تَقولُ وَالعيسُ قَد شُدَّت بِأَرحُلِها

تَقولُ وَالعيسُ قَد شُدَّت بِأَرحُلِها

أَلحَقَّ أَنَّكَ مِنّا اليَومَ مُنطَلِقُ

أَلحَقَّ أَنَّكَ مِنّا اليَومَ مُنطَلِقُ

She says, the pale camels already saddled:

She said, while the caravan was loaded

“Is it true that today you are leaving us?”

"It seems you will be leaving us today."

قُلتُ نَعَم فَاِكظَمى قالَت وَما جَلَدي

قُلتُ نَعَم فَاِكظَمى قالَت وَما جَلَدي

وَلا أَظُنُّ اِجتِماعاً حينَ نَفتَرِقُ

وَلا أَظُنُّ اِجتِماعاً حينَ نَفتَرِقُ

I said, “Yes; restrain your grief.” She said, “What strength have I?

I said "Yes," and she fell silent.

And I expect no reunion once we part.”

Then said, "I've no patience for this parting

فَقُلتُ إِن أَحيَ لا أُطوِلُ بِعادَكُم

فَقُلتُ إِن أَحيَ لا أُطوِلُ بِعادَكُم

وَكَيفَ وَالقَلبُ رَهنٌ عِندَكُم غَلَقُ

وَكَيفَ وَالقَلبُ رَهنٌ عِندَكُم غَلَقُ

So I said, “If I live, I will not prolong my absence from you;

Nor hope that we will meet again once parted."

how could I, with my heart a forfeited pledge in your keeping?”

I said "If I live, I shall not long absent myself,

فارَقتُها لا فُؤاي مِن تَذَكُّرِها

فارَقتُها لا فُؤاي مِن تَذَكُّرِها

سالي الهُمومِ وَلا حَبلي لَها خَلَقُ

سالي الهُمومِ وَلا حَبلي لَها خَلَقُ

I parted from her; remembering her, my heart was not

How could I, with my heart held here, a captive."

free of sorrow, nor was my bond with her frayed.

I left her, sleepless with thoughts of her,

فاضَت عَلى إِثرِهِم عَيناكَ دَمعُهما

فاضَت عَلى إِثرِهِم عَيناكَ دَمعُهما

كَما تَتابَعُ يَجري اللُؤلُؤ النَسَقُ

كَما تَتابَعُ يَجري اللُؤلُؤ النَسَقُ

Your eyes poured out their tears in their wake,

While she shed copious tears.

as pearls stream in ordered succession.

Like pearls her tears fell in an unbroken line.

فَاِستَبقِ عَينَكَ لا يؤدى البُكاءُ بِها

فَاِستَبقِ عَينَكَ لا يؤدى البُكاءُ بِها

وَاِكفُف بَوادِرَ دَمعٍ مِنكَ تَستَبِقُ

وَاِكفُف بَوادِرَ دَمعٍ مِنكَ تَستَبِقُ

So preserve your eye; let not weeping destroy it,

Restrain your eyes, let them not freely weep,

and restrain the surges of tears that race from you.

Hold back your tears that eagerly would leap.

لَيسَ الشُؤونُ وَإِن جادَت بِباقِيَةٍ

لَيسَ الشُؤونُ وَإِن جادَت بِباقِيَةٍ

وَلا الجُفونُ عَلى هذا وَلا الحَدَقُ

وَلا الجُفونُ عَلى هذا وَلا الحَدَقُ

The tear ducts, though they pour freely, will not last,

Not so the fate, which freely gives and takes,

nor will the eyelids or the pupils withstand this.

Nor yet the eyes and lids their watch that keep.

وَما نَعم مِنكَ لِععافينَ مُسجَلَةٌ

وَما نَعم مِنكَ لِععافينَ مُسجَلَةٌ

مِن التَخَلُّقِ لكِن شيمَةٌ خُلُقُ

مِن التَخَلُّقِ لكِن شيمَةٌ خُلُقُ

And your unreserved “yes” to supplicants is not

Fine manners you have shown, no mere pretense,

an affectation, but an innate trait.

But innate virtues, fruits of innocence.

ساهَمتَ فيها وَفي لا فَاِختَصَصتَ بِها

ساهَمتَ فيها وَفي لا فَاِختَصَصتَ بِها

وَطارَ قَومٌ بلا وَالَذَّمِّ فَاِنطَلَقوا

وَطارَ قَومٌ بلا وَالَذَّمِّ فَاِنطَلَقوا

You drew lots for it and for “no,” and it became yours alone;

You've shared unstintingly your gifts with all,

while others flew off with “no” and blame, and went their way.

While others selfishly their knowledge fence.

قَومٌ هُمُ شَرَفُ الدُنيا وَسُؤدَدُها

قَومٌ هُمُ شَرَفُ الدُنيا وَسُؤدَدُها

صَفوٌ عَلى الناسِ لَم يُخلَط بِهِم رَنَقُ

صَفوٌ عَلى الناسِ لَم يُخلَط بِهِم رَنَقُ

A people who are the world's honor and its nobility,

Some people, honor's height have made their goal,

the purest of all people, unmingled with any murk.

Are yet society's despised and doleful shoal.

إِن حارَبوا وَضَعوا أَو سالَموا رَفَعوا

إِن حارَبوا وَضَعوا أَو سالَموا رَفَعوا

أَو عاقَدوا ضَمِنوا أَو حَدَّثوا صَدَقوا

أَو عاقَدوا ضَمِنوا أَو حَدَّثوا صَدَقوا

If they wage war, they bring low; or make peace, they raise high;

They lead in war, peace, contracts and discourse,

or make a pact, they stand surety; or speak, they tell the truth.

No base alloy dilutes their noble soul.