ستعلمُ أيَّ الغايتينِ أُريدُ

ستعلمُ أيَّ الغايتينِ أُريدُ

فإنّ الهُويْنا للرجالِ قيودُ

فإنّ الهُويْنا للرجالِ قيودُ

You will know which of the two goals I seek.

You will learn which of the two aims I want,

For taking things easy is a fetter to men.

For our passions for men are fetters,

أُحب من الفتينِ كلّ غَشَمْشَمٍ

أُحب من الفتينِ كلّ غَشَمْشَمٍ

له شيع من عزمِه وعديدُ

له شيع من عزمِه وعديدُ

I love among the youths every fierce, fearless man

I love every spirited young man,

Whose resolve gives him followers and a host.

Who has a group that backs his resolve and his numbers,

يُنَهْنِهُهُ الأعداءُ وهو مُصمِّمٌ

يُنَهْنِهُهُ الأعداءُ وهو مُصمِّمٌ

هجومٌ على ما يكرهونَ ورودُ

هجومٌ على ما يكرهونَ ورودُ

His enemies seek to restrain him, yet he is resolute,

The enemies jabber at him while he is determined,

Ever attacking, ever plunging into what they hate.

Charging at what they hate and accusing,

يُخاطرُ في حبِّ الثّناءِ بنفسهِ

يُخاطرُ في حبِّ الثّناءِ بنفسهِ

وهل لغلامٍ في الزّمانِ خلودُ

وهل لغلامٍ في الزّمانِ خلودُ

He risks his life for love of praise—

He risks himself for the sake of praise,

And can a young man live forever in time?

But does a young man last forever in time?

ومولى أُداري طيشَه وهو نافرٌ

ومولى أُداري طيشَه وهو نافرٌ

أذَبّ كأنبوبِ اليَراعِ شَرودُ

أذَبّ كأنبوبِ اليَراعِ شَرودُ

And a friend whose rashness I humor, though he is skittish,

And my fickle lord's madness when he is averse -

Gaunt as a reed's hollow stalk, prone to flight.

I endure it like the bending of the plow's wood,

أُكابدُ منه غصّةً ما يسيغها

أُكابدُ منه غصّةً ما يسيغها

من القومِ إلاّ حازمٌ وجَليدُ

من القومِ إلاّ حازمٌ وجَليدُ

From him I endure a choking grief that none can swallow

I suffer from him a resentment that none can bear

Among men but the prudent and the hardy.

Among the people but one who is resolute and calm,

يُعينُ عليّ الخصمَ لا يستعينُه

يُعينُ عليّ الخصمَ لا يستعينُه

وأدفعُ عن حوبائه وأذودُ

وأدفعُ عن حوبائه وأذودُ

He aids my adversary against me, not seeking his aid,

He helps my rival against me, he does not help me,

While I ward off harm from his life and defend him.

And I defend him from disasters and drive them away,

إذا ما رأيتُ الرمحَ يعسِلُ نَحوَه

إذا ما رأيتُ الرمحَ يعسِلُ نَحوَه

تعرَّضَ نحرٌ دونَه ووَريدُ

تعرَّضَ نحرٌ دونَه ووَريدُ

Whenever I see a spear quivering toward him,

Whenever I see the spear sloping towards him,

My throat and jugular vein interpose before him.

A throat intercepts it below his throat artery.

وقلتُ تعلّم أنّ كلَّ فضيلةٍ

وقلتُ تعلّم أنّ كلَّ فضيلةٍ

لها كاشحٌ من أهلها وحَسودُ

لها كاشحٌ من أهلها وحَسودُ

And I said: Know that every virtue

And I said you will learn that every virtue

Has a spiteful foe among its own possessors, and an envier;

Has an envier of its people and a jealous guardian,

وأنّ نواميسَ الرجالِ قديمةٌ

وأنّ نواميسَ الرجالِ قديمةٌ

تَوارثَ عاد مكرَهاً وثمودُ

تَوارثَ عاد مكرَهاً وثمودُ

And that men's stratagems are ancient,

And that the laws of men are ancient,

Inherited under compulsion by ʿĀd and Thamūd.

‘Aad inherited its hate and Thamud its misfortune,

ولكنّ تاجَ الملةِ اليومَ حلَّها

ولكنّ تاجَ الملةِ اليومَ حلَّها

على الدّهْرِ حتى ليس فيه عُقودُ

على الدّهْرِ حتى ليس فيه عُقودُ

But Taj al-Milla has today untied them

But the crown of religion today has dissolved them

Throughout time, until no knots remain in it.

