سَلو قَلبي غَداةَ سَلا وَثابا
لَعَلَّ عَلى الجَمالِ لَهُ عِتابا
My heart bid farewell at dawn to yearning,
Perhaps it was blaming beauty.
وَيُسأَلُ في الحَوادِثِ ذو صَوابٍ
فَهَل تَرَكَ الجَمالُ لَهُ صَوابا
In events, he who is wise is questioned.
Did beauty leave any wisdom for it?
وَكُنتُ إِذا سَأَلتُ القَلبَ يَوماً
تَوَلّى الدَمعُ عَن قَلبي الجَوابا
Whenever I asked my heart one day,
Tears turned away answering my heart.
وَلي بَينَ الضُلوعِ دَمٌ وَلَحمٌ
هُما الواهي الَّذي ثَكِلَ الشَبابا
Within my ribs there is blood and flesh,
The two weak ones who failed youth.
تَسَرَّبَ في الدُموعِ فَقُلتُ وَلّى
وَصَفَّقَ في الضُلوعِ فَقُلتُ ثابا
It seeped into tears, so I said it passed away,
It throbbed in the ribs, so I said it came back.
وَلَو خُلِقَت قُلوبٌ مِن حَديدٍ
لَما حَمَلَت كَما حَمَلَ العَذابا
Had hearts been created from iron,
They would not have borne as much agony.
وَأَحبابٍ سُقيتُ بِهِم سُلافاً
وَكانَ الوَصلُ مِن قِصَرٍ حَبابا
I was given to drink with loved ones a draft,
While the union was short out of caprice.
وَنادَمنا الشَبابَ عَلى بِساطٍ
مِنَ اللَذاتِ مُختَلِفٍ شَرابا
We had reveled our youth on a carpet
Spread with different drinks of joy.
وَكُلُّ بِساطِ عَيشٍ سَوفَ يُطوى
وَإِن طالَ الزَمانُ بِهِ وَطابا
Every carpet of life will be rolled up,
No matter how long it lasted and was sweet.
كَأَنَّ القَلبَ بَعدَهُمُ غَريبٌ
إِذا عادَتهُ ذِكرى الأَهلِ ذابا
It was as if my heart became a stranger
When memories of family came back to it.
وَلا يُنبيكَ عَن خُلُقِ اللَيالي
كَمَن فَقَدَ الأَحِبَّةَ وَالصَحابا
Let not the manners of nights distract you
Like one who lost loved ones and friends.
أَخا الدُنيا أَرى دُنياكَ أَفعى
تُبَدِّلُ كُلَّ آوِنَةٍ إِهابا
Brother of this world, I see your world as a viper
Changing every moment to a different garment.
وَأَنَّ الرُقطَ أَيقَظُ هاجِعاتٍ
وَأَترَعُ في ظِلالِ السِلمِ تابا
I see the planets waking up sleepy ones
And the stars wandering in the shadows of night.
وَمِن عَجَبٍ تُشَيِّبُ عاشِقيها
وَتُفنيهِمِ وَما بَرَحَت كَعابا
Of wonders, it makes its lovers gray-haired
And destroys them while it has not grown old.
فَمَن يَغتَرُّ بِالدُنيا فَإِنّي
لَبِستُ بِها فَأَبلَيتُ الثِيابا
So let not him who is deceived by the world be me,
I wore it and it wore out my clothes.
لَها ضَحِكُ القِيانِ إِلى غَبِيٍّ
وَلي ضَحِكُ اللَبيبِ إِذا تَغابى
It laughs at the foolish openly
While I laugh at the wise secretly.
جَنَيتُ بِرَوضِها وَرداً وَشَوكاً
وَذُقتُ بِكَأسِها شُهداً وَصابا
I reaped its garden roses and thorns
And tasted its cup honey and ashes.
فَلَم أَرَ غَيرَ حُكمِ اللَهِ حُكماً
وَلَم أَرَ دونَ بابِ اللَهِ بابا
I have seen no rule but God's rule
And no door but God's door.
