تأمّل أبا عبد الإله فإنه

تأمّل أبا عبد الإله فإنه

هو ابنُ فراتٍ شمسُ من يتأمّلُ

هو ابنُ فراتٍ شمسُ من يتأمّلُ

Look closely, Abu Abd al-Ilah, for he

Contemplate Abu Abdillah, for he is

is Ibn Furat, a sun to whoever looks closely.

The son of Euphrates, a sun for whoever contemplates.

علتْ وأضاءتْ للعيونِ وربّما

علتْ وأضاءتْ للعيونِ وربّما

غدا كلُّ طرْفٍ وهْو عنها مُفَلّلُ

غدا كلُّ طرْفٍ وهْو عنها مُفَلّلُ

It rose high and shone for all eyes; yet sometimes

It rose and illuminated for the eyes, and perhaps

every eye was left blunted by it.

Tomorrow every glance will be lowered from it.

فلا تكن المطروفَ عنها وصادها

فلا تكن المطروفَ عنها وصادها

تُضِئْ لك والإجمالُ بالمرء أجملُ

تُضِئْ لك والإجمالُ بالمرء أجملُ

So do not be dazzled away from it; turn toward it:

So do not be averted from it or go against it,

it will shine for you, and graciousness best befits a man.

It illuminates for you while uprightness in man is more beautiful.

أبو حسن ذو الحسنِ والخيرِ منظراً

أبو حسن ذو الحسنِ والخيرِ منظراً

ومُختبراً أعلى وأسنى وأجْملُ

ومُختبراً أعلى وأسنى وأجْملُ

Abu Hasan, endowed with beauty and goodness in appearance,

Abu Hassan, virtuous and benevolent in appearance

and in proven worth, is higher, brighter, and fairer.

And innermost being, supreme, lofty, and most beautiful.

فما ذنبه في ذاك إن كان ربّه

فما ذنبه في ذاك إن كان ربّه

قضى أنه أعلى وذو الرغم أسفلُ

قضى أنه أعلى وذو الرغم أسفلُ

What fault is his in that, if his lord

So what is his sin in that if his Lord

decreed that he be higher and the resentful man lower?

Ordained that he is higher while the resentful are lower?

ولو لم يقلد فيه غيرُ وزيرهِ

ولو لم يقلد فيه غيرُ وزيرهِ

وغيرُ ابنه وهْو المرجَّى المؤمَّلُ

وغيرُ ابنه وهْو المرجَّى المؤمَّلُ

Even if, concerning him, none were trusted but his minister

And if none but his minister

and his son, the awaited, hoped-for one—

And none but his son—the hoped for, the longed for—

ورأيها ما لا يُفيَّل مثله

ورأيها ما لا يُفيَّل مثله

إذا أخطأ التوفيقَ رأيٌ مُفيَّلُ

إذا أخطأ التوفيقَ رأيٌ مُفيَّلُ

and its judgment is such that no like of it is deemed unsound

And its view is matchless,

when an unsound judgment misses right guidance—

When the right judgment errs, judgment is erroneous.

إذاً لا عدمتَ الشكَّ والريبَ كلّهُ

إذاً لا عدمتَ الشكَّ والريبَ كلّهُ

فكيفَ ومصباحُ الفراتيِّ مُشعَلُ

فكيفَ ومصباحُ الفراتيِّ مُشعَلُ

then you would still have doubt and every misgiving.

Then you would lack all doubt and suspicion

But how can you doubt, when al-Furati's lamp is alight?

For how when the lantern of the Euphrates is lit?

وفيه لعينَيْ ناظرٍ متوسَّمٌ

وفيه لعينَيْ ناظرٍ متوسَّمٌ

شهودٌ وأعلامٌ من الفضلِ مُثّلُ

شهودٌ وأعلامٌ من الفضلِ مُثّلُ

In him, for an observer's two eyes, is something to discern:

And in him there is for the eyes of an onlooker

witnesses and emblems of excellence, standing manifest.

Witnesses and signs of superiority exemplified.

