ويحَ الفقيرِ فما تراه يُلاقي

ويحَ الفقيرِ فما تراه يُلاقي

سُدَّت عليه منافذُ الأرزاقِ

سُدَّت عليه منافذُ الأرزاقِ

Woe to the poor man—what you see him suffer!

Alas for the poor man, for what he endures

The avenues of livelihood have been closed to him.

The means of livelihood are closed to him

عصَفت به و بِسْرِبِه ريحُ الشَّقا

عصَفت به و بِسْرِبِه ريحُ الشَّقا

فتساقطُوا كتساقُطِ الأوراق

فتساقطُوا كتساقُطِ الأوراق

The wind of misery buffeted him and his flock,

The winds of misery blew upon him and his flock

And they fell like falling leaves.

And they fell like falling leaves

فإذا بصُرتَ به عجبتَ لشمعَةٍ

فإذا بصُرتَ به عجبتَ لشمعَةٍ

كالزَّعفران تجولُ في الأسواق

كالزَّعفران تجولُ في الأسواق

And when you see him, you marvel at a candle,

When you see him, you are amazed at a candle

Saffron-yellow, wandering through the markets.

Like saffron wandering in the markets

عَلَقُ المجاعةِ مَصَّ بعضَ دمائه

عَلَقُ المجاعةِ مَصَّ بعضَ دمائه

وتعسُّفُ الحُكَّام مصَّ الباقي

وتعسُّفُ الحُكَّام مصَّ الباقي

The leeches of famine sucked some of his blood,

The grip of famine sucked some of his blood

And the rulers' oppression sucked the rest.

And the injustice of rulers sucked the rest

أخذَ الشَّقا يدَها فسارت خَلفَه

أخذَ الشَّقا يدَها فسارت خَلفَه

واللّيلُ ممدُودٌ على الآفاق

واللّيلُ ممدُودٌ على الآفاق

Misery took her hand, and she followed him,

Misery took his hand, so he walked behind her

While night lay stretched across the horizons.

While the night stretched across the horizons

سارت، فماسَ الخيزرانُ بقدِّها

سارت، فماسَ الخيزرانُ بقدِّها

وَ رَنَتْ، فذابَ السِّحرُ في الأحداق

وَ رَنَتْ، فذابَ السِّحرُ في الأحداق

She walked, and bamboo swayed in her slender frame;

She walked, and her dress did not touch her ankles

And she gazed, and magic melted in her eyes.

She moaned, and the magic melted in the eyelids

وتلوحُ آثارُ النَّعيم بخدِّها

وتلوحُ آثارُ النَّعيم بخدِّها

كالفجر قبل تكاملِ الإشراق

كالفجر قبل تكاملِ الإشراق

And traces of comfort showed upon her cheek,

And the traces of bliss on her cheek

Like dawn before its radiance is complete.

Shone like the dawn before full daybreak

أخذ الشَّقا يدَها فإن هي فكَّرت

أخذ الشَّقا يدَها فإن هي فكَّرت

بمصيرها صُعِقَت من الإشفاق

بمصيرها صُعِقَت من الإشفاق

Misery took her hand, and if she thought

Misery took his hand, so if she had thought

Of her fate, she was thunderstruck with dread.

Of her fate, she would have collapsed in horror

ووهتْ عزيمتُها فألقتْ نفسَها

ووهتْ عزيمتُها فألقتْ نفسَها

فوق الثَّرى وشكتْ إلى الخلاَّق

فوق الثَّرى وشكتْ إلى الخلاَّق

Her resolve weakened, and she threw herself

And her determination faltered, so she threw herself

Upon the earth and complained to the Creator.

On the ground and complained to the Creator

تشكو بمدْمعِها و ذُلّ فؤادها

تشكو بمدْمعِها و ذُلّ فؤادها

وبما تُحسُّ به منَ الإحراق

وبما تُحسُّ به منَ الإحراق

She complained through her tears and her heart's abasement,

She complains with her tears and the agony of her heart

And through the burning anguish she felt.

And what she feels of burning

يا ربِّ قالت وهْي جاثيةٌ لهُ

يا ربِّ قالت وهْي جاثيةٌ لهُ

إن شئتَ حُلَّ من الحياة وثاقي

إن شئتَ حُلَّ من الحياة وثاقي

“O Lord,” she said, kneeling before Him,

O Lord, she said, kneeling before Him

“If you will, unbind me from life.

