يا مَن لِقَلبٍ شَديدِ الهَمِّ مَحزونِ

يا مَن لِقَلبٍ شَديدِ الهَمِّ مَحزونِ

أَمسى تَذَكَّرَ رَيّا أُمَّ هارونِ

أَمسى تَذَكَّرَ رَيّا أُمَّ هارونِ

Oh, who will aid a heart heavy with care and sorrow?

O you whose grieving heart is heavy with care

At evening it remembered Rayya, Umm Harun.

In the evening remembering Rai'a mother of Harun

أَمسى تَذَكَّرَها مِن بَعدِ ما شَحَطَت

أَمسى تَذَكَّرَها مِن بَعدِ ما شَحَطَت

وَالدَهرُ ذو غِلظَةٍ حيناً وَذو لينِ

وَالدَهرُ ذو غِلظَةٍ حيناً وَذو لينِ

At evening it remembered her, after she had gone far away.

In the evening remembering her after she walked away

Time is harsh at times, and at times gentle.

And time is harsh at times, and at times gentle

فَإِن يَكُن حُبُّها أَمسى لَنا شَجناً

فَإِن يَكُن حُبُّها أَمسى لَنا شَجناً

وضأَصبَحَ الرَأيُ مِنها لا يُؤاتيني

وضأَصبَحَ الرَأيُ مِنها لا يُؤاتيني

If her love has now become a sorrow for us,

If love for her has become our evening sorrow

and her opinion now no longer accords with mine,

And advice from her does not come to me in the morning

فَقَد غَنَينا وَشَملُ الدَهرِ يَجمَعُنا

فَقَد غَنَينا وَشَملُ الدَهرِ يَجمَعُنا

أُطيعُ رَيّا وَرَيّا لا تُعاصيني

أُطيعُ رَيّا وَرَيّا لا تُعاصيني

we once lived contentedly, with time gathering us together:

We were rich and time's circumstances bring us together

I obeyed Rayya, and Rayya did not defy me.

I obey Rai'a and Rai'a does not disobey me

تَرمي الوُشاةُ فَلا تُخطي مَقاتِلَهُم

تَرمي الوُشاةُ فَلا تُخطي مَقاتِلَهُم

بِصادِقٍ مِن صَفاءِ الوُدِّ مَكنونِ

بِصادِقٍ مِن صَفاءِ الوُدِّ مَكنونِ

She shoots at the slanderers, never missing their vital spots,

They throw accusations but do not miss their opponents

with a true, concealed purity of affection.

With sincere friendship hidden in the heart

وَلي اِبنُ عَمٍّ لَهُ خُلقٌ وَلي خُلُقٍ

وَلي اِبنُ عَمٍّ لَهُ خُلقٌ وَلي خُلُقٍ

قَد اِختَلَفنا فَأقليهِ وَيَقليني

قَد اِختَلَفنا فَأقليهِ وَيَقليني

I have a paternal cousin: he has his nature, and I have mine.

I have a cousin who has character and I have character

We have differed; I loathe him, and he loathes me.

We disagreed so leave him be and leave me be

أَزرى بِنا أَنَّنا شالَت نَعامَتُنا

أَزرى بِنا أَنَّنا شالَت نَعامَتُنا

فَخالَني دونَهُ بَل خِلتُهُ دوني

فَخالَني دونَهُ بَل خِلتُهُ دوني

It brought us low that our ostrich had risen—our unity had scattered.

It seems to me that our ostriches have been separated

He thought me beneath him; rather, I thought him beneath me.

So leave him alone without me, rather I left him without me

لاه اِبنُ عَمِّكَ أَفضَلتَ في حَسَبٍ

لاه اِبنُ عَمِّكَ أَفضَلتَ في حَسَبٍ

عَنّى وَلا أَنتَ دَيّاني فَتَخزوني

عَنّى وَلا أَنتَ دَيّاني فَتَخزوني

God bless your cousin! You have excelled in lineage

O cousin you think yourself nobler than me

beyond me, yet you are not my ruler, to govern me.

