حَدثني شَيخ مِن الأَعراب

أعرفه بِالصدق في الخِطاب

An old Bedouin told me,

Whom I know for his truthfulness in speech,

قالَ خَرَجت رائِداً لأَهلي

وَكانَ ذاكَ العام عام محل

He said, "I went out scouting for my tribe,

And that year was a year of drought.

فسرت مِن يبرين نصف ميل

ثَم ضَللت لَقَم السَّبيل

I traveled half a mile from Yabrīn,

Then I lost my way on the road.

وَكُنت إِذ ذاكَ غُلاماً يفعه

لَكن قواي كُلها مُجتَمعه

And I was back then an impetuous young man,

But all my strength was gathered.

قَلبي جَميع وَجِناني حاضر

ماض عَلى الهَول جَسور شاطر

My heart was all present and my wits were ready,

A bold adventurer overcoming horror.

فَعِندَما أَيقنت إِني جائر

عَن مَقصد قُمت كأنِّي حائِر

So when I was sure that I had lost

My intended destination, I acted as if lost.

استرشد الرِّياح وَالنُّجوم

قَد سترتها دوني الغُيوم

I asked for directions from the winds and stars,

But clouds had hidden them from me.

فَلاحَ لي شَخص قَريب مِني

فارتَعت مِن ذاكَ وَساءَ ظَني

A person appeared near me,

So I was wary of him and mistrusted him.

وَخلته الغول فَجاشَت نَفسي

لأنَّها لَم تَكُ أَرض إِنس

And I suspected he was a demon, so my soul raged,

For it was not human land.

حَتَّى إِذا ما اشتد مِنهُ خَوفي

عَلقت نَضوى وَجذبت سَيفي

Until, when my fear of him intensified,

I hung my sword and drew my blade.

فَبانَ لي إِذ لمع الحُسام

وَاِنجاب مِن لألائه الظَّلام

So it became clear to me when the sword shone

And dispelled the darkness with its brightness.

تَخل واثل فَقَصَدت قَصدَه

وَقُلت أمسي وَأَبيت عِندَه

It was Wāthil, so I went towards him

And said I would spend the night with him.

حَتَّى إِذا ما جِئته وَجَدته

يَهفو عَلى رَوض كَما أردته

Until when I came to him I found him

Yearning for a meadow as I had wanted.

عُيون ماء وَرِياض أشبة

تَسمَع لِلطيور فيها جلبة

Springs of water and lush meadows,

Where you can hear the birds chirping.

فَقُلت هَذا مَنزل أنيق

وَإِنَّهُ بِنجعتي خَليق

So I said this is an elegant abode,

And it suits my rest well.

ثُم عَلقت ناقَتي في شَجرة

وَنلت مِن بَعض النخيل ثَمَرة

Then I tethered my she-camel to a tree,

And picked some dates from a palm tree.

ثُم صَعدت نَخلة لاهجعا

في رَأسِها مِن الأَذى مُمتنِعا

Then I climbed a date palm safely

To sleep at its top, safe from harm.

وَاِنقَشَع السحاب عَن وَجه القَمَر

وَبانَ لي ما كانَ يخفى وَظَهر

And the clouds uncovered the face of the moon,

Revealing what had been hidden before.

فَجاءَ ببر وَهزبرُ وَنمر

وَالوَحش وَالطَّير جَميعاً تبتدر

So came the wild cows, gazelles and leopards,

And all the wild beasts and birds rushing forward.

وَجاءَت الأَنعام وَالبَهائم

وَالهام وَالطُّيور وِالأَراقم

And the cattle came, and the animals,

And the ostriches, birds and insects,

وَالحَشَرات جلها وَدَقها

مفتنة في خُلقِها وَخَلقِها

All of them, in their intricate and wondrous creation,

Fascinated by their nature and form.

وَارتفع العَنقاء فَوقَ دلبة

وَهوَ أَمير الطَّير يَبغي الخطبة

And the ostrich rose above the sand dunes,

For he is the king of birds desiring to speak.

فَقالَ حَمد اللَّه خَير نَطق

وَشكره فَرض مُبين الحَق

He said, "Praising God is the best speech,

And thanking Him is an evident duty."

