أقسمتُ والحنثُ له آثامُ

أقسمتُ والحنثُ له آثامُ

بمن له المشْعَرُ والمقامُ

بمن له المشْعَرُ والمقامُ

I swore—and breaking an oath carries sins—

I swear, and breaking an oath is sinful,

By Him to whom belong the Sacred Landmark and the Station,

By the One to whom Mash'ar and Maqam belong,

أنكَ ما راضَ لك الصيامُ

أنكَ ما راضَ لك الصيامُ

طرْفاً ولا فرْجاً له عُرامُ

طرْفاً ولا فرْجاً له عُرامُ

That fasting has tamed in you neither

That fasting did not please you,

An eye nor a member with unruly lust,

Not an eyelash, nor privacy without shame,

ولا لساناً سيفُه حُسامُ

ولا لساناً سيفُه حُسامُ

عادته التكْذابُ والتأثامُ

عادته التكْذابُ والتأثامُ

Nor a tongue whose sword is a keen blade,

Nor a tongue whose sword is sharp,

Accustomed to habitual lying and sin.

Whose way is lying and wrongdoing,

لوجهك الإجلالُ والإكرامُ

لوجهك الإجلالُ والإكرامُ

عن ذاك والتبجيلُ والإعظامُ

عن ذاك والتبجيلُ والإعظامُ

Your face is honored and revered,

To your face belong reverence and honor,

Kept above such things, exalted and esteemed.

Not that, but glory and magnificence,

يفديك مَنْ في سيره اقتحامُ

يفديك مَنْ في سيره اقتحامُ

ما لم يُكفكِفْ غربَه اللجامُ

ما لم يُكفكِفْ غربَه اللجامُ

May one whose course is headlong be your ransom,

He who plunges into peril would sacrifice himself for you,

So long as the bridle does not curb his fierceness.

If unrestraint did not hold back his rein,

راض سواك الجوعُ والأُوامُ

راض سواك الجوعُ والأُوامُ

وراضك الإيمانُ والإسلامُ

وراضك الإيمانُ والإسلامُ

Hunger and burning thirst have tamed others;

Content with none but you, neither hunger nor affliction,

And faith and Islam have tamed you,

And you are pleased with faith and Islam,

والولدُ الصالح والأعمامُ

والولدُ الصالح والأعمامُ

رياضةً أيسرُها الإحكامُ

رياضةً أيسرُها الإحكامُ

And the righteous child and the paternal uncles,

And a righteous son and uncles,

With a training whose easiest part is mastery.

As recreation, easiest for you is self-restraint,

أولئك الساداتُ والأقوامُ

أولئك الساداتُ والأقوامُ

حَلّوْكَ آداباً لها نظامُ

حَلّوْكَ آداباً لها نظامُ

Those masters and clansmen

Those are the masters and the peoples,

Adorned you with manners, finely ordered,

They endowed you with manners that have a system,

أدابَ أملاك لهم أحلامُ

أدابَ أملاك لهم أحلامُ

تُشْفَى بها الأدواء والأسقامُ

تُشْفَى بها الأدواء والأسقامُ

The manners of kings endowed with sound judgment,

The manners of rulers who have dreams,

Through which ailments and sicknesses are cured.

By which illnesses and pains are healed,

لا صَدِيَتْ هاتيكمُ العِظامُ

لا صَدِيَتْ هاتيكمُ العِظامُ

ولا أغَبَّتْ سقْيها الرّهامُ

ولا أغَبَّتْ سقْيها الرّهامُ

May those bones never thirst,

Those bones did not turn brittle,

Nor may gentle rains leave them unwatered,

Nor were they wasted by arrows that pierced,

حتى تُرَوَّى تلْكُمُ الرّمامُ

حتى تُرَوَّى تلْكُمُ الرّمامُ

بل أدَّبتْك الفطرةُ التَّمامُ

بل أدَّبتْك الفطرةُ التَّمامُ

Until those crumbling remains are drenched.

Until those wounds were saturated,

Rather, your perfect nature schooled you,

Rather, perfect nature disciplined you,

ومَحْتَدٌ أَعراقُه كرامُ

ومَحْتَدٌ أَعراقُه كرامُ

من قبل أن تلزمك الأَحكامُ

من قبل أن تلزمك الأَحكامُ

And a lineage whose roots are noble,

And your roots are honorable and generous,

Before the laws became binding on you,

Before obligations burdened you,

وقبلِ قِيلِ الناس يا غلامُ

وقبلِ قِيلِ الناس يا غلامُ

فُطِمتَ مذ آن لك الفِطَامُ

فُطِمتَ مذ آن لك الفِطَامُ

And before people said, 'Boy!'

