لما اِنجَلَت مِن حُجُب الزَمانِ

لما اِنجَلَت مِن حُجُب الزَمانِ

مَرابِعُ الخُلودِ وَالمَغاني

مَرابِعُ الخُلودِ وَالمَغاني

When from the veils of time there emerged

When the gardens of immortality and melodies emerged

the meadows of immortality and its abodes,

From the veils of time,

ضاقَ عَلى النَفسِ الكيانُ الفاني

ضاقَ عَلى النَفسِ الكيانُ الفاني

وَعالمٌ يَغَصُّ بِالأَشجانِ

وَعالمٌ يَغَصُّ بِالأَشجانِ

mortal existence grew too narrow for the soul,

The transient existence became constricted,

as did a world choking with sorrows

And a world full of sorrows and sighs

وَيفجعُ القُلوبَ بِالأَماني

وَيفجعُ القُلوبَ بِالأَماني

لاحَ لَها مِن الخُلود ما اِستَتر

لاحَ لَها مِن الخُلود ما اِستَتر

and shattering hearts with hopes.

That saddens hearts with wishes.

What immortality had hidden appeared to her

It had no glimpse of eternity that could be concealed,

وَاِمتَلَك السَمعَ عَلَيها وَالبَصَر

وَاِمتَلَك السَمعَ عَلَيها وَالبَصَر

وَاِمتَزَجت مَع النَسيمِ في السَحَر

وَاِمتَزَجت مَع النَسيمِ في السَحَر

and took possession of her hearing and sight.

And it seized the hearing and the sight.

And she mingled with the breeze before dawn,

It mingled with the morning breeze,

وَاَرتَفَعَت عَلى أَشِعّةِ القَمَر

وَاَرتَفَعَت عَلى أَشِعّةِ القَمَر

شَفّافةً عُلويةَ الأَلحانِ

شَفّافةً عُلويةَ الأَلحانِ

and rose upon the rays of the moon,

And rose on the rays of the moon,

translucent, with celestial melodies.

Transparent, lofty tunes.

وَلَم يَطُل بِها المَدى حَتّى دَنا

وَلَم يَطُل بِها المَدى حَتّى دَنا

أَبعدُ ما تَرجوه مِن غُرِّ المُنى

أَبعدُ ما تَرجوه مِن غُرِّ المُنى

Her journey did not last long before there drew near

Its journey was not long until

the furthest of the radiant wishes she cherished.

The farthest of what you hope for in the bitterness of destiny drew near.

هُنا هَياكلُ الخُلودِ وَهُنا

هُنا هَياكلُ الخُلودِ وَهُنا

كُلُّ عَظيمِ القَدرِ وَضّاح السَنا

كُلُّ عَظيمِ القَدرِ وَضّاح السَنا

Here were the temples of immortality, and here

Is all the great and shining glory.

everyone of great stature, radiant in splendor.

So it set out loose-reined,

فَاِنطَلَقَت مُرسَلَةَ العِنانِ

فَاِنطَلَقَت مُرسَلَةَ العِنانِ

طافَت عَلى المُلوكِ وَالقَياصِرَه

طافَت عَلى المُلوكِ وَالقَياصِرَه

So she set off, her reins let loose.

Touring the kings and emperors.

She made the rounds of kings and Caesars,

Then it returned saying mockingly:

فاِنقَلَبَت تَقولُ وَهِيَ ساخِرَة

فاِنقَلَبَت تَقولُ وَهِيَ ساخِرَة

أَضخمكم أُسطورةٌ أَو نادِرَه

أَضخمكم أُسطورةٌ أَو نادِرَه

then turned back, saying mockingly:

"Your greatest are myths or rare ones,

'The greatest of you is a myth or an anecdote;

Immortality is only for the geniuses,

وَإِنَّما الخُلودُ للعباقِرَه

وَإِنَّما الخُلودُ للعباقِرَه

جَبابر النُفوسِ وَالأَذهانِ

جَبابر النُفوسِ وَالأَذهانِ

immortality belongs only to the geniuses,

The titans of souls and minds."

the giants of soul and mind.'

