تنْهَشُنيgnaw at me الأَثامُsins نَهْشَthe gnawing of الذَّئابْwolves
تنْهَشُني الأَثامُ نَهْشَ الذَّئابْ
وتَنْثَنيand turn away عنَّيfrom me جياعاَhungry غِضابْangry!
وتَنْثَني عنَّي جياعاَ غِضابْ!
Sins tear at me as wolves tear their prey,
Sins gnaw at me as wolves do,
Then turn from me still hungry, still enraged!
and turn away from me, hungry and angry!
ياO نفسsoul قدindeed أَوْرَدْتنيyou led me to مَوْرِداًa watering place
يا نفس قد أَوْرَدْتني مَوْرِداً
ذَهابُهgoing to it يُصِدُbars دُونيfor me الإِيابْthe return!
ذَهابُه يُصِدُ دُوني الإِيابْ!
O soul, you have brought me to a watering place
O soul, you have brought me to a watering place;
Whose course bars my return!
going to it shuts off the way back for me!
حاوَلتُI tried أَنْto أَرْجِعَreturn لكنَّنيbut I
حاوَلتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ لكنَّني
وَجَدْتُنيI found myself أَشْتاقُI long for عَذْبَsweet الشَّرابْthe drink!
وَجَدْتُني أَشْتاقُ عَذْبَ الشَّرابْ!
I tried to turn back, but found myself
I tried to turn back, but I
Still longing for the sweetness of the drink!
found myself longing for the sweet drink!
فكيفso how ليfor me ياO نفسُsoul أَنْto أَرعَوِيcome to my senses؟!
فكيف لي يا نفسُ أَنْ أَرعَوِي؟!
كيفhow.. وأَنتِwhile you are الغَيُّwaywardness. أَنْتِyou are العَابْvice؟!
كيف.. وأَنتِ الغَيُّ. أَنْتِ العَابْ؟!
How, O soul, can I come to my senses?
So how can I, O soul, come to my senses?
How—when you are error itself, when you are all play?
How, when you are waywardness itself—you are vice itself?
ظَمِئْتُI thirsted للماءfor water فأَدْنَيْتِنيso you brought me near
ظَمِئْتُ للماء فأَدْنَيْتِني
لاnot لِلفُراتto the Euphrates العَذْبِsweet. بلbut للسَّرابْto the mirage
لا لِلفُرات العَذْبِ. بل للسَّرابْ
I thirsted for water, and you drew me near—
I thirsted for water, so you drew me near—
Not to the sweet Euphrates, but to a mirage.
not to the sweet Euphrates, but to the mirage.
ياO لَيْتَنيif only I عاصَيْتُhad defied داعيthe summons of الهوىdesire
يا لَيْتَني عاصَيْتُ داعي الهوى
حتىeven ولوand if أَدْمتْhad bloodied جُنُوبيmy flanks الحِرابْspears!
حتى ولو أَدْمتْ جُنُوبي الحِرابْ!
Would that I had defied desire’s call,
Oh, if only I had defied desire's summons,
Even had spears bloodied both my sides!
even if spears had bloodied my flanks!
مضىpassed شبابيmy youth واغِلاًplunging deeply فيinto الخَنىdebauchery
مضى شبابي واغِلاً في الخَنى
وخَيْرُand the best of ماwhat نَمْلِكُwe possess.. نحنwe .. الشَّبابْyouth!
وخَيْرُ ما نَمْلِكُ.. نحن .. الشَّبابْ!
My youth passed, steeped deeply in depravity,
My youth passed, plunging into debauchery,
Though youth is the finest thing we possess!
and youth is the best thing we possess!
وهاand here أناI اليَوْمُtoday بِشَيْخوُخةٍin old age
وها أنا اليَوْمُ بِشَيْخوُخةٍ
وانِيةٍfeeble تَسْلُكُtreads تِلْكَthose الشَّعابْravines!
وانِيةٍ تَسْلُكُ تِلْكَ الشَّعابْ!
And here I am today, sunk in old age,
And here I am today, in old age,
Feeble, making its way through those ravines!
feeble, treading those ravines!
متىwhen أَرانيshall I see myself عائداًreturning لِلْهُدىto guidance
متى أَراني عائداً لِلْهُدى
ماnot أَشْتَهيI crave الكَأْسَthe cup. وحُلْوَand the sweetness of الكِعابْfull-breasted maidens؟!
ما أَشْتَهي الكَأْسَ. وحُلْوَ الكِعابْ؟!
When shall I see myself returning to guidance,
When shall I see myself returning to guidance,
No longer craving wine and lovely maidens?
no longer craving the cup or the sweetness of full-breasted maidens?
