ثق إنما الأحزانُ سبكٌ ضيِّقُ

وبسبكِها يبدو الأمين الأصدقُ

Trust that sorrows are but a narrow shackle,

And through its shackles the honest appear most truthful.

ما بين مشرقها ومغربها ترى

ناراً بها صَدأُ المآثم يُحرَقُ

Between its sunrise and sunset you see

A fire in which the iron of misfortunes melts.

كم ليلةٍ قد بت في عرصاتها

متلفِّتاً وأنا وحيدٌ مُملِق

How many nights have I spent in their plains

Looking around while alone and clinging.

فكأنني هدفٌ لأسباب الردى

وبنبلها في كل يومٍ أرشَق

It's as if I'm a target for the causes of evil

And with its arrows each day I shine.

أُمسي وقلبي للبلايا مركزٌ

ماءُ البلى في طيِّه يترقرق

I come in the evening and my heart is the center of afflictions,

The water of decay in its folds drips.

فكأنه كُرَة المنايا والشقا

وبصولجان همومها يتمزق

It's as if it's the ball of death and misery

And with the arms of its worries it tears.

أنَّى توجَّهتُ امتثلتُ حِيالَها

ناهيكَ من نارٍ بقلبي تُحدِق

Wherever I turn I obey in its presence

Not to mention the fire in my heart that stares.

في كل جارحةٍ جراحٌ مُثخِنٌ

وبكل خافقةٍ بلاءٌ يَخفِق

In each limb is a festering wound

And with each beat a torment that pulsates.

وبكل ناحيةٍ لذلِّي غربةٌ

وبكل سامعةٍ غرابٌ يَنعَق

And in every direction is the misery of my estrangement

And in every hearing a raven that croaks.

قالوا خُلقتَ معذَّباً فأجبتهم

عندي العذاب مجمَّعٌ ومفرَّق

They said you were created tormented so I replied

For me torment is grouped and scattered.

قالوا دُعيتَ إلى الشَقا فاجبتُهم

من يُنكرُ الحقَّ الصراحَ فأحمق

They said you were called to misery so I replied

Whoever denies the frank truth is a fool.

إني بدهري دونَ أهل عشيرتي

متمزقٌ متحرقٌ متغرِّق

I am with my time without my tribesmen

Torn, burnt, and ripped.

راش العداةُ سهامَهم لمذمَّتي

وسهام أحبابي أدقُّ وأرشق

The enemies have shot their arrows for my blame

While the arrows of loved ones are more precise and radiant.

ضر الصديق أمَرُّ ثم أحَرُّ من

ضُرِّ العدو الأجنبيِّ وأحرَق

The harm of a friend is more bitter then

The harm of a foreign enemy and more burning.

فانظر لسهمٍ من محبٍّ مُرشَقٍ

واعجب لنارٍ من صديقٍ تَحرِق

So look to the arrow of a radiant lover

And wonder at the fire from a scorching friend.

فبكل يومٍ محنةٌ وبليةٌ

وبكل يومٍ عبرةٌ تتدفَّق

With each day a tribulation and affliction

And with each day a lesson that flows.

فبكل يومٍ فرحةٌ من شامتٍ

وبكل يومٍ حاسدٌ لا يُشفِق

With each day the joy of a gloating adversary

And with each day an envious one with no mercy.

وبكل يومٍ ضربةٌ من ظالمٍ

حتى كأني بالدماء مُخلَّق

And with each day a blow from an unjust one

As if I am adorned with blood.

أشكو الأسى والدهر قاضٍ صارمٌ

إن جئتَه فهو العدو الأزرق

I complain of sorrow and fate is a stern judge

If you come to it, it is the azure enemy.

تُبدي نوائبُه البشاشةَ خدعةً

وبِطيِّها مكرٌ مغيظٌ مُحنِق

Its misfortunes show false joy in its folds

And in its folds is a vexing, suppressed cunning.

نَثرَت بواترُ صرفهِ نظمَ الورى

فمُمزَّقٌ من بأسه ومُحلَّق

It has scattered the pearls of its dispensation

So it is ripped by its might and plucked.

فالعقل فيه مؤخرٌ ومكذَّبٌ

والجهل فيه مصدَّر ومصدَّق

The mind in it is belated and denied

While ignorance in it is given precedence and believed.

كثرت بنوه مذ تكاثر حُكمُه

والغصنُ من ريح النجاسة يورق

Its children have multiplied since its rule grew

And the branch blooms from the wind of impurity.

أضحى عقيماً من سليلٍ عاقلٍ

ونمت بنو العِلّات فيه وأحدَقوا

It has become barren of sane descendants

And the insane children in it have stared.

لا تجهلنْ فالعقل يَعرِف جاهلاً

والجهل يجهله الغبيُّ الأحمق

Do not be ignorant for the mind recognizes the ignorant

While ignorance is ignorant of it, O dimwit fool.

أضحيتُ مجروحَ الفؤاد ولم أزل

بسهام ثلبك كل يومٍ أُرشَق

I have become wounded at heart and have not ceased to be

Struck by the arrows of your slander each day I shine.

