إلام إلام ظلماً يا حسودُ

إلام إلام ظلماً يا حسودُ

وعندكمُ الأماني البيضُ سودُ

وعندكمُ الأماني البيضُ سودُ

How long, how long this injustice, O envious one?

Why, why the wrongdoing, O envious one?

And in your eyes, white hopes are black.

While you have the purest wishes that turn evil.

نكثتَ بذمة الإيمان غدراً

نكثتَ بذمة الإيمان غدراً

حنانَيكَ الحسودُ فما يَسودُ

حنانَيكَ الحسودُ فما يَسودُ

You treacherously broke the covenant of faith.

You have betrayed the covenant of faith perfidiously,

Mercy, I beg you! The envious never prevails.

My affection for you, though envied, does not avail.

حللتَ من الكنيسةِ في ذراها

حللتَ من الكنيسةِ في ذراها

فما لكَ عن محجَّتِها تَحيد

فما لكَ عن محجَّتِها تَحيد

You settled upon the Church's heights;

You have slipped out from the church sneakily

why, then, do you turn from her clear path?

Why then do you deviate from its proof?

أما واعدتَها بثبات عهدٍ

أما واعدتَها بثبات عهدٍ

فأين العهدُ منكم والوعود

فأين العهدُ منكم والوعود

Did you not promise her an unwavering covenant?

Did you not promise it firm loyalty?

Where, then, are your covenant and promises?

Where then is the loyalty and promise from you?

أما أوصدتَ بابَ الغدر جُهداً

أما أوصدتَ بابَ الغدر جُهداً

فأين الجُهدُ منكم والوصيد

فأين الجُهدُ منكم والوصيد

Did you not shut treachery's door with all your might?

Did you not adamantly close the door of betrayal?

Where, then, are your effort and the barred door?

Where then is the effort and determination from you?

هبوطُ المرء يستثنيه عارٌ

هبوطُ المرء يستثنيه عارٌ

كما استثناه من قبلٍ صعود

كما استثناه من قبلٍ صعود

A man's fall sets him apart in disgrace,

The fall of a man can be forgiven but for dishonor,

just as his rise had singled him out before.

As can his rise be forgiven before.

قد استسقيتَ منها خيرَ قَطرٍ

قد استسقيتَ منها خيرَ قَطرٍ

وماؤك بعدها ماءٌ صديد

وماؤك بعدها ماءٌ صديد

You sought from her the finest rainfall,

You have sipped the best rainwater from it,

but after her, your water is water of pus.

Yet your water after became murky and foul.

فإني لا أرى فيها يهوداً

فإني لا أرى فيها يهوداً

وقد تُهجَى فهل فيها يهود

وقد تُهجَى فهل فيها يهود

For I see no Jews within her;

I do not see Jews in it, though maligned,

yet she is reviled—are there Jews within her?

Are there really Jews in it?

علامَ تهانُ منك وأنت منها

علامَ تهانُ منك وأنت منها

محلُّ ابنٍ له حظٌّ سعيد

محلُّ ابنٍ له حظٌّ سعيد

Why is she dishonored by you, when you hold within her

Why do you slight it when you are from it,

the place of a son blessed with good fortune?

The place of a son who has a blessed fortune?

أترميها بسهم الذمِّ عمداً

أترميها بسهم الذمِّ عمداً

تروحُ وأنت فتّاكٌ عميد

تروحُ وأنت فتّاكٌ عميد

Do you deliberately shoot at her with blame's arrow,

Do you deliberately cast the arrows of blame at it?

going forth as a ruthless, determined killer?

Going away while being a strong killer?

فإن البغيَ مصرعُه قريبٌ

فإن البغيَ مصرعُه قريبٌ

له في الثأر جبارٌ عنيد

له في الثأر جبارٌ عنيد

For oppression's downfall is near;

Yet the desires of the unjust are soon foiled,

for it there is a mighty, unyielding avenger.