Over the ages so that no pacts remain in them,

فتىً هجر اللّذاتِ والعيشُ مونِقٌ

فتىً هجر اللّذاتِ والعيشُ مونِقٌ

رقيقُ حواشي الطُّرّتينِ بَرودُ

رقيقُ حواشي الطُّرّتينِ بَرودُ

A youth who abandoned pleasures though life was delightful,

A young man who deserted pleasures and graceful living,

Soft along the hems of its two borders, cool.

Whose necksides are cooled by his garment's borders,

وقاسَ بديعاتِ الأمورِ بنفسِهِ

وقاسَ بديعاتِ الأمورِ بنفسِهِ

إلى أنْ علاهُ الشّيبُ وهو وليدُ

إلى أنْ علاهُ الشّيبُ وهو وليدُ

And he measured wondrous undertakings against himself,

And he measured the marvels of things against himself

Until gray hair covered him while he was still a child.

Until old age ascended over him while he was a youth,

له كلَّ يومٍ فكرةٌ عضديةٌ

له كلَّ يومٍ فكرةٌ عضديةٌ

يُصَرَّفُ وعدٌ بينَها ووعيدُ

يُصَرَّفُ وعدٌ بينَها ووعيدُ

Each day he has an ʿAḍudī thought,

Every day he has an idea to help

Within which promise and threat are deployed.

Between which a promise and a threat are executed,

تَرحلُ فيها للفَعالِ عزائمٌ

تَرحلُ فيها للفَعالِ عزائمٌ

وتَنزلُ فيها للهُمومِ وفودُ

وتَنزلُ فيها للهُمومِ وفودُ

Within it, resolves set out for noble deeds,

In it descend resolves for the doer

And delegations alight within it on behalf of cares.

And in it caravans of worries alight,

وفضّلَهُ حزمٌ وعزمٌ ونائلٌ

وفضّلَهُ حزمٌ وعزمٌ ونائلٌ

وهمٌ له في المَكرُماتِ بعيدُ

وهمٌ له في المَكرُماتِ بعيدُ

And prudence, resolve, and bounty have distinguished him,

And he was graced with resolve, purpose, and attainment,

And his far-reaching ambition for noble deeds;

And an ambition for noble deeds distant,

وصبرٌ إذا بانت خطوبُ ملمةٍ

وصبرٌ إذا بانت خطوبُ ملمةٍ

يقومُ لها والفاعلونَ قُعودُ

يقومُ لها والفاعلونَ قُعودُ

And endurance when a calamity's perils appear:

And patience when harsh afflictions become manifest,

He rises to meet them while men of action sit idle.

While the others remain sitting the active stand,

تلوحُ وراءَ النّقعِ غُرّةُ وجهِهِ

تلوحُ وراءَ النّقعِ غُرّةُ وجهِهِ

كما لاحَ في ضوءِ الصباحِ عمودُ

كما لاحَ في ضوءِ الصباحِ عمودُ

The radiance of his face gleams behind the battle-dust,

The brightness of his cheeks gleams

As a shaft gleams in the light of dawn.

Through the sunlight like pillars at dawn,

فَما وَلَدَتْ بيضُ الحواضنِ مثلَه

فَما وَلَدَتْ بيضُ الحواضنِ مثلَه

ولا نُوَبُ الأيامِ وهي وَلودُ

ولا نُوَبُ الأيامِ وهي وَلودُ

No fair-skinned nursing mothers have borne his like,

The eggs of nests never birthed his like,

Nor the vicissitudes of days, though they are prolific:

Nor the cycles of days while giving birth,

أطبُّ بداءٍ ما يصابُ دواؤُهُ

أطبُّ بداءٍ ما يصابُ دواؤُهُ

وأعلم بالأنواءِ أينَ تَجودُ

وأعلم بالأنواءِ أينَ تَجودُ

More skilled at treating an ailment whose cure cannot be found,

I dress whichever malady its cure cannot be found

And more knowing of the rain-stars and where they pour their bounty,

And I know of the winds where they are generous,

وأطعنُ منه في نِياطِ كتيبةٍ

وأطعنُ منه في نِياطِ كتيبةٍ

بِها السيفُ أعمى واللّسانُ بَليدُ

بِها السيفُ أعمى واللّسانُ بَليدُ

And better than he at thrusting into a battalion's heartstrings,

And I pierce through their ranks with a spear

Where the sword is blind and the tongue is dull.

With which the sword is blind and the tongue slow,

تسيرُ أمامَ الجيشِ قبلَ مسيرِه

تسيرُ أمامَ الجيشِ قبلَ مسيرِه

كتائبُ من آرائهِ وجنودُ

كتائبُ من آرائهِ وجنودُ

Ahead of the army, before its march, move

Squadrons of his views and soldiers

Battalions of his counsels, and troops.

