لاno فَراغٌrespite الاَّexcept مِنَfrom الأَشغَالِlabors
لا فَراغٌ الاَّ مِنَ الأَشغَالِ
والعُلاَand eminence لاnot تُنَالُis attained بالآمَالِthrough hopes
والعُلاَ لا تُنَالُ بالآمَالِ
There is no respite except from labors,
There is no rest but from toil,
and eminence is not attained through hopes.
And high rank is not attained by hopes.
بَعُدَتْwas too long شُقَّةُthe stretch of المَهَامِهِtrackless deserts أَنْto تُقْbe crossed (first part)
بَعُدَتْ شُقَّةُ المَهَامِهِ أَنْ تُقْ
طَعَrest of 'be crossed' الاَّexcept بالشَّدِّby exertion والتَرحَالِand journeying
طَعَ الاَّ بالشَّدِّ والتَرحَالِ
The stretch of trackless deserts is too long to cross
The task of grand ambitions is cut
except by exertion and journeying.
Only by firmness and travel.
وأَبَىand refused المجدُglory أَنْto يُنالَbe attained بغيرِwithout الthe
وأَبَى المجدُ أَنْ يُنالَ بغيرِ ال
كَدِّtoil فلتَنْتَبِهْso let them take heed عُقولُthe minds of الرِّجَالِmen
كَدِّ فلتَنْتَبِهْ عُقولُ الرِّجَالِ
Glory refuses to be won without
Glory refused to be attained without
toil; let the minds of men take heed.
Effort, so let the minds of men wake up.
جَعَلَmade اللهُGod حُبَّlove of منthose who يَسكنُdwell in الغُوGhouta (first part)
جَعَلَ اللهُ حُبَّ من يَسكنُ الغُو
طَةَrest of 'Ghouta' حَظّىmy portion منamong سائرِall الأَعمَالِdeeds
طَةَ حَظّى من سائرِ الأَعمَالِ
God has made love of those who dwell in Ghouta
God made the love of one who dwells in glory
my portion among all deeds.
My fortune among all deeds.
ماwhat لقلبيwith my heart علىdespite التَّقَلُّبِchangefulness لاnot يَسْhear (first part)
ما لقلبي على التَّقَلُّبِ لا يَسْ
معُrest of 'hear' فيكمconcerning you مَلامةَthe censure of العُذَّالِthe reproachers
معُ فيكم مَلامةَ العُذَّالِ
What ails my heart? Despite its changes, it will not
Why does my heart keep fluctuating?
heed the reproachers' censure concerning you.
It does not listen to the blaming of slanderers.
لوif خَضَعناwe bowed لمستطيلٍto an overbearing one سِواكمother than you
لو خَضَعنا لمستطيلٍ سِواكم
أَوor سَمِحناwe allowed لغيرِكمsomeone other than you بالسؤالِto question
أَو سَمِحنا لغيرِكم بالسؤالِ
Had we bowed to an overbearing one other than you,
If we had surrendered to any but you
or allowed someone else to question us,
Or allowed others to question,
لسألَناhe would have asked us كيفَhow المُضَاجعthe beds أوor كيhow (first part)
لسألَنا كيفَ المُضَاجع أو كي
فَrest of 'how' يكونُcould be الكَرىslumber ولهفُand yearning for الخَيَالِthe dream-vision
فَ يكونُ الكَرى ولهفُ الخَيَالِ
he would have asked us how our beds were, or how
We would have asked how the beds are or how
slumber could coexist with yearning for a dream-vision.
Fantasies would be and the longing of imagination.
هلwill? يَرُدُّrestore الأسىsorrow عليَّto me شَباباًyouth
هل يَرُدُّ الأسى عليَّ شَباباً
كانَwas جاهيmy standing فيamong الغَانياتِbeautiful women وماليand my wealth
كانَ جاهي في الغَانياتِ ومالي
Will sorrow restore to me the youth
Will youthfulness return to me
that was my standing among fair women and my wealth?
When my glory was among the singing girls and my money?
