أَبا الْفَضْلِ كَيْفَ تَناسَيْتَنِي

أَبا الْفَضْلِ كَيْفَ تَناسَيْتَنِي

وَما كنْتَ تَعْدِلُ نَهْجَ الرَّشادِ

وَما كنْتَ تَعْدِلُ نَهْجَ الرَّشادِ

Abu al-Fadl, how could you pretend to forget me,

O Abu al-Fadl, how could you forget me

when you never strayed from the path of right guidance?

When you did not follow the path of righteousness?

فَأَوْرَدْتَ قَوْماً رِواءَ الصُّدُورِ

فَأَوْرَدْتَ قَوْماً رِواءَ الصُّدُورِ

وَحَلأْتَ مِثْلِي وَإِنِّي لَصادِ

وَحَلأْتَ مِثْلِي وَإِنِّي لَصادِ

So you led people with quenched breasts to water,

You brought close those with plentiful hearts

yet turned away one like me, though I am truly thirsty.

While preventing the likes of me, though I am sincere

لَقَدْ أَيْأَسَتْنِيَ مِنْ وُدِّكَ الْ

لَقَدْ أَيْأَسَتْنِيَ مِنْ وُدِّكَ الْ

حَقِيقَةُ إِنْ كانَ ذا بِاعْتِمادِ

حَقِيقَةُ إِنْ كانَ ذا بِاعْتِمادِ

Indeed, I have been driven to despair of your affection by the

The truth has made me despair of your affection

reality of it, if this was deliberate.

If this was done with intent

مَنَحْتُكَ قَلْبِي وَعانَدْتُ فِي

مَنَحْتُكَ قَلْبِي وَعانَدْتُ فِي

كَ مَنْ لا يَهُونَ عَلَيْهِ عِنادِي

كَ مَنْ لا يَهُونَ عَلَيْهِ عِنادِي

I gave you my heart and defied, for

I gave you my heart and obstinately resisted

your sake, one who does not take my defiance lightly.

Those who would not tolerate my obstinacy

أَظَلُّ نَهارِيَ وَالْحاسِدُوكَ

أَظَلُّ نَهارِيَ وَالْحاسِدُوكَ

كَأَنِّي وَإِيّاهُمُ في جَهادِ

كَأَنِّي وَإِيّاهُمُ في جَهادِ

I would spend my days with those who envied you,

I spend my days while your enviers

as though they and I were at war.

Act as though they and I are at war

وَيُجْدِبُ ظَنِّيَ فِيمَنْ أَوَدُّ

وَيُجْدِبُ ظَنِّيَ فِيمَنْ أَوَدُّ

وَظَنِّيَ فِيكَ خَصِيبُ الْمَرادِ

وَظَنِّيَ فِيكَ خَصِيبُ الْمَرادِ

My hopes in those I loved would grow barren,

And my hopes in those I love wither

while my hopes in you were fertile with all I sought,

While my hopes in you thrive and flourish

إِلى أَنْ رَأَيْتُ جَفاءً يَدُ

إِلى أَنْ رَأَيْتُ جَفاءً يَدُ

لُّ أَنَّ اعْتِقادَكَ غَيْرُ اعْتِقادِي

لُّ أَنَّ اعْتِقادَكَ غَيْرُ اعْتِقادِي

until I saw a coldness that showed

Until I saw aloofness indicating

that your belief was different from mine.

That your beliefs are not my beliefs

فَيا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَبْلَها

فَيا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَبْلَها

شَغَفْتُ بِحُبِّكَ يَوْماً فُؤادِي

شَغَفْتُ بِحُبِّكَ يَوْماً فُؤادِي

If only I had not, before that,

Oh, would that before this

filled my heart with passionate love for you, even for a day.

My heart had never been impassioned by loving you

فَإِنَّ الْقَطِيعَةَ أَشْهى إِلَيَّ

فَإِنَّ الْقَطِيعَةَ أَشْهى إِلَيَّ

إِذا أَنا لَمْ أَنْتَفِعْ بِالْوِدادِ

إِذا أَنا لَمْ أَنْتَفِعْ بِالْوِدادِ

For severing ties is sweeter to me

For estrangement is more agreeable to me

if I gain nothing from affection.

When affection brings me no benefit

بَلَوْتُ الأَنامَ فَما رَأَيْتُ

بَلَوْتُ الأَنامَ فَما رَأَيْتُ

خَلِيلاً يَصِحُّ مَعَ الاِنْتِقادِ

خَلِيلاً يَصِحُّ مَعَ الاِنْتِقادِ

I have tested mankind and have not found

I have tested people, but found no friend

a friend who proves genuine under scrutiny.