And before people said: O boy!

You were weaned when weaning became due for you,

You were weaned when you were old enough for weaning,

من كل ما تَتْبعُهُ الآثامُ

من كل ما تَتْبعُهُ الآثامُ

فجئتَ لا يرهقكَ الملامُ

فجئتَ لا يرهقكَ الملامُ

From everything that carries sins in its wake.

From all that is followed by sins,

So you came forth untouched by reproach,

So you came not burdened by blame,

تسيرُ في القصْد ولا زمامُ

تسيرُ في القصْد ولا زمامُ

يُلْزمك القصْدَ ولا خطامُ

يُلْزمك القصْدَ ولا خطامُ

Following the moderate course, with no rein

Walking in moderation without halter,

To keep you on that course, and no halter.

Moderation obliges you, not a bridle,

إذا اعتدى في لومك اللُّوَّامُ

إذا اعتدى في لومك اللُّوَّامُ

وحاولوا الذامَ فأعيا الذامُ

وحاولوا الذامَ فأعيا الذامُ

When fault-finders overstep in reproaching you,

If the blamers transgress in blaming you,

And attempt to censure you, but censure fails them,

And they attempt to blame, but the blamers fail,

قالوا امرؤٌ لما له ظلَّامُ

قالوا امرؤٌ لما له ظلَّامُ

ذلك عيبٌ ما بك احتشامُ

ذلك عيبٌ ما بك احتشامُ

They say, 'A man ruthlessly unjust to his own wealth!'

They said: a man who has no shade,

That is a fault for which you feel no shame,

That is a defect, you have no reserve,

منه ولا فيك به اكتتامُ

منه ولا فيك به اكتتامُ

لا زال مالٌ لك يستضامُ

لا زال مالٌ لك يستضامُ

And which you make no attempt to hide.

Nor concealment in you of it,

May your wealth ever suffer wrong,

Wealth of yours continues to be usurped,

في ظلّ عزٍّ منك لا يرامُ

في ظلّ عزٍّ منك لا يرامُ

يهضِمُه منك امرؤٌ هَضَّامُ

يهضِمُه منك امرؤٌ هَضَّامُ

In the shade of your unassailable might.

In the shade of might from you that cannot be attained,

A relentless devourer in you consumes it,

Usurped by a voracious man,

للمال يرضى ظلمَه الحكّامُ

للمال يرضى ظلمَه الحكّامُ

سيشكر الشهرُ لك الحرامُ

سيشكر الشهرُ لك الحرامُ

An oppressor of wealth whose injustice judges approve.

For wealth the rulers accept his oppression,

The sacred month will thank you

The sacred month will thank you,

أَنَّكَ لمَّا هَرَّهُ الطَّغامُ

أَنَّكَ لمَّا هَرَّهُ الطَّغامُ

ونَبَحَتْ في وجههِ اللئامُ

ونَبَحَتْ في وجههِ اللئامُ

Because, when the rabble growled at it,

That when the transgressors confused it,

And the base barked in its face,

And the vile barked in its face,

ولم يُعَظّمْ حقَّه أقوامُ

ولم يُعَظّمْ حقَّه أقوامُ

فيهمْ عليهِ بالخنا إقدَامُ

فيهمْ عليهِ بالخنا إقدَامُ

And some people failed to honor its due,

And people did not revere its right,

Daring to assail it with foul speech,

Among them, boldly sinning against it,

كأنهمْ من جهلهم أنعامُ

كأنهمْ من جهلهم أنعامُ

ليس على أفواههم خِتامُ

ليس على أفواههم خِتامُ

Like cattle in their ignorance,

As if they were livestock without understanding,

With no seal upon their mouths,

With no seal upon their mouths,

ولا لضيفٍ عندهم ذمامُ

ولا لضيفٍ عندهم ذمامُ

بَشَّ به منك فتى بسامُ

بَشَّ به منك فتى بسامُ

And no pledge of protection for a guest among them,

And no guest-right for a guest among them,

A smiling young man in you welcomed it,

You smiled, a cheerful, glorious, lofty youth,

طَلْقُ المحيَّا ماجدٌ قَمْقَامُ

طَلْقُ المحيَّا ماجدٌ قَمْقَامُ

أبيضُ يُستَسْقَى به الغمامُ

أبيضُ يُستَسْقَى به الغمامُ

Bright-faced, noble, a generous lord,

White, with whom clouds are watered,

Fair-faced, through whom the clouds are entreated for rain,

With sublime ambition, his determination resolute,

سامِيَةٌ همَّتُه هُمامُ

سامِيَةٌ همَّتُه هُمامُ

عُرضتُه الإطعامُ لا الطعامُ

عُرضتُه الإطعامُ لا الطعامُ

Lofty in aspiration, a man of noble resolve.

