تَقولُ ابْنَةُ السَّعْدِيِّ وَهِيَ تَلومُني

تَقولُ ابْنَةُ السَّعْدِيِّ وَهِيَ تَلومُني

أَمَا لَكَ عَن دارِ الهَوانِ رَحيلُ

أَمَا لَكَ عَن دارِ الهَوانِ رَحيلُ

The daughter of al-Saʿdī says, as she reproaches me:

The daughter of Sa'di reproaches me, saying:

Will you not leave the abode of humiliation?

Will you not depart from the abode of disgrace?

فَإِنَّ عَناءَ المُسْتَنيمِ إِلى الأذى

فَإِنَّ عَناءَ المُسْتَنيمِ إِلى الأذى

بِحيْثُ يَذِلُّ الأكْرَمونَ طَويلُ

بِحيْثُ يَذِلُّ الأكْرَمونَ طَويلُ

For the suffering of one who submits to harm

For the pain of begging is long and humiliating,

Where the noblest are humbled is prolonged.

Where the noblest men are degraded.

وَما في الوَرى إِلَّا لَكَ البَدْرُ والِدٌ

وَما في الوَرى إِلَّا لَكَ البَدْرُ والِدٌ

وَلا لِسواكَ النَّيِّراتُ قَبيلُ

وَلا لِسواكَ النَّيِّراتُ قَبيلُ

And among humankind, you alone have the full moon for a father;

None but you owns the full moon and the planets,

Nor are the celestial lights a clan for anyone else.

And none but you has a tribe so valiant.

وَعِنْدَكَ مَحْبوكُ السَّراةِ مُطهَّمٌ

وَعِنْدَكَ مَحْبوكُ السَّراةِ مُطهَّمٌ

وَفي الكَفِّ مَطْرورُ الشَّباةِ صَقيلُ

وَفي الكَفِّ مَطْرورُ الشَّباةِ صَقيلُ

And you have a well-formed steed, with a firmly knit back,

You have a sharp sword and armor brightly polished,

And in your palm, a polished sword with a sharpened edge.

So stand and face either death or your desire!

فَثِبْ وَثْبَةً فَيها المَنايَا أَوِ المُنى

فَثِبْ وَثْبَةً فَيها المَنايَا أَوِ المُنى

فكلُّ مُحِبٍّ لِلْحَياةِ ذَليلُ

فكلُّ مُحِبٍّ لِلْحَياةِ ذَليلُ

Then make a leap that holds either death or your desires;

For every lover of life is disgraced,

For every lover of life is abject.

And if you cannot bear it, take shelter with Ibn Hurrah,

وَإِنْ لَمْ تُطِقْها فَاعْتَصِمْ بِابْنِ حُرَّةٍ

وَإِنْ لَمْ تُطِقْها فَاعْتَصِمْ بِابْنِ حُرَّةٍ

لِهِمَّتِهِ فَوْقَ السِّماكِ مَقيلُ

لِهِمَّتِهِ فَوْقَ السِّماكِ مَقيلُ

And if you cannot manage it, seek refuge with a freeborn woman's son,

Whose ambition soars over the clouds,

Whose ambition has its noonday resting place above al-Simāk.

Who helps the shrouded and squeezes water from stone

يَعينُ على الجُلَّى وَيُسْتَمْطَرُ الندى

يَعينُ على الجُلَّى وَيُسْتَمْطَرُ الندى

عَلى سَاعَةٍ فيها النَّوالُ قَليلُ

عَلى سَاعَةٍ فيها النَّوالُ قَليلُ

He helps in grave calamity and is entreated for showers of bounty,

In an hour when provisions are scarce.

At an hour when gifts are scant.

For death is better for a man than begging,

فَلَلْمَوْتُ خَيْرٌ لِلْفَتى مِنْ ضَراعَةٍ

فَلَلْمَوْتُ خَيْرٌ لِلْفَتى مِنْ ضَراعَةٍ

تَرُدُّ إِلَيْهِ الطَّرْفَ وَهْوَ كَلِيلُ

تَرُدُّ إِلَيْهِ الطَّرْفَ وَهْوَ كَلِيلُ

For death is surely better for a young man than abjection

Which makes him lower his gaze, weak and wretched.

That sends his gaze back to him, dulled.

Did you not know that chastity is my nature,

وَما عَلِمتْ أَنَّ العَفافَ سَجيَّتي

وَما عَلِمتْ أَنَّ العَفافَ سَجيَّتي

وَصَبْري على رَيْبِ الزَّمانِ جَميلُ

وَصَبْري على رَيْبِ الزَّمانِ جَميلُ

Yet she did not know that honorable restraint is my nature,

And that I have patience for the injustice of Time?

And my patience with time's vicissitudes is graceful.

I refused to indulge my ambitions,

أَبَى لِيَ أَنْ أَغْشَى المَطامِعَ مَنْصِبي

أَبَى لِيَ أَنْ أَغْشَى المَطامِعَ مَنْصِبي

وَرَبٌّ بِأَرْزاقِ العِبادِ كَفيلُ

وَرَبٌّ بِأَرْزاقِ العِبادِ كَفيلُ

My noble standing forbids me to stoop to covetous pursuits,

For God provides sufficiently for His servants.

As does a Lord who guarantees His servants' sustenance.