الحَمد لِلَّه عَلى ما خَصَّني

بِه مِن الخلق البَديع الحَسَن

"Praise be to God for what He has given me

Of the beautiful and good creation.

أَفرَدني مِن لُطفِه وَحكمته

بِصورة شاهِدة بِقدرته

He singled me out by His subtlety and wisdom

With a form that bears witness to His power.

حَتَّى لَقَد كَذَب بي الطَّغام

وَشك في وجودي الأَنام

Until the tyrants even denied me

And people doubted my existence.

لأَنَّهُم خَصوا بِضَعف وَصغر

فَحَسِبوا مِثلهم كُل الصُّور

Because they were limited by weakness and smallness,

So they thought all forms were like theirs.

وَأَنكَروا ما خَرَق العادات

فَكَذَبوا رواية الرواة

And they denied what broke the norms,

So they called the narrators liars.

فَإِن يَكُن دينهُم التَّكذيب بي

فَلَيسَ هَذا مِنهُم بِالعَجَب

And if their religion is to deny me,

Then this is no wonder from them.

فَإِنَّهُم قَد كَذبوا بِالصانع

وَأَنكروا البَعث لِيَوم جامع

For they have already denied the Maker

And rejected the Day of Gathering.

لجهلهم وَالجَهل شرشيمة

جاءَت مَع الناس مِن المَشيمة

Due to their ignorance, and ignorance is despicable,

Having come to people from the womb.

كَذاكَ تَكذيبهُم لجهلِهم

وَخُبثِهم وَنقصِهم وَبُخلِهم

Likewise their denial due to their ignorance,

Wickedness, inadequacy and stinginess,

بِما يَرى مِن جود كَفي صدقه

وَنَفسه الفاضلة الموفقه

Of what they see of my generosity and truthful self

And my distinguished accomplished soul.

إِذ لَم يَكونوا شاهدوا مِن البَشر

بَعض الَّذي بِه لَقَد شاعَ الخَبَر

For they had not witnessed the like of it among humans,

Reports of which had certainly spread.

وَهُم عَبيد الحس وَالعَيان

وَخصماء العَقل وَالبرهان

Yet they are slaves of the senses and tangible things,

And adversaries of reason and proof.

لا يَقبَلون شاهِداً غَير النَّظَر

وَلا يطيعون العُقول وَالفكر

They accept no witness but sight,

And do not obey minds and thought.

وَمِنهُم مَن يَجحَد المَلائِكة

وَالجن أَيضاً وَالأُمور الشابِكة

And among them are those who deny the angels,

And also the jinn and intricate matters.

كَذاكَ لَو لَم يَنظُروا السَّماء

لأَنكَروا النُّجوم وَالأَنواء

Likewise, had they not seen the sky,

They would have denied the stars and weather.

سَقف رَفيع فَوقَهُم بِلا عَمَد

ما فيهِ أَمت شائن وَلا أَود

A lofty ceiling above them without pillars,

Having no tent pegs or ropes.

وَخَيمة لَيسَ لَها أَطناب

يَعجَز عَن أَوصافِها الإطناب

And a canopy that rhetoric falls short

Of describing its attributes.

وَكَوكَب يَنظُر في كُلِّ بَلَد

كَأَنَّه مَسامت كُل أَحَد

And a planet that looks upon every land

As if it peers at each person.

لَو فَكروا في جرم ذاكَ الكَوكَب

حَتّى يَرى بِمشرق وَمَغرب

Had they contemplated that celestial body

Until it is seen in the east and west,

في حالة وَاحدة كَأَنَّهُ

فَوقَك أَو عَلَيك مِنهُ جنه

In one state, as if above you

Or upon you with its weight.

وَالأَرض فيها عبرة للمعتبر

تخبر عَن صُنع مَليك مُقتدر

And the earth contains lessons for those who reflect,

Telling of the work of a capable King.

تُسقى بِماء واحد أَشجارها

وَنبعة واحِدَة قرارها

Its trees are watered with one water,

And its plains have a single source.

وَالشَّمس وَالهَواء لَيسَ تَختَلف

وَأُكلُها مُختلِفٌ لا يَأتَلِف

Yet the sun and air do not differ,

While its fruits are of differing kinds that do not blend.

