رَضيتُ مِنَ الأَحبابِ دونَ الَّذي يُرضي

رَضيتُ مِنَ الأَحبابِ دونَ الَّذي يُرضي

وَدايَنتُ مَن تُقضى الدُيونُ وَلا يَقضي

وَدايَنتُ مَن تُقضى الدُيونُ وَلا يَقضي

I accepted from loved ones less than what would satisfy,

I am satisfied with lovers lesser than the one who pleases me,

And lent to one who does not repay, though debts are repaid.

And I am indebted to those whom debts are paid but they do not pay.

وَقَد أَنهَرَت فِيَّ اللَيالي جِراحَها

وَقَد أَنهَرَت فِيَّ اللَيالي جِراحَها

مِراراً وَأَنضاني مِنَ الهَمِّ ما يُنضي

مِراراً وَأَنضاني مِنَ الهَمِّ ما يُنضي

And the nights have made their wounds gush within me,

The nights have bitterly wounded me over and over,

Again and again, and wasting sorrow has worn me down.

And have made me suffer unending sorrows.

طَوى الدَهرُ أَسبابَ الهَوى عَن جَوانِحي

طَوى الدَهرُ أَسبابَ الهَوى عَن جَوانِحي

وَحَلَّ الصِبا عَقدَ الرَحايلِ عَن نَقضي

وَحَلَّ الصِبا عَقدَ الرَحايلِ عَن نَقضي

Time has folded love's cords away from my breast,

The days have folded away the instruments of passion from my heart,

And youth has unknotted the saddles from my journey-worn mount.

And youth has untied the firm knots of determination from me.

وَلَم يَبقَ لي في الأَعيُنُ النُجلِ طَربَةٌ

وَلَم يَبقَ لي في الأَعيُنُ النُجلِ طَربَةٌ

وَلا أَرَبٌ عِندَ الشَبابِ الَّذي يَمضي

وَلا أَرَبٌ عِندَ الشَبابِ الَّذي يَمضي

And no delight remains for me in wide eyes,

For me, in the shining eyes there remains no more pleasure,

Nor any desire for the youth that passes away.

Nor any yearning in the passing days of youth.

ضَحى اليَومَ عَن ظِلِّ الشَبيبَةِ مَفرِقي

ضَحى اليَومَ عَن ظِلِّ الشَبيبَةِ مَفرِقي

وَأَبدَلَ مُسوَدَّ العِذارِ بِمُبيَضِّ

وَأَبدَلَ مُسوَدَّ العِذارِ بِمُبيَضِّ

Today my crown lies exposed beyond youth's shade,

Today the separation from the shade of my adolescence was evident,

And the black of my sideburns has been exchanged for white.

And it changed the blackness of my excuse to whiteness.

أَتاني وَمَمطولٌ مِنَ النَأيِ بَينَنا

أَتاني وَمَمطولٌ مِنَ النَأيِ بَينَنا

قَوارِصُ تَنبو بِالجُفونِ عَنِ الغُمضِ

قَوارِصُ تَنبو بِالجُفونِ عَنِ الغُمضِ

There reached me, while distance stretched between us,

There came to me, from the distance between us, glances

Biting words that keep the eyelids from closing.

That hint with their eyelids without complete closure.

وَمولىً وَرى قَلبي بِلَذعَةِ ميسَمٍ

وَمولىً وَرى قَلبي بِلَذعَةِ ميسَمٍ

مِنَ الكَلِمِ العَوراءِ مَضّاً عَلى مَضِّ

مِنَ الكَلِمِ العَوراءِ مَضّاً عَلى مَضِّ

And a kinsman seared my heart with a branding iron's sting,

And a friend who sees my heart wounded

Of ugly words—pain upon pain.

By his biting words, blow after blow.

فَعُذراً لِأَعدائي إِذا كانَ أَقرَبي

فَعُذراً لِأَعدائي إِذا كانَ أَقرَبي

يُشَذِبُّ مِن عودي وَيَعرُقُ مِن نَحضي

يُشَذِبُّ مِن عودي وَيَعرُقُ مِن نَحضي

Then let my enemies be excused, when my nearest kin

So I excuse my enemies if my own kin

Prunes my wood and strips away my flesh.

Cut from my branch and squeeze from my sap.