وَلا عَظَّمتُ في الأَشياءِ إِلّا
صَحيحَ العِلمِ وَالأَدَبِ اللُبابا
I have honored nothing among things
Except sound knowledge and refined manners.
وَلا كَرَّمتُ إِلّا وَجهَ حُرٍّ
يُقَلِّدُ قَومَهُ المِنَنَ الرَغابا
I have honored no free man
Who does not bestow favors and gifts.
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ جَمعِ المالِ داءً
وَلا مِثلَ البَخيلِ بِهِ مُصابا
I have seen no evil like hoarding wealth,
No wretched like the miser with it.
فَلا تَقتُلكَ شَهوَتُهُ وَزِنها
كَما تَزِنُ الطَعامَ أَوِ الشَرابا
Let not its desire kill you by its weight
As food and drink are weighed.
وَخُذ لِبَنيكَ وَالأَيّامِ ذُخراً
وَأَعطِ اللَهَ حِصَّتَهُ اِحتِسابا
Take provision for your children and days
And give God His rightful share.
فَلَو طالَعتَ أَحداثَ اللَيالي
وَجَدتَ الفَقرَ أَقرَبَها اِنتِيابا
Had you observed the events of nights
You would have found poverty closes in on them faster.
وَأَنَّ البِرَّ خَيرٌ في حَياةٍ
وَأَبقى بَعدَ صاحِبِهِ ثَوابا
That righteousness is better in life
And remains after its companion with reward.
وَأَنَّ الشَرَّ يَصدَعُ فاعِليهِ
وَلَم أَرَ خَيِّراً بِالشَرِّ آبا
That evil cracks its doers
And I have seen no prosperous man through evil.
فَرِفقاً بِالبَنينِ إِذا اللَيالي
عَلى الأَعقابِ أَوقَعَتِ العِقابا
So be gentle with the children when nights
Inflict them with their punishment.
وَلَم يَتَقَلَّدوا شُكرَ اليَتامى
وَلا اِدَّرَعوا الدُعاءَ المُستَجابا
They have not worn gratitude's collar
Nor put on the dress of the answered prayer.
عَجِبتُ لِمَعشَرٍ صَلّوا وَصاموا
عَواهِرَ خِشيَةً وَتُقى كِذابا
I wondered at a group who prayed and fasted
Adulterously, fearing and pious pretentiously.
وَتُلفيهُمْ حِيالَ المالِ صُمّاً
إِذا داعي الزَكاةِ بِهِم أَهابا
Deaf when the summoner of alms called them,
As if they had not counted the minimum amount.
لَقَد كَتَموا نَصيبَ اللَهِ مِنهُ
كَأَنَّ اللَهَ لَم يُحصِ النِصابا
They concealed God's share from it
As if God had not counted amounts.
وَمَن يَعدِل بِحُبِّ اللَهِ شَيئاً
كَحُبِّ المالِ ضَلَّ هَوىً وَخابا
Whoever equals anything with loving God
Has gone astray, desiring and failing.
أَرادَ اللَهُ بِالفُقَراءِ بِرّاً
وَبِالأَيتامِ حُبّاً وَاِرتِبابا
God wanted righteousness through the poor
And love and compassion through the orphans.
فَرُبَّ صَغيرِ قَومٍ عَلَّموهُ
سَما وَحَمى المُسَوَّمَةَ العِرابا
How often has a small member of a tribe taught him
The lofty principles they agreed upon,
وَكانَ لِقَومِهِ نَفعاً وَفَخراً
وَلَو تَرَكوهُ كانَ أَذىً وَعابا
And he became beneficial and pride for his tribe
While, had they neglected him, he would have been harm and disgrace.
فَعَلِّم ما اِستَطَعتَ لَعَلَّ جيلاً
سَيَأتي يُحدِثُ العَجَبَ العُجابا
Teach what you can, perhaps a generation
Will come bringing wondrous wonders.
