مِن مِثلها كنتَ تخشى أيّها الحَذِرُ

مِن مِثلها كنتَ تخشى أيّها الحَذِرُ

والدَّهرُ إنْ همَّ لا يُبقي ولا يَذَرُ

والدَّهرُ إنْ همَّ لا يُبقي ولا يَذَرُ

It was the like of this you feared, O wary one;

You feared the likes of it, O cautious one,

and Time, once resolved, leaves nothing and spares nothing.

while time, if it intends, leaves naught standing or fallen.

نعاك ناعٍ إلى قلبٍ كأنّ به

نعاك ناعٍ إلى قلبٍ كأنّ به

لواذعَ الجمر لمّا ساءَه الخبرُ

لواذعَ الجمر لمّا ساءَه الخبرُ

A herald announced your death to a heart that seemed to hold

Someone consoled a heart that was as if

the searing sting of embers when the news distressed it.

embers were embedded in it when it heard the news.

فَلَم يَكن لِيَ إلّا أَن أَقول لَهُ

فَلَم يَكن لِيَ إلّا أَن أَقول لَهُ

بفِيكَ ناعِي هذا الرَّاحِلِ الحَجَرُ

بفِيكَ ناعِي هذا الرَّاحِلِ الحَجَرُ

So I could do nothing but say to him:

So I had no choice but to say to him,

'A stone in your mouth, herald of this departed one!'

“May your consoler be arid stone!”

كم ذا نداءٍ لماضٍ غير ملتفتٍ

كم ذا نداءٍ لماضٍ غير ملتفتٍ

وكم عتابٍ لجانٍ ليس يعتذرُ

وكم عتابٍ لجانٍ ليس يعتذرُ

How many calls to one departed, who never turns,

How many a call to one long gone with no response,

and how much reproach for a wrongdoer who offers no apology!

how much reproach to one absent who makes no apology.

فَكلّما اِستُلّ منّا صاحبٌ فمَضى

فَكلّما اِستُلّ منّا صاحبٌ فمَضى

ولا إيابَ له قالوا هو القَدَرُ

ولا إيابَ له قالوا هو القَدَرُ

For whenever a companion is drawn from among us and departs,

Thus whenever a companion bid us farewell and left,

never to return, they say, 'It is fate.'

they said, “That was fate.”

وَلَيسَ يَدرِي الفتى لِمْ طالَ عمرُ فتىً

وَلَيسَ يَدرِي الفتى لِمْ طالَ عمرُ فتىً

وَلا لأيّةِ حالٍ يُنقَصُ العُمُرُ

وَلا لأيّةِ حالٍ يُنقَصُ العُمُرُ

And no man knows why one man's life is long,

And the youth knows not why one youth’s life is long

nor for what reason a lifespan is shortened.

nor for what state the life-term diminishes.

وَقَد طلبنا فلا نجحٌ ولا ظَفَرٌ

وَقَد طلبنا فلا نجحٌ ولا ظَفَرٌ

وقد هربنا فلا منجىً ولا عَصَرُ

وقد هربنا فلا منجىً ولا عَصَرُ

We have sought, yet there is neither success nor triumph;

We sought but no success or gain,

and we have fled, yet there is neither escape nor refuge.

we fled but no refuge or escape.

وَهَذهِ عِبرٌ لا شكّ مالئةٌ

وَهَذهِ عِبرٌ لا شكّ مالئةٌ

منّا العيونَ ولكنْ أين مُعتبِرُ

منّا العيونَ ولكنْ أين مُعتبِرُ

And these are lessons, beyond doubt, filling

And these are lessons — no doubt — filling

our eyes; but where is one who takes heed?

our eyes, but where is one who would heed?

نُعَلُّ مِن كلِّ مَكروهٍ ويملِكنا

نُعَلُّ مِن كلِّ مَكروهٍ ويملِكنا

حُبُّ الحياةِ الّتي أيّامُها غَرَرُ

حُبُّ الحياةِ الّتي أيّامُها غَرَرُ

We are plied with draughts of every ill, yet we are ruled by

We complain of every disliked thing, enthralled

love of life, whose days are full of peril.

by love of this life whose days are deceptions.

