1. My case is one where tongues are tied,
And love's road obscured in darkness lies.

2. A cause where judges haughtily withdrew
From giving judgment, while disputants decide.

3. The expert questioned me about it saying,
And my bashfulness replies in troubled wise:

4. "If you know not, 'tis a calamity;
If you do know, the calamity still greater lies."

5. I complain, and laughing he turns away,
While the proud man is hurt by words however slight.

6. Not from coy pride doth he refrain, but love
Has in hearts a secret that's hid from sight.

7. If though my head is touched with grey, that is
No eld, but stroke of fate does youth chastise.

8. God guard Mardin! It is a land whose sweets
Revive the stranger and wherein he joys.

9. A land whose lion in his jungle stalks,
While the old wolf amid its hazels cries.

10. There all is changed from customary ways,
The schemer fails and asses criticize.

11. The sinner profits there; then if they catch him
He swears divorce and goes unpenalized.

12. The governors' condition is to let pass all
That passes, and hold safe whate'er subsides.

13. Not like Damascus where the thief secures
His booty and the plaintive is the loser.

14. I chided one who entertained vile thoughts,
And said "Restrain yourself, for part is known."

15. How should the thief have knowledge that my purse
Was lacking even one remaining coin?

16. They showed patience till collected was the whole,
Then plundered all when came the time of plunder.

17. O king, from whom all other kings can learn
Of equity, in this thy happy reign,

18. Give not the vicious leave, for souls will dare
When honored, and the vilest hold the rein.

19. If one still profits and feels no remorse,
I know not where repentance can be found.

20. Is it unknown to thee this case of mine
Whereat the people in Mudar complain?

21. If I complain they say "No money's lost,
But here's a man who does injustice feign."

22. Is it conceivable that the invalid
Should be acquitted while the youths are chained?

23. In the prisons the sad victim I behold
Is the poor servant lad or household page.

24. A monk in the Buwairah door by night
Is seen, and when morning dawns, is known again.

25. My house by troops of candles is enthronged
At evening as the prostitutes arrange their train.

26. A people firm of purpose bar the way,
Each of his foray conscious well and fain.

27. Careless they are though round the house their band
Is watching either to awake or sleep.

28. They kill if they prevail, if they have ill success
Each has support behind him or makes his escape.

29. So for them firmly execute God's law,
For trusting to thy mildness they blaspheme.

30. If thou fear that men reckon thee unjust
To them, to thy poor subjects thou'rt more unfair.

31. Clemency in some cases means disgrace,
Rebellion is a wound by severity made tame.

32. By his severity the rule to Marwan's son
Came, though the earlier Khalifs more indulgent were.

33. By might Mo'tasim brought the nations low,
While with his mildness Mutawakkel curbed them.

34. Not for neglect did God ordain the laws,
Intending pardon to the evil-doer.

35. If He had wished He had said "let claims abate,"
Not "retaliation gives you life and order."

36. If the excuse for setting law aside
Be pity, God more pities and is kinder.

37. So punish the transgressor with the proper punishment
And judge as was your Lord's decreed intent.

38. Thamud of old, though independent quite
Of mortals' aid, a she-camel had, eminent,

39. Yet did they hamstring her, and for all that they
By heaven's wrath and earthquake dire were punished.

40. So too that best of prophets, honored Mohammed,
Although to none oppression could be incident,

41. When they brought up a band who had purloined
Some camels out of alms - and he was vehement -

42. He cut off hands and feet, not pardoning them
Till after their escaping eyes had punishment.

43. Then he cast them on the sunburnt ground to burn
Where winds blow o'er it causing fiery torment.

44. Some people hoped he might show clemency,
But no! he said "such is the due of every villain."

45. And so Khattab's brave son one day was driving
An Arab King, Ghassan's lord, behind him eminent.

46. The king complained saying "Is it right that I
Be driven by a lash?" He said "Yes, though indignant.

47. These are God's bounds; whoever them transgresses,
On resurrection day hell fire shall be his punishment."

48. Regard Husain's son's words, when he beheld
A state that pierced anew a father's soul.

49. "Nobility from suffering is not free
Until around its sides our blood shall roll."

50. Such was God's, then his Prophet's ordinance,
As also from the noble poets have we learnt.

51. So deal with them the fiat of the kings,
Nor weakly pardon, lest the crowd blaspheme.

52. Forgive the fault of one whose verse shows love,
Though rash, for need constrains beyond all reason.

53. By God, I grieve not for the wealth that's lost,
Save that my absence is prolonged from you.

54. Wealth comes and goes throughout man's life, but fame
Endures and unto death its succor brings.

55. This speech should make the understanding think.
God knows the right, and He the wisest Judge.