The prophets have the highest status,

للأَنبياءِ أَرفَعُ المَقامِ

للأَنبياءِ أَرفَعُ المَقامِ

يُحَفُّ بِالجَلال وَالاكرامِ

يُحَفُّ بِالجَلال وَالاكرامِ

The prophets hold the highest station,

Surrounded by majesty and honor.

surrounded by majesty and honor.

With them are the marvels of inspiration,

وَعِندَهُم رَوائِعُ الإِلهامِ

وَعِندَهُم رَوائِعُ الإِلهامِ

فيها الهُدى وَالنُورُ للأَنامِ

فيها الهُدى وَالنُورُ للأَنامِ

And with them are wonders of inspiration,

In them is guidance and light for mankind,

bearing guidance and light for humankind,

And the utmost perfection in faith.

وَغايةُ الكَمالِ في الإِيمانِ

وَغايةُ الكَمالِ في الإِيمانِ

وَالشُهداءُ بَعدَهُم في المَرتَبه

وَالشُهداءُ بَعدَهُم في المَرتَبه

and the utmost perfection in faith.

After them in rank are the martyrs,

The martyrs follow them in rank,

The people of ransom in tortured nations.

أَهلُ الفِدى في الأُممِ المُعَذَّبَه

أَهلُ الفِدى في الأُممِ المُعَذَّبَه

صَبَّ الشَهيدُ دَمَهُ وَقَرَّبَه

صَبَّ الشَهيدُ دَمَهُ وَقَرَّبَه

those who sacrifice themselves for tormented nations.

The martyr poured his blood and offered it.

The martyr poured out his blood and offered it,

He says: "I sacrifice my bleeding soul

يَقولُ إِنَّ المهجَ المخضَّبَه

يَقولُ إِنَّ المهجَ المخضَّبَه

أَدفع للضَيمِ عَن الأَوطانِ

أَدفع للضَيمِ عَن الأَوطانِ

saying, 'Souls stained with blood

To ward off injustice from the homelands."

best ward oppression off from homelands.'

Magic gathered with temptations

وَاِجتَمَعَ السِحرُ إِلى الفُتونِ

وَاِجتَمَعَ السِحرُ إِلى الفُتونِ

بَينَ رُبى الخُلودِ وَالعُيونِ

بَينَ رُبى الخُلودِ وَالعُيونِ

And enchantment joined with allure

Between the lovely immortality and eyes,

among the hills and springs of immortality:

Talents from a hidden essence

قَرائِحٌ مِن جَوهَرٍ مَكنونِ

قَرائِحٌ مِن جَوهَرٍ مَكنونِ

تَشِعُّ بِالعُلومِ وَالفُنونِ

تَشِعُّ بِالعُلومِ وَالفُنونِ

creative minds wrought of hidden jewels,

That shine with knowledge and arts,

shining with sciences and arts,

And flood the world with benevolence.

وَتَغمُرُ العالمَ بِالإِحسانِ

وَتَغمُرُ العالمَ بِالإِحسانِ

أُولَئِكَ الشُموسُ وَالبُدورُ

أُولَئِكَ الشُموسُ وَالبُدورُ

and flooding the world with beneficence.

Those are the suns and the full moons,

Those are the suns and full moons,

Ever shining, never setting.

دائِمَة الإِشراقِ لا تَغورُ

دائِمَة الإِشراقِ لا تَغورُ

أَفلاكَها ما كَرَّت الدُهورُ

أَفلاكَها ما كَرَّت الدُهورُ

ever shining, never setting.

Their orbits are untouched by the ages.

Their orbits, while the ages turn, are

Love, beauty, and joy,

الحُبُّ وَالجَمالُ وَالسُرورُ

الحُبُّ وَالجَمالُ وَالسُرورُ

وَالخَيرُ وَالحِكمَةُ في الإِنسانِ

وَالخَيرُ وَالحِكمَةُ في الإِنسانِ

love and beauty and joy,

And goodness, wisdom in man.

and goodness and wisdom in humankind.

