أتعرف رسم الدار من أم معبد — عدي بن زيد

أَتَعرِفُ رَسمَ الدَّارِ مِن أُم مَعبِدِ

نَعَم فَرَمَاكَ الشَّوقُ بَعدَ التَّجَلُّدِ

Do you recognize the traces of Umm Maʿbad's dwelling?

Yes; longing struck you after your self-restraint.

ظَلَلتُ بها أُسقَى الغَرامَ كأَنَّما

سَقَتني النَّدامي شَربَةً لَم تُصَرَّدِ

I stayed there, made to drink passion, as though

my drinking companions had given me an unstinted draught.

فَيَا لَكَ مِن شَوقٍ وَطائِفِ عَبرَةٍ

كَسَت جَيبَ سِربالي إلَى غَير مُسعدِ

Ah, what longing is yours, and what a surge of tears

that drenched my tunic's neckline, with none to share my grief!

وعاذِلَةٍ هَبَّت بِلَيلٍ تَلُومُني

فَلمَّا غَلَت في اللَّومِ قُلتُ لَها اقصِدي

A reproaching woman rose by night to blame me;

when she went too far in blame, I told her: Be moderate.

أَعاذلُ إنَّ اللَّوَم في غَيرِ كُنهِهِ

عَلَيَّ ثِنىً مِن غَيِّكِ الُمَتَردِّدِ

O reproacher, blame outside its proper bounds

is a double burden upon me, born of your recurring error.

أَعاذِلُ قَد أَطنَبتِ غيرَ مُصيبَةٍ

فإِن كُنتِ في غَيٍّ فَنفسَكِ فارشدي

O reproacher, you have spoken at length without being right;

if you are astray, then guide your own self.

أَعاذِلُ إِنَّ الَجهلَ مِن ذِلَّةٍ الفَتَى

وإنَّ الَمنايا للرجالِ بِمَرصَد

O reproacher, ignorance is part of a young man's abasement,

and death lies in wait for men.

أَعاذِلُ ما أَدنَى الرَّشادَ مِنَ الفَتَى

وأَبعَدَهُ مِنهُ إذا لَم يُسَدَّدِ

O reproacher, how near right guidance is to a young man,

and how far from him when he is not guided aright!

أَعاذِلُ مَن تُكتَب لَهُ النَّارُ يَلقَها

كِفَاحاً ومَن يُكتَب لَهُ الفَوزُ يَسعَدِ

O reproacher, whoever has the Fire decreed for him will meet it

face to face; whoever has success decreed for him will prosper.

أَعاذِلُ قَد لاَقَيتُ ما يَزَرعُ الفَتَى

وطابَقتُ في الحجلَين مَشيَ الُمقيَّد

O reproacher, I have encountered what a young man sows,

and in two ankle-rings have matched the gait of a fettered man.

أَعاذِلُ ما يُدرِيكَ إلاَّ تَظَنُّناً

إلىَ ساعةٍ في اليَومِ أو في ضُحَى الغَدِ

O reproacher, what can you know except by conjecture,

of an hour today, or in tomorrow's forenoon?

ذَريني فمَا لي ما تَقدَّمَ مِن رَدىً

وَما أشتَهي منهُ ومَا خَفَّ عُوَّدي

Leave me: the death that has gone before is not mine,

nor do I desire it, nor have my sickbed visitors grown few.

وحُمَّت لِميقَاتٍ إلَيَّ مَنيَّتي

وغُودِرتُ إن وُسِّدتُ أو لَم أُوَسَّدِ

My death has been decreed for an appointed time,

and I shall be left behind, whether given a pillow or not.

فِللوارِثِ الباقي مِنَ المالِ فاترُكي

عِتابي فإِنيِّ مُصِلحٌ غيرُ مُفسِدِ

What remains of the wealth is the heir's, so cease

reproaching me: I put things right, not spoil them.

أَعاذِلُ مَن لا يُصِلحِ النَّفسَ خالياً

عَنِ الَحيِّ لا يَرشُد لِقَولِ الُمفَنِّدِ

O reproacher, whoever does not set his soul right alone,

apart from his people, will not be guided by a censurer's words.

