أَقيما عَلى حَرِّ المُدى أَو تَرَحَّلا

أَقيما عَلى حَرِّ المُدى أَو تَرَحَّلا

فَلَستُ بِراضٍ مَنزِلَ الهُونِ مَنزِلا

فَلَستُ بِراضٍ مَنزِلَ الهُونِ مَنزِلا

Stay on the burning knives, you two, or depart;

Whether we camp at hot midday or journey on,

for I will not accept an abode of humiliation as my dwelling.

I'll never be content with the abode of dishonor.

وَلا تَسأَلاني أَينَ تَرمي رَكائِبي

وَلا تَسأَلاني أَينَ تَرمي رَكائِبي

فَمالَكُما أَن تُسلِماني وَتسأَلا

فَمالَكُما أَن تُسلِماني وَتسأَلا

Do not ask me where my riding camels are heading:

Ask me not whither my camels take me,

what right have you two to abandon me and still ask?

Why question me? Why ask where I go?

فَقَد سَئِمَت نَفسي المُقامَ وَشاقَني

فَقَد سَئِمَت نَفسي المُقامَ وَشاقَني

رُكُوبُ الفَيافي مَجهَلاً ثُمَّ مَجهَلا

رُكُوبُ الفَيافي مَجهَلاً ثُمَّ مَجهَلا

For my soul is weary of staying, and I long

My soul is weary of staying here so long.

to ride the deserts, one unknown wilderness after another.

Roving the deserts blindly, roaming from vale to vale.

وَكَيفَ مُقامي بَينَ أَوباشِ قَريَةٍ

وَكَيفَ مُقامي بَينَ أَوباشِ قَريَةٍ

أَرى الرَأسَ فيها مَن بِها كانَ أَسفَلا

أَرى الرَأسَ فيها مَن بِها كانَ أَسفَلا

How can I remain among the rabble of a village

How can I stay in a village of louts

where I see the lowest man become the chief?

Where I see the basest among them exalted?

بَني عَمِّ مَن أَمسى كَثيراً سَوامُهُ

بَني عَمِّ مَن أَمسى كَثيراً سَوامُهُ

وَإِن كانَ أَدنى مِن هُتَيمٍ وَأَرذَلا

وَإِن كانَ أَدنى مِن هُتَيمٍ وَأَرذَلا

Cousins of anyone whose grazing herds grow plentiful,

O sons of my uncle! Though you be many,

even if he is lower than Hutaym and baser still;

You are to me as the hyena's clan, vile and wretched!

وَأَعداءُ مَن غالَت يَدُ الدَهرِ مالَهُ

وَأَعداءُ مَن غالَت يَدُ الدَهرِ مالَهُ

وَإِن كانَ أَسرى مِن قُرَيشٍ وَأَنبلا

وَإِن كانَ أَسرى مِن قُرَيشٍ وَأَنبلا

and enemies of anyone whose wealth time's hand has snatched away,

And those whom the days enriched and made great

even if he is nobler than Quraysh and more distinguished.

Are to me, though they be Quraysh, base and abject.

لَحى اللَّهُ مَن يُغضي عَلى ضَيمِ صاحِبٍ

لَحى اللَّهُ مَن يُغضي عَلى ضَيمِ صاحِبٍ

وَمَن يَجعَلُ الخِلَّ المُناصِحَ مَأكلا

وَمَن يَجعَلُ الخِلَّ المُناصِحَ مَأكلا

May God curse whoever overlooks a wrong done to a companion,

Curse him who bears patiently his friend's wrongs!

and whoever makes his sincerely advising friend prey to feed upon;

Who makes the keenest satire his daily repast!

وَمَن لا يَرى حَقَّ الصَديقِ وَلَو نَبا

وَمَن لا يَرى حَقَّ الصَديقِ وَلَو نَبا

بِهِ الدَهرُ أَو أَضحى مِنَ المالِ مُرمِلا

بِهِ الدَهرُ أَو أَضحى مِنَ المالِ مُرمِلا

and whoever fails to recognize a friend's due, even when

Who won't defend a friend though he hear him slandered,

time treats him harshly or he becomes destitute of wealth;

Though time has raised him high or enriched him at last!