March ahead of the army before its march,

ثلاثينَ شهراً من مشارقِ فارسٍ

ثلاثينَ شهراً من مشارقِ فارسٍ

إلى الرومِ نقعٌ ساطعٌ ووئيدُ

إلى الرومِ نقعٌ ساطعٌ ووئيدُ

For thirty months, from the eastern reaches of Persia

Thirty months from the east of Persia

To Rūm: rising dust and a heavy tread.

To Rome a resplendent, cutting blade,

ومُردٌ على حدِّ المتونِ رماحُهُم

ومُردٌ على حدِّ المتونِ رماحُهُم

وجُردٌ على أكتافِهنّ لبودُ

وجُردٌ على أكتافِهنّ لبودُ

And beardless youths, their spears upon the ridges of their backs,

And a thrust against the text of their spears

And sleek horses, felt saddle-cloths upon their shoulders.

And naked over their shoulders only skins,

ثَناهنَّ عن أهلِ الحِمى مُتنكّبٌ

ثَناهنَّ عن أهلِ الحِمى مُتنكّبٌ

يُريدُ بهنّ اللهُ حيثُ يُريدُ

يُريدُ بهنّ اللهُ حيثُ يُريدُ

A man with a bow slung on his shoulder turned them from the sanctuary's people,

He discouraged them from the fortress's inhabitants

God working His will through them wherever He wills.

Wherever Allah wills, there he wills,

عقابٌ يُعالي طرفَه فوقَ مَرقبٍ

عقابٌ يُعالي طرفَه فوقَ مَرقبٍ

لينظرَ أيَّ الصّائداتِ يَصيدُ

لينظرَ أيَّ الصّائداتِ يَصيدُ

An eagle raising his gaze above a lookout,

A punishment overlooking its edge above a watchtower

To see which hunting creatures he will hunt.

To see which huntresses hunt,

فإنْ لم تذقْ فيها الرقادَ فَطالَما

فإنْ لم تذقْ فيها الرقادَ فَطالَما

سَهِرْتَ وأيقاظُ الخطوبِ رُقودُ

سَهِرْتَ وأيقاظُ الخطوبِ رُقودُ

So if you have tasted no sleep there, how often

If you have not tasted sleep among them, then many times

You have kept vigil while calamities' watchful ones slept.

You have stayed awake while disasters slumbered,

شَفيتَ من الغِلِّ الكَمينِ عصابةً

شَفيتَ من الغِلِّ الكَمينِ عصابةً

تَكيدُ مع الشيطانِ حيث يَكيدُ

تَكيدُ مع الشيطانِ حيث يَكيدُ

You cured a band of lurking rancor

You have healed the hidden canker of perfidy,

That schemes with Satan wherever he schemes.

Which schemes with Satan wherever he schemes,

إذا تركت يوماً تقول فإنّها

إذا تركت يوماً تقول فإنّها

تصولُ وكلّ الضّارياتِ أسودُ

تصولُ وكلّ الضّارياتِ أسودُ

If left one day to speak, it

If you left them one day, they would say

Charges—and all the ravening beasts are lions.

They rage and all the predators are black,

فَيا غنماً نامتْ بمصرَ رِعاؤُها

فَيا غنماً نامتْ بمصرَ رِعاؤُها

بكِ الذئبُ من بين البَهامِ عميدُ

بكِ الذئبُ من بين البَهامِ عميدُ

O sheep whose shepherds have fallen asleep in Egypt,

So O sheep who slept while their shepherd

Among the lambs, the wolf is smitten with you.

Howled among the groves, eminent,

دَعى مرتعَ الآرامِ من بطنِ جاسمٍ

دَعى مرتعَ الآرامِ من بطنِ جاسمٍ

إلى الرملِ يَنمى حَمْضُهُ ويَزيدُ

إلى الرملِ يَنمى حَمْضُهُ ويَزيدُ

Leave the gazelles' pasture in the hollow of Jāsim

He called the Arameans' pasture from Jasim's belly

For the sand, where its salt-herbage grows and increases.

To the sands - its acid grows and increases,

ولا تردي بالغوطتَينِ وقيعةً

ولا تردي بالغوطتَينِ وقيعةً

يغازِلُها لمع الغزالةِ سِيدُ

يغازِلُها لمع الغزالةِ سِيدُ

And do not come to drink at a water hollow in the two Ghoutas,

And do not go down to the two valleys with a calamity

Where a wolf woos it in the sun's gleam.

Which the gazelle's glitter woos,

فإني أظنُّ الريحَ سوف تَدُلّه

فإني أظنُّ الريحَ سوف تَدُلّه

عليكِ وبينَ الموردَينِ بريدُ

عليكِ وبينَ الموردَينِ بريدُ

For I think the wind will guide him

I reckon the wind will guide him

To you; a postal stage lies between the two watering places.

