عادت لنا الأعيادُ والمواسمُ

عادت لنا الأعيادُ والمواسمُ

وصَحَّت العَليَاءُ والمكارمُ

وصَحَّت العَليَاءُ والمكارمُ

The feasts and festive seasons have returned to us,

The festivals and seasons have returned to us,

and lofty honor and noble virtues have revived.

And lofty honor and noble virtues grew strong.

وأضحت الأرضُ عروساً تُجتَلى

وأضحت الأرضُ عروساً تُجتَلى

فَنَقطتَهَا بالنَّدا الغمائمُ

فَنَقطتَهَا بالنَّدا الغمائمُ

The earth has become a bride, unveiled for admiration,

And the earth became a bride unveiled,

and the clouds have stippled her with dew.

So the clouds dotted her with dew.

ومالت الأغصان فيها طرَباً

ومالت الأغصان فيها طرَباً

لما تَغَنَّت فوقها الحمائمُ

لما تَغَنَّت فوقها الحمائمُ

Across her, the branches swayed in rapture

And the branches swayed there in delight,

when the doves sang above them.

When the doves sang above them.

واحمرَّ خَدُّ الوردِ إذ قَبلَّه

واحمرَّ خَدُّ الوردِ إذ قَبلَّه

الطلُّ وثَغرُ الأقحَوانِ باسمُ

الطلُّ وثَغرُ الأقحَوانِ باسمُ

The rose’s cheek flushed when the dew kissed it,

And the rose’s cheek blushed when it was kissed

while the chrysanthemum’s mouth smiled.

By the dew, while the chrysanthemum’s mouth smiled.

لما تَوَلَّى حِلمُهُ قلنا لَهُ

لما تَوَلَّى حِلمُهُ قلنا لَهُ

مما رَأينا أنت موسى الكاظمُ

مما رَأينا أنت موسى الكاظمُ

When his forbearance deserted him, we said to him,

When his forbearance departed, we said to him,

“Judging by what we saw, you are Mūsā al-Kāẓim.”

“Judging by what we saw, you are Musa al-Kazim.”

إني وإن كنتَ حبيباً عنده

إني وإن كنتَ حبيباً عنده

فإنه للرِّزقِ عندي قاسمُ

فإنه للرِّزقِ عندي قاسمُ

Though I am indeed dear to him,

As for me, even if you are dear to him,

he is, where my livelihood is concerned, its apportioner.

He is, in my eyes, a distributor of sustenance.

ولا تَغرنك منه جُوخَةٌ

ولا تَغرنك منه جُوخَةٌ

فصَّلَها وهوَ عليها نادِمُ

فصَّلَها وهوَ عليها نادِمُ

Do not let a woolen broadcloth robe from him deceive you:

And do not let his broadcloth coat deceive you;

he had it tailored, and now regrets it.

He had it tailored, and he regrets it.

كم أعجَبَتهُ نفسه فيها إلى

كم أعجَبَتهُ نفسه فيها إلى

أن نَفدَت من كُمّه الدراهم

أن نَفدَت من كُمّه الدراهم

How greatly he admired himself in it—until

How pleased he was with himself in it, until

the dirhams in his sleeve ran out.

The dirhams in his sleeve ran out.

وبَيعُها في البَردِ غيرُ ممكن

وبَيعُها في البَردِ غيرُ ممكن

ورهنُها لا يرتضيه الحازمُ

ورهنُها لا يرتضيه الحازمُ

Selling it in the cold is out of the question,

And selling it in the cold is impossible,

and no prudent man would countenance pawning it.

And a prudent man would not approve of pawning it.

وحَسبُ من كاتمَ ما يَسُوءُهُ

وحَسبُ من كاتمَ ما يَسُوءُهُ

خَوفُ أعاديه الذي يُكاتِمُ

خَوفُ أعاديه الذي يُكاتِمُ

Enough for one who hides what pains him

And enough for one who conceals what pains him

is the fear of his enemies that he keeps concealed.

Is his enemies’ fear of what he keeps concealed.

لولا الجنون لم يكن ذو فاقةٍ

لولا الجنون لم يكن ذو فاقةٍ

مثلي لأرباب الغِنَى يُزاحِمُ

مثلي لأرباب الغِنَى يُزاحِمُ

Were it not for madness, no needy man

Were it not for madness, no man in need

like me would vie with the lords of wealth.

Like me would jostle with the wealthy.