لم تَبقَ جارحةٌ بنفسٍ عِفتُها

إلّا وفيها منك سَهمٌ مُرشَق

No limb remains in my chaste self

Except that in it is one of your shining arrows.

رفقاً بخلٍّ قد خُلِقتَ لذمِّه

لكنْ لحبل ودادِكم لا يُخلِق

Gently with a disposition created for blame

But for the rope of your affection it does not create.

لو كنت تخلَقُ في الورى لمديحه

لرضيتَ أنك في الورى لا تُخلَق

If you were created in creation for its praise

You would be pleased that you are not created in creation.

ما كان ضرَّك لو رضيتَ عن الذي

أضحى بكم دون الملا يترفق

What harm to you if you were pleased with what

Has made you without wealth show kindness?

أنفقت في سوق الوفاء مودتي

فيكم وعمري في مديحك أُنفِق

I spent my devotion to you in the market of loyalty

And I spend my life praising you.

فاعصِ اللسانَ ولا تطع هذيانَهُ

إن اللسانَ هو العدوُّ المُقلق

So restrain the tongue and do not obey its ravings

For the tongue is the disturbing enemy.

شتان بين العندليب وشدوِه ال

مشجي وبين غراب بينٍ يَنعَق

Far between the nightingale and its melody

Not languid, and the croaking raven of separation.

إن الحمار الغُمرَ يُعرَفُ نوعُهُ

بين الجياد الوُرْدِ لمَّا يَنهَق

The stubborn donkey is recognized among

The fleet steeds when it brays.

هذا هو الواشي المعيبُ بكذبه

لما وثقتَ به كخلٍّ يَصدِق

This is the slandering spy, blameworthy with his lies,

When you trusted him like a sweet fool.

أطغاك بل أغواك عن حبي وعن

مدحي وهوْ يرضيهِ أنك تَقلَق

He has overwhelmed you, or rather deceived you, from my love

And from praising me, and he is pleased that you are disturbed.

فجزاكَ عني محبَّةٌ ما بعتُها

برخيص ذمِّك والجزاءُ محقَّق

May you be rewarded from me with a love I did not sell

For the cheapness of your blame, and the reward is guaranteed.

فثناكَ عني ريحُ ماءٍ آسنٍ

وثنايَ عنكَ نسيمُ مِسكٍ يَعبَق

He has turned you from me, the wind of gentle water,

And the breeze of musk has turned me from you, fragrant.

فاللَه يأمر والرسول مؤكّدٌ

فيه وإنجيلُ المسيحِ يُحقّق

For God commands, the Messenger confirms it

And the Gospel of Christ affirms it.

ألا تكافوا الشرَّ شرّاً مثلَه

بل أكرموا الأعدا وجودوا وارفُقوا

Do not repay evil with evil like it

But honor the enemy, be generous, and be kind.

فاذهب فأنت طليق ربٍّ شرعُه

قد فل غَربَ لسانِ هجوٍ يَزهَق

So go for you are the freed slave of a Lord whose law

Has invalidated the raving of blasphemous language that fades.

جهالُه سادت علي عُقّالِه

والشمس يحجبها الغمام المُطبِق

Their ignorance ruled over my reason

And the sun is veiled by the massing clouds.

حتى أُسرتُ به فأَطلقَ عبرتي

من جوره فأنا الأسيرُ المُطلَق

Until I was captured by it, so my tears freed

Me from its tyranny, and I am the freed captive.

وبليتُ منه ومن بنيه بظالمٍ

قلقٍ وقلبي من عَناه أقلق

And I suffered from it and from its children with injustice,

Disturbance, and my heart is disturbed by its hardship.

ناجاه قلبي فوق طور وداده

حتى ثناه فخرَّ منه يُصعَق

My heart complained to it above the mountain of its love

Until it turned it, so it fell from it and crashed.

أعيت هواجسه فؤادي مثلما

أعيا الرخاخَ وفِرْزَهنَّ البَيذَق

Its worries have tired my heart just as

The quiver and its straps tired the archer.

فكأن أفكاري إذا ما اغتالَها

ضَرَبَتهمُ أيدي سبا فتفرقوا

It's as if when its thoughts are ambushed

They are struck by the hands of misfortune and scattered.

أمسى يعاقدني الودادَ وودُّه

عني يغرِّبُ تارةً ويشرِّق

It meets me in friendship and its love

Of me sometimes estranges and sometimes shines.

يا ناسياً حبي القديمَ وموحشاً

أنسي الحديث وظالماً يتألَّق

O forgetter of my old love and alienator

Of my new company, and oppressive one who shines.

قد شِنتَ حُسنَ محبتي ونُضورَها

ظلماً كما شان النُضارَ الزيبق

You have reviled the beauty of my love and its brilliance

Unjustly, like the nature of quicksilver.

