فِراقٌ وَمَن فارَقتُ غَيرُ مُذَمَّمِ

وَأَمٌّ وَمَن يَمَّمتُ خَيرُ مُيَمَّمِ

Parting, and the one I parted from was not disgraced

A departure, yet he I left is not to be blamed; a destination, and he I seek is the finest aim.

A mother, and the one I hoped for was best to hope for

To me, a home of pleasures is no true home, if therein I am not honored and revered.

وَما مَنزِلُ اللَذّاتِ عِندي بِمَنزِلٍ

إِذا لَم أُبَجَّل عِندَهُ وَأُكَرَّمِ

And the abode of pleasures is not in my view a place

It is the nature of a soul, forever proud, that casts itself into peril to flee from slight.

If I am not esteemed there and honored

I departed; how many wept with the eyes of a gazelle, and how many wept with the eyes of a lion.

سَجِيَّةُ نَفسٍ ما تَزالُ مُليحَةً

مِنَ الضَيمِ مَرمِيّاً بِها كُلُّ مَخرَمِ

The nature of a soul that does not cease to be beautiful

The lady of the earring—lovely where it rests—was no more frantic than the master of the resolving sword.

Despite being cast by injustice upon every ungenerous one

Had my affliction come from a veiled beloved, I would forgive; but it comes from a turbaned friend.

رَحَلتُ فَكَم باكٍ بِأَجفانِ شادِنٍ

عَلَيَّ وَكَم باكٍ بِأَجفانِ ضَيغَمِ

I traveled, so how many tearful ones for my eyelids

He shot, yet shielded himself from my aim; but guarding him was a love that shattered my hand, my bow, and my arrows.

And how many tearful ones for the eyelids of Dhaygham

When a man’s deeds grow evil, his suspicions grow dark, and he trusts the delusions that haunt him.

وَما رَبَّةُ القُرطِ المَليحِ مَكانُهُ

بِأَجزَعَ مِن رَبِّ الحُسامِ المُصَمِّمِ

And the lady of earrings is not more anguished in her place

He turned against those who loved him at the word of his foes, and entered into a night of darkest doubt.

Than the lord of the determined, well-forged sword

I befriend the soul of a man before his physical form, discerning it through his actions and his speech.

فَلَو كانَ ما بي مِن حَبيبٍ مُقَنَّعٍ

عَذَرتُ وَلَكِن مِن حَبيبٍ مُعَمَّمِ

So if what was in me were a content beloved

I bear with my friend, knowing full well that when I repay his folly with patience, he will regret.

I would excuse, but it was a veiled beloved

And should one offer me a gift with a scowling face, I repay him with the generosity of one who leaves smiling.

رَمى وَاِتَّقى رَميِي وَمِن دونِ ما اِتَّقى

هَوىً كاسِرٌ كَفّي وَقَوسي وَأَسهُمي

He shot and was wary of my shooting, yet beyond what he was wary of

I love, among young warriors, every noble soul, distinct and upright as the shaft of a straightened spear.

Was a breaking, passionate love for my palm, bow, and arrows

Beneath him, camels have paced the desert wastes, and with him, horses have plunged into the thick of vast armies.

إِذا ساءَ فِعلُ المَرءِ ساءَت ظُنونُهُ

وَصَدَّقَ ما يَعتادُهُ مِن تَوَهُّمِ

When the actions of a man go bad, his suspicions go bad

There is no chastity in his sword or his spearhead, yet chastity dwells in his hand, his loins, and his tongue.

And he believes what he is accustomed to imagine

Not everyone who loves the good performs it, nor does every performer bring it to completion.

وَعادى مُحِبّيهِ بِقَولِ عُداتِهِ

وَأَصبَحَ في لَيلٍ مِنَ الشَكِّ مُظلِمِ

And becomes hostile to his loved ones by the words of his enemies

May the nobles be a ransom for Abu al-Misk, for they are but trailing steeds guided by a black stallion.

And wakes in a night of utter darkness

A leader blazing with glory; eyes are fixed behind him, gazing upon a vast nature and a flawless form.

أُصادِقُ نَفسَ المَرءِ مِن قَبلِ جِسمِهِ

وَأَعرِفُها في فِعلِهِ وَالتَكَلُّمِ

I befriend the self of a man before his body

If the art of governance denies itself to you, stand but once before him, and you shall learn.

And I know it through his actions and speech

He who sees him finds no room for excuse, should he be seen weak in endeavor or scant in generosity.

وَأَحلُمُ عَن خِلّي وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

مَتى أَجزِهِ حِلماً عَلى الجَهلِ يَندَمِ

And I am forbearing of my comrade, knowing that

And who is like Kafur when the horses recoil in fear, and few are those who dare shout to them, "Charge!"?

When I repay his ignorance with forbearance, he will regret

Unflinching is his gaze, though the dust of battle reaches the very throats of the veiled knights.