To you between the two springs a courier,

وخادَعَها عن جَدِّها ومِراحِها

وخادَعَها عن جَدِّها ومِراحِها

ذُؤالةُ مثلُ السّمْهريّ يَميدُ

ذُؤالةُ مثلُ السّمْهريّ يَميدُ

And she was beguiled from her earnestness and frolic by

And the partridges' twitter deceived her

A wolf, swaying like a Samharī spear.

From her vigor and her meadows,

تَطامَنْ لها وانصبْ حيالكَ حَجْرةً

تَطامَنْ لها وانصبْ حيالكَ حَجْرةً

فإنّ نُوارَ الوحشِ سوفَ تَرودُ

فإنّ نُوارَ الوحشِ سوفَ تَرودُ

Crouch low for her, and set an enclosure before you,

Acting calmly to her while erecting a room for you

For the shy wild creature will seek pasture.

For the beasts of prey will certainly return,

وإنْ شَرَدَتْ والعِقْدُ حُلَّ نِظامُهُ

وإنْ شَرَدَتْ والعِقْدُ حُلَّ نِظامُهُ

فأكبرُ ظنّي أنّها سَتعودُ

فأكبرُ ظنّي أنّها سَتعودُ

And if she bolts, the necklace's string undone,

And if she wandered and the necklace's order dissolved,

My chief expectation is that she will return.

My greatest supposition is that she will come back,

وسراكَ بالفِسْطاطِ جمعٌ أظُنّهُ

وسراكَ بالفِسْطاطِ جمعٌ أظُنّهُ

يَغُرّكَ لو عضّ الحديدَ حَديدُ

يَغُرّكَ لو عضّ الحديدَ حَديدُ

A host at Fusṭāṭ has [pleased] you; I think it

In the encampment is a group I reckon

Would deceive you, should iron bite iron.

Would tempt you if iron bites iron,

أإنْ عُطِيَتْ كأسُ النّديمِ ورُشِّحَتْ

أإنْ عُطِيَتْ كأسُ النّديمِ ورُشِّحَتْ

لغايتِها قُبُّ الأياطلِ قُودُ

لغايتِها قُبُّ الأياطلِ قُودُ

Is it that, when the boon companion's cup is served, and trained

If the cup of wine is given and adorned

For their finish are lean-flanked, long-necked steeds,

For its goal the cups of solid gold,

وأسرعَ غِبّ المحضِ في غُلوائها

وأسرعَ غِبّ المحضِ في غُلوائها

فلم يبقَ فيها للصّنيعِ مَزيدُ

فلم يبقَ فيها للصّنيعِ مَزيدُ

And pure milk's aftereffect has quickened their ardor,

And the genuine wine in its excess flows faster

Till no room remains in them for further tending,

So that nothing of artistry remains in it,

تمنيتَ في لهوِ الحَديثِ لقاءَها

تمنيتَ في لهوِ الحَديثِ لقاءَها

وإنكَ ما لم تلقَها لسَعِيدُ

وإنكَ ما لم تلقَها لسَعِيدُ

You wish, in idle talk, to meet them—

You wished in the amusement of talk to meet her,

Though you are fortunate so long as you have not met them?

And you are not happy unless you meet her,

وإنّ عليها جِنّةً فارسيةً

وإنّ عليها جِنّةً فارسيةً

مُطاعِنُها يومَ الطِّرادِ طَريدُ

مُطاعِنُها يومَ الطِّرادِ طَريدُ

And upon them rides a Persian host of jinn,

Over her is a Persian spell

Whose opponent with the spear, on the day of jousting, is the hunted.

Whose stabs on the day of hurling are cast out,

وكلُّ رقيقِ الشفرتينِ كأنّهُ

وكلُّ رقيقِ الشفرتينِ كأنّهُ

وقد أخلقته الحادثاتُ جَديدُ

وقد أخلقته الحادثاتُ جَديدُ

And every thin, two-edged sword seems,

And each of delicate frame is as if

Though events have worn it out, brand-new.

Events newly created him,

عقائقُ أما لمعُها فبَوارقٌ

عقائقُ أما لمعُها فبَوارقٌ

عليكَ وأما وقعُها فرعودُ

عليكَ وأما وقعُها فرعودُ

Flashing blades: their gleam is lightning

Carnelians - as for their shine, it is lightning

Against you; their impact is thunder.

Upon you, and as for their impact, it is thunder,

يُعَوِّدُها ضربَ الجماجمِ قاهرٌ

يُعَوِّدُها ضربَ الجماجمِ قاهرٌ

على النّاسِ معبودُ الجَلالِ مَجيدُ

على النّاسِ معبودُ الجَلالِ مَجيدُ

A conqueror accustoms them to striking skulls,

A dominant one accustoms them to striking skulls,

Supreme over men, worshipped for his majesty, glorious.

The Majestic One worshiped over people, Mighty.