هل للحقائق في الحياة وجود

هل للحقائق في الحياة وجود

كادت على عقلي الشكوك تسود

كادت على عقلي الشكوك تسود

Do truths exist in life?

Do truths in life exist

Do truths have any existence in this life? Doubts have nearly laid claim to my mind.

Doubts have nearly come to rule my mind.

Doubts in my mind almost conquered

There is no definitive truth in life, save for conventions and binding chains.

ما في الحياة حقيقة محدودة

ما في الحياة حقيقة محدودة

إلا اصطلاحات بها وقيود

إلا اصطلاحات بها وقيود

There is no fixed truth in life,

No limited reality in life

They call to knowledge while being ignorance, and extol faith while being denial.

Only conventions within it and constraints.

Except conventions with restrictions

Like tambourines ringing captivatingly in the ears, yet they are merely skins upon palms.

تدعو إلى العرفان وهي جهالة

تدعو إلى العرفان وهي جهالة

وتشيد بالإيمان وهي جحود

وتشيد بالإيمان وهي جحود

They call to knowledge, yet are ignorance,

Calling for gnosis yet being ignorance

Whenever I am on the verge of clarifying a matter, barriers of doubt are erected against it.

And extol faith, yet are denial.

And praising faith yet being denial

Undoubtedly, the secret of the universe is a subtlety; words cannot contain it, for they are rigid.

مثل الدفوف على المسامع رنة

مثل الدفوف على المسامع رنة

خلابة، وعلى الأكف جلود

خلابة، وعلى الأكف جلود

Like tambourines: to the ears a ringing sound,

Like drums on ears a charming tune

A world whose rugged paths twist around the blind; who is there to guide and lead the sightless?

Beguiling, yet upon the palms, skins.

And on palms just skins

The darknesses of your mother, O fetus, are dense and manifold, yet your mother, O fetus, is fertile.

أو كلما أو شكت أجلو مبحثا

أو كلما أو شكت أجلو مبحثا

ضربت عليه من الشكوك سدود

ضربت عليه من الشكوك سدود

And is it that whenever I was about to clarify a question,

Or whenever I complained, an issue arises

Have patience with the night of life and its length, until a pillar of morning light breaks through.

Barriers of doubt were raised across it?

I hit it with doubts like dams

He who dies has surely begun anew, so fear not; death is a world, and graves are but cradles.

لا ريب سر الكون وهو لطيفة

لا ريب سر الكون وهو لطيفة

لا يحتويه اللفظ وهو جمود

لا يحتويه اللفظ وهو جمود

No doubt, the universe's secret, a subtle essence,

No doubt, the secret of the universe is subtle

O Death, you have granted the son of Adam rest; beyond your bounty, there is no greater gift for man.

Cannot be contained by language, which is inert.

Words cannot contain it for it is rigid

In the grave lie sweet lodging and supreme honor, and a shade that is lush and extended.

دنيا على الأعمى التوت أوعارها

دنيا على الأعمى التوت أوعارها

من يرشد الأعمى بها ويقود؟

من يرشد الأعمى بها ويقود؟

A world whose rugged paths twist before the blind—

A world to the blind its hazards are concealed

People are purer by nature within the graves, even if they be crumbling bones and worms there.

Who will guide the blind through it and lead them?

Who can guide the blind in it and lead?

How often did they reckon their immortality above the dust, out of greed, yet there is no eternity above the dust.

ظلمات أمك يا جنين كثيفة

ظلمات أمك يا جنين كثيفة

شتى وأمك يا جنين ولود

شتى وأمك يا جنين ولود

Your mother's layers of darkness, O unborn child, are dense,

Thick darkness, oh embryo, is your mother

Their faculties are their undoing, and their gifts are gifts of a mind that is buried alive.

Varied; and your mother, O unborn child, is prolific.

As is your mother, oh embryo, a childbearer

The governing shepherds have grown weary of the mind of one whose nature, like a camel, is to stray.

صبرا على ليل الحياة وطوله

صبرا على ليل الحياة وطوله

حتى يشق من الصباح عمود

حتى يشق من الصباح عمود

Be patient through life's night and its length,

Be patient with the long night of life

Do not wreak havoc, woe unto you, O son of Adam, for life consists of sacred limits and boundaries.