لَو أَن ذا مِن عَمل الطَّبائع

أَو أَنَّهُ صَنعة غَير صانع

Had this been the work of innate natures

Or the making of something other than a Maker,

لَم يَختَلف وَكانَ شَيئاً وَاحِداً

هَل يُشبِه الأَولاد إِلا الوالد

It would not have differed but been one thing,

Do children resemble any but the father?

لَو طبخ الطَّباخ أَلف قدر

بِالماء وَاللَّحمِ وَحُب البر

If a cook cooked a thousand pots

With water, meat and wheat,

ما جاءهُ مِن بَعضِها سِكباج

وَلا قَلِياتٌ وَشورباج

None would come out for him soupy

Or sautéed or stew.

بَل كُلها هَريسة إِذ أَصلها

مُتفق لَم يَتَفاوَت أَكلها

Rather, all would be mush since their origin

Is the same, their food did not vary.

الشمس وَالهَواء يا مُعاند

وَالماء وَالتُراب شَيء واحد

O you who deny, the sun and air

And water and soil are one thing!

فَما الَّذي أَوجَب ذا التفاضلا

إِلا حَكيم لَم يَرده باطِلا

What then necessitated this excellence,

Other than a Wise, Able, Creator and Originator?

وَزَعَموا أن النُّجوم صانِعه

وَأنَّها ضائِرة وَنافِعه

And some of them kill others unjustly

Without fearing sin or guilt.

في ساعَة يولَد ألف ألفِ

وَحالهم نِهاية في الخلف

You see them under warm blankets

Like prowling ravenous wolves.

فَواحِد يَموت في مَكانه

وَواحِد يَعيش في أَقرانه

They seek gossip and tale-bearing

And create great tribulations,

وَواحِد ذو ثَروة تَطغيه

وَواحد شبعته تَكفيه

Greedy for the world that does not last,

And God, none among the creation are more miserable than them.

وَواحِد برّ عَليم ناسك

وَواحِد غُرّ جَهول فاتِك

And they claim to be the best of nations,

And that they possess minds and wisdom.

وَواحِد عَبد ذَليل مُضطَهد

وَواحد ملك عَظيم معتمد

And that they are specially close to God together,

Above others, so wrong is the one who claimed it!

تخالف لَيسَ لَهُ نِهايه

في بَعضِهِ مِن كُلهِ كِفايَه

Far removed! How undeserving they are in the sight of their Lord

That He should turn them away from His door and veil them!

لَو كانَ هَذا صَنعة الطَّبائع

لاتفقوا في الحال وَالصَّنائع

For they do not do what He made obligatory,

Nor are they content with all that He ordained.

بَل هوَ مِن فعل حَكيم قادر

وَخالِق للعالمين فاطِر

They oppose His rule and command,

And feel safe from His plot and scheme.

وَبَعضهم يَقتل بَعضاً ظُلما

وَلا يَخاف حَرجاً أَو إِثما

He guaranteed provision for them and said,

"Suffice yourselves," so perform good deeds!

تَراهُم تَحتَ البُرود الضافية

كَأَنَّهُم طلس الذِّئاب الضارِية

Yet they sought from other than Him what He guaranteed

And wasted it without doing good with it.

يَسعون بِالغيبة وَالنَّميمة

وَيخلقون الفِتَن العَظيمة

If they were given abundant wealth, they squandered wastefully,

Or if deprived, they resented and transgressed!

حِرصاً عَلى الدُنيا الَّتي لا تَبقى

وَاللَّهُ ما في الخَلق مِنهُم أَشقى

They hoard wealth, and wretched is the hoarder!

None among them has insight to reflect

وَيَدعونَ أنَّهُم خَير الأُمم

وَأَنَّهُم ذوو عقول وَحِكَم

Upon those who passed before them from the nations,

How they passed away leaving behind these bounties.

وَأنَّهُم أَخَص بِاللَّه مَعاً

مِن غَيرِهم فَظالم مَن ادعا

Would that I had seen among them a man

Learned, tenacious in debate and argument,

هَيهات ما أَجدرَهم مِن رَبِهم

بِصَرفهم عَن بابِهِ وَحجبهم

Relying on fairness in disputation,

Not intending stubbornness and altercation.