With an avenger against him, formidable and determined.

أهنت الجزءَ منها فهو كلٌّ

أهنت الجزءَ منها فهو كلٌّ

وذم الكلِّ في جزءٍ مزيد

وذم الكلِّ في جزءٍ مزيد

You dishonored a part of her, and that is the whole;

You have disgraced a part of it, yet it is a whole,

and reviling the whole through a part is all the greater.

And to blame the whole for a part is excessive.

ألا يا سائراً غرباً وشرقاً

ألا يا سائراً غرباً وشرقاً

شروداً شانَهُ فعلٌ شرود

شروداً شانَهُ فعلٌ شرود

O you who travel west and east,

O you who travels east and west randomly,

a wanderer whom a wayward deed has disgraced!

Your randomness is an aimless act.

كأنك في مهبِّ الريح غصنٌ

كأنك في مهبِّ الريح غصنٌ

فغصنُك كيفما هبَّت يميد

فغصنُك كيفما هبَّت يميد

You are like a branch in the wind's path;

You are like a branch in the wind,

your branch sways whichever way it blows.

Swaying wherever the winds blow.

تذمُّ الشرقَ في غربٍ وتهجو

تذمُّ الشرقَ في غربٍ وتهجو

حواشي الغرب والمعنى بعيد

حواشي الغرب والمعنى بعيد

You disparage the East while in the West, and lampoon

You blame the east among westerners

the fringes of the West; your meaning is far-fetched.

And malign the fringes of the west, yet the meaning is remote.

تريد ولا تريد وأيَّ خيرٍ

تريد ولا تريد وأيَّ خيرٍ

تريدُ وأنت ممن لا يريد

تريدُ وأنت ممن لا يريد

You desire and do not desire; what good

You want and don't want, and what good

do you desire, when you belong to those who have no desire?

Do you want when you are among those who do not want?

إذا كان المرائي مستريباً

إذا كان المرائي مستريباً

فلا يبدو له رأيٌ سديد

فلا يبدو له رأيٌ سديد

If the hypocrite is plagued by doubt,

When perspectives are doubtful,

no sound judgment appears to him.

No sound opinion appears to him.

ألا يا اَبا بَراقِشَ قد تناهى

ألا يا اَبا بَراقِشَ قد تناهى

بك المكرُ المزيد المستزيد

بك المكرُ المزيد المستزيد

O Abu Baraqish, it has reached its utmost:

O Abu Baraqish, you have exceeded

the guile in you that grows and seeks still more.

With increased and exaggerated deception.

أتيت مُلوَّناً في كل فنٍّ

أتيت مُلوَّناً في كل فنٍّ

ولم يُعجَمْ لما تأتيه عود

ولم يُعجَمْ لما تأتيه عود

You came in many colors in every art,

You came colored in every art

yet no rod has been put to the test for what you undertake.

Yet not refined for what you bring about.

وتمشي مشية السرطان فينا

وتمشي مشية السرطان فينا

بإقبالٍ وإدبارٍ ينود

بإقبالٍ وإدبارٍ ينود

You walk among us with a crab's gait,

And you walk like a crab, coming and going

swaying as you advance and retreat.

With advance and retreat that helps you.

فطوراً بالمشارق مُستكِنٌّ

فطوراً بالمشارق مُستكِنٌّ

وطوراً بالمغارب مستفيد

وطوراً بالمغارب مستفيد

Now you shelter in eastern lands,

Once orienting to the east, settling down,

and now you gain advantage in western lands.

Another time to the west, benefiting.

وتذهب بالأمانة بين هذا

وتذهب بالأمانة بين هذا

وذاك وأنتَ دونَهما طريد

وذاك وأنتَ دونَهما طريد

You carry off the trust between this one

And you take the trust between this one and that

and that, an outcast beneath them both.

While you, unlike them, are expelled.