وَمَن لا يُجازي الوُدَّ بِالوُدِّ مُفضِلاً

وَمَن لا يُجازي الوُدَّ بِالوُدِّ مُفضِلاً

وَيَجزي القِلى وَالصَدَّ بِالصَّدِّ وَالقِلى

وَيَجزي القِلى وَالصَدَّ بِالصَّدِّ وَالقِلى

and whoever does not repay affection with affection, giving more,

Who renders not good for good, evil for evil,

and requite hatred and rejection with rejection and hatred.

Requiting with kindness the kind, and the cruel with cruel.

خَليليَّ كُفّا عَن جِدالي فَإِنَّني

خَليليَّ كُفّا عَن جِدالي فَإِنَّني

أَرى الرَأيَ كُلَّ الرَأيِ أَن أَتَرَحَّلا

أَرى الرَأيَ كُلَّ الرَأيِ أَن أَتَرَحَّلا

My two friends, cease arguing with me, for I

My friends, no more disputing! My mind is resolved:

deem departure the very height of sound judgment.

I am determined to travel, so question no further.

فَقَد جاءَ في بَيتٍ مِنَ الشِعرِ سائِرٍ

فَقَد جاءَ في بَيتٍ مِنَ الشِعرِ سائِرٍ

لَنا مثلٌ مِن عالِمٍ قَد تَمَثَّلا

لَنا مثلٌ مِن عالِمٍ قَد تَمَثَّلا

For there has come, in a widely circulating line of verse,

The verse of a poet my case illustrates well:

a proverb for us, cited by a learned man:

"When the sun rises o'er me, my wont is to travel."

وَإِنَّ صَريحَ الحَزمِ وَالرَأيِ لِاِمرِئٍ

وَإِنَّ صَريحَ الحَزمِ وَالرَأيِ لِاِمرِئٍ

إِذا أَدرَكَتهُ الشَمسُ أَن يَتَحَوَّلا

إِذا أَدرَكَتهُ الشَمسُ أَن يَتَحَوَّلا

A man's truest prudence and sound judgment are

To a man of good counsel, the day speaks plain:

to move away when the sun overtakes him.

"Strike camp, or calamity shortly will strike."

فَكَيفَ بِنارٍ لا يَزالُ وَقودُها

فَكَيفَ بِنارٍ لا يَزالُ وَقودُها

حَديداً إِذا حُشَّت بِرِفقٍ وَجَندَلا

حَديداً إِذا حُشَّت بِرِفقٍ وَجَندَلا

What then of a fire whose fuel never ceases to be

How remain, when my hearth-fire is fed every day

iron and stone, even when gently stoked?

With branches of palm-trees well dried and trimmed straight?

إِلى كَم أُداري بَينَ قَومي وَأَتَّقي

إِلى كَم أُداري بَينَ قَومي وَأَتَّقي

وَأَصدى فَأُسقى الماءَ صاباً وَحَنظَلا

وَأَصدى فَأُسقى الماءَ صاباً وَحَنظَلا

How long must I placate and guard myself among my people,

How long in the tribe shall I lurk, and beware

and thirst, only to be given spurge and colocynth as water?

Their spears in the battle, their shafts? How much longer

بَلَوتُ صُروفَ الدَهرِ كَهلاً وَيافِعاً

بَلَوتُ صُروفَ الدَهرِ كَهلاً وَيافِعاً

فَما اِزدَدتُ عِلماً غَيرَ ما كانَ أَوَّلا

فَما اِزدَدتُ عِلماً غَيرَ ما كانَ أَوَّلا

I have experienced time's turns as a mature man and a youth,

Endure, while they water their camels with draughts

and gained no knowledge beyond what I knew at first.

From my cistern, and milk my best she-camels at pleasure?