لاmay you not تناسيتَyou forget أَيُّهاO الشَّعرُthe hair الأسblack (first part)
لا تناسيتَ أَيُّها الشَّعرُ الأس
ودُrest of 'black' عَهدِيmy bond ولاnor سَئِمْتَyou tire of وِصاليunion with me
ودُ عَهدِي ولا سَئِمْتَ وِصالي
May you never forget, O black hair,
Do not forget, O black poetry, my era
your bond with me, nor tire of our union.
And do not grow weary of my company.
انْif تكنyou are فيin الاخاءِbrotherhood حُلْتَyou have turned عنfrom الوُدْaffection (first part)
انْ تكن في الاخاءِ حُلْتَ عن الوُدْ
دrest of 'affection' فماthen not كانَwas وصلُناour union عَنfrom تَبَالِenmity
د فما كانَ وصلُنا عَن تَبَالِ
If, in brotherhood, you have turned away from affection,
If you have avoided intimacy out of love
our union was never founded on enmity.
Then our connection was not without weariness.
أَوor تَجَنَّيتyou falsely found fault ظالماًunjustly فالتَّجَنّيthen unjust faultfinding
أَو تَجَنَّيت ظالماً فالتَّجَنّي
طرفٌone aspect منof مقدَّماتِthe precursors of المَلالِweariness
طرفٌ من مقدَّماتِ المَلالِ
Or if you have wrongfully found fault, such faultfinding
Or if you turned away wrongfully, turning away
is one of the first signs of weariness.
Is part of the beginnings of boredom.
وَلَعَمْرِيand by my life لقدindeed ظننتُI thought بكَof you الهجdesertion (first part)
وَلَعَمْرِي لقد ظننتُ بكَ الهج
رَrest of 'desertion' دَلاَلاًcoyness وكيفand how ليfor me بالدَّلاَلِto have coyness
رَ دَلاَلاً وكيف لي بالدَّلاَلِ
By my life, I took your desertion
By my life, I thought you were guiding me to love
for coyness—but how could such coyness be mine?
How could I have a guide to love?
لمdid not أفارقكَpart from you رغبةًaversion عنكَfrom you فيin العَيْlife (first part)
لم أفارقكَ رغبةً عنكَ في العَيْ
شِrest of 'life' وماand not كلevery فُرقةٍparting عنfrom ثِقَالِburdensomeness
شِ وما كل فُرقةٍ عن ثِقَالِ
I did not part from you out of aversion to you in life;
I did not part from you out of desire away from you
not every parting comes from finding the other burdensome.
Not every separation is due to burden.
فَصَلَتْdistinguished دولةُthe rule of الرئيسِthe chief أَبيAbu الرَّيْal-Rayyan (first part)
فَصَلَتْ دولةُ الرئيسِ أَبي الرَّيْ
يَانِrest of 'al-Rayyan' بينbetween الهُدىguidance وبينَand between الضَّلالِerror
يَانِ بين الهُدى وبينَ الضَّلالِ
The rule of the chief Abu al-Rayyan has distinguished
The rule of the President Abu Al-Rayyan
between guidance and error.
Separated the right path from misguidance.
ماnot يُؤَدِيrenders الأنامُhumankind شكرَthanks for أياديِfavors
ما يُؤَدِي الأنامُ شكرَ أياديِ
كَyour ببذلِby offering النفوسِlives والأموَالِand wealth
كَ ببذلِ النفوسِ والأموَالِ
Humankind cannot render due thanks for your favors
People cannot thank your hands enough
by offering up lives and wealth.
By sacrificing their souls and money.
جُمِعَتْwere united هذهthese القلوبُhearts علىin حبْlove (first part)
جُمِعَتْ هذه القلوبُ على حبْ
بِكof you (completion) لمَّاwhen وليتَyou took office ياO خيرَbest والِruler
بِك لمَّا وليتَ يا خيرَ والِ
These hearts were united in love
These hearts have united in loving you
for you when you took office, O best of rulers.
Since you took office, O best ruler.
