أرى الدهر مغلوباً وغالبا

أرى الدهر مغلوباً وغالبا

فلا تَعتِبَنْ لا يسمعُ الدهرُ عاتبا

فلا تَعتِبَنْ لا يسمعُ الدهرُ عاتبا

I see Time both vanquished and victorious.

I see fate sometimes victorious, sometimes vanquished,

So do not reproach it: Time hears no reproacher.

So do not reproach, fate does not hear a reproacher,

ولا تكذبنْ ، ما في البرية راحمٌ

ولا تكذبنْ ، ما في البرية راحمٌ

ولا أنت فاترُكْ رحمةً عنك جانبا

ولا أنت فاترُكْ رحمةً عنك جانبا

And do not lie: none among creation is merciful,

Nor believe it, there is no pity in the wilderness,

nor are you; so put mercy aside.

Nor are you one to let mercy escape you.

تمكّنَ ذو طَوْلٍ فأصبح حاكماً

تمكّنَ ذو طَوْلٍ فأصبح حاكماً

وجنّب مدحوراٌ فأصبح راهبا

وجنّب مدحوراٌ فأصبح راهبا

A man of means gained power and became a ruler;

The one with endurance prevailed and became ruler,

and a defeated man was sidelined and became a monk.

And the defeated kept aside and became a monk.

وفاتت أناساً قدرةٌ فتمسكوا

وفاتت أناساً قدرةٌ فتمسكوا

ولم يُخْلقوا أُسداً فعاشوا ثعالبا

ولم يُخْلقوا أُسداً فعاشوا ثعالبا

Power eluded some, so they clung to piety;

To some people ability escaped so they clung on,

they were not created lions, so they lived as foxes.

And though not created as lions, they lived as foxes.

إلى روح " مكيافيل " نفحُ تحية

إلى روح " مكيافيل " نفحُ تحية

وصوبُ غمامٍ يترك القبرَ عاشبا

وصوبُ غمامٍ يترك القبرَ عاشبا

To Machiavelli's spirit, a waft of greeting,

My spirit sends its regards to Machiavelli’s soul

and a cloud's downpour, leaving the grave grass-grown.

And clouds leave his grave growing with plants.

أبان لنا وجهَ الحقيقةِ بعد ما

أبان لنا وجهَ الحقيقةِ بعد ما

أقام الورى ستراً وحاجبا

أقام الورى ستراً وحاجبا

He revealed to us the face of truth, after

He showed us the face of truth after

mankind had raised a veil and a screen.

The world had cast over it a veil and screen.

ولو رُمتُ للعَوْرات كشفاً أريتُكُمْ

ولو رُمتُ للعَوْرات كشفاً أريتُكُمْ

من الناس حتى الأنبياءِ عجائبا

من الناس حتى الأنبياءِ عجائبا

Had I sought to uncover shameful faults, I would have shown you

And if I disclosed defects to show you all,

astonishing things among people—even among the prophets.

I would show you wonders among people, even prophets.

أريتكُمُ أنَّ المنافعَ صُوِّرتْ

أريتكُمُ أنَّ المنافعَ صُوِّرتْ

محامدَ والحرمانَ منها معايبا

محامدَ والحرمانَ منها معايبا

I would have shown you that advantages were depicted

I would show you that benefits are pictured

as virtues, and deprivation of them as faults.

As praise, and deprivation from them as faults.

أريتكُمُ أنَّ ابنَ آدمَ ثعلبٌ

أريتكُمُ أنَّ ابنَ آدمَ ثعلبٌ

يماشيك منهوباً ويغزوك ناهبا

يماشيك منهوباً ويغزوك ناهبا

I would have shown you that Adam's son is a fox:

I would show you man is a fox,

he walks beside you when robbed, and raids you when robbing.

Who walks deprived yet raids you as a plunderer.

