من عذل العقرب في لسعها — أبو زيد الفازازي

من عَذَل العقربَ في لسعها

كلَّفها ما ليس في وسعها

Whoever reproaches the scorpion for her sting

demands of her what lies beyond her power.

فاقبض عن الدّنيا يداً طالما

أجمعت العزم على جمعها

So draw your hand back from the world—you have long

set your resolve on gathering her in.

فربّما غرَّك من لينها

ما قيَّد الأنمل عن نزعها

For perhaps, through her softness, you were beguiled by

what bound your fingertips, keeping your hand from pulling free.

فَوَعدُها داعٍ إلى خلفِهَا

وَوَصلُهَا عاد إلى قطعها

For her promise leads to its breaking,

and union with her returns to separation.

كم حُمَّة في شهدها كمنت

فاستعمل الحيلة في جرعها

How much venom lay hidden in her honey!

So use cunning when swallowing it.

غَفِلتَ عن حتفك في أصلها

بزهرة غَرَّتكَ في فرعها

You were heedless of your doom at her root,

because a blossom on her branch beguiled you.

حِذرَكَ منها إنها خلة

فاسدة بالطَّبع في وضعها

Beware of her: she is a companion

corrupt by nature in her makeup.

فَقُبحُهَا أظهرُ من حسنها

وضُرُّهَا أكثر من نفعها

For her ugliness is more apparent than her beauty,

and her harm is greater than her benefit.