سِوَايَ يَخَافُ الدَّهْرَ أَو يَرْهَبُ الرَّدى

سِوَايَ يَخَافُ الدَّهْرَ أَو يَرْهَبُ الرَّدى

وغيرِي يَهْوَى أَنْ يَكونَ مخلَّدَا

وغيرِي يَهْوَى أَنْ يَكونَ مخلَّدَا

Others fear Time or dread death;

Whether others fear time or dread fate,

And others desire to be immortal.

And desire immortality,

ولكنَّني لا أَرْهَبُ الدهرَ إِنْ سَطَا

ولكنَّني لا أَرْهَبُ الدهرَ إِنْ سَطَا

ولا أَحْذَرُ الموتَ الزُؤَامَ إِذَا عَدا

ولا أَحْذَرُ الموتَ الزُؤَامَ إِذَا عَدا

But I do not fear Time if it strikes,

I do not fear time passing

Nor dread sudden death when it attacks.

Nor dread death approaching.

ولو مدَّ نحوي حادِثُ الدهرِ طَرْفهُ

ولو مدَّ نحوي حادِثُ الدهرِ طَرْفهُ

لحدَّثت نَفْسِي أَنْ أَمُدَّ لَهُ يَدا

لحدَّثت نَفْسِي أَنْ أَمُدَّ لَهُ يَدا

Even if a calamity of Time turned its gaze toward me,

If the vicissitudes of time glance at me,

I would tell myself to stretch out a hand to it.

I will extend a hand to it.

توقُّد عَزْمِي يتركُ الماءَ جَمْرَةً

توقُّد عَزْمِي يتركُ الماءَ جَمْرَةً

وحِلْيَةُ حِلْمي تَتْرُكُ السَيْفَ مبْرَدَا

وحِلْيَةُ حِلْمي تَتْرُكُ السَيْفَ مبْرَدَا

The blaze of my resolve turns water into an ember,

My resolve makes water a live coal,

And the grace of my forbearance leaves the sword a file.

And my forebearance leaves the sword blunt.

وفرْطُ احْتقَارِي للأَنامِ لأَنَّني

وفرْطُ احْتقَارِي للأَنامِ لأَنَّني

أَرَى كل عارٍ من خلا سُؤْدُدِي سُدَى

أَرَى كل عارٍ من خلا سُؤْدُدِي سُدَى

My boundless contempt for humankind is because

My excessive disdain for people is because

I see anyone bare of my nobility's adornments as worthless.

I see every disgrace in those unlike me.

وَيأْبَى إِبائِي أَن يَرَانيَ قاعداً

وَيأْبَى إِبائِي أَن يَرَانيَ قاعداً

وَأَلاَّ أَرَى كُلَّ البريَّةِ مُقْعَدَا

وَأَلاَّ أَرَى كُلَّ البريَّةِ مُقْعَدَا

My pride refuses to see me sitting idle,

My refusal accepts not that I sit still,

Nor will it let me fail to see all humankind forced to sit.

And never to see the whole world settled.

وأَظمأُ إِن أَبْدَى لي الماءُ مِنَّةً

وأَظمأُ إِن أَبْدَى لي الماءُ مِنَّةً

ولو كانَ لي نَهْرُ المجرَّة مَوْرِداً

ولو كانَ لي نَهْرُ المجرَّة مَوْرِداً

I go thirsty if water claims a favor over me,

I thirst if water shows me any favor,

Even if the river of the Milky Way were my watering place.

Even if the Milky Way were my watering place.

ولو كان إِدراكُ الهُدى بتذلُّلٍ

ولو كان إِدراكُ الهُدى بتذلُّلٍ

رأَيتُ الهُدَى أَلاَّ أَمِيلَ إِلى الهُدىَ

رأَيتُ الهُدَى أَلاَّ أَمِيلَ إِلى الهُدىَ

Even if attaining guidance required abasement,

If reaching guidance required humiliation,

I would see true guidance in not turning toward guidance.

I would see guidance but not incline towards it.

وقِدْماً بغيري أَصْبَح الدَّهرُ أَشْيَباً

وقِدْماً بغيري أَصْبَح الدَّهرُ أَشْيَباً

وبي بل بِفَضْلي أَصْبَح الدَّهرُ أَمْرَدَا

وبي بل بِفَضْلي أَصْبَح الدَّهرُ أَمْرَدَا

Long ago, through others, Time grew gray-haired;

While others have aged time,

Through me—rather, through my excellence—Time grew beardless.