وَلا تُرهِق شَبابَ الحَيِّ يَأساً
فَإِنَّ اليَأسَ يَختَرِمُ الشَبابا
Do not burden the living youth with despair,
For despair demolishes youth.
يُريدُ الخالِقُ الرِزقَ اِشتِراكاً
وَإِن يَكُ خَصَّ أَقواماً وَحابى
The Creator wants sustenance shared
Even if He singles some out and favors them.
فَما حَرَمَ المُجِدَّ جَنى يَدَيهِ
وَلا نَسِيَ الشَقِيَّ وَلا المُصابا
Neither has glory escaped its doers
Nor has it forgotten the wretch or the struck.
وَلَولا البُخلُ لَم يَهلِك فَريقٌ
عَلى الأَقدارِ تَلقاهُمُ غِضابا
Were it not for stinginess, no group would have perished,
While fate had inflicted wrath on them.
تَعِبتُ بِأَهلِهِ لَوماً وَقَبلي
دُعاةُ البِرِّ قَد سَئِموا الخِطابا
I grew weary of blaming its people;
Before me, the preachers of righteousness grew weary of preaching.
وَلَو أَنّي خَطَبتُ عَلى جَمادٍ
فَجَرتُ بِهِ اليَنابيعَ العِذابا
Had I preached to inanimate matter,
I would have made the springs of punishment flow from it.
أَلَم تَرَ لِلهَواءِ جَرى فَأَفضى
إِلى الأَكواخِ وَاِختَرَقَ القِبابا
Have you not seen the wind flow and pour
To huts and penetrate domes?
وَأَنَّ الشَمسَ في الآفاقِ تَغشى
حِمى كِسرى كَما تَغشى اليَبابا
Have you not seen the sun covering in the horizons
The sanctuary of Chosroes as it covers reptiles?
وَأَنَّ الماءَ تُروى الأُسدُ مِنهُ
وَيَشفي مِن تَلَعلُعِها الكِلابا
Have you not seen water give drink to lions
And its disturbance cure dogs of rabies?
وَسَوّى اللَهُ بَينَكُمُ المَنايا
وَوَسَّدَكُم مَعَ الرُسلِ التُرابا
God has leveled death among you
And will turn you into dust with the messengers.
وَأَرسَلَ عائِلاً مِنكُم يَتيماً
دَنا مِن ذي الجَلالِ فَكانَ قابا
He sent an orphan of you near
The Owner of Majesty, so he drew near.
نَبِيُّ البِرِّ بَيَّنَهُ سَبيلاً
وَسَنَّ خِلالَهُ وَهَدى الشِعابا
The prophet of righteousness made clear his path
And exemplified his ethics and guided ways.
تَفَرَّقَ بَعدَ عيسى الناسُ فيهِ
فَلَمّا جاءَ كانَ لَهُم مَتابا
After Jesus the people differed over him.
So when Muhammad came he was decisive for them.
وَشافي النَفسِ مِن نَزَعاتِ شَرٍّ
كَشافٍ مِن طَبائِعِها الذِئابا
A healer of the soul from the pulls of evil
Like a protector from its preying instincts.
وَكانَ بَيانُهُ لِلهَديِ سُبلاً
وَكانَت خَيلُهُ لِلحَقِّ غابا
His eloquence in guidance was ways.
His cavalry for truth were armies.
وَعَلَّمَنا بِناءَ المَجدِ حَتّى
أَخَذنا إِمرَةَ الأَرضِ اِغتِصابا
He taught us how to build glory until
We took the leadership of the land by force.
وَما نَيلُ المَطالِبِ بِالتَمَنّي
وَلَكِن تُؤخَذُ الدُنيا غِلابا
Desires are not attained by wishing,
But the world is taken by force.
