لاnot تَلمَسُtouches الشمسَthe sun يدُa hand
لا تَلمَسُ الشمسَ يدُ
فماso what يَرُدُّturns back الحسَدُenvy
فما يَرُدُّ الحسَدُ
No hand can touch the sun;
Do not covet the sun with your hand,
so what can envy hold back?
For envy brings no gain.
ماnothing لمُريدِfor one seeking حسنِهاher beauty
ما لمُريدِ حسنِها
إلاexcept الأسىsorrow والكمدُand grief
إلا الأسى والكمدُ
For one who seeks her beauty,
The admirer of its beauty
there is only sorrow and grief.
Gets only sorrow and gloom.
يَفْنَىhe perishes نزولاًin descent ولهاand hers are
يَفْنَى نزولاً ولها
علاؤهاher height والخُلُدُand immortality
علاؤها والخُلُدُ
He perishes, sinking, while hers
It sets and rises, eternal,
are her height and immortality.
While men fade and die.
أرىI see نفوساًsouls ضَلَّةًastray
أرى نفوساً ضَلَّةً
تَنشُدُseeking ماwhat لاnot تَجِدُthey find
تَنشُدُ ما لا تَجِدُ
I see souls gone astray,
I see lost souls
seeking what they cannot find.
Seeking what they'll never find,
تحسَبthey suppose بالكسبthrough earning العلاeminence (continued)
تحسَب بالكسب العلا
ءَcompletion of 'eminence' والعلاءُand eminence مُولَدُinborn
ءَ والعلاءُ مُولَدُ
They think eminence is earned,
Thinking status and fortune
though eminence is inborn.
Are theirs to claim and assign.
أفضَحُهاtheir most shameless مفنِّدٌa faultfinder
أفضَحُها مفنِّدٌ
لوif only سدّstemmed غيظاًrage فَنَدُfaultfinding
لو سدّ غيظاً فَنَدُ
Their most shameless is a faultfinder—
But time exposes their folly -
if only faultfinding could stanch rage.
Would that their rage might end!
وكلّand every قلبٍheart قُرحةan ulcer
وكلّ قلبٍ قُرحة
يشِفُّshows through عنهover it الجسدُthe body
يشِفُّ عنه الجسدُ
And every heart is an ulcer
Each wounded heart
that shows through the body.
Is balméd by the body's mend.
أبرُدُهُI cool it بَعذَليwith my rebukes
أبرُدُهُ بَعذَلي
لوif أنthat ناراًa fire تَبْرُدُcould cool
لو أن ناراً تَبْرُدُ
I cool it with my rebukes,
It cools my torment
if a fire could ever be cooled.
If fire itself grew cold.
هيهاتfar beyond reach منfrom دوائهاits cure
هيهات من دوائها
وداؤهاand its sickness محمَّدُMuhammad
وداؤها محمَّدُ
Far beyond any cure—
Alas no cure for this sickness
and its sickness is Muhammad.
Except where Muhammad told.
فاتhas passed beyond علىdespite أطماعِهِits covetous hopes
فات على أطماعِهِ
حمىthe domain of العيونthe eyes الفرقدُthe star Farqad
حمى العيون الفرقدُ
Beyond its covetous hopes has passed
Gone - youth's lost chance,
Farqad, beyond the eyes' domain.
The prime of life now past.
شَوَّقهاmade them yearn لحاقَهُto catch him
شَوَّقها لحاقَهُ
جَهلُignorance of الحظوظِallotted fortunes المسعِدُencouraging
جَهلُ الحظوظِ المسعِدُ
They were made to yearn to catch him
False hope once nourished
by heartening ignorance of their fortunes.
By luck's embrace outlasted.
ونِعَمٌand blessings نابتةٌsprouting
ونِعَمٌ نابتةٌ
معwith الربيعthe spring جُدُدُnew
مع الربيع جُدُدُ
And blessings are sprouting,
Green shoots of spring
new with the spring.
Renew with nature's gifts.
حدَّثَهاtold them أضغاثَهاtheir tangled dreams
حدَّثَها أضغاثَها
هذاthis السرابُthe mirage المُوقَدُkindled
هذا السرابُ المُوقَدُ
Their tangled dreams were told to them
Vain mirages lit desire
by this blazing mirage.
Till day reality lifts.
