سُقيا لِحَيٍّ بِاللِوى عَهِدتُهُم

سُقيا لِحَيٍّ بِاللِوى عَهِدتُهُم

مُنذُ زَمانٍ ثُمَّ هذا رَبعُهُم

مُنذُ زَمانٍ ثُمَّ هذا رَبعُهُم

May rain bless a clan at al-Liwa whom I knew

I made them drink the juicy wine long ago,

long ago; and now here is their dwelling-place.

Then this was their time of spring.

عَهِدتُهُم وَالعَيشُ فيهِ غِرَّةٌ

عَهِدتُهُم وَالعَيشُ فيهِ غِرَّةٌ

وَلَم يُناوِ الحَدَثانُ شَعبَهُم

وَلَم يُناوِ الحَدَثانُ شَعبَهُم

I knew them when life then was still carefree,

I knew them when living with them was joy,

nor had time's calamities assailed their community.

Neither did the two censures hurt their reputation,

وَلَم يَبينوا لِنَوىً قَذّافَةٍ

وَلَم يَبينوا لِنَوىً قَذّافَةٍ

تَقطَعُ حَبلي مِن وِصالِ حَبلِهِم

تَقطَعُ حَبلي مِن وِصالِ حَبلِهِم

Nor had they departed into far-flinging separation

Nor did they show any desire for a glancing coquette

that severs my cord from its bond with theirs.

Who would sever my tie from their kinship.

فَلَيتَ شِعري هَل لَهُم مِن مَطلَبٍ

فَلَيتَ شِعري هَل لَهُم مِن مَطلَبٍ

أَو أَجِدَنَّ ذاتَ يَومٍ بَدلَهُم

أَو أَجِدَنَّ ذاتَ يَومٍ بَدلَهُم

Would that I knew: is there any way to find them,

So I wonder if they have any wish

or shall I one day find a replacement for them?

Or I shall find one day instead of them,

أَوَ يُعذَرَنَّ بِالبُكاءِ إِن بَكى

أَوَ يُعذَرَنَّ بِالبُكاءِ إِن بَكى

صَبٌّ مُعَنّىً مُستَحَقٌّ إِثرَهُم

صَبٌّ مُعَنّىً مُستَحَقٌّ إِثرَهُم

And will he be excused for weeping, if he weeps—

Or if a youth who weeps is excused

a lovesick man, tormented, laid low in their wake?

If he is a concerned, deserving successor of them.

مُكَلَّفٌ بِالشَوقِ لا يَنساهُمُ

مُكَلَّفٌ بِالشَوقِ لا يَنساهُمُ

يَمنَحُهُم وُدّاً وَيرعى عَهدَهُم

يَمنَحُهُم وُدّاً وَيرعى عَهدَهُم

Consumed by longing, he never forgets them;

Obliged with yearning, he does not forget them,

he gives them affection and honors their pledge,

Grants them love and keeps their covenant,

وَيُنذِرُ النُذورَ إِن رَآهُمُ

وَيُنذِرُ النُذورَ إِن رَآهُمُ

وَعادَ يَوماً عَيشُهُ وَعَيشُهُم

وَعادَ يَوماً عَيشُهُ وَعَيشُهُم

and makes vows should he see them

And fulfills vows when he sees them

and his life and theirs one day return.

And one day his living and their living return.

وَلا وَرَبِّ العَرشِ لا يَلقاهُمُ

وَلا وَرَبِّ العَرشِ لا يَلقاهُمُ

وَلا يَعودُ عيدُهُ وَعيدُهُم

وَلا يَعودُ عيدُهُ وَعيدُهُم

Yet no! By the Lord of the Throne, he will not meet them,

No, by the Lord of the Throne, he will not meet them

nor will his festival and theirs return.

Nor will his feast and their feast return.

وَكَيفَ يَلقاهُم كَبيرٌ سِنُّهُ

وَكَيفَ يَلقاهُم كَبيرٌ سِنُّهُ

وَقَد مَضى الدَهرُ وَطاحَ نَجمُهُم

وَقَد مَضى الدَهرُ وَطاحَ نَجمُهُم

And how can one advanced in years meet them,

And how can an old man meet them

when time has passed and their star has fallen?

When time has passed and their star has fallen?

