حياتك والمتاع بها قليل

تزول وكل قاطنها يزول

Your life—with little enjoyment in it—

will pass away, and all who dwell in it will pass away.

وتختلط الخلائق في مقام

له ولهم به خطب طويل

The creatures mingle in a gathering place,

where a long ordeal awaits him and them.

به تضع الحوامل كل حمل

يشيب له الرضيع بما يهول

There the pregnant lay down every burden;

its terrors turn the suckling child's hair gray.

وتنبهر الطروف به خوشعاً

وتذهل من زلازله العقول

Eyes are dazzled there, humbled,

and minds are bewildered by its convulsions.

إذا رجفت رواجفه ورجت

روادفه ودكدكت الذلول

When its tremors quake and there are shaken

the shocks that follow, and the yielding earth is crushed;

وفرّ عن الوليد أبوه بغضاً

واخوته وفارقه السليل

the infant's father flees from him in hatred,

and his brothers too, while his offspring abandons him.

وأنكرت الحلائل كل بعل

وأعرض عن حليلته الحليل

Wives disown every husband,

and the husband turns away from his wife.

وطيرت الصحائف في البرايا

وأحضرت الملائكة العدول

The scrolls are sent flying among the creatures,

and the upright angels are brought forth.

وسوئل ذا لذاك وذا لهذا

يسائل ذا وذاك لذا مسول

This one is questioned for that one, and this one for this;

this one questions, and that one is questioned for this one.

وعذل ذا لذاك وذا لهذا

عذول وذا لمهجته عذول

This one reproaches that one, and this one, toward this,

is reproachful, while another reproaches his own soul.

وعض على يديه فتى ظلوم

وفكر كيف أوبقه الخذول

A wrongdoing youth bites both his hands

and considers how the betrayer brought him to ruin.

هنالك لا غيات لمستغيث

هنالك لا يراقب مستقيل

There is no succor there for one seeking help;

there, no one begging release is heeded.

هنالك لا بياع ولا فداء

هناك يرى خسارته الضلول

There is no bargaining there, nor ransom;

there the misguided one sees his loss.

هناك هناك لا عذر وإنّي

لمعتذر وقد وضح الدليل

There, there, no excuse avails; and I indeed

plead an excuse, though the proof has become clear.

هناك هناك كيف يكون حالي

وكيف أطيق ذاك وما أقول

There, there, what will my condition be?

How shall I endure that, and what shall I say?

هنالك مصدران فلست أدري

لأيهما أصدَّر يا نبيل

There are two destinations there, and I do not know

to which I shall be sent, O noble one.

هنالك للتغابن يا إِمام

مساهمة تفاوتها يطول

There, O Imam, gains and losses

are allotted in shares of vast disparity.

وحسبك قسمة قسمت وجازت

وحرم بعضها وهي الفضول

Enough for you is an allotment made and carried out,

with part of it withheld—the surplus gifts.

إِذا دخل السعيد جنان خلد

ودار لظى الشقي لها دخول

When the blessed enters gardens of eternity,

and the wretched enters the abode of blazing fire,

وخلد ذا بجنته خلوداً

كذلك ذاك ليس له محيل

this one remains forever in his garden,

and likewise that one, with none to change his lot.

فذا يرد الرحيق وكل خمر

وذاك من الحميم له سيول

This one drinks nectar and every kind of wine,

while that one has streams of scalding water.

وذا فلباسه لحف حرير

وذاك ثيابه اللهب الضليل

This one's clothing is silken wraps,

and that one's garments are the errant flame.

وذا فعليه اسورة ملاح

وذاك له السلاسل والكبول

This one wears lovely bracelets,

and that one has chains and shackles.

وذا فعلى الرفاف مستكن

وذاك على جهنمه يجول

This one rests sheltered upon cushions,

and that one roams about his hell.

وذا فيرى الجداول جاريات

وذاك يرى الصديد به يسيل

This one sees the streams running,

and that one sees pus flowing through him.

وذا فلكل كاعبة ضجيع

وذاك على العقارب مستحيل

This one is bedfellow to every full-breasted maiden,

and that one turns upon scorpions.

وذا فمن السرور له ابتسام

وذاك له التولول والعويل

This one smiles from joy,

and that one has wailing and lamentation.

