ألَم يَأنِ أن تَجفُو الصِّبَا وتَحَلَّمَا

ألَم يَأنِ أن تَجفُو الصِّبَا وتَحَلَّمَا

وتَأنَفُ عَن صَهبَا لَمَى رَبَّةِ اللَّمَى

وتَأنَفُ عَن صَهبَا لَمَى رَبَّةِ اللَّمَى

Has the time not come to forsake youthful folly and grow forbearing,

Has not the time come for impetuous youth to grow calm and mature,

And disdain the tawny wine of Lamā, the dusky-lipped lady,

And disdain the wildness of youth, that overbearing mistress,

وَتَستَرجِعَ النَّفسَ اللَّجُوجَ عَنِ الهَوَى

وَتَستَرجِعَ النَّفسَ اللَّجُوجَ عَنِ الهَوَى

وتَقصُرَ عَمَّا كُنتَ فِيهِ وتَندَمَا

وتَقصُرَ عَمَّا كُنتَ فِيهِ وتَندَمَا

And draw your obstinate soul back from desire,

And for the restless soul to renounce passionate desires,

And desist from what you pursued, and repent,

And regret how carried away it once was, and repent,

وَتخمُدَ نَارَ الغَىِّ بعد إتِّقَادِها

وَتخمُدَ نَارَ الغَىِّ بعد إتِّقَادِها

وتُحضِىءَ نَارَ الرُّشدِ أن تَتَضَرَّمَا

وتُحضِىءَ نَارَ الرُّشدِ أن تَتَضَرَّمَا

And quench the fire of error after its blazing,

And for the fire of vice to die down after having flared up,

And stoke the fire of right guidance until it flares,

And for the fire of righteousness to blaze though it was covered in ashes,

وتُمسِكَ دَمعَ العَينِ عَن جَرَيَانِه

وتُمسِكَ دَمعَ العَينِ عَن جَرَيَانِه

على النَّحرِ إِن حَبلَ الخَلِيطِ تَصًرُّمَا

على النَّحرِ إِن حَبلَ الخَلِيطِ تَصًرُّمَا

And hold back the eye's tears from flowing

And for the eye to hold back its tears from flowing

Upon the breast, if the bond with your companions is severed,

Down the throat though the rope of destiny frays,

وتَعلَمَ أن الدَّهرَ ذَلِكَ دَأبُهُ

وتَعلَمَ أن الدَّهرَ ذَلِكَ دَأبُهُ

يُفَرِّقُ مَجمُوعاً وَينقُضُ مَبرَمَا

يُفَرِّقُ مَجمُوعاً وَينقُضُ مَبرَمَا

And know that this is Time's constant way:

And to know that is how fate always acts:

It scatters what is gathered and unravels what is firmly bound,

It separates those joined and voids the concluded,

وَيرفَعُ مَخفَوضاً وَيَخفِضُ تَارةً

وَيرفَعُ مَخفَوضاً وَيَخفِضُ تَارةً

عَلِيَّاً عَزِيزَ القَدرِ أسبَقَ أكرَمَا

عَلِيَّاً عَزِيزَ القَدرِ أسبَقَ أكرَمَا

And raises the lowly, and sometimes brings low

And exalts the lowered and lowers the exalted,

The lofty, esteemed, foremost, and noble?

Making the eminent once of high rank the most noble.

جهلتَ أُموراً لَم يَلِق بِكَ جَهلُهَا

جهلتَ أُموراً لَم يَلِق بِكَ جَهلُهَا

تَعلَّم شِفَا الأُمىِّ أن يَتَعَلَّمَا

تَعلَّم شِفَا الأُمىِّ أن يَتَعَلَّمَا

You have been ignorant of matters it ill became you not to know.

You were ignorant of matters whose ignorance did not touch you,

Learn: the cure for the unlettered is to learn.

So learn the cure for ignorance is to seek to learn.

لَحَا اللهُ دَاءَ الجَهلِ لاَبُرءَ يُرتَجَى

لَحَا اللهُ دَاءَ الجَهلِ لاَبُرءَ يُرتَجَى

لأربَابِهِ فَأحذرهُ أينَ تَيَمَّمَا

لأربَابِهِ فَأحذرهُ أينَ تَيَمَّمَا

May God curse the disease of ignorance; no cure is hoped for

God has made the disease of ignorance incurable

For its sufferers, so beware of it wherever it turns.

For those who have it, so beware wherever you step!