ثلبتَ من الكنيسة بعضَ قومٍ

ثلبتَ من الكنيسة بعضَ قومٍ

همُ فيها طريفٌ أو تليد

همُ فيها طريفٌ أو تليد

You slandered certain people of the Church,

You have pilfered from the church some people

who belong to her, whether newcomers or long established.

Who are pure and upright in it.

هُمُ فيها البنونَ وأنتَ سِقطٌ

هُمُ فيها البنونَ وأنتَ سِقطٌ

وشتان الثعالبُ والأسود

وشتان الثعالبُ والأسود

They are her sons, while you are a miscarried child;

They are the edifice in it, while you are rubbish,

and how far apart are foxes and lions!

Far apart are foxes and lions.

إذا كان الدخيلُ بغير أصلٍ

إذا كان الدخيلُ بغير أصلٍ

يقيه جفَّ من مجناه عود

يقيه جفَّ من مجناه عود

When an outsider has no root

When an intruder has no origin to protect him

to protect him, a branch withers in his harvest-ground.

A rough unleashed wind blows him away.

إذا النخّاس أبصرَه رقيقٌ

إذا النخّاس أبصرَه رقيقٌ

ولو سَيداً لقال اَنّي مَسود

ولو سَيداً لقال اَنّي مَسود

If a slave sees the slave dealer,

When the slave-trader sees him a slave

even if a master, he would say, 'I am under a master.'

He says I am charred, even if he were a master.

رأينا قبلَكم قوماً مثالاً

رأينا قبلَكم قوماً مثالاً

هُمُ في معرض المعنى شهودُ

هُمُ في معرض المعنى شهودُ

Before you, we saw people who serve as an example;

We have seen before you an exemplary people

they bear witness to the meaning set forth.

Who in the matter of meaning are witnesses.

هجوت الروم والإرنج طرّاً

هجوت الروم والإرنج طرّاً

وتزعمُ أنه فعلٌ حميد

وتزعمُ أنه فعلٌ حميد

You lampooned the Greeks and the Franks, one and all,

You have maligned the Romans and the Orange savagely

and claim that it is a praiseworthy deed.

And claim it is a good deed.

قصارى مُنيَتي أني أراكم

قصارى مُنيَتي أني أراكم

على رأيٍ لكم فيه وجود

على رأيٍ لكم فيه وجود

My utmost wish is to see you

The utmost of my death wish is to see you

holding a view in which you have a place.

Holding an opinion in which you believe.

تبرأت العدالة من بنيها

تبرأت العدالة من بنيها

كما يتبرأ العهد الجديد

كما يتبرأ العهد الجديد

Justice has disowned her children,

Justice has disavowed its sons

just as the New Testament disowns them.

As the new testament has disavowed.

وأضحى الحق مُنسدَّ النواحي

وأضحى الحق مُنسدَّ النواحي

فولَّت عن مناهجه الوفود

فولَّت عن مناهجه الوفود

Truth has become blocked on every side,

And truth has been blocked from all sides

and delegations have turned from its paths.

As delegations have turned away from its paths.

وردَّ الخُلفُ وجهَ الحقِّ ظَهراً

وردَّ الخُلفُ وجهَ الحقِّ ظَهراً

ولم يكُ قبلكم عنه رُدود

ولم يكُ قبلكم عنه رُدود

Broken faith has turned truth's face to the rear,

And wrongdoing has turned the face of truth backwards

and before you there was no rejection of it.

With no objections to it before you.

وقد خفقت بنود الجَورِ نصراً

وقد خفقت بنود الجَورِ نصراً

وقدماً أخفقت منه البنود

وقدماً أخفقت منه البنود

The banners of injustice have fluttered in triumph,

The clauses of tyranny have fluttered victoriously

though of old its banners had failed.

With its clauses made to flutter from it.

فهذي ناركم وبها خمودٌ

فهذي ناركم وبها خمودٌ

فكيف إذاً وليس بها خمود

فكيف إذاً وليس بها خمود

Such is your fire, though it is dying down;

This then is your fire, and in it is extinction,

what, then, if it were not dying down?