كنتyou were كالغيثِlike rain فيهمamong them يتركُleaving العاthe bare (first part)
كنت كالغيثِ فيهم يتركُ العا
طلَrest of 'the bare' منof عاقرِbarren الثَّرىearth وهوwhile it is حَالِadorned
طلَ من عاقرِ الثَّرى وهو حَالِ
You were like rain among them, leaving the bare stretches
You were like rain to them, leaving
of barren earth adorned.
The barren land from the dry soil fertile.
السُنٌtongues تنشرُspread الثناءَpraise وأيدٍand hands
السُنٌ تنشرُ الثناءَ وأيدٍ
رُفِعَتْwere raised بالدعاءِin prayer والابتهَالِand supplication
رُفِعَتْ بالدعاءِ والابتهَالِ
Tongues spread praise, and hands
Teeth shine spreading praise and hands
were raised in prayer and supplication.
Were raised with prayer and supplication.
أَمَّلُواthey hoped فيكَin you ماwhat يُؤَمِّلُhopes for راجيone hoping for
أَمَّلُوا فيكَ ما يُؤَمِّلُ راجي
دِيْمَةٍa steady rain وافقتْcoincided with سرارَthe dark phase of الهِلالِthe crescent moon
دِيْمَةٍ وافقتْ سرارَ الهِلالِ
They hoped in you as one hopes for
They have hoped in you what a hopeful person hopes for
a steady rain when the crescent lies hidden.
In lasting good fortune concurring with the new crescent moon.
كلُّevery يومٍday يأتيcomes بوجهكَby your face مشغوenraptured (first part)
كلُّ يومٍ يأتي بوجهكَ مشغو
فاًrest of 'enraptured' ويمضيand departs اذاwhen مَضىit departs غيرَnot سَالِforgetful of love
فاً ويمضي اذا مَضى غيرَ سَالِ
Each day comes entranced by your face,
Every day comes with your preoccupied face
and departs, when it departs, unable to forget.
And passes without changing if it passes.
شَرَفٌhonor خالدٌeverlasting تَدَاولهُpassed it onward الأَيْthe days (first part)
شَرَفٌ خالدٌ تَدَاولهُ الأَيْ
اَمُrest of 'the days' منfrom مجدِكَyour glory العريضِbroad الطُّوَالِtowering
اَمُ من مجدِكَ العريضِ الطُّوَالِ
Immortal honor, handed on by the days,
An eternal honor passed down by days
comes from your broad and towering glory.
From your long glorious path.
طلبتْsought سعيَكَyour striving الأَعَاديthe enemies فماso not فاthey won (first part)
طلبتْ سعيَكَ الأَعَادي فما فا
زواrest of 'they won' بغيرِwith anything other than الوَنىlassitude وغيرِand other than الكَلالِexhaustion
زوا بغيرِ الوَنى وغيرِ الكَلالِ
Your enemies sought to match your striving, but
The enemies sought your efforts but did not succeed
won nothing but lassitude and exhaustion.
Except in weakness and weariness.
وَبَغواand they transgressed فاستدالَso reversed fortunes منهمagainst them لكَfor you اللGod (first part)
وَبَغوا فاستدالَ منهم لكَ الل
هُrest of 'God' وأَعطاكَand granted you أَفْضَلَthe best of الآمَالِhopes
هُ وأَعطاكَ أَفْضَلَ الآمَالِ
They transgressed, so God gave you ascendancy over them,
They desired but God argued for you
and granted you the best of hopes.
And gave you the best hopes.
وَتَولىand took charge لكَfor you النَّجاحُsuccess وأَغناand spared (first part)
وَتَولى لكَ النَّجاحُ وأَغنا
كَyou بتدبيرهِthrough its planning عنfrom الاحتيَالِcontriving
كَ بتدبيرهِ عن الاحتيَالِ
Success took charge for you and spared you,
Success took charge for you and enriched you
through its planning, the need for stratagems.
With His planning from scheming.