والصبحُand dawn فيfor تكذيبهاdisproving them
والصبحُ في تكذيبها
إنif بلغوهthey reach it الموعدُthe appointed hour
إن بلغوه الموعدُ
And dawn, for their disproof,
The moon is lost, the blackest night
is the appointed hour—if they reach it.
Where once your white torch burned.
ياO حاسديenviers of محمّدٍMuhammad
يا حاسدي محمّدٍ
لاdo not تطلبوهpursue him واحسُدواand envy
لا تطلبوه واحسُدوا
O enviers of Muhammad,
Most generous, most true of you
do not pursue him; envy on!
May rightly be "Chief" earned.
شريعةٌa watering-place مورودةٌapproached for water
شريعةٌ مورودةٌ
لوif only أصدَرتْsent drinkers away مَنْwhoever يَردُcomes to water
لو أصدَرتْ مَنْ يَردُ
A watering-place frequented—
His signs need nomimicry.
if only it let its drinkers leave!
The bare path shows the test.
منّتكُمُgave you hopes جدودُكمyour fortunes
منّتكُمُ جدودُكم
أَنthat السبيلَthe path جَدَدُsmooth
أَن السبيلَ جَدَدُ
Your fortunes gave you hopes
No armor saves when mighty claws
that the path was smooth.
Set out to tear your breast.
تنكّبواturn aside فإنماfor surely
تنكّبوا فإنما
علىon الطريقthe road الأسدُthe lion
على الطريق الأسدُ
Turn aside, for surely
Truest heart, tied tight
the lion is on the road.
Against the spears of blame.
أغيدُsupple لاnot يُنجِيsaves الرقاnecks (continued)
أغيدُ لا يُنجِي الرقا
بَcompletion of 'necks' منfrom يديهhis two paws الجَيَدُlength of neck
بَ من يديه الجَيَدُ
Supple—no neck can be saved
No treasure's left unsacked
from his two paws by its length.
Where once a caravan came.
أوفَىmounted علىonto مَرقَبِهhis lookout
أوفَى على مَرقَبِه
لكفّهfor his paw ماwhatever يرصُدُhe watches for
لكفّه ما يرصُدُ
He has mounted his lookout;
Most binding oaths he makes
what he watches for belongs to his paw.
Are spread without provisions laid.
أزبُّshaggy ماnot مِنbecause of قِرَّةٍcold
أزبُّ ما مِن قِرَّةٍ
خِيطتwere sewn عليهonto him اللِّبدُthe matted mane-locks
خِيطت عليه اللِّبدُ
Shaggy: not against the cold
Blood money at his feet,
were his matted locks sewn upon him.
Ransoms by his hand are paid.
إذاwhen غداhe sets out لسفَرٍfor a journey
إذا غدا لسفَرٍ
أقسمَhe swore لاnot يُزَوَّدُto be provisioned
أقسمَ لا يُزَوَّدُ
When he sets out on a journey,
When foes united and you alone,
he swears he will take no provisions.
What can be done? Lead on!
الناجياتُswift she-camels عندهin his eyes
الناجياتُ عنده
وذيَّةٌscrawny sheep ونَقَدُand small, short-legged sheep
وذيَّةٌ ونَقَدُ
Swift she-camels, in his eyes,
Confusion reigns in their conceit,
are scrawny sheep and short-legged sheep.
The guide o'erturned, the goal gone.
قدindeed قلتُI said لمّاwhen أجمعواthey united
قد قلتُ لمّا أجمعوا
وأنتand you عنهمapart from them مفردُalone
وأنت عنهم مفردُ
I said, when they had united
Perfection cannot be divided -
and you stood apart from them:
Take all or none instead.
تخبِطُstumbles blindly عشواؤهُمُtheir night-blind she-camel
تخبِطُ عشواؤهُمُ
ماwhat فعلhas done المُقَوِّدُthe guide
ما فعل المُقَوِّدُ
Their night-blind she-camel stumbles;
uniqueness never to repeat,
what has the guide done?
While earth gives birth to dead.
البدرُthe full moon فيin أمثالهاthe likes of them
البدرُ في أمثالها
حنادساًpitch-dark nights يُفتقَدُis missed
حنادساً يُفتقَدُ
The full moon, in such nights,
Pilgrim sheds his garb but there
is missed amid pitch darkness.
No nakedness is found.