Until a pillar of dawn breaks through.

Till a pillar of dawn breaks through

Do you know for whom you toil within it, or are you ungrateful to God therein?

من مات لا ريب استهل فلا تخف

من مات لا ريب استهل فلا تخف

الموت دنيا واللحود مهود

الموت دنيا واللحود مهود

Whoever dies surely utters a newborn's cry, so do not fear;

Who died, no doubt started so fear not

Striving better quenches the soul; so ask him who attained his desires: was it but drinking from a mirage?

Death is a world, and graves are cradles.

Death is worldly and the burial prepared

Endeavors vary; the efforts of men are like their skins—some clearly white, others black.

يا موت خولت ابن آدم راحة

يا موت خولت ابن آدم راحة

ما بعد جودك لابن آدم جود

ما بعد جودك لابن آدم جود

O Death, you have granted the son of Adam rest;

Oh death, you granted the son of Adam comfort

Woe is me for my heart, struck by calamities, though a blooming world and happiness had promised otherwise.

Beyond your bounty to Adam's son, there is no bounty.

After your grace no goodness for the son of Adam

Do not rely on good fortunes, for their nature is like that of fickle beauties: boredom and rejection.

في القبر نزل طيب وكرامة

في القبر نزل طيب وكرامة

كبرى وظل وارف ممدود

كبرى وظل وارف ممدود

In the grave are gracious hospitality and honor

In the grave he descended with scent and great honor

How many a man mourns his lost paradise in regret, and his youth is that paradise lost.

Supreme, and lush, outspread shade.

And ample shade and extended

The gardens of his youth have withered and dried; not a single branch survives from those bowers.

والناس أطهر في القبورجبلة

والناس أطهر في القبورجبلة

ولو انهم رمم هناك ودود

ولو انهم رمم هناك ودود

And people are purer by nature in the graves,

And people are purer in graves in character

O Time, you hastened to pluck my youth before it bloomed, before a single cluster could bear fruit.

Even though they are decayed remains and worms there.

If they were tolerant here and friendly

Do not oppose and deny my claim; my head and my graying temples stand as witnesses against you.

كم قدروا فوق التراب خلودهم

كم قدروا فوق التراب خلودهم

طمعا وما فوق التراب خلود

طمعا وما فوق التراب خلود

How often they imagined their immortality above the dust,

How much they valued their eternity over dust

As if this worry you bring is Hell itself, and this gray hair is the fuel you feed it.

Out of craving, yet above the dust there is no immortality.

Yearning, yet over dust no eternity

I grieve for my strivings in the shadow of youth, in days when effort did not exhaust my strength.

ملكاتهم هلكاتهتم. وهباتهم

ملكاتهم هلكاتهتم. وهباتهم

هباتهم بالعقل وهو مؤود

هباتهم بالعقل وهو مؤود

Their faculties are their undoing, and their gifts

Their possessions ruined them. And their grants

Days when I sipped honeyed hopes, and walked proudly in desires that were cool and refreshing.

Are their gusts against reason, which is weighed down.

Were with reason which is fleeting

Fortune was abundant, instinct fertile, life was pure, and Time was a friend.

ضاق الرعاة السائسون بعقل من

ضاق الرعاة السائسون بعقل من

في طبعه مثل البعير ندود

في طبعه مثل البعير ندود

The governing shepherds are vexed by the mind of one

The leading shepherds were distraught by one

So peace be upon you, O era of youth—a fragrant greeting that outlasts the passing of ages.

Who by nature is wayward like a camel.

Whose nature is like the camel, stubborn

In the cup remains a trace of you, holding sweetness and a solace I still struggle to defend.

لا تعث ويحك يا ابن آدم مفسدا

لا تعث ويحك يا ابن آدم مفسدا

إن الحياة محارم وحدود

إن الحياة محارم وحدود

Do not wreak havoc, spreading corruption—woe to you, son of Adam!

Do not corrupt, woe to you, oh son of Adam

I would not have chosen to ward off the hand of harm, were it not for high ambitions and noble goals.

Indeed, life has sanctities and limits.

Life has sanctities and boundaries

And a trust for God I undertook to carry, though my body is shattered and crushed by its weight.

