أَشاقك صَوت غنا الأَورَق

أَشاقك صَوت غنا الأَورَق

عَلى البان أَم بارقُ الأبرقِ

عَلى البان أَم بارقُ الأبرقِ

Did the sound of the gray dove's song stir your longing,

The voice of your singing enchanted the meadows

upon the ban tree—or the lightning over al-Abraq?

Was it the lightning flashing or timber groaning?

فَأَصبَح دَمعك هتّانه

فَأَصبَح دَمعك هتّانه

يَسحُّ كَسحّ الحَيا المغدقَ

يَسحُّ كَسحّ الحَيا المغدقَ

So now the torrent of your tears

So your tears flowed copiously at dawn

pours as abundant rain pours.

Spreading like the slithering of a huge serpent

أَم الدَهر أَحكم أحكامه

أَم الدَهر أَحكم أحكامه

فَجار فجوراً وَلَم يَرفقِ

فَجار فجوراً وَلَم يَرفقِ

Or has Time made firm its decrees,

Or did time make its judgement absolute

then dealt unjustly and wickedly, showing no gentleness?

Turning tyrannical, showing you no mercy?

فَصَبراً هديتَ عَلى ما قَضى

فَصَبراً هديتَ عَلى ما قَضى

بِهِ اللَهُ صَبرَ حَليمٍ تَقي

بِهِ اللَهُ صَبرَ حَليمٍ تَقي

So be patient—may you be guided—with what is decreed

So, wisely, you exercised patience

by God, with the patience of one forbearing and devout.

With the resignation of a pious, calm sage

هُوَ الدَهر يَأتي بِيسر كَما

هُوَ الدَهر يَأتي بِيسر كَما

يَروح بِعسرٍ فَلا تَفرقِ

يَروح بِعسرٍ فَلا تَفرقِ

Such is Time: it comes with ease, just as

For time brings ease and takes hardship away

it goes with hardship—so do not fear.

So do not separate the two, have no regrets

وَما بَين يُسرٍ وَعُسرٍ سِوى

وَما بَين يُسرٍ وَعُسرٍ سِوى

إِشارة لمحٍ مِن المُحدقِ

إِشارة لمحٍ مِن المُحدقِ

And between ease and hardship there is nothing but

Between ease and hardship just a subtle sign

the signal of a fleeting glance from one who watches.

From the blink of an eye in a moment fleeting

بِهَذا قَضى اللَه في خَلقه

بِهَذا قَضى اللَه في خَلقه

وَباب العِناية لَم يغلقِ

وَباب العِناية لَم يغلقِ

Thus has God decreed for His creation,

Thus Allah judged in His creation

and the door of providence has not closed.

And the door of Divine care remains open

فَثق بِالكَريم فَعاداتهُ

فَثق بِالكَريم فَعاداتهُ

إِجابة دَعوة مُستَوثقِ

إِجابة دَعوة مُستَوثقِ

So trust in the Generous One, for His custom is

So trust in the Bountiful One whose ways

to answer the prayer of one who trusts firmly.

Are to answer prayers, never to disappoint

وَهاك وَصيّة مُستنصحٍ

وَهاك وَصيّة مُستنصحٍ

يُواسيك بِالنُصح كَالمُشفقِ

يُواسيك بِالنُصح كَالمُشفقِ

And take this counsel from one whose advice is sought,

Who consoles you with care, feels your affliction

who consoles you with counsel, as one who cares,

One knowledgeable of his people and their ways

خَبير بِحال بَني عَصرهِ

خَبير بِحال بَني عَصرهِ

بِبَحر الغِواية لم يغرقِ

بِبَحر الغِواية لم يغرقِ

well versed in the condition of the people of his age,

Who by the sea of error was not drowned

who has not drowned in the sea of error.

Shun the company of the base and lowly

تَجنَّب مُعاشرَة الأَدنيا

تَجنَّب مُعاشرَة الأَدنيا

عَساكَ إِلى المَجد أَن تَرتَقي

عَساكَ إِلى المَجد أَن تَرتَقي

Avoid keeping company with the base,

That you may yet rise to glory and renown

in hopes that you may rise to glory.

