يَمينُ اِمرِئٍ آلى وَلَيسَ بِكاذِبٍ
وَما في يَمينٍ بَثَّها صادِقٌ وِزرُ
A man's oath which he has sworn is binding, though he be no liar,
And the burden of an oath uttered by a truthful man is no sin;
لِئِن كانَ أَمسى اِبنُ المُغَوِّرِ قَد ثوى
فَريداً لَنِعمَ المَرءُ غَيَّبَهُ القَبرُ
Though the son of generosity be buried this eve, and left lonely,
Happy the man whose death the grave has hidden!
هُوَ المَرءُ لِلمَعروفِ وَالدينِ وَالنَدى
وَمِسعَرُ حَربٍ لا كَهامٌ وَلا غُمرُ
The man of bounty, faith, and high renown,
And war kindling, no faint at heart, no weakling;
أَقامَ وَنادى أَهلَهُ فَتَحَمَّلوا
وَصُرِّمَتِ الأَسبابُ وَاِختَلَفَ البَحرُ
He halted and called his people, so they bore it,
Though the trails were obstructed and the seas far sundered.
فَأَيَّ اِمرِئٍ غادَرتُمُ في بُيوتِكُم
إِذا هِيَ أَمسَت لَونُ آفاقِها حُمرُ
What man abandoned ye in your houses,
When the horizons turned red at even?
إِذا الشَولُ أَمسَت وَهيَ حُدبٌ ظُهورُها
عِجافاً وَلَم يُسمَع لِفَحلٍ لَها هَدرُ
The yearlings ambled with lofty croups
Spare of flesh, and no loud-snorting stallion was heard amongst them.
كَثيرُ رَمادِ القِدرِ يُغشى فِناؤُهُ
إِذا نودِيَ الأَيسارُ وَاِختُضِرَ الجَزرُ
Much ashes overlay the cooking-pots,
When the cattle were mustered and the salt herbage sprouted.
فَتىً كانَ يَغلو اللَحمُ نَيئاً وَلَحمُهُ
رَخيصٌ بِكَفَّيهِ إِذا تُنزَلُ القِدرُ
A hero whose flesh had been tender, his flesh became cheap
When cauldrons were lowered at the fair.
يُقَسِّمُها حَتّى يُسيغَ وَلَم يَكُن
كَآخَرَ يُضحي مِن تَحَيُّنِهِ زَجرُ
He shares it liberally until they are satisfied,
Nor was he like another who yawns from disdain.
فَتى الحَيِّ وَالأَضيافِ إِن رَوَّحَتهُم
بِلَيل وَزادُ السَفرِ إِن أَرمَدَ السَفرُ
A hero of valiance and hospitality, when he gives comfort to guests
In the night, and provision for the journey against its obstruction.
وَحَفَّت بِقايا زادِهِم وَتَواكَلوا
وَأَكسَبَ مالَ القَومِ مَجهولَةٌ قَفرُ
And he includes remnants of their provision, trusting in Him,
And gains wealth unknowingly in an arid depression,
إِذا القَومُ أَسرَوا لَيلَهُم ثُمَّ اَصبَحوا
غَدا وَهوَ ما فيهِ سِقاطٌ وَلا فَترُ
When the people pack off at night, then dawn
To find it free from decline or breach.
وَإِن خَشَعَت أَبصارُهُم وَتَضاءَلَت
مِنَ الأَينِ جَلّى مِثلَ ما يَنظُرُ الصَقرُ
And though their eyes in meeting his be abashed
And dazzled as the eagle's gaze at the sun,
وَإِن جارَةٌ حَلَّت وَباتَت وَفي بِها
فَباتَت وَلَم يُهتَك لِجارَتِهِ سِترُ
And though a damsel alight with them and pass the night
Yet his neighbour's veil goes unruptured.
عَفيفٌ عَنِ السَنَوآتِ ما التَبَسَت بِهِ
صَليبٌ فَما يُلفى بِعودٍ لَهُ كَسرُ
Chaste, untouched by spear though spears surround him,
No sapling where he stands but has a broken shaft.
سَلَكتَ سَبيلَ العالَمينَ فَما لَهُم
وَراءَ الَّذي لاقَيتَ مَعدىً وَلا قَصرُ
Thou hast travelled the road of the two worlds, and there remains not
Beyond that which thou hast met, fear or falling short.
وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ يَوماً مُلاقٍ حِمامَهُ
وَإِن باتَتِ الدَعوى وَطالَ بِها العُمرُ
Every man one day meets his dove,
Though long the claim and lengthy the life.
فَأَبلَيتَ خَيراً في الحَياةِ وَإِنَّما
ثَوابُكَ عِندي اليَومَ أَن يَنطِقَ الشِعرُ
Nobly thou livedst, and thy wage from me today
Is that the verse speak well of thee.
لِيَفدِكَ مَولىً اَو أَخٌ ذو دَمامَةٍ
قَليلُ الغَناءِ لا عَطاءٌ وَلا قَصرُ
To ransom thee, guardian or brother of high spirit,
Of slender means, neither bounty nor palace owns.
