أغرى امرؤٌ يوماً غلاماً جاهلاً

أغرى امرؤٌ يوماً غلاماً جاهلاً

بنقوده حتى ينالَ به الوطرْ

بنقوده حتى ينالَ به الوطرْ

One day a man enticed an ignorant youth

A man once enticed an ignorant boy

With his money, to attain his desire through him.

With his money to get his mother's heart

قال: ائتني بفؤاد أمّكَ يا فتًى

قال: ائتني بفؤاد أمّكَ يا فتًى

ولكَ الجواهرُ واللآلئ والدُّرَر

ولكَ الجواهرُ واللآلئ والدُّرَر

He said: “Bring me your mother’s heart, young man,

He said: Bring me your mother's heart, my lad

And yours shall be jewels, pearls, and precious pearls.”

And you'll get gems, pearls and treasures

فمضى وأغمدَ خِنجراً في صدرها

فمضى وأغمدَ خِنجراً في صدرها

والقلبُ أخرجَه وعاد على الأثر

والقلبُ أخرجَه وعاد على الأثر

So he went and sheathed a dagger in her breast;

So he went and stabbed her in the chest

And he drew out the heart and returned at once.

And took out her heart and came right back

يا هولَ ما فعل الغلامُ كأنّهُ

يا هولَ ما فعل الغلامُ كأنّهُ

من دون قلبٍ أو له قلبٌ حَجَر

من دون قلبٍ أو له قلبٌ حَجَر

Oh, the horror of what the youth had done! It was as though he

Oh what a horror that the boy has done

Had no heart, or had a heart of stone.

As if he had no heart, or had a heart of stone

ولفرط سرعته هوى فتدحرج الْـ

ولفرط سرعته هوى فتدحرج الْـ

قلبُ المعنّى في التراب كما عثر

قلبُ المعنّى في التراب كما عثر

And in his great haste he fell, and down rolled the

And in his haste he stumbled and fell

Tormented heart into the dust as he stumbled.

The heart of meaning fell in the dirt and got soiled

ناداه ذاك القلبُ وهو مُعفَّرٌ

ناداه ذاك القلبُ وهو مُعفَّرٌ

ولدي حبيبي هل أصابكَ من ضرر

ولدي حبيبي هل أصابكَ من ضرر

That heart called to him, dust-covered as it was:

That heart called out to him, though soiled

“My son, my beloved, has any harm befallen you?”

My dear boy, have you come to any harm?

قد كان هذا الصوتُ رغمَ حُنوِّهِ

قد كان هذا الصوتُ رغمَ حُنوِّهِ

غضبَ السماءِ به على الولدِ انهمر

غضبَ السماءِ به على الولدِ انهمر

Indeed, this voice, despite its tenderness, was

Despite its affection, this voice

Heaven’s wrath, raining down through it upon the son.

Incited the heavens' wrath upon the boy, rain poured down

ورأى فظيعَ جنايةٍ لم يأتها

ورأى فظيعَ جنايةٍ لم يأتها

أحدٌ سواه منذ تاريخِ البشر

أحدٌ سواه منذ تاريخِ البشر

And he saw the horror of a crime never committed

And he saw the abhorrent crime, the likes of which

By anyone but himself since human history began.

No one but he had committed in human history

فارتدَّ نحو القلبِ يغسله بما

فارتدَّ نحو القلبِ يغسله بما

فاضت به عيناه من سيل العِبَر

فاضت به عيناه من سيل العِبَر

So he turned back toward the heart, washing it with what

So he turned back to the heart to wash it

His eyes poured forth in a torrent of tears.

With what overflowed from his eyes in tears

ويصيح مُرتعداً: أيا قلبُ انتقمْ

ويصيح مُرتعداً: أيا قلبُ انتقمْ

منّي فإنّ جريمتي لا تُغتفر

منّي فإنّ جريمتي لا تُغتفر

And he cries out, trembling: “O heart, take vengeance

And cried out trembling: Oh heart, take revenge

On me, for my crime cannot be forgiven.”

On me, for my crime is unforgivable

واستلَّ خنجرَه ليطعنَ قلبَهُ

واستلَّ خنجرَه ليطعنَ قلبَهُ

طعناً سيبقى عِبْرةً لمنِ اعتبر

طعناً سيبقى عِبْرةً لمنِ اعتبر

And he drew his dagger to stab his own heart,

And he unsheathed his dagger to stab his own heart

A thrust that would remain a lesson to whoever takes heed.

A stab that would remain a lesson for those who are admonished

ناداه قلبُ الأمِّ: كُفَّ يداً ولا

ناداه قلبُ الأمِّ: كُفَّ يداً ولا

تذبحْ فؤادي مَرّتين على الأثر

تذبحْ فؤادي مَرّتين على الأثر

The mother’s heart called to him: “Stay your hand, and do not

The mother's heart called out: Hold back your hand and do not

Slaughter my heart twice in quick succession.”

Slaughter my heart twice in a row