شهدت بإخلاصي عذول قرائحي

شهدت بإخلاصي عذول قرائحي

وبها قضت لكم قضاة نصائحي

وبها قضت لكم قضاة نصائحي

The reprover of my poetic gifts testified to my sincerity,

I have sincerely witnessed my pure inspirations,

And through them, the judges of my counsels ruled in your favor.

And with them I have made judgments and given you advice.

وإِذا الفؤاد أَسر وُدَّ محالم

وإِذا الفؤاد أَسر وُدَّ محالم

كان اللسان عليه أَصدق نائح

كان اللسان عليه أَصدق نائح

And when the heart conceals love for a forbearing friend,

And when the heart is captivated and inclined towards talks,

The tongue becomes its truest lamenter.

Then the tongue upon it is the most truthful lamenter.

وَإِذا طلبى عَلى الفؤاد شهادة

وَإِذا طلبى عَلى الفؤاد شهادة

فاشهد فؤادك فهو أَخلص ناصح

فاشهد فؤادك فهو أَخلص ناصح

And if I request testimony concerning the heart,

And if my request upon the heart is a testimony,

Call your heart as witness: it is the sincerest counselor.

Then, O heart, testify, for it is the most sincere advisor.

والوجه للحالين فيه أَدلة

والوجه للحالين فيه أَدلة

عن أَصغريه لمخلص أَو كاشح

عن أَصغريه لمخلص أَو كاشح

And the face bears evidence of both states,

And the face, for both conditions, in it are signs

From the two smaller organs—heart and tongue—of sincere friend or hidden foe.

Of the smaller of the two - a sincere one or a deceitful one.

يا نازحاً بالدار عني إِن لي

يا نازحاً بالدار عني إِن لي

قلباً وطرفاً عنك غير النازح

قلباً وطرفاً عنك غير النازح

O you whose dwelling is far from me, I have

O one departing from the house away from me, indeed I have

A heart and an eye that are not far from you.

A heart and glances that do not depart from you.

إِن نمت تنظرك العيون مطارحاً

إِن نمت تنظرك العيون مطارحاً

أَو قمت ينظرك الفؤاد مصافحي

أَو قمت ينظرك الفؤاد مصافحي

If I sleep, my eyes behold you exchanging verse;

If I sleep, eyes keep watching over you,

Or if I rise, my heart sees you clasping my hand.

Or if I stand up, the heart greets you.

شيئان إن قربت وإِن بعدت بكم

شيئان إن قربت وإِن بعدت بكم

دار فأنتم ملمح للوامح

دار فأنتم ملمح للوامح

These two—whether near or far

Two things - if you come near or go far with them

Your dwelling lies—you remain the object of their gaze.

They are the features of the beautiful one.

فأَنا الَّذي لا خنت عهداً لا وَلا

فأَنا الَّذي لا خنت عهداً لا وَلا

أَضمرت وعداً أَو خدعت مناصحي

أَضمرت وعداً أَو خدعت مناصحي

For I have never betrayed a pledge—no, nor

So I am the one who did not betray a pact, no,

Concealed a promise or deceived my counselor.

Nor plotted a promise or deceived my advisor.

متذكر الحُسنى ولو من مفسد

متذكر الحُسنى ولو من مفسد

بالمن حُسناه وغير مقابح

بالمن حُسناه وغير مقابح

I remember kindness, even from one who spoils

Remembering the good things even from a corrupt one

His kindness with reminders of his favors; I do not return abuse.

With thanks - he who did good and not ugly things.

وإِذا أَلفت غير مباين

وإِذا أَلفت غير مباين

وإِذا صرمت صرمت غير مجانح

وإِذا صرمت صرمت غير مجانح

When I befriend, I do not estrange myself;

And if I befriend, I befriend without disloyalty,

And when I sever ties, I sever them without wavering.

And if I become angry, I become angry without fleeing.

وإِذا نصحت نصحت غير مخامر

وإِذا نصحت نصحت غير مخامر

وَإِذا ابتليت كسرت روق الناطح

وَإِذا ابتليت كسرت روق الناطح

And when I counsel, I counsel without treachery;

And if I advise, I advise without deception,

And when tested, I break the horn of the one who butts.

And if I am tested, I break the neck of the stubborn one.

اهدي لدهمان الفصيح نصائحي

اهدي لدهمان الفصيح نصائحي

ولآل نبهان الملوك مدائحي

ولآل نبهان الملوك مدائحي

I offer my counsels to eloquent Dahman,

I direct my eloquent advice to Duhman

And my praises to the kings of the house of Nabhan.

And my praises of kings to the house of Nabhan.

فرجايَ فيه يكون عين الصالح

فرجايَ فيه يكون عين الصالح

وبهم رجايَ أَنال غاي مصالح

وبهم رجايَ أَنال غاي مصالح

My hope in him is that he becomes goodness itself,

So my hope in it will be the eye of righteousness,

And through them I hope to attain the utmost benefit.