His reputation is feeding others, not food,

His aim is feeding others, not food,

And his power is wisdom, not rulers,

وقوتُه الحكمةُ لا الحُكَّامُ

وقوتُه الحكمةُ لا الحُكَّامُ

تَرْعى جَنَابَيْ داره الأيتامُ

تَرْعى جَنَابَيْ داره الأيتامُ

And his sustenance is wisdom, not rulers.

The sides of his house are cared for by orphans,

Orphans graze on either side of his house,

And starving mothers loudly wailing,

والأمهات الجُوّعُ العِيامُ

والأمهات الجُوّعُ العِيامُ

عُروةُ صدقٍ مالها انفصامُ

عُروةُ صدقٍ مالها انفصامُ

And mothers famished and thirsting for milk.

An unbreakable bond of truth, all longing cling to it,

A true handhold that cannot break,

Intoxicated with chivalry, hastening,

لكلّ ملهوف بها اعْتصَامُ

لكلّ ملهوف بها اعْتصَامُ

متيَّمٌ بالعُرْف مستهامُ

متيَّمٌ بالعُرْف مستهامُ

In which every distressed soul finds refuge.

Appealing to good manners regarding his wealth,

Enslaved by kindness, enraptured,

Never meeting his suitor with death,

للجود في أمواله احتكَامُ

للجود في أمواله احتكَامُ

لا يلتقي راجيه والإعدامُ

لا يلتقي راجيه والإعدامُ

Generosity has dominion over his wealth.

Or the shining meeting the dark,

No one who hopes in him meets destitution,

Two seas with no convergence between them,

أو يلتقي الإضْحاءُ والإعْتَامُ

أو يلتقي الإضْحاءُ والإعْتَامُ

بحران ما بينهما التئامُ

بحران ما بينهما التئامُ

Unless morning light and nightfall meet:

Active in good, his ambition resolute,

Two seas with no confluence between them.

Peace blossoms from his benevolence,

للخير فعَّالٌ به هَمّامُ

للخير فعَّالٌ به هَمّامُ

تُورقُ من معروفهِ السِّلامُ

تُورقُ من معروفهِ السِّلامُ

Ever doing good, ever intent on it,

The land is impregnated by his rain,

His kindness makes stones put forth leaves,

When he smiles artfully,

يلقحُ منه البلد العقامُ

يلقحُ منه البلد العقامُ

له إذا ما اصطُنع ابتسامُ

له إذا ما اصطُنع ابتسامُ

And through him barren land conceives.

Generosity and favor return through him,

He smiles whenever he is shown a kindness;

For every downpour returns heavily,

يعود منه الطَّولُ والإنعامُ

يعود منه الطَّولُ والإنعامُ

إذ كلُّ غَيْث عوْدُهُ جَهامُ

إذ كلُّ غَيْث عوْدُهُ جَهامُ

From him bounty and favors flow again,

He gives gifts that have no end,

While every other raincloud returns without rain.

Binding upon him, insisting upon him,

يعطي عطايا ما لَها انصرامُ

يعطي عطايا ما لَها انصرامُ

حَتْمٌ عليه كَرُّها لِزامُ

حَتْمٌ عليه كَرُّها لِزامُ

He gives gifts that never cease;

Their request crowds him,

Their renewal is a binding duty upon him.

Of lofty heaven that has no stars,

لها على سُؤَّاله ازدحامُ

لها على سُؤَّاله ازدحامُ

ذاتُ سماء مالَها إنْجامُ

ذاتُ سماء مالَها إنْجامُ

They throng upon those who ask of him,

Followed by star upon star,

Their rainy sky has no lull

From every land its lightning is smelled,

يعقب إنجاماً لها إنْجامُ

يعقب إنجاماً لها إنْجامُ

من كل أرض برقُها يُشامُ

من كل أرض برقُها يُشامُ

Followed by yet another lull.

No darkness upon its horizons,

Their lightning is watched from every land,

Steadfast, not pained by suffering,

ليس على آفاقها قَتامُ

ليس على آفاقها قَتامُ

جَلْدٌ فما تؤلمُه الآلامُ

جَلْدٌ فما تؤلمُه الآلامُ

No dust darkens their horizons.

