أَرَقٌ عَلى أَرَقٍ وَمِثلِيَ يَأرَقُ

أَرَقٌ عَلى أَرَقٍ وَمِثلِيَ يَأرَقُ

وَجَوىً يَزيدُ وَعَبرَةٌ تَتَرَقرَقُ

وَجَوىً يَزيدُ وَعَبرَةٌ تَتَرَقرَقُ

Sleeplessness upon sleeplessness—and one like me lies sleepless.

Sleepless night upon sleepless night for one like me

Sleeplessness upon sleeplessness, and one like me lies awake, / With passion mounting and a tear that glimmers in the eye.

And burning anguish grows, and a tear trembles.

Yearning increasing and tears flowing

The heavy toll of longing is clearly seen in this: / An eye deprived of slumber and a heart that throbs in pain.

جُهدُ الصَبابَةِ أَن تَكونَ كَما أَرى

جُهدُ الصَبابَةِ أَن تَكونَ كَما أَرى

عَينٌ مُسَهَّدَةٌ وَقَلبٌ يَخفِقُ

عَينٌ مُسَهَّدَةٌ وَقَلبٌ يَخفِقُ

Longing's utmost torment is, as I see it,

I strive to be as I wish

No lightning flashes, nor does any bird trill its song, / But that I turn away with a heart full of yearning.

an eye denied sleep and a heart that throbs.

With eyes lowered and a pounding heart

I have tasted a fire of passion that would extinguish / The intensity of hell-fire, causing it to weary of its burning.

ما لاحَ بَرقٌ أَو تَرَنَّمَ طائِرٌ

ما لاحَ بَرقٌ أَو تَرَنَّمَ طائِرٌ

إِلّا اِنثَنَيتُ وَلي فُؤادٌ شَيِّقُ

إِلّا اِنثَنَيتُ وَلي فُؤادٌ شَيِّقُ

No lightning flashes, nor does a bird sing,

No lightning flashed or bird sang

I used to chide the lovers until I tasted their cup, / And now I wonder how one can die without having loved.

but I turn aside, with a yearning heart.

Except my heart quivered, being so sensitive

I absolved them and realized my sin was simply this: / I mocked them, and so I faced the very fate they met.

جَرَّبتُ مِن نارِ الهَوى ما تَنطَفي

جَرَّبتُ مِن نارِ الهَوى ما تَنطَفي

نارُ الغَضى وَتَكِلُّ عَمّا تُحرِقُ

نارُ الغَضى وَتَكِلُّ عَمّا تُحرِقُ

I have known a fire of passion before which

I've experienced fire of passion not extinguished

O children of our father, we inhabit transient homes / Where the raven of separation forever croaks its doom.

ghada-wood fire dies out, powerless to burn what passion burns.

By fire of anger, giving up on what it burns

We weep over this world, yet there is no gathering / Brought together by fate that did not eventually disperse.

وَعَذَلتُ أَهلَ العِشقِ حَتّى ذُقتُهُ

وَعَذَلتُ أَهلَ العِشقِ حَتّى ذُقتُهُ

فَعَجِبتُ كَيفَ يَموتُ مَن لا يَعشَقُ

فَعَجِبتُ كَيفَ يَموتُ مَن لا يَعشَقُ

I reproached those in love until I tasted it;

And I blamed the lovers until I tasted it

Where are the mighty Chosroes, the tyrants of old? / They hoarded vast treasures, yet neither wealth nor owners remained.

then marveled how anyone who does not love could die.

So I wondered how one dies who doesn’t love

From every king whose armies once choked the open plains, / Until he fell, and a narrow grave encompassed him alone.

وَعَذَرتُهُم وَعَرَفتُ ذَنبِيَ أَنَّني

وَعَذَرتُهُم وَعَرَفتُ ذَنبِيَ أَنَّني

عَيَّرتُهُم فَلَقيتُ فيهِ ما لَقوا

عَيَّرتُهُم فَلَقيتُ فيهِ ما لَقوا

I excused them and recognized my fault: that I

I excused them and knew my fault was

Silent when called upon, as if they never knew / That speech was once their lawful and absolute right.

had taunted them, then suffered in love what they suffered.

I criticized them and got what they got

Death is approaching while souls are precious gems, / And he who is deluded by his possessions is a fool.

أَبَني أَبينا نَحنُ أَهلُ مَنازِلٍ

أَبَني أَبينا نَحنُ أَهلُ مَنازِلٍ

أَبَداً غُرابُ البَينِ فيها يَنعَقُ

أَبَداً غُرابُ البَينِ فيها يَنعَقُ

O sons of our father, we inhabit dwellings

Oh how remote are our dwellings

Man lives in hope, for life is sweet to the taste; / Age brings dignity, while youth is rash and wild.

where the raven of parting croaks forever.

The separation raven always cawing in them

I wept for my youth while my locks were still jet black, / And while the luster of my face was bright and clear.

