وَسيعَ صَدري اِنقَضَت في ضيقِهِ حيلي

وَسيعَ صَدري اِنقَضَت في ضيقِهِ حيلي

وَصَولَةَ الهَمِّ أَفضَت بي إِلى العِلَلِ

وَصَولَةَ الهَمِّ أَفضَت بي إِلى العِلَلِ

Within the constriction of my spacious breast, my resourcefulness was spent,

My ample bosom was straitened, and all my stratagems failed,

and sorrow's onslaught brought me to sickness.

The violence of cares led me into illnesses,

وَكادَ صَبري يَهي لَولا بِهِ بَقيتُ

وَكادَ صَبري يَهي لَولا بِهِ بَقيتُ

بِقِيَّةٍ مِن بَقايا الحَزمِ لَم تَزَلِ

بِقِيَّةٍ مِن بَقايا الحَزمِ لَم تَزَلِ

And my patience nearly gave way; I endured only through it,

And my patience was about to break, had there not remained with me

with a remnant of surviving resolve that had not yet vanished.

A remnant of firmness that did not depart.

ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُ إِنَّ الدَهرَ يَبخَسُني

ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُ إِنَّ الدَهرَ يَبخَسُني

شَيئاً وَيَنسَخُ مِن آياتِهِ عَمَلي

شَيئاً وَيَنسَخُ مِن آياتِهِ عَمَلي

I never thought that fate would deprive me

I did not reckon that time would deprive me

of anything, and erase my deeds from its verses,

Of anything, or alter my deeds,

وَيَستَمِرُّ عَلى حالٍ توصِلُني

وَيَستَمِرُّ عَلى حالٍ توصِلُني

بِسُلَّمِ النَحسِ مَرفوعاً إِلى زُحَلِ

بِسُلَّمِ النَحسِ مَرفوعاً إِلى زُحَلِ

and persist in a state that carries me

And persist in a condition that brings me

up misfortune's ladder, lifted as far as Saturn.

On the ladder of misfortune up to the stars.

وَكانَ مِن قَبلُ أَن أُبدي ساءَتهُ

وَكانَ مِن قَبلُ أَن أُبدي ساءَتهُ

حيناً فَحيناً يُواسيني وَيُحسِنُ لي

حيناً فَحيناً يُواسيني وَيُحسِنُ لي

And before I revealed its ill treatment, it used to

Before revealing its evil

comfort me from time to time, and treat me kindly.

It would from time to time console me and treat me well,

فَكانَ لِلنَفسِ أَوقاتَ تَعَلُّلِها

فَكانَ لِلنَفسِ أَوقاتَ تَعَلُّلِها

فيها الأَماني بَينَ اليأسَ وَالمَلَلِ

فيها الأَماني بَينَ اليأسَ وَالمَلَلِ

Thus the soul had moments of self-consolation,

So the soul had times of feigned illness

with hopes amid despair and weariness.

In which hopes wavered between despair and boredom.

وَحَبَّذا حالَةٌ كانَت مُعَزِّيَةً

وَحَبَّذا حالَةٌ كانَت مُعَزِّيَةً

لَولا تَحَوُّلِها بِالبُؤسِ وَالعَطَلِ

لَولا تَحَوُّلِها بِالبُؤسِ وَالعَطَلِ

How welcome was a state that brought consolation,

And how excellent a state it was that gave comfort

had it not turned to misery and idleness!

Had it not changed into misery and stillness.

جُزيتَ يا دَهرُ لَم تَجمِل مُعامَلَتي

جُزيتَ يا دَهرُ لَم تَجمِل مُعامَلَتي

أَينَ الوَفاءَ وَأَينَ الكَيلَ بِالكَيلِ

أَينَ الوَفاءَ وَأَينَ الكَيلَ بِالكَيلِ

May you be repaid, O fate—you did not treat me kindly.

O time, you were rewarded but did not make my treatment beautiful.

Where is fidelity, and where is measure returned for measure?

Where is loyalty and measure for measure?

هَل ذا جَزاءُ اِمرِئٍ كانَت سَجينُهُ

هَل ذا جَزاءُ اِمرِئٍ كانَت سَجينُهُ

حُبُّ التَعاوُنِ في خَصبٍ وَفي مَحلِ

حُبُّ التَعاوُنِ في خَصبٍ وَفي مَحلِ

Is this the reward of a man whose captive was

Is this the reward of a man whose prison

the love of mutual help, in plenty and in drought?

Was love of cooperation in fertility and barrenness?

لَم يَدَّخِر قَط ديناراً إِلى عَوزِ

لَم يَدَّخِر قَط ديناراً إِلى عَوزِ

وَلَم يُضنِ بِإِسعافٍ لَدى سُؤلِ

وَلَم يُضنِ بِإِسعافٍ لَدى سُؤلِ

He never saved a dinar against need,

Who never hoarded a coin against poverty

nor withheld assistance when asked.