هُو الجَهلُ يَأبَى المُحتَسِى مَرخدِيَّهُ

هُو الجَهلُ يَأبَى المُحتَسِى مَرخدِيَّهُ

إِذَا سُمتَهُ التَّقوِيمَ أن يَتَقَوَّمَا

إِذَا سُمتَهُ التَّقوِيمَ أن يَتَقَوَّمَا

It is ignorance: whoever drinks its liquor refuses,

It is ignorance that refuses the sleeper his couch

When you bid him be set right, to straighten himself.

When proper timing demands he rise and stand straight.

فَيُعمِى ويُصمِى بِالعَمَايَةِ رَبَّهُ

فَيُعمِى ويُصمِى بِالعَمَايَةِ رَبَّهُ

فَمَا تَنجَلِى عَنهُ العَمَايَةُ والعَمَى

فَمَا تَنجَلِى عَنهُ العَمَايَةُ والعَمَى

Thus it blinds and strikes down its possessor through delusion,

So it blinds and deafens, with delusion from the Lord,

And neither delusion nor blindness lifts from him.

And neither delusion nor blindness clears from it.

أيَا سَائِلاً عني ابنُ مَن وَمَن أينَما

أيَا سَائِلاً عني ابنُ مَن وَمَن أينَما

أتَيتُ تَرَفَّق بي فَلَستُ مُذَمَّمًا

أتَيتُ تَرَفَّق بي فَلَستُ مُذَمَّمًا

O you who ask about me, 'Whose son, and who is he?' wherever

O you who ask about me, child of whom and whose, wherever

I go, treat me gently, for I am not blameworthy.

You come, show me kindness—I am not to be blamed.

فَإني عِصَامِىُّ المَحَامِدِ والذي

فَإني عِصَامِىُّ المَحَامِدِ والذي

نَغِبتُ مِن أمِّى لٍى لَهَا كَانَ سُلَّمَا

نَغِبتُ مِن أمِّى لٍى لَهَا كَانَ سُلَّمَا

For my praiseworthy deeds are self-made, and what

I am al-ʿIsāmī, of praised lineage, he who

I drank from my own mother was a ladder for her.

Turned from his mother's religion, hers being the submissive faith.

سَقَى اللهُ قَبراً قَد تَضَمَّنَهَا حَياً

سَقَى اللهُ قَبراً قَد تَضَمَّنَهَا حَياً

مِن الرَّوحِ والرَّيحَانِ أبلَقَ أسحمَا

مِن الرَّوحِ والرَّيحَانِ أبلَقَ أسحمَا

May God water the grave that holds her with rain,

May God water a grave that contained, alive,

Of solace and sweet basil, from a white-streaked, jet-black cloud.

A spirit and sweet herb, pure and goodly.

وإنّ ابنُ يَومِى لاَ إبنُ أمسَى فَمَن أتَى

وإنّ ابنُ يَومِى لاَ إبنُ أمسَى فَمَن أتَى

فِنَائِىَ أُلفي فِيهِ عِرضاً مُسَلَّمَا

فِنَائِىَ أُلفي فِيهِ عِرضاً مُسَلَّمَا

I am the son of my day, not of my yesterday; whoever comes

The son of my day is no son of my past. Let whoever

To my courtyard finds there an unblemished honor,

Comes to my abode find in it a gift of safety.

وأُلفي فَتًى لاَ يستَكِينُ لِنَكبَةٍِ

وأُلفي فَتًى لاَ يستَكِينُ لِنَكبَةٍِ

غَزيرَ نَدىً ضَحَّاكَ سِنٍّ مُفَخَّمَا

غَزيرَ نَدىً ضَحَّاكَ سِنٍّ مُفَخَّمَا

And finds a youth who does not bow to misfortune,

You will find in me a youth who refuses

Lavish in generosity, ever smiling, and esteemed.

To cower before misfortune, fresh, smiling, full-bearded,

يُبُوِّئُ لِلأضيَافِ أرحَبَ مَنزِلٍ

يُبُوِّئُ لِلأضيَافِ أرحَبَ مَنزِلٍ

ويُكرِمُهُم مُستَبشِراً مُتَنَعِمَّا

ويُكرِمُهُم مُستَبشِراً مُتَنَعِمَّا

He lodges his guests in the roomiest dwelling,

Who prepares the widest lodging for his guests

And honors them, joyful and at ease.

And honors them, joyfully and comfortably.

فَتًى عَلَكَت مِنهُ الحَوادِثُ مَاجِداً

فَتًى عَلَكَت مِنهُ الحَوادِثُ مَاجِداً

صَبُوراً إِذا مَا كانَ يَومُهُ أشأَمَا

صَبُوراً إِذا مَا كانَ يَومُهُ أشأَمَا

A noble youth whom calamities have chewed upon,

A youth whom tribulations have toughened, persevering

Patient whenever his day is ill-omened.