ضاعwas wasted بياضُthe white light of ناركمyour fire
ضاع بياضُ ناركم
والليلُand the night بعدُstill أَسْودُblack
والليلُ بعدُ أَسْودُ
Your fire's white light is wasted,
O Kufa where we dwelt,
while the night is still black.
Mysterious treasure mound!
أكرمُكمthe noblest of you أحقُّكمthe most entitled of you
أكرمُكم أحقُّكم
بأنto يقالَbe called سيّدُlord
بأن يقالَ سيّدُ
The noblest of you is most entitled
Just one man, one land
to be called lord.
And riders crossing motions vast.
دلَّpointed علىto آياتهِhis signs
دلَّ على آياتهِ
فماso why لناfor us نُقلِّدُfollow blindly
فما لنا نُقلِّدُ
He has shown his signs;
Their goal: to come and touch his tomb
why, then, should we follow blindly?
And help heal troubles past.
وناقصُand one short of الشِّكةbattle gear مضweakened (continued)
وناقصُ الشِّكة مض
عوفcompletion of 'weakened' الحشاthe vitals مُعَوِّدُa seasoned warrior
عوف الحشا مُعَوِّدُ
And one scantily armed and weakened
Swift mounts they race here,
in the vitals—a seasoned warrior:
Yearning burning in their chests.
صمّsolid القناlance-shafts الصِّلابِhard منthrough
صمّ القنا الصِّلابِ من
خَوَرِهِhis frailty تَقَصَّدُsplinter
خَوَرِهِ تَقَصَّدُ
the solid, hard lance-shafts, through
My heart melts like tallow,
his frailty, are splintered.
Spent wicks give no warmth left.
يطولهاhe surpasses them شوارعاًleveled
يطولها شوارعاً
وهوwhile he لَقىًcast away موسَّدُpillowed
وهو لَقىً موسَّدُ
He surpasses them when they are leveled,
What solace patience gives!
though he lies cast down, pillowed.
Though fate may quickly toss.
إذsince الكمالُperfection كلُّهall of it
إذ الكمالُ كلُّه
فيwithin جسدa body يحدَّدُis bounded
في جسد يحدَّدُ
Since all perfection
When absent who needs credit
lies within a bounded body.
For triumphs gained and lost?
ماnot تَلدِbears الأرضُthe earth كذاthe like of this
ما تَلدِ الأرضُ كذا
والأرضُand the earth بعدُstill تَلِدُgives birth
والأرضُ بعدُ تَلِدُ
The earth bears nothing like this,
How long till we meet again?
though the earth still gives birth.
All things have their season.
قلtell بنيthe sons of الآرابneeds تُجare spurned (continued)
قل بني الآراب تُج
فَىcompletion of 'are spurned' والمنىand hopes تُشرَّدُare driven away
فَى والمنى تُشرَّدُ
Tell those whose needs are spurned
O bringer of such bounty -
and whose hopes are driven away,
Gifts received pass reason.
والحاجand needs يُلقَىis encountered دونهbefore them (continued)
والحاج يُلقَى دونه
نّcompletion of 'before them' اللَّحِزُthe miser المُزَيِّدُthe braggart
نّ اللَّحِزُ المُزَيِّدُ
whose needs encounter, barring their way,
My excess spoiled your grace.
a tightfisted braggart:
Giving sometimes means less.
الكوفةَKufa الكوفةَKufa ياO
الكوفةَ الكوفةَ يا
مغوّرٌlowland traveler ياO منجدُtraveler to Najd
مغوّرٌ يا منجدُ
Kufa! Kufa! O
Hold back? But to give all -
lowland traveler, O traveler to Najd!
Listen, update I bring.
ماnot الناسmankind إلاbut رجلٌone man
ما الناس إلا رجلٌ
والأرضand the earth إلاbut بلدُone city
والأرض إلا بلدُ
Mankind is but one man,
Forever to apprise anew!
and the earth but one city.
Beyond all current sorrows
مَنwho راكبٌwill ride مُربِعةًa she-camel at the four-incisor stage
مَن راكبٌ مُربِعةً
تمَّbecame complete عليهاupon her العُددُthe equipment
تمَّ عليها العُددُ
Who will ride a mature she-camel,
Glad tiding that give joy so true!
with all her equipment complete,
Not fasting in consolation
موضوعةَset in place الرحلthe saddle تُلgnaws (continued)
موضوعةَ الرحل تُل
سّcompletion of 'gnaws' حَكْمَهاher bridle وتَرِدُand comes to water
سّ حَكْمَها وتَرِدُ
her saddle set, as she gnaws
Of your death - forbid!
her bridle and comes to water?