أرىI see رِفاقيmy companions بعدafter ماthat أَمْعَنُواthey plunged deeply
أرى رِفاقي بعد ما أَمْعَنُوا
فيinto اللَّهْوfrivolity عادُواthey returned خُشَّعاًhumbly للصَّوابْto what is right!
في اللَّهْو عادُوا خُشَّعاً للصَّوابْ!
I see my companions, after going far
I see that my companions, after plunging deeply
In revelry, return humbly to the right path!
into frivolity, have returned humbly to what is right!
فهلso, am أناI وَحْديalone الذيthe one who يَجْتَويloathes
فهل أنا وَحْدي الذي يَجْتَوي
رَشادَهُhis right guidance.. مُسْتَهْدِفاًexposing himself لِلْعِقابْto punishment؟!
رَشادَهُ.. مُسْتَهْدِفاً لِلْعِقابْ؟!
Am I alone the one who loathes
Am I, then, the only one who loathes
His own right guidance, exposing himself to punishment?
his own right path, exposing himself to punishment?
وهلand am أناI الغاوِيthe wayward one الذيwho يَسْتويsettles
وهل أنا الغاوِي الذي يَسْتوي
بِدَرْكِهِin his abyss المُظْلِمdark.. دُونَapart from الصِحابthe companions؟!
بِدَرْكِهِ المُظْلِم.. دُونَ الصِحاب؟!
Am I the errant one who settles
And am I the wayward one who settles
In his dark abyss, apart from his companions?
in his dark abyss, apart from his companions?
أمامَهbefore him الأخْرىthe hereafter .. وياand oh وَيْلَتاwoe to me
أمامَه الأخْرى .. ويا وَيْلَتا
منbecause of سوءthe evil of ماwhat سَطَّرهُhe wrote it down فيin الكِتابْthe book!
من سوء ما سَطَّرهُ في الكِتابْ!
Before him lies the hereafter—alas for me!—
The hereafter lies before him—oh, woe is me
And the evil his hand recorded in the Book.
for the evil he has written in the book!
ياO وَيْلهُwoe to him وهوwhile he is الذَّكِيُّthe clever one الذيwho
يا وَيْلهُ وهو الذَّكِيُّ الذي
يَعرفُknows ماwhat يَلْقاهُhe will face it يَوْمَon the day of الحِسابْreckoning!
يَعرفُ ما يَلْقاهُ يَوْمَ الحِسابْ!
Woe to him, intelligent though he is,
Woe to him—he is the clever one who
Knowing what awaits him on the Day of Reckoning!
knows what he will face on the Day of Reckoning!
كيفhow تَوارىvanished عَقْلُهُhis reason فيinto القَذىfilth؟!
كيف تَوارى عَقْلُهُ في القَذى؟!
كيفhow تَوارىvanished حِسُّهُhis sensibility فيinto التُرابْthe dust!
كيف تَوارى حِسُّهُ في التُرابْ!
How did his reason vanish amid the filth?
How did his reason vanish into filth?
How was his sensibility buried in the dust?
How did his sensibility vanish into the dust!
فَكّرَhe thought فيabout الرُّشْدِright guidance.. ولكنَّهُbut he
فَكّرَ في الرُّشْدِ.. ولكنَّهُ
عاصاهُhe defied it.. ماhow أَوْحَشَdesolate سُودَdark الرِّحابْthe expanses!
عاصاهُ.. ما أَوْحَشَ سُودَ الرِّحابْ!
He considered rectitude—but then
He thought of right guidance, but
Defied it. How desolate those black expanses are!
defied it—how desolate the dark expanses!
آثَرَhe preferred مِنbecause of ضَغْطِthe pressure of الهوىdesire قِشْرَهُits husk
آثَرَ مِن ضَغْطِ الهوى قِشْرَهُ
واختارَهُand chose it دُونinstead of كريمprecious اللُّبابْthe kernel!
واختارَهُ دُون كريم اللُّبابْ!
Under desire’s pressure he preferred the husk,
Under desire's pressure, he preferred its husk,
Choosing it over the noble kernel!
and chose it over the precious kernel!
فَياso, oh لهُfor him مِنof بُلْبُلٍa nightingale عاثِرٍstumbling
فَيا لهُ مِن بُلْبُلٍ عاثِرٍ
بَدَّلَhe substituted بالشَّدْوِfor song نعِيقَthe croaking of الغُرابْthe raven!
بَدَّلَ بالشَّدْوِ نعِيقَ الغُرابْ!
What a stumbling nightingale he became,
Ah, what a stumbling nightingale he is,
Exchanging melodious song for a raven’s caw!
replacing song with the raven's croaking!