If you wish, untie the knot of my life

قد عشتُ عُمري ما عُرفتُ بريبةٍ

قد عشتُ عُمري ما عُرفتُ بريبةٍ

وعبدتُ بعدكَ عفَّتي و خَلاقي

وعبدتُ بعدكَ عفَّتي و خَلاقي

I have lived my life, never suspected of wrongdoing,

I have lived my life without any shame

And, after you, worshipped my chastity and character.

And after You, worshipped my chastity and ethics

والآنَ والأيامُ ملأى بالأذى

والآنَ والأيامُ ملأى بالأذى

قد أصبحتْ وِقْراً على الأعناق

قد أصبحتْ وِقْراً على الأعناق

And now the days, filled with harm,

But now, and the days are full of harm

Have become a burden upon necks.

I have become a burden around the necks

زوجي يُحارب في التُّخوم وطفلتي

زوجي يُحارب في التُّخوم وطفلتي

فوق الفراشِ تزيدُ في إرهاقي

فوق الفراشِ تزيدُ في إرهاقي

My husband fights upon the frontiers, and my little girl

My husband fights on the borders, and my little daughter

Upon her bed adds to my exhaustion.

Lies in bed, increasing my distress

مِنْ أمِّها تبغي الغِذاء لجسمها

مِنْ أمِّها تبغي الغِذاء لجسمها

من أمِّها تبغي الدَّواء الواقي

من أمِّها تبغي الدَّواء الواقي

From her mother she seeks food for her body,

From her mother she seeks food for her body

From her mother she seeks protective medicine.

And from her mother the protective remedy

وطَرقتُ أبوابَ الكرام فأوصدوا

وطَرقتُ أبوابَ الكرام فأوصدوا

أبوابَهُمْ فرَجَعْتُ بالإخفاق

أبوابَهُمْ فرَجَعْتُ بالإخفاق

I knocked at the doors of the generous, but they bolted

And I knocked on the doors of the noble, but they bolted

Their doors, and I returned defeated.

Their doors, so I returned in failure

سامَ الفتى عِرضي فيا لكَ من فتىً

سامَ الفتى عِرضي فيا لكَ من فتىً

كاسي الغنى عَارٍ مِنَ الأخلاق

كاسي الغنى عَارٍ مِنَ الأخلاق

The young man sought to buy my honor—what a young man:

The young man offered money for my honor - what a young man!

Clothed in wealth, stripped of morals!

Wearing the garment of wealth, but devoid of morals

هَبْ أنَّ أُختَكَ والزَّمانُ أصابها

هَبْ أنَّ أُختَكَ والزَّمانُ أصابها

مثلي أصابت سافلَ الأعراق

مثلي أصابت سافلَ الأعراق

Suppose your sister, whom time had afflicted

Imagine your sister, and the times have befallen her

Like me, encountered a man of base descent:

What has befallen the lowest of the low

أفكان سَرّكَ أن ترى إحسانَهُ

أفكان سَرّكَ أن ترى إحسانَهُ

ثَمن العفَافِ لضمَّةٍ و عِناق

ثَمن العفَافِ لضمَّةٍ و عِناق

Would it have pleased you to see his charity

Would it please you to see his charity

Become chastity's price, paid for a clasp and an embrace?

As the price of chastity for an embrace and a hug?

خَفِّفْ على عُنُقي الضَّعيفةِ واتّئدْ

خَفِّفْ على عُنُقي الضَّعيفةِ واتّئدْ

إني رأيتُكَ آخذاً بخناقي

إني رأيتُكَ آخذاً بخناقي

Ease the pressure on my frail neck, and be gentle;

Lighten the burden on my weak neck, and refrain

For I have seen you clutching my throat.

From choking me, for I have seen you grasp my throat

إنَّ الرِّيال غِنىً ولكن عِفَّتي

إنَّ الرِّيال غِنىً ولكن عِفَّتي

فوق الغنى ونفائس الأعْلاق

فوق الغنى ونفائس الأعْلاق

The riyal is wealth, but my chastity

The money is wealth, but my chastity

Is above wealth and the choicest treasures.

Is above wealth and the finest treasures

أأصونُ عِرضي؟ وابنتي؟ وحياتُها

أأصونُ عِرضي؟ وابنتي؟ وحياتُها

وعلاجها يحتاجُ للإنفاق

وعلاجها يحتاجُ للإنفاق

Shall I preserve my honor? And my daughter? Her life

Should I protect my honor? And my daughter? And her life?

