لِمَن جاهَدَ الحُسّادُ أَجرُ المُجاهِدِ

لِمَن جاهَدَ الحُسّادُ أَجرُ المُجاهِدِ

وَأَعجَزُ ما حاوَلتُ إِرضاءُ حاسِدِ

وَأَعجَزُ ما حاوَلتُ إِرضاءُ حاسِدِ

Whoever battles the envious earns a warrior's reward.

For he who struggles against enviers, the reward of the struggler,

And the most futile thing I have attempted is pleasing an envier.

And the most helpless thing I have tried is to please the envious,

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي اليَومَ أَكثَرَ حاسِداً

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي اليَومَ أَكثَرَ حاسِداً

كَأَنَّ قُلوبَ الناسِ لي قَلبُ واجِدِ

كَأَنَّ قُلوبَ الناسِ لي قَلبُ واجِدِ

And I have seen no one today with more enviers than I,

And I have not seen anyone today with more enviers than me,

As though people's hearts toward me were one resentful heart.

As if the hearts of people towards me are but one envious heart,

أَلَم يَرَ هَذا الناسُ غَيرِيَ فاضِلاً

أَلَم يَرَ هَذا الناسُ غَيرِيَ فاضِلاً

وَلَم يَظفَرِ الحُسّادُ قَبلي بِماجِدِ

وَلَم يَظفَرِ الحُسّادُ قَبلي بِماجِدِ

Have these people seen no virtuous man besides me,

Has not this people seen anyone virtuous but me,

And have the envious found no noble man before me?

Nor have the enviers attained glorious deeds before me,

أَرى الغِلَّ مِن تَحتِ النِفاقِ وَأَجتَني

أَرى الغِلَّ مِن تَحتِ النِفاقِ وَأَجتَني

مِنَ العَسَلِ الماذِيَّ سُمَّ الأَساوِدِ

مِنَ العَسَلِ الماذِيَّ سُمَّ الأَساوِدِ

I see malice beneath hypocrisy, and I gather

I see the concealed hatred beneath the hypocrisy,

From pure honey the venom of black snakes.

And the poison of the black cobras comes to me from sweet honey,

وَأَصبِرُ مالَم يُحسَبُ الصَبرُ ذِلَّةً

وَأَصبِرُ مالَم يُحسَبُ الصَبرُ ذِلَّةً

وَأَلبَسُ لِلمَذمومِ حُلَّةَ حامِدِ

وَأَلبَسُ لِلمَذمومِ حُلَّةَ حامِدِ

And I endure so long as patience is not reckoned humiliation,

And I am patient as long as patience is not considered humiliation,

And for the blameworthy I wear the robe of one who praises.

And I wear for the dispraised the garment of the praiser,

قَليلُ اِعتِذارٍ مَن يَبيتُ ذُنوبُهُ

قَليلُ اِعتِذارٍ مَن يَبيتُ ذُنوبُهُ

طِلابُ المَعالي وَاِكتِسابُ المَحامِدِ

طِلابُ المَعالي وَاِكتِسابُ المَحامِدِ

Little apology is needed by one whose sins by night are

Few apologies from one whose sins spend the night,

The pursuit of greatness and the earning of praise.

Seeking loftiness and attaining praise,

وَأَعلَمُ إِن فارَقتُ خِلّاً عَرَفتُهُ

وَأَعلَمُ إِن فارَقتُ خِلّاً عَرَفتُهُ

وَحاوَلتُ خِلّاً أَنَّني غَيرُ واجِدِ

وَحاوَلتُ خِلّاً أَنَّني غَيرُ واجِدِ

And I know, if I leave a friend I have known,

And I know that if an intimate friend parts from me and I try to replace him with another, he will not be like the first,

And seek a friend, that I shall find none.

And not all who aid me of people are my supporters,

وَهَل غَضَّ مِنّي الأَسرُ إِذ خَفَّ ناصِري

وَهَل غَضَّ مِنّي الأَسرُ إِذ خَفَّ ناصِري

وَقَلَّ عَلى تِلكَ الأُمورِ مُساعِدي

وَقَلَّ عَلى تِلكَ الأُمورِ مُساعِدي

And has captivity diminished me, when my support grew scant

Nor are all who assist me of people my helpers,

And few were my helpers in those affairs?

And will my supporters benefit me if fate leaves me alone,

أَلا لا يُسَرُّ الشامِتونَ فَإِنَّها

أَلا لا يُسَرُّ الشامِتونَ فَإِنَّها

مَوارِدُ آبائي الأُلى وَمَوارِدي

مَوارِدُ آبائي الأُلى وَمَوارِدي

Let those who gloat not rejoice, for these are

When I have a group of long arms?