Whose friendship withstands reproach

وَلَوْ لا شَماتَةُ مَنْ لامَنِي

وَلَوْ لا شَماتَةُ مَنْ لامَنِي

عَلَى بَثِّ شُكْرِكَ في كلِّ نادِ

عَلَى بَثِّ شُكْرِكَ في كلِّ نادِ

And were it not for the gloating of those who reproached me

Were it not for the gloating of those who blamed me

for proclaiming gratitude to you in every gathering,

For spreading thanks for you in every club

وَقَوْلُهُمُ وَدَّ غَيْرَ الْوَدُودِ

وَقَوْلُهُمُ وَدَّ غَيْرَ الْوَدُودِ

فَجُوزِي عَلَى قربه بالبعاد

فَجُوزِي عَلَى قربه بالبعاد

and their saying, 'He loved one who did not love him,

And their saying that one who is unfriendly loves not

so he was repaid for his closeness with estrangement,'

I would reward nearness with distance

لما كنت من بعد نيل الصفا

لما كنت من بعد نيل الصفا

لأرغب في النّائِلِ الْمُسْتَفادِ

لأرغب في النّائِلِ الْمُسْتَفادِ

I would not, after gaining sincere affection,

Had I not attained sincerity after struggle

desire the bounty to be gained.

I would not desire the useful attainment

وَما بِيَ أَنْ يَرْدَعَ الشَّامِتِينَ

وَما بِيَ أَنْ يَرْدَعَ الشَّامِتِينَ

وِصالُكَ بِرِّي وَحُسْنَ افْتقِادِي

وِصالُكَ بِرِّي وَحُسْنَ افْتقِادِي

Nor is my concern that the gloaters be silenced

It is not for me to restrain the mockers

by your continued kindness and gracious care for me,

By maintaining contact and excellently visiting you

وَلكِنْ لِكَيْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّنِي

وَلكِنْ لِكَيْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّنِي

شَكَرْتُ حَقِيقاً بِشُكْرِ الأَيادِي

شَكَرْتُ حَقِيقاً بِشُكْرِ الأَيادِي

but that they should know that I

Rather, it is so they may know that I

thanked one worthy of gratitude for his favors,

Truly gave thanks, as thanks are due

وَلَمْ أَمْنَحِ الْحَمْدَ إِلاّ امْرَأً

وَلَمْ أَمْنَحِ الْحَمْدَ إِلاّ امْرَأً

أَحَقَّ بِهِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْعِبادِ

أَحَقَّ بِهِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْعِبادِ

and bestowed praise only upon a man

And I did not express thanks except to one

more deserving of it than all mankind,

More deserving of it than all people

وَما كُنْتَ لُوْ لَمْ أَعُمْ في نَداكَ

وَما كُنْتَ لُوْ لَمْ أَعُمْ في نَداكَ

لأُثْنِي عَلَى الرَّوْضِ قَبْلَ ارْتِيادِي

لأُثْنِي عَلَى الرَّوْضِ قَبْلَ ارْتِيادِي

and, had I not swum in your bounty,

You would not, had I not frequented your company

I would not have praised the meadow before exploring it,

Hear me praise the garden before entering it

وَأَنَّكَ أَهْلٌ لأَنْ تَقْتَنِي

وَأَنَّكَ أَهْلٌ لأَنْ تَقْتَنِي

ثَنائِيَ قَبْلَ اقْتِناءِ الْعَتاِدِ

ثَنائِيَ قَبْلَ اقْتِناءِ الْعَتاِدِ

and that you are worthy to possess

And that you deserve to gain my praise

my praise before acquiring material resources.

Before acquiring possessions

فَلا يُحْفِظَنَّكَ أَنِّي عَتَبْتُ

فَلا يُحْفِظَنَّكَ أَنِّي عَتَبْتُ

فَتَمْنَعَنِي من بلوغ المراد

فَتَمْنَعَنِي من بلوغ المراد

So do not let my reproach anger you,

So do not let my reproach prevent you

and thus bar me from attaining my desire.

From allowing me to attain what I desire

فإن البلاد إذا أجدبت

فإن البلاد إذا أجدبت

فما تَسْتَغِيثُ بِغَيْرِ الْعِهادِ

فما تَسْتَغِيثُ بِغَيْرِ الْعِهادِ

For when the lands grow barren,

For if a land becomes barren

they cry for relief to none but the returning rains.

It cries out for none but the accustomed rain

إِذا ما تَجافى الْكِرامُ الشِّدا

إِذا ما تَجافى الْكِرامُ الشِّدا

دُ عَنّا فَمَنْ لِلْخُطُوبِ الشِّدادِ

دُ عَنّا فَمَنْ لِلْخُطُوبِ الشِّدادِ

If the noble and steadfast turn away

When the generous turn away from us

from us, who will face the grievous calamities?

Who then remains for the troubled?