تدرى إلى من أنت فيها كادح؟

تدرى إلى من أنت فيها كادح؟

أم أنت فيها للإله كنود؟

أم أنت فيها للإله كنود؟

Do you know toward whom you toil within it?

Do you know who you toil for?

A great legacy, an eternal treasure, and a lush pasture when I seek to roam.

Or are you in it ungrateful to God?

Or are you for God like an ostrich?

My homeland against which they plotted; its proof of innocence is like Joseph's torn shirt.

السعي أروى للنفوس، فقل لمن

السعي أروى للنفوس، فقل لمن

ورد المنى أعلى السراب ورود؟

ورد المنى أعلى السراب ورود؟

Striving better quenches souls' thirst; tell whoever

Toil is the most fulfilling for souls. So say, who

Let them not feel safe from the downpour of torment; Pharaoh and Thamud were mightier than they.

Comes to drink of wishes: can one drink from a mirage?

Reached their purpose at the highest mirage?

I have sworn: no challenger duels with calamity without being turned back on his heels in defeat.

والسعي شتى فالعباد جهودهم

والسعي شتى فالعباد جهودهم

كجلودهم بيض تبين وسود

كجلودهم بيض تبين وسود

And striving varies; people's efforts,

And toil is diverse, so people's efforts

O heart, why do you not cease your beating? O eye, why do you pour forth tears so generously?

Like their skins, are plainly white and black.

Are like their skins, some white and some black

God is the truest of those who promise, and many a promise of victory for the patient has He fulfilled.

ويحي على قلبي دهته قوارع

ويحي على قلبي دهته قوارع

وعدته دنيا نضرة وسعود

وعدته دنيا نضرة وسعود

Woe to me for my heart, struck by calamities;

Woe to the one whose heart was seized by calamities

So perhaps the days of misfortune will end, and perhaps the days of joy will return.

And a radiant world and good fortune have passed it by.

And whose promise was a delighted, happy world

لا تركنن إلى السعود فطبعها

لا تركنن إلى السعود فطبعها

كالغانيات تبرم وصدود

كالغانيات تبرم وصدود

Never rely on good fortune, for its nature

Do not be inclined to happiness for its nature

Is like beautiful women's: impatience and rejection.

Is like singing girls, it frowns and distances

كم فاقد فردوسه متحسر

كم فاقد فردوسه متحسر

وشبابه فردوسه المفقود

وشبابه فردوسه المفقود

Many a man mourns the paradise he has lost,

How many lost their paradise in regret

And his youth is his lost paradise.

And their youth was their paradise they lost

ذوت الخمائل من صباه وصوحت

ذوت الخمائل من صباه وصوحت

لم ينج من تلك الخمائل عود

لم ينج من تلك الخمائل عود

The groves of his youth have withered and dried;

The loves of his youth faded and the one wailed

Not one branch of those groves survived.

No remnant remained of those loves

يا دهر عاجلت الصبا بالقطف لم

يا دهر عاجلت الصبا بالقطف لم

يزهر، ولم يثمر به عنقود

يزهر، ولم يثمر به عنقود

O Time, you hurried to pluck youth; it had not

Oh time, you hastened to pluck the youth before

Flowered, nor had any grape cluster ripened on it.

It bloomed, and it did not fruit a cluster

لا تنكر الدعوى علي معارضا

لا تنكر الدعوى علي معارضا

رأسي عليك وعارضاي شهود

رأسي عليك وعارضاي شهود

Do not deny my claim, arguing against me;

Do not deny my claim, objector

My head and both my sideburns bear witness against you.

My head is witnessing against you and my objections are proofs

فكأن هذا الهم منك جهنم

فكأن هذا الهم منك جهنم

وكأن هذا الشيب منك وقود

وكأن هذا الشيب منك وقود

It is as though this sorrow from you were Hell,

It is as if this worry is your hell

And as though this gray hair from you were fuel.

And as if this gray hair is your fuel

أسفى على مسعاي في ظل الصبا

أسفى على مسعاي في ظل الصبا

أيام لم تنهك قواي جهود

أيام لم تنهك قواي جهود

Alas for my striving beneath youth's shade,

I grieve for my hearing in the shade of youth

In days when exertions had not exhausted my strength;

Days that did not erode my strength

أيام أرتشف المنى معسولة

أيام أرتشف المنى معسولة

وأميس في الرغبات وهي برود

وأميس في الرغبات وهي برود

Days when I sipped hopes sweet as honey,

Days I sipped sweet wishes

And swayed proudly in desires, which were striped cloaks.