وَأَلقى صُروفَ الدَهرِ سِنَّ اِبنِ أَربَعٍ

وَأَلقى صُروفَ الدَهرِ سِنَّ اِبنِ أَربَعٍ

فَتَحسَبُني الأَحداثُ عوداً مُذَلَّلا

فَتَحسَبُني الأَحداثُ عوداً مُذَلَّلا

I meet time's turns at a four-year-old's age,

My friends of near kindred rejected my call.

so calamities take me for an old, broken-in camel.

Though I summoned them, fettered, to share my exile,

كَذا الماجِدُ الأَحساب يَمضي وَما دَرَت

كَذا الماجِدُ الأَحساب يَمضي وَما دَرَت

رُواةُ المَساعي أَيَّ عَصرَيهِ أَفضَلا

رُواةُ المَساعي أَيَّ عَصرَيهِ أَفضَلا

Thus the man of noble lineage passes on, while

Then I called to far tribesmen, but found on them

chroniclers of his deeds cannot tell which of his two ages was finer.

No dependence in trouble, no stay, and no succor.

وَقَلَّبتُ هَذا الدَهرَ بَطناً وَظاهِراً

وَقَلَّبتُ هَذا الدَهرَ بَطناً وَظاهِراً

فَأَلقَيتُهُم ذِئباً وَهِرّاً وَتَنفُلا

فَأَلقَيتُهُم ذِئباً وَهِرّاً وَتَنفُلا

I turned this age inside and out,

In days when the tribe was secure and at peace,

and found them wolves, cats, and fox cubs.

Had I summoned them then, they had come thronging round me.

وَما اِختَرتُ خِلّاً مِنهُمُ أَتَّقي بِهِ

وَما اِختَرتُ خِلّاً مِنهُمُ أَتَّقي بِهِ

زَمانِيَ إِلّا اِشتَقتُ أَن أَتَبَدَّلا

زَمانِيَ إِلّا اِشتَقتُ أَن أَتَبَدَّلا

Never did I choose a friend from among them to shield me from

But tribesmen held back from my call, withdrew,

my times without longing to replace him.

Like a brood that sees peril, yet does not assemble.

دَعَوتُ رِجالي مِن قَريبٍ فَخِلتُني

دَعَوتُ رِجالي مِن قَريبٍ فَخِلتُني

دَعَوتُ إِلى الجُلّى أَسيراً مُكَبَّلا

دَعَوتُ إِلى الجُلّى أَسيراً مُكَبَّلا

I called upon my men nearby, and thought I

Had I offered a dirhem, they would have obeyed,

had summoned a shackled prisoner to face the great ordeal.

Trooping forth with their horses to fill up the hollows.

وَأَعلَنتُ في الحَيِّ البَعيدِ فَلم أَجِد

وَأَعلَنتُ في الحَيِّ البَعيدِ فَلم أَجِد

عَلَيهِم لِمثلي في الخُطوبِ مُعَوِّلا

عَلَيهِم لِمثلي في الخُطوبِ مُعَوِّلا

I cried aloud among the distant clan, but found

Men who covet high office win ease for themselves,

no support in them for one like me amid calamities.

Not for others - and hoard up their gifts and their bounty.

وَمِن قَبلُ ما نادَيتُ في حَيِّ عامِرٍ

وَمِن قَبلُ ما نادَيتُ في حَيِّ عامِرٍ

وَكُنتُ لِداعِيهِم إِذا الأَمرُ أَغفَلا

وَكُنتُ لِداعِيهِم إِذا الأَمرُ أَغفَلا

Earlier, too, I had called among the clan of Amir,

I blame not my people, for I was not wont

and stood ready for their caller when affairs grew obscure.

To ask little from them, or gladly take less.

فَصُمَّت رِجالٌ عَن دُعائي وَأَحجَمَت

فَصُمَّت رِجالٌ عَن دُعائي وَأَحجَمَت

كَمِثلِ بُغاثِ الطَيرِ عايَنَ أَجدَلا

كَمِثلِ بُغاثِ الطَيرِ عايَنَ أَجدَلا

But men turned deaf to my call and shrank back,

But when came the moment of imminent doom,

like feeble birds sighting a falcon.