ضيعواthey squandered ماwhat حفظتَyou preserved منof نِعْمَةِthe favor of اللGod (first part)
ضيعوا ما حفظتَ من نِعْمَةِ الل
هِrest of 'God' وغالواand treacherously attacked الصَّنيعَbeneficence كلَّevery اغتيَالِtreacherous assault
هِ وغالوا الصَّنيعَ كلَّ اغتيَالِ
They squandered what you preserved of God's favor,
They wasted the blessings God protected you with
and treacherously attacked beneficence in every way.
And overvalued every assassination.
وأرادُواand they intended بكَfor you الطُّلاَطِلَةَa great calamity البِكvirgin (first part)
وأرادُوا بكَ الطُّلاَطِلَةَ البِك
رrest of 'virgin' فأعجزَْتَهمbut you thwarted them وكعبُكَand your standing عَالِhigh
ر فأعجزَْتَهم وكعبُكَ عَالِ
They meant to inflict a maiden calamity on you,
They wanted to threaten and ridicule you
but you thwarted them, your standing high.
But you disabled them while your heel was high.
فَرْقٌdifference ماthat which بينَهمbetween them وَبينَكَand you ماthat which بيbetween (first part)
فَرْقٌ ما بينَهم وَبينَكَ ما بي
نَrest of 'between' مقالِthe speech of الفتىthe young man وبينَand between الفعَالِdeeds
نَ مقالِ الفتى وبينَ الفعَالِ
The gap between them and you is the gap
There is a difference between them and you
between a man's words and deeds.
Like the difference between a youth's talk and his actions.
بَرَأَتْrecovered دَوْلَةُa realm تَدَاركتَyou rescued in time مشْفِيone near ruin
بَرَأَتْ دَوْلَةُ تَدَاركتَ مشْفِي
هَاits وأَعقَبْتَand followed جرُحَهَاits wound باندمَالِwith healing
هَا وأَعقَبْتَ جرُحَهَا باندمَالِ
A realm recovered: you rescued it at the brink of ruin,
The state's wounds which you cured recovered
and made its wound give way to healing.
And you followed its illness and cured
وَتَتَبَّعْتَand you traced سُقمَهاits sickness فَشفِيتَso you healed الthe
وَتَتَبَّعْتَ سُقمَها فَشفِيتَ ال
غِلَّrancor منfrom دائهاits disease العياءbaffling العُضَالِintractable
غِلَّ من دائها العياء العُضَالِ
You tracked down its sickness and cured
The most calloused of its chronic disease.
the rancor arising from its baffling, intractable disease.
You connected until you restored its former awe
صُلْتَyou wielded might حتىuntil رَدَدْتَyou restored هيبتَهاthe awe it inspired الأُوformer (first part)
صُلْتَ حتى رَدَدْتَ هيبتَها الأُو
لىrest of 'former' وحَادَثْتَand renewed لونَهاits color بالصِّقَالِby polishing
لى وحَادَثْتَ لونَها بالصِّقَالِ
You wielded might until you restored the awe it once inspired,
And made its color shine with polish.
and renewed its color by polishing.
The stars of happiness and victory arose
طَلَعَتْrose أَنْجُمُthe stars of السَّعَادةِfelicity والنَّصْand victory (first part)
طَلَعَتْ أَنْجُمُ السَّعَادةِ والنَّصْ
رَrest of 'victory' ولاحتْand shone forth لوائحُthe signs of الاقْبَالِprosperity
رَ ولاحتْ لوائحُ الاقْبَالِ
The stars of felicity and victory rose,
And the signs of favor appeared.
and the signs of prosperity shone forth.
This requires that the other
انَّindeed هذاthis لأَولٌcertainly a beginning يَقَتَضيdemands الآthe sequel (first part)
انَّ هذا لأَولٌ يَقَتَضي الآ
خرَrest of 'the sequel' حملاًa pregnancy لِقَاحهits conception عنafter حيالِbarrenness
خرَ حملاً لِقَاحه عن حيالِ
This is indeed a beginning that demands its sequel,
Carry its harvest away from the threshing floor.
a pregnancy conceived after barrenness.