I listened to my soul saying:

أَصغيتُ لِلنَفس تَقولُ ما لَيه

أَصغيتُ لِلنَفس تَقولُ ما لَيه

طوَّفتُ في الخُلود كُلَّ ناحيَه

طوَّفتُ في الخُلود كُلَّ ناحيَه

I listened to the soul saying what follows:

"I toured immortality in every direction,

I roamed every quarter of immortality,

But did not find anything like that sublime one,

فَما وَجَدتُ مثلَ تِلكَ الرابيَه

فَما وَجَدتُ مثلَ تِلكَ الرابيَه

مُشرِفَةً عَلى الوجود عاليَه

مُشرِفَةً عَلى الوجود عاليَه

yet found nothing like that hill,

Towering over existence, lofty,

lofty, overlooking all existence,

Sturdy, solid pillars."

عاتيةً وَطيدة الأَركانِ

عاتيةً وَطيدة الأَركانِ

رَأَيت ظِلاً شامِلاً ظَليلا

رَأَيت ظِلاً شامِلاً ظَليلا

formidable, with firmly rooted foundations.

I saw an all-encompassing, shady shadow

I saw a vast, sheltering shade

Embracing a towering, majestic edifice.

يَضُمُّ صَرحاً ماثِلاً جَليلا

يَضُمُّ صَرحاً ماثِلاً جَليلا

فَاِرتدَّ طَرفي عَنهُما كَليلا

فَاِرتدَّ طَرفي عَنهُما كَليلا

embracing a stately, towering palace.

My eyes turned away from them belittled

My gaze recoiled from them, weary,

If they sought a representation,

إِذا طَلَبتُ لَهُما تَمثيلا

إِذا طَلَبتُ لَهُما تَمثيلا

فَالحَدَثُ الحَمراءُ في بوّانِ

فَالحَدَثُ الحَمراءُ في بوّانِ

when I sought an image to match them:

For the Event of the Red Canyon is in Buwan.

then it was red al-Hadath in Bawwan.

I saw whites embracing browns,

رَأَيتُ بيضاً يَعتنقنَ سُمرا

رَأَيتُ بيضاً يَعتنقنَ سُمرا

هُنَّ النُجومُ يَأتَلِقنَ زُهرا

هُنَّ النُجومُ يَأتَلِقنَ زُهرا

I saw white blades embracing brown spear-shafts,

There the stars shone like flowers

stars they were, glittering brightly,

In the hand of every gallant knight

في يَد كُلِّ فارِسٍ أَغَرّا

في يَد كُلِّ فارِسٍ أَغَرّا

يَلتَمسُ المَجدَ الأَثيلَ قَسرا

يَلتَمسُ المَجدَ الأَثيلَ قَسرا

in the hand of every illustrious knight

Seeking precious glory forcibly,

who seeks ancient glory by force;

While glory will not be for cowards.

وَالمَجدُ لَن يَكونَ للجبانِ

وَالمَجدُ لَن يَكونَ للجبانِ

رَأَيتَ غيداً مِن أَعاريب الفَلا

رَأَيتَ غيداً مِن أَعاريب الفَلا

and glory shall never belong to a coward.

I saw a herd of the beauties of empty quarters,

You saw graceful maidens from the Arabs of the wilderness,

Red gowns, strange adornments.

حُمرَ الجَلابيبِ غَرائِبَ الحِلى

حُمرَ الجَلابيبِ غَرائِبَ الحِلى

خُلِقنَ مِن حُسنٍ وَفِتنَةٍ فَلا

خُلِقنَ مِن حُسنٍ وَفِتنَةٍ فَلا

red-robed, with wondrous ornaments.

Created from beauty and temptation, so

They were made of beauty and enchantment, so no

Neither haughty nor heavily adorned,

تَطرِيَةً تَرى وَلا تجمُّلا

تَطرِيَةً تَرى وَلا تجمُّلا

وَهَكَذا فَلتَكُن الغَواني

وَهَكَذا فَلتَكُن الغَواني

cosmetic adornment do you see, nor affected beautification.

