يا دارَ أَسماءَ بَينَ السَفحِ فَالرُحبِ

يا دارَ أَسماءَ بَينَ السَفحِ فَالرُحبِ

أَقوَت وَعَفّى عَلَيها ذاهِبُ الحِقَبِ

أَقوَت وَعَفّى عَلَيها ذاهِبُ الحِقَبِ

O dwelling of Asma, between al-Safh and al-Ruhb,

O house of Asmaa, between the slopes and the vastness

It has grown deserted, and the passing ages have effaced it.

Time has worn you down, as the epochs pass

فَما تَبَيَّنَ مِنها غَيرُ مُنتَضَدٍ

فَما تَبَيَّنَ مِنها غَيرُ مُنتَضَدٍ

وَراسِياتٍ ثَلاثٍ حَولَ مُنتَصِبِ

وَراسِياتٍ ثَلاثٍ حَولَ مُنتَصِبِ

So nothing of it could be discerned but a heap,

Nothing remains of you but some scattered ruins

And three firmly set stones around something upright.

And three pillars standing around a mihrab

وَعَرصَةُ الدارِ تَستَنُّ الرِياحُ بِها

وَعَرصَةُ الدارِ تَستَنُّ الرِياحُ بِها

تَحِنُّ فيها حَنينِ الوُلَّهِ السُلُبِ

تَحِنُّ فيها حَنينِ الوُلَّهِ السُلُبِ

And across the dwelling's open ground the winds race,

The courtyard of the house, where the winds moan

Moaning there like distraught she-camels bereft of their young.

With the yearning of parted lovers

دارٌ لِأَسماءَ إِذ قَلبي بِها كَلِفٌ

دارٌ لِأَسماءَ إِذ قَلبي بِها كَلِفٌ

وَإِذ أُقَرَّبُ مِنها غَيرَ مُقتَرِبِ

وَإِذ أُقَرَّبُ مِنها غَيرَ مُقتَرِبِ

A dwelling of Asma, when my heart was infatuated with her,

A house for Asmaa, when my heart was devoted to her

And when I was brought close to her, though I made no approach.

And when I drew near, without really drawing near

إِنَّ الحَبيبَ الَّذي أَمسَيتُ أَهجُرُهُ

إِنَّ الحَبيبَ الَّذي أَمسَيتُ أَهجُرُهُ

مِن غَيرِ مَقلِيَةٍ مِنّي وَلا غَضَبِ

مِن غَيرِ مَقلِيَةٍ مِنّي وَلا غَضَبِ

Indeed, the beloved whom I have come to shun,

Indeed, the beloved whom I distanced myself from

Without hatred on my part or anger—

Without any wrongdoing from me, nor anger

أَصُدُّ عَنهُ اِرتِقاباً أَن أَلُمَّ بِهِ

أَصُدُّ عَنهُ اِرتِقاباً أَن أَلُمَّ بِهِ

وَمَن يَخَف قالَةَ الواشينَ يَرتَقِبِ

وَمَن يَخَف قالَةَ الواشينَ يَرتَقِبِ

I turn away from him, watching for a chance to visit him;

I avoid him, hoping to be reunited

And whoever fears tale-bearers' gossip keeps watch.

For whoever fears the gossip of spies, anticipates

إِنّي حَوَيتُ عَلى الأَقوامِ مَكرُمَةً

إِنّي حَوَيتُ عَلى الأَقوامِ مَكرُمَةً

قِدماً وَحَذَّرَني ما يَتَّقونَ أَبي

قِدماً وَحَذَّرَني ما يَتَّقونَ أَبي

Indeed, I gained distinction over other people,

I have shown nobility to the people

Long ago; and my father warned me against what they shun.

My father warned me against what they fear

وَقالَ لي قَولَ ذي عِلمٍ وَتَجرِبَةٍ

وَقالَ لي قَولَ ذي عِلمٍ وَتَجرِبَةٍ

بِسالِفاتِ أُمورِ الدَهرِ وَالحِقَبِ

بِسالِفاتِ أُمورِ الدَهرِ وَالحِقَبِ

And he spoke to me as one possessed of knowledge and experience

And he said to me words of wisdom and experience

Of the bygone affairs of time and the ages:

Regarding the events of fate and the epochs

أَمَرتُكَ الرُشدَ فَاِفعَل ما أُمِرتَ بِهِ

أَمَرتُكَ الرُشدَ فَاِفعَل ما أُمِرتَ بِهِ

فَقَد تَرَكتُكَ ذا مالٍ وَذا نَشَبِ

فَقَد تَرَكتُكَ ذا مالٍ وَذا نَشَبِ

I have enjoined right conduct on you; do what you were commanded.

I commanded you to be righteous, so do as you are told

For I have left you with wealth and property.

For I have left you with wealth and youth

وَنِلتَ مَجداً فَحاذِر أَن تُدَنِّسَهُ

وَنِلتَ مَجداً فَحاذِر أَن تُدَنِّسَهُ

أَبٌ كَريمٌ وَجَدٌّ غَيرُ مُؤتَشَبِ

أَبٌ كَريمٌ وَجَدٌّ غَيرُ مُؤتَشَبِ

And you have attained glory, so beware of sullying it:

And you have attained glory, so beware of tainting it

A noble father and a grandfather of unmixed lineage.

A generous father and ancestors without blemish

لا تَبخَلَنَّ بِمالٍ عَن مَذاهِبِهِ

لا تَبخَلَنَّ بِمالٍ عَن مَذاهِبِهِ

في غَيرِ زَلَّةِ إِسرافٍ وَلا ثَغَبِ

في غَيرِ زَلَّةِ إِسرافٍ وَلا ثَغَبِ

Never withhold wealth from its proper uses,

Do not be miserly with wealth from its purposes

Without slipping into extravagance or ruin.

Except to avoid prodigality or greed

فَإِنَّ وُرّاثَهُ لَن يَحمَدوكَ بِهِ

فَإِنَّ وُرّاثَهُ لَن يَحمَدوكَ بِهِ

إِذا أَجَنّوكَ بَينَ اللَبنِ وَالخَشَبِ

إِذا أَجَنّوكَ بَينَ اللَبنِ وَالخَشَبِ

For those who inherit it will not praise you for it

For its heirs will not praise you for it

When they bury you between mud bricks and timber.

When they take turns between milk and swaddling

وَاِترُك خَلائِقَ قَومٍ لا خَلاقَ لَهُم

وَاِترُك خَلائِقَ قَومٍ لا خَلاقَ لَهُم

وَاِعمَد لِأَخلاقِ أَهلِ الفَضلِ وَالأَدَبِ

وَاِعمَد لِأَخلاقِ أَهلِ الفَضلِ وَالأَدَبِ

And abandon the habits of people who have no share of virtue,

And leave the manners of people without manners

And turn to the ways of people of virtue and refinement.

And hold to the morals of people of merit and refinement

وَإِن دُعيتَ لِغَدرٍ أَو أُمِرتَ بِهِ

وَإِن دُعيتَ لِغَدرٍ أَو أُمِرتَ بِهِ

فَاِهرَب بِنَفسِكَ عَنهُ أَيَّةَ الهَرَبِ

فَاِهرَب بِنَفسِكَ عَنهُ أَيَّةَ الهَرَبِ

And if you are summoned to treachery or commanded to commit it,

And if you are called to betrayal or ordered to do it

Then flee from it yourself, by whatever means you can.

Escape it with all your might, in whichever way you can