وَما اِلتِزامُ المُنى والمرءُ رهنُ ردىً

وَما اِلتِزامُ المُنى والمرءُ رهنُ ردىً

إلّا جنونٌ يغول العقلَ أو سُكُرُ

إلّا جنونٌ يغول العقلَ أو سُكُرُ

And clinging to hopes, while man is hostage to death,

And to cleave to doom when fate makes one its pawn —

is nothing but madness that ravages the mind, or intoxication.

that is madness that muddles the mind or drunkenness.

يا قاتلَ اللّه هَذا الدّهرَ يزرعنا

يا قاتلَ اللّه هَذا الدّهرَ يزرعنا

ثمّ الحصاد فمنه النّفعُ والضّرَرُ

ثمّ الحصاد فمنه النّفعُ والضّرَرُ

Ah, may God smite this Time! It sows us,

O killer of God, this time plants us

then comes the harvest; from it come benefit and harm.

then reaps so from it comes benefit and harm.

فإن يكن معطياً شيئاً فمرتجِعٌ

فإن يكن معطياً شيئاً فمرتجِعٌ

وَإِنْ يكن مبطئاً يوماً فمبتدِرُ

وَإِنْ يكن مبطئاً يوماً فمبتدِرُ

For if it grants anything, it takes it back;

When it would give something it soon takes it back

and if it lingers one day, it hastens on.

and if it delays a while it hastily demands.

داءٌ عرا آل قحطانٍ فزال بهمْ

داءٌ عرا آل قحطانٍ فزال بهمْ

وذاق منه نِزارٌ وَاِحتَسى مُضَرُ

وذاق منه نِزارٌ وَاِحتَسى مُضَرُ

An affliction befell the house of Qahtan and swept them away,

A malady has infected House Qahtan till it destroyed them—

and Nizar tasted of it, and Mudar drank it down,

and by it Nizar tasted and Mudar was distraught.

مِن بعد أَن لبِسوا التّيجان وَاِعتَصموا

مِن بعد أَن لبِسوا التّيجان وَاِعتَصموا

وأُركبوا ثَبَجَ الأعواد واِشتهروا

وأُركبوا ثَبَجَ الأعواد واِشتهروا

after they had worn crowns and made themselves secure,

After donning the crown and grasping the forelocks

and were raised onto wooden thrones and became renowned,

and mounting the ostrich-like steeds and gaining fame,

وَأَوسعوا النّاس مِن رَغْبٍ ومن رَهَبٍ

وَأَوسعوا النّاس مِن رَغْبٍ ومن رَهَبٍ

وَعاقَبوا بِاِجتِرامِ الذّنبِ وَاِغتَفَروا

وَعاقَبوا بِاِجتِرامِ الذّنبِ وَاِغتَفَروا

and filled the people with hope and fear,

after treating people to fear and awe,

and punished wrongdoing, and pardoned.

punishing sin and pardoning error,

تَندى مِفارِقُهمْ مِسْكاً فإنْ جُهلوا

تَندى مِفارِقُهمْ مِسْكاً فإنْ جُهلوا

نمّت عليهمْ برَيّا نشرها الأُزُرُ

نمّت عليهمْ برَيّا نشرها الأُزُرُ

Their hair-partings were moist with musk; if they went unrecognized,

their parting leaves a musky scent, but if unknown

their wraps betrayed them by the sweetness of their scent.

the camels’ urine would spray them with flowing gold.

وَيَسحَبونَ ذُيولَ الرّيْطِ ضامنةً

وَيَسحَبونَ ذُيولَ الرّيْطِ ضامنةً

أن ليس تُسحَبُ إلّا منهمُ الحِبَرُ

أن ليس تُسحَبُ إلّا منهمُ الحِبَرُ

And they trail the hems of fine cloaks, which guarantee

And they trail the train of the caravan guaranteeing

that patterned robes are trailed by none but them.

that none but they deserves the insignia.