And through them I hope to attain the ultimate of interests.

ولقد أَتى منك الكتاب فكان لي

ولقد أَتى منك الكتاب فكان لي

سؤل المراد وكان قال السائح

سؤل المراد وكان قال السائح

Your letter did indeed arrive, and for me it was

And your letter has certainly come to me, so it was for me

My desired wish and the wanderer's utterance.

A request of purpose and was an eloquent speaker.

رمحت بوارده الهموم ولم تزل

رمحت بوارده الهموم ولم تزل

هممي به فوق السماك الرامح

هممي به فوق السماك الرامح

With its arrival I speared away my cares, and still

I have lanced with its news the worries, and my aspirations with it

My ambitions through it soar above al-Simak the Spear-Bearer.

Have not ceased to be above the towering heights.

سعد السعود طلوعه بطلوعه

سعد السعود طلوعه بطلوعه

وعلى سوايَ طلوع سعد الذابح

وعلى سوايَ طلوع سعد الذابح

Sa'd al-Su'ud rises with its rising,

Saad's rising was felicitous in its rising,

But for others, it brings the rising of Sa'd al-Dhabih.

And similar to the rising of Saad the slaughterer.

سعرت سموم دبوره غير وإِن

سعرت سموم دبوره غير وإِن

أَهدى لنا منه نسيم البارح

أَهدى لنا منه نسيم البارح

The scorching blasts of its west wind set others ablaze, though

The poisons of its setting flared up, even though

It sent us a breeze of the hot summer wind.

It brought for us from it a breeze of last night.

متضمناً سيل الخطية لو جرى

متضمناً سيل الخطية لو جرى

فوق الصرادح كُنَّ غير صرادح

فوق الصرادح كُنَّ غير صرادح

Containing a torrent of sin that, if it flowed

Containing a flood of sins, if it flowed

Over bare heights, would leave them bare heights no longer.

Above the plains, they would be nothing but plains.

عودت منه وفي سواي فقد جرى

عودت منه وفي سواي فقد جرى

جريَ الدماء بكل عرق سارح

جريَ الدماء بكل عرق سارح

I am accustomed to this from it; in others it has flowed

I have returned from it, and in my wake blood has flowed

Like blood through every branching vein.

Through every departing vein.

حتّامَ أَنتَ على نحيرة أَجذع

حتّامَ أَنتَ على نحيرة أَجذع

والآن سِنُّك سن فحل قارح

والآن سِنُّك سن فحل قارح

How long will you remain a young beast at the slaughter,

You are determined upon a bare hill,

When your age is now that of a full-grown stallion?

And now your age is the age of a strong stud.

صارت جميع العالمين سقيمة

صارت جميع العالمين سقيمة

من وقع مخلبك الحديد القادح

من وقع مخلبك الحديد القادح

All people have fallen ill

All the worlds have become sick

From the blows of your sharp, spark-striking claw.

From the strike of your iron hoof.

ريع البريء من السقيم كأنه

ريع البريء من السقيم كأنه

فرس تريع اذنها للصائح

فرس تريع اذنها للصائح

The healthy man is alarmed by the sick, as though he were

The scream of the innocent one is like the scream

A horse whose ear starts at a shout.

Of a mare whose ear is shouted to by the shouter.

دهمان بئس معيشة محلوبة

دهمان بئس معيشة محلوبة

بقوارص تشوي الوجوه لوافح

بقوارص تشوي الوجوه لوافح

Dahman, wretched is a livelihood milked

Duhman, evil is a life of being robbed

Through biting, scorching words that roast faces.

By elves that burn the faces of those asleep.

الرزق من يد رازق يأتي وَلا

الرزق من يد رازق يأتي وَلا

مستجلب رزقاً بكدح الكادح

مستجلب رزقاً بكدح الكادح

Provision comes from a provider's hand, and no

Sustenance from the hand of the Sustainer comes, and not

Seeker can summon provision through a laborer's toil.

A sustenance fetched through the toil of the toiler.

لا تطلبن رزقاً بهجوٌ إِنما ال

لا تطلبن رزقاً بهجوٌ إِنما ال

أَرزاق تدرك بالقضاء الفاتح

أَرزاق تدرك بالقضاء الفاتح

Do not seek provision through satire; it is only

Do not seek sustenance anxiously, indeed only

Through the opening decree that provisions are attained.

Sustenances are attained through fate the opener.

كم مانح دلوا لينقع غلة

كم مانح دلوا لينقع غلة

أَخطا فانقع غير غل المانح

أَخطا فانقع غير غل المانح

How many a giver offered a bucket to quench a thirst,

How many a granter tipped a bucket to draw water,

Yet missed, quenching a thirst other than the giver's.

Then missed so the water spilled was not his.

ولرُبّ مجتهد بقدح زناده

ولرُبّ مجتهد بقدح زناده

كان الضواء لغير ذاكَ القادح

كان الضواء لغير ذاكَ القادح

And many a man strove to strike his firestick,

And how many a diligent one with the flint of his tinder,

Yet the light belonged to someone other than that striker.