وفي ذاك ما جلّى عمايةَ عامهٍ

وفي ذاك ما جلّى عمايةَ عامهٍ

وقشّعها لكن ليلكَ ألْيلُ

وقشّعها لكن ليلكَ ألْيلُ

In that lies what clears a bewildered man's blindness

And in that which clarified the blindness of his time

and dispels it; but your night is darker still.

And dispelled it, though your night is darker.

ولو كان ليلاً واحداً زال ظلُّه

ولو كان ليلاً واحداً زال ظلُّه

ولكنه ليلٌ بليلٍ مُجلَّلُ

ولكنه ليلٌ بليلٍ مُجلَّلُ

Had it been a single night, its shadow would have passed;

And if it were one night, its darkness would have passed,

but it is night wrapped in another night.

But it is a night followed by repeated nights.

دجا ليلُ نحسٍ في سرارٍ وأطبقتْ

دجا ليلُ نحسٍ في سرارٍ وأطبقتْ

عليه السواري فهو أسود أطولُ

عليه السواري فهو أسود أطولُ

A luckless night grew dark in the moonless phase, and closed in

The gloom of an inauspicious night in intrigues, and

upon it the night-clouds; so it is blacker and longer.

Its misfortunes have overwhelmed him, so he is utterly blackened.

وما زلتَ ذا ظلمٍ قديمٍ وظلمةٍ

وما زلتَ ذا ظلمٍ قديمٍ وظلمةٍ

من الجهلِ تخفى عنك أنك تجهلُ

من الجهلِ تخفى عنك أنك تجهلُ

You have ever been possessed of old injustice and a darkness

And you have not ceased to be from an ancient injustice and darkness

of ignorance that conceals from you your own ignorance.

Of ignorance that hides from you that you are ignorant.

فلا تجرحنّ القولَ فيك فإنه

فلا تجرحنّ القولَ فيك فإنه

وإن لم يكن عدلاً عليك مُعدّلُ

وإن لم يكن عدلاً عليك مُعدّلُ

Do not impugn what is said of you, for it,

So do not find fault with the words regarding you, for

even if not just, is deemed just against you.

Even if not equitable to you, they are made equitable.

وحسبُك جهلاً أن سعيت مشمّراً

وحسبُك جهلاً أن سعيت مشمّراً

لتجتثَّ أصلا تحته تتظلّلُ

لتجتثَّ أصلا تحته تتظلّلُ

It is ignorance enough that you set out with sleeves rolled up

It suffices you in ignorance that you earnestly sought

to uproot a stock beneath which you take shade.

To uproot a foundation under which you take shelter.

سعيتَ بمن أحياك من بعد ميتةٍ

سعيتَ بمن أحياك من بعد ميتةٍ

وأدّى وفاءً ما وفاه السّموألُ

وأدّى وفاءً ما وفاه السّموألُ

You informed against the man who revived you after a death,

You have turned against the one who revived you after death

and rendered a loyalty that al-Samaw'al never rendered.

And fulfilled a loyalty that even constellations do not fulfill.

وفي بغيك البادي عليك شهادةٌ

وفي بغيك البادي عليك شهادةٌ

بأنك مطروقُ الدماغِ مُخبّلُ

بأنك مطروقُ الدماغِ مُخبّلُ

Your manifest aggression bears witness against you

And in your manifest betrayal is a testament

that your brain is stricken and you are deranged.

That you are feeble-minded and crazed.

ولم أرَ ما تعتدُّه من ذنوبهِ

ولم أرَ ما تعتدُّه من ذنوبهِ

سوى أن أبى تبديلَ ما لا يبدّلُ

سوى أن أبى تبديلَ ما لا يبدّلُ

I see nothing in what you count among his sins

And I have not seen among his sins

but that he refused to change what must not be changed.

Save that he refused to exchange what cannot be exchanged.

أكلَّفتَه هضمَ الخراجِ وحَطْمه

أكلَّفتَه هضمَ الخراجِ وحَطْمه

لك الفيءَ عدواناً وأنت مؤمَّلُ

لك الفيءَ عدواناً وأنت مؤمَّلُ

Did you ask him to diminish the land tax and squander

You burdened him with appropriating and destroying the land-tax

the public revenue for you unjustly, though hopes were placed in you?