لأَنَّهُم ما يَفعَلونَ ما حتم

وَلَيسَ يَرضون بِكُل ما حكم

For one whose aim is stubbornness,

Is like an obstinate camel that cannot be led.

يُخالِفونَ حُكمه وَأَمره

وَيأمَنونَ بَطشه وَمكره

And if he saw every sign for the opponent,

That would only increase his misguidance.

قَد ضمن الرزق لَهُم وَقالا

كَفَيتُم فَأحسنوا الأَعمالا

For they have witnessed the clear signs

Of the messengers of the Merciful, miracles,

فَسَألوا مِن غَيرهِ ما ضمنه

وَضيعوا وَما أَتوا بِحسنه

But that only increased them in disbelief

And blindness to guidance, so they lost.

إِن رُزِقوا مالا كَثيراً بَطروا

أَو حرموه سَخطوا وَفجروا

Since they had no intention of believing,

They knew of their disbelief and were certain.

يَدَّخِرون وَالشقي المُدخر

ما فيهُم ذو فطنة فَيعتَبر

I ask them but they cannot say to me,

With what were they favored over us?

بِمَن مَضى مِن قَبلهم مِن الأُمم

كَيفَ مَضوا وَخَلفوا هَذي النِّعَم

While we do not associate others with God, nor

Despair of His mercy when we are tried.

فَلَيتَني أَبصَرت فيهِم رجلا

حبراً ألد في الخِصام جَدَلا

I mention of their faults what I mention,

And I seek forgiveness for mentioning them."

يَعتمد الإنصاف في المُجادلة

لا يَقصد اللجاج وَالمماحلة

The birds said similar to his words,

And the beasts around him roared with it.

فَإِن من مَقصودِه العِناد

كَالجمل المصعب لا يَنقاد

The cattle and predators said,

"The obeyed King has spoken true."

وَلَو رَأى لِلخَصم كُل آيه

ما زادَهُ ذاكَ سِوى غوايه

So the old man said to me, "My nature moved me,

And stirred me,

فَإِنَّهُم قَد شاهَدوا آيات

لرسل الرَّحمن مُعجِزات

And I disliked his words, and it irritated me,

And shook me to respond and took me lightly.

فَلم يزدهم ذاكَ غَير كُفر

وَعَمه عَن الهُدى وَخسر

Then I considered responding in defense

Of my kind, for he had criticized us.

إِذ لَم يَكُن في عَزمِهِم أَن يُؤمِنوا

قَد عَلِموا بِكُفرِهم وَأَيقَنوا

But then I remembered I was alone

Among them, while they are many.

أَسأَلهم وَلا يَقولوا مينا

بِأَي شَيء فضلوا عَلَينا

So I said, preserving oneself is the first aim,

And after that one may strive for pride.

وَنَحنُ لا نُشرك بِاللَّه وَلا

نَقنَط مِن رَحمَتِهِ إِذ نَبتَلي

For if I squander my zeal, I will not preserve

My honor, so how can I awaken after it?

أذكر مِن عُيوبهم ما أذكر

وَإِنَّني مِن ذِكرهم استغفر

I would be like one who loses money

Seeking profit, so loses both."

فَقالَت الطيور مثل قَولِه

وَضَجت الوَحش به مِن حَولِه

وَقالَت الأَنعام وَالسباع

لَقَد أَصابَ الملك المُطاع

فَقال لي الشيخ فَأدرَكتَني

حمية الطَّبع وَحركتني

وَساءَ في مَقاله وَشفني

وَهَزني لِلقَول وَاستخفني

ثُم هَمَمت بِالجَواب ناصِراً

جنسي فَقَد ألزَمنا المعايرا

ثُم ذَكَرت أَنَّني وَحَيد

بِينَهُم وَأَنَّهُم عَديد

فَقُلت حفظ النَفس أَولا قُصِد

وَبَعد ذاكَ للفَخار أَجتهد

وَإِن أَضَعت مُهجَتي لَم أَحفَظ

عرضي وَكَيف بعدَها تيقظي

وَكُنتُ مثل مَن أَضاعَ المالا

لِطَلَب الربح فَقَد أَحالا