وَإِن بَذَلَ الإِنسانُ لي جودَ عابِسٍ

جَزَيتُ بِجودِ التارِكِ المُتَبَسِّمِ

And if a man shows me reluctant generosity

O Abu al-Misk, I hope from you aid against my foes, and glory that dyes the white blades with blood.

I repay with the generosity of one smiling and serene

And a day that enrages the envious, and a state where I may install comfort in the place of misery.

وَأَهوى مِنَ الفِتيانِ كُلَّ سَمَيذَعٍ

نَجيبٍ كَصَدرِ السَمهَرِيِّ المُقَوَّمِ

And I desire from the youths every refined, graceful one

I hoped only in those worthy of hope; for he who seeks rain from other than clouds does injustice to himself.

With a chest like that of the erect Samhari

Had you not been in Egypt, I would not have journeyed toward her with the heart of one yearning, enthralled, and enslaved.

خَطَت تَحتَهُ العيسُ الفَلاةَ وَخالَطَت

بِهِ الخَيلُ كَبّاتِ الخَميسِ العَرَمرَمِ

Under him the she-camel crossed the barren heights and mixed

Nor would the dogs of the tribes have barked at my steeds, fearing in the night the raids of the Daylam.

With his horses the thundering camels of Thursday

Nor would the tracker’s eye have traced our path, seeing naught but the horse’s hoof prints upon the camel’s pads.

وَلا عِفَّةٌ في سَيفِهِ وَسِنانِهِ

وَلَكِنَّها في الكَفِّ وَالفَرجِ وَالفَمِ

And there is no chastity in his sword or blades

We branded the desert with our march until our beasts drank deep of the Nile and sought shade beneath Mount Muqattam.

Rather it is in the palm, the private part, and the mouth

And many a proud lord ignores his counselor to favor me; just as I disobeyed my critics to seek him out.

وَما كُلُّ هاوٍ لِلجَميلِ بِفاعِلٍ

وَلا كُلُّ فَعّالٍ لَهُ بِمُتَمِّمِ

And not every desirer of beauty is a doer

He drove toward me a kindness unclouded, and I drove toward him a gratitude unspoken in whispers.

Nor every doer a completer

I have chosen you above all kings; so choose for them, through my fate, a story to be told—I have made your judgment my law, so judge!

فِدىً لِأَبي المِسكِ الكِرامُ فَإِنَّها

سَوابِقُ خَيلٍ يَهتَدينَ بِأَدهَمِ

My father's ransoms are the generous, noble ones, for they

For the fairest face among mankind is the face of the benefactor, and the most blessed hand is the hand that bestows.

Are horses racing, guided by a bay steed

The noblest of them is he who bears the noblest ambition, and the boldest in charging against every great peril.

أَغَرَّ بِمَجدٍ قَد شَخَصنَ وَراءَهُ

إِلى خُلُقٍ رَحبٍ وَخَلقٍ مُطَهَّمِ

He tempted with a glory that stretched behind him

For whom do you seek the world, if not to bring joy to a friend or misery to a foe?

To a spacious, adorned nature and character

The foal that bears your brand upon its flank has attained the fame of your name, worn like jewels on every neck and wrist.

إِذا مَنَعَت مِنكَ السِياسَةُ نَفسَها

فَقِف وَقفَةً قُدّامَهُ تَتَعَلَّمِ

When politics prevents your very self

To you belongs every creature that rides a steed, even if they bear no brand of fire upon their skin.

Then stop, stop before it to learn

If I knew the measure of my life, I would have divided it, and made two-thirds of it a vigil waiting for you—know this well.

يَضيقُ عَلى مَن رائَهُ العُذرُ أَن يُرى

ضَعيفَ المَساعي أَو قَليلَ التَكَرُّمِ

It is hard for one whose excuse is seen

But that part of life which passes is lost forever; so grant me quickly the share of one who seizes the fleeting chance.

To be perceived as weak in effort or stingy in generosity

Out of love, I am content with whatever you deem fit for me; I have led my soul to you as one who submits.

وَمَن مِثلُ كافورٍ إِذا الخَيلُ أَحجَمَت

وَكانَ قَليلاً مَن يَقولُ لَها اِقدُمي

And who is like Kafoor when the horses hesitated

A man like you needs only his own heart as an intercessor; it has spoken to you on my behalf, though I spoke not a word.

And few who would say to them "Go forth!"