While you are its recipient through wrongdoing.

فلما أبى قلتَ القبيحَ ولم تزل

فلما أبى قلتَ القبيحَ ولم تزل

تُبخّل ذا الإنصافِ قِدماً وتبخلُ

تُبخّل ذا الإنصافِ قِدماً وتبخلُ

When he refused, you spoke foully, and have never ceased

So when he refused, you spoke abhorrently and did not cease

to call the fair-minded man miserly, as of old, while being miserly yourself.

To begrudge the just-minded, restricting and withholding.

وقال فقال الحق دافع لومه

وقال فقال الحق دافع لومه

ببيّنةٍ إذْ لم تزلْ تتقوّلُ

ببيّنةٍ إذْ لم تزلْ تتقوّلُ

He spoke, and spoke the truth, rebutting the blame against him

And he spoke truth, rebutting the blame,

with evidence, since you never ceased inventing accusations.

With clear proof, while you continue to equivocate.

وكم حاجةٍ مقرونةٍ بخيانةٍ

وكم حاجةٍ مقرونةٍ بخيانةٍ

أباها وإن سيءَ امرؤٌ متذللُ

أباها وإن سيءَ امرؤٌ متذللُ

How many a request bound up with treachery

How many needs coupled with betrayal

he refused, even though a cringing man was distressed!

He shunned though a man be base and groveling.

وكم حاجةٍ مستحسنٍ حملُ ثقلها

وكم حاجةٍ مستحسنٍ حملُ ثقلها

تحمّلَ منها فوق ما يُتحمّلُ

تحمّلَ منها فوق ما يُتحمّلُ

And how many a request whose burden it was praiseworthy to bear

And how many good needs whose burden

he bore, taking on more than could be borne!

He bore beyond what can be borne.

وليس على مال الخليفةِ محملٌ

وليس على مال الخليفةِ محملٌ

لبُطلٍ وفيه للحقائق محملُ

لبُطلٍ وفيه للحقائق محملُ

The caliph's wealth offers no scope

And there is no charge on the Caliph's wealth

for false claims, but within it is scope for rightful ones.

For the futile, as in it there are places for realities.

أمينٌ على مال الملوك كأنه

أمينٌ على مال الملوك كأنه

حِذاراً ونصحاً حيةٌ يتقلْقَلُ

حِذاراً ونصحاً حيةٌ يتقلْقَلُ

Trusted with the wealth of kings, he is like

Trustworthy over the wealth of kings as if

a restless serpent in his vigilance and faithful care.

In caution and advice he is a swaying serpent.

ينالُ بكُنهِ اللوم كلَّ مخفَّفٍ

ينالُ بكُنهِ اللوم كلَّ مخفَّفٍ

عن الناس والسلطانُ بالحقّ مثقَلُ

عن الناس والسلطانُ بالحقّ مثقَلُ

He heaps the full measure of blame on every burden eased

He attains through his essence blame from every complainer

for the people, while the sovereign is burdened with rightful dues.

On behalf of the people while the sultan is burdened with the truth.

يبيتُ إلى أن يجمع الفيءَ كلَّه

يبيتُ إلى أن يجمع الفيءَ كلَّه

أخا فِكَرٍ مما به يتململُ

أخا فِكَرٍ مما به يتململُ

He spends the night, until he collects all the public revenue,

He stays awake until he can gather all the land-tax

a companion to thoughts that make him toss and turn.

Like a thoughtful man careful of what disturbs him.

وهل حقُّ سلطانٍ يطالبُ أهله

وهل حقُّ سلطانٍ يطالبُ أهله

أبو القاسم المحتاطُ إلا مُحَصَّلُ

أبو القاسم المحتاطُ إلا مُحَصَّلُ

Is any sovereign's due, demanded from those who owe it

And is it not the right of a sultan to demand of his people

by prudent Abu al-Qasim, anything but collected?