لحفظ " الأنانياتِ " سُنَّتْ مناهجٌ

لحفظ " الأنانياتِ " سُنَّتْ مناهجٌ

على الخلق صَبَّتْ محنةً ومصائبا

على الخلق صَبَّتْ محنةً ومصائبا

To safeguard selfish interests, paths were laid down

To protect “selfishness” curriculums were set up

that poured affliction and calamities upon mankind.

Which poured ordeals and tribulations over people.

يجرُّ سياسيُّ عليها خصومَه

يجرُّ سياسيُّ عليها خصومَه

ويدرك دينيُّ بهنّ المطالبا

ويدرك دينيُّ بهنّ المطالبا

A politician drags his opponents along them,

The politician drags his opponents over them

and a religious man attains his aims through them.

And the religious man attains through them his goals.

فان تراني مستصرخاً من مُلِمَّة

فان تراني مستصرخاً من مُلِمَّة

على الناس إذ لم أخدعِ الناسَ صاخبا

على الناس إذ لم أخدعِ الناسَ صاخبا

So if you see me crying for help in some calamity,

So if you see me crying out bitterly over the ordeal upon people,

clamoring at people when I have not deceived them,

It is not because I am sensitive, but because

فليس لأني ذو شعور وإنّما

فليس لأني ذو شعور وإنّما

أردتُ على الأيام عوناً وصاحبا

أردتُ على الأيام عوناً وصاحبا

it is not because I am a man of feeling, but rather

I wanted support and company against the days,

because I wanted help and a companion against the days.

It is myself, everything falls away when it is safe.

هي النفس نفسي يسقط الكلُّ عندها

هي النفس نفسي يسقط الكلُّ عندها

إذا سَلِمتْ فليذهبِ الكونَُ عاطبا

إذا سَلِمتْ فليذهبِ الكونَُ عاطبا

It is the self—my self—before which all else falls;

Yes, perhaps I love it more than others

if it remains safe, let the universe go to ruin.

Because desire and goals draw me to it.

بلى ربما أهوى سواها لأنه

بلى ربما أهوى سواها لأنه

يَجُرُّ إليها شهوةً ومآربا

يَجُرُّ إليها شهوةً ومآربا

Yes, I may sometimes love something other than it, because

And if my self was enabled, it would send a storm

it brings my self pleasure and desired gains.

Over people, scattering them, and burst out violently.

ولو مُكِّنََتْ نفسي لأرسلتَ عاصفاً

ولو مُكِّنََتْ نفسي لأرسلتَ عاصفاً

على الناس يَذروهم وفجَّرتُ حاصبا

على الناس يَذروهم وفجَّرتُ حاصبا

Had my self been empowered, I would have unleashed a tempest

So if I were religious, I would have taken

upon people, scattering them, and I would have loosed a stone-pelting gale.

Mohammed, Jesus and Moses as proof and mounts.

فلو كنت دينيّا تخذت محمداً

فلو كنت دينيّا تخذت محمداً

وعيسى وموسى حجة وركائبا

وعيسى وموسى حجة وركائبا

If I were a religious man, I would take Muhammad,

I would have seized the money of orphans, legitimized it,

Jesus, and Moses as a justification and as mounts.

And collected it in the name of religion by force.

تناهبتُ أموالَ اليتامى أجوزُها

تناهبتُ أموالَ اليتامى أجوزُها

وأجمعُها باسم الديانة غاصبا

وأجمعُها باسم الديانة غاصبا

I would plunder the orphans' wealth, carrying it off,

I would have paved for myself a luxurious living in its shade,

and gather it in religion's name, a usurper.

And enjoyed it, then my relatives.

ومهدتُ لي عيشاً أنيقاً بظلها

ومهدتُ لي عيشاً أنيقاً بظلها

ومتعتُ نفسي منه ثم الأقاربا

ومتعتُ نفسي منه ثم الأقاربا

I would prepare myself an elegant life in its shade,

And if I were a politician, I would have left

and delight myself with it, then my relatives.

No tusks for those I doubted and suspected.