شَديدُ ثَباتِ الطَرفِ وَالنَقعُ واصِلٌ

إِلى لَهَواتِ الفارِسِ المُتَلَثِّمِ

Firm of glance and soft of foot, a tireless trekker

To the recreations of the veiled horseman

أَبا المِسكِ أَرجو مِنكَ نَصراً عَلى العِدا

وَآمُلُ عِزّاً يَخضِبُ البيضَ بِالدَمِ

My father, I hope from you victory over the enemies

And I aspire to honor that dyes the white with blood

وَيَوماً يَغيظُ الحاسِدينَ وَحالَةً

أُقيمُ الشَقا فيها مَقامَ التَنَعُّمِ

And a day that vexes the envious and a state

In which I establish pleasure in place of bliss

وَلَم أَرجُ إِلّا أَهلَ ذاكَ وَمَن يُرِد

مَواطِرَ مِن غَيرِ السَحائِبِ يَظلِمِ

And I hoped for none but the people of that place and whoever would

Send down rain without clouds and darken

فَلَو لَم تَكُن في مِصرَ ما سِرتُ نَحوَها

بِقَلبِ المَشوقِ المُستَهامِ المُتَيَّمِ

Had it not been for what I set out for in Egypt

With a longing, passionate heart that yearned

وَلا نَبَحَت خَيلي كِلابُ قَبائِلٍ

كَأَنَّ بِها في اللَيلِ حَملاتِ دَيلَمِ

My horses would not have barked at the dogs of tribes

As if there were night raids among them by raiders

وَلا اِتَّبَعَت آثارَنا عَينُ قائِفٍ

فَلَم تَرَ إِلّا حافِراً فَوقَ مَنسِمِ

Nor would the eye of a spy have followed our tracks

And seen nothing but a hoofprint atop a pass

وَسَمنا بِها البَيداءَ حَتّى تَغَمَّرَت

مِنَ النيلِ وَاِستَذرَت بِظِلِّ المُقَطَّمِ

And we made our way through the desert until we were immersed

In the Nile and took shade under the scattered branches

وَأَبلَخَ يَعصي بِاِختِصاصي مُشيرَهُ

عَصَيتُ بِقَصديهِ مُشيري وَلوَّمي

And my guide opposed me by singling me out, so I opposed

My guide by my aim, and blamed him

فَساقَ إِلَيَّ العُرفَ غَيرَ مُكَدَّرٍ

وَسُقتُ إِلَيهِ الشُكرَ غَيرَ مُجَمجَمِ

So he brought me the customary without bitterness

And I brought him gratitude without sullenness

قَدِ اِختَرتُكَ الأَملاكَ فَاِختَر لَهُم بِنا

حَديثاً وَقَد حَكَّمتُ رَأيَكَ فَاِحكُمِ

I have chosen you as the ruler, so choose for them, my friend

A discourse, since I have made your opinion the judge, so judge

فَأَحسَنُ وَجهٍ في الوَرى وَجهُ مُحسِنٍ

وَأَيمَنُ كَفٍّ فيهِمُ كَفُّ مُنعِمِ

The best face in the world is the face of one who does good

And the luckiest palm among them is the palm of one who grants favor

وَأَشرَفُهُم مَن كانَ أَشرَفَ هِمَّةً

وَأَكبَرَ إِقداماً عَلى كُلِّ مُعظَمِ

And the noblest among them is he who has the noblest resolve

And greatest boldness against all grandeur

لِمَن تَطلُبُ الدُنيا إِذا لَم تُرِد بِها

سُرورَ مُحِبٍّ أَو إِساءَةَ مُجرِمِ

For whom do you seek the world if you do not want by it

The joy of a lover or harm of a criminal?

وَقَد وَصَلَ المُهرُ الَّذي فَوقَ فَخذِهِ

مِنِ اِسمِكِ ما في كُلِّ عُنقٍ وَمِعصَمِ

And the necklace which lies above his thigh

Bears your name in every neck and wrist

لَكَ الحَيَوانُ الراكِبُ الخَيلَ كُلُّهُ

وَإِن كانَ بِالنيرانِ غَيرَ مُوَسَّمِ

For you is all the riding livestock

Even if not marked by brands

وَلَو كُنتُ أَدري كَم حَياتي قَسَمتُها

وَصَيَّرتُ ثُلثَيها اِنتِظارَكَ فَاِعلَمِ

If I had known how much of my life I divided

I would have made two-thirds of it waiting for you, so know

وَلَكِنَّ ما يَمضي مِنَ العُمرِ فائِتٌ

فَجُد لي بِحَظِّ البادِرِ المُتَغَنِّمِ

But what passes of life is gone

So grant me the share of the one seizing the opportunity

رَضيتُ بِما تَرضى بِهِ لي مَحَبَّةً

وَقُدتُ إِلَيكَ النَفسَ قَودَ المُسَلِّمِ

I was content with what you were content with for me out of love

And I led my soul to you led like one submitting

وَمِثلُكَ مَن كانَ الوَسيطَ فُؤادُهُ

فَكَلَّمَهُ عَنّي وَلَم أَتَكَلَّمِ

And the like of you, whose heart was the intermediary

So it spoke to him about me, and I did not speak