That the vigilant Abu al-Qasim collect it fully?

ومن عتبك الغثِ الذي قد عتبته

ومن عتبك الغثِ الذي قد عتبته

على ابن فرات موضعٌ ليسَ يُعقلُ

على ابن فرات موضعٌ ليسَ يُعقلُ

Among the paltry reproaches you have leveled

As for your coarse reproach that you have reproached

against Ibn Furat is a point that makes no sense.

Ibn Furat with, it is not reasonable.

فما صُنعُ عبدٍ في قضاء مليكهِ

فما صُنعُ عبدٍ في قضاء مليكهِ

وتقديرهِ وهْو المدينُ المحوَّلُ

وتقديرهِ وهْو المدينُ المحوَّلُ

What can a servant do about his master's decree

So what can a servant do in carrying out the judgment and decree of his king?

and determination, when he is subject to rule and reassignment?

He is the debtor transferred.

ولا بِدْعَ أن ضمّ الوزيرُ كُفاتَه

ولا بِدْعَ أن ضمّ الوزيرُ كُفاتَه

إليه وألغى اللغو والرَّذْلُ يُرذلُ

إليه وألغى اللغو والرَّذْلُ يُرذلُ

It is no novelty that the minister drew his capable men

It is inevitable that the minister gather his capacities

to him and discarded the worthless; the base are spurned.

To him and abolish the improper and despicable which is made despicable.

رآك وقوماً أشبهوكَ نفايةً

رآك وقوماً أشبهوكَ نفايةً

إماطتُها عند الأماثل أمثلُ

إماطتُها عند الأماثل أمثلُ

He saw you and people like you as refuse,

He saw you and a people like you as rubbish

whose removal the finest men deem best.

To be removed among the exemplars is most exemplary.

وهل ساقطٌ وافتْهُ دولةُ حكمه

وهل ساقطٌ وافتْهُ دولةُ حكمه

وحفظٌ على السلطان إلا مبطَّلُ

وحفظٌ على السلطان إلا مبطَّلُ

Is any worthless man overtaken by the ascendancy of his rule

And has one reached by his reign whom fortune let down

and vigilance over the sovereign anything but set aside?

And protected the sultan except a nullified one?

وهل وثنٌ بعد النبي محمدٍ

وهل وثنٌ بعد النبي محمدٍ

وبعد كتاب الله إلا مُعطَّلُ

وبعد كتاب الله إلا مُعطَّلُ

Is any idol, after the Prophet Muhammad

And is there an idol after the Prophet Muhammad

and after God's Book, anything but forsaken?

And after the Book of God except a futile one?

فلا تُلحمنّ الشعر عِرضك إنه

فلا تُلحمنّ الشعر عِرضك إنه

حريقُ هجاء نارهُ تتأكّلُ

حريقُ هجاء نارهُ تتأكّلُ

Do not feed your honor to verse, for it is

So do not patch your honor with poetry, for it

a blaze of satire whose fire consumes.

Is a burning satire whose fire consumes.

ولا تُهدفِ الإقْذاع سمعَك إنه

ولا تُهدفِ الإقْذاع سمعَك إنه

وجدِّك لا تُبلى عليك المفضّلُ

وجدِّك لا تُبلى عليك المفضّلُ

Do not make your hearing a target for foul abuse; for,

And do not turn your hearing to vulgarity, for it

by your fortune, the favored one is not worn down on your account.

In earnest, its shame on you cannot be erased.

وقد قُرعت من ذي أناملك العصا

وقد قُرعت من ذي أناملك العصا

وإن راب ريبٌ بعدها سُلَّ معولُ

وإن راب ريبٌ بعدها سُلَّ معولُ

The rod has already been struck against these fingertips of yours;

And you have been stricken by one with fingers like my fingers

if some suspicious act follows, a pickaxe will be drawn.

And if doubt crept in, the peg after it is pulled out.