The watering places of my fathers of old, and my own.

And am I glad of the nearness of my kin,

وَكَم مِن خَليلٍ حينَ جانَبتُ زاهِداً

وَكَم مِن خَليلٍ حينَ جانَبتُ زاهِداً

إِلى غَيرِهِ عاوَدتُهُ غَيرَ زاهِدِ

إِلى غَيرِهِ عاوَدتُهُ غَيرَ زاهِدِ

And many a friend, when I shunned him in indifference

If their hearts are distant from me?

For another, I returned to, no longer indifferent.

O you who struggles to attain what elevations I attained without struggle,

وَما كُلُّ أَنصاري مِنَ الناسِ ناصِري

وَما كُلُّ أَنصاري مِنَ الناسِ ناصِري

وَلا كُلُّ أَعضادِ مِنَ الناسِ عاضِدي

وَلا كُلُّ أَعضادِ مِنَ الناسِ عاضِدي

And not every ally I have among people supports me,

Restrain yourself, for I attained them without effort,

Nor is every supporting arm among people a support to me.

By your life, the paths of glories are not hidden,

وَهَل نافِعي إِن عَضَّني الدَهرُ مُفرَداً

وَهَل نافِعي إِن عَضَّني الدَهرُ مُفرَداً

إِذا كانَ لي قَومٌ طِوالُ السَواعِدِ

إِذا كانَ لي قَومٌ طِوالُ السَواعِدِ

And if time bites me alone, does it help me

But some conduct is without purpose,

That I have kinsmen with long forearms?

O you who strains his eyes in watching me,

وَهَل أَنا مَسرورٌ بِقُربِ أَقارِبي

وَهَل أَنا مَسرورٌ بِقُربِ أَقارِبي

إِذا كانَ لي مِنهُم قُلوبُ الأَباعِدِ

إِذا كانَ لي مِنهُم قُلوبُ الأَباعِدِ

And am I pleased by the nearness of my relatives,

My glance at harm is not straining,

If their hearts toward me are the hearts of strangers?

I was inadvertent of the enviers, but not neglectful,

أَيا جاهِداً في نَيلِ مانِلتُ مِن عُلاً

أَيا جاهِداً في نَيلِ مانِلتُ مِن عُلاً

رُوَيدَكَ إِنّي نِلتُها غَيرَ جاهِدِ

رُوَيدَكَ إِنّي نِلتُها غَيرَ جاهِدِ

O you who strive to attain the heights I have attained,

And I remain long asleep from one who is not sleeping,

Take your time: I attained them without striving.

O my two friends, you did not prepare for Mutayyam,

لَعَمرُكَ ما طُرقُ المَعالي خَفِيَّةٌ

لَعَمرُكَ ما طُرقُ المَعالي خَفِيَّةٌ

وَلَكِنَّ بَعضَ السَيرِ لَيسَ بِقاصِدِ

وَلَكِنَّ بَعضَ السَيرِ لَيسَ بِقاصِدِ

By your life, the paths to greatness are not hidden,

A captive in the hands of enemies, deprived of rest,

But some journeys do not follow a straight course.

Solitary, separated from loved ones, with tears pouring,

وَيا ساهِدَ العَينَينِ فيما يُريبُني

وَيا ساهِدَ العَينَينِ فيما يُريبُني

أَلا أَنَّ طَرفي في الأَذى غَيرُ ساهِدِ

أَلا أَنَّ طَرفي في الأَذى غَيرُ ساهِدِ

And O you, sleepless-eyed over what troubles me,

Constantly flowing down his cheeks, uninterrupted,

Know that my eyes lose no sleep over harm.

If you wish, I will show hostility openly and I do not object,

غَفَلتُ عَنِ الحُسّادِ مِن غَيرِ غَفلَةٍ

غَفَلتُ عَنِ الحُسّادِ مِن غَيرِ غَفلَةٍ

وَبِتُّ طَويلَ النَومِ عَن غَيرِ راقِدِ

وَبِتُّ طَويلَ النَومِ عَن غَيرِ راقِدِ

I paid no heed to the envious, but not through heedlessness,

I think of the aspects of schemes,

And passed the night in long sleep without slumbering.