And her treatment require money.

And her treatment needs spending?

أنا إن أعفَّ قتلتُها فعَلامَ لا

أنا إن أعفَّ قتلتُها فعَلامَ لا

تحيا بماءِ تَعَفُّفِي المُهراق

تحيا بماءِ تَعَفُّفِي المُهراق

If I remain chaste, I kill her; then why should she not

If I were chaste, I would have killed her, so why should she not

Live on the spilled water of my chastity?

Live by the water of my streaming chastity?

لا لا تموتُ فإنَّها لبريئةٌ

لا لا تموتُ فإنَّها لبريئةٌ

حسناءُ ما شبَّتْ عن الأطواق

حسناءُ ما شبَّتْ عن الأطواق

No, no, she must not die, for she is truly innocent,

No, no, let her not die, for she is innocent

Lovely, not yet grown beyond the collars of childhood.

A beautiful girl, not yet fully grown

إني مُفارقَةُ ابنتي أو عِفَّتي

إني مُفارقَةُ ابنتي أو عِفَّتي

فعلى كلا الحالينِ مُرُّ فراقِ

فعلى كلا الحالينِ مُرُّ فراقِ

I must part with my daughter or my chastity;

Parting from my daughter or my chastity

In either case, the parting is bitter.

Is bitter in both cases

والذَّنبُ للأيَّام في حدَثَانها

والذَّنبُ للأيَّام في حدَثَانها

والذَّنبُ للأخلاق غيرُ رواقي

والذَّنبُ للأخلاق غيرُ رواقي

The blame lies with the days for their calamities,

And the blame is on the days for their novelty

And blaming morality does not sit well with me.

And the blame is on the ethics, not solid

ربّاهُ حِلمكَ فالمصائبُ جمَّةٌ

ربّاهُ حِلمكَ فالمصائبُ جمَّةٌ

وأنا بواحدةٍ يضيقُ نطاقي

وأنا بواحدةٍ يضيقُ نطاقي

O Lord, your forbearance! Calamities are many,

O Lord, Your forbearance, for calamities abound

And just one constricts the bounds of my endurance.

And I am overwhelmed by just one

لو شئتَ موتاً لابنتي لأخذتَها

لو شئتَ موتاً لابنتي لأخذتَها

وجعلتَ طُهري قُدْوةً لرفاقي

وجعلتَ طُهري قُدْوةً لرفاقي

Had you wished my daughter dead, you would have taken her,

If You wished death for my daughter, You could have taken her

And made my purity an example for my companions.

And made my purity a role model for my peers

لكن ْأردتَ بقاءها وأردتَ لي

لكن ْأردتَ بقاءها وأردتَ لي

فقري أتُظمِئُني وأنتَ السَّاقي؟

فقري أتُظمِئُني وأنتَ السَّاقي؟

But you wished her to live, and wished for me

But You wanted her to live, and You wanted for me

My poverty—do you make me thirst, though you are the cupbearer?”

My poverty - will You quench my thirst when You are the Giver?

وَمَشَتْ لموعده بماء جُفُونها الـ

وَمَشَتْ لموعده بماء جُفُونها الـ

ـقَرْحَى وَجَمْرِ فُؤادها الخفَّاق

ـقَرْحَى وَجَمْرِ فُؤادها الخفَّاق

And she walked to meet him, with the tears of her eyelids—

And she went to the appointment with the tears of her eyes and

Ulcerated—and the embers of her throbbing heart.

The embers and burning of her fervent heart

ترعى السَّفالةُ في مَجاهلِ قَلبه

ترعى السَّفالةُ في مَجاهلِ قَلبه

وتُطلُّ إن شَبعَتْ منَ الآماق

وتُطلُّ إن شَبعَتْ منَ الآماق

Baseness grazes in the uncharted wilds of his heart,

The vulgar peep into the darkness of his heart

And, when sated, peers out from the corners of his eyes.

And emerge when satiated from the depths

ومتى يُحاولْ حَجبَ مَكْنوناتِه

ومتى يُحاولْ حَجبَ مَكْنوناتِه

يُلبِسْ مُحَيَّاهُ حجابَ نفاق

يُلبِسْ مُحَيَّاهُ حجابَ نفاق

And whenever he tries to conceal his hidden thoughts,

And when he tries to conceal his secrets

He clothes his face in a veil of hypocrisy.

