صَدّتْshe turned away وَماand not صدّهاher turning away إلّاexcept علىin ياسِdespair
صَدّتْ وَما صدّها إلّا على ياسِ
مِنof أَنthat ترىshe sees صِبغَthe color of فَوْدَيهاher two temple-locks علىupon راسيmy head
مِن أَن ترى صِبغَ فَوْدَيها على راسي
She turned away, and did so only in despair
She turned away, though nothing made her turn but to see
of seeing the color of her temples upon my head.
The henna-dye upon my head appear.
أَحبِبْhow dear! إِليهاto her بليلٍa night لاnot يضيءgives light لهاto her
أَحبِبْ إِليها بليلٍ لا يضيء لها
إلّاexcept إِذاwhen لَمnot تَسرshe travels فيهthrough it بمقباسِwith a torch
إلّا إِذا لَم تَسر فيه بمقباسِ
How dear to her is a night that gives her no light,
Woo her on a moonless night when she cannot
unless she travels through it without a torch!
See except when the lantern helps her peer.
وَالشّيبُand gray hair داءٌa sickness لربّاتِfor the ladies of الحِجالِcurtained chambers إذاwhen
وَالشّيبُ داءٌ لربّاتِ الحِجالِ إذا
رَأينَهُthey see it وَهْوَand it is داءٌa sickness ماnot لهُfor it آسيa healer
رَأينَهُ وَهْوَ داءٌ ما لهُ آسي
Gray hair is a sickness to the ladies of curtained chambers when
Gray hair's a malady that beauties bitterly mourn
they see it—a sickness that has no healer.
When it appears, though the ache helps no tear.
ياoh قُربَهُنّtheir nearness وَرَأسيand my head فاحمٌcoal-black رَجِلٌwavy-haired
يا قُربَهُنّ وَرَأسي فاحمٌ رَجِلٌ
وبُعدَهنّand their distance وشيبيand my gray hair ناصعٌbright white عاسيstiff
وبُعدَهنّ وشيبي ناصعٌ عاسي
How close they were, my head coal-black and wavy,
My nearness troubles them; though bold,
and how far they are, my gray hair bright white and stiff!
Their distance and my silver locks they cheer.
ماذاwhat يُريبكtroubles you مِنabout بَيضاءa white hair طالعةٍappearing
ماذا يُريبك مِن بَيضاء طالعةٍ
جاءتْit came بحلميwith my forbearance وزانتْand adorned بينamong جُلّاسيmy companions
جاءتْ بحلمي وزانتْ بين جُلّاسي
What troubles you about a white hair appearing,
Why are you puzzled by a lovely whiteness which
which brought me forbearance and graced me among my companions?
Brought my dream and parted my dark hair?
وَماand not تبدّلتُI exchanged إلّاexcept خَيرthe best ماany (emphatic) بَدَلٍreplacement
وَما تبدّلتُ إلّا خَير ما بَدَلٍ
عُوِّضْتُI was given in exchange بالشّيبِthrough gray hair أنواراًlights بأنقاسِin place of inks
عُوِّضْتُ بالشّيبِ أنواراً بأنقاسِ
And I made only the best of exchanges:
I'm changed but for the best. My white replaces
through gray hair I received lights in place of inks.
The black and sheds on me its luminous glare.
هَيهاتِfar removed! قَلبُكyour heart مِنfrom قلبٍa heart ذهبتِyou went away بهwith it
هَيهاتِ قَلبُك مِن قلبٍ ذهبتِ به
هَذاthis one الضّعيفthe weak one وَذاكَand that one الجلمدthe boulder القاسيhard
هَذا الضّعيف وَذاكَ الجلمد القاسي
How far your heart is from the heart you carried away!
Vainly you trust the inconstant heart which left
This one is weak, and that one a hard boulder.
The weak me for the harsh and stony wear.
تجزينyou repay وَصْليmy affection بهجرٍwith estrangement منكfrom you يمزجmixes ليfor me
تجزين وَصْلي بهجرٍ منك يمزج لي
كَأسَthe cup of المُنىhopes وَهْيَwhile it is صِرْفُpure الطّعمin flavor بالياسِwith despair
كَأسَ المُنى وَهْيَ صِرْفُ الطّعم بالياسِ
You repay my affection with estrangement from you, mixing for me
You torment me, your love's as painful mixture
the cup of hopes—pure in flavor—with despair.
As cups of blight between the draughts of cheer.
وَنابحٍand many a barker بِيَat me دلَّتْهُit led him غَباوتُهُhis stupidity
وَنابحٍ بِيَ دلَّتْهُ غَباوتُهُ
حتَّىuntil فَرَتْهُit tore him apart بأنيابيwith my fangs وأضراسيand my molars
حتَّى فَرَتْهُ بأنيابي وأضراسي
And many a barker at me was led on by his folly,
Some hound, maddened by foolishness, dared worry me,
until it tore him apart with my fangs and molars.