نَبكي عَلى الدُنيا وَما مِن مَعشَرٍ

نَبكي عَلى الدُنيا وَما مِن مَعشَرٍ

جَمَعَتهُمُ الدُنيا فَلَم يَتَفَرَّقوا

جَمَعَتهُمُ الدُنيا فَلَم يَتَفَرَّقوا

We weep over this world, though there is no company

We cry for this world though no group

Mourning its loss before the day of its departure, / Until I nearly choked upon the tears of my own eyes.

the world has gathered that has not dispersed.

Was united by it and did not disperse

But as for the sons of Aws bin Ma'n bin al-Rida, / They are the noblest to whom travelers drive their camels.

أَينَ الأَكاسِرَةُ الجَبابِرَةُ الأُلى

أَينَ الأَكاسِرَةُ الجَبابِرَةُ الأُلى

كَنَزوا الكُنوزَ فَما بَقينَ وَلا بَقوا

كَنَزوا الكُنوزَ فَما بَقينَ وَلا بَقوا

Where are the mighty Khosrows who

Where are the breakers and mighty tyrants

I proclaimed God's greatness around their homes when I saw / Suns rising from within them, though no East was there.

hoarded treasures? Neither the treasures nor they endured.

Who hoarded treasures but neither remained nor endure

I marveled at a land beneath the rain-clouds of their hands, / Whose very rocks somehow fail to burst into leaf.

مِن كُلِّ مَن ضاقَ الفَضاءُ بِجَيشِهِ

مِن كُلِّ مَن ضاقَ الفَضاءُ بِجَيشِهِ

حَتّى ثَوى فَحَواهُ لَحدٌ ضَيِّقُ

حَتّى ثَوى فَحَواهُ لَحدٌ ضَيِّقُ

Each of those whose army made the vast expanse seem narrow,

Of all whose vast armies the earth confined

The sweet fragrance of their praise wafts through the air, / A scent inhaled deeply in every gathering place.

until he lay dead, and a narrow grave enclosed him.

Till it, being narrow, confined them in cramped graves

Scents with the breath of musk, yet possessing a wild nature: / They refuse to diffuse their fragrance for anyone but them.

خُرسٌ إِذا نودوا كَأَن لَم يَعلَموا

خُرسٌ إِذا نودوا كَأَن لَم يَعلَموا

أَنَّ الكَلامَ لَهُم حَلالٌ مُطلَقُ

أَنَّ الكَلامَ لَهُم حَلالٌ مُطلَقُ

Mute when called, as though they did not know

Mute when called as if they know not

O you who seek a man like Muhammad in our age, / Do not weary us by chasing a phantom that cannot be caught.

that speech was lawful for them, unrestricted.

Speech is permitted to them without limit

The Merciful has never created another like Muhammad, / And I suspect that such a one He will never create.

وَالمَوتُ آتٍ وَالنُفوسُ نَفائِسٌ

وَالمَوتُ آتٍ وَالنُفوسُ نَفائِسٌ

وَالمُستَغِرُّ بِما لَدَيهِ الأَحمَقُ

وَالمُستَغِرُّ بِما لَدَيهِ الأَحمَقُ

And death is coming, and souls are precious;

And death comes while souls are precious

O you who grant abundant wealth, yet deem yourself / The one receiving charity when I accept your gift;

the fool is he who feels secure in what he has.

And foolish is he who feels secure in what he owns

Let the clouds of your generosity pour down upon me, / But gaze on me with mercy, lest I drown in the flood.

وَالمَرءُ يَأمُلُ وَالحَياةُ شَهِيَّةٌ

وَالمَرءُ يَأمُلُ وَالحَياةُ شَهِيَّةٌ

وَالشَيبُ أَوقَرُ وَالشَبيبَةُ أَنزَقُ

وَالشَيبُ أَوقَرُ وَالشَبيبَةُ أَنزَقُ

And man hopes, and life is sweet;

And man hopes while life is tempting

That son of a whore lied when he said in his ignorance: / "The noble ones are dead," while you live and thrive.

gray hair is more dignified, and youth more reckless.

And old age venerable and youth most weak

وَلَقَد بَكَيتُ عَلى الشَبابِ وَلِمَّتي

وَلَقَد بَكَيتُ عَلى الشَبابِ وَلِمَّتي

مُسوَدَّةٌ وَلِماءِ وَجهِيَ رَونَقُ

مُسوَدَّةٌ وَلِماءِ وَجهِيَ رَونَقُ

Indeed, I wept for youth while my locks

Yes, I cried for my youth when my beard

were black, and my complexion still shone,

Darkened, and the radiance of my face faded

حَذَراً عَلَيهِ قَبلَ يَومِ فِراقِهِ

حَذَراً عَلَيهِ قَبلَ يَومِ فِراقِهِ

حَتّى لَكِدتُ بِماءِ جَفنِيَ أَشرَقُ

حَتّى لَكِدتُ بِماءِ جَفنِيَ أَشرَقُ

fearing for it before the day of its departure,

I was wary of it before we parted

until I nearly choked on my tears.