هَيهاتَ عَدِّ النَفسَ عَن ذِكراهُمُ

هَيهاتَ عَدِّ النَفسَ عَن ذِكراهُمُ

وَاِقصِد لِنَحوِ آخَرينَ غَيرِهِم

وَاِقصِد لِنَحوِ آخَرينَ غَيرِهِم

Far beyond reach! Turn your soul from their memory,

Stop counting yourself among their mention

and turn toward others, not them.

And aim towards others besides them.

هَذا وَقَد أَرَيتُني فَلَم أَلُم

هَذا وَقَد أَرَيتُني فَلَم أَلُم

رَأيي إِذا لامَ الرِجالُ رَأيَهُم

رَأيي إِذا لامَ الرِجالُ رَأيَهُم

Thus, I have considered myself and have not blamed

This, and I have seen myself, so I have not blamed

my judgment when men blamed theirs.

My opinion when men blame their opinion.

أَدعو بنَ سَهلٍ حَسناً وَمَجدَهُ

أَدعو بنَ سَهلٍ حَسناً وَمَجدَهُ

حينَ تَعَيّا بِعَيالي أَمرُهُم

حينَ تَعَيّا بِعَيالي أَمرُهُم

I call upon Hasan ibn Sahl and his glory,

I call on Ibn Sahl, his glory,

when my dependents' plight overwhelmed them.

When my family's matter has burdened me.

أَظَلُّ أَدعو بِاِسمِهِ وَدونَهُ

أَظَلُّ أَدعو بِاِسمِهِ وَدونَهُ

قَومٌ كَثيرٌ رَغبَةً تَرَكتُهُم

قَومٌ كَثيرٌ رَغبَةً تَرَكتُهُم

I keep calling upon his name; besides him are

I remain calling his name and besides him

many people whom I passed over out of preference.

Are many people whom I have left.

تَخَيُّراً اِختَرتُهُ عَلَيهِمُ

تَخَيُّراً اِختَرتُهُ عَلَيهِمُ

وَلا بِهِم بَأسٌ وَلا ذَمَمتُهُم

وَلا بِهِم بَأسٌ وَلا ذَمَمتُهُم

By deliberate choice, I chose him over them,

I chose him over them,

though there is no fault in them, nor have I disparaged them.

And they have no fault and I do not blame them.

ناموا فَلَمّا أَن رَأَيتُ نَومَهُم

ناموا فَلَمّا أَن رَأَيتُ نَومَهُم

عَنّي تَحَمَّلتُ فَما أَيقَظتُهُم

عَنّي تَحَمَّلتُ فَما أَيقَظتُهُم

They slept; when I saw them sleeping

They slept, so when I saw their sleep

unmindful of me, I departed without waking them.

I endured it and did not wake them up.

يا اِبنَ كِرامٍ كابِراً عَن كابِرِ

يا اِبنَ كِرامٍ كابِراً عَن كابِرِ

زانوكَ زَيناً باقِياً وَزِنتَهُم

زانوكَ زَيناً باقِياً وَزِنتَهُم

O son of nobles, one great man after another,

O son of honorable parents, great over the great,

they graced you with lasting glory, and you graced them.

Your knee adorned with lasting beauty and their weight,

كانوا هُمُ الأَشرافُ سادوا كُلُّهُم

كانوا هُمُ الأَشرافُ سادوا كُلُّهُم

ما في جَميعِ العالَمينَ مِثلُهُم

ما في جَميعِ العالَمينَ مِثلُهُم

They were the nobles; all of them held lordship.

They were the nobles who conquered all,

There are none like them in all the worlds.

None in the two worlds are like them.

بَنَوا جَميعَ المَجدِ فيما قَد مَضى

بَنَوا جَميعَ المَجدِ فيما قَد مَضى

وَأَنتَ تَبنيهِ كَذاكَ بَعدَهُم

وَأَنتَ تَبنيهِ كَذاكَ بَعدَهُم

They built all glory in days gone by,

They built all the glory in the past

and you likewise build it after them,

And you build it likewise after them.

في شَرفٍ مُؤَيَّدٍ أَركانُهُ

في شَرفٍ مُؤَيَّدٍ أَركانُهُ

لَم يَبنهِ بانٍ سِواهُم قَبلَهُم

لَم يَبنهِ بانٍ سِواهُم قَبلَهُم

in nobility whose pillars stand firm.

In a noble, supported honor,

No other builder had built it before them.