I stood like a dyke 'gainst the flooding disaster.

ولَو دِرهَمٌ يَوماً دَعاهُم لَأَقبَلَت

ولَو دِرهَمٌ يَوماً دَعاهُم لَأَقبَلَت

رِجالٌ وَخَيلٌ تَملأُ الجَوَّ قَسطَلا

رِجالٌ وَخَيلٌ تَملأُ الجَوَّ قَسطَلا

Yet had a dirham called them one day, there would have come

Beware of the rope that binds our community fast,

men and horses filling the air with dust.

Lest a breach appear and the knot be unloosed!

كَذَلِكَ مَن يَبغي الوَضائِمَ لا يَني

كَذَلِكَ مَن يَبغي الوَضائِمَ لا يَني

يُضامُ وَيُسقى بِالكَبيرِ المُثَمِّلا

يُضامُ وَيُسقى بِالكَبيرِ المُثَمِّلا

So whoever seeks humiliations is ceaselessly

Beware how you slight the ally who turns

oppressed, and served a stupefying draught from the great cup.

And forsakes you; for fallen and lost will you be!

وَلا لَومَ في شاني عَلَيهِم لِأَنَّني

وَلا لَومَ في شاني عَلَيهِم لِأَنَّني

لَأَلوي بِهِ أَو أَجعَل الآلَ مَنهَلا

لَأَلوي بِهِ أَو أَجعَل الآلَ مَنهَلا

No blame rests on them for my plight, for I

When I ponder my tribe and their Treatment of me,

will surely gain mastery over it, or make a mirage a watering-place.

I believe that when evil impends, good follows after.

وَلَو أَنَّ مَن نادَيتُ مِن صُلبِ عامِرٍ

وَلَو أَنَّ مَن نادَيتُ مِن صُلبِ عامِرٍ

لَأَوضَعَ إِيضاعاً لِصَوتي وَأَرفَلا

لَأَوضَعَ إِيضاعاً لِصَوتي وَأَرفَلا

Had those I called sprung from Amir's loins,

My streaming tears testify my distress.

they would have hurried to my call and strode with pride.

As befits streaming tears, let them flow and not tarry!

وَلَكِنّ أَوباشاً لَعَمري تَجَمَّعَت

وَلَكِنّ أَوباشاً لَعَمري تَجَمَّعَت

مَعَ اِبنِ عَلِيٍّ إِذ تَوَلّى وَأَجهَلا

مَعَ اِبنِ عَلِيٍّ إِذ تَوَلّى وَأَجهَلا

But rabble, by my life, gathered

The tribe's nights, and the omens they lately revealed,

around Ibn Ali when he took charge and acted foolishly.

Bode naught but the like of calamities past.

نَفتهُم قَديماً بَكرَةً وَمُحارِبٌ

نَفتهُم قَديماً بَكرَةً وَمُحارِبٌ

وَلَم يَجِدُوا في حَيِّ شَيبانَ مَدخَلا

وَلَم يَجِدُوا في حَيِّ شَيبانَ مَدخَلا

Bakrah and Muharib banished them long ago,

Ah, the woes that I suffer! Each hour brings forth

and they found no entry into Shayban's clan.

Something new to perplex me, some crooked affair.

وَلَو أَنَّ عِرقاً مِن رَبيعَةَ فيهِمُ

وَلَو أَنَّ عِرقاً مِن رَبيعَةَ فيهِمُ

لَكانُوا عَلى الأَرحامِ أَحنا وَأَوصَلا

لَكانُوا عَلى الأَرحامِ أَحنا وَأَوصَلا

Had a vein of Rabi'ah's blood run within them,

Or else I must see my own people led captives,

they would have been more tender toward kin and closer in their ties.