I was patient with calamities, the patience of the son of Hurra,

خَليلَيَّ ما أَعدَدتُما لِمُتَيَّمٍ

خَليلَيَّ ما أَعدَدتُما لِمُتَيَّمٍ

أَسيرٍ لَدى الأَعداءِ جافي المَراقِدِ

أَسيرٍ لَدى الأَعداءِ جافي المَراقِدِ

My two friends, what have you prepared for a love-stricken man,

Greatly wronged but with few helpers,

A captive among enemies, shunning his beds,

So I pursued until the running made my blond steed blind,

فَريدٍ عَنِ الأَحبابِ صَبٍّ دُموعُهُ

فَريدٍ عَنِ الأَحبابِ صَبٍّ دُموعُهُ

مَثانٍ عَلى الخَدَّينِ غَيرُ فَرائِدِ

مَثانٍ عَلى الخَدَّينِ غَيرُ فَرائِدِ

Alone, far from loved ones, lovesick, his tears

And I struck until striking enfeebled my arm,

Falling in pairs down both cheeks, never singly?

And we thought one whose steps faltered,

إِذا شِئتَ جاهَرتُ العَدُوَّ وَلَم أَبِت

إِذا شِئتَ جاهَرتُ العَدُوَّ وَلَم أَبِت

أُقَلِّبُ فِكري في وُجوهِ المَكائِدِ

أُقَلِّبُ فِكري في وُجوهِ المَكائِدِ

If you wish, I will face the enemy openly and will not spend the night

Would not be afflicted by the like of these calamities,

Turning over in my mind the forms of stratagems.

I gathered Indian swords from every town,

صَبَرتُ عَلى اللَأواءِ صَبرَ اِبنِ حُرَّةٍ

صَبَرتُ عَلى اللَأواءِ صَبرَ اِبنِ حُرَّةٍ

كَثيرِ العِدى فيها قَليلِ المُساعِدِ

كَثيرِ العِدى فيها قَليلِ المُساعِدِ

I endured hardship with the endurance of a freeborn woman's son,

And prepared every warrior for raids,

With many enemies in that ordeal and few helpers.

And between them and me, I sent many daughters of Bukayriyya,

فَطارَدتُ حَتّى أَبهَرَ الجَريُ أَشقَري

فَطارَدتُ حَتّى أَبهَرَ الجَريُ أَشقَري

وَضارَبتُ حَتّى أَوهَنَ الضَربُ ساعِدي

وَضارَبتُ حَتّى أَوهَنَ الضَربُ ساعِدي

So I gave chase until the gallop left my chestnut horse breathless,

Around the strongholds,

And traded blows until striking weakened my forearm.

If other than God is a person's provision,

وَكُنّا نَرى أَن لَم يُصِب مَن تَصَرَّمَت

وَكُنّا نَرى أَن لَم يُصِب مَن تَصَرَّمَت

مَواقِفُهُ عَن مِثلِ هَذي الشَدائِدِ

مَواقِفُهُ عَن مِثلِ هَذي الشَدائِدِ

And we deemed unsuccessful the man whose

Adversities will come to him from beneficial quarters,

Encounters ended without hardships such as these.

The bier dragged the corpse of Hudhayfa,

جَمَعتُ سُيوفَ الهِندِ مِن كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

جَمَعتُ سُيوفَ الهِندِ مِن كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

وَأَعدَدتُ لِلهَيجاءِ كُلَّ مُجالِدِ

وَأَعدَدتُ لِلهَيجاءِ كُلَّ مُجالِدِ

I gathered the swords of India from every land,

And he used to view it as equipment for adversities,

And readied every swordsman for battle.

And death dragged away Malik ibn Nuwayra,

وَأَكثَرتُ لِلغاراتِ بَيني وَبَينَهُم

وَأَكثَرتُ لِلغاراتِ بَيني وَبَينَهُم

بَناتِ البُكَيرِيّاتِ حَولَ المَزاوِدِ

بَناتِ البُكَيرِيّاتِ حَولَ المَزاوِدِ

And for raids between me and them I amassed

His beautiful wife in the days of Khalid,

Daughters of the Bukayriyyat around the provision bags.

And it destroyed the houses of Utayba,

إِذا كانَ غَيرُ اللَهِ لِلمَرءِ عُدَّةً

إِذا كانَ غَيرُ اللَهِ لِلمَرءِ عُدَّةً

أَتَتهُ الرَزايا مِن وُجوهِ الفَوائِدِ

أَتَتهُ الرَزايا مِن وُجوهِ الفَوائِدِ

If a man's reliance is on something other than God,

His sons and family with the intensity of poems,

Calamities come to him from the sources of benefit.