But time remains young through my merit.

وإِنَّك عبدي يا زَمَانُ وإِنَّني

وإِنَّك عبدي يا زَمَانُ وإِنَّني

على الكُرْهِ منِّي أَنْ أُرَى لَكَ سَيِّدَا

على الكُرْهِ منِّي أَنْ أُرَى لَكَ سَيِّدَا

You are my slave, O Time, and I

You are my slave, O time, while I

Am unwilling to be seen as your master.

Disdain to be seen as your master.

ولِمْ أَنا راض أَن أُرَى وَاطِئَ الثَّرى

ولِمْ أَنا راض أَن أُرَى وَاطِئَ الثَّرى

ولي هِمَّةٌ لا ترتضي الأُفْقَ مَقْعَدا

ولي هِمَّةٌ لا ترتضي الأُفْقَ مَقْعَدا

And why am I content to be seen treading the earth,

Why am I content to be seen as dust?

When my ambition will not accept the horizon as a seat?

I have an ambition the horizon cannot contain.

ولو عَلِمَتْ زُهْرُ النجومِ مَكانَتي

ولو عَلِمَتْ زُهْرُ النجومِ مَكانَتي

لخرَّتْ جميعاً نَحْوَ وَجْهِيَ سجَّدا

لخرَّتْ جميعاً نَحْوَ وَجْهِيَ سجَّدا

If the bright stars knew my rank,

If the stars knew my status,

They would all fall prostrate toward my face.

They would all bow towards me in prostration.

أَرى الخَلقَ دُوني إِذ أَرَانيَ فَوْقَهُم

أَرى الخَلقَ دُوني إِذ أَرَانيَ فَوْقَهُم

ذَكاءً وعلماً واعتلاءً وسُؤْدُداً

ذَكاءً وعلماً واعتلاءً وسُؤْدُداً

I see creation beneath me, for I see myself above them

I see people below me in wisdom, knowledge, rank and merit,

In intelligence, learning, exalted rank, and nobility.

And my generosity increased until

وبذلُ نوالي زاد حتَّى لقد غَدَا

وبذلُ نوالي زاد حتَّى لقد غَدَا

من الغيظِ مِنْه ساكنُ البَحر مُزْبِدَا

من الغيظِ مِنْه ساكنُ البَحر مُزْبِدَا

My giving has grown so lavish that now

The sea dweller boiled with rage.

The calm sea foams with anger at it.

Many asked me but passed by, saying:

وكم سائلٍ لي قَدْ مَضى وَهْوَ قائِلٌ

وكم سائلٍ لي قَدْ مَضى وَهْوَ قائِلٌ

فِداك بخيلٌ ندَّ عن كَفِّه النَّدى

فِداك بخيلٌ ندَّ عن كَفِّه النَّدى

How many a petitioner of mine has departed saying,

"How miserly, refusing to extend his hand of generosity!"

“May a miser whose hand bounty has deserted be your ransom!”

But I have a pen between my fingers -

ولي قَلَمٌ في أَنْمُلي إِن هَزْزْتُه

ولي قَلَمٌ في أَنْمُلي إِن هَزْزْتُه

فما ضرَّني أَلاَّ أَهُزَّ المُهنَّدا

فما ضرَّني أَلاَّ أَهُزَّ المُهنَّدا

I have a pen in my fingers: if I brandish it,

if I shake it, it does not harm me not to shake it.

It does me no harm not to brandish the Indian-forged sword.

When it glides over my shield, it clangs -

إِذا صال فوق الطِّرْسِ وقعُ صَريرهِ

إِذا صال فوق الطِّرْسِ وقعُ صَريرهِ

فإِنَّ صَلِيلَ المشرفيِّ لَهُ صَدَى

فإِنَّ صَلِيلَ المشرفيِّ لَهُ صَدَى

When the beat of its scratching charges over the page,

for the sound of my glorification echoes.

The clang of the Mashrafi sword is its echo.