No builder built it but them before them.

فَيا اِبنَ سَهلٍ وَاِبنَ آباءٍ لَهُ

فَيا اِبنَ سَهلٍ وَاِبنَ آباءٍ لَهُ

كانوا مَناجيبَ قَديماً فَضلُهُم

كانوا مَناجيبَ قَديماً فَضلُهُم

So, son of Sahl, and son of his forefathers,

So O son of Sahl, and son of forefathers whom

who were noble men of long-established excellence:

Were intimate friends long ago, so their excellence,

وَاللَهِ ما تُصبِحُ بَينَ مَعشَرٍ

وَاللَهِ ما تُصبِحُ بَينَ مَعشَرٍ

إِلّا وَأَنتَ شَمسُهُم وَبَدرُهُم

إِلّا وَأَنتَ شَمسُهُم وَبَدرُهُم

By God, you never greet the morning among a people

By Allah, you do not spend a morning among a people

but you are their sun and their full moon.

Unless you are their sun and their full moon.

وَالناسُ آخاذٌ وَماءٌ ناقِعٌ

وَالناسُ آخاذٌ وَماءٌ ناقِعٌ

وَغُدُرٌ تَجري وَأَنتَ بَحرُهُم

وَغُدُرٌ تَجري وَأَنتَ بَحرُهُم

People are waterholes and standing water,

And people are grasping, like stagnant water,

and flowing pools, while you are their sea.

And continuous treason, while you are their sea.

وَالناسُ أَجناسٌ كَما قَد مُثِّلوا

وَالناسُ أَجناسٌ كَما قَد مُثِّلوا

وَفيهُمُ الخَيرُ وَأَنتَ خَيرُهُم

وَفيهُمُ الخَيرُ وَأَنتَ خَيرُهُم

People are of various kinds, as they have been portrayed;

And people are races, as they are portrayed,

there is goodness among them, and you are the best of them,

Among them is good, and you are their good.

حاشا أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ إِنَّهُ

حاشا أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ إِنَّهُ

خَليفَةُ اللَهِ وَأَنتَ صِهرُهُم

خَليفَةُ اللَهِ وَأَنتَ صِهرُهُم

save the Commander of the Faithful, for he is

Far from it! O Commander of the Faithful! He is

God's caliph, and you are their kinsman by marriage.

The Caliph of Allah and you are their in-law.

فَأَحسَنوا التَدبيرَ لَمّا ناصَحوا

فَأَحسَنوا التَدبيرَ لَمّا ناصَحوا

وَأَمَّنوا العَتبَ فَطالَ نُصحُهُم

وَأَمَّنوا العَتبَ فَطالَ نُصحُهُم

So they planned well when they counseled sincerely,

So they managed well when they gave advice

and forestalled reproach; their sincere counsel lasted long.

And secured reproach, so their advice was long.

إِلَيكَ أَشكو صِبيَةً وَأُمَّهُم

إِلَيكَ أَشكو صِبيَةً وَأُمَّهُم

لا يَشبَعونَ وَأَبوهُم مِثلُهُم

لا يَشبَعونَ وَأَبوهُم مِثلُهُم

To you I complain of young children and their mother:

I complain to you of young children and their mother

they are never sated, and their father is like them.

Who are never satisfied, and their father is like them.

قَد أَكَلوا الوَحشَ فَلَم يُشبِعهُمُ

قَد أَكَلوا الوَحشَ فَلَم يُشبِعهُمُ

وَشَرِبوا الماء فَطالَ شُربُهُم

وَشَرِبوا الماء فَطالَ شُربُهُم

They have eaten wild game, yet it has not filled them,

They have eaten game but it did not satisfy them

and drunk water—their drinking has lasted long.

And drank water but their drinking was long.

وَاِمتَذَقوا المَذقَ فَيا دُنياهُمُ

وَاِمتَذَقوا المَذقَ فَيا دُنياهُمُ

وَالمَضغُ إِن نالوهُ فَهُوَ عُرسُهُم

وَالمَضغُ إِن نالوهُ فَهُوَ عُرسُهُم

And they have drunk diluted milk—oh, what a life is theirs!

They tasted taste, oh their life!

And something to chew, if they obtain it, is their wedding feast.

And if they got to chew, it would be their wedding.