إِذا ما رَمى عِرضي القَريبُ بِسَهمِهِ

إِذا ما رَمى عِرضي القَريبُ بِسَهمِهِ

عَذَرتُ بَعيدَ القَومِ إِمّا رَمى عِرضي

عَذَرتُ بَعيدَ القَومِ إِمّا رَمى عِرضي

If my kinsman shoots his arrow at my honor,

When my relative shoots his arrow at my honor,

I excuse a distant man if he assails my honor.

I excuse the distant people even if they shoot at my honor.

أَلَم يَأتِهِ أَنّي تَفَرَّدتُ بَعدَهُ

أَلَم يَأتِهِ أَنّي تَفَرَّدتُ بَعدَهُ

رَوابِيَ لِلعَلياءِ جاشَ لَها نَهضي

رَوابِيَ لِلعَلياءِ جاشَ لَها نَهضي

Has he not heard that, after him, I alone attained

Does he not realize that after him

Heights of glory, my rising strength surging toward them?

I have set my aspirations only toward the exalted?

وَإِنّي جَعَلتُ الأَنفَ مِن كُلِّ حاسِدٍ

وَإِنّي جَعَلتُ الأَنفَ مِن كُلِّ حاسِدٍ

قِبالي وَخَدَّي كُلِّ مُضطَغِنٍ أَرضي

قِبالي وَخَدَّي كُلِّ مُضطَغِنٍ أَرضي

And that I made the nose of every envier

And I have made the nose of every envious person

My sandal-strap, and every spiteful man's two cheeks my ground?

My shoe, and the cheek of every angry person as my tread.

وَكَم مِن مَقامٍ دونَ مَجدِكَ قُمتُهُ

وَكَم مِن مَقامٍ دونَ مَجدِكَ قُمتُهُ

عَلى زَلَقٍ بَينَ النَوائِبِ أَو دَحضِ

عَلى زَلَقٍ بَينَ النَوائِبِ أَو دَحضِ

And how many a stand I took in defense of your glory,

And how many positions lower than your glory have I held

On slippery ground amid calamities, or treacherous footing.

While slipping between misfortunes or fleeing!

وَقارَعتُ مَن أَعياكَ قَبلَ قِراعِهِ

وَقارَعتُ مَن أَعياكَ قَبلَ قِراعِهِ

فَدامَجَني بَعدَ التَشاوُرِ وَالبُغضِ

فَدامَجَني بَعدَ التَشاوُرِ وَالبُغضِ

And I clashed with one who baffled you before you faced him,

And I have confronted those who were your enemies before their confrontation,

Then he made peace with me after consultation and hatred.

So he blamed me after the disagreement and hatred.

لَقَد أَمسَتِ الأَرحامُ مِنّا عَلى شَفاً

لَقَد أَمسَتِ الأَرحامُ مِنّا عَلى شَفاً

فَأَخلِق بِمُشفٍ لا يُعَلَّلُ أَن يَقضي

فَأَخلِق بِمُشفٍ لا يُعَلَّلُ أَن يَقضي

Indeed, our ties of kinship now stand on the brink;

Indeed, kinship between us has nearly dissolved,

So how likely one at death's door, left uncomforted, is to die!

So act with forbearance that cannot be faulted if it dissolves.

رَأَيتُ مَخيلاتِ العُقوقِ مَليحَةً

رَأَيتُ مَخيلاتِ العُقوقِ مَليحَةً

فَلا تَجعَلَن بَرقَ الأَذى صادِقَ الوَمضِ

فَلا تَجعَلَن بَرقَ الأَذى صادِقَ الوَمضِ

I saw the clouds of estrangement gleaming;

I have seen the imaginings of filial disobedience as beautiful,

So do not let harm's lightning make good on its flash.

So do not let the lightning of harm be truly flashing.

وَلا تُشمِتَن مَن وَدَّ لَو أَنَّنا مَعاً

وَلا تُشمِتَن مَن وَدَّ لَو أَنَّنا مَعاً

شَحيحانِ تُلطينا الجَنادِلُ بِالأَرضِ

شَحيحانِ تُلطينا الجَنادِلُ بِالأَرضِ

And do not give gloating joy to one who wished that we both were

And do not let those who love me gloat should we together

Two grudging men, pinned to the earth by boulders.

Be miserly, clad only in rough wool.

إِذا كُنتُ أُغضي وَالقَواذِعُ جَمَّةٌ

إِذا كُنتُ أُغضي وَالقَواذِعُ جَمَّةٌ

فَمِثلُكَ أَولى أَن يُرَمَّ وَأَن يُغضي

فَمِثلُكَ أَولى أَن يُرَمَّ وَأَن يُغضي

If I close my eyes while insults abound,

When I am forbearing while the arrows are numerous,

Then one like you has more cause to stay silent and close his eyes,

One like you is more fitting to be cast with arrows and be forbearing.