كَفَى زاجِراً لِلمَرءِ أَيَّامُ دَهرِه

تَروحُ لَهُ بالواعِظاتِ وتَغتَدي

The days of a man's lifetime are admonition enough,

bringing him warnings, evening and morning.

بُليتُ وأَبلَيتُ الرِّجالَ وأَصبَحَت

سِنُونَ طِوالٌ قَد أَنَت دُونَ مَولِدي

I have been tried and have tried men; now there are

long years that have come between me and my birth.

فَما أَنَا بِدعٌ مشن أُناٍ حَوادِثِ

رِجالٌ أَتَت مِن بَعدِ بُؤسَى بأَسعُدِ

So I am no exception among people beset by changing fortunes [text uncertain]—

men to whom happier fortunes came after hardship.

فَنفسَكَ فاحفَظها مِنَ الغَيِّ والخَنَى

مَتَى تُغوِها يَغوَ الَّذي بِكَ يَقتَدي

Guard your own soul against error and foul speech;

whenever you lead it astray, whoever follows you goes astray.

وإن كانَتِ النَّعماءُ عِندكَ لاِمرِئٍ

فَمِثلاً بها فاجزِ الُمطالِبَ وَازدَدِ

If a man's favor rests with you,

repay the claimant in kind, and add more.

إذا أَنتَ لَم تَنفَع بوِكِّدَ أَهلَهُ

ولَم تُنكِ بالبُؤسَى عَدُؤَّكَ فابعِدِ

If you do not help those entitled to your goodwill [word uncertain],

and do not harm your enemy with adversity, then be gone.

إذا مَا امرؤٌ لَم يَرجُ مِنكَ هَوادَةً

فلا تَرجُها منهُ ولا حِفظَ مَشهَدِ

If a man expects no leniency from you,

expect none from him, nor respect for your presence.

إذا أَنتَ فاكَهتَ الرِّجالَ فلا تَلَع

وقُل مِثلَما قالُوا ولا تَتَزَنَّدِ

If you banter with men, do not be over-eager;

say as they say, and do not lose your temper.

إذا أَنتَ طالَبتَ الرِّجالَ نَوالَهُم

فَعِفَّ ولا تَأتي بِجَهدٍ فتُنكَدِ

If you ask men for their gifts,

be restrained; do not press hard, lest you be rebuffed.

وإيَّاكَ مِن فَرطِ المزاحِ فإِنَّهُ

جَديرٌ بَتسفيه الحَليمِ الُمسَدَّدِ

Beware excessive joking, for it

is apt to make a rightly guided, forbearing man act foolishly.

سَتُدرِكُ مِن ذي الفُحشِ حَقَّكَ كلَّهُ

بِحِلمكَ في رفِقٍ ولَماَّ تَشَدَّدِ

You will gain all your due from a foul-mouthed man

through your forbearance and gentleness, without becoming harsh.

وَسَائِسِ أَمرٍ لَم يَسُسهُ أَبٌ لَهُ

ورائِمِ أَسبابِ الذَّي لَم يُعَوَّدِ

And many a manager of an affair his father never managed,

and a seeker of means to what he has never been accustomed to,

ووارِثِ مَجدٍ لَم يَنَلهُ وماجِدٍ

أَصَابَ بِمَجدٍ طارفٍ غَيرِ مُتلَدِ

and an heir to glory he never won, and a noble man

who attained newly won glory, not inherited,

وَراجي أُمورٍ جَمَّةٍ لَن يَنالَها

سَتُشِعبُه عَنها شَعوبٌ لِمُلحَدِ

and one hoping for many things he will never attain—

Death, the Divider, will part him from them for a grave.

ولا تُقصِرن عَن سِعيِ ما قَد وَرِثتَهُ

ومَا اسطَعت مِن خَيرٍ لَنفسِكَ فازدَدِ

Do not slacken in striving for what you have inherited;

acquire whatever further good you can for yourself.

وَعَدِّ سِواهُ القُولَ واعَلم بأَنَّهُ

مَتَى ما يُبِن في اليَومِ يَصرمِكَ في غَدِ

Count all else as mere talk, and know that it,

whenever it appears today, will forsake you tomorrow.

عَنِ الَمرءِ لا تَسأَل وسَل عَن قَرينِه

فكُلُّ قَرينٍ بالُمقارَنِ يَقتَدي

Ask not about a man; ask about his companion,

for every companion follows the one he accompanies.

