

to a yielding one whose sash hangs loose.

Rushing to scorn my disgrace.

يَصُدُّ بوجههِ وَهَواهُ عينٌ

يَصُدُّ بوجههِ وَهَواهُ عينٌ

على هينيَّ عارِمَةُ الطمَاحِ

على هينيَّ عارِمَةُ الطمَاحِ

He turns his face away, while his desire is an eye

And a bold man set to noble deeds

upon my meekness, fierce in its straining gaze.

Transcending wine and while being sober.

وَشَمَّرَ للمكارمِ شَمَّرِيُّ

وَشَمَّرَ للمكارمِ شَمَّرِيُّ

تَخَالُ به المُدامةَ وهو صَاحِ

تَخَالُ به المُدامةَ وهو صَاحِ

And a resolute man girded himself for noble deeds—

High of purpose, his comfort rises

you would think him drunk with wine, though he is sober.

To the nobility of courage and generosity.

رفيعُ الهمِ تنهض راحتاهُ

رفيعُ الهمِ تنهض راحتاهُ

الى شَرفِ الشَّجَاعَةِ والسَّمَاحِ

الى شَرفِ الشَّجَاعَةِ والسَّمَاحِ

Lofty in aspiration, his two palms rise

He surprised them, a wealthy man, when he met

to the nobility of courage and generosity.

The present might discarding weapons.

فَفَاجَأَهُمْ غنيٌّ حين يَلْقَى

فَفَاجَأَهُمْ غنيٌّ حين يَلْقَى

بحاضرِ شوكتيهِ عن السِّلاحِ

بحاضرِ شوكتيهِ عن السِّلاحِ

Then he surprised them, needing at the encounter

Carefree, advancing assured

no weapons, thanks to his two ready powers.

To the edge of blades and armor.

رَخيُّ البَالِ يُقْدِمُ مُطْمَئِنّاً

رَخيُّ البَالِ يُقْدِمُ مُطْمَئِنّاً

على حَدِّ الأَسِنَّةِ والصِّفَاحِ

على حَدِّ الأَسِنَّةِ والصِّفَاحِ

Untroubled in mind, he advances serenely

The horses' chests were struck by his

upon the points of spears and the edges of sword blades.

Unstoppable cries and shouts.

وقد رُميتْ صُدورُ الخَيْلِ منهُ

وقد رُميتْ صُدورُ الخَيْلِ منهُ

بمَاضٍ لا يُهَدُّ من الصِّيَاحِ

بمَاضٍ لا يُهَدُّ من الصِّيَاحِ

And the horses' breasts were assailed by him,

The nimble-footed horse refuses cunning

a resolute warrior whom no shouting can break.

Jabbing at the tips of spears.

جَريُّ الوثب يَرْغَبُ عن مكَرٍّ

جَريُّ الوثب يَرْغَبُ عن مكَرٍّ

يُعَاسِل فيه أطرافَ الرِّمَاحِ

يُعَاسِل فيه أطرافَ الرِّمَاحِ

Bold in his leaps, he disdains a charge

He relieved their distress and lit their darkness,

where he dodges the points of spears.

The wise of will defies every villain.

فَفَرجَ كَربَها وَجَلا عَمَاهَا

فَفَرجَ كَربَها وَجَلا عَمَاهَا

ذلوقُ العَزمِ يعْصي كلَّ لاحِ

ذلوقُ العَزمِ يعْصي كلَّ لاحِ

So he relieved its anguish and dispelled its blindness,

He did not consider the nights' cycles

keen in resolve, defying every reproacher.

Or the hopes of blissful outcomes.

ولم يَرقُبْ بها دولَ الليالى

ولم يَرقُبْ بها دولَ الليالى

ولا عدةَ الأَمانى بالفَلاحِ

ولا عدةَ الأَمانى بالفَلاحِ

And he did not await in it the turns of the nights,

Through him, the palms of my hands have attained

nor the promise of hopes for success.

Success preceding my steps forward.

به نالتْ بنانُ يَدى وطالتْ

به نالتْ بنانُ يَدى وطالتْ

أَمامَ الزَّفِ قَادِمَتَا جَنَاحي

أَمامَ الزَّفِ قَادِمَتَا جَنَاحي

Through him my fingertips found success, and there grew long

I was not the first to see him,

ahead of the down the two leading feathers of my wing.

Smooth of skin, prosperous of regions.

وَمَا وُدِّى لأول من تَرَاهُ

وَمَا وُدِّى لأول من تَرَاهُ

صقيل البشْر مَعْمُورَ النَّواحي

صقيل البشْر مَعْمُورَ النَّواحي

And my affection is not for the first man you see

Deeds have preceded him in my eyes,

with a gleaming smile and prosperous surroundings.

Clarifying his frank generosity.

وقد سَبقتْ له عندى أَيادٍ

وقد سَبقتْ له عندى أَيادٍ

مُبيناتٌ من الكرم الصُّرَاحِ

مُبيناتٌ من الكرم الصُّرَاحِ

He has already done me favors,

Those traits, O son of Nasr,

plain manifestations of unalloyed generosity.

Cannot be erased by time.

وتلك على السَّوالفِ يا بنَ نَصْرٍ

وتلك على السَّوالفِ يا بنَ نَصْرٍ

سِمَاتٌ ليس يَمْحُوهُنَّ مَاحِ

سِمَاتٌ ليس يَمْحُوهُنَّ مَاحِ

And those, on the sides of the neck, O son of Nasr,

are marks no eraser can efface.