Abasedexiles, in fetters enchained and dishonored,

أَلا يا لَقومي هَل أَرى في جَنابِكُم

أَلا يا لَقومي هَل أَرى في جَنابِكُم

مُطاعاً لَدى الساداتِ مِنكُم مُبَجَّلا

مُطاعاً لَدى الساداتِ مِنكُم مُبَجَّلا

Hear me, my people: shall I see myself in your midst

While enemies glut their anger, denying themselves

obeyed and revered by the chiefs among you?

No vengeance, cutting off even the dearest relation.

وَهَل أُصبِحُ الأَعداءَ مِنكُم بِصَيلَمٍ

وَهَل أُصبِحُ الأَعداءَ مِنكُم بِصَيلَمٍ

تُغادِرُ دارَ القَومِ رَبعاً مُعَطَّلا

تُغادِرُ دارَ القَومِ رَبعاً مُعَطَّلا

And shall I assail the enemies among you at dawn with a crushing onslaught

This, because we made weapons and armor for them,

that leaves their dwelling a deserted homestead?

Lances to lunge at us, flames to inflame and consume us.

أَيُصبِحُ حَظّي فيكُمُ وَهوَ ناقِصٌ

أَيُصبِحُ حَظّي فيكُمُ وَهوَ ناقِصٌ

وَتَغدُو حُظوظُ الغَيرِ أَوفى وَأَكمَلا

وَتَغدُو حُظوظُ الغَيرِ أَوفى وَأَكمَلا

Must my share among you remain diminished,

He who equips his foe for the day of battle

while others' shares become fuller and more complete,

Should clothe himself in the rags of submission and slavery.

وَيُكرَمُ أَقوامٌ مُعيدٌ أَبُوهُمُ

وَيُكرَمُ أَقوامٌ مُعيدٌ أَبُوهُمُ

وَيُحرَمُ مَن يُدعى عَلِيّاً وَعَبدَلا

وَيُحرَمُ مَن يُدعى عَلِيّاً وَعَبدَلا

and people whose father is Mu'id are honored,

He who puts his affairs in his enemies' hands

while those called Ali and Abdallah are deprived?

Will be dubbed a fool, feeble and frivolous.

أَما وَأَبيكُم إِنَّها لَبَلِيَّةٌ

أَما وَأَبيكُم إِنَّها لَبَلِيَّةٌ

إِذا جالَ فيها فِكرُ مِثلي تَمَلمَلا

إِذا جالَ فيها فِكرُ مِثلي تَمَلمَلا

Indeed, by your father, this is a calamity!

He who lives by ignominy lives not long:

When a mind like mine dwells on it, it grows restless.

Death hurries to him, delayed yet advancing.

حِذاراً عَلى العَقدِ الَّذي عَقَدَت لَنا

حِذاراً عَلى العَقدِ الَّذي عَقَدَت لَنا

أَوائِلُنا في العِزِّ أَن يَتَحَلَّلا

أَوائِلُنا في العِزِّ أَن يَتَحَلَّلا

Fearing for the pact bound for us

He whose friends are no match for his foes

by our forebears in glory, lest it unravel,

Will be overwhelmed, destroyed in general slaughter.

وَخَوفاً مِنَ الأَمرِ الَّذي يَشعَبُ العَصا

وَخَوفاً مِنَ الأَمرِ الَّذي يَشعَبُ العَصا

وَمَن خَذَل المَولى لَهُ كانَ أَخذَلا

وَمَن خَذَل المَولى لَهُ كانَ أَخذَلا

and fearing the affair that splits the staff of unity;

He who bends to injustice one day, tamely submitting,

whoever abandons his kinsman will find him readier to abandon.

Is likelier still the next day to bend and submit.

أَقولُ وَقَد فَكَّرتُ في أَمرِ عُصبَةٍ

أَقولُ وَقَد فَكَّرتُ في أَمرِ عُصبَةٍ

إِذا قُلتُ عَنها أَدبَرَ الشَرُّ أَقبَلا

إِذا قُلتُ عَنها أَدبَرَ الشَرُّ أَقبَلا

I say, after pondering the plight of a band:

He who shuns the beginning, the first step of a course,

whenever I say evil has retreated from them, it advances.