And so let the songs be.

And thus should beautiful women be.

That one who stood beside them,

ذاكَ الَّذي وَقَفنَ عَن جَنبيهِ

ذاكَ الَّذي وَقَفنَ عَن جَنبيهِ

خِلتُ مُلوكَ الأَرض في بُردَيهِ

خِلتُ مُلوكَ الأَرض في بُردَيهِ

That man beside whose flanks they stood—

I left the kings of earth in his furs

I imagined the kings of the earth within his two cloaks,

Or people under his feet.

أَو الأَنامَ تَحتَ أَخمصَيهِ

أَو الأَنامَ تَحتَ أَخمصَيهِ

قِيلَ اِسجُدي خاشِعَةً لَدَيهِ

قِيلَ اِسجُدي خاشِعَةً لَدَيهِ

or humankind beneath the arches of his feet.

I was told: "Bow submissively before him."

It was said, 'Prostrate yourself humbly before him,

For Al-Mutanabbi is the lord of the place.

فَالمُتَنَبي سَيِّدُ المَكانِ

فَالمُتَنَبي سَيِّدُ المَكانِ

إِن كُنتِ مِمّن يَصحَبُ الكِتابا

إِن كُنتِ مِمّن يَصحَبُ الكِتابا

for al-Mutanabbi is master of this place.

If you are one who befriends the book

If you are one who keeps the book as a companion,

And composes sarcasm and lashing,

وَيَألفُ الطِعانَ وَالضِرابا

وَيَألفُ الطِعانَ وَالضِرابا

وَيَهجرُ النَديمَ وَالشَرابا

وَيَهجرُ النَديمَ وَالشَرابا

and is at home with spear-thrusts and sword-strokes,

And abandons the boon companion and drink,

and forsakes the drinking companion and wine,

You have come to hurt immortal Khaled.

جئتِ أَعزَّ خالدٍ جَنايا

جئتِ أَعزَّ خالدٍ جَنايا

وَفزتِ بِالإِكرام وَالأَمانِ

وَفزتِ بِالإِكرام وَالأَمانِ

you have come to the noblest immortal in dignity,

And you have transgressed hospitality and security.

and won honor and safety.'

I bowed my head and stumbled nearer,

نَكَستُ رَأسي وَدَنَوتُ أَعثُرُ

نَكَستُ رَأسي وَدَنَوتُ أَعثُرُ

فَأَين كِسرى هيبَةً وَقَيصرُ

فَأَين كِسرى هيبَةً وَقَيصرُ

I bowed my head and drew near, stumbling;

So where is Kisra's awe and Caesar's?

where were Khosrow and Caesar in such majesty?

Before him a lion with a shaggy mane

بَينَ يَدَيهِ أَسدٌ غَضَنفَرُ

بَينَ يَدَيهِ أَسدٌ غَضَنفَرُ

عَلَيهِ مِن ضربَةِ سَوطٍ أَثرُ

عَلَيهِ مِن ضربَةِ سَوطٍ أَثرُ

Before him stood a mighty lion,

Bearing from a whip stroke a mark

bearing the mark of a whip-stroke

That makes Ibn Ammar dispense with rhetoric.

يُغَني ابنَ عَمّارٍ عَن البَيانِ

يُغَني ابنَ عَمّارٍ عَن البَيانِ

وَمُضحكٌ مُشقَّقُ الكَعبينِ

وَمُضحكٌ مُشقَّقُ الكَعبينِ

that spares Ibn Ammar the need for explanation.

And laughable is the split-hoofed

And a laughingstock, with cracked heels,

Black-lipped, with two incisors,

أَسوَدُ لابيٌّ بِمشفرينِ

أَسوَدُ لابيٌّ بِمشفرينِ

عِهِدتُهُ يُشَدُّ بِالأُذنَينِ

عِهِدتُهُ يُشَدُّ بِالأُذنَينِ

black, Labi, with two thick lips.