Fasting for God, upright,

Stalwart, he is not hurt by pain,

Not troubled by lassitude or boredom,

في الله صَوَّامٌ له قوامُ

في الله صَوَّامٌ له قوامُ

لا يعتريه الأيْنُ والسَّآمُ

لا يعتريه الأيْنُ والسَّآمُ

For God he fasts often and stands in prayer to Him,

As if exhaustion to him is relaxation,

Neither weariness nor boredom overtakes him,

Light and darkness praise him,

كأنَّما الجهدُ له استجمامُ

كأنَّما الجهدُ له استجمامُ

يثني عليه النورُ والظلامُ

يثني عليه النورُ والظلامُ

As though exertion were rest to him.

He forbids all lewdness,

Light and darkness praise him;

Never ceasing, guidance his leader,

من كلّ فحشاءَ له إحْرامُ

من كلّ فحشاءَ له إحْرامُ

ما زال والرشد له إمامُ

ما زال والرشد له إمامُ

He keeps sacred abstinence from every indecency.

His followers, the religion does not sleep,

Right guidance has always been his leader,

If the sleepy grow heavy upon it,

ترعيةً للدين لا ينامُ

ترعيةً للدين لا ينامُ

عنه إذا ما استثقل النُّوَّامُ

عنه إذا ما استثقل النُّوَّامُ

A vigilant guardian of the faith who never sleeps,

Steadfast if feet slip,

Never neglecting it when sleepers slumber heavily.

With God's argument, his shots hit their mark,

ثبتٌ إذا زُلزلت الأقدامُ

ثبتٌ إذا زُلزلت الأقدامُ

بحجة اللَّه له رِجَامُ

بحجة اللَّه له رِجَامُ

Steadfast when feet are shaken,

Truthful, if the quarrel grows hot,

With God's proof he has stones to hurl,

Were it not for him, idols would be worshipped,

صَدْقٌ إذا ما حَمِس الخصامُ

صَدْقٌ إذا ما حَمِس الخصامُ

لولاه أضحتْ تُعبدُ الأصنامُ

لولاه أضحتْ تُعبدُ الأصنامُ

Unflinching when dispute grows fierce.

And idols and statues would return,

Without him, idols would have come to be worshipped,

So fast, yet feast, throwing yourself into peril,

وعادت الأنصاب والأزلامُ

وعادت الأنصاب والأزلامُ

فَصُمْ وأفطِرْ مارساً شَمامُ

فَصُمْ وأفطِرْ مارساً شَمامُ

And altar-stones and divining arrows would have returned.

In blessings He Who bestows would garb you,

So fast and break your fast as long as Shamam stands,

Perfect, everlasting,

في نِعمٍ يوليكَها المِنعامُ

في نِعمٍ يوليكَها المِنعامُ

لها تمامٌ ولها دوامُ

لها تمامٌ ولها دوامُ

Amid blessings the Bountiful Giver bestows on you,

A year passes and a year returns,

Complete and enduring.

By them, until the years expire,

يمرُّ عامٌ ويكرُّ عامُ

يمرُّ عامٌ ويكرُّ عامُ

بها إلى أن تنفذَ الأعوامُ

بها إلى أن تنفذَ الأعوامُ

One year passes and another comes round,

Abundant portions of them are yours,

With those blessings, until the years run out,

And the lot of those who envy you is coercion,

موفورةً منها لك الأقسامُ

موفورةً منها لك الأقسامُ

وحظُّ مَنْ يحسدك الإرغامُ

وحظُّ مَنْ يحسدك الإرغامُ

Your allotted shares of them undiminished.

And the anger of those below you boils,

And your enviers' portion is humiliation,

Prolonging their days in your day,

وحرُّ غيظ دونَهُ الضّرامُ

وحرُّ غيظ دونَهُ الضّرامُ

تَمطُلُهمْ بيومِكَ الأيامُ

تَمطُلُهمْ بيومِكَ الأيامُ

And a burning rage fiercer than blazing fire.

While filth overtakes them beneath you,

The days put them off, postponing your day,

For you are a soul, and the world is bodies,

ويعتفيهم دونكَ الحِمامُ

ويعتفيهم دونكَ الحِمامُ

فأنتَ روحٌ والورى أجسامُ

فأنتَ روحٌ والورى أجسامُ

And death seeks them out before you.

They have no basis but through them,

For you are a spirit, and all people are bodies,

What is in you will not perish, but speech,

ليس لهم إلا بها قوامُ

ليس لهم إلا بها قوامُ

لم يفنَ ما فيكَ بل الكلامُ

لم يفنَ ما فيكَ بل الكلامُ

With no subsistence except through it.

And the sermon concludes, and peace.

What is in you is not exhausted—only speech is;

وانقضتِ الخطُبةُ والسلامُ

وانقضتِ الخطُبةُ والسلامُ

The address is ended, and peace.