كانَhe was بِرَوْضِin a garden مُونِقٍdelightful حافِلladen
كانَ بِرَوْضِ مُونِقٍ حافِل
بالثَّمَرwith fruit الحاليsweet .. بماwith what يُسْتطابْis delightful!
بالثَّمَر الحالي .. بما يُسْتطابْ!
Once he dwelt in a flourishing, delightful garden,
He was in a delightful garden, laden
Rich in ripe fruit and all that pleases;
with sweet fruit, with all that delights:
منof زَهْرٍflowers يَنْفَحُwafts عِطْراًfragrance.. ومِنand of
من زَهْرٍ يَنْفَحُ عِطْراً.. ومِن
جَداوِلstreams تَحْلوare sweet كماءِlike the water of السَّحابْclouds!
جَداوِل تَحْلو كماءِ السَّحابْ!
In flowers breathing fragrance, and in
flowers wafting fragrance, and
Streams as sweet as rainwater!
streams sweet as the water of clouds!
كانِthere was لهfor him شِعْرُpoetry بَديعُwondrous الرُّؤىvisions
كانِ له شِعْرُ بَديعُ الرُّؤى
مُحَلِّقِsoaring ..مُسْتَشْرِفٍaspiring كالشَّهابْlike a shooting star!
مُحَلِّقِ ..مُسْتَشْرِفٍ كالشَّهابْ!
His poetry held visions of rare beauty,
His was poetry of wondrous visions,
Soaring and aspiring like a meteor!
soaring, reaching toward the heights like a shooting star!
يُضيءُhe lights up بالشِّعْرwith poetry جميعَall الصُّوىthe waymarks
يُضيءُ بالشِّعْر جميعَ الصُّوى
فَيُرْشدُand so guides السَّاريthe night traveler. ويَشْفيand heals المصابْthe afflicted!
فَيُرْشدُ السَّاري. ويَشْفي المصابْ!
Through poetry he lit every landmark,
With poetry he lights up every waymark,
Guiding the night traveler and healing the afflicted!
guiding the night traveler and healing the afflicted!
يُجلُّهُreveres him الرَّبْعُthe community.. ويَعْلوand rises بِهِthrough him..
يُجلُّهُ الرَّبْعُ.. ويَعْلو بِهِ..
لأّنهُbecause he يَرْفَعlifts عَنْهfrom it الحَجابْthe veil!
لأّنهُ يَرْفَع عَنْه الحَجابْ!
His people honored him and rose through him,
The community reveres him and rises through him,
Because he lifted the veil from them;
because he lifts the veil from it!
لأَِنَّهbecause he يُسْدِيbestows إليهupon it المُنَىhopes
لأَِنَّه يُسْدِي إليه المُنَى
تَخْطُرُsway gracefully بالحِلْيِin jewelry وغاليand costly الثَّيابْrobes!
تَخْطُرُ بالحِلْيِ وغالي الثَّيابْ!
Because he bestowed upon them hopes
Because he bestows on it hopes
That paraded in jewels and costly robes!
that sway in jewelry and costly robes!
مُهَنْدسِاًas an architect كانتْthere was لهfor him حِكْمةُwisdom
مُهَنْدسِاً كانتْ له حِكْمةُ
تُعِيدُrestores للْعُمْرانِto flourishing habitation .. بعدafter الخَرابْruin!
تُعِيدُ للْعُمْرانِ .. بعد الخَرابْ!
As an architect, he possessed a wisdom
As an architect, he had wisdom
That restored civilization after ruin!
that restores it to prosperity after ruin!
كأَنَّماas though يَغْرفُhe scoops مِنfrom عَلْيًمa vast sea (apparent reading)..
كأَنَّما يَغْرفُ مِن عَلْيًم..
دُرَّاpearls يُحَلِّيadorns زَيْنَباًZaynab والرَّباتْand the ladies!
دُرَّا يُحَلِّي زَيْنَباً والرَّباتْ!
It was as though he drew from knowledge
As though he scoops from a vast sea
Pearls to adorn Zaynab and Rabab!
pearls that adorn Zaynab and the ladies!
وتَقْتَنِيهِand keep it النَّاسُpeople ذُخْراًas a treasure لهمfor themselves
وتَقْتَنِيهِ النَّاسُ ذُخْراً لهم
لأَنَّهbecause it يَحْمِلُbears فَصْلَthe decisiveness of الخِطابْspeech!
لأَنَّه يَحْمِلُ فَصْلَ الخِطابْ!
People treasured what he made as a precious store,
And people keep it as a treasure for themselves,
For it bore the decisive word!
because it bears decisive speech!