فكأنني حلبٌ برقَّةِ لينها

وكأن طبعك في الغلاظة جلَّق

It's as if I am a gazelle in the gentleness of its softness

And your nature is solid as cement.

يا ليت قومي يعلمون بأنني

أمسيت فيك بدمع عيني أشرق

O, if only my people knew that I

Have come to shed tears for you in the evening and shine.

فَتهنَّ في عيشٍ رغيدٍ واسعٍ

مذ بِتُّ فيك ورَبعُ عيشي ضيق

So enjoy a pleasant, spacious, and ample life

Since I stayed up for you while my living is narrow.

لولاه كان الهجو فيك موفَّقاً

والهجوُ طبعاً في اللئام موفَّق

If not for it, blaming you would be appropriate

And blaming is naturally appropriate for villains.

إني ليقنعني وسمعي سامعٌ

صوتُ المسيح على الصليب يُشوِّق

I am convinced when I hear the voice

Of Christ on the cross that fascinates me:

اغفر لهم أبتاه هم لم يعلموا

ما يعملون وإن رأوا ما صدَّقوا

"Forgive them Father, they know not

What they do, and if they saw they did not believe."

حسبي أراه على الصليب ورأسُه

عن كبريا أهل التكبر مُطرق

Enough for me to see him on the cross and his head

Bowed from the pride of the arrogant.

أمَرَ السنانَ المُرَّ يفتق جيبَه

وبفتقه لجراح آدم يَرتق

He ordered the bitter nails to rend his garment

And by rending it the wounds of Adam are sealed.

هذا الذي جعل العدو صديقه

وصديقه بدم العدو مخلَّق

He who has made the enemy a friend

And the friend with the blood of an enemy is adorned.

وجعلتُ فيه دمع عيني مَغرِباً

لما أضاها منه ذاك المشرق

And I have made the tears of my eyes a sunset

From what he has illuminated it with, that sunrise.

وخفضت رايات العداوة عندما

أبصرت رايات السلامة تَخفُق

And I have lowered the banners of enmity when

I saw the banners of safety fluttering.

وخلعت فيه عذار عذري مذ غدا

لَبِقاً ولكن مدحُ مريم ألبق

And I have taken off my virginity's adornment when he became

Refined, though the praise of Mary is more elegant.

ولبست في مدح البتولة مريمٍ

ثوبَ الرجا فكأنه الإستبرق

And I have worn in praise of the virgin Mary

The dress of aspiration as if it is silk brocade.

يسمو بها سِعري وشعري في الورى

يزهو كأني بها الفصيح المُفلق

With her my poetic passion and poetry soars in creation

Blossoming as if with her my clear poetry splits.

ورفعت فيها لواءَ مدحي ظاهراً

في الخافقين كأن مدحي سَنجق

And with her I have raised the banner of my open praise

In the two horizons as if my praise is a blazing fire.

قد حصَّنتني من عدوٍّ ماردٍ

بجوارها فكأن حصني الجَوسق

She has fortified me from a stubborn enemy

In her vicinity as if my fortress is an imposing wall.

حتى غرقتُ بمدحها وبحمدها

وغريقُها بجهنّمٍ لا يغرق

Until I drowned in praising her and glorifying her

And the drowned in Hell do not drown.

فترى العدو لمدحها متشوِّقاً

وإلى مناقب فضلها يتشوق

You see the enemy yearning for her praise

And for the merits of her superiority they yearn.

شهدت لها الأعداء والفضلُ العليْ

ما قد أقر به العدوُّ وصدَّقوا

The enemies have testified to her high favor

What the enemy has acknowledged and believed.

لا تلحقُ الآفات يوماً عبدَها

ومن المحال طلاب ما لا يُلحَق

Afflictions never reach her servant one day

And seeking what cannot be attained is impossible.

فكأنه من بأسها في معقلٍ

وكأنها لحماه سورٌ محدِق

It's as if he is in the refuge of her might

And as if she is his protection, an imposing fence.

أدعوكِ يا سلطانةً ما حوربت

إلا وأحزابُ العداة تمزقوا

I call upon you, O Queen never fought

Except the parties of enemies are torn.

قومي لنصري إن عزمك وحده

عند العدا جيش مخيفٌ فيلق

Rise to my victory, your resolve alone

To the enemies is a formidable mobilizing army.

خفقت بنودُ النصر منك فمذ رأت

أعلامَك الأعداءُ طرّاً أخفقوا

The flags of victory fluttered from you, so when

Your banners saw them, the enemies fled in haste.

فسواكِ يُغلق بابَ جود نوالِه

لكن جودك بابُه لا يغلق

Except you, the door of the abundance of its access is closed

But your generosity, its door does not close.

ولقد سهرت على مديحك ليلةً

حلف الصباحُ بأنه لا يشرق

And I have stayed up praising you a night when

Morning swore that it will not rise.

وأرِقتُ حتى قال شوقي نحوكم

أَرَقٌ على أرقٍ ومثلي يأرق

And I was sleepless until my passion for you said

Sleepless upon sleepless, and the like of me stays awake.