Shows himself a poor soldier whenarrows fly thickest.

وَقَد شَرِقَت لِلغَبنِ عَيني بِمائِها

وَقَد شَرِقَت لِلغَبنِ عَيني بِمائِها

وَحُقَّ لِماءِ العَينِ أَن يَتَهَمَّلا

وَحُقَّ لِماءِ العَينِ أَن يَتَهَمَّلا

My eye has choked on its tears from injustice,

Woe to my people! Had they but obeyed me, they would have perceived

and the eye's tears have every right to pour forth.

That among them stood one like a fortress to shelter them.

تَرى أَنَّ أَفعالَ اللَيالي الَّتي جَرى

تَرى أَنَّ أَفعالَ اللَيالي الَّتي جَرى

لَنا شُومُها صارَت عَلى وَزنِ أَفعَلا

لَنا شُومُها صارَت عَلى وَزنِ أَفعَلا

You see that the deeds of the nights whose ill fortune

I was never content to consort with their low ones;

befell us now take the comparative pattern 'af'al'.

The high ones among them were those I would equal.

فَيا شِقَوتا ما لي أَرى كُلَّ ساعَةٍ

فَيا شِقَوتا ما لي أَرى كُلَّ ساعَةٍ

أُمُوراً مُحالاتٍ وَرَأياً مُضَلَّلا

أُمُوراً مُحالاتٍ وَرَأياً مُضَلَّلا

O my misery! Why do I see every hour

But when the affair is decided, and fighting breaks out,

absurd affairs and misguided judgment?

I take my stand like a firmly hammered rivet.

وَما لي أَرى الساداتِ إِمّا مُشَرَّداً

وَما لي أَرى الساداتِ إِمّا مُشَرَّداً

بِأَرضِ الأَعادي أَو مَضيماً مُكَبَّلا

بِأَرضِ الأَعادي أَو مَضيماً مُكَبَّلا

Why do I see the chiefs either driven out

Many a city, though warned by a prophet, will fail -

into enemies' lands, or oppressed and shackled?

Will fall into ruin and wreck predestined for it.

شَفى غَيظَهُ مِنّا المُعادي لَوِ اِشتَفى

شَفى غَيظَهُ مِنّا المُعادي لَوِ اِشتَفى

وَحَرَّمَ فينا مِن قَريبٍ وَحَلَّلا

وَحَرَّمَ فينا مِن قَريبٍ وَحَلَّلا

The foe has vented his rage upon us—if only that sated him!

So, Lord, neither grant me an ignoble survival here

And lately he has forbidden and declared lawful among us.

Nor death before my appointed end, I implore You!

وَما نالَ مِنّا ذاكَ إِلّا لِأَنَّنا

وَما نالَ مِنّا ذاكَ إِلّا لِأَنَّنا

جَعَلنا لَهُ دِرعاً وَرُمحاً وَمُنصَلا

جَعَلنا لَهُ دِرعاً وَرُمحاً وَمُنصَلا

He gained that power over us only because we

provided him with armor, a spear, and a blade.

وَمَن يُعطِ خَصماً دِرعَهُ وَحُسامَهُ

وَمَن يُعطِ خَصماً دِرعَهُ وَحُسامَهُ

وَسابِقَهُ فَليَلبَسِ الذُلَّ مُشملا

وَسابِقَهُ فَليَلبَسِ الذُلَّ مُشملا

Whoever gives an opponent his armor and sword

and his swift steed should don humiliation as a cloak.

وَمَن مَلَّكَ الأَعداءَ تَدبيرَ أَمرِهِ

وَمَن مَلَّكَ الأَعداءَ تَدبيرَ أَمرِهِ

فَذاكَ الَّذي يُدعى العَديمَ المُثَكَّلا

فَذاكَ الَّذي يُدعى العَديمَ المُثَكَّلا

Whoever gives enemies control of his affairs

is the man called destitute and bereaved.