لا يَعرِفونَ الخُبزَ إِلّا بِاِسمِهِ

لا يَعرِفونَ الخُبزَ إِلّا بِاِسمِهِ

وَالتَمرُ هَيهاتَ فَلَيسَ عِندَهُم

وَالتَمرُ هَيهاتَ فَلَيسَ عِندَهُم

They know bread only by its name;

They do not know bread but by its name

and dates are far beyond reach: they have none.

And dates! Never, they do not have any.

وَما رَأَوا فاكِهَةً في عيصَها

وَما رَأَوا فاكِهَةً في عيصَها

وَلا رَأَوها وَهِيَ تَهوي نَحوَهُم

وَلا رَأَوها وَهِيَ تَهوي نَحوَهُم

They have seen no fruit in its thicket,

They have not seen fruit hanging in its branches

nor have they seen it falling toward them.

Nor have they seen it falling towards them.

وَما لَهُم مِن كاسِبٍ عَلِمتَهُ

وَما لَهُم مِن كاسِبٍ عَلِمتَهُ

عَلى جَديدِ الأَرضِ غَيرُ جَحشِهِم

عَلى جَديدِ الأَرضِ غَيرُ جَحشِهِم

They have no breadwinner that I know of

They have no known earner

on the face of the earth except their donkey colt.

In the farmland except their calf.

وَجَحشُهُم قَد باتَ مَنهوبَ القِرى

وَجَحشُهُم قَد باتَ مَنهوبَ القِرى

وَمِثلُ أَعوادِ الشُكاعى كَلبُهُم

وَمِثلُ أَعوادِ الشُكاعى كَلبُهُم

Their donkey colt has spent the night deprived of feed,

And their calf has spent the night devastating towns

and their dog is like the stalks of the shuka'a plant.

And their dog is like tree stumps.

كَأَنَّني فيهِم وَإِن وَليتُهُم

كَأَنَّني فيهِم وَإِن وَليتُهُم

كانوا مَوالِيَّ وَكُنتُ عَبدَهُم

كانوا مَوالِيَّ وَكُنتُ عَبدَهُم

Among them, though I have charge of them, it is as if

It is as if I am one of them and if I gain them

they were my masters and I were their slave.

They would be my patrons and I their slave,

مُجتَهِداً بِالنَصرِ لا آلوهُمُ

مُجتَهِداً بِالنَصرِ لا آلوهُمُ

أَدعو لَهُم يا رَبُّ سَلِّم أَمرَهُم

أَدعو لَهُم يا رَبُّ سَلِّم أَمرَهُم

Striving to help them, I spare no effort for them.

Striving for victory, never betraying them,

I pray for them: Lord, safeguard their affairs.

I pray for them, O Lord, make their matter sound.

وَتارَةً أَقولُ مِمّا قَد أَرى

وَتارَةً أَقولُ مِمّا قَد أَرى

يا رَبُّ باعِدهُم وَباعِد دارَهُم

يا رَبُّ باعِدهُم وَباعِد دارَهُم

And sometimes I say, because of what I see:

And sometimes I say from what I see,

Lord, put them far away, and put their dwelling far away!

O Lord, distance them and their homes.

يَأوونَ بِاللَيلِ إِذا ما أُحرِجوا

يَأوونَ بِاللَيلِ إِذا ما أُحرِجوا

إِلى ذُرى اللُهَيمِ وَهيَ قِدرُهُم

إِلى ذُرى اللُهَيمِ وَهيَ قِدرُهُم

At night they take refuge whenever they are hard-pressed,

They take shelter at night when they are distressed

to the heights of al-Luhaym—their cooking pot.

To the cooking pots of ashes, and those are their pots.

بِها يَطوفونَ إِذا ما اِجرَنثَموا

بِها يَطوفونَ إِذا ما اِجرَنثَموا

وَهيَ أَبوهُم عِندَهُم وَأُمُّهُم

وَهيَ أَبوهُم عِندَهُم وَأُمُّهُم

Around it they circle whenever they huddle together;

Around it they wander when they squat

in their eyes, it is their father and their mother.

And it is to them their father and mother.

زُغبُ الرُؤوسِ قَرِعَت هاماتُهُم

زُغبُ الرُؤوسِ قَرِعَت هاماتُهُم

مِنَ البَلا وَاِستَكَّ مِنهُم سَمعُهُم

مِنَ البَلا وَاِستَكَّ مِنهُم سَمعُهُم

Downy-headed, their crowns have gone bald

The foreheads of the heads knocked together out of misery

from hardship, and they have lost their hearing.