Years elude all count, only
يَمُدُّextends قِيدthe measure of الرمحthe spear ظa shadow (continued)
يَمُدُّ قِيد الرمح ظ
لاًcompletion of 'shadow' قَصرُهاher palace المشيَّدُlofty and well-built
لاً قَصرُها المشيَّدُ
A spear's length of shadow is cast
God's timelessness amid.
by her lofty, well-built palace.
If lifetimes lived in fortune,
تحملهshe carries him مُخِفَّةًlightly burdened
تحمله مُخِفَّةً
ولوeven if علاهاmounted her أُحُدُUhud
ولو علاها أُحُدُ
She bears him with ease,
Ever sitting at your side...
even were Uhud mounted on her.
I'd never stand here humbled,
تَخدّcuts furrows فيin الصخرthe rock ملاcheek-like faces (continued)
تَخدّ في الصخر ملا
طِمَcompletion of 'cheek-like faces' عليهاupon her تَخِدُcut furrows
طِمَ عليها تَخِدُ
She scores furrows in the rock's
Ready your greatness to confide.
faces, which in turn score her.
Maybe I'll rise tomorrow?
عَجْلَىswift إذاwhen ماemphasis الساقthe shank صاcatches (continued)
عَجْلَى إذا ما الساق صا
دتcompletion of 'catches' ماwhat تُثيرُstirs up العَضُدُthe upper foreleg
دت ما تُثيرُ العَضُدُ
Swift, whenever her shank catches
Today's brother is tomorrow's kin.
what her upper foreleg stirs.
This life a simple stopping point,
لمnot يدرcould discern لحظُa glance ضابطٍan observant watcher
لم يدر لحظُ ضابطٍ
ماwhich رجلُهاher hind leg وماand which اليدُthe foreleg
ما رجلُها وما اليدُ
No watchful eye could tell
Each night leads to new dawn.
her hind leg from her foreleg.
بلّغconvey بلغتَmay you arrive راشداًrightly guided
بلّغ بلغتَ راشداً
تسرِيyou travel by night ويحدوand urges onward with chanting مُرشدُa guide
تسرِي ويحدو مُرشدُ
Convey—may you arrive aright,
traveling by night, with a guide chanting you onward—
شوقاًlonging يقُضُّpierces نَبلُهُits arrows الthe (article for next line)
شوقاً يقُضُّ نَبلُهُ ال
أضلاعَribs وهيand they are زَرَدُrings of chainmail
أضلاعَ وهي زَرَدُ
a longing whose arrows pierce the
ribs, though they are rings of mail.
دامpersisted علىupon حصاةthe pebble of قلheart (continued)
دام على حصاة قل
بيcompletion of 'my heart' ويذوبand melts الجلمدُthe hard rock
بي ويذوب الجلمدُ
It persists upon the pebble of my
heart, while solid rock melts.
أفنىconsumed الوَقودُthe burning fuel كبديmy liver
أفنى الوَقودُ كبدي
فهلso does يُحسّfeel المُوقِدُthe kindler
فهل يُحسّ المُوقِدُ
The blaze has consumed my liver;
does the kindler feel it?
كمhow much يُسعِدhelps الصبرُpatience تُرَىone wonders
كم يُسعِد الصبرُ تُرَى
بعدكafter you خانbetrayed المسعِدُthe helper
بعدك خان المسعِدُ
How much can patience help, I wonder?
After you, the helper has betrayed me.
علىupon مَنwhom الفضلُexcellence وقدnow that
على مَن الفضلُ وقد
فارقتَهyou have left it يعتمِدُdoes it depend
فارقتَه يعتمِدُ
On whom can excellence—now that
you have left it—depend?
ياO طولَlength of ذمّيmy reproaches للنوىagainst separation
يا طولَ ذمّي للنوى
هلis there منany لقاءٍa reunion يُحمَدُis praised
هل من لقاءٍ يُحمَدُ
How long I have blamed separation!
Will there be a reunion worth praising?
متىwhen فقدfor indeed طالhas grown long المدىthe interval
متى فقد طال المدى
لكلِّfor every شيءthing أمدُa limit
لكلِّ شيء أمدُ
When? For the interval has grown long;
everything has its limit.