When his day is gloomy, though calamities seek to shake him

تَوَدُّ الدَّوَاهِى أن تُضَعضِعُهُ وَهَل

تَوَدُّ الدَّوَاهِى أن تُضَعضِعُهُ وَهَل

لِرِيحِ الصَّبَا أن تَستَخِفَّ يَلَملَمَا

لِرِيحِ الصَّبَا أن تَستَخِفَّ يَلَملَمَا

Calamities wish to shake him—but can

And the winds of fortune try to knock him down—but can

The east wind lift Yalamlam?

The breeze make a firmly-rooted tamarisk tremble?

تَعَلَّمَ مِن عِلمِ العَقَائِدِ مَا كفي

تَعَلَّمَ مِن عِلمِ العَقَائِدِ مَا كفي

فَكَانَ بِحَمدِ اللهِ لاَ شَكَّ مُسلِمَا

فَكَانَ بِحَمدِ اللهِ لاَ شَكَّ مُسلِمَا

He learned enough of the science of creed,

He learned of the science of doctrine what sufficed,

And so, praise be to God, was without doubt a Muslim.

So by God's praise, there is no doubt he is Muslim.

ومِمَّا سِوَاهُ عالمٌ فَرضَ عَينِهِ

ومِمَّا سِوَاهُ عالمٌ فَرضَ عَينِهِ

وَيرجُون لِمَا لَم يَعلَم أَن يَتَعَلَّمَا

وَيرجُون لِمَا لَم يَعلَم أَن يَتَعَلَّمَا

And in other fields he knows his personally binding duties,

And of other sciences he is learned, making them

And they hope he will learn what he does not know.

incumbent on himself, while hoping to learn what he does not know.

إِذَا كَان في النَّادِى يُبِينُ كَلاَمَه

إِذَا كَان في النَّادِى يُبِينُ كَلاَمَه

فَلَم يَكُ يَخشَى اللَّحنَ حَيثُ تَكُلَّمَا

فَلَم يَكُ يَخشَى اللَّحنَ حَيثُ تَكُلَّمَا

When he is in the assembly, he makes his speech clear,

When he speaks clearly in an assembly,

And never feared grammatical error wherever he spoke.

He has no fear of error wherever his speech rambles.

على أنَّهُ صَافي القَرِيحَةِ عِدُّهَا

على أنَّهُ صَافي القَرِيحَةِ عِدُّهَا

قَوَافِيهِ تَحكِى الشَّذرَ صِرفاً مُنَظَّمَا

قَوَافِيهِ تَحكِى الشَّذرَ صِرفاً مُنَظَّمَا

Moreover, his poetic gift is clear, its spring unfailing;

Though his talent is pure, he counts it

His rhymes resemble pure gold beads, strung in order.

As poetry, its rhymes telling of wisdom and order.

لَحَا اللهُ مَالاً مُقتَنىً لاِمتِنَاعِهِ

لَحَا اللهُ مَالاً مُقتَنىً لاِمتِنَاعِهِ

مِنَ الجَارِ حِينَ الغَيمُ في الأُفقِ خَيَّمَا

مِنَ الجَارِ حِينَ الغَيمُ في الأُفقِ خَيَّمَا

May God curse amassed wealth for being withheld

May God deny wealth acquired through refusal

From the neighbor when clouds camp upon the horizon,

To lend to a neighbor when gloom gathers on the horizon,

ومَضَّ القَرِيعَ المُقرَمَ الصِّرُّ وانتَحَى

ومَضَّ القَرِيعَ المُقرَمَ الصِّرُّ وانتَحَى

إِلَى الدِّفءِ قَبلَ الشَّولِ أكلَفَ عَيهَمَا

إِلَى الدِّفءِ قَبلَ الشَّولِ أكلَفَ عَيهَمَا

And bitter cold stings the prized breeding camel, who turns

And may God hurl it away in wrath, unsheathing swords,

Toward warmth before the dry she-camels—a dark-mottled giant.

And whetting spears and aiming arrows!

وبَارَكَ في مَالٍ إذَا الدَّهرُ فَرَّعَن

وبَارَكَ في مَالٍ إذَا الدَّهرُ فَرَّعَن

كَوَالِحَ عُصلٍ وأشمَأزَّ وصَمَّمَا

كَوَالِحَ عُصلٍ وأشمَأزَّ وصَمَّمَا

And bless wealth that, when Time bares

The lawless and the neighbor share it between them

Grimacing, crooked fangs, recoils, and presses on,

While the onlookers think it plunder divided up.