He adorns his appearance with the garment of hypocrisy

قنصَ الفتاةَ بفقرها وشقائها

قنصَ الفتاةَ بفقرها وشقائها

«وبما تكابد من أسىً وتُلاقي»

«وبما تكابد من أسىً وتُلاقي»

He snared the young woman through her poverty and misery,

He hunted the girl with her poverty and misery

And through the sorrow she wrestled with and faced.

"And what she endures of sorrow and tribulation"

حتى إذا اختليا انثنى بوصالها

حتى إذا اختليا انثنى بوصالها

وقد انثنتْ بِريالِهِ البرَّاق

وقد انثنتْ بِريالِهِ البرَّاق

Until, once they had been alone together, he left with her favors,

Until when alone, he embraced her

While she went away with his gleaming riyal.

And she embraced his shiny riyal

رَجَعَت وفي يدها الرِّيالُ ورأسُها

رَجَعَت وفي يدها الرِّيالُ ورأسُها

لحيائها متواصلُ الإطراق

لحيائها متواصلُ الإطراق

She returned, the riyal in her hand, her head

She returned, the riyal in her hand, and her head

Unceasingly bowed from shame.

Bowed in shame, constantly lowering her gaze

وكأنّها خطرت لها ابنتُها وما

وكأنّها خطرت لها ابنتُها وما

تلقاه من ألم الطَّوى المِقْلاق

تلقاه من ألم الطَّوى المِقْلاق

And it seemed her daughter crossed her mind, and what

As if the thought of her daughter crossed her mind, and what

She endured from the pangs of harrowing hunger.

She was suffering from the pain of yearning

فأصابها مثلُ الجُنُون فتَمْتَمَتْ

فأصابها مثلُ الجُنُون فتَمْتَمَتْ

بُشراكِ إني عُدتُ بالتِّرياق

بُشراكِ إني عُدتُ بالتِّرياق

A kind of madness seized her, and she murmured,

So she was struck with a kind of madness, and mumbled

“Good news for you! I have come back with the antidote.

This riyal is good, for it is what

هُو ذا الرِّيالُ فإنَّه نِعْمَ الذي

هُو ذا الرِّيالُ فإنَّه نِعْمَ الذي

يَهَبُ الشفاءَ لنا ونعمَ الرَّاقي

يَهَبُ الشفاءَ لنا ونعمَ الرَّاقي

Here is the riyal; how excellent is the one

Grants us healing, and an excellent healer

That grants us healing, what an excellent healer!

The darkness of worries, answering my needs

هُو ذا الرِّيالُ وقد تألَّقَ ماحقاً

هُو ذا الرِّيالُ وقد تألَّقَ ماحقاً

دُجنَ الهموم وقد أردنَ مُحاقي

دُجنَ الهموم وقد أردنَ مُحاقي

Here is the riyal, gleaming as it wipes away

It would have refused me outright

The gloom of cares that had sought to blot me out.

And she went to the cook to restrain what was within her

هو ذا الرِّيالُ ولم يكُن لولا ابنتي

هو ذا الرِّيالُ ولم يكُن لولا ابنتي

ليَسومَني نُكْراً على الإطلاق

ليَسومَني نُكْراً على الإطلاق

Here is the riyal; had it not been for my daughter,

Of the agony of passions for her daughter

It would never have inflicted such an outrage on me.”

She said, handing him the riyal, come, give me

ومضتْ إلى الطَّبَّاخ تلجمُ ما بها

ومضتْ إلى الطَّبَّاخ تلجمُ ما بها

لِفَتاتِها من لاعج الأشواق

لِفَتاتِها من لاعج الأشواق

And she went to the cook, bridling what she felt

Some food, and give me back the remainder

Of burning longing for her little girl.

Hurry, for if you delay me, my daughter will taste

قالت وأدَّتْهُ الرِّيالَ ألا اعْطِني

قالت وأدَّتْهُ الرِّيالَ ألا اعْطِني

بعضَ الغِذا واردُدْ عليَّ الباقي

بعضَ الغِذا واردُدْ عليَّ الباقي

She said, handing him the riyal, “Please give me

From her hunger, a bitter experience

Some food, and return the change to me.