The like of what you obtained with humility and softness
مِثْلُthe like of ماwhat نِلْتَyou attained بالخُشُونَةِthrough severity والليand gentleness (first part)
مِثْلُ ما نِلْتَ بالخُشُونَةِ واللي
نِrest of 'gentleness' علىfor الطَّالِبينَthe seekers صعبُdifficult المَنَالِto attain
نِ على الطَّالِبينَ صعبُ المَنَالِ
The like of what you attained through severity and gentleness
Upon the seekers of the difficult to attain.
is hard for seekers to attain.
The father of Ali raised Ulya, a father
شَادَbuilt up عُلْياthe eminence of أَبيAbu عليِّAli أَبٌa father لمdid not
شَادَ عُلْيا أَبي عليِّ أَبٌ لم
يَرضَapprove أَخلاقَهhis character لغيرِfor anything but المَعَاليlofty aims
يَرضَ أَخلاقَه لغيرِ المَعَالي
A father built Abu Ali's eminence, one who would not
Who was not pleased with morals other than the highest.
let his virtues serve anything but lofty aims.
The blade of iron shook him, it does not
هَزَّهُstirred him صَارمُa keen sword الحَدِيْدَةِof blade لاnot يَفْdistinguish (first part)
هَزَّهُ صَارمُ الحَدِيْدَةِ لا يَفْ
رِقُrest of 'distinguish' بينَbetween العِظامِthe bones والأوَصَالِand the joints
رِقُ بينَ العِظامِ والأوَصَالِ
A keen-edged sword stirred him, making no
Distinguish between bones and joints.
distinction between bones and joints.
Independent in what he carries of the burden
مستقلاًable to bear بماwhatever يُحَمِّلُhe imposes منof عِبْburden (first part)
مستقلاً بما يُحَمِّلُ من عِبْ
ءِrest of 'burden' الحَمَالاتِassumed obligations والخُطُوبِand adversities الثِّقَالِweighty
ءِ الحَمَالاتِ والخُطُوبِ الثِّقَالِ
Able to shoulder the burdens laid upon him
Of portages and heavy adversities.
of assumed obligations and weighty calamities.
And he saw in him, while he was a young boy,
ورأَىand he saw فيهِin him وهوwhile he was طِفلٌa child صَغيرٌsmall
ورأَى فيهِ وهو طِفلٌ صَغيرٌ
ماwhat تَراهُthey see it الليوثُthe lions فيin الأَشبَالِthe cubs
ما تَراهُ الليوثُ في الأَشبَالِ
And he saw in him, while he was a little child,
What lions see in their cubs.
what lions see in their cubs:
Boldness in tranquility, dignity in shyness,
جرأَةًboldness فيin سكِيْنَةٍcomposure واباءًand proud defiance
جرأَةً في سكِيْنَةٍ واباءً
فيin حياءٍmodesty وَهَيْبَةًand majesty فيin جَمَالِbeauty
في حياءٍ وَهَيْبَةً في جَمَالِ
boldness in composure, and proud defiance
And awe in beauty.
in modesty, and majesty in beauty,
And qualities like soft water on stone
وَسَجَاياand qualities كالماءِlike water رقَّgrew delicate علىover الصَّخْthe rock (first part)
وَسَجَايا كالماءِ رقَّ على الصَّخْ
رِrest of 'the rock' وَرَقَّتْand grew gentle عليهِover it ريحُthe wind of الشَّمَالِthe north
رِ وَرَقَّتْ عليهِ ريحُ الشَّمَالِ
and qualities like water, flowing softly over rock,
And the north wind blew gently upon him.
as the north wind blows gently over it.
May God preserve what He has continued
حَفِظَmay preserve اللهُGod مِثلَjust like ماthe way لمnot يَزَلْcease يَحْguard (first part)
حَفِظَ اللهُ مِثلَ ما لم يَزَلْ يَحْ
فَظrest of 'guard' نفسيكمُاboth your lives منfrom الآجَالِappointed deaths
فَظ نفسيكمُا من الآجَالِ
May God, just as He has always done,
To preserve your two selves from destinies.
guard both your lives from death.
Partial English translation: 79 of 80 Arabic lines translated.