واقبَلَ غَضبَاناً وأنضَى صَوارِماً

واقبَلَ غَضبَاناً وأنضَى صَوارِماً

وأرهَفَ أرمَاحاً وفَوَّقَ أسهُمَا

وأرهَفَ أرمَاحاً وفَوَّقَ أسهُمَا

And advances in anger, drawing sharp swords,

As for me, I am the son of one who guards the rights

And sharpens spears and nocks arrows,

Of my sonship, and whoever guards them will find in me a loving son.

يُقَسِّمُهُ العَافُونَ والجَارُ بَينِهِم

يُقَسِّمُهُ العَافُونَ والجَارُ بَينِهِم

فَيَحسَبَهُ الرَّاءُونَ نَهباً مُقَسَّمَا

فَيَحسَبَهُ الرَّاءُونَ نَهباً مُقَسَّمَا

Beggars and the neighbor divide among themselves,

I am the son of one who hopes, when I am gone, for my quick

So that onlookers think it plunder shared out.

Return, and hopes I will succeed and prosper.

وإني ابنُ مَن يَرعَى حُقَوقَ بُنَوَّتِى

وإني ابنُ مَن يَرعَى حُقَوقَ بُنَوَّتِى

ومَن كَانَ يَرعَاهَا يَجِد مني أبنَمَا

ومَن كَانَ يَرعَاهَا يَجِد مني أبنَمَا

And I am the son of whoever respects the rights of my sonship;

He honors those I left in his dwellings

Whoever respects them finds a son in me.

Though they merit no such honor.

وِإني ابنُ مَن يَرجُو إِذَا غِبتُ أَوبَتِى

وِإني ابنُ مَن يَرجُو إِذَا غِبتُ أَوبَتِى

سَرِيعاً ويَرجُو أن أفُوزَ وأَغنَمَا

سَرِيعاً ويَرجُو أن أفُوزَ وأَغنَمَا

And I am the son of whoever, when I am absent, hopes for my return

So he wakes with no fear of captives or few guests

Soon, and hopes that I succeed and gain.

And treats them in all affairs with precedence.

ويُكرِمُ مَن خَلَّفتُ في جَنَبَاتِهِ

ويُكرِمُ مَن خَلَّفتُ في جَنَبَاتِهِ

وإِن لَم يَكُن أهلاً لِذَلَكَ تُكُرُّمَا

وإِن لَم يَكُن أهلاً لِذَلَكَ تُكُرُّمَا

And honors whoever I leave within his bounds,

And when I come to him, the cheer of his face appears,

Even if undeserving of it, out of generosity,

A suppressed smile in his returning of greetings.

فَيُصبِحَ لاَ يخشَى سَبَايَا ولاَقِلىً

فَيُصبِحَ لاَ يخشَى سَبَايَا ولاَقِلىً

ويَجعَلُهُ في كُلِّ أمرِ مُقَدَّمَا

ويَجعَلُهُ في كُلِّ أمرِ مُقَدَّمَا

So he need fear neither abuse nor hatred,

Such is my father, who deserves what

And gives him precedence in every matter.

A noble son owes, never to be blamed.

وإِن جِئتُهُ أبدَى طَلاَقَةَ وَجهِهِ

وإِن جِئتُهُ أبدَى طَلاَقَةَ وَجهِهِ

وخَالَسَ في رَدِّ السَّلاَمِ التَّبُسَمَا

وخَالَسَ في رَدِّ السَّلاَمِ التَّبُسَمَا

And if I come to him, he shows a cheerful face,

That is how he coddles me, or, better yet, I

And slips a smile into his answering greeting.

Honor whom I love that he be honored.

فَذاكَ أبي الذي استَحَقَّ عَلَىَّ مَا

فَذاكَ أبي الذي استَحَقَّ عَلَىَّ مَا

يَحِقُّ عَلَى إبنٍ فَاضِلٍ لَن يُلَوَّمَا

يَحِقُّ عَلَى إبنٍ فَاضِلٍ لَن يُلَوَّمَا

That is the father who has earned from me what

And I am no son of one who, however Fortune assails me,

Is owed by a worthy son who will not be blamed.

Is gladdened or enjoys comfort and chanting.

