Claude 2

  1. أَلا هَل عَلى زَمَني مُسعَدُ

    وَأَنّى وَقَد ذَهَبَ الأَجوَدُ

    Alas! Will my time ever be auspicious,

    When the most generous are gone?

  2. وَأَصبَحتُ في غابِرٍ بَعدَهُم

    تَراهُم كَثيراً وَلَن يُحمَدوا

    After they left, I remain in gloom,

    Seeing many who will never be praised.

  3. أَلا أَيُّها الطَلِبُ المُستَغيثُ

    بِمَن لا يُغيثُ وَلا يُسعِدُ

    Alas! O you who plead urgently

    With one who neither helps nor makes happy!

  4. أَلا تَسأَلُ اللَهَ مِن فَضلِهِ

    فَإِنَّ عَطاياهُ لا تَنفَدُ

    Alas! Will you not ask of God His bounty?

    For His gifts will never diminish.

  5. أَلَم تَعي وَيحَكَ مِمّا تَقو

    مُ في طَلَبِ الرِزقِ أَو تَقعُدُ

    Do you not know, poor soul, whether you go

    Seeking provision or stay put,

  6. فَما يَحرِمُ العَجزُ أَصحابَهُ

    وَلا يُرزَقُ المالَ مَن يَجهَدُ

    That desperation will not deny people their rights,

    Nor will money come to one who strives.

  7. تَوَكَّل عَلى اللَهِ وَاِقنَع وَلا

    تَرِد فَضلَ مَن فَضلُهُ أَنكَدُ

    Rely on God, be content, and do not

    Refuse the favor of one whose favor is dire.

  8. فَقَد حَلَفَ البُخلُ أَلّا يُرى

    بِها مَن يَتِمُّ لَهُ مَوعِدُ

    For greed has sworn it will never

    Fulfill those who expect it.

  9. وَإِن جَمَدَت عَنكَ أَيدي العِبادِ

    فَإِنَّ يَدَ اللَهِ لا تَجمَدُ

    If people's hands are closed to you,

    Then God's hand does not close.

  10. أَرى الناسَ طُرّا وَقَد أَبرَقوا

    بِلُؤمِ الفِعالِ وَقَد أَرعَدوا

    I see people boastful and striking

    With the villainy of their deeds and their thunder.

  11. وَكُلٌّ يَرى أَنَّهُ سَيِّدٌ

    وَلَيسَ لِأَفعالِهِ سودَدُ

    Each believes himself a master,

    Though their actions have no virtue.

  12. فَيالَيتَ شِعري إِلى أَيِّهِم

    إِذا عَرَضَت حاجَةٌ أَقصِدُ

    Oh, how I wish I knew which of them

    I should turn to when in need!

  13. إِذا جِئتُ أَفضَلَهُم لِلسَلا

    مِ رَدَّ وَأَحشاؤُهُ تُعِدُ

    If I come to the best of them seeking

    Greetings, he shuns me while his gut churns,

  14. كَأَنَّكَ مِن خَوفِهِ لِلسُؤا

    لِ في عَينِهِ الحَيَّةُ الأَسوَدُ

    As if from fear of my question

    A black snake stirs in his eye.

  15. فَفِرَّ إِلى اللَهِ مِن لُؤمِهِم

    فَإِنّي أَرى الناسَ قَد أَصلَدوا

    So flee to God from their villainy!

    For I see people have become tyrannical.

  16. إِذا كانَ ذو المَجدِ مُستَأنِياً

    بِبَذلِ النَدى فَمَتى يُحمَدُ

    When the glorious one disdains

    To be generous, when will he be praised?