وإن أنت لم تردَعك رادعة النُّهى

وإن أنت لم تردَعك رادعة النُّهى

فعنديَ مشحوذ الغِرارَينِ مقصلُ

فعنديَ مشحوذ الغِرارَينِ مقصلُ

If reason's restraint has not restrained you,

And if the deterrence of prohibition does not restrain you

I have a severing sword, sharpened on both edges.

I have two sharpened swords at hand.

وإني لذو نظمٍ ونثرٍ كأنني

وإني لذو نظمٍ ونثرٍ كأنني

بحدّيهما رمحٌ مُزَجٌّ مُنَصَّلُ

بحدّيهما رمحٌ مُزَجٌّ مُنَصَّلُ

I possess verse and prose, as though I were,

And I am one of poetry and prose as if I am

with their two edges, a spear with butt-spike and blade.

With the two of them a straightened, honed spear.

وإن رمتَ من يُعنى به الحقّ والهوى

وإن رمتَ من يُعنى به الحقّ والهوى

فإنك مخسوفٌ به أو مزلزلُ

فإنك مخسوفٌ به أو مزلزلُ

If you assail one whom truth and affection care for,

And if you shoot arrows at one the truth and passion call to

you will be swallowed by the earth because of him, or shaken.

You are certain to sink down or crumble because of him.

فلا تلحينّي إن لَحَيتُكَ إنني

فلا تلحينّي إن لَحَيتُكَ إنني

بُنصرةِ إخوان الصفاء مُوَكَّلُ

بُنصرةِ إخوان الصفاء مُوَكَّلُ

Do not blame me if I rebuke you, for I

So do not confront me if you confronted him

am charged with defending brothers of sincere friendship.

For I am entrusted with supporting the sincere brothers.

تنمرتُ للأعداء من دون صاحبي

تنمرتُ للأعداء من دون صاحبي

وحاميتُ عن تاجٍ به أتجمّلُ

وحاميتُ عن تاجٍ به أتجمّلُ

I became a leopard against enemies in defense of my companion,

I became hostile to the enemies apart from my companion

and defended a crown with which I adorn myself.

And I protected a crown by which I am adorned.

أَبَيتُ فلا يُرعَى حماه بحضرتي

أَبَيتُ فلا يُرعَى حماه بحضرتي

ولا لحمُه ما عشتُ باللحم يؤكلُ

ولا لحمُه ما عشتُ باللحم يؤكلُ

I refuse: his protected pasture shall not be grazed in my presence,

I refused, so the protector is not respected in my presence

nor, while I live, shall his flesh be eaten in exchange for meat.

Nor is his flesh, as long as I live, to be eaten.

وهبْتُ له طوعاً حفاظي وإنه

وهبْتُ له طوعاً حفاظي وإنه

لأوْهبُ مني للحفاظ وأبذلُ

لأوْهبُ مني للحفاظ وأبذلُ

I freely gave him my loyal protection, and he

I willingly granted him my protections though he

gives protection more freely than I, and is more generous.

Is more deserving than me of protections and is more generous.

وإني ليحميه لساني وإنه

وإني ليحميه لساني وإنه

لأقْول مني في الخطوبِ وأفعلُ

لأقْول مني في الخطوبِ وأفعلُ

My tongue surely protects him, yet he

My tongue protects him and he is

is more eloquent than I in crises, and more effective in deeds.

More saying than me in adversities and more doing.

وما حمسي من دونه أن رأيتني

وما حمسي من دونه أن رأيتني

وإياه في الهيجاء أمضي وينكُلُ

وإياه في الهيجاء أمضي وينكُلُ

My zeal in his defense is not because I saw myself

And I would not be deterred from supporting him

and him in battle, me advancing while he recoiled.

If I saw him and I in heated battle persist and be defeated.

ولكنه فرضٌ يؤدَّى إلى العلا

ولكنه فرضٌ يؤدَّى إلى العلا

ونافلة من بعده تُتَنَفَّلُ

ونافلة من بعده تُتَنَفَّلُ

Rather, it is a duty rendered to nobility,

But it is an obligation fulfilled to the Most High

and, beyond it, a freely offered gift.

And a voluntary offering after it, excellently done.