قالوا قَضى غيرَ ذي ضَعفٍ ولا كِبَرٍ

قالوا قَضى غيرَ ذي ضَعفٍ ولا كِبَرٍ

فقلت ما كلُّ أسبابِ الرّدى كِبَرُ

فقلت ما كلُّ أسبابِ الرّدى كِبَرُ

They said, 'He died neither infirm nor old.'

They said fate ruled not by weakness or pride—

So I said, 'Not every cause of death is old age.'

so I said not every cause of misfortune is pride.

وغرّني فيك بُرْءٌ بعد طولِ ضنىً

وغرّني فيك بُرْءٌ بعد طولِ ضنىً

ومنْ يَبِتْ خَطِراً أودى به خَطَرُ

ومنْ يَبِتْ خَطِراً أودى به خَطَرُ

And your recovery after long wasting illness deceived me;

And longing for you after long estrangement deluded me.

and whoever spends the night in peril is carried off by peril.

He who harbors danger, danger lays low.

ما ضَرّ فَقدُك والأيّامُ شاهدةٌ

ما ضَرّ فَقدُك والأيّامُ شاهدةٌ

بأنّ فضلك فيها الأنجُمُ الزُّهُرُ

بأنّ فضلك فيها الأنجُمُ الزُّهُرُ

Your passing has not harmed you, for the days bear witness

Your loss did no harm—the days still attest

that your merits within them are the radiant stars.

that your merit among them was shining stars.

أَغنيت في الأرض والأقوام كلّهمُ

أَغنيت في الأرض والأقوام كلّهمُ

من المحاسن ما لم يُغنِه المَطَرُ

من المحاسن ما لم يُغنِه المَطَرُ

You enriched the earth and all its peoples

You brought riches to earth, and all mankind

with goodness such as rain has never brought.

what rain has never brought of beauty.

فَأَنتَ شَمسُ الضُّحى للسّاربينَ وَلل

فَأَنتَ شَمسُ الضُّحى للسّاربينَ وَلل

سارينَ في جُنحِ ليل ضوءُك القمرُ

سارينَ في جُنحِ ليل ضوءُك القمرُ

For you are the midmorning sun for day travelers; and for

So you are the sun of morn for wanderers

those journeying in the darkness of night, your light is the moon.

and for those travelling in the wings of night your light is the moon.

إِن تُمسِ موتاً بلا سمعٍ ولا بصرٍ

إِن تُمسِ موتاً بلا سمعٍ ولا بصرٍ

فطالما كنت أنتَ السمعُ والبصرُ

فطالما كنت أنتَ السمعُ والبصرُ

If evening finds you dead, without hearing or sight,

If you meet death devoid of hearing or sight,

yet for so long you yourself were hearing and sight.

still you were hearing itself and sight.

وإن تَبِتْ حَصِراً عن قول فاضلةٍ

وإن تَبِتْ حَصِراً عن قول فاضلةٍ

فطالما لم يكن من دَأْبك الحَصَرُ

فطالما لم يكن من دَأْبك الحَصَرُ

And if you pass the night unable to utter a noble word,

And if bereft of some eloquent utterance,

speechlessness was long no habit of yours.

still your habit was never bereftness.

قالوا اِصطَبِر عنه بأساً أو مجاملةً

قالوا اِصطَبِر عنه بأساً أو مجاملةً

والصّبرُ يُلعَقُ من أثنائه الصَّبِرُ

والصّبرُ يُلعَقُ من أثنائه الصَّبِرُ

They said, 'Bear his loss with courage or outward composure.'

They said show patience, shun force or pretence—

Yet from the folds of patience one licks bitter aloes.

but patience itself is gnawed at from its edges.