Snarling, till I broke its fangs and mouthbones sere.
عَوىhe howled وَلَمand did not يدرِknow أنّيthat I لاnot يُروِّعُنِيfrightens me
عَوى وَلَم يدرِ أنّي لا يُروِّعُنِي
مِنfrom مثلِهِone like him جَرْسُهُhis sound منfrom بينamong أجراسيmy sounds
مِن مثلِهِ جَرْسُهُ من بين أجراسي
He howled, not knowing that I am not frightened
It clamored till I don't know what. Its bell amid
by the sound of one like him among my own sounds.
My other bells rang punily on my ear.
فَقُلso say لِمَنto whoever ضَلَّwent astray عَجزاًthrough inability أنto يسامِيَنِيrival me in stature
فَقُل لِمَن ضَلَّ عَجزاً أن يسامِيَنِي
ياoh بُعْدَthe distance of أَرضِكَyour land منfrom طَوْدٍa towering mountain لناof ours راسِfirmly rooted
يا بُعْدَ أَرضِكَ من طَوْدٍ لنا راسِ
So tell whoever strayed, through weakness, in trying to rival me:
Say to whoever's incapable of rising to my level:
How far your ground lies from our firmly rooted mountain!
"O far are you from the mounts where glory nears!"
وَأَينَand where فرعُكyour branch مِنbeside فَرعيmy branch وَمُنشَعَبيand my branching stock
وَأَينَ فرعُك مِن فَرعي وَمُنشَعَبي
وأينand where أصلُكyour root منbeside أصليmy root وآساسيand my foundations
وأين أصلُك من أصلي وآساسي
Where is your branch beside my branch and my branching stock?
Where is your branch to my branch? Your base origin
And where is your root beside my root and my foundations?
To my base? Foundation? Lineage? Peer?
ياO قومُpeople ماwhat ليwith me أرىI see عِيراًa caravan مُعَقَّلَةًhobbled
يا قومُ ما لي أرى عِيراً مُعَقَّلَةً
يُثيرهنَّrouses them اِعتِسافاًrecklessly نخسُthe prodding of نخّاسِa goader
يُثيرهنَّ اِعتِسافاً نخسُ نخّاسِ
O people, why do I see a hobbled caravan,
You rouse some burdened camels, goading them
stirred up recklessly by a goader's prodding?
With slimy prods by a foul guide, I fear.
وَالشرُّand evil كالعُرِّlike mange يُعديinfects غيرَothers besides صاحبِهِits bearer
وَالشرُّ كالعُرِّ يُعدي غيرَ صاحبِهِ
وَالكأسand the cup يَنزعهاtakes it away منfrom غيرهsomeone else الحاسيthe drinker
وَالكأس يَنزعها من غيره الحاسي
And evil is like mange: it infects others besides its bearer,
Men you are — can you listen to any true reproach,
and the drinker takes the cup away from another.
To reasons that should pour into your ears?
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمتمْyou know بِماof what جرّتْit brought about وماand did not شعرتْrealize
وَقَد عَلِمتمْ بِما جرّتْ وما شعرتْ
علىupon العشائرthe tribes دهراًfor an age كفُّthe hand of جسّاسِJassas
على العشائر دهراً كفُّ جسّاسِ
And you know what was brought down, unwittingly,
Like a lost camel led into misleading paths
upon the tribes for ages by Jassas's hand,
By shadowy night whose darkness it reveres,
وَأنّهand that he واحدٌone man شبّتْkindled جنايتُهُhis crime
وَأنّه واحدٌ شبّتْ جنايتُهُ
ناراًa fire تَضَرّمُblazes فيamong كُثْرٍmany منof النّاسِthe people
ناراً تَضَرّمُ في كُثْرٍ من النّاسِ
and that he was a single man whose crime kindled
Darkness has hid the road which would have led
a fire blazing among multitudes of people.
Aright, and so it ambled led by seers.
وَإنّماand only هاجstirred up فيamong عَبْسٍAbs وقومِهُمُand their people
وَإنّما هاج في عَبْسٍ وقومِهُمُ
بنيthe sons of فزارةَFazara حَرْباًwar سَبْقُa race of أفراسِhorses
بني فزارةَ حَرْباً سَبْقُ أفراسِ
And among Abs and their people,
the sons of Fazara, a horse-race alone stirred war.
We are a folk of probity. Meet us straight.