My shield is a prayer niche, and David prostrates;

ومحرابُ طِرْسٍ وهْو داودُ ساجداً

ومحرابُ طِرْسٍ وهْو داودُ ساجداً

وإِن شاءَ حَاكَ الطِرْسَ دِرْعاً مُسرَّداً

وإِن شاءَ حَاكَ الطِرْسَ دِرْعاً مُسرَّداً

In the page's prayer niche, it is David prostrate,

If he wishes, he coats the shield with an impenetrable coat of mail.

And should it wish, it weaves the page into closely linked armor.

Whether fortune raises or fate lowers,

وإِنَ رَفَعَ المقدارُ أَو وَضَعَ النَّدى

وإِنَ رَفَعَ المقدارُ أَو وَضَعَ النَّدى

فمنه يرجَّى الجدُّ أَو يُرْتَجى الجَدى

فمنه يرجَّى الجدُّ أَو يُرْتَجى الجَدى

Whether it raises rank or bestows bounty,

Success or misfortune are expected from it.

From it good fortune is hoped for, or bounty sought.

I am wakeful of all things except passion,

ومن كلِّ شَيْءٍ قد صَحَوْتُ سِوَى هَوىً

ومن كلِّ شَيْءٍ قد صَحَوْتُ سِوَى هَوىً

أَقَامَ عَذُولي بالمَلامِ وأَقْعَدَا

أَقَامَ عَذُولي بالمَلامِ وأَقْعَدَا

I have sobered from everything except a love

Which makes my refusal blame and remain seated.

That keeps my reprover rising and sitting in reproach.

If the union I desire does not make me happy,

إِذا وَصْلُ من أَهْوَاهُ لم يَكُ مُسْعدِي

إِذا وَصْلُ من أَهْوَاهُ لم يَكُ مُسْعدِي

فليت عَذُولي كَانَ بالصمت مسعدا

فليت عَذُولي كَانَ بالصمت مسعدا

If union with the one I love does not bring me joy,

I wish my refusal had kept silent.

Would that my reprover brought me joy with silence.

It blames me without knowing - its union

يلوم وما يدري بكون وصاله

يلوم وما يدري بكون وصاله

من النجم أعلى أوفى الأفق أبعدا

من النجم أعلى أوفى الأفق أبعدا

He reproaches me, not knowing that union with him

Is higher than a star or farther than the horizon.

Is higher than the stars, or farther away on the horizon.

My love loves one who contradicts me,

يُحِبُّ حَبيبي مَنْ يَكُونُ مفنِّدي

يُحِبُّ حَبيبي مَنْ يَكُونُ مفنِّدي

فيا لَيْتَني كنْتُ العذُول المُفنَّدا

فيا لَيْتَني كنْتُ العذُول المُفنَّدا

My beloved loves whoever finds fault with me;

Would that I were the contradicted outcast!

Ah, would that I were the discredited reprover!

They said, "You have fallen for a flame."

وقالوا لقد آنَسْتَ ناراً بِخَدِّه

وقالوا لقد آنَسْتَ ناراً بِخَدِّه

فقلت وإِنِّي قد وَجَدْتُ بِهَا هُدَى

فقلت وإِنِّي قد وَجَدْتُ بِهَا هُدَى

They said, “You have indeed perceived a fire in his cheek!”

I said, "Through it I have found guidance."

I said, “Indeed, I have found guidance in it.”

I love from it a mouth like a bud,

وإِنِّي لأَهْوَى مِنْهُ ثغراً مُفَضَّضاً

وإِنِّي لأَهْوَى مِنْهُ ثغراً مُفَضَّضاً

وإِنِّي لأَهْوى منه خدّاً مُعَسْجدَا

وإِنِّي لأَهْوى منه خدّاً مُعَسْجدَا

I truly love his silvered mouth,

And a cheek I prostrate to in worship.

And I truly love his gilded cheek.

I did not stare long at that cheek, but rather

ولم أُدْمِ ذَاكَ الخدَّ باللحظ إِنَّما

ولم أُدْمِ ذَاكَ الخدَّ باللحظ إِنَّما

عَمِلْتُ خَلُوقاً حين أَبْصَرْتُ عَسْجداً

عَمِلْتُ خَلُوقاً حين أَبْصَرْتُ عَسْجداً

I did not make that cheek bleed with my glances; rather,

When I saw it I created a glance.