عَلى غُصَصٍ لَو كُنَّ في البَدرِ لَم يُنِر

عَلى غُصَصٍ لَو كُنَّ في البَدرِ لَم يُنِر

وَفي العودِ لَم يورِق وَفي السَهمِ لَم يَمضِ

وَفي العودِ لَم يورِق وَفي السَهمِ لَم يَمضِ

To choking griefs that, were they in the full moon, would leave it dark;

Upon resentments that, were they in the full moon, it would not shine,

And in a branch, it would not leaf; in an arrow, it would not fly.

And were they in the branch, it would not leaf, and were they in the arrow, it would not fly.

رُزِئتُكَ حَيّاً بِالقَطيعَةِ وَالقِلى

رُزِئتُكَ حَيّاً بِالقَطيعَةِ وَالقِلى

وَبَعضُ الرَزايا قَبلَ يَومِ الفَتى المَقضي

وَبَعضُ الرَزايا قَبلَ يَومِ الفَتى المَقضي

I have lost you while you live, through severance and hatred,

I have insulted you while living with estrangement and moving on,

And some losses come before a man's appointed day.

And some of the misfortunes before the day of the departed young man.

أُناديكَ فَاِرجِع مِن قِريبٍ فَإِنَّني

أُناديكَ فَاِرجِع مِن قِريبٍ فَإِنَّني

إِذا ضاقَ بي ذَرعي مَضَيتُ كَما تَمضي

إِذا ضاقَ بي ذَرعي مَضَيتُ كَما تَمضي

I call to you: return soon, for I,

I call upon you, so return soon, for when

When my endurance fails, will go just as you go.

My patience wears out, I will move on as you have moved on.

لَقَد كانَ في حُكمِ الوَشائِجِ لَو رَأى

لَقَد كانَ في حُكمِ الوَشائِجِ لَو رَأى

عَنِ المَجدِ بِطئي أَن يُبالِغَ في حَضّي

عَنِ المَجدِ بِطئي أَن يُبالِغَ في حَضّي

Indeed, kinship's law required him, had he seen

It would have been fair by the judgment of obligations had he,

Me lagging behind glory, to urge me all the more.

Seeing my slowness in glory, been excessive in spurring me.

فَكَيفَ وَلَم تَخرُج مَناديجُ هِمَّتي

فَكَيفَ وَلَم تَخرُج مَناديجُ هِمَّتي

وَلاذَمَّتِ العَلياءُ بَسطي وَلا قَبضي

وَلاذَمَّتِ العَلياءُ بَسطي وَلا قَبضي

How then, when my ambition's reaches have not strayed,

So how could that be when the proclamations of my resolve

And glory has blamed neither my giving nor my withholding?

Have not emerged, nor have the exalted found fault with my expansion or my restraint?

إِذا هُوَ أَغضى ناظِرَيَّ عَلى القَذى

إِذا هُوَ أَغضى ناظِرَيَّ عَلى القَذى

وَكانَ لِمِثلي مُسخِطاً فَلِمَن يُرضي

وَكانَ لِمِثلي مُسخِطاً فَلِمَن يُرضي

If he makes my eyes shut upon grit,

When he frowned upon my eyes because of a mote,

And displeases one like me, then whom does he please?

And was displeased with the like of me, then for whom would he be pleased?

خَليلَيَّ ما عودي لِأَوَّلِ غامِزٍ

خَليلَيَّ ما عودي لِأَوَّلِ غامِزٍ

وَلا زُبدُ وَطبي لِلمُقيمِ عَلى مَخضِ

وَلا زُبدُ وَطبي لِلمُقيمِ عَلى مَخضِ

My two friends, my wood will not yield to the first who probes it,

My friend, my healing is not for the first critic,

Nor the butter of my milk-skin to the persistent churner.

Nor is the foam of my medicine for one insisting on bitterness.

فَقُل لِلعِدى عَضّوا الأَخامِصَ إِنَّكُم

فَقُل لِلعِدى عَضّوا الأَخامِصَ إِنَّكُم

تَعَرَّفتُمُ الأَيدي عَلَيَّ مِنَ العَضِّ

تَعَرَّفتُمُ الأَيدي عَلَيَّ مِنَ العَضِّ

So tell my foes: bite the arches of your feet, for you have

So say to the enemies, bite your lips, for you

Come to know your hands by biting them on my account.

