أَقِلّي عَليَّ اللَومَ يا أُمَّ بَوزَعا

وَلا تَجزَعي مِمّا أَصابَ فأَوجَعا

Blame me less, O mother of Bawza'a

Lessen your blame upon me, O Umm Bawza', and do not grieve over what has struck and caused pain.

And do not grieve for what has hurt me

Do not scold me, for I do not see Time making amends when a day passes, nor does blame bring it back.

فَلا تَعذُليني لا أَرى الدَهرَ مُعتِباً

إِذا ما مَضى يَومٌ وَلا اللَومَ مُرجِعا

So do not rebuke me, I do not see time as blaming

But I see that man is a target for destruction, meeting his fate whether ascending high or descending low.

When a day has passed, blame cannot retrieve it

And piety is truly the best of provisions, while a man's share of his wealth is only what he has enjoyed.

وَلَكِن اَرى أَنَّ الفَتى عُرضَةُ الرَدى

وَلاقي المَنايا مُصعِداً وَمُفَرِّعا

But I see the young man is prone to mishaps

So I charge you, O Umm 'Amir, should you part from me, for some counsel in certain times proves useful.

And meets death ascending and descending

Do not marry, if Time separates us, a man with a hairy nape and a low forehead,

وأَنَّ التُقى خَيرُ المَتاعِ وإِنَّما

نَصيبُ الفَتى مِن مالِهِ ما تَمتَّعا

And piety is the best provision, and indeed

A two-faced man among the people who has expanded his belly, yet acts harmfully and whose patience is narrow.

A young man's share of his money is what he has enjoyed

Dull in all things save the sharpness of his teeth, with a small heart, a glutton in the evenings, and easily frightened.

فأوصيكِ إِن فارقتِني اُمُّ عامِرٍ

وَبَعضُ الوَصايا في أَماكِنَ تَنفَعا

So I advise you, if I leave you, O mother of Aamir

Striking his jaws against his chest bone in greed, yet when men rush to noble deeds, he veils his face.

And some advice in places that benefit

Nor a clumsy, heavy-footed runt among men, who, when he walks or speaks, acts the fool.

وَلا تَنكَحي إِن فَرَّقَ الدَهرُ بَينَنا

أَغَمَّ القَفا والوَجه لَيسَ بأَنزَعا

Do not marry, if time separates us

But belong to a beloved or a magnificent noble soul, who gives freely when base men hesitate,

With a frown on his face and expression, not easily softened

One who joins ties, possessed of honor and zeal, and patience when Time bites and inflicts pain.

مِنَ القَومِ ذا لَونَينِ وَسَّعَ بَطنَهُ

وَلَكِن أَذَّياً حِلمُهُ ما تَوَسَّعا

Of the people with two faces, whose belly has expanded

And one who, should a visitor call at your house, his separation from you for a day feels like a whole eternity.

But his patience, when tested, does not expand

I shall recount many traits regarding myself, and an ancient glory that has long soared high.

كَليلاً سِوى ما كانَ من حَدِّ ضِرسِهِ

أُكَيبِدَ مِبطانَ العَشيّاتِ أَروَعا

Sleeping except when his canine presses

For I have seen none like me who cauterizes for his own cure, nor one who cuts the jugular vein so decisively.

He saddled the abdomens of the evenings out of covetousness

I was never one to kindle evil among them, nor, when evil grew serious, was I one to cower.

ضَروباً بِلَحَييهِ عَلى عَظمِ زَورِهِ

إِذا القَومُ هَشّوا لِلفَعالِ تَقَنَّعا

Brandishing his beard over the bones of his cheeks

And I would perceive the hateful one plotting against me, who, upon seeing my calm gaze, would shrink away in fear.

When people were dejected at the doer's begging

وَلا قُرزُلاً وَسطَ الرِجالِ جُنادِفاً

إِذا ما مَشى أَو قالَ قَولاً تَبَلتَعا

Nor a short man among men contending

If he walks or says a word, he struts

وَكوني حَبيباً أَو لأَروَعَ ماجِدٍ

إِذا ظَنَّ أَوباشُ الرِجالِ تَبرَّعا

And be for the best and most glorious man

When the riffraff think the prominent have given freely

وَصولٍ وَذي أَكرومَةٍ وَحَميَّة

وَصبراً إِذا ما الدَهرُ عَضَّ فأَوجَعا

With determination, dignity, and zeal

And patience if time has bitten and hurt

وَأُخرى إِذا ما زارَ بَيتَكِ زائِرٌ

زيالَكِ يَوماً كانَ كالدَهرِ أَجمَعا

And another when a visitor comes to your house

Like your time together that was like all time

سأَذكُرُ مِن نَفسي خَلائِقَ جَمَّةً

وَمَجداً قَديماً طالَما قَد تَرفَّعا

I will recall from myself many traits

And ancient glory that has long been lofty

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلي كاوياً لِدَوائِهِ

وَلا قاطِعاً عِرقاً سَنوناً وأَخدَعا

So I have not seen anyone like me enduring his remedies

Nor cutting the vein for years and being deceived

وَما كُنتُ مِمَّن أَرَّثَ الشَرَّ بَينَهُم

وَلا حينَ جَدَّ الشَرُّ مِمَّن تَخَشَّعا

And I was not one who sowed evil amongst them

And when evil intensified, I did not show humility

وَكُنتُ أَرى ذا الضِغنِ مِمَّن يَكيدُني

إِذا ما رآني فاتِرَ الطَرفِ أَخشَعا

I saw the envious one who schemes against me

When he saw me with downcast eyes show humility