قال يوماً لنا أبو دلف أب

قال يوماً لنا أبو دلف أب

رد من تطرق الهموم فؤاده

رد من تطرق الهموم فؤاده

One day Abu Dulaf said to us—he, the cold—

One day Abu Dulaf said to us—the coldest

—est man whose heart was ever beset by care:

of those whose hearts are visited by cares:

لي شعر كالماء قلت أصاب ال

لي شعر كالماء قلت أصاب ال

شيخ لكن لفظه براده

شيخ لكن لفظه براده

“My poetry is like water.” I said, “The old—

“I have verse like water.” I said, “The old

—man is right—but its chill lies in his wording.”

man is right, but his wording is its cooler.”

أنت شيخ المنجمين ولكن

أنت شيخ المنجمين ولكن

لست في حكمهم تنال السعاده

لست في حكمهم تنال السعاده

You are the master of astrologers, yet

You are the master of astrologers, and yet

their forecasts say you will never attain happiness;

in their judgment, you do not attain happiness.

وطبيب مجرب ماله بال

وطبيب مجرب ماله بال

نجح في كلّ ما يجرب عاده

نجح في كلّ ما يجرب عاده

and a seasoned physician for whom suc—

And an experienced physician, with no habit of

—cess in anything he tries is hardly customary.

success in anything he tries.

مر يوماً إلى عليل فقلنا

مر يوماً إلى عليل فقلنا

قرّ عيناً فقد رزقت الشهادة

قرّ عيناً فقد رزقت الشهادة

One day he went to a sick man, and we said,

One day he went to a sick man, and we said:

“Take heart: you have been granted martyrdom.”

“Let your eye find comfort, for you have been granted martyrdom.”