وذا فلما اشتهى فيها أكول

وذاك لظى لجثته أكول

This one eagerly eats whatever he desires there,

while Blaze devours that one's body.

وذا فله بها فرح جزيل

وذاك له بها ترح طويل

This one has abundant joy there,

and that one has lasting sorrow there.

وذا ملك له خطر جليل

وذاك على خزايته ذليل

This one is a king of majestic stature,

and that one is abased in his disgrace.

وذا فيها غضارته نضير

وذاك بلا شقاوته مهيل

This one is fresh in his flourishing comfort there,

and that one's affliction of misery is dreadful.

وذا فبنعم نعمته نعيم

وذاك عذابه وصب وبيل

This one finds bliss in the blessings of his ease,

and that one's torment is grievous pain.

وذا فإلى اللذاذة مستريح

وذاك لما أحاط به عليل

This one rests in pleasure,

and that one is sick from all that surrounds him.

وذا فتمده الوصفا كؤساً

وذاك يمده الشرر الطويل

This one has attendants supplying him with cups,

and that one is supplied with towering sparks.

وذا فمكرم جذل صحيح

وذاك فمن مقامعها شليل

This one is honored, joyful, and healthy,

and that one is crippled by its iron clubs.

وذا فيزينه زهر وحسن

وذاك يشينه الحدق الدميل

This one is adorned with flowers and beauty,

and that one is disfigured by festering eyes.

وذا فلروح جنته نسيم

وذاك لناره غضب صهيل

This one's garden breathes a refreshing breeze,

while that one's fire has an angry neigh.

وذا فإلى الكواعب مستميل

وذاك إلى جسور لظى يميل

This one inclines toward the full-breasted maidens,

and that one turns toward the bridges of Blaze.

وذا فيجيب خالقه نداه

وذاك فلا يجيب له الجليل

This one's Creator answers his call,

while the Majestic does not answer that one.

وذا فنجا بما كدحت يداه

وذاك بما جنت يده غليل

This one is saved by what his hands have labored for,

and that one burns with thirst for what his hand has wrought.

فإن يكن الجهاد أشد نهجاً

يحاول فالجهاد لذا قليل

If jihad is the hardest path

to be attempted, jihad is little beside this.

ألا رحم الاله سليل وهب

وكل فتى يقول بما أقول

May God have mercy on the scion of Wahb,

and every youth who says what I say.

ألا رحم الاله سليل يحيى

ومن هو منه ما جرت السيول

May God have mercy on the scion of Yahya,

and whoever is of his line, as long as torrents flow.

ألا رحم الاله فتى الجلندا

سبيل أبي بلال لي سبيل

May God have mercy on the youth of al-Julanda;

Abu Bilal's path is my path.

أولاك هم المعالم يا إِمام

أولاك هم الأئمة والأصول

Those are the guiding landmarks, O Imam;

those are the leaders and the foundations.

هم العلما وأفضل كل حبر

هم النصحا هم العمد الأصيل

They are the scholars, the finest of all learned men;

they are the sincere counselors, the firmly rooted pillars.

وكلهم لقى غرر المنايا

مواجهة وفي يده صقيل

Each of them met the noblest deaths

face to face, with a polished blade in his hand.

وكل فتى يموت على فراش

فمخرج روحه مضض مهيل

Every youth who dies upon a bed—

his soul's departure is a terrifying agony.

وأمجد مهجة نزعت بهَوْنٍ

ففي جسد تناهزه النصول

The noblest soul drawn forth with ease

is in a body that blades compete to strike.

فلا سلمت أكف فتى كريم

يحيد عن القراع ويستحيل

May the hands of a noble youth never be safe

who shuns the clash of arms and turns away.

ومن كره الجهاد وحاد عنه

فذاك لحجر ذلته قتيل

Whoever loathes jihad and swerves aside from it

falls slain into the lap of his own abasement.

وكيف يمل ذو أدب قراعاً

ينال به النجا لحيَ الملول

How can a cultivated man tire of combat

through which he gains salvation? Cursed be the weary!

ونحن نرى العصاة لها حروب

على دنس وليس لها عقول

We see the disobedient waging wars

for vileness, though they have no sense.

