Poems
- أأحور عن قصدي وقد برح الخفاShall I turn back from my purpose, now that concealment has lifted,
- أتيتك راجيا يا ذا الجلالI have come to You in hope, O Possessor of Majesty.
- أحمامة البيدا أطلت بكاكO dove of the desert, you have prolonged your weeping.
- ألا حي العقاب وقاطنيهCome, salute al-ʿUqāb and those who dwell there,
- ألا خبر بمنتزح النواحيIs there some knowledgeable soul in the farthest reaches,
- ألا قل لصنهاجة أجمعينListen: tell all the Sanhaja,
- السوط أبلغ من قال ومن قيلThe lash speaks more eloquently than any speaker or speech,
- الشيب نبه ذا النهى فتنبهاGray hair awakened the man of understanding, and he took heed;
- ألفت العقاب حذار العقابI have grown familiar with the eagle for fear of punishment.
- إن أولي العلم بما في الفتنThose versed in the trials and their ways
- أي خطيئاتي أبكي دماFor which of my sins shall I weep blood?
- أيا قوس خراط يشير ولا يرميO woodturner’s bow, you point but never shoot;
- أيا وزيرا لم يزل آخذاO minister, who has never ceased to take hold
- أين الملوك وأين ما جمعوا وماWhere are the kings, and where is all they amassed, and all
- بصرت بشيبة وخطت نصيليA gray hair opened my eyes as it streaked my forelock;
- تغازلني المنية من قريبDeath woos me from close at hand,
- تفت فؤادك الأيام فتاThe days grind your heart to pieces,
- تمر لداتي واحدا بعد واحدMy peers pass away, one after another,
- رفعتم على قاضيكم فخفضتمYou brought charges against your judge—and brought yourselves low.
- عج بالمطي على اليباب الغامرTurn the riding camels toward the uninhabited waste,
- فإن الردى غال أهل التقىFor death has carried off the people of piety,
- قالوا ألا تستجد بيتاThey said, “Will you not build yourself a new house
- قد بلغت الستين ويحك فاعلمYou have reached sixty—alas for you—so know
- كأني بنفسي وهي في السكراتI seem to see myself in death’s agonies,
- كل امرئ فيما يدين يدانEvery person, as he deals with others, shall be dealt with.
- كم آمن للمنون لاهHow many a man, thinking himself safe from death, heedless
- لا قوة لي يا ربي فأنتصرI have no strength, my Lord, by which I might prevail,
- لبرزت في ميدان كل بطالةIndeed, I excelled in the arena of every idleness,
- لو كنت في ديني من الأبطالIf I were among the heroes in my faith,
- ما أميل النفس إلى الباطلHow prone the soul is to falsehood,
- ما عناء الكبير بالحسناءWhy should an old man trouble himself with a beauty,
- ما عيدك الفخم إلا يوم يغفر لكYou have understanding only on the day you are forgiven,
- من ليس بالباكي ولا المتباكيWhoever neither weeps nor tries to weep
- منا توج الملك إلا بابن سلمانAmong us, kingship was crowned only through Ibn Salman,
- وذي غنى أوهمته همتهAnd a wealthy man was deluded by his ambition
- ويل لأهل النار في النارWoe to the people of the Fire, there in the Fire—
- يا أيها المغتر باللهO you who are deluded about God,
- يضيع مفروض ويغفل واجبAn ordained duty is neglected, and an obligation ignored.
No poems found.