ولو كنتُ من أهل السياسة لم أَدَعْ

ولو كنتُ من أهل السياسة لم أَدَعْ

سناماً لمن أرتابُ فيهم وغاربا

سناماً لمن أرتابُ فيهم وغاربا

If I were a politician, I would not leave

I would have taken the people with assumption, counted their steps,

a hump or withers to those I suspect.

And gone to the subtleties of hearts for reckoning.

تَخذتُ الورى بالظن أُحصي خطاهُمُ

تَخذتُ الورى بالظن أُحصي خطاهُمُ

ورُحْت لدقاتِ القلوبِ محاسبا

ورُحْت لدقاتِ القلوبِ محاسبا

I would treat people as suspects, counting their footsteps,

And I would not have seen in the atrocious sin I committed

and set about calling them to account for their heartbeats.

Except that I had performed my duty to the rule.

ولم أرَ في الاثم الفظيع اقترفتُه

ولم أرَ في الاثم الفظيع اقترفتُه

سوى أنني أدّيتُ للحكم واجبا

سوى أنني أدّيتُ للحكم واجبا

And I would see in the dreadful sin I had committed

So if I could not bear to demolish a house openly

only that I had fulfilled a duty to the regime.

I would come and demolish houses indirectly.

فان لم أُطِقْ تهديمَ بيتٍ مصارحاً

فان لم أُطِقْ تهديمَ بيتٍ مصارحاً

أتيتُ فهدَّمتُ البيوتَ مواربا

أتيتُ فهدَّمتُ البيوتَ مواربا

If I could not demolish a house openly,

I would resort to the constitution in every strait,

I would come and demolish houses by stealth.

Interpret from it what I see suitable.

لجأتُ إلى الدُّسْتُور في كل شدةٍ

لجأتُ إلى الدُّسْتُور في كل شدةٍ

أفسّر منه ما أراه مناسبا

أفسّر منه ما أراه مناسبا

I would take refuge in the constitution in every crisis,

And wield it as a sword, execute and make a calamity

interpreting those parts of it I found convenient.

Worse than an Indian sword and more piercing.

وجردتُهُ سيفاً أمضَّ وقيعةً

وجردتُهُ سيفاً أمضَّ وقيعةً

من السيف هنديا وأمضى مضاربا

من السيف هنديا وأمضى مضاربا

I would unsheathe it as a sword, more grievous in its strike

With it I would silence mouths, right and wrong,

than an Indian sword, with keener cutting edges.

And strangle breaths and talents.

أكُمُّ به الأفواهَ حقا وباطلا

أكُمُّ به الأفواهَ حقا وباطلا

وأخْنُقُ أنفاسا به ومواهبا

وأخْنُقُ أنفاسا به ومواهبا

With it I would muzzle mouths, rightly and wrongly,

I would destroy with it a council I do not want

and strangle breaths and talents with it.

Even if it included free spirited honorable men.

أُهدّمُ فيه مجلساً ليَ لا أُريدهُ

أُهدّمُ فيه مجلساً ليَ لا أُريدهُ

وإن ضمَّ أحراراً غَيارىَ أطابيا

وإن ضمَّ أحراراً غَيارىَ أطابيا

Through it I would demolish an assembly of mine I did not want,

And I would build on it for myself another council,

even if it held free, zealous, upright men.

Appointing flatterers on it as wages.

وأبني عليه مجلساً ليَ ثانيا

وأبني عليه مجلساً ليَ ثانيا

أضيّع " ألكاكاً " عليه رواتبا

أضيّع " ألكاكاً " عليه رواتبا

And on its basis I would build a second assembly for myself,

I would gather in it my friends and family

squandering lakhs on it in salaries.

As a house gathers family and comrades.

أُحشّد فيه أصدقائي وأسرتي

أُحشّد فيه أصدقائي وأسرتي

كما ضمّ بيتٌ أُسرةً وصواحبا

كما ضمّ بيتٌ أُسرةً وصواحبا

I would pack it with my friends and my family,

So if this did not work, I would resort to another,

as a house gathers a family and companions.

Lighter in harm than it and gentler.

