كذلك يَشقى الجامحُ المتعسِّفُ

كذلك يَشقى الجامحُ المتعسِّفُ

ويركبُ متن الظُّلمِ مَن ليس يُنصِفُ

ويركبُ متن الظُّلمِ مَن ليس يُنصِفُ

Thus the headstrong, unjust man comes to grief,

Thus the tyrant suffers, so unjust and rash,

And he who shows no fairness rides the back of injustice.

And rides the back of darkness, lacking grace.

يَموتُ بِسُوءِ الرأيِ مَن ساءَ خُلقه

يَموتُ بِسُوءِ الرأيِ مَن ساءَ خُلقه

وللمرءِ ذِي التقوى عن الغَيِّ مَصْرَفُ

وللمرءِ ذِي التقوى عن الغَيِّ مَصْرَفُ

He whose character is corrupt dies through poor judgment,

By evil counsel perishes the one of awful traits,

And the God-fearing man has a way to turn from error.

Yet for the virtuous, from sin protection comes.

أضاعَ الزبيرُ الأمرَ والأمرُ مُقبِلٌ

أضاعَ الزبيرُ الأمرَ والأمرُ مُقبِلٌ

وآثر حَدَّ السَّيْفِ والسَّيفُ يَصدُفُ

وآثر حَدَّ السَّيْفِ والسَّيفُ يَصدُفُ

Zubayr squandered his chance as things turned in his favor,

Al-Zubayr lost all, though fortune was nigh,

And chose the sword's edge while the sword turned aside.

Choosing the sword’s sharp edge, which slices and thrusts.

سَعَى ثابتٌ يَجزِيه سالِفَ صُنعِه

سَعَى ثابتٌ يَجزِيه سالِفَ صُنعِه

لَدَى مُحسنٍ يُسدِي الجميلَ ويَعطفُ

لَدَى مُحسنٍ يُسدِي الجميلَ ويَعطفُ

Thabit strove to repay him for his former kindness,

Thabit strove, reward for past deeds to gain,

Before a benefactor who bestows kindness and shows compassion.

From a gracious patron who gives and is kind.

فقال رَسولَ اللهِ جئتُكَ شافعاً

فقال رَسولَ اللهِ جئتُكَ شافعاً

لشيخٍ دعاني ضارعاً يتلهّفُ

لشيخٍ دعاني ضارعاً يتلهّفُ

He said, “Messenger of God, I have come to you as an intercessor

“I come to you,” he said, “Messenger of God,

For an old man who called to me, pleading and lamenting.

As advocate for a sheikh imploring aid.”

حباني دمي يوم البعاث وفكَّني

حباني دمي يوم البعاث وفكَّني

وتلك يد بيضاء للشيخِ تُعرفُ

وتلك يد بيضاء للشيخِ تُعرفُ

He spared my blood on the day of Bu'ath and set me free,

“He favored me when called on Resurrection Day

And that white hand of kindness is acknowledged to the old man's credit.

That hand I know as blessed for the sheikh it was.”

فَهَبْهُ رسولَ اللهِ لي إنّني به

فَهَبْهُ رسولَ اللهِ لي إنّني به

على ما ترى من شأنهِ لَمُكَلَّفُ

على ما ترى من شأنهِ لَمُكَلَّفُ

So grant him to me, Messenger of God; for toward him I,

God’s Messenger granted it to me, for as you see,

Despite what you see of his condition, feel a deep attachment.”

I owe the sheikh, and wish to pay my debt.”

فقال فعلنا ثم عادَ شَفِيعُه

فقال فعلنا ثم عادَ شَفِيعُه

يُبَشِّرُه بالعفوِ والشيخُ يَرجُفُ

يُبَشِّرُه بالعفوِ والشيخُ يَرجُفُ

He said, “We have done so.” Then his intercessor returned,

Then the advocate returned with the good news-

Bringing him glad tidings of pardon, while the old man trembled.

Reprieve and pardon! And the sheikh shook with joy.