وَما اِستَعصى عَلى قَومٍ مَنالٌ
إِذا الإِقدامُ كانَ لَهُم رِكابا
No goal eluded a people
When daring was their steed.
تَجَلّى مَولِدُ الهادي وَعَمَّت
بَشائِرُهُ البَوادي وَالقِصابا
The guiding leader's birth shone radiantly,
Its tidings spreading through the wilderness and hills.
وَأَسدَت لِلبَرِيَّةِ بِنتُ وَهبٍ
يَداً بَيضاءَ طَوَّقَتِ الرِقابا
To the desert Wahb's daughter freely gave
A white hand that collared necks.
لَقَد وَضَعَتهُ وَهّاجاً مُنيراً
كَما تَلِدُ السَماواتُ الشِهابا
She truly delivered him a glowing light
As the heavens deliver shooting stars.
فَقامَ عَلى سَماءِ البَيتِ نوراً
يُضيءُ جِبالَ مَكَّةَ وَالنِقابا
He stood over the Kaaba's heaven as a light
Illuminating Mecca's mountains and passes.
وَضاعَت يَثرِبُ الفَيحاءُ مِسكاً
وَفاحَ القاعُ أَرجاءً وَطابا
Fragrant Yathrib spread musk
And the land smelled aromatic and was sweet.
أَبا الزَهراءِ قَد جاوَزتُ قَدري
بِمَدحِكَ بَيدَ أَنَّ لِيَ اِنتِسابا
Father of al-Zahra’, I have exceeded my ability
In praising you, though I claim affiliation.
فَما عَرَفَ البَلاغَةَ ذو بَيانٍ
إِذا لَم يَتَّخِذكَ لَهُ كِتابا
No one of eloquence has known eloquence
If he does not take you as his composition.
مَدَحتُ المالِكينَ فَزِدتُ قَدراً
فَحينَ مَدَحتُكَ اِقتَدتُ السَحابا
I praised rulers, thus increasing worth.
But when I praised you, I emulated clouds.
سَأَلتُ اللَهَ في أَبناءِ ديني
فَإِن تَكُنِ الوَسيلَةَ لي أَجابا
I asked God among the members of my faith,
For if you are the means for me, then answer!
وَما لِلمُسلِمينَ سِواكَ حِصنٌ
إِذا ما الضَرُّ مَسَّهُمُ وَنابا
The Muslims have no fortress but you
When harm touched them and turned away.
كَأَنَّ النَحسَ حينَ جَرى عَلَيهِم
أَطارَ بِكُلِّ مَملَكَةٍ غُرابا
It was as if misfortune when it afflicted them
Had sent a crow over every kingdom.
وَلَو حَفَظوا سَبيلَكَ كان نوراً
وَكانَ مِنَ النُحوسِ لَهُم حِجابا
Had they kept your way, it would have been light,
And a barrier against misfortunes for them.
بَنَيتَ لَهُم مِنَ الأَخلاقِ رُكناً
فَخانوا الرُكنَ فَاِنهَدَمَ اِضطِرابا
You built for them a pillar of character.
They betrayed the pillar, so it collapsed, shaken.
وَكانَ جَنابُهُم فيها مَهيباً
وَلَلأَخلاقِ أَجدَرُ أَن تُهابا
Their manner in it was awe-inspiring.
Character more deserves to be revered.
فَلَولاها لَساوى اللَيثُ ذِئباً
وَساوى الصارِمُ الماضي قِرابا
Without it, a lion would equal a wolf
And the decisive, attacking sword a carrion crow.
فَإِن قُرِنَت مَكارِمُها بِعِلمٍ
تَذَلَّلَتِ العُلا بِهِما صِعابا
If its noble traits are combined with knowledge,
Mountains will be humbled by both.
وَفي هَذا الزَمانِ مَسيحُ عِلمٍ
يَرُدُّ عَلى بَني الأُمَمِ الشَبابا
In this age there is a Christ of knowledge
Bringing back to the sons of nations their youth.