وَلَو دَرى مِن على حُزنٍ يقرّعنِي

وَلَو دَرى مِن على حُزنٍ يقرّعنِي

بمن فُجعتُ ومن خُولستُه عَذَروا

بمن فُجعتُ ومن خُولستُه عَذَروا

And had those who reproach me for grieving known

If he who grieves and anguishes me knew

whom I lost, and whom I was robbed of, they would excuse me.

who I have lost and whose absence I excuse,

وَكيفَ أَسلو وَما في غَيرهِ عوضٌ

وَكيفَ أَسلو وَما في غَيرهِ عوضٌ

من الرّجال ولا لِي عنه مُصطَبَرُ

من الرّجال ولا لِي عنه مُصطَبَرُ

And how can I find solace, when there is no replacement for him

and how I stay diversionless, none

among men, nor can I bear to be without him?

to replace him among men, none at whose hands I’m patient

وَكيفَ لِي بعده مَيْلٌ إلى وَطَرٍ

وَكيفَ لِي بعده مَيْلٌ إلى وَطَرٍ

وليس لِي أبداً في غيره وَطَرُ

وليس لِي أبداً في غيره وَطَرُ

And how can I long for anything after him,

and how after him no other quarter pulls me

when I have no desire, ever, for anyone else?

nor do I have, ever, another quarter,

مجاوراً دارَ قومٍ ليس جارُهُمُ

مجاوراً دارَ قومٍ ليس جارُهُمُ

بنصرهمْ أبَدَ الأيّامِ ينتصرُ

بنصرهمْ أبَدَ الأيّامِ ينتصرُ

Dwelling beside the home of a people whose neighbor

one residing among a people whose neighbor

can never, through all time, find succor in their aid,

eternally fails to defend them.

في أربُعٍ كلّما زادوا بها نقصوا

في أربُعٍ كلّما زادوا بها نقصوا

نقصَ الفَناء وقلّوا كلّما كَثروا

نقصَ الفَناء وقلّوا كلّما كَثروا

in dwellings where the more they increase, the more they dwindle,

So in four things, the more they grow, the less they grow—

wasting away to nothing, and growing fewer the more they multiply.

the less grows diminishment and the more they lessen.

فَاِذهَبْ كما شاءتِ الأقدارُ مُقتَلعاً

فَاِذهَبْ كما شاءتِ الأقدارُ مُقتَلعاً

منّا به الخوف مجنوناً به الحَذَرُ

منّا به الخوف مجنوناً به الحَذَرُ

Go, then, as the fates have willed, with fear uprooted

Go then, as destinies have willed, wrested

from us by your going, and caution driven mad by it.

from us, fear thereby maddened, caution crazed.

فَلِلقُلوبِ الّتي أَبهَجْتَها حَزَنٌ

فَلِلقُلوبِ الّتي أَبهَجْتَها حَزَنٌ

وَبِالعُيونِ الّتي أقررتها سَهَرُ

وَبِالعُيونِ الّتي أقررتها سَهَرُ

So the hearts you gladdened now grieve,

So for the hearts you gladdened there is now grief

and the eyes you soothed lie sleepless.

and for the eyes whereon you imprinted sleeplessness.

وَما لِعَيشٍ وَقد ودّعتَه أَرَجٌ

وَما لِعَيشٍ وَقد ودّعتَه أَرَجٌ

ولا لِلَيلٍ وقد فارقتَه سَحَرُ

ولا لِلَيلٍ وقد فارقتَه سَحَرُ

And life, now you have bidden it farewell, has no fragrance,

What worth is life, now you have bid it farewell?

nor has night, now you have left it, a dawn.

What worth is night, now you have quit its dawn?

وَما لَنا بَعدَ أَن أَضحَتْ مَطالِعُنا

وَما لَنا بَعدَ أَن أَضحَتْ مَطالِعُنا

مسلوبةً منك أوضاحٌ ولا غُرَرُ

مسلوبةً منك أوضاحٌ ولا غُرَرُ

And we, now that our horizons have become

Without you our prospects lose their brightness and hopes.

bereft of you, have neither light nor splendor.

Ours are no plain, guileless days.