Accompany none but the man of knowledge

وَلا تَصحَبنَّ سِوى عالم

وَلا تَصحَبنَّ سِوى عالم

وَغَيرَ أَخي الحلم لا تَعشَقِ

وَغَيرَ أَخي الحلم لا تَعشَقِ

And keep company with none but a scholar,

And none but the reasonable as companions

and love none but one endowed with forbearance.

And those detached, and men of noble deeds

وَغَير أَخي الزَهد أَو ماجد

وَغَير أَخي الزَهد أَو ماجد

كَريم بِقَلبك لا يَعلقِ

كَريم بِقَلبك لا يَعلقِ

And let none but an ascetic or a noble,

Whose hearts are unsullied by bonds enchaining

generous man find a place within your heart.

And if some rude foolish men should one day

وَإِن يَبغِ يَوماً علَيك الجَهولُ

وَإِن يَبغِ يَوماً علَيك الجَهولُ

وَيسفَه بِخلقٍ لَه ضيّقِ

وَيسفَه بِخلقٍ لَه ضيّقِ

And if one day an ignorant man wrongs you,

Insult you in their boorish vulgar accosting

and acts foolishly through his narrow disposition,

Restrain your tongue from answering their abuse

فَقيّد لِسانك عَن شَتمه

فَقيّد لِسانك عَن شَتمه

فَلَيسَ المقيَّد كالمُطلقِ

فَلَيسَ المقيَّد كالمُطلقِ

then restrain your tongue from insulting him,

For the restrained is not like the unrestrained

for a bound tongue is not like one let loose.

And do not speak without considered thought

وَلا تَنطقنَّ بِلا حكمَةٍ

وَلا تَنطقنَّ بِلا حكمَةٍ

فَإِنّ البَلاء مِن المَنطقِ

فَإِنّ البَلاء مِن المَنطقِ

And never speak without wisdom,

For trials result from unrestrained talking

for calamity comes from speech.

And if you pardon, pardoning is a part of piety

وَإِن تَعفُ فَالعَفو بَعض التُقى

وَإِن تَعفُ فَالعَفو بَعض التُقى

وَناهيك مَنزلة المُتَّقي

وَناهيك مَنزلة المُتَّقي

And if you forgive, forgiveness is part of piety,

And you know the rank of the God-fearing

and the station of the devout is enough for you.

Do not harm your gentle soul, its essence

وَما ضَرّ نَفسك ياقوتها

وَما ضَرّ نَفسك ياقوتها

بِنار التَجلُّد لَم يحرقِ

بِنار التَجلُّد لَم يحرقِ

And no harm has come to your soul; its ruby

With the fire of anger that's apt to destroy

has not been burned by the fire of fortitude.

For in people the state of a man is known

وَفي الناس يُعلم حال الفَتى

وَفي الناس يُعلم حال الفَتى

وَلَيسَ السَعيد بِها كَالشَقي

وَلَيسَ السَعيد بِها كَالشَقي

And among people a young man's state is known,

Though fortune does not bless all equally

and in this, the fortunate are not like the wretched.

Do not give your affection to a fool

فَلا تُصفِ ودّكَ مِن أَحمَق

فَلا تُصفِ ودّكَ مِن أَحمَق

فَفَتق الحَماقة لَم يُرتقِ

فَفَتق الحَماقة لَم يُرتقِ

So seek no sincere friendship from a fool,

For the rift of folly cannot be repaired

for the rent of folly has never been mended.

Indeed, the sorest trial for the wise

وَإِن أَشدَّ بِلاءِ الحَليم

وَإِن أَشدَّ بِلاءِ الحَليم

مُعاشرة الجاهلِ الأَحمَقِ

مُعاشرة الجاهلِ الأَحمَقِ

And indeed the severest trial of the forbearing

Is to keep company with the foolish lout

is keeping company with an ignorant fool.