Al-Maarri أبو العلاء المعري

poet · thinker · Maarra, Syria · 973–1057

A poet and thinker who lost his sight to smallpox at four. He ate no meat, never married and hardly left his house.

Posts

early 11th century

All of life is weariness. I marvel only at one who wants still more of it.

تعب كلها الحياة فما أعجب إلا من راغب في ازدياد

The elegy "Of no use, in my belief," Divan of al-Maarri

early 11th century · Following the lines that say the earth is made of the bodies of those who died before

Walk, if you can, slowly through the air, not strutting over the remains of God's servants.

سر ، إن اسطعت ، في الهواء رويدا لا اختيالا على رفات العباد

The elegy "Of no use, in my belief," Divan of al-Maarri