Whose custom is to be led by his two ears,

I had known him to be dragged by both ears,

And whose worth is counted in coins

وَقَدرُهُ يُرَدُّ بِالفِلسَينِ

وَقَدرُهُ يُرَدُّ بِالفِلسَينِ

يَوم تَروجُ سِلعَةُ الخِصيانِ

يَوم تَروجُ سِلعَةُ الخِصيانِ

and his worth reduced to two copper coins

The day the goods of the castrated are hawked.

when the trade in eunuchs was brisk.

It was disgrace and shame for Egypt

كانَ لِمصرَ سُبَّةً وَعارا

كانَ لِمصرَ سُبَّةً وَعارا

يَومَ أَثارَ الشاعرَ الجَبّارا

يَومَ أَثارَ الشاعرَ الجَبّارا

He was a disgrace and a shame to Egypt

The day the magnificent poet provoked him.

the day he provoked the mighty poet.

I do not know whether the satire was fire

لَم أَدرِ هل كانَ الهِجاءُ نارا

لَم أَدرِ هل كانَ الهِجاءُ نارا

أَم عاصِفاً هُيّجَ أَم تَيّارا

أَم عاصِفاً هُيّجَ أَم تَيّارا

I could not tell whether the satire was fire,

Or a storm that stirred up or currents

or a roused tempest, or a torrent,

Or that chest split open from a volcano.

أَم شُقَّ ذاكَ الصَدرُ عَن بُركانِ

أَم شُقَّ ذاكَ الصَدرُ عَن بُركانِ

وَثَمَّ وَحشٌ فَمُهُ دامي الزَبَد

وَثَمَّ وَحشٌ فَمُهُ دامي الزَبَد

or whether that breast had split open to reveal a volcano.

And there was a beast whose foamy mouth overflowed,

And there was a beast, its mouth foaming blood,

On his neck a thick rope of plaited palm-leaf fibers.

في جيدِهِ حَبلٌ غَليظٌ مِن مَسَدْ

في جيدِهِ حَبلٌ غَليظٌ مِن مَسَدْ

قُلتُ أَلا أَسألُ ما هَذا الجَسَد

قُلتُ أَلا أَسألُ ما هَذا الجَسَد

with a thick rope of palm fiber around its neck.

I said, "Should I not ask what is this body?"

I said, 'Shall I not ask what this body is?'

He said, "Yes, this is our envious enemy,

قالَ بَلى هَذا غَريمُنا الحَسَد

قالَ بَلى هَذا غَريمُنا الحَسَد

مُرتَبِكُ الأَخلاطِ في شَيطانِ

مُرتَبِكُ الأَخلاطِ في شَيطانِ

He said, 'Indeed: this is our adversary, Envy,

Confused in nature, possessed by a demon."

a tangle of humors within a devil.'

I saw him blinding his own blind eyes.

رَأَيتُهُ يَطمِسُ عَينيهِ العَمى

رَأَيتُهُ يَطمِسُ عَينيهِ العَمى

سَعيرُ قَلبِهِ طَغى عَلَيهما

سَعيرُ قَلبِهِ طَغى عَلَيهما

I saw him, blindness blotting out his eyes;

The blaze of his heart overwhelmed them.

the blaze of his heart had overwhelmed them.

I said, "And is this Khaled too, so what

قُلتُ وَهَذا خالد أَيضاً فَما

قُلتُ وَهَذا خالد أَيضاً فَما

أَعجَبَ أَن يَبقى الأَذى وَيَسلَما

أَعجَبَ أَن يَبقى الأَذى وَيَسلَما

I said, 'This too is immortal—how

A wonder that harm remains and they are safe,

astonishing that harm should endure and escape unscathed,

And evil prospers with a second lifetime?"

وَيَنعمَ الشَرُّ بِعُمرٍ ثانِ

وَيَنعمَ الشَرُّ بِعُمرٍ ثانِ

تَبَسَّمَ الشاعرُ ثُمَّ رَدَّدا

تَبَسَّمَ الشاعرُ ثُمَّ رَدَّدا

and evil enjoy a second life!'

The poet smiled then cast

The poet smiled, then fixed once more

At the beast a look as if it were destruction.