I made saffron perfume when I beheld gold.

How many times my eyes stray there,

وكم لي إِلى دَارِ الحبيبِ التفاتَةٌ

وكم لي إِلى دَارِ الحبيبِ التفاتَةٌ

تذَكِّرُني عَهْداً قَدِيماً ومَعْهَداً

تذَكِّرُني عَهْداً قَدِيماً ومَعْهَداً

How many a glance I turn toward my beloved's house

Reminding me of an old promise.

Recalls old days and a once-familiar place.

There I used to see the night white,

لقد كنت فِيهَا أُبصِرُ الليلَ أَبيضاً

لقد كنت فِيهَا أُبصِرُ الليلَ أَبيضاً

فقد صِرْتُ فيها اُبْصِرُ الصُّبحَ أَسْوَدَا

فقد صِرْتُ فيها اُبْصِرُ الصُّبحَ أَسْوَدَا

In it I once saw the night as white;

So I have come to see the dawn black.

Now, in it, I see the morning as black.

My eyes watch for its crescent to appear,

يُرَاقِب طَرْفي أَنْ يَلوحَ هِلاَلُها

يُرَاقِب طَرْفي أَنْ يَلوحَ هِلاَلُها

فقد طَال ما قد صَامَ حتَّى يُعَيِّدا

فقد طَال ما قد صَامَ حتَّى يُعَيِّدا

My eye watches for its crescent moon to appear,

So long has the fasting continued awaiting its celebration.

For long has it fasted, waiting to celebrate the feast.

I passed by it and considered my composure -

عَبرْتُ عَلَيْها واعْتَبَرْتُ تَجَلُّدي

عَبرْتُ عَلَيْها واعْتَبَرْتُ تَجَلُّدي

فيا خَجَلي حين اعْتَبرْتُ التَّجَلُّدَا

فيا خَجَلي حين اعْتَبرْتُ التَّجَلُّدَا

I passed by it and put my composure to the test;

My shame when I considered composure!

Oh, my shame when I tested that composure!

As if there were coolness in my eyes but fires in my heart,

كَأَنَّ بطرفي ما بِقَلْبي صَبابةً

كَأَنَّ بطرفي ما بِقَلْبي صَبابةً

فلم يَرَ تِلْك الدَّارَ إِلاَّ تَقَيَّدا

فلم يَرَ تِلْك الدَّارَ إِلاَّ تَقَيَّدا

It is as though my eye holds the same longing as my heart;

They saw in that abode nothing but self-restraint.

No sooner did it see that house than it was fettered.

How many times has my steed faltered there,

وكم لجوادِي وقعةً في عِرَصِها

وكم لجوادِي وقعةً في عِرَصِها

تعوَّدَ منها جِيدُه ما تَعَوَّدَا

تعوَّدَ منها جِيدُه ما تَعَوَّدَا

How many a fall my steed has had in its courtyards,

Until its neck grew accustomed to what it grew accustomed to.

Through which its neck grew used to what it grew used to.

That neck grew accustomed to me,

تعوَّدَ ذاكَ الجيدُ مِنِّيَ أَنَّني

تعوَّدَ ذاكَ الجيدُ مِنِّيَ أَنَّني

أُصَيِّرُه من دُرِّ دَمْعِي مُقَلَّدا

أُصَيِّرُه من دُرِّ دَمْعِي مُقَلَّدا

That neck grew accustomed to this from me:

Making it a necklace of my tears.

I adorn it with a necklace of the pearls of my tears.

It is no abode of alabaster or sanctuary,

وما تِلْكَ دَارُ بالعقيق ولا الحِمى

وما تِلْكَ دَارُ بالعقيق ولا الحِمى

ولكنْ سَمَاءٌ إِذْ حَوَتْ مِنْه فَرْقَدا

ولكنْ سَمَاءٌ إِذْ حَوَتْ مِنْه فَرْقَدا

That is not a house at al-Aqiq or al-Hima,

But a sky when it contained a planet.

But a sky, for in him it held a Farqad star.