وَالزِّبرقانُand al-Zibriqan اِنتَضىunsheathed قولthe words of الحُطَيئةِal-Hutay'a فيagainst
وَالزِّبرقانُ اِنتَضى قول الحُطَيئةِ في
أعراضِهِhis honor خدعةًa trick منfrom آلِthe house of شَمّاسِShammas
أعراضِهِ خدعةً من آلِ شَمّاسِ
And al-Zibriqan unsheathed al-Hutay'a's words against
Deviousness is for the vile, we never veer.
his own honor, through a trick by the house of Shammas.
We drag our robes majestic as a lion drags
كَمhow often تَنبذونَyou fling إِلَيناat us القولَwords نحسِبُهُwe imagine it
كَم تَنبذونَ إِلَينا القولَ نحسِبُهُ
ترميshoot إِليناtoward us بهwith it أعجاسُthe grips of أقواسِbows
ترمي إِلينا به أعجاسُ أقواسِ
How often you fling words at us, which we imagine
Its train midst foxes trotting through their smear.
are shot toward us by the grips of bows!
No blemishes can touch our fair name. Nor do we dream
يَحُزُّit cuts فيinto الجلدthe skin منّاof ours ثمّthen نَحملُهُwe bear it
يَحُزُّ في الجلد منّا ثمّ نَحملُهُ
بُقياًout of mercy عليكمْfor you علىupon العينينthe two eyes والرّاسِand the head
بُقياً عليكمْ على العينين والرّاسِ
They cut into our skin, yet we then bear them
Of wearing a garment that is stained or seared.
out of mercy for you, upon our eyes and head.
Our noble neighbor deems us always with the best,
فَكمso how much تَدرّونyou make flow شرّاًevil كلّevery شارقةٍsunrise
فَكم تَدرّون شرّاً كلّ شارقةٍ
وإنّماand only الشرُّevil يُستَدنىis drawn near بإبساسِby soothing calls
وإنّما الشرُّ يُستَدنى بإبساسِ
So how much evil you make flow at every sunrise,
Pitched in good tents, no humble cloth or gear.
and evil is drawn near only by soothing calls!
I fear the warning signs. A day will come armored
وَتَحمِلونَand you send لَناagainst us خَيلاًhorses علىover جَددٍlevel ground
وَتَحمِلونَ لَنا خَيلاً على جَددٍ
مِنَof الطريقِthe road علىonto مُستَوعِرٍrugged ground جاسِhard
مِنَ الطريقِ على مُستَوعِرٍ جاسِ
And you send horses against us over a level stretch
With death, when the wise fool confounds the seer.
of road, onto rugged, unyielding ground.
The spearhead, soaked in earth, spawns dragon's teeth which write
وَكَيفَand how يصلحُbe set right قومٌa people لَمdid not يَصِخُheed لهمْof theirs
وَكَيفَ يصلحُ قومٌ لَم يَصِخُ لهمْ
سمعٌan ear إلىto عَذْلِthe rebuke of قُوّامٍoverseers وسُوّاسِand governors
سمعٌ إلى عَذْلِ قُوّامٍ وسُوّاسِ
And how can a people be set right, when no
With quills of tombs on scrolls you hold so dear.
ear of theirs heeds the rebukes of overseers and governors?
One day you'll witness what you wish of severed wombs,
ضلّواthey strayed كماjust as ضلّتِstrayed العَشْواءُthe dim-sighted she-camel يُركِبُهاmakes her climb
ضلّوا كما ضلّتِ العَشْواءُ يُركِبُها
جُنْحُthe wing of الدُّجىdarkness ظهْرَthe tops of أجراعٍsandy knolls وإرهاسِand heaps of stones
جُنْحُ الدُّجى ظهْرَ أجراعٍ وإرهاسِ
They strayed as a dim-sighted she-camel strayed, driven
Of couching lions tearing with fang and sheer.
by the wing of darkness over sandy knolls and heaps of stones.
Cast not my counsels like seeds in barren land,
لمّاwhen حماهاkept her سوادُthe blackness of الليلnight عنfrom نظرٍsight
لمّا حماها سوادُ الليل عن نظرٍ
يهديguides الطّريقَthe way تقرّتْهُshe sought it out بأنفاسِwith breaths
يهدي الطّريقَ تقرّتْهُ بأنفاسِ
When night's blackness kept her from sight
Thrown away in sand no rain or stream cheers.
that could guide the way, she sought it out with her breaths.
Be not like him who knew no peace or war's vicissitude
أماdo you not علمتُمْknow بأنّاthat we are معشرٌa people صُدُقٌsteadfast
أما علمتُمْ بأنّا معشرٌ صُدُقٌ
وأنّناand that we فيin التّلاقيbattle غيرُnot أنكاسِweaklings
وأنّنا في التّلاقي غيرُ أنكاسِ
Do you not know that we are a steadfast people,
In fate's hour, nor what follows the secure.
and that in battle we are no weaklings?
