أَهُزُّ عاسِيَةَ العيدانِ آبِيَةً

أَهُزُّ عاسِيَةَ العيدانِ آبِيَةً

عَلى الخَوابِطِ لا ليناً وَلا وَرَقا

عَلى الخَوابِطِ لا ليناً وَلا وَرَقا

I shake a stiff-branched tree, unyielding

I shake my sturdy spear at the impudent

to those who beat it—offering neither softness nor leaves.

Not gently, nor weakly upon their backs

وَما مَدَحتُهُمُ أَنّي رَجَوتُهُمُ

وَما مَدَحتُهُمُ أَنّي رَجَوتُهُمُ

لَكِنَّهُ عُوَذٌ مِن شَرِّهِم وَرُقى

لَكِنَّهُ عُوَذٌ مِن شَرِّهِم وَرُقى

And I did not praise them because I placed my hopes in them;

I praised them not that I hoped for them

rather, my praise serves as charms against their evil, and spells.

But it is protection from their evil and ascent

قالوا نَعُدُّكَ لِلجُلّى فَقُلتُ لَهُم

قالوا نَعُدُّكَ لِلجُلّى فَقُلتُ لَهُم

حَسبي مِنَ الرَيِّ ما لا يَبلُغُ الشَرَقا

حَسبي مِنَ الرَيِّ ما لا يَبلُغُ الشَرَقا

They said, “We reserve you for great things”; I told them,

They said they would count me as eminent, but I said

“Enough for me is to quench my thirst without choking.”

Enough rain comes to me not reaching the East

ناموا خَليَّينَ عَمّا بي فَلِم تَرَكوا

ناموا خَليَّينَ عَمّا بي فَلِم تَرَكوا

وَهناً عَلَيَّ مَطالَ الهَمِّ وَالأَرَقا

وَهناً عَلَيَّ مَطالَ الهَمِّ وَالأَرَقا

They slept untroubled by my plight; why did they leave

They slept empty of me, so why did they leave

long-drawn worry and sleeplessness upon me at night?

Weakness upon me, the worries and sleeplessness prolonged

كَفى بِقَومٍ هِجاءً أَنَّ مادِحَهُم

كَفى بِقَومٍ هِجاءً أَنَّ مادِحَهُم

يُهدي الثَناءَ إِلى أَعراضِهِم فَرَقا

يُهدي الثَناءَ إِلى أَعراضِهِم فَرَقا

It is satire enough of a people that their praiser

It is enough that a people are censured that one who praises them

offers praise to their reputations out of fear.

Directs praise to their character suspectly

مَن لَم يُبالِ بِأَعقابِ الحَديثِ غَداً

مَن لَم يُبالِ بِأَعقابِ الحَديثِ غَداً

فَما يُبالي أَمانَ القَولُ أَم صَدَقا

فَما يُبالي أَمانَ القَولُ أَم صَدَقا

Whoever disregards the consequences of speech tomorrow

He who cares not for the conclusions of words tomorrow

does not care whether that speech was false or true.

Cares not if the words are safety or truth