I almost made my eyelids shine with my tears

أَمّا بَنو أَوسِ اِبنِ مَعنِ اِبنِ الرِضا

أَمّا بَنو أَوسِ اِبنِ مَعنِ اِبنِ الرِضا

فَأَعَزُّ مَن تُحدى إِلَيهِ الأَينُقُ

فَأَعَزُّ مَن تُحدى إِلَيهِ الأَينُقُ

As for the sons of Aws ibn Ma'n ibn al-Rida,

The clan of Aus, son of Ma’n, son of Rida

they are the noblest to whom she-camels are urged by song.

Is the proudest when pretty ones comes to them

كَبَّرتُ حَولَ دِيارِهِم لَمّا بَدَت

كَبَّرتُ حَولَ دِيارِهِم لَمّا بَدَت

مِنها الشُموسُ وَلَيسَ فيها المَشرِقُ

مِنها الشُموسُ وَلَيسَ فيها المَشرِقُ

I cried 'God is greatest!' around their dwellings when there appeared

I exalted around their abodes when

suns from them, though the East was not there.

Suns rose from them while the east isn’t in them

وَعَجِبتُ مِن أَرضٍ سَحابُ أَكُفِّهِم

وَعَجِبتُ مِن أَرضٍ سَحابُ أَكُفِّهِم

مِن فَوقِها وَصُخورُها لا تورِقُ

مِن فَوقِها وَصُخورُها لا تورِقُ

And I marveled at a land with the clouds of their palms

I’m amazed by a land whose palms’ clouds

above it, yet its rocks put forth no leaves.

Are above it while its rocks do not sprout

وَتَفوحُ مِن طيبِ الثَناءِ رَوائِحٌ

وَتَفوحُ مِن طيبِ الثَناءِ رَوائِحٌ

لَهُمُ بِكُلِّ مَكانَةٍ تُستَنشَقُ

لَهُمُ بِكُلِّ مَكانَةٍ تُستَنشَقُ

And fragrances waft from the sweetness of praise,

Fragrant praises waft from them

theirs, breathed in at every place,

In every sublime place to be smelled

مِسكِيَّةُ النَفَحاتِ إِلّا أَنَّها

مِسكِيَّةُ النَفَحاتِ إِلّا أَنَّها

وَحشِيَّةٌ بِسِواهُمُ لا تَعبَقُ

وَحشِيَّةٌ بِسِواهُمُ لا تَعبَقُ

musky in their wafts, except that they

Musky exhalations but beastly to

are wild, clinging to none but them.

Other than them, without any scent

أَمُريدَ مِثلِ مُحَمَّدٍ في عَصرِنا

أَمُريدَ مِثلِ مُحَمَّدٍ في عَصرِنا

لا تَبلُنا بِطِلابِ ما لا يُلحَقُ

لا تَبلُنا بِطِلابِ ما لا يُلحَقُ

O seeker of Muhammad's like in our age,

Do we desire the like of Muhammad in our time

do not test us by seeking what cannot be attained.

Do not seek from me the unattainable

لَم يَخلُقِ الرَحمَنُ مِثلَ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَم يَخلُقِ الرَحمَنُ مِثلَ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَبَداً وَظَنّي أَنَّهُ لا يَخلُقُ

أَبَداً وَظَنّي أَنَّهُ لا يَخلُقُ

The All-Merciful has not created Muhammad's equal,

The Compassionate did not create the like of Muhammad

ever—and I believe He never will.

Never, and I think He will not create his like

يا ذا الَّذي يَهَبُ الجَزيلَ وَعِندَهُ

يا ذا الَّذي يَهَبُ الجَزيلَ وَعِندَهُ

أَنّي عَلَيهِ بِأَخذِهِ أَتَصَدَّقُ

أَنّي عَلَيهِ بِأَخذِهِ أَتَصَدَّقُ

O you who give lavish bounty, yet believe

O You who grants abundantly and from whom

that by accepting it I bestow charity upon you,

I in taking from him give charity

أَمطِر عَلَيَّ سَحابَ جودِكَ ثَرَّةً

أَمطِر عَلَيَّ سَحابَ جودِكَ ثَرَّةً

وَاِنظُر إِلَيَّ بِرَحمَةٍ لا أَغرَقُ

وَاِنظُر إِلَيَّ بِرَحمَةٍ لا أَغرَقُ

let the clouds of your bounty rain abundantly upon me,

Rain upon me from your clouds of generosity bountifully

and look upon me with mercy, lest I drown.

And look upon me with a mercy without drowning

كَذَبَ اِبنُ فاعِلَةٍ يَقولُ بِجَهلِهِ

كَذَبَ اِبنُ فاعِلَةٍ يَقولُ بِجَهلِهِ

ماتَ الكِرامُ وَأَنتَ حَيٌّ تُرزَقُ

ماتَ الكِرامُ وَأَنتَ حَيٌّ تُرزَقُ

A harlot's son lies when he says in his ignorance,

The ignorant son of Fa’ila lies saying

'The noble are dead'—while you live and are sustained!

The generous died while you, living, are sustained