فان لم تكن هذي لجأتُ لغيرها

فان لم تكن هذي لجأتُ لغيرها

أخفَ أذىً منها وألين جانبا

أخفَ أذىً منها وألين جانبا

If this were not possible, I would resort to another course,

I would nominate one the people do not know by name,

less harmful than it, and gentler in manner.

Keep the distinguished and foreigners away from him.

أُرشحُ من لم يعرفِ الشعبُ باسمه

أُرشحُ من لم يعرفِ الشعبُ باسمه

أباعدَ عنه لفّقوا وأجانبا

أباعدَ عنه لفّقوا وأجانبا

I would nominate men whose names the people did not know,

I would employ them for a while for myself, and sometimes,

strangers to them, cobbled together, and foreigners.

Inflict on the nations through them afflictions.

أُسخّرهم طوراً لنفسي وتارةً

أُسخّرهم طوراً لنفسي وتارةً

أصُبّ على الأوطان منهم مصائبا

أصُبّ على الأوطان منهم مصائبا

I would press them into my service at times, and at others

And I would entice a poet with favors, make him enchanted,

pour calamities through them upon the homelands.

And lavish a writer with money, make him deceived.

وأغريت بالتلطيف أسْحَرُ شاعراً

وأغريت بالتلطيف أسْحَرُ شاعراً

وأغدقت بالأموال اخْدَعُ كاتبا

وأغدقت بالأموال اخْدَعُ كاتبا

And I would entice with gentle coaxing, bewitching a poet,

For this is called wisdom and governance,

and lavish money, deceiving a writer.

While the other is counted as faults.

فهذا يسمى الجورَ حزماً وحكمةً

فهذا يسمى الجورَ حزماً وحكمةً

وذلك يعتدُّ المخازي مناقبا

وذلك يعتدُّ المخازي مناقبا

So this one would call tyranny firmness and wisdom,

And if I were an artist, or worker,

and that one would count disgraceful deeds as virtues.

Or illiterate, or earner.

ولو كنتُ فناناً ولو كنتُ عاملاً

ولو كنتُ فناناً ولو كنتُ عاملاً

ولو كنتُ أُمياً ولو كنت كاسبا

ولو كنتُ أُمياً ولو كنت كاسبا

Were I an artist, were I a worker,

And whoever I were, an individual, I would

were I illiterate, were I one who earned a living,

Exert to destroy others, working hard.

ولو كنت مهما كنت فرداً فانني

ولو كنت مهما كنت فرداً فانني

لأجهَدُ في تحطيم غيريَ دائبا

لأجهَدُ في تحطيم غيريَ دائبا

whatever I were, as an individual I would surely

I would not know history raging angrily at me,

strive tirelessly to crush others.

Nor conscience turning away wrathfully.

ولا أعرف التاريخَ يهتاج ساخطا

ولا أعرف التاريخَ يهتاج ساخطا

عليّ ولا الوجدانَ يرتدُّ غاضبا

عليّ ولا الوجدانَ يرتدُّ غاضبا

And I would not acknowledge history flaring up in outrage

For excuses were only for the lazy,

against me, nor conscience recoiling in anger.

And I was nothing but an ambitious soul leaping up.

فما كانت الأعذار إلا لخاملٍ

فما كانت الأعذار إلا لخاملٍ

وما كنت إلا طامحَ النفسِ واثبا

وما كنت إلا طامحَ النفسِ واثبا

For excuses were only for the indolent,

Leave me, leave me, do not stir up my aspirations,

and I was only ever ambitious in spirit, leaping ahead.

Nor send from me passions that give.

دعوني دعوني لا تهيجوا لواعجي

دعوني دعوني لا تهيجوا لواعجي

ولا تبعثوا مني شجوناً لَواهِبا

ولا تبعثوا مني شجوناً لَواهِبا

Leave me, leave me; do not stir my burning torments,

So do not reproach fate, it does not hear a reproacher,

nor awaken blazing sorrows from within me.

And do not believe it, there is no pity in the wilderness.