كذلك يَشقى الجامحُ المتعسِّفُ
ويركبُ متن الظُّلمِ مَن ليس يُنصِفُ
Thus the tyrant suffers, so unjust and rash,
And rides the back of darkness, lacking grace.
يَموتُ بِسُوءِ الرأيِ مَن ساءَ خُلقه
وللمرءِ ذِي التقوى عن الغَيِّ مَصْرَفُ
By evil counsel perishes the one of awful traits,
Yet for the virtuous, from sin protection comes.
أضاعَ الزبيرُ الأمرَ والأمرُ مُقبِلٌ
وآثر حَدَّ السَّيْفِ والسَّيفُ يَصدُفُ
Al-Zubayr lost all, though fortune was nigh,
Choosing the sword’s sharp edge, which slices and thrusts.
سَعَى ثابتٌ يَجزِيه سالِفَ صُنعِه
لَدَى مُحسنٍ يُسدِي الجميلَ ويَعطفُ
Thabit strove, reward for past deeds to gain,
From a gracious patron who gives and is kind.
فقال رَسولَ اللهِ جئتُكَ شافعاً
لشيخٍ دعاني ضارعاً يتلهّفُ
“I come to you,” he said, “Messenger of God,
As advocate for a sheikh imploring aid.”
حباني دمي يوم البعاث وفكَّني
وتلك يد بيضاء للشيخِ تُعرفُ
“He favored me when called on Resurrection Day
That hand I know as blessed for the sheikh it was.”
فَهَبْهُ رسولَ اللهِ لي إنّني به
على ما ترى من شأنهِ لَمُكَلَّفُ
God’s Messenger granted it to me, for as you see,
I owe the sheikh, and wish to pay my debt.”
فقال فعلنا ثم عادَ شَفِيعُه
يُبَشِّرُه بالعفوِ والشيخُ يَرجُفُ
Then the advocate returned with the good news-
Reprieve and pardon! And the sheikh shook with joy.
فَجدَّ له في المُحسنِ السَّمحِ مَطمعٌ
وقال حَياةٌ شرُّها ليس يُوصَفُ
In the generous patron hope he found anew,
And said, “A life whose pains are beyond words,
بنيَّ وأهلي ليس لي إن فقدتُهم
سِوى الموتِ إنّي عن حياتي لأعزِفُ
Without my people, death’s the only resort,
Of life I’ve had enough, it holds naught but fear.”
فلما تسنَّى الأمرُ قال لثابتٍ
أنَبقى بلا مالٍ فَنَشقَى ونتلَفُ
When the chance came, to Thabit he confessed,
“Without money we shall suffer and decay.”
وجادَ رسولُ اللهِ بالمالِ رحمةً
وبِرّاً فراحَ الشيخُ يهذِي ويَهرفُ
God’s Messenger gave money out of mercy
And righteousness. And the sheikh in delight sang out,
يسائل عن كعبٍ وساداتِ قومِهِ
ويُطرِي سجاياهم فيغلو ويُسرِفُ
Asking of Ka'b and the chieftains of his folk,
Exulting in their glory to excess.
توجَّعَ لمّا قِيلَ ذاقوا حِمامَهم
وقال أُريدُ الموتَ فالعيشُ أخوفُ
He moaned when told they met their bitter end,
And said, “I wish for death, living brings but dread.”
خُذِ السَّيفَ واضرب يا ابن قيسٍ فإنّهم
هم الصحبُ مالي بعدهم مُتَخلَّفُ
“Take up the sword, O Ibn Qays, and strike them down,
My only friends are gone, none left behind.”
كفى حزناً يا صاحبي أن تَضُمّني
ديارٌ بهم كانت تُحَبُّ وتُؤلَفُ
“Enough of sorrow, my friend, that homelands remain
Where once was love and friendship made life sweet.”
أرِحْنِي أرحني يا ابنَ قيسٍ بضربةٍ
تبيتُ لها نفسي تَرِفُّ وتَنطِفُ
“Free me, free me, Ibn Qays, with one quick blow,
Let my soul rush out flowing and pulsing.”
تَزوّدتُ من نَأْيِ الأحبّةِ غُلّةً
فهل أنت للصّادي المعذّبِ مُسْعِفُ
“I have gained from the loss of loved ones agony untold,
Will you not aid this tortured, broken soul?”
فقال معاذَ اللَّهِ لستُ بفاعلٍ
ومِثْلِيَ يأبَى ما تُريدُ ويأنَفُ
“God forbid,” he replied, “I'll do no such thing,
One like me refuses what you propose.”
وجاءَ به يلقى الزُّبيرَ على أسىً
يُغالِبُه والموتُ بالشَّيخِ يَهتفُ
To Zubayr he took him in his misery,
Grief overwhelming him, the sheikh nearing death.
وقال اسْقهِ رِيِّ الغليلِ مِنَ الردَى
فطاحَ به ماضي الغِرَارَيْنِ مُرهفُ
“Give him the draught against the fires of woe,”
And the noble elder fell, his light dimmed out.
فيا لكَ من رأيٍ سفيهٍ ومركبٍ
كريهٍ وخطبٍ فادحٍ ليسَ يُكشَفُ
What foolish, awful counsel you did share,
A hateful plot, so patent and corrupt!
قَضَى ثابتٌ حَقَّ المروءَةِ وافياً
وبَرَّ رسولُ اللَّهِ والبِرُّ مجحفُ
Thabit fulfilled the honorable course, fair and true,
God's Messenger showed righteousness, though difficult.
ولكنّ شيخَ السُّوءِ أهلكَ نَفْسَهُ
وذُو الجهلِ يُرمَى من يَدَيْهِ ويُقْذَفُ
Yet that wicked sheikh destroyed himself,
The ignorant cast out, rejected with scorn.