Have made your hands recognize me by the biting.

هُمُ نَقَضوا ما قَد بَنى أَوَّلوهُمُ

هُمُ نَقَضوا ما قَد بَنى أَوَّلوهُمُ

وَشِدنا وَهَيهاتَ البِناءُ مِنَ النَقضِ

وَشِدنا وَهَيهاتَ البِناءُ مِنَ النَقضِ

They demolished what their forebears had built

They have undone what their first ones constructed

And we had raised—how far building is from demolition!

And we have braced it. Alas! There is no construction after destruction.

وَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ يَصبُغُ العارُ مِنهُم

وَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ يَصبُغُ العارُ مِنهُم

رِداءَ اِمرِىءٍ وَالعارُ باقٍ عَلى الرَحضِ

رِداءَ اِمرِىءٍ وَالعارُ باقٍ عَلى الرَحضِ

And every day disgrace dyes, among their number,

And each day dishonor from them dyes

A man's cloak; disgrace endures despite washing.

The robe of a man, and dishonor remains fixed on the pillars.

يُريدونَ أَن يُخفوا النَواقِرَ بَينَنا

يُريدونَ أَن يُخفوا النَواقِرَ بَينَنا

وَقَد صاحَتِ الأَضغانُ في الحَدَقِ المُرضِ

وَقَد صاحَتِ الأَضغانُ في الحَدَقِ المُرضِ

They want to conceal the enmities between us,

They want to conceal the rifts between us,

Though rancor has already cried out in diseased eyes.

Yet the hatreds have screamed out from the inflamed, bloodshot eyes.

ذَكَرتُ حِفاظي وَالحَفيظَةُ في الحَشا

ذَكَرتُ حِفاظي وَالحَفيظَةُ في الحَشا

لَها نَغَضانُ العِرقِ يُحفَزُ بِالنَبضِ

لَها نَغَضانُ العِرقِ يُحفَزُ بِالنَبضِ

I recalled my fidelity, while indignation in my breast

I remembered my guards, and the guarding in the courtyard,

Has the throbbing of a vein urged on by its pulse.

For it has the pulses of sweat stimulated by throbbing.

دَعَوتُكُمُ قَبلَ الَّتي لا شَوىً لَها

دَعَوتُكُمُ قَبلَ الَّتي لا شَوىً لَها

وَقُلتُ لَهُم فيئوا إِلى الخُلُقِ المُرضي

وَقُلتُ لَهُم فيئوا إِلى الخُلُقِ المُرضي

I called you before the calamity that never merely wounds,

I invited you before those who have no morning glow,

And said to them: return to conduct that pleases.

And I said to them, return to the pleasing morals!

رِدوني نَميراً قَبلَ أَن أَحمِلَ القَذى

رِدوني نَميراً قَبلَ أَن أَحمِلَ القَذى

وَلا تَرِدوا إِلّا عَلى الثَمَدِ البَرضِ

وَلا تَرِدوا إِلّا عَلى الثَمَدِ البَرضِ

Drink from me while I am pure water, before I carry debris,

Return me as clear water before I carry motes,

And you find only a scant, shallow pool to drink from.

And do not return me except to the limpid drink.

وَلُسّوا جَميمي قبلَ أَن يَمنَعَ الحِمى

وَلُسّوا جَميمي قبلَ أَن يَمنَعَ الحِمى

إِبائِيَ أَو يوبى عَلى رَعيِكُم حَمضي

إِبائِيَ أَو يوبى عَلى رَعيِكُم حَمضي

And nibble my fresh herbage before the pasture is barred

And heal my wounds before fever prevents

By my proud refusal, or my salt-herbage turns noxious to your grazing.

My refusal or brings regrets upon your pasturing of me.

وَمِن قَبلِ أَن يَسدي المُعادونَ بَينَنا

وَمِن قَبلِ أَن يَسدي المُعادونَ بَينَنا

بُرودَ الخَنا ما شِئتَ في الطولِ وَالعَرضِ

بُرودَ الخَنا ما شِئتَ في الطولِ وَالعَرضِ

And before our enemies weave between us

And before the enemies spread between us

Striped cloaks of foul speech, as long and broad as you wish.

The coolness of malice−in whatever length and width.