Man but recalls the present. All things end as
وإنْand if مشيناwe march نجرّwe drag الزَّغْفَchain mail تحسَبُناyou would think us
وإنْ مشينا نجرّ الزَّغْفَ تحسَبُنا
آسادَlions of بِيشَةَBisha تمشيwalking بينamong أخياسِthickets
آسادَ بِيشَةَ تمشي بين أخياسِ
And if we march dragging our chain mail, you would think us
Fate dictates. Man is slave to its career.
lions of Bisha walking among thickets.
وَأنّناand that we لاnot يَمَسُّtouches الذّمُّblame جانبَناour side
وَأنّنا لا يَمَسُّ الذّمُّ جانبَنا
ولاand not يَهُمُّcontemplates لناof ours ثوبٌa garment بأدناسِstains
ولا يَهُمُّ لنا ثوبٌ بأدناسِ
And blame never touches our side,
nor does any garment of ours contemplate stains.
وَتَحسبand you would think الجارَthe neighbor فيناamong us منbecause of نزاهتِهِhis freedom from harm
وَتَحسب الجارَ فينا من نزاهتِهِ
مُعرِّساًlodging فيin الثريّاthe Pleiades أيَّwhat a إعراسِlodging
مُعرِّساً في الثريّا أيَّ إعراسِ
And you would think a neighbor among us, so free from harm,
lodged in the Pleiades—what a lodging!
إِنّيindeed I أَخافُfear وَقدand already لاحتْhave appeared دلائلُهُits signs
إِنّي أَخافُ وَقد لاحتْ دلائلُهُ
طلوعَthe dawn of يومٍa day بوَدْقِwith the rain of الموتِdeath رجّاسِroaring
طلوعَ يومٍ بوَدْقِ الموتِ رجّاسِ
I fear—its signs have already appeared—
the dawn of a day roaring with death's rain,
يُلْفىis found حَليمكُمُyour levelheaded man غيرَnot الحليمlevelheaded بهon it
يُلْفى حَليمكُمُ غيرَ الحليم به
وَكيّسوand the shrewd men of القومthe people فيهِon it غيرَnot أكياسِshrewd
وَكيّسو القوم فيهِ غيرَ أكياسِ
when your levelheaded man is found no longer levelheaded,
and the people's shrewd men are no longer shrewd that day;
والرُّمحُand the spear يَنْطِفُdrips فيonto خدّthe cheek of الثّرىthe earth عَلَقاًclotted blood
والرُّمحُ يَنْطِفُ في خدّ الثّرى عَلَقاً
نَطْفَlike the dripping of المزابرِpens فيon حافاتِthe margins of قِرطاسِa sheet of paper
نَطْفَ المزابرِ في حافاتِ قِرطاسِ
and the spear drips clotted blood onto the earth's cheek,
like pens dripping along the margins of a sheet.
يومٌa day يَرىwill see منكُمُamong you فيهon it عدوُّكُمُyour enemy
يومٌ يَرى منكُمُ فيه عدوُّكُمُ
ماwhatever شاءhe wishes منof قَطْعthe severing of أرحامٍkinship ties وأَمراسِand cords
ما شاء من قَطْع أرحامٍ وأَمراسِ
A day when your enemy will see among you
all he wishes of severed kinship ties and cords.
لاdo not تطرحواcast aside النُّصْحَthe counsel مِنِّيfrom me وهْوand it is مُتَّبَعٌto be followed
لا تطرحوا النُّصْحَ مِنِّي وهْو مُتَّبَعٌ
طَرْحَlike the discarding of المُبِنِّone settling down بأرضٍin a land سُحْقَworn-out أحلاسِsaddlecloths
طَرْحَ المُبِنِّ بأرضٍ سُحْقَ أحلاسِ
Do not cast aside my counsel, which should be followed,
as one settling in a land casts away worn-out saddlecloths.
وَلاand do not تَكونواbe كَمَنlike one who لَمdid not يدرِknow فيin مَهَلٍleisure
وَلا تَكونوا كَمَن لَم يدرِ في مَهَلٍ
مِنof ساعةِan hour of الأمنsafety عُقْبىthe aftermath of ساعةِan hour of الباسِbattle
مِن ساعةِ الأمن عُقْبى ساعةِ الباسِ
And do not be like one unaware, while at leisure,
in an hour of safety, of the aftermath of an hour of battle.
فَإنّماfor only يذكرremembers الإنسانُman حاضرَهُhis present
فَإنّما يذكر الإنسانُ حاضرَهُ
وكلُّand every أمرٍaffair بماas it يمضِيpasses بهby him ناسِforgetful
وكلُّ أمرٍ بما يمضِي به ناسِ
For man remembers only his present,
and is forgetful of every affair as it passes him by.
Partial English translation: 52 of 72 Arabic lines translated.