And I prosperous in desires as they were cold

الحظ واف والغريزة خصبة

الحظ واف والغريزة خصبة

والعيش صاف والزمان ودود

والعيش صاف والزمان ودود

Fortune was ample, instinct fertile,

Luck was faithful and instincts fertile

And life was unclouded, and Time was kind.

And life pure and times friendly

فعليك يا عهد الشباب تحية

فعليك يا عهد الشباب تحية

فيحاء ما تلت العهود عهود

فيحاء ما تلت العهود عهود

So to you, O era of youth, a greeting

So upon you, oh era of youth, greetings

Far-reaching, as long as ages follow ages.

Shyness, covenants did not repeat covenants

في الكأس فضل منك فيه لذاذة

في الكأس فضل منك فيه لذاذة

وتعلة ما زلت عنه أذود

وتعلة ما زلت عنه أذود

In the cup is a remnant of you, holding delight

In the cup, favor from you is its delight

And solace; I have never ceased to guard it.

And my excuse, since I ceased warding it off

ما كنت أوثر أن أذود يد الأذى

ما كنت أوثر أن أذود يد الأذى

لولا مطامح للعلا وقصود

لولا مطامح للعلا وقصود

I would not choose to fend off the hand of harm,

I did not prefer to ward off harm’s hand

Were it not for aspirations and aims toward the heights,

If not for ambitions of rising and purposes

وأمانة لله قمت بحملها

وأمانة لله قمت بحملها

جسمي بها متحطم مهدود

جسمي بها متحطم مهدود

And a trust I undertook to bear for God;

And a trust in God I carried

Under it my body is shattered and broken.

My body with it shattered and prone

وأثارة عظمى وكنز خالد

وأثارة عظمى وكنز خالد

ومحلة غيداء حين أرود

ومحلة غيداء حين أرود

And a great legacy and an everlasting treasure,

And great influence and eternal treasure

And a graceful abode whenever I roam:

And a sublime stance when I repose

وطني الذي هموا به ودليله

وطني الذي هموا به ودليله

كدليل يوسف ثوبه المقدود

كدليل يوسف ثوبه المقدود

My homeland, against which they plotted; its proof

My country which they conspired against and its guide

Is like Yusuf's proof: his torn shirt.

Like Joseph’s shirt, flung and torn

لا يأمنوا صب العذاب عليهمو

لا يأمنوا صب العذاب عليهمو

فرعون أعتى منهم وثمود

فرعون أعتى منهم وثمود

Let them not feel safe from torment poured upon them;

They do not feel safe from pouring torment upon them

Pharaoh and Thamud were more tyrannical than they.

Pharaoh was fiercer than them and Thamud

آليت ما للحادثات مبارز

آليت ما للحادثات مبارز

إلا على أعقابه مردود

إلا على أعقابه مردود

I have sworn: no one challenges calamities

I harnessed what incidents had to confront

Without being driven back upon his heels.

Except after it vanquished and countered

يا قلب مالك لا تعتم خافقا

يا قلب مالك لا تعتم خافقا

يا طرف مالك بالدموع تجود

يا طرف مالك بالدموع تجود

O heart, why do you throb without pause?

Oh heart, why do you grieve pulsating

O eye, why are you so generous with tears?

Oh eye, why do you shed tears

الله أوفى الواعدين وكم خلت

الله أوفى الواعدين وكم خلت

منه بنصر الصابرين وعود

منه بنصر الصابرين وعود

God is the most faithful of promise-givers; how many have gone before—

God is the most faithful of promisers and how many

Promises from Him of victory for the steadfast!

Promises of supporting the patient passed

فلعل أيام المشائم تنتهي

فلعل أيام المشائم تنتهي

ولعل أيام السعود تعود

ولعل أيام السعود تعود

So perhaps the days of ill fortune will end,

Perhaps the inauspicious days will end

And perhaps the days of good fortune will return.

And perhaps the days of prosperity will return