And their hearing is muffled.

كَأَنَّهُم جَنابُ أَرضٍ مُجدِبٌ

كَأَنَّهُم جَنابُ أَرضٍ مُجدِبٌ

مَحلٌ فَلَو يُعطَونَ أَوجى سَهمُهُم

مَحلٌ فَلَو يُعطَونَ أَوجى سَهمُهُم

They are like a barren tract of land,

As if they are the progeny of barren land,

parched; even if given something, their share would fall short.

A place so if they are given arrows their arrowheads are blunt.

بَل لَو تَراهُم لَعَلِمتَ أَنَّهُم

بَل لَو تَراهُم لَعَلِمتَ أَنَّهُم

قَومٌ مَساغيبُ قَليلٌ نَومُهُم

قَومٌ مَساغيبُ قَليلٌ نَومُهُم

Rather, if you saw them, you would know they are

Rather, if you see them you would know they are

famished folk whose sleep is scant,

A people slight of sleep.

وَكَالسَعالى في مُسوكِها

وَكَالسَعالى في مُسوكِها

فَلَو يَعَضّونَ لَذَكّى سمّهُم

فَلَو يَعَضّونَ لَذَكّى سمّهُم

and like she-ghouls in their hides;

And like deadly snakes in their burrows

so, were they to bite, their venom would burn fiercely.

If they bite their poison would burn.

قَد جَرَّسوا الدَهرَ وَقَد بَلاهُمُ

قَد جَرَّسوا الدَهرَ وَقَد بَلاهُمُ

هذا وَهذا دَأبُهُ وَدَأبُهُم

هذا وَهذا دَأبُهُ وَدَأبُهُم

They have tested time, and it has worn them down.

They have challenged fate, and it has tested them,

Thus it is, and this is its wont and theirs.

This is its habit, and their habit.

وَلا يَعيشونَ بِعَيشٍ سابِغٍ

وَلا يَعيشونَ بِعَيشٍ سابِغٍ

وَلا يَموتونَ وَذاكَ قَصرُهُم

وَلا يَموتونَ وَذاكَ قَصرُهُم

Nor do they live a life of plenty,

They do not live a plentiful life,

nor do they die—that is their limit.

Nor do they die, and that is their shortage.

وَقَد رَجَونا يا اِبنَ سَهلٍ نائِلاً

وَقَد رَجَونا يا اِبنَ سَهلٍ نائِلاً

مِنكَ يَرُمُّ فَقرَهُم وَبُؤسَهُم

مِنكَ يَرُمُّ فَقرَهُم وَبُؤسَهُم

And we have hoped, O son of Sahl, for a gift

And we hoped, O son of Sahl, for gain

from you that will mend their poverty and misery.

From you that lessens their poverty and misery.

فَإِنَّما أَنتَ حَيا أَمثالِهِم

فَإِنَّما أَنتَ حَيا أَمثالِهِم

فَجُدلُهُم بِنائِلٍ لا تَنسَهَم

فَجُدلُهُم بِنائِلٍ لا تَنسَهَم

For you alone are life-giving rain to their like;

For you are the life of their like

so be generous to them with a gift; do not forget them.

So be generous with gain, do not neglect them

وَأَسدِ نُعماكَ إِلَيهِم وَاِتَّخِذ

وَأَسدِ نُعماكَ إِلَيهِم وَاِتَّخِذ

حَمداً وَشُكراً كُلَّ ذاكَ عِندَهُم

حَمداً وَشُكراً كُلَّ ذاكَ عِندَهُم

And bestow your bounty upon them, and earn

And give them your bounty and make

praise and thanks—all of that is found with them.

All that, praise and thanks, with them.

هذا وَأَنتَ قَد حُرِمتَ حَظَّهُم

هذا وَأَنتَ قَد حُرِمتَ حَظَّهُم

فَلا تَجودَنَّ لِخَلقٍ بَعدَهُم

فَلا تَجودَنَّ لِخَلقٍ بَعدَهُم

This, while you have been deprived of their share;

While you have been deprived of their fortune

so do not ever be generous to anyone after them.

So do not be generous after them to creation.