So how will it be when there is no extinction?

تركت حدودَ آباءٍ كرامٍ

تركت حدودَ آباءٍ كرامٍ

لهم في ذروة الفضلِ الحدود

لهم في ذروة الفضلِ الحدود

You abandoned the bounds set by noble fathers,

You have left the boundaries of honorable forefathers,

whose bounds lie at the summit of virtue.

Who have reached the pinnacle of nobility.

دواعي الكبر حين نَمَت ألَمَّت

دواعي الكبر حين نَمَت ألَمَّت

بقلبٍ قد تغشاه كُمود

بقلبٍ قد تغشاه كُمود

The promptings of pride, as they grew, assailed

When the causes of arrogance grew, it pained

a heart that gloom had already shrouded.

A heart that had been covered in silence.

فلا تكبُرْ فإن أباك أرضٌ

فلا تكبُرْ فإن أباك أرضٌ

ولا تفخر فأصل القَزِّ دود

ولا تفخر فأصل القَزِّ دود

Do not be proud: your father is earth;

So do not be arrogant, for your father is but dust,

do not boast: silk has its origin in worms.

And do not take pride, for the origin of dried wood is worms.

فأرضٌ لا تُرِي عُشباً سباخٌ

فأرضٌ لا تُرِي عُشباً سباخٌ

وغيثٌ لا يروّيها هُمود

وغيثٌ لا يروّيها هُمود

Land that shows no grass is salt waste,

It is worthless earth that does not grow plants,

and rain that does not water it is lifeless.

And rain that does not water it, however much.

وعقلٌ لا يرى العقلاءَ جهلٌ

وعقلٌ لا يرى العقلاءَ جهلٌ

وفكرٌ غير وقّادٍ بليدُ

وفكرٌ غير وقّادٍ بليدُ

A mind that does not recognize the wise is ignorance,

And a mind that does not see reason is ignorance,

and thought that does not blaze is dull.

And a thought without guidance is ineffective.

لقد أرهفتَ يا هذا لساناً

لقد أرهفتَ يا هذا لساناً

صداه الذمُّ إن صدِئ الحديد

صداه الذمُّ إن صدِئ الحديد

You have indeed sharpened a tongue, O you,

You have made sharp, O you, a tongue

whose rust is slander, should iron rust.

Whose echo is blame, if the iron rusts.

ثلبتَ كنيسةَ اللَه المرَجَّى

ثلبتَ كنيسةَ اللَه المرَجَّى

بها ملِكٌ سماويٌّ سعيد

بها ملِكٌ سماويٌّ سعيد

You slandered the Church of God, where one hopes for

You have pilfered God's hoped-for church

a blessed heavenly king.

In which is a blessed heavenly King.

بزعمك أنها غَشَّت وغُشَّت

بزعمك أنها غَشَّت وغُشَّت

كما قد قال كَلْوينُ العنيد

كما قد قال كَلْوينُ العنيد

Claiming that she deceived and was deceived,

With your claim that it deceived and was deceived

as stubborn Calvin once said.

As Calvin the obstinate has said.

فواجِئُ لن يراها أهلُ فضلٍ

فواجِئُ لن يراها أهلُ فضلٍ

وإيمانٍ لهم فيه جدود

وإيمانٍ لهم فيه جدود

Shocking things that people of virtue will never see,

I will be amazed if people of merit and faith

and of faith, whose forefathers shared that faith.

Do not see it, whose forefathers had covenants.

فأستحيي بها بين البرايا

فأستحيي بها بين البرايا

كأني بطرسٌ وهيَ الجحود

كأني بطرسٌ وهيَ الجحود

So I feel shame for her among mankind,

So I am embarrassed by it among the wilds

as though I were Peter and she were denial itself.

As if I were Peter and it were denial.