You do not judge me so do not condemn me

وَلا تَقوتُ عِيالي يَومَ مَسغَبَةٍ

وَلا تَقوتُ عِيالي يَومَ مَسغَبَةٍ

وَلا بِنَفسِكَ في العَزّاءِ تَكفيني

وَلا بِنَفسِكَ في العَزّاءِ تَكفيني

You do not feed my dependents on a day of hunger,

You cannot provide for my family on a day of poverty

nor do you yourself suffice to help me in adversity.

Nor with yourself make me self-sufficient in times of hardship

فَإِن تُرِد عَرَضَ الدُنيا بِمَنقَصَتي

فَإِن تُرِد عَرَضَ الدُنيا بِمَنقَصَتي

فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِمّا لَيسَ يُشجيني

فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِمّا لَيسَ يُشجيني

If you seek this world's passing gains by belittling me,

If you want the honor of the world to be diminished through me

that is not something that grieves me.

Then that is not what grieves me

وَلا يُرى في غَيرِ الصَبرِ مَنقَصَةٌ

وَلا يُرى في غَيرِ الصَبرِ مَنقَصَةٌ

وَما سِواهُ فَإِنَّ اللَهَ يَكفيني

وَما سِواهُ فَإِنَّ اللَهَ يَكفيني

No disgrace is seen in anything but forbearance;

Nothing but patience shows loss

as for all else, God is sufficient for me.

And nothing else, for God is enough for me

لَولا أَياصِرُ قُربى لَستَ تَحفَظُها

لَولا أَياصِرُ قُربى لَستَ تَحفَظُها

وَرَهبَةُ اللَهِ فيمَن لا يُعاديني

وَرَهبَةُ اللَهِ فيمَن لا يُعاديني

Were it not for bonds of kinship that you do not preserve,

If not for family ties you would not keep them

and fear of God concerning one who does not act as my enemy,

And fear of God against those who do not oppose me

إِذاً بَرَيتُكَ بَرياً لا اِنجبارَ لَهُ

إِذاً بَرَيتُكَ بَرياً لا اِنجبارَ لَهُ

إِنّي رَأَيتُكَ لا تَنفَكُّ تَبريني

إِنّي رَأَيتُكَ لا تَنفَكُّ تَبريني

I would have pared you down beyond all mending:

Then I would consider you innocent without coercion

I have seen that you never cease wearing me away.

I saw you do not cease to blame me

إِنَّ الَّذي يَقبِضُ الدُنيا وَيَبسطُها

إِنَّ الَّذي يَقبِضُ الدُنيا وَيَبسطُها

إِن كانَ أَغناكَ عَنّي سَوفَ يُغنيني

إِن كانَ أَغناكَ عَنّي سَوفَ يُغنيني

Surely He who withholds the world's wealth and spreads it abroad,

Indeed, He who gives and withholds the world

if He has made you independent of me, will yet enrich me.

If He has made you needless of me, He will make me needless of you

واللَهُ يَعلَمُني وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُكُم

واللَهُ يَعلَمُني وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُكُم

وَاللَهُ يَجزَيَّكُم عَنّي وَيَجزيني

وَاللَهُ يَجزَيَّكُم عَنّي وَيَجزيني

God knows me, and God knows you all;

And God knows me and God knows you

God will recompense you on my behalf, and recompense me.

And God will reward you for me and reward me

ماذا عَلَيَّ وَإِن كُنتُم ذَوي رَحمي

ماذا عَلَيَّ وَإِن كُنتُم ذَوي رَحمي

أَن لا أُحِبَّكُم إِذ لَم تُحِبّوني

أَن لا أُحِبَّكُم إِذ لَم تُحِبّوني

What blame is mine, even though you are my blood kin,

Why is it upon me when you are my relatives

if I do not love you, since you have not loved me?

That I not love you when you did not love me

لَو تَشرَبونَ دَمي لَم يَروَ شارِبُكُم

لَو تَشرَبونَ دَمي لَم يَروَ شارِبُكُم

وَلا دِماؤُكُم جَمعاً تُرَوّيني

وَلا دِماؤُكُم جَمعاً تُرَوّيني

If you drank my blood, your drinker would not be sated,

If you were to drink my blood your drinker would not be sated

nor would all your blood together slake my thirst.