O Lord of a night in which we embraced,

ويا رُبَّ ليلٍ بتُّ فيه وبَيْنَنَا

ويا رُبَّ ليلٍ بتُّ فيه وبَيْنَنَا

عِنَاقٌ أَعاد العِقْدَ عِقْداً مبدَّدَا

عِنَاقٌ أَعاد العِقْدَ عِقْداً مبدَّدَا

Oh, how many a night I spent, with us joined by

Restoring bonds that had unraveled.

An embrace that turned the necklace into scattered beads.

Those bonds became undone by me in the morning,

فأَصبح ذَاك العِقْدُ منيِّ مُحَسَّراً

فأَصبح ذَاك العِقْدُ منيِّ مُحَسَّراً

وقد طال ما قد كان منِّي مُحسَّدا

وقد طال ما قد كان منِّي مُحسَّدا

That necklace was left grieving because of me,

After so long being bound by me.

After so long being envied by me.

I did not make the left hand a pillow,

ولم أَجعلِ الكفَّ الشِّمالَ وِسَادَةً

ولم أَجعلِ الكفَّ الشِّمالَ وِسَادَةً

فباتَ على كفِّ اليمينِ مُوَسَّدَا

فباتَ على كفِّ اليمينِ مُوَسَّدَا

I did not make my left hand a pillow,

So the right hand lay pillowed.

So he spent the night pillowed on my right palm.

I stripped it of its garment and clothed it

وجرَّدْتُه من ثَوْبِه وأَعَدْتُه

وجرَّدْتُه من ثَوْبِه وأَعَدْتُه

بثوبِ عِنَاقي كَاسِيَا مُتَجرِّدا

بثوبِ عِنَاقي كَاسِيَا مُتَجرِّدا

I stripped him of his robe, then clothed him anew

With my embrace, naked and bare.

In the robe of my embrace, clothed yet naked.

He brought me close until I swooned,

وقرَّبني حتى طَرِبْتُ إِلى النَّوى

وقرَّبني حتى طَرِبْتُ إِلى النَّوى

وأَوْرَدَني حتَّى صَدِيتُ إِلى الصَّدَى

وأَوْرَدَني حتَّى صَدِيتُ إِلى الصَّدَى

He drew me close until I yearned for separation,

And made me drink until I flowed to the brim.

And brought me to water until I thirsted for thirst.

I testified that his scent was pure honey,

شَهِدْتُ بأَنَّ الشَّهدَ والمسكَ ريقُه

شَهِدْتُ بأَنَّ الشَّهدَ والمسكَ ريقُه

وما كُنْتُ لَوْ لَمْ أَختبرْه لأَشْهَدا

وما كُنْتُ لَوْ لَمْ أَختبرْه لأَشْهَدا

I testified that honey and musk are his saliva,

Else I would not have testified untried.

And I would not have testified had I not tried it.

That the Babylonian saliva of his glance -

وأَنَّ السُّلافَ البابلية لَحْظُهُ

وأَنَّ السُّلافَ البابلية لَحْظُهُ

وإِلاَّ سَلُوا إِنْسَانَه كَيْفَ عَرْبَدَا

وإِلاَّ سَلُوا إِنْسَانَه كَيْفَ عَرْبَدَا

And that Babylonian choice wine is his glance;

Ask the afflicted one how it has bemused him!

Otherwise, ask his pupil how it ran riot!

Brimming with languid eyes, and his eyes an arch -

مليٌّ بكَسْر الجفنِ والجفنُ قَوْسُه

مليٌّ بكَسْر الجفنِ والجفنُ قَوْسُه

فكيف رَمَى للقلبِ سَهْماً مُسَدَّدا

فكيف رَمَى للقلبِ سَهْماً مُسَدَّدا

He is adept at drooping his eyelid, though the eyelid is his bow;

How did he shoot an arrow straight to the heart?

How, then, did he shoot a well-aimed arrow at the heart?

So do as you please, conquer me - after all,

فَتِهْ وتَسلَّطْ كيف شِئْتَ فإِنَّما

فَتِهْ وتَسلَّطْ كيف شِئْتَ فإِنَّما

خُلِقتَ لأَشْقَى إِذ خُلِقْتُ لِتَسْعَدا

خُلِقتَ لأَشْقَى إِذ خُلِقْتُ لِتَسْعَدا

So be proud and rule however you wish, for

You were created to make me miserable that you may be happy.

You were created only for my misery, as I was created for your joy.