وَمَن رامَ طولَ العُمرِ بِالذُلِّ وَالغَبا

وَمَن رامَ طولَ العُمرِ بِالذُلِّ وَالغَبا

رَأى المَوتَ مَرأَىً عاجِلاً وَمُؤَجَّلا

رَأى المَوتَ مَرأَىً عاجِلاً وَمُؤَجَّلا

Whoever seeks long life through humiliation and stupidity

sees death before him, both immediate and deferred.

وَمَن لَم تَكُن أَنصارُهُ مِن رِجالِهِ

وَمَن لَم تَكُن أَنصارُهُ مِن رِجالِهِ

أُخيفَ وَأَضحى بِالجناياتِ مُبسَلا

أُخيفَ وَأَضحى بِالجناياتِ مُبسَلا

Whoever lacks supporters among his own men

is terrorized and delivered to ruin through crimes.

وَمَن لانَ يَوماً لِلعِدى هانَ وَاِصطَلى

وَمَن لانَ يَوماً لِلعِدى هانَ وَاِصطَلى

عَلى الكُرهِ مِن نيرانِها شَرَّ مُصطَلى

عَلى الكُرهِ مِن نيرانِها شَرَّ مُصطَلى

Whoever yields one day to foes is abased and scorched,

against his will, in the fiercest blaze of their fires.

وَمَن لَم يُقَدِّم لِلأُمورِ مُقَدَّماً

وَمَن لَم يُقَدِّم لِلأُمورِ مُقَدَّماً

أَضاعَ وَأَبدى لِلمرامينَ مَقتَلا

أَضاعَ وَأَبدى لِلمرامينَ مَقتَلا

Whoever appoints no leader to manage affairs

lets them go to ruin and exposes a fatal target to opposing archers.

فَآهٍ لِقَومي لَو أُطِعتُ لَدَيهِمُ

فَآهٍ لِقَومي لَو أُطِعتُ لَدَيهِمُ

دَرَوا أَنَّ فيهِم حازِمَ الرَأيِ فَيصَلا

دَرَوا أَنَّ فيهِم حازِمَ الرَأيِ فَيصَلا

Ah for my people! If they had obeyed me,

they would know that among them is a firm-minded, decisive arbiter.

لَقَد كُنتُ لا أَرضى الدَنِيَّةَ فيهمُ

لَقَد كُنتُ لا أَرضى الدَنِيَّةَ فيهمُ

وَلا يَزدَهيني عَنهُمُ مَن تَمَحَّلا

وَلا يَزدَهيني عَنهُمُ مَن تَمَحَّلا

Indeed, I would not accept abasement for them,

nor could schemers lure me away from them.

وَلَكِن إِذا ما الأَمرُ حُمَّ اِنتِهاؤُهُ

وَلَكِن إِذا ما الأَمرُ حُمَّ اِنتِهاؤُهُ

أَقامَ مُقامَ الأَضبَطِ الوردِ خَيطَلا

أَقامَ مُقامَ الأَضبَطِ الوردِ خَيطَلا

But when an affair's end has been decreed,

it sets a cat in the tawny, strong-pawed lion's place.

وَأَقمَنُ شَيءٍ بِالهَلاكِ مَدينَةٌ

وَأَقمَنُ شَيءٍ بِالهَلاكِ مَدينَةٌ

تُريكَ نَبِيهَ القَدرِ مَن كانَ أَخمَلا

تُريكَ نَبِيهَ القَدرِ مَن كانَ أَخمَلا

Nothing is more ripe for destruction than a city

that shows you the once most obscure man exalted in rank.

فَيا رَبِّ لا صَبراً عَلى ذا وَلا بَقاً

فَيا رَبِّ لا صَبراً عَلى ذا وَلا بَقاً

فَسُق فَرَجاً أَو لا فَمَوتاً مُعَجَّلا

فَسُق فَرَجاً أَو لا فَمَوتاً مُعَجَّلا

O Lord, I have no patience for this, nor endurance;

so send relief—or, failing that, a hastened death.