Nor would your blood altogether quench my thirst

وَلي اِبنُ عَمِّ لَو أَنَّ الناسَ في كَبَدٍ

وَلي اِبنُ عَمِّ لَو أَنَّ الناسَ في كَبَدٍ

لَظَلَّ مُحتَجِزاً بِالنَبلِ يَرميني

لَظَلَّ مُحتَجِزاً بِالنَبلِ يَرميني

I have a paternal cousin who, if all men were in distress,

O cousin if people's minds were set against me

would remain girded with arrows, shooting at me.

I would remain shooting them with arrows

عَبّاس إِن لَم تَدَع شَتمي وَمَنقَصَتي

عَبّاس إِن لَم تَدَع شَتمي وَمَنقَصَتي

أَضرِبكَ حَيثُ تَقولُ الهامَةُ اِسقوني

أَضرِبكَ حَيثُ تَقولُ الهامَةُ اِسقوني

Abbas, if you do not cease reviling and belittling me,

Abbas if you do not stop insulting me and belittling me

I shall strike you where the death-owl cries, 'Give me drink!'

I will strike you wherever the spot says "Quench my thirst"

دَرمٌ سِلاحي فَما أُمّي بِراعِيَةٍ

دَرمٌ سِلاحي فَما أُمّي بِراعِيَةٍ

تَرعى المَخاضَ وَما رَأيي بِمَغبونِ

تَرعى المَخاضَ وَما رَأيي بِمَغبونِ

Darm is my weapon; my mother is no herdswoman

My sword is sharp, my mother did not raise a shepherd

tending pregnant she-camels, nor is my judgment deceived.

Who herds miscarriages, and my view is not misguided

إِنّي أَبِيُّ أَبِيٌّ ذو مَحافَظَةٍ

إِنّي أَبِيُّ أَبِيٌّ ذو مَحافَظَةٍ

وَاِبنُ أَبِيٍّ أَبِيٍّ مِن أَبِيّينِ

وَاِبنُ أَبِيٍّ أَبِيٍّ مِن أَبِيّينِ

I am unyielding, unyielding, a guardian of honor,

I am obstinate, stubborn, one who guards himself

the son of an unyielding, unyielding man, descended from unyielding men.

And the son of one stubborn from two stubborn ones

لا يُخرِجُ القَسرُ مِنّي غَيرَ مَأَبِيَةٍ

لا يُخرِجُ القَسرُ مِنّي غَيرَ مَأَبِيَةٍ

وَلا أَلينُ لِمَن لا يَبتَغي ليني

وَلا أَلينُ لِمَن لا يَبتَغي ليني

Compulsion draws nothing from me but refusal,

Nothing but refusal comes from me to one who does not want compliance from me

nor am I gentle toward one who does not seek my gentleness.

And I do not soften for those who do not want me to soften

عَفٌ نَدودٌ إِذا ما خفتُ مِن بَلَدٍ

عَفٌ نَدودٌ إِذا ما خفتُ مِن بَلَدٍ

هوناً فَلَست بِوَقّافٍ عَلى الهونِ

هوناً فَلَست بِوَقّافٍ عَلى الهونِ

Upright and quick to depart, if in a land I fear

Chaste, resistant - if I fear loss from a land

humiliation, I will not stay and endure humiliation.

I do not linger in dishonor

كُلُّ اِمرِئٍ صائِرٌ يَوماً لِشيمَتِهِ

كُلُّ اِمرِئٍ صائِرٌ يَوماً لِشيمَتِهِ

وَإِن تَخَلَّقَ أَخلاقاً إِلى حينِ

وَإِن تَخَلَّقَ أَخلاقاً إِلى حينِ

Every man returns one day to his own nature,

Every person will one day revert to his true nature

even if he affects another character for a time.

Even if he pretends to be of another nature for a while

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ ما بالي بِذي غَلَقٍ

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ ما بالي بِذي غَلَقٍ

عَنِ الصَديقِ وَلا خَيري بِمَمنونِ

عَنِ الصَديقِ وَلا خَيري بِمَمنونِ

Indeed, by your life, my mind is not closed

By your life I do not care for one of closed mind

to a friend, nor is my generosity begrudged.

