أنامُ وما لائِمي

أنامُ وما لائِمي

عن اللَّوم بالنائِمِ

عن اللَّوم بالنائِمِ

I sleep, yet my reproacher is not

I sleep, though faultfinders blame me,

asleep when it comes to reproach.

For sleeping and not greeting them.

فَوا عَجبَا للسَّلِي

فَوا عَجبَا للسَّلِي

مِ نامَ عَن السَّالِمِ

مِ نامَ عَن السَّالِمِ

Oh, how strange—the snake-bitten one

How strange of the criticizer

has slept, heedless of the unharmed!

To blame one asleep and blameless!

وَصارِم حَبلِ الوصا

وَصارِم حَبلِ الوصا

لِ يَنظُرُ مِن صارِمِ

لِ يَنظُرُ مِن صارِمِ

And one who severs the cord of union

My inner secrets have rebelled

gazes out from a keen sword.

Against obeying the critic.

سرائِرُه قد عَصَت

سرائِرُه قد عَصَت

عَلى طاعَةِ اللائِمِ

عَلى طاعَةِ اللائِمِ

His hidden feelings have rebelled

Good fortune made them happy

against obedience to the reproacher,

With plentiful ever-flowing tears.

وأسعَدَها مُسعِدٌ

وأسعَدَها مُسعِدٌ

مِن المَدمَع السَّاجِمِ

مِن المَدمَع السَّاجِمِ

and a helper has aided them—

Have you not seen that I complained

tears from the streaming eye.

Of fire to the arsonist?

ألَم تَرَ أنِّي شَكَو

ألَم تَرَ أنِّي شَكَو

تُ ناراً إِلى ضارِمِ

تُ ناراً إِلى ضارِمِ

Have you not seen that I complained

I complained to separation

of a fire to its kindler?

Of the wrong of its endless estrangement.

شَكوتُ إلى البَينِ

شَكوتُ إلى البَينِ

ظُلم هِجرانِهِ الدَّائِمِ

ظُلم هِجرانِهِ الدَّائِمِ

I complained to separation

I wished: if only I could return

of the injustice of its ceaseless desertion.

To my unjust criticizer!

وسِرتُ فيا لَيتَني

وسِرتُ فيا لَيتَني

رُدِدتُ إلى ظَالِمي

رُدِدتُ إلى ظَالِمي

And I journeyed—oh, would that I

How many resolves have become,

had been sent back to my oppressor!

For the resolver, sheer calamity!

فكَم عَزمةٍ أصبَحَت

فكَم عَزمةٍ أصبَحَت

وبالاً عَلى العازِمِ

وبالاً عَلى العازِمِ

For many a resolve has become

But if the meeting with my father

a calamity for the one who resolved,

Al-Qasim does not avail,

ولكِن إذا لَم تُفِد

ولكِن إذا لَم تُفِد

لِقاءَ أبي القاسِمِ

لِقاءَ أبي القاسِمِ

but only if it has not brought

A meeting which for the desperate one

a meeting with Abu al-Qasim:

Is water, and for the criticizer, wrath.

لِقاءٌ هُو الماءُ لا

لِقاءٌ هُو الماءُ لا

حَ لِلوارِدِ الحائِمِ

حَ لِلوارِدِ الحائِمِ

a meeting that is water, appearing

He receives his visitors with a smile,

to the thirsty seeker circling for it.

A guarantee for their hopes.

وفي مَوقفٍ آخرٍ

وفي مَوقفٍ آخرٍ

هُو الغَيظُ لِلكاظِمِ

هُو الغَيظُ لِلكاظِمِ

And in another setting,

And so their debts are settled

it is rage to one who suppresses it.

By him without a judge.

يُواجِهُ زُوّارَهُ

يُواجِهُ زُوّارَهُ

بِمبتَسمٍ باسِمِ

بِمبتَسمٍ باسِمِ

He meets his visitors

None can carry adversities

with a smiling mouth,

Like the hand of the decisive one!

فَتحصُلُ آمالُهم

فَتحصُلُ آمالُهم

عَلى ضامِنٍ غارِمِ

عَلى ضامِنٍ غارِمِ

so their hopes obtain

When it is hung with the sword

a guarantor who pays what is owed.

From the scabbard erect on the belt.

إذا يَدُهُ عُلِّقَت

إذا يَدُهُ عُلِّقَت

من النَّصلِ بالقائِمِ

من النَّصلِ بالقائِمِ

When his hand is fastened

With it unsheathed, debts are settled

to the blade's hilt,

By Shibl without a judge.

تنجَّزَ شِبلٌ بها

تنجَّزَ شِبلٌ بها

دُيوناً بِلا حاكِمِ

دُيوناً بِلا حاكِمِ

a lion cub exacts with it

debts without a judge.

وليسَ لحَملِ الحُسا

وليسَ لحَملِ الحُسا

مِ مثلُ يَد الحاسِمِ

مِ مثلُ يَد الحاسِمِ

And for wielding the sword,

there is nothing like the decisive man's hand.