He held the riyal between his fingers and felt it

أسرعْ فإنَّكَ إن تُؤخِّرْني تذُقْ

أسرعْ فإنَّكَ إن تُؤخِّرْني تذُقْ

من جُوعها بنتي أمرَّ مذاق

من جُوعها بنتي أمرَّ مذاق

Hurry, for if you keep me waiting, she will taste—

And he shouted and screamed

My daughter—the bitterest taste of her hunger.”

Shame on you, sir! Do you insult me

نَقَفَ الرِّيالَ بإصبَعَيهِ وَجَسَّهُ

نَقَفَ الرِّيالَ بإصبَعَيهِ وَجَسَّهُ

وانهالَ بالإرعاد والإبراق

وانهالَ بالإرعاد والإبراق

He tapped the riyal with his two fingers and felt it,

And take me for a thief?

And burst into thunder and lightning.

No! Is the riyal counterfeit? Counterfeit?

قُبحاً لوجهكِ سَيِّدي أتَسُبُّني

قُبحاً لوجهكِ سَيِّدي أتَسُبُّني

عفواً وتَحْسَبُني منَ السُّرَّاق؟

عفواً وتَحْسَبُني منَ السُّرَّاق؟

“Shame on your face!” “Sir, do you insult me

She cried, and collapsed from exhaustion

Without cause, and take me for a thief?”

She fell at the feet of misfortune and wept for her

لا فالرِّيالُ مُزَيَّفٌ أمُزيَّفٌ؟

لا فالرِّيالُ مُزَيَّفٌ أمُزيَّفٌ؟

صاحتْ وقد سَقَطت منَ الإرهاق

صاحتْ وقد سَقَطت منَ الإرهاق

“No—the riyal is counterfeit.” “Counterfeit?”

The All-Seeing eye and the noble morals wept

She cried out, collapsing from exhaustion.

The chastity of gentlewomen wept for her chastity

سقَطت على قَدم الشَّقا فبكتْ لها

سقَطت على قَدم الشَّقا فبكتْ لها

عينُ العلى ومكارم الأخلاق

عينُ العلى ومكارم الأخلاق

She fell at Misery's foot, and for her wept

That slipped through the fingers with a streaming tear

The eye of nobility and the highest moral virtues.

O bird of her chastity, I sacrifice myself for you, o bird

وبكى عَفَافُ الآنساتِ عفافَها

وبكى عَفَافُ الآنساتِ عفافَها

خلَلَ السُّجوفِ بمدمعٍ مُهراق

خلَلَ السُّجوفِ بمدمعٍ مُهراق

And the chastity of maidens wept for her chastity

Why did you not warn against the snares of the debauched?

Through the curtains, with tears poured out.

The sun rose while she was imprisoned

يا طيرَ عفَّتِها فديتُكَ طائراً

يا طيرَ عفَّتِها فديتُكَ طائراً

هلاَّ حذِرتَ حبائلَ الفُسّاق

هلاَّ حذِرتَ حبائلَ الفُسّاق

O bird of her chastity, may I be your ransom as you fly!

And her daughter was a guest in the markets

Why did you not beware the libertines' snares?

As for the sinner, his nets are still

طَلَعتْ عليها الشَّمسُ وهْي سَجينةٌ

طَلَعتْ عليها الشَّمسُ وهْي سَجينةٌ

وفتاتُها ضَيفٌ على الأسواق

وفتاتُها ضَيفٌ على الأسواق

The sun rose upon her while she was a prisoner,

Spread for the glances of the sleepless eyes

And her little girl was a guest of the markets.

He is quenched with cups and gazes

أمَّا الأثيمُ فلا تزالُ شباكُهُ

أمَّا الأثيمُ فلا تزالُ شباكُهُ

مَنصُوبةً لنواعس الأحداق

مَنصُوبةً لنواعس الأحداق

As for the sinner, his nets remain

While God suffices, "and He is the best Guardian"

Set for those with languid eyes.

يُسقى الرَّحيقَ بأكؤُسٍ ولواحظٍ

يُسقى الرَّحيقَ بأكؤُسٍ ولواحظٍ

واللهُ يكلأُ «وهْوَ نِعمَ الواقي»

واللهُ يكلأُ «وهْوَ نِعمَ الواقي»

He is served nectar in goblets and glances,

And God keeps watch—He is the best protector!