وَلا تَركَبوا سِيساءَ دامِيَةَ القَرا

وَلا تَركَبوا سِيساءَ دامِيَةَ القَرا

بِلا حَقَبٍ تَطوي البِلادَ وَلا غَرضِ

بِلا حَقَبٍ تَطوي البِلادَ وَلا غَرضِ

And do not ride the spine of a bleeding-backed mount,

And do not mount the grey-eyed wolf

That crosses the lands without rear-strap or girth.

Without epochs folding countries or goals.

تَقوا عارَ حَربٍ لا يَعودُ مُثيرُها

تَقوا عارَ حَربٍ لا يَعودُ مُثيرُها

وَإِن غَلَبَ الأَقرانَ إِلّا عَلى رَمضِ

وَإِن غَلَبَ الأَقرانَ إِلّا عَلى رَمضِ

You will escape the shame of a war whose instigator returns

Fear the shame of a war whose instigator

Even victorious over his peers, only to scorching ground.

Will not prevail over peers except by retreating.

وَلا تولِجوا زورَ العُقوقِ بُيوتَكُم

وَلا تولِجوا زورَ العُقوقِ بُيوتَكُم

أُناشِدُكُم بِاللَهِ في الحَسَبِ المَحضِ

أُناشِدُكُم بِاللَهِ في الحَسَبِ المَحضِ

And do not admit the guest of estrangement into your homes;

And do not bring into your homes the untruth of undutifulness−

I adjure you by God, for the sake of unsullied ancestral honor.

I adjure you by God in the pure lineage.

أَراها بِعَينِ الظَنِّ حَمراءَ جَهمَةً

أَراها بِعَينِ الظَنِّ حَمراءَ جَهمَةً

سَتَجري إِلى عارِ العَواقِبِ أَو تُفضي

سَتَجري إِلى عارِ العَواقِبِ أَو تُفضي

I see it with conjecture's eye, red and grim;

I see it with the eye of assumption as a red blaze

It will run toward shameful consequences, or end in them.

That will lead to the shame of consequences or empty.

تَهَضَّمَني مَن لا يَكونُ لِغَيرِهِ

تَهَضَّمَني مَن لا يَكونُ لِغَيرِهِ

مِنَ الناسِ إِطراقي عَلى الهونِ أَوغَضّي

مِنَ الناسِ إِطراقي عَلى الهونِ أَوغَضّي

I have been wronged by one for whose sake alone

One who cannot bemy bending to dishonor or my yielding

Among men I bow to humiliation or close my eyes.

Disdains me from the people.

أُفَوِّقُ نَبلَ القَولِ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

أُفَوِّقُ نَبلَ القَولِ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

فَيُؤلِمُني مِن قَبلِ نَزعي بِها عِرضي

فَيُؤلِمُني مِن قَبلِ نَزعي بِها عِرضي

I nock the arrows of speech between me and him,

I direct the arrows of speech between him and I

But my honor pains me before I draw them back.

So he hurts me by snatching them away despite my honor.

وَأَرجِعُ لَم أُولِغ لِسانِيَ في دَمي

وَأَرجِعُ لَم أُولِغ لِسانِيَ في دَمي

وَلَم أُدمِ أَعضائي بِنَهشي وَلا عَضّي

وَلَم أُدمِ أَعضائي بِنَهشي وَلا عَضّي

And I turn back, without letting my tongue lap my blood,

And I hold back what I have not set my tongue to in my blood

Nor bloodying my limbs with my own tearing or biting.

And I have not harmed my limbs with my biting or chewing.

إِذا اِضطَرَمَت ما بَينَ جَنبيَّ غَضبَةٌ

إِذا اِضطَرَمَت ما بَينَ جَنبيَّ غَضبَةٌ

وَكادَ فَمي يُمضي مِنَ القَولِ ما يُمضي

وَكادَ فَمي يُمضي مِنَ القَولِ ما يُمضي

When a fit of anger blazes between my two sides,

When anger kindles between my ribs

And my mouth almost lets fly the words it would let fly,

And my mouth is about to utter what it would utter,

شَفَعتُ عَلى نَفسي بِنَفسي فَكَفكَفَت

شَفَعتُ عَلى نَفسي بِنَفسي فَكَفكَفَت

مِنَ الغَيظِ وَاِستَعطَفتُ بَعضي عَلى بَعضي

مِنَ الغَيظِ وَاِستَعطَفتُ بَعضي عَلى بَعضي

I intercede with myself through myself, and my soul holds back

I intercede for myself through myself, so it holds back

Some anger; and I move one part of me to pity another.

Some of my rage, and I beseech some of me over some of me.