فَماso what لَهُis with him يَهويhe plunges إلىinto حفرةa pit
فَما لَهُ يَهوي إلى حفرة
لَيْسthere is not بِهاin it إلاَّexcept طَنِينُthe buzzing of الذُبابْflies!
لَيْس بِها إلاَّ طَنِينُ الذُبابْ!
Why, then, does he plunge into a pit
Then why does he plunge into a pit
Where nothing lives but the buzzing of flies?
where there is nothing but the buzzing of flies!
مُظْلِمَةdark.. مُفْضِيَةٌleading للِردَّىto death
مُظْلِمَة.. مُفْضِيَةٌ للِردَّى
كالقَبْرِlike the grave ..يالَoh, what الخِزْيdisgrace . يالَoh, what التَّبابْruin!
كالقَبْرِ ..يالَ الخِزْي . يالَ التَّبابْ!
Dark, leading onward into death,
Dark, leading to death,
Like a grave—what disgrace, what perdition!
like the grave—what disgrace, what ruin!
ماضِيةِhis past (apparent reading) يَسْتَصْرِخُcries out for help مِنfrom حاضِرِthe present
ماضِيةِ يَسْتَصْرِخُ مِن حاضِرِ
هُداهُhis guidance.. والحاضِرُand the present يُخْفيhides الجَوابthe answer!
هُداهُ.. والحاضِرُ يُخْفي الجَواب!
A past cries out to the present
His past cries out to the present
For its guidance, while the present conceals the answer!
for his guidance, but the present hides the answer!
لأَِنهbecause he اسْتَلًمsurrendered (apparent reading) فيin شِقْوَةٍwretchedness
لأَِنه اسْتَلًم في شِقْوَةٍ
بِسَطْوَةِto a force أَلْوَتْswept away بهhim فاسْتَجابْso he yielded!
بِسَطْوَةِ أَلْوَتْ به فاسْتَجابْ!
For in his misery he surrendered
Because he surrendered in misery
To a force that bent him, and he yielded!
to a force that swept him away, and he yielded!
يَرْحَمْهُmay He have mercy on him اللهGod.. وكمand how many أَنْقَدَتْhas saved (apparent reading)
يَرْحَمْهُ الله.. وكم أَنْقَدَتْ
رَحْمَتُهHis mercy. كمhow much أَخْصَبَتْit has made fertile منof يَبابْwasteland!
رَحْمَتُه. كم أَخْصَبَتْ من يَبابْ!
May God have mercy on him—how often
May God have mercy on him—how many have been saved
Has His mercy rescued and made wastelands bloom!
by His mercy! How much wasteland it has made fertile!
كمhow many أَكْرمَتْit has honored مِنof خاسِرِa lost one آبِقٍa runaway
كم أَكْرمَتْ مِن خاسِرِ آبِقٍ
فطابتso became good العُقْبىthe final outcome. وطابَand became good المتابْrepentance!
فطابت العُقْبى. وطابَ المتابْ!
How many a ruined fugitive has it honored,
How many a lost runaway has it honored,
Till his end was fair and his repentance fair!
so the outcome was good, and repentance sweet!
لقدindeed رَأىِhe saw بَعْدafter العَمىblindness نَيْزكاًa meteor
لقد رَأىِ بَعْد العَمى نَيْزكاً
يُضيءُshining. فاسْتَأَنسso he felt reassured بَعدafter اغْتِرابْestrangement!
يُضيءُ. فاسْتَأَنس بَعد اغْتِرابْ!
After blindness, he beheld a meteor
After blindness, he did see a meteor
Shining, and found companionship after estrangement!
shining, and felt reassured after estrangement!
قالhe said.. لَعَلَّperhaps النَّجمَthe star مِنَfrom بَعْدِهِafter it
قال.. لَعَلَّ النَّجمَ مِنَ بَعْدِهِ
يَأْتيwill come. ويَأتيand will come البَدْرُthe full moon بَعْدafter الغِيابْabsence!
يَأْتي. ويَأتي البَدْرُ بَعْد الغِيابْ!
He said: Perhaps a star will follow it,
He said, “Perhaps the star, after it,
And after absence, the full moon too will come!
will come, and the full moon will come after its absence,
فَيَرْجعُso will return الطَّيْرُthe bird إلىto رَوْضِهِits garden
فَيَرْجعُ الطَّيْرُ إلى رَوْضِهِ
مُغَرِّداَsinging بعدafter طَويلlong النُّعابْcroaking!
مُغَرِّداَ بعد طَويل النُّعابْ!
Then the bird will return to its garden,
so the bird will return to its garden,
Singing again after its long cawing!
singing after long croaking!”