فَجدَّ له في المُحسنِ السَّمحِ مَطمعٌ

فَجدَّ له في المُحسنِ السَّمحِ مَطمعٌ

وقال حَياةٌ شرُّها ليس يُوصَفُ

وقال حَياةٌ شرُّها ليس يُوصَفُ

Then fresh hope in the generous benefactor arose in him,

In the generous patron hope he found anew,

And he said, “A life whose misery defies description!

And said, “A life whose pains are beyond words,

بنيَّ وأهلي ليس لي إن فقدتُهم

بنيَّ وأهلي ليس لي إن فقدتُهم

سِوى الموتِ إنّي عن حياتي لأعزِفُ

سِوى الموتِ إنّي عن حياتي لأعزِفُ

My sons and my family—if I lose them, nothing is left to me

Without my people, death’s the only resort,

But death; indeed, I turn away from my life.”

Of life I’ve had enough, it holds naught but fear.”

فلما تسنَّى الأمرُ قال لثابتٍ

فلما تسنَّى الأمرُ قال لثابتٍ

أنَبقى بلا مالٍ فَنَشقَى ونتلَفُ

أنَبقى بلا مالٍ فَنَشقَى ونتلَفُ

When this was made possible, he said to Thabit,

When the chance came, to Thabit he confessed,

“Shall we remain without wealth, to suffer and perish?”

“Without money we shall suffer and decay.”

وجادَ رسولُ اللهِ بالمالِ رحمةً

وجادَ رسولُ اللهِ بالمالِ رحمةً

وبِرّاً فراحَ الشيخُ يهذِي ويَهرفُ

وبِرّاً فراحَ الشيخُ يهذِي ويَهرفُ

And the Messenger of God bestowed the wealth in mercy,

God’s Messenger gave money out of mercy

And kindness; then the old man began to rave and babble,

And righteousness. And the sheikh in delight sang out,

يسائل عن كعبٍ وساداتِ قومِهِ

يسائل عن كعبٍ وساداتِ قومِهِ

ويُطرِي سجاياهم فيغلو ويُسرِفُ

ويُطرِي سجاياهم فيغلو ويُسرِفُ

Asking after Ka'b and the leaders of his people,

Asking of Ka'b and the chieftains of his folk,

And extolling their virtues, exaggerating and exceeding all bounds.

Exulting in their glory to excess.

توجَّعَ لمّا قِيلَ ذاقوا حِمامَهم

توجَّعَ لمّا قِيلَ ذاقوا حِمامَهم

وقال أُريدُ الموتَ فالعيشُ أخوفُ

وقال أُريدُ الموتَ فالعيشُ أخوفُ

He grieved when told, “They have tasted their doom,”

He moaned when told they met their bitter end,

And said, “I want death, for life is more fearsome.

And said, “I wish for death, living brings but dread.”

خُذِ السَّيفَ واضرب يا ابن قيسٍ فإنّهم

خُذِ السَّيفَ واضرب يا ابن قيسٍ فإنّهم

هم الصحبُ مالي بعدهم مُتَخلَّفُ

هم الصحبُ مالي بعدهم مُتَخلَّفُ

Take the sword and strike, O son of Qays; for they

“Take up the sword, O Ibn Qays, and strike them down,

Are my companions; there is no staying behind for me after them.

My only friends are gone, none left behind.”

كفى حزناً يا صاحبي أن تَضُمّني

كفى حزناً يا صاحبي أن تَضُمّني

ديارٌ بهم كانت تُحَبُّ وتُؤلَفُ

ديارٌ بهم كانت تُحَبُّ وتُؤلَفُ

It is grief enough, my friend, that I should be enfolded

“Enough of sorrow, my friend, that homelands remain

By homes once loved and frequented because of them.

Where once was love and friendship made life sweet.”