فهل خلٌّ يبلِّغُني مساءً

فهل خلٌّ يبلِّغُني مساءً

إلى من كان لي معه عهود

إلى من كان لي معه عهود

Is there a friend who will bring me at evening

Does an empty caller convey to me in the evening

to one with whom I once had covenants,

To whom I had a pact?

لأنشدَهُ مع السارين بيتاً

لأنشدَهُ مع السارين بيتاً

له في كل قافيةٍ قصيد

له في كل قافيةٍ قصيد

to recite to him, among the night travelers, a verse

To recite to him, with the walking companions, a poem

with a whole ode in every rhyme,

That has in every rhyme a composition,

له في كل نظمٍ كلُّ معنىً

له في كل نظمٍ كلُّ معنىً

كأني حين أُنشدُه لبيد

كأني حين أُنشدُه لبيد

and every meaning in every composition,

That has in every meter every meaning

as though, when I recite it, I were Labid?

As if, when I recite it to him, it is Labid's.

أتنكر حقَّ قدّيسٍ طهورٍ

أتنكر حقَّ قدّيسٍ طهورٍ

له في بِيعَة الأبكار عيد

له في بِيعَة الأبكار عيد

Do you deny the right of a pure saint,

Do you deny the right of a pure and chaste saint

who has a feast in the Church of the Firstborn?

Who has the feast of first fruits?

له في مَدرَجِ الأبرار سطرٌ

له في مَدرَجِ الأبرار سطرٌ

له أحبارُنا أبداً شهود

له أحبارُنا أبداً شهود

He has a line in the roll of the righteous;

Who has a line in the register of the righteous,

our clerics forever bear witness for him.

For whom our rabbis are forever witnesses?

لك البطريقُ شيطانٌ مضلٌّ

لك البطريقُ شيطانٌ مضلٌّ

ولي القديسُ يوحنّا رشيد

ولي القديسُ يوحنّا رشيد

To you, the patriarch is a devil who leads astray;

For you is the patriarch Satan the misguided,

to me, Saint John is rightly guided.

And for me Saint John the right-minded.

أتتبع مُبدِعاً أغواك مَكراً

أتتبع مُبدِعاً أغواك مَكراً

وتترك بِيعةً فيها عَمود

وتترك بِيعةً فيها عَمود

Do you follow an innovator who cunningly led you astray,

Do you follow an originator who misguided you deceitfully

and abandon a church within which stands a pillar?

And leave a church in which is a pillar?

فلا ترج السلامَ بدار شرٍّ

فلا ترج السلامَ بدار شرٍّ

بها منها ملائكةٌ قرود

بها منها ملائكةٌ قرود

Do not hope for peace in a house of evil,

So do not wish safety upon the abode of evil

where its own angels are apes.

In which are grunting angels from it.

هداك اللَه يا من ضل طوعاً

هداك اللَه يا من ضل طوعاً

برأيٍ مُبدَعٍ فيه جمود

برأيٍ مُبدَعٍ فيه جمود

May God guide you, O you who willingly went astray,

May God guide you, O one who has strayed willingly

through an invented view marked by rigidity.

With an invented opinion in which is stagnation.

أليس المبدعون ذوي عنادٍ

أليس المبدعون ذوي عنادٍ

وكلٌّ منهمُ باغٍ عنيد

وكلٌّ منهمُ باغٍ عنيد

Are not innovators people of obstinacy,

Are not the inventors stubbornly disobedient?

each of them an obstinate transgressor?

Each of them is a rebel and obstinate.

أطع رأي الخلافة في بنيها

أطع رأي الخلافة في بنيها

ولا يذهب بك الرأي الجديد

ولا يذهب بك الرأي الجديد

Obey the judgment of the succession concerning its sons;

Obey the view of the caliphate regarding its sons,

do not let a new opinion carry you away.

And do not let the new perspective take you away.

إذا قالت حذامِ فصدِّقوها

إذا قالت حذامِ فصدِّقوها

فما قالت هو القولُ الوكيد

فما قالت هو القولُ الوكيد

When Hadham speaks, believe her,

If it says lies, then believe it,

for what she says is the certain word.