And was not stingy with aid when asked?

وَكَم أَعانَ أُناساً في مَضايِقِها

وَكَم أَعانَ أُناساً في مَضايِقِها

بِالمَالِ وَالجاهِ في عُسرٍ وَفي زَلَلِ

بِالمَالِ وَالجاهِ في عُسرٍ وَفي زَلَلِ

How often he helped people in their straits,

And how much did he help people in their straits

with money and influence, in hardship and in missteps.

With money and fame in hardship and comfort?

وَكَم حُقوقٌ بِمَسعاهُ لَقَد حَفِظَت

وَكَم حُقوقٌ بِمَسعاهُ لَقَد حَفِظَت

وَأَنفُسٌ وَقِيَت مِن فِتنَةٍ جَلَلِ

وَأَنفُسٌ وَقِيَت مِن فِتنَةٍ جَلَلِ

How many rights were preserved through his efforts,

And how many rights by his efforts were maintained

and lives protected from grievous turmoil.

And selves protected from tremendous tribulations?

مَولايَ يَعلَمُ وَالإِخوانَ إِن عَدَلوا

مَولايَ يَعلَمُ وَالإِخوانَ إِن عَدَلوا

قالوا بِذَلِكَ وَالأَعمالَ تَشهَدُ لي

قالوا بِذَلِكَ وَالأَعمالَ تَشهَدُ لي

My Lord knows, and my brothers, if they are fair,

My Master knows, and if the brethren acted justly

will attest to it; deeds bear witness for me.

They would say this, though my works bear witness for me.

لَكِنَّني لَم أَِد واحَسرَتاهُ عَلى فِعلي

لَكِنَّني لَم أَِد واحَسرَتاهُ عَلى فِعلي

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلّا خَيبَةِ الأَمَلِ

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلّا خَيبَةِ الأَمَلِ

But I found—alas for my deeds—

But against the action of time I had no recourse

nothing from fate except disappointed hope.

Except the disappointment of hope.

قالوا جَنَحَت وَلا وَاللَهُ ما صَدَقوا

قالوا جَنَحَت وَلا وَاللَهُ ما صَدَقوا

إِلّا إِلى الحَقِّ لا لِلأَثَمِ وَالزَلَلِ

إِلّا إِلى الحَقِّ لا لِلأَثَمِ وَالزَلَلِ

They said, “You strayed!” No, by God, they spoke falsely:

They said, "He was partisan," but no, by God, they did not speak truth

I turned only toward truth, not toward sin and error.

Except for truth, not for sin or slip.

وَكَيفَ تَقبَلُ الحُرَّ مَنقَصَةً

وَكَيفَ تَقبَلُ الحُرَّ مَنقَصَةً

يَسومُ بِالسوءِ جانيها وَلَم يَقُلِ

يَسومُ بِالسوءِ جانيها وَلَم يَقُلِ

How can a free man accept humiliation,

How can the noble accept disparagement

its perpetrator treating him cruelly, while he says nothing?

When the evildoer attributes evil to him but does not speak?

أَم كَيفَ يَسعى إِلى ما فيهِ نَكبَتُهُ

أَم كَيفَ يَسعى إِلى ما فيهِ نَكبَتُهُ

مَن لَم يَكُن في غِنى عَن نَهلَةِ الوَشَلِ

مَن لَم يَكُن في غِنى عَن نَهلَةِ الوَشَلِ

Or how could he seek what would bring his ruin—

Or how can one strive for that which contains his perdition

one who cannot do without a sip from a scant trickle?

When he does not need to draw from a muddy spring?

لَكِن ذا الجَهلِ طَبعاً لا يَظُنُّ سِوى

لَكِن ذا الجَهلِ طَبعاً لا يَظُنُّ سِوى

أَنَّ المَلا مِثلُهُ في طَبعِهِ السَفَلِ

أَنَّ المَلا مِثلُهُ في طَبعِهِ السَفَلِ

But one ignorant by nature imagines only

But such is the nature of the ignorant, who suppose

that people are like him, with the same base disposition.

That the magnate is like him in his base qualities.

وَمَن يَوقلُ إِلى الغَيلانِ أَعيُنَكُم

وَمَن يَوقلُ إِلى الغَيلانِ أَعيُنَكُم

حُمرٌ عَل رَأيٍ ما قالوهُ في المَثَلِ

حُمرٌ عَل رَأيٍ ما قالوهُ في المَثَلِ

And who would tell the ghouls, “Your eyes

Cast down your eyes from gazing upon the spies;

are red”—as they put it in the proverb?