فإِن كانَ ذا شَرٍّ فَجَانِبهُ سُرعَةً

وإن كانَ ذا خَيرٍ فقارِنهُ تَهتَدي

If he is evil, shun him quickly;

if he is good, keep his company, and you will be guided aright.

وظُلمُ ذَوي القُربَى أَشَدُ مَضاََةً

على الَمرءِ مِن وَقعِ الُحسَامِ الُمهَنَّدِ

Injustice from one's kin cuts more deeply

into a man than the stroke of an Indian-steel sword.

إذا ما رأَيتَ الشَّرَّ يَبعَثُ أَهلَهُ

وقامَ جُناهُ الشَّرَّ للشَّرَّ فاقعُدِ

If you see evil rousing its people,

and evil's perpetrators rising for evil, then stay seated.

إذا كنتَ في قَومٍ فَصَاحِب خَيارَهُم

ولا تَصحَبِ الأَردَى فَترَدى مَعَ الرَّدي

When you are among a people, befriend their best,

not their worst, lest you perish with the worthless.

وبالعَدلِ فانطِق إن نَطَقتَ ولا تَلُم

وذا الذَّمِّ فاذمُمهُ وذا الَحمدِ فاحمَدِ

Speak with justice when you speak, and do not blame;

censure the blameworthy, and praise the praiseworthy.

ولا تُلحِ إلاَّ مَن أَلاَمَ ولا تَلُم

وبالبَذلِ مِن شَكَوى صَديقِكَ فامدُدِ

Reproach none but one who deserves it, and do not blame;

ease your friend's complaint through generous giving.

عَسَى سائلٌ في حاجَةٍ إن مَنَعتَهُ

مِنَ اليَومِ سُؤلاً أَن يَسُوءَكَ في غَدِ

A petitioner in need may, if you deny him

his request today, bring you grief tomorrow.

ولِلخَلقِ إذلالٌ لِمَن كانَ باخِلاً

ضَنيناً ومَن يَبخَل يُذَلَّ ويُزهَدِ

People bring humiliation to whoever is miserly,

tightfisted; whoever is stingy is humbled and shunned.

وأَبدَت ليَ الأَيَّامُ والدَّهرُ أَنَّهُ

فَأَرَّختُ مَن لا يُصلح الأَمَر يُفسِدِ

The days and time have shown me that—

and I have recorded it—whoever fails to mend a matter spoils it.

ولاَقَيتُ لَذَّاتِ الفَتَى وأَصابَني

قَوارِعُ مَن يَصبِر عَلَيها يُخَلَّدِ

I have known a young man's pleasures, and have been struck by

calamities—whoever endures them is immortalized.

إذا مَا تَكَرَّهتَ الَخليقَةَ لاِمرِئٍ

فلا تَغشَها واجلِد سِواها بِمَجَلدِ

If you dislike a man's character,

do not practice it; ply your whip elsewhere.

ومَن لَم يَكُن ذا ناصِرٍ عِندَ حَقِّه

يُغَلَّب عَلَيهِ ذُو النَّصيرِ ويُضهَدِ

Whoever has no supporter when claiming his right

is overcome by the man with backing, and oppressed.

وفي كَثرَةِ الأَيدي عَنِ الظُّلمِ زاجِرٌ

إذا حَضَرَت أَيدي الرِّجالِ بِمَشهَدِ

Many hands provide a check against injustice

when men's hands are present at a gathering.

وَللأَمرُ ذو الَميسُورِ خَيرٌ مَغَبَّةً

مِنَ الأَمرِ ذي الَمعسُورَةِ الُمَتَردِّدِ

An easy undertaking has, indeed, a better outcome

than a difficult undertaking beset by hesitation.

سَأَكسِبُ مَجداً أو تَقُومَ قِيَامَتي

عَلَيَّ بِليلٍ نادبِاتي وعُوَّدي

I shall win glory, or my final hour shall arise,

with my lamenting women and visitors over me by night.

يَنُجنَ عَلَى مَيتٍ ويُعلِنَّ رَنَّةً

تُؤَرِّقُ عَينَي كُلِّ باكٍ ومُسعَدِ

They wail over a dead man and raise a keening cry

that robs every weeper and fellow mourner's eyes of sleep.