ياO باعثَsender of النعمىthe blessing التيwhose
يا باعثَ النعمى التي
آياتُهاits signs لاnot تُجحَدُare denied
آياتُها لا تُجحَدُ
O sender of that blessing whose
signs cannot be denied!
لوif كُتِمتْit were concealed تطلَّعتْit would emerge
لو كُتِمتْ تطلَّعتْ
منfrom حسنthe prosperity of حاليmy condition تَشهْدُbearing witness
من حسن حالي تَشهْدُ
Were it concealed, it would emerge
from my prosperous state, bearing witness.
كانتit was سَدادَthe means of success رحْلةٍa journey
كانت سَدادَ رحْلةٍ
أصيبwas attained فيهاin it المقصِدُthe goal
أصيب فيها المقصِدُ
It secured a journey's success,
in which the goal was reached.
رمَمتَyou mended منهاusing it ثُلَماًbreaches
رمَمتَ منها ثُلَماً
ماnot خلتُهاI thought them تُسدّدُcould be closed
ما خلتُها تُسدّدُ
With it you mended breaches
I never thought could be closed.
علّكperhaps you منin مطليَmy delaying بالin the… (continued)
علّك من مطليَ بال
شكرthanks عليهاfor it تَجدُfind
شكر عليها تَجدُ
Perhaps, in my delaying
thanks for it, you find
ماwhat كانwas تقصيراًneglect فهلso can
ما كان تقصيراً فهل
يقتصرhold back المجتهدُthe earnest striver
يقتصر المجتهدُ
something remiss—yet can
the earnest striver hold back?
لكنّهاbut it is عارفةٌa kindness
لكنّها عارفةٌ
منthan الثناءpraise أزيدُgreater
من الثناء أزيدُ
But it is a kindness
greater than praise.
أفسدنيspoiled me إفراطُهاits excess
أفسدني إفراطُها
بعضُsome of العطاءgiving يُفسدُspoils
بعضُ العطاء يُفسدُ
Its excess has spoiled me;
some giving does spoil.
والجودand generosity ماwhen أسرفَis excessive والand the… (continued)
والجود ما أسرفَ وال
إمساكwithholding فيهin that case أجودُmore generous
إمساك فيه أجودُ
And generosity, when it goes too far—
withholding then is more generous.
والآنand now رثَّتْhas grown threadbare مُسْكةٌa remnant
والآن رثَّتْ مُسْكةٌ
فاسمعso listen لهاfor it أجدِّدُI renew
فاسمع لها أجدِّدُ
And now a remnant has grown threadbare;
so listen as I renew my praise of it.
تأتيكcomes to you بشرىglad tidings ماas long as تسوyou rule (continued)
تأتيك بشرى ما تسو
دcompletion of 'you rule' أبداًforever وتسعَدُand prosper
د أبداً وتسعَدُ
Glad tidings come to you as you rule
forever and prosper,
وماand while تصومyou fast مُرضِياًbringing contentment
وما تصوم مُرضِياً
بقاكyour continued life أوor تُعيِّدُcelebrate the feast
بقاك أو تُعيِّدُ
and as you fast, rejoicing in
your continued life, or celebrate the feast,
سنينَyears لاnot يضبطهcounts them (continued)
سنينَ لا يضبطه
نّcompletion of 'counts them' فيin الحسابthe reckoning عَدَدُa number
نّ في الحساب عَدَدُ
through years that cannot be measured
by any number in the reckoning.
إنif عافنيhas spurned me دهرٌfate أقوI rise (continued)
إن عافني دهرٌ أقو
مُcompletion of 'I rise' أبداًalways ويقُعِدُand makes me sit
مُ أبداً ويقُعِدُ
If fate has turned me away—I rise
ceaselessly, and it forces me down—
عنfrom المثولappearing in attendance اليومtoday ماwhere
عن المثول اليوم ما
بينbetween يديكyour two hands أُنشِدُI recite
بين يديك أُنشِدُ
from appearing today
before you to recite,
فربّماso perhaps قمتُI shall stand غداًtomorrow
فربّما قمتُ غداً
إنّindeed أخاthe brother of اليومِtoday غدُtomorrow
إنّ أخا اليومِ غدُ
perhaps I shall stand tomorrow:
for tomorrow is today's brother.
Partial English translation: 89 of 138 Arabic lines translated.