Silence on their opinion said in proverbs!

وَمُذ فُصِّلَت وَأُغمِضَتِ الجُفونُ عَلى

وَمُذ فُصِّلَت وَأُغمِضَتِ الجُفونُ عَلى

قَذى الضِرارِ بِلا شَكوى وَلا جَدَلِ

قَذى الضِرارِ بِلا شَكوى وَلا جَدَلِ

And since I was dismissed and my eyelids were shut over

Since my eyelids were shut on the motes of harm

the grit of ill treatment, without complaint or dispute,

Without complaining or arguing,

عَجِلَت أَبدالَ ما أُعطِيَتِ وا أَسفا

عَجِلَت أَبدالَ ما أُعطِيَتِ وا أَسفا

مِنَ المَعاشِ فَكانَ الوَيلُ في البَدَلِ

مِنَ المَعاشِ فَكانَ الوَيلُ في البَدَلِ

I hastened to exchange what I had been granted—oh, sorrow!—

The changes of what I was given were hastened--oh, what a pity!--

as a pension, and woe lay in the exchange.

From livelihood, so misery followed in exchange.

وَضاقَ حالي فَحَوَّلتُ الأُمورَ إِلى

وَضاقَ حالي فَحَوَّلتُ الأُمورَ إِلى

فَنِّ الدِفاعِ مَعانِ مُنتَهى الخَجَلِ

فَنِّ الدِفاعِ مَعانِ مُنتَهى الخَجَلِ

My circumstances narrowed, so I turned my affairs to

My condition narrowed, and I turned affairs over

the art of advocacy, suffering the utmost shame.

To defending, though utterly ashamed.

فَأَمني كُلَّ مُضطَّرٍ قَضَيتَهُ

فَأَمني كُلَّ مُضطَّرٍ قَضَيتَهُ

تَحتاجُ صَرفاً وَبَعدَ النَهوِ يَنقُدُ لي

تَحتاجُ صَرفاً وَبَعدَ النَهوِ يَنقُدُ لي

So everyone in distress sought me out, his case

I fulfilled the needs of all who were distressed

requiring expense; he would pay me after completion.

And required management, and when crying out, I would pay them.

فَقُمتُ ما اِستَطَعتَ حَتّى العَجزُ أَقعَدَني

فَقُمتُ ما اِستَطَعتَ حَتّى العَجزُ أَقعَدَني

وَكانَ خَفا حَنينُ أُجرَةِ العَمَلِ

وَكانَ خَفا حَنينُ أُجرَةِ العَمَلِ

So I rose to the task as best I could, until weakness sat me down,

I stood up as much as I was able until incapacity seated me,

and Hunayn's two slippers were the wages for the work.

And it was less burdensome to earn wages for labor.

ثُمَّ اِتَّخَذتَ القُرى كَيلاَ أَرى أَبَداً

ثُمَّ اِتَّخَذتَ القُرى كَيلاَ أَرى أَبَداً

راضٍ بِما كانَ مِن عَلِ وَمِن نَهلِ

راضٍ بِما كانَ مِن عَلِ وَمِن نَهلِ

Then I took to the villages, so as never to be seen,

Then I took the villages, that I might never see

content with what there was, a second draught or a first,

A time of comfort and plenty again.

مُعَلِّلُ النَفسَ مِن يَأسٍ وَموجِدَةً

مُعَلِّلُ النَفسَ مِن يَأسٍ وَموجِدَةً

بِقَولٍ مَن قالَ إِنَّ العِزَّ في النَقلِ

بِقَولٍ مَن قالَ إِنَّ العِزَّ في النَقلِ

consoling my soul against despair and resentment

I resigned my soul in despair and sought

with the words of one who said, “Honor lies in moving.”

The saying of one who said that honor lies in moving from place to place.

هُناكَ قالوا اِغتَنى وَالكَسبُ أَفعَمَهُ

هُناكَ قالوا اِغتَنى وَالكَسبُ أَفعَمَهُ

وَحَسبُهُ الطَينَ وَالأَشغالَ مِن سُبُلِ

وَحَسبُهُ الطَينَ وَالأَشغالَ مِن سُبُلِ

There they said, “He grew rich, and earnings filled him;

There they said, "He has grown rich," and earning did overcome him;

soil and occupations suffice him as means of livelihood.”

Clay and travels were enough for him.

نِعمَ غَنيتَ وَلَكِن عَكسَ ما زَعَموا

نِعمَ غَنيتَ وَلَكِن عَكسَ ما زَعَموا

بِعِزَّةِ النَفسِ لا بِالطينِ وَالشُغلِ

بِعِزَّةِ النَفسِ لا بِالطينِ وَالشُغلِ

Yes, I grew rich—but contrary to what they claimed—

Yes, I grew rich, but contrary to what they claimed,

with dignity of soul, not with soil and toil.

