أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ سُفيانَ عَنّي

أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ سُفيانَ عَنّي

وَظَنّي أَن سَيُبلِغَهُ الرَسولُ

وَظَنّي أَن سَيُبلِغَهُ الرَسولُ

Ah, who will carry a message from me to Sufyan,

Oh that some messenger to Sufyan may tell,

And I think the messenger will convey it to him,

Though I think the messenger himself will tell,

وَمَولاهُ عَطِيَّةَ أَنَّ قيلاً

وَمَولاهُ عَطِيَّةَ أَنَّ قيلاً

خَلا مِنّي وَأَن قَد باتَ قيلُ

خَلا مِنّي وَأَن قَد باتَ قيلُ

And to his ally Atiyya—that a saying

And his lord 'Atiyya, that but little

Has gone forth from me, and a saying has lingered overnight?

Comes from me though gossip comes apace.

سَئِمتُم رَبَّكُم وَكَفَرتُموهُ

سَئِمتُم رَبَّكُم وَكَفَرتُموهُ

وَذلِكُمُ بِأَرضِكُمُ جَميلُ

وَذلِكُمُ بِأَرضِكُمُ جَميلُ

You grew weary of your lord and repudiated him,

You grew weary of your Lord and so denied Him

And that, in your land, is a fine thing!

Though that in your own land is foul disgrace.

أَلا تُوفِي كَما أَوفى شَبيبٌ

أَلا تُوفِي كَما أَوفى شَبيبٌ

فَحَلَّ لَهُ الوِلايَةُ وَالشُمولُ

فَحَلَّ لَهُ الوِلايَةُ وَالشُمولُ

Will you not keep faith as Shabib kept faith,

Oh, be as true as the youth Shabib was,

So patronage and wine became his due?

So that guardianship and power on him did devolve.

أَبوهُ كانَ خَيرَكُمُ وَفاءً

أَبوهُ كانَ خَيرَكُمُ وَفاءً

وَخَيرَكُمُ إِذا حُمِدَ الجَميلُ

وَخَيرَكُمُ إِذا حُمِدَ الجَميلُ

His father was the best of you in faithfulness,

His father was the truest of you all

And the best of you when noble conduct was praised.

And the best of you when good is told abroad.

أُلامُ عَلى الهِجاءِ وَكُلُّ يَومٍ

أُلامُ عَلى الهِجاءِ وَكُلُّ يَومٍ

تُلاقيني مِنَ الجيرانِ غولُ

تُلاقيني مِنَ الجيرانِ غولُ

I am blamed for satire, yet every day

Woe for satire! Each day from my neighbors

A ghoul from among the neighbors meets me.

Come raids, while I'm helpless to return a blow.

سَأَجعَلُها لأَجمَعِكُم شِعاراً

سَأَجعَلُها لأَجمَعِكُم شِعاراً

وَقَد يَمضي اللِسانُ بِما يَقولُ

وَقَد يَمضي اللِسانُ بِما يَقولُ

I shall make it an inner garment for you all,

I'll make it a device for all of you

And sometimes the tongue strikes home with what it says.

Though the tongue may speak what the heart disavows.