May God bring good, for I have customary bounties from Him that are unceasing,

فَقَد جَرَّتِ الحَنفاءُ حَتفَ حُذَيفَةٍ

فَقَد جَرَّتِ الحَنفاءُ حَتفَ حُذَيفَةٍ

وَكانَ يَراها حُدَّةً لِلشَدائِدِ

وَكانَ يَراها حُدَّةً لِلشَدائِدِ

For al-Hanfa brought about Hudhayfa's death,

So how He saved me from the depth of darkness where no large army could save me from its depth,

Though he saw her as a keen edge against hardships.

If I return one day to war, nobility, generosity and benevolence, I will be the most generous returner,

وَجَرَّت مَنايا مالِكِ اِبنِ نُوَيرَةٍ

وَجَرَّت مَنايا مالِكِ اِبنِ نُوَيرَةٍ

عَقيلَتُهُ الحَسناءُ أَيّامَ خالِدِ

عَقيلَتُهُ الحَسناءُ أَيّامَ خالِدِ

And Malik ibn Nuwayra's doom was brought about

Bitter towards enemies but rich and fertile - sweet of springs for a neighbor

By his beautiful noble wife in Khalid's days.

Delighted at the edges of the days with between them whatever he wishes of fresh and plump,

وَأَردى ذُؤاباً في بُيوتِ عُتَيبَةٍ

وَأَردى ذُؤاباً في بُيوتِ عُتَيبَةٍ

بَنوهُ وَأَهلوهُ بِشَدوِ القَصائِدِ

بَنوهُ وَأَهلوهُ بِشَدوِ القَصائِدِ

And Dhu'ab was brought to his death in Utayba's houses

I defended the sanctuary of my people and guarded my clan,

By his sons and his kin, through the chanting of poems.

And adorned my family with the collars of these necklaces,

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يَأتي بِخَيرٍ فَإِنَّ لي

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يَأتي بِخَيرٍ فَإِنَّ لي

عَوائِدَ مِن نُعماهُ غَيرُ بَوائِدِ

عَوائِدَ مِن نُعماهُ غَيرُ بَوائِدِ

May God bring good, for I have

Virtues not found in any glorious man,

Recurring favors from His bounty that never perish.

But in Al-Majid Son of the Glorious

فَكَم شالَني مِن قَعرِ ظَلماءَ لَم يَكُن

فَكَم شالَني مِن قَعرِ ظَلماءَ لَم يَكُن

لِيُنقِذَني مِن قَعرِها حَشدُ حاشِدِ

لِيُنقِذَني مِن قَعرِها حَشدُ حاشِدِ

For how often He lifted me from the depths of a dark pit, when no

Gathered host could rescue me from its depths.

فَإِن عُدتُ يَوماً عادَ لِلحَربِ وَالعُلا

فَإِن عُدتُ يَوماً عادَ لِلحَربِ وَالعُلا

وَبَذلِ النَدى وَالجودِ أَكرَمُ عائِدِ

وَبَذلِ النَدى وَالجودِ أَكرَمُ عائِدِ

And if I return one day, there will return to war and glory

And to dispensing bounty and generosity, the noblest returner.

مَريرٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ لَكِنَّ جارَهُ

مَريرٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ لَكِنَّ جارَهُ

إِلى خَصِبِ الأَكنافِ عَذبِ المَوارِدِ

إِلى خَصِبِ الأَكنافِ عَذبِ المَوارِدِ

Bitter to enemies, yet his neighbor

Dwells by fertile grounds and sweet watering places.

مُشَهّىً بِأَطرافِ النَهارِ وَبَينَها

مُشَهّىً بِأَطرافِ النَهارِ وَبَينَها

لَهُ ما تَشَهّى مِن طَريفٍ وَتالِدِ

لَهُ ما تَشَهّى مِن طَريفٍ وَتالِدِ

Indulged at the ends of the day and in between,

He has whatever he desires of new and inherited wealth.

مَنَعتُ حِمى قَومي وَسُدتُ عَشيرَتي

مَنَعتُ حِمى قَومي وَسُدتُ عَشيرَتي

وَقَلَّدتُ أَهلي غُرَّ هَذي القَلائِدِ

وَقَلَّدتُ أَهلي غُرَّ هَذي القَلائِدِ

I guarded my people's sanctuary and led my clan,

And adorned my family with the brightest of these necklaces.

خَلائِقُ لا يوجَدنَ في كُلِّ ماجِدِ

خَلائِقُ لا يوجَدنَ في كُلِّ ماجِدِ

وَلكِنَّها في الماجِدِ اِبنِ الأَماجِدِ

وَلكِنَّها في الماجِدِ اِبنِ الأَماجِدِ

Qualities not found in every noble man,

But they are in the noble man, son of noble men.