حِجىً لِحِمى البَطالَةِ مُستَبيحُ

حِجىً لِحِمى البَطالَةِ مُستَبيحُ

وَقَدرٌ لِلمَكارِمِ مُستَميحُ

وَقَدرٌ لِلمَكارِمِ مُستَميحُ

An intellect that breaches the preserve of idleness,

A refuge for the vice of idleness to revel in,

And a stature that seeks the bounty of noble deeds.

And a measure for virtues to aspire to.

فَلا قَلبٌ قَريحٌ قَلَّبَتهُ

فَلا قَلبٌ قَريحٌ قَلَّبَتهُ

نَوىً قَذَفٌ وَلا جَفنٌ قَريحُ

نَوىً قَذَفٌ وَلا جَفنٌ قَريحُ

So no wounded heart, tossed about

So no inspired heart stirred,

By far-flung separation, nor a sore eyelid,

By a purpose cast, nor wakeful eyelid stirred.

وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ شَطَطٌ وَهَمٌّ

وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ شَطَطٌ وَهَمٌّ

بِهِ في المَجدِ يَغدو أَو يَروحُ

بِهِ في المَجدِ يَغدو أَو يَروحُ

But far-reaching ambition, and a concern

But an ambition gone astray and a delusion

With which he goes out at dawn or returns at dusk in pursuit of glory.

With which in glory, he sets out at dawn or returns at eve.

سَأَعتِبُ عُتبَةً بِمُقَفَّياتٍ

سَأَعتِبُ عُتبَةً بِمُقَفَّياتٍ

سَواءٌ هُنَّ وَالصابُ الجَديحُ

سَواءٌ هُنَّ وَالصابُ الجَديحُ

I shall reproach ʿUtbah with rhymed verses,

I shall blame a white threshold with rhymed prose,

They are as bitter as stirred spurge sap.

Alike if they or the fresh north wind be stirred.

تَبيتُ سَوائِراً وَتَظَلُّ تُتلى

تَبيتُ سَوائِراً وَتَظَلُّ تُتلى

قَصائِدُها كَما تُتلى الفُتوحُ

قَصائِدُها كَما تُتلى الفُتوحُ

They circulate by night, and by day are recited—

They pass the night chanting, and remain to be recited,

Their odes, as conquests are recounted.

Their poems, even as tales of conquest are recited.

بَنو عَبدِ الكَريمِ نُجومُ عِزٍّ

بَنو عَبدِ الكَريمِ نُجومُ عِزٍّ

تُرى في طَيِّئٍ أَبَداً تَلوحُ

تُرى في طَيِّئٍ أَبَداً تَلوحُ

The sons of ʿAbd al-Karīm are stars of honor,

The clan of Abdelkarim, stars of glory

Seen forever shining among Ṭayyiʾ.

Which in Tai are seen for ever to hover.

فَلا حَسَبٌ صَحيحٌ أَنتَ فيهِ

فَلا حَسَبٌ صَحيحٌ أَنتَ فيهِ

فَتُكثِرَهُم وَلا عَقلٌ صَحيحُ

فَتُكثِرَهُم وَلا عَقلٌ صَحيحُ

So you belong to no true noble lineage

So no sound lineage you in which

That would let you swell their ranks, nor have you a sound mind.

You multiply them, nor sense sound.

إِذا كانَ الهِجاءُ لَهُم ثَواباً

إِذا كانَ الهِجاءُ لَهُم ثَواباً

فَأَخبِرني لِمَن خُلِقَ المَديحُ

فَأَخبِرني لِمَن خُلِقَ المَديحُ

If satire is their reward,

If satire of them is reward,

Then tell me: for whom was praise created?

Then tell me for whom was praise created.

أَتُبغِضُ جَوهَرَ العَرَبِ المُصَفّى

أَتُبغِضُ جَوهَرَ العَرَبِ المُصَفّى

وَلَم يُبغِضهُمُ مَولىً صَريحُ

وَلَم يُبغِضهُمُ مَولىً صَريحُ

Do you hate the refined essence of the Arabs,

Shall I hate the essence of Arabs refined

When no genuine client has ever hated them?

When no sincere patron hated them.

وَمالَكَ حيلَةٌ فيهِم فَتُجدي

وَمالَكَ حيلَةٌ فيهِم فَتُجدي

عَلَيكَ بَلى تَموتُ فَتَستَريحُ

عَلَيكَ بَلى تَموتُ فَتَستَريحُ

And you have no stratagem against them that will benefit

And you have no stratagem against them of use.

You—oh yes: you can die and find relief.

Indeed you shall die and be at peace!