أرِحْنِي أرحني يا ابنَ قيسٍ بضربةٍ

أرِحْنِي أرحني يا ابنَ قيسٍ بضربةٍ

تبيتُ لها نفسي تَرِفُّ وتَنطِفُ

تبيتُ لها نفسي تَرِفُّ وتَنطِفُ

Give me rest, give me rest, O son of Qays, with a stroke

“Free me, free me, Ibn Qays, with one quick blow,

For which my soul flutters and drips through the night.

Let my soul rush out flowing and pulsing.”

تَزوّدتُ من نَأْيِ الأحبّةِ غُلّةً

تَزوّدتُ من نَأْيِ الأحبّةِ غُلّةً

فهل أنت للصّادي المعذّبِ مُسْعِفُ

فهل أنت للصّادي المعذّبِ مُسْعِفُ

I have taken burning thirst as provision from my loved ones' absence;

“I have gained from the loss of loved ones agony untold,

Will you, then, aid the tormented, thirsty one?”

Will you not aid this tortured, broken soul?”

فقال معاذَ اللَّهِ لستُ بفاعلٍ

فقال معاذَ اللَّهِ لستُ بفاعلٍ

ومِثْلِيَ يأبَى ما تُريدُ ويأنَفُ

ومِثْلِيَ يأبَى ما تُريدُ ويأنَفُ

Then he said, “God forbid! I will not do it;

“God forbid,” he replied, “I'll do no such thing,

And one such as I refuses what you want and disdains it.”

One like me refuses what you propose.”

وجاءَ به يلقى الزُّبيرَ على أسىً

وجاءَ به يلقى الزُّبيرَ على أسىً

يُغالِبُه والموتُ بالشَّيخِ يَهتفُ

يُغالِبُه والموتُ بالشَّيخِ يَهتفُ

And he brought him to meet Zubayr, amid sorrow

To Zubayr he took him in his misery,

That wrestled with him, while death called to the old man.

Grief overwhelming him, the sheikh nearing death.

وقال اسْقهِ رِيِّ الغليلِ مِنَ الردَى

وقال اسْقهِ رِيِّ الغليلِ مِنَ الردَى

فطاحَ به ماضي الغِرَارَيْنِ مُرهفُ

فطاحَ به ماضي الغِرَارَيْنِ مُرهفُ

And he said, “Give him a drink of death to quench his burning thirst.”

“Give him the draught against the fires of woe,”

Then a finely honed blade, keen on both edges, felled him.

And the noble elder fell, his light dimmed out.

فيا لكَ من رأيٍ سفيهٍ ومركبٍ

فيا لكَ من رأيٍ سفيهٍ ومركبٍ

كريهٍ وخطبٍ فادحٍ ليسَ يُكشَفُ

كريهٍ وخطبٍ فادحٍ ليسَ يُكشَفُ

Oh, what foolish judgment, and what a mount—

What foolish, awful counsel you did share,

A loathsome one—and a crushing calamity that cannot be lifted!

A hateful plot, so patent and corrupt!

قَضَى ثابتٌ حَقَّ المروءَةِ وافياً

قَضَى ثابتٌ حَقَّ المروءَةِ وافياً

وبَرَّ رسولُ اللَّهِ والبِرُّ مجحفُ

وبَرَّ رسولُ اللَّهِ والبِرُّ مجحفُ

Thabit fulfilled his duty of honor in full,

Thabit fulfilled the honorable course, fair and true,

And the Messenger of God showed kindness, though kindness exacted a heavy cost.

God's Messenger showed righteousness, though difficult.

ولكنّ شيخَ السُّوءِ أهلكَ نَفْسَهُ

ولكنّ شيخَ السُّوءِ أهلكَ نَفْسَهُ

وذُو الجهلِ يُرمَى من يَدَيْهِ ويُقْذَفُ

وذُو الجهلِ يُرمَى من يَدَيْهِ ويُقْذَفُ

But the wicked old man destroyed himself,

Yet that wicked sheikh destroyed himself,

And the ignorant man is flung and hurled by his own hands.

The ignorant cast out, rejected with scorn.