With the honor of spirit, not clay and toil!

أَما الشِراءُ فَما عِندي لَهُ أَثَرٌ

أَما الشِراءُ فَما عِندي لَهُ أَثَرٌ

وَلَيتَني عَن عَناءِ الدينِ كُنتُ خَلي

وَلَيتَني عَن عَناءِ الدينِ كُنتُ خَلي

As for buying, I have no trace of it;

As for buying, I have no means for it,

and would that I were free of the burden of debt!

Would that I were free of the pain of debt!

وَأَينَ لي بِالغِنى مِن غَيرِ ما سِعَةٌ

وَأَينَ لي بِالغِنى مِن غَيرِ ما سِعَةٌ

وَعيشَةِ الطينِ لا تَخفى عَلى رِجلِ

وَعيشَةِ الطينِ لا تَخفى عَلى رِجلِ

How could wealth be mine without ample means?

Where do I have wealth without ample means

And life on the soil is no secret to any man.

And livelihood from clay that does not escape a man's notice?

لَكِنَّهُم رَجَموا يا لَيتَهُم رَجَموا

لَكِنَّهُم رَجَموا يا لَيتَهُم رَجَموا

لَمّا رَأَوني عَلى حالي وَلَم أَحُلِ

لَمّا رَأَوني عَلى حالي وَلَم أَحُلِ

But they hurled accusations—oh, if only they had done so

Rather they flung charges; would that they had kept silent

when they saw me in my unchanged condition.

When they saw me in my state and I did not resolve it!

وَما دَروا أَنَّهُ دونَ القِوى جَلَدُ

وَما دَروا أَنَّهُ دونَ القِوى جَلَدُ

لِلشامِتينَ وَإِنَّ السُمَّ في العَسَلِ

لِلشامِتينَ وَإِنَّ السُمَّ في العَسَلِ

They did not know that mine was endurance without strength

They did not know that patience in the face of the despicable

before those who gloated, and that poison lay in the honey.

Is for the envious, though poison lies in honey.

لَكِن مِن يَدِهِ في الماءِ لَيسَ كَمَن

لَكِن مِن يَدِهِ في الماءِ لَيسَ كَمَن

يَداهُ في النارِ فَرقُ الإِثنَينِ جَلي

يَداهُ في النارِ فَرقُ الإِثنَينِ جَلي

But one whose hand is in water is not like one

But one whose hand is in water is unlike him

whose two hands are in fire; the difference between them is clear.

Whose hands are in the fire--the difference between the two is clear!

وَيَعلَمُ اللَهُ أَنّي ما اِدَّخَرتُ سِوى

وَيَعلَمُ اللَهُ أَنّي ما اِدَّخَرتُ سِوى

شُكري إِلَيهِ وَنِعمَ الحَظِّ مِن قَبلي

شُكري إِلَيهِ وَنِعمَ الحَظِّ مِن قَبلي

And God knows that I have stored up nothing but

And God knows that I hoarded nothing but

my gratitude to Him—and a fine share it is, on my part.

My gratitude to Him, and the excellent share from before.

فَهوَ الرَجاءُ إِذا ما كُنتُ مُرتَجِياً

فَهوَ الرَجاءُ إِذا ما كُنتُ مُرتَجِياً

وَهوَ المُؤَمِّلُ في حُلى وَمُرتَحَلي

وَهوَ المُؤَمِّلُ في حُلى وَمُرتَحَلي

For He is my hope whenever I hope,

So He is my hope whenever I am hopeful,

and He is the One I look to, at home and on my journeys.

And He who inspires expectation whether settled or moving from place to place.

فَإِن أُقابِلُ بِالحُسنى وَأَنصَفَني

فَإِن أُقابِلُ بِالحُسنى وَأَنصَفَني

ذا الدَهرِ نِلتُ المُنى قَبلَ اِنقَضا أَجَلي

ذا الدَهرِ نِلتُ المُنى قَبلَ اِنقَضا أَجَلي

If I am met with kindness and treated fairly

If I am met with good fortune and time treats me fairly,

by this fate, I shall attain my wishes before my allotted span ends;

I will attain what I wish before my term runs out.

أَو لا فَحَسبي بِها وَاللَهُ مَكرَمَةَ

أَو لا فَحَسبي بِها وَاللَهُ مَكرَمَةَ

حُسنِ الخِتامِ وَهَذا مُنتَهي جَذَلي

حُسنِ الخِتامِ وَهَذا مُنتَهي جَذَلي

or, if not, by God this honor is enough for me:

Or no--it suffices me that the ending be honorable;

a good ending—and this is the utmost of my joy.

This is the limit of my tether.