The light was for other than the lighter of it.

هوِّن عليك فَأَنتَ حر مبتلي

هوِّن عليك فَأَنتَ حر مبتلي

بسمائح تأتيك غير سوامح

بسمائح تأتيك غير سوامح

Take it easy: you are a free man afflicted

Be easy on yourself, for you are a free man being tested

By gifts that do not come freely.

With arrows that come to you, not your own arrows.

كالبائع الأخرى وشارٍ هذه الد

كالبائع الأخرى وشارٍ هذه الد

دُنيا الدنية فهو غير الرابح

دُنيا الدنية فهو غير الرابح

Like one who sells the hereafter and buys this

Like the seller of others, while a buyer is this

Lowly world, he is not the winner.

Base, base world, so he is not the gainer.

اقنع تجل وَإن طمعت تقل أَو

اقنع تجل وَإن طمعت تقل أَو

تخضع تذل ولا تكن بالشاجع

تخضع تذل ولا تكن بالشاجع

Be content and you will be esteemed; if you covet, you diminish; or

Be content, you will be revered, and if you are greedy, you will belittle,

Submit, and you are abased; do not be ravenously greedy.

Or be humble, you will be humiliated, and do not be with the arrogant.

جاور بني نبهان واحلم شيمة

جاور بني نبهان واحلم شيمة

عن هجو كل مخامر ومواتح

عن هجو كل مخامر ومواتح

Dwell beside the sons of Nabhan, and make forbearance your habit,

Live as a neighbor of Bani Nabhan and dream of the character

Refraining from satirizing every schemer and rival water-drawer.

Of shunning all deception and evil plotting.

فندى بني نبهان مغن ساتر

فندى بني نبهان مغن ساتر

عن فضل غيرهم بهجو فاضح

عن فضل غيرهم بهجو فاضح

For the sons of Nabhan's bounty enriches and shields you

So the people of Bani Nabhan have aided someone covering up

From needing others' favors through shaming satire.

The superiority of others through abusive exposure.

إِني أَخاف هجاك في هذا الوَرى

إِني أَخاف هجاك في هذا الوَرى

منه يبلهمُ طشاش المانح

منه يبلهمُ طشاش المانح

I fear that your satire among these people

I fear your abuse in this abode

Will wet them with the giver's spray.

From which disasters strike the grantor.

نصحي أَتاك بقدر ودي والثَنا

نصحي أَتاك بقدر ودي والثَنا

مني عليك بكل غاد رايح

مني عليك بكل غاد رايح

My counsel has reached you in proportion to my love, and praise

My advice has come to you with kindness and affection

From me is yours with every traveler at morn and eve.

From me upon you with every returning emotion.

وتحية كالروض باكره الحيا

وتحية كالروض باكره الحيا

متأرجا بشذى العرار النافح

متأرجا بشذى العرار النافح

And a greeting like a meadow visited early by rain,

And greetings like a garden in the early morning

Fragrant with the wafting scent of arar.

Fragrant with the scent of the blossoming plants.

واجعل جوابي منك أَنك لا تكن

واجعل جوابي منك أَنك لا تكن

أَملاً ثمود في اجابة صالح

أَملاً ثمود في اجابة صالح

And let your reply to me be that you will not be

And make your response to me that you will not be

Like Thamud's chiefs in answering Salih.

A hope for Thamud in response to Saleh.

واذكر مناسبة الاخاء فإنها

واذكر مناسبة الاخاء فإنها

لهي اللجام على الغرام الجامح

لهي اللجام على الغرام الجامح

And remember the bond of brotherhood, for it

And remember the suitability of brotherhood, for it

Is indeed the bridle upon runaway passion.

Is the rein upon passionate love.

فإِذا قبلت نصيحتي فاعمل بها

فإِذا قبلت نصيحتي فاعمل بها

تلقَ النجاح وإِن كرهت فسامح

تلقَ النجاح وإِن كرهت فسامح

So if you accept my counsel, then act on it;

So if you accept my advice, then act accordingly,

You will find success; if you dislike it, then forgive.

You will attain success even if you dislike it, so forgive.

إِني زرعت وإِن سعدت فحاصد

إِني زرعت وإِن سعدت فحاصد

وإِذا تجحَّفُ فهو حظ الناصح

وإِذا تجحَّفُ فهو حظ الناصح

I have sown; if you prosper, you are the reaper,

I have planted, and if it thrives, then I will harvest,

And if you deal harshly, that is the counselor's lot.

But if it withers, then that is the fortune of an advisor.

ما كل منتجح تراه موفقاً

ما كل منتجح تراه موفقاً

وموفق لا تلقه بالناجح

وموفق لا تلقه بالناجح

Not everyone you see achieving his aims is rightly guided,

Not everyone you see succeeding is successful,

And one rightly guided you may not find successful.

Nor is a successful one you meet a winner.