كَذَاكَ يُلفِيني أو أخيَرَ إِنني

كَذَاكَ يُلفِيني أو أخيَرَ إِنني

مُكَرِّمُ مَن أحبَبتُهُ أن يُكَّرَمَا

مُكَرِّمُ مَن أحبَبتُهُ أن يُكَّرَمَا

He will find me such, or better; indeed, I

Nor am I the son of one who hopes and expects my grief

Honor whoever I wish to see honored.

Whether I'm gone or here, so he can mourn.

ولَستُ إبنَ مَن مَهمَا دَهَتني مُلِمَّةٌ

ولَستُ إبنَ مَن مَهمَا دَهَتني مُلِمَّةٌ

تَطَرَّبَ واستَحلَى الهَنَا وتَرَنَّمَا

تَطَرَّبَ واستَحلَى الهَنَا وتَرَنَّمَا

And I am no son of one who, whenever a calamity befalls me,

Who would drive it away like a leper

Rejoices, relishes his ease, and sings.

Seeking refuge in a blessed place, so he endures.

ولَستُ إِبنَ مَن يَرجُو وَيَأمُلُ حَنَّتِى

ولَستُ إِبنَ مَن يَرجُو وَيَأمُلُ حَنَّتِى

ِإذَا مَا غِبتُ أو إِن لَم أغِب أن تَأيَّمَا

ِإذَا مَا غِبتُ أو إِن لَم أغِب أن تَأيَّمَا

And I am no son of one who hopes and wishes my wife,

And deny it my wealth and deny it his own—

Whether I am away or not, to be left husbandless,

No! Woe to the likes of that, woe indeed!

فَيَطرُدُهَا طردَ المُدَثَّرِ أجرَباً

فَيَطرُدُهَا طردَ المُدَثَّرِ أجرَباً

تَيَمَّمَ مَثوَى بَركِهِ فَتَجَشَّمَا

تَيَمَّمَ مَثوَى بَركِهِ فَتَجَشَّمَا

Then drives her off as a wealthy man drives a mangy camel

And insult it after me—did he not know

That sought his herd's resting-place and struggled to reach it,

That when I am insulted, I join in insulting?

وَيمنَعُهَا مَالِى وَيمنَعُ مَالَهُ

وَيمنَعُهَا مَالِى وَيمنَعُ مَالَهُ

ألاَ هَيمَا مِن مِثلِ ذَاكَ وَهَيمَا

ألاَ هَيمَا مِن مِثلِ ذَاكَ وَهَيمَا

And denies her my wealth and withholds his own.

And realize I am zealous in protecting

Ah, far from the likes of that—far away!

And know that I retaliate for even a blemish.

ويَشتُمُهَا بَعدِى أَلَم يَكُ عَالِماً

ويَشتُمُهَا بَعدِى أَلَم يَكُ عَالِماً

بِأني إِذَا شُوتِمتُ أُلفِيتُ أشتَمَا

بِأني إِذَا شُوتِمتُ أُلفِيتُ أشتَمَا

And insults her in my absence; does he not know

I silenced all the vituperative poets,

That when I am insulted, I prove more scathing?

So whoever dared revile went mute.

وأنَىَّ حَامٍ لِلدِّمَارِ ودَيدَنِي

وأنَىَّ حَامٍ لِلدِّمَارِ ودَيدَنِي

وَيعلَمُهُ أني أذُبُّ عَنِ الحِمَى

وَيعلَمُهُ أني أذُبُّ عَنِ الحِمَى

And that I defend those in my charge; my constant habit—

A prayer like the fragrance of flowers in the garden—

As he knows—is to defend the protected ground.

From the Creator of earth—upon the best of creation, in beginning and end.

حَمَيتُ ذِمَارَ الشَّقرَوِيِّينَ كُلِّهِم

حَمَيتُ ذِمَارَ الشَّقرَوِيِّينَ كُلِّهِم

فَأخرَستُ مَن بِالسَّبِّ رَامَ التَّكُلَّمَا

فَأخرَستُ مَن بِالسَّبِّ رَامَ التَّكُلَّمَا

I defended the honor of all the Shaqrawiyyin,

And silenced whoever sought to speak abuse.

صَلاَةٌ كَعَرفِ الرَّوضِ مِن خَالقِ الوَرَى

صَلاَةٌ كَعَرفِ الرَّوضِ مِن خَالقِ الوَرَى

عَلَى نُخبَةِ الأَكوَانِ بَدءاً ومَختَمَا

عَلَى نُخبَةِ الأَكوَانِ بَدءاً ومَختَمَا

A blessing, like the meadow's fragrance, from the Creator of humankind,

Upon the finest of all beings, at the outset and the close.