To a friend, nor is deceit my best quality

عِندي خَلائِقُ أَقوامٍ ذَوي حَسَبٍ

عِندي خَلائِقُ أَقوامٍ ذَوي حَسَبٍ

بِالمُنكَراتِ وَما فَتكي بِمَأمونِ

بِالمُنكَراتِ وَما فَتكي بِمَأمونِ

I possess the qualities of men of noble lineage

I have the manners of noble folk

in dreadful encounters; no one is safe from my sudden assault.

Corrupted, and I am not safe from corruption

وَأَنتُم مَعشَرٌ زَيدٌ عَلى مائَةٍ

وَأَنتُم مَعشَرٌ زَيدٌ عَلى مائَةٍ

فَاِجمَعوا أَمرَكُم شَتى فَكيدوني

فَاِجمَعوا أَمرَكُم شَتى فَكيدوني

You are a company exceeding a hundred;

While you are a group more than a hundred

so gather your scattered counsels, and plot against me.

So gather your affairs, diverse, and plot against me

فَإِن عَلمتُم سَبيلَ الرُشدِ فَاِنطَلِقوا

فَإِن عَلمتُم سَبيلَ الرُشدِ فَاِنطَلِقوا

وَإِن جَهِلتُم سَبيل الرُشدِ فَأتوني

وَإِن جَهِلتُم سَبيل الرُشدِ فَأتوني

If you know the path of right judgment, go forth;

If you know the path of righteousness, then set forth

if you do not know the path of right judgment, come to me.

And if you do not know the path of righteousness, then come to me

قَد كُنتُ أُعطيكُمُ مالي وَأَمنَحُكُم

قَد كُنتُ أُعطيكُمُ مالي وَأَمنَحُكُم

وُدّي عَلى مُثبَتٍ في الصَدرِ مَكنونِ

وُدّي عَلى مُثبَتٍ في الصَدرِ مَكنونِ

I used to give you my wealth and grant you

I used to give you my money and bestow upon you

my affection, firmly rooted and concealed within my breast.

My affection, steadfast, hidden in the heart

بَل رُبَّ حَيٍّ شَديدِ الشَغبِ ذي لَجَبٍ

بَل رُبَّ حَيٍّ شَديدِ الشَغبِ ذي لَجَبٍ

دَعَوتُهُم رَهناً مِن بَعدِ مَرهونِ

دَعَوتُهُم رَهناً مِن بَعدِ مَرهونِ

Indeed, many a clan, fiercely contentious and full of clamor,

But, many lively people prone to rage and stupidity

I challenged, pledge after pledge.

I called to account when they were already in debt

رَدَدتُ باطِلَهُم في رَأسِ قائِلِهِم

رَدَدتُ باطِلَهُم في رَأسِ قائِلِهِم

حَتّى يظلوا خُصوماً ذا أَفانينِ

حَتّى يظلوا خُصوماً ذا أَفانينِ

I hurled their falsehood back upon their spokesman's head,

I repaid their falsehood upon the speaker

until they remained adversaries full of varied stratagems.

Until they remain defeated adversaries

عَبّاسُ لَو كُنتَ لي أَلفَيتَني بَشَراً

عَبّاسُ لَو كُنتَ لي أَلفَيتَني بَشَراً

سَماحاً كَريماً أُجازي مَن يُجازيني

سَماحاً كَريماً أُجازي مَن يُجازيني

Abbas, if you stood by me, you would find me cheerful,

Abbas, had you known me to be an agreeable man

openhanded and noble, repaying whoever repays me.

Generous, who rewards those who reward me

وَاللَهِ لَو كَرِهَت كَفّي مُصاحَبَتي

وَاللَهِ لَو كَرِهَت كَفّي مُصاحَبَتي

لَقُلتُ إِذ كَرِهَت قُربي لَها بيني

لَقُلتُ إِذ كَرِهَت قُربي لَها بيني

By God, if my hand disliked my company,

By God, if my palm disliked my companionship

I would tell it, since it disliked my nearness, 'Depart from me!'

I would say, since it dislikes my closeness, let it be distant from me