إذا فشل المحق وعز من لم

يحقق فالمحق هو الغفول

If the rightful man falters, and one prevails who has not

upheld the truth, the rightful man is the heedless one.

ولست أرى الغداة لنا فعالاً

نفوز بها إِذا شمخ الجهول

I see no deeds for us today

by which to triumph, when the ignorant grows proud,

بأرشد من ورودك للمنايا

إِذا كرهت وعز بها النهول

better guided than your coming to death's waters,

when death is dreaded and a first draught there is hard;

وقطفك للجماجم مع صدور

تحطم حيث ما اعتركت خيول

and your reaping skulls and breasts

that are crushed wherever horses clash.

فذاك هو الصداق لكل حوراً

وذاك إلى الاله هو الوسيل

That is the dowry for every fair-eyed maiden,

and that is the means of approach to God.

سيحمد فعله رجل جواد

بمهجته إِذا ندم البخيل

A man will praise his deed, one who is generous

with his soul, when the miser feels regret.

ودونك من خليلك يا إِمام

محبرة يسر بها الخليل

Here, from your friend, O Imam, take

an ornate poem that will delight a friend.

قصدت بها الاله وما إليه

يقرب جل وهو لنا كفيل

With it I sought God, and that which to Him

brings one near—exalted is He, our guarantor.

ومنتصراً به وبه تعلى

يلاذ وفضل خالقنا جزيل

And seeking victory through Him; in Him—exalted is He—

refuge is sought, and our Creator's bounty is abundant.

وتعلم يا إِمام بأن مثلي

لمثلك في المقالة لا يطيل

You know, O Imam, that someone like me

does not speak at length to someone like you,

لعلمك ما أريد كذاك علمي

لقصدك ما تريد لما تنيل

for you know what I intend, as I know

your purpose and what you seek in what you bestow.

نريد به الاله معاً ونرجو

تبارك منه يسعدنا القبول

Together we seek God through it, and we hope

for acceptance from Him—blessed is He—to gladden us.

وأنت فقد نصرت وزدت نصراً

وبان بها علي لك الجميل

You have indeed given support, and added more,

and through it your kindness toward me became clear.

ولاح ضيا انتصارك واستنارت

معالمه وذل له الجهول

Your victory's radiance shone, and bright became

its landmarks; before it the ignorant man was humbled.

فكيف ترى إِذا حدثت حروب

وقد حدثت ومضرمها يصول

What, then, do you think when wars break out—

as they have, with their kindler charging fiercely?

أليس أخو الحروب إِذا تلظت

لديه إِلى معاقله يؤول

Does not the man of wars, when they blaze

around him, return to his strongholds?

فها أنا ذا قصدت إليك فانظر

إِلي بعين قلبك يا خليل

Here I am, having come to you; look

upon me with your heart's eye, O friend.

ولست أرى الحروب إِذا عرتنى

تعم سواك وهي هي الشغول

I do not think the wars, when they befall me,

concern anyone but you; they are indeed consuming cares.

لأنك موئلي وملاذ ديني

ومعتصمي ومعتمدي الأثيل

For you are my refuge, the shelter of my faith,

my stronghold and my long-established support.

وأنت فلو نظرت إلى المعاصي

غداة حكي لاخوتنا قفول

And you—if you were to look upon the sins

when our brothers were reported to be returning,

عجبت لحسن أوبتهم إلينا

وأعجب من لديك بها الوصول

you would marvel at their fine return to us,

and their arrival there would astonish those with you.

وحسبك ما اليمان إليك يرجو

وسل تجد المقال كما أقول

Suffice you what the Yemeni hopes from you;

ask, and you will find the account just as I say.

وقد ضعف المطلُّ عليه ضعفاً

وفارقه القبائل والقبول

The one looming over him has grown truly weak,

and the tribes and goodwill have deserted him.

وصل على البشير كذاك صلوا

بأجمعكم إِذا ذكر الرسول

Send blessings upon the bearer of good tidings; likewise, send them,

all of you, whenever the Messenger is mentioned.

صلاة اللّه دائمة عليه

ورحمته دواماً لا تزول

May God's blessings remain forever upon him,

and His mercy endure, never passing away.