في الوَحشِ نَظرَةً كَأَنَّها الرَدى

في الوَحشِ نَظرَةً كَأَنَّها الرَدى

قالَ لَئن نَكَّدَ عَيشي بِالعِدى

قالَ لَئن نَكَّدَ عَيشي بِالعِدى

upon the beast a gaze that seemed death itself.

He said, "Even if he soured my life with enmity

He said, 'Though he embittered my life with enemies,

To the point I called my son envied,

حَتّى دَعَوتُ وَلَدي مُحَسَّدا

حَتّى دَعَوتُ وَلَدي مُحَسَّدا

فَإِنّه خُلِّدَ في الهَوانِ

فَإِنّه خُلِّدَ في الهَوانِ

until I named my son Muhassad,

He is still immortalized in disgrace."

yet he was immortalized in humiliation.

Come forward, O soul, and ask me

تَقدَّمي يا نَفسُ وَاسأَليني

تَقدَّمي يا نَفسُ وَاسأَليني

عَن أَثَر المفتاحِ في جَبيني

عَن أَثَر المفتاحِ في جَبيني

Come forward, O soul, and ask me

About the effect of the key on my forehead.

about the key's mark upon my brow.

With his villainy he changed me

بَدَّلني بِكيدِهِ اللَعينِ

بَدَّلني بِكيدِهِ اللَعينِ

ذُلَّ الوِجار مِن حِمى العَرينِ

ذُلَّ الوِجار مِن حِمى العَرينِ

Through his accursed plotting, he gave me instead

From the degradation of the neighbor's protection

the shame of a beast's den for the shelter of the lion's lair—

To the protected sanctuary of the kings, the Hamdanids.

حِمى المُلوكِ مِن بَني حمدانِ

حِمى المُلوكِ مِن بَني حمدانِ

وَما اِبتَلى الحَسودُ إِلا جَوهَرا

وَما اِبتَلى الحَسودُ إِلا جَوهَرا

the shelter of kings of the house of Hamdan.

And the envious are tested with nothing but essence

Yet the envious one tested only a jewel

That is perfected into light and refined nature.

يَتمُّ نوراً وَيَطيبُ عُنصرا

يَتمُّ نوراً وَيَطيبُ عُنصرا

وَالفَضلُ لا بُدَّ لَهُ أَن يَظهَرا

وَالفَضلُ لا بُدَّ لَهُ أَن يَظهَرا

that grows perfect in radiance and pure in substance.

Superiority inevitably appears.

And excellence must surely reveal itself;

The ages speak of it to the ages,

تُحدِّثُ الأَعصُرُ عَنهُ الأَعصرا

تُحدِّثُ الأَعصُرُ عَنهُ الأَعصرا

وَلِلحَسودِ غَمرَةُ النِسيانِ

وَلِلحَسودِ غَمرَةُ النِسيانِ

ages tell ages of it,

While for the envious there is the darkness of oblivion.

while the envious one is engulfed in oblivion.

Return to your world, O world of the Arabs,

عودي إِلى دُنياكِ دُنيا العَرَبِ

عودي إِلى دُنياكِ دُنيا العَرَبِ

بِجَذوَةٍ تُضرِمُ رُوحَ الأَدَبِ

بِجَذوَةٍ تُضرِمُ رُوحَ الأَدَبِ

Return to your world, the world of the Arabs,

With an ardor that kindles the soul of literature

with an ember that kindles the spirit of literature

And floods the East with this flame.

وَتُغمِرُ الشَرقَ بِهَذا اللَهَبِ

وَتُغمِرُ الشَرقَ بِهَذا اللَهَبِ

قَد يَستَردُّ الحَقَّ بَعضُ الكُتُبِ

قَد يَستَردُّ الحَقَّ بَعضُ الكُتُبِ

and floods the East with this flame.

Some books may regain truth,

Some books may restore justice,

And glory may be in the Diwan.

وَقَد يَكونُ المَجدُ في ديوانِ

وَقَد يَكونُ المَجدُ في ديوانِ

and glory may reside in a volume of verse.'