For what it has said is the conclusive words.

وكُلٌّ عزمُه فيه قصورٌ

وكُلٌّ عزمُه فيه قصورٌ

وكلٌّ نارُه فيها خمود

وكلٌّ نارُه فيها خمود

Each one's resolve falls short,

Everyone whose resolve is deficient,

each one's fire is fading,

And everyone whose fire has died down,

وكلٌّ رأيُه فيه فسادٌ

وكلٌّ رأيُه فيه فسادٌ

وكلٌّ عقله فيه سُمود

وكلٌّ عقله فيه سُمود

each one's judgment is corrupt,

And everyone whose view contains corruption,

and each one's mind is steeped in heedlessness.

And everyone whose mind has become desolate,

أيا مُلقي الشكوك فلا سلاماً

أيا مُلقي الشكوك فلا سلاماً

ولا رَعياً إذا قام الرُقود

ولا رَعياً إذا قام الرُقود

O you who cast doubts, no peace to you,

O you who casts doubts, no greetings of peace

nor protection when the sleepers rise,

Or compassion when the anklets are shaking.

بيومٍ لا ترى فيه مجالاً

بيومٍ لا ترى فيه مجالاً

ووقتٍ لا يكون له محيد

ووقتٍ لا يكون له محيد

on a day when you find no room to move,

On a day you will not see an escape,

a time from which there is no escape.

And a time that will have no deviation.

فإعذرني أخيَّ ولا تلمني

فإعذرني أخيَّ ولا تلمني

فجرحُ الحقِّ مألمُه شديد

فجرحُ الحقِّ مألمُه شديد

So forgive me, my brother, and do not blame me;

So excuse me, my brother, and do not blame me,

for truth's wound is intensely painful.

For the wound of truth, its pain is severe.

فكنتُ أظنُّ تاجي فوق رأسي

فكنتُ أظنُّ تاجي فوق رأسي

فهبهُ كان لكن لا يفيد

فهبهُ كان لكن لا يفيد

I used to think my crown was above my head;

For I thought the crown was above my head,

grant that it was—but it does no good.

But it was a delusion and does not avail.

وكنت إخالُ راعينا أميناً

وكنت إخالُ راعينا أميناً

ولكنَّ الأمين له عهود

ولكنَّ الأمين له عهود

I used to deem our shepherd trustworthy,

I thought our shepherd was faithful,

but the trustworthy man has covenants to keep.

But the faithful one has covenants.

وكنت أعدُّ رأسي لي ودوداً

وكنت أعدُّ رأسي لي ودوداً

فلا وأبيك ما نفعَ الودود

فلا وأبيك ما نفعَ الودود

I used to count my head a loving friend to me;

And I thought you a loving leader,

but no, by your father, the loving friend did no good.

But no - by your father - the loving are of no use.

إذا كان الإمام بغير فضلٍ

إذا كان الإمام بغير فضلٍ

وإيمانٍ فمحرابي الصدود

وإيمانٍ فمحرابي الصدود

If the leader is without virtue

If the imam has no merit or faith,

and faith, then turning away is my prayer niche.

My prayer niche is rejection.

دعوني من محاكمة الأعادي

دعوني من محاكمة الأعادي

لهم ربٌّ يَدينهمُ عتيد

لهم ربٌّ يَدينهمُ عتيد

Leave me out of judging enemies;

Leave me be from judging the enemies,

they have a Lord ready to judge them.

For them is a Lord who will judge them soon.

كفى الإنسان يوم الدين فِعلاً

كفى الإنسان يوم الدين فِعلاً

له فضلٌ وإيمانٌ وطيد

له فضلٌ وإيمانٌ وطيد

Enough for a person on Judgment Day is a deed

It is enough for man on judgement day what he has done,

with virtue and steadfast faith.

Be it good, faithful and firm.