تَرَنَّم في نَهارِكَ مُستَعيناً
بِذِكرِ اللَهِ في المُتَرَنِّماتِ
Sing cheerfully in your daytime
Aided by remembering God in chantings,
عَنَيتُ بِها القَوارِحَ وَهيَ غُرٌّ
وَلَسنَ بِخَيلِكَ المُتَقَدِّماتِ
I busied the ships while they were unweaned
Yet your horses were not trained for leading ahead,
يَبِتنَ بِكُلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ وَفَجٍّ
عَلى حَوضِ الرَدى مُتَجَهِّماتِ
They spend nighttime in every dark and hollow
At the basin of ashes scowling,
إِذا السُبُحُ الجِيادُ أَرَحنَ وَقتاً
حَمَلنَكَ مُسرَجاتٍ مُلجَماتِ
When the dawn shone, the steeds were relieved for a while,
Bearing you on saddled and bridled.
وَهَينَم وَالظَلامُ عَلَيكَ داجٍ
لَدى وُرقٍ سُمِعنَ مُهَينَماتِ
While darkness upon you remains condensed,
Near leaves, their rustling was heard.
وَلا تُرجِع بِإيماءِ سَلاماً
عَلى بيضٍ أَشَرنَ مُسَلِّماتِ
You do not return a greeting by gesture
To eggs which hatched submitting.
أُلاتُ الظَلمِ جِئنَ بِشَرِّ ظُلمٍ
وَقَد واجَهنَنا مُتَظَلِّماتِ
The women of darkness came with news of darkness
And they encountered us complaining.
فَوارِسُ فِتنَةٍ أَعلامُ غَيٍّ
لَقينَكَ بِالأَساوِرِ مُعلِماتِ
Horsemen of ordeal, signs of aberration
Met you with bracelets informing.
وِسامٌ ما اِقتَنَعنَ بِحُسنِ أَصلٍ
فَجِئنَكَ بِالخِضابِ مُوَسَّماتِ
Medals were not satisfied with good origin
So they came to you, tattooed.
رَأَينَ الوَردَ في الوَجناتِ حَيماً
فَغادَينَ البَنانَ مُعَنِّماتِ
They saw roses in the cheeks animated
So they left the slopes, sleepy.
وَشَنَّفنَ المَسامِعَ قائِلاتٍ
وَكَلَّمنَ القُلوبَ مُكَلِّماتِ
They aroused the hearings saying
And conversed with hearts conversing.
أَزَمنَ لِجَهلِهِنَّ حَصىً بِدُرٍّ
غَرائِبُ لَم يَكُنَّ مُثَلَّماتِ
The strange wonders of ignorance timed
With pearls were not flawed.
أَجازَينَ التُرابَ عَنِ البَرايا
بِأَكلِ شُخوصِها المُتَجَسِّماتِ
They rewarded the soil for burials
With their wrinkled old faces preserving.
نُقِعنَ بِماءِ زَمزَمَ لا نَصارى
وَلا مُجُساً يَظَلنَ مُزَمزَماتِ
They fell prostrate with Zamzam water, not Christians
Nor impure, thus remaining.
وَقَد يُصبِحنَ عَن بِرٍّ وَنُسكٍ
بِأَطيَبِ عَنبَرٍ مُتَنَسِّماتِ
They may wake up refraining from righteousness and devotion
With the most fragrant amber perfuming.
كَأَنَّ خَواتِمَ الأَفواهِ فُضَّت
عَنِ الصُهبِ العِذابِ مُخَتَّماتِ
As if the seals on their mouths were opened
From the sore punishment stamped.
كُؤوسٌ مِن أَجَلِّ الراحِ قَدراً
وَلَكِن ما يَزَلنَ مُفَدَّماتِ
Goblets of the loveliest wine quality
Yet they still bled.
يَكادُ الشُربُ لا يَبليهِ عَصرٌ
إِذا باشَرنَهُ مُتَلَثِّماتِ
Drinking does not wear it out by squeezing
When undertaken by those veiled.
ثَنَتهُنَّ الجَماجِمُ عَن مُرادٍ
بِشيبٍ فَاِنثَنَينَ مُجَمجِماتِ
Their skulls bent them away from purpose
With old age, so they bent.
خُمورُ الريقِ لَسنَ بِكُلِّ حالٍ
عَلى طُلّابَهُنَّ مُحَرَّماتِ
The wines of saliva were not by any case
Forbidden to their seekers prohibited.
وَلَكِنَّ الأَوانِسَ باعِثاتٌ
رِكابُكَ في مَهالِكَ مُقتِماتِ
But the girls are motivating
Your steed in death to advance buried.
صَحِبنَكَ فَاِستَفَدتَ بِهُنَّ وَلَداً
أَصابَكَ مِن أَذاتِكَ بِالسِماتِ
They accompanied you, so you benefited, begetting a son
Who afflicted you with his arrows.
وَمَن رُزِقَ البَنينِ فَغَيرُ ناءٍ
بِذَلِكَ عَن نَوائِبَ مُسقِماتِ
Whoever was graced with sons, then how fickle
With that, from the blows of misfortunes.
فَمِن ثُكلٍ يَهابُ وَمِن عُقوقٍ
وَأَرزاءٍ يَجِئنَ مُصَمِّماتِ
From bereavement he dreads, and from filial disobedience
And in-laws who come determined.
وَإِن نُعطَ الإِناثَ فَأَيُّ بُؤسٍ
تَبَيَّنَ في وجوهِ مُقَسَّماتِ
And if we give birth to girls, then what misery
Appears in the faces allotted.
يُرِدنَ بُعولَةً وَيُرِدنَ حَلياً
وَيَلقَينَ الخُطوبَ مُلَوَّماتِ
They want marital bonds and jewelry
And they meet suitors stung.
وَلَسنَ بِدافِعاتٍ يَومَ حَربٍ
وَلا في غارَةٍ مُتَغَشِّماتِ
They are not invaders on a day of war
Nor in a night raid invading.
وَدَفنٌ وَالحَوادِثُ فاجِعاتٌ
لِإِحداهُنَّ إِحدى المَكرُماتِ
A burial and events are agonizing
To one of the honored.
وَقَد يَفقِدنَ أَزواجاً كِراماً
فَيا لِلنِسوَةِ المُتَأَيِّماتِ
They may lose honored husbands
So oh for the widowed women.
يَلِدنَ أَعادِياً وَيَكُنَّ عاراً
إِذا أَمسَينَ في المُتَهَضَّماتِ
They give birth to enemies yet are a disgrace
If they become dishonored.
يَرُعنَكَ إِن خَدَمَن بِغَيرِ فَنٍّ
إِذا رُحنَ العَشيَّ مُخَدَّماتِ
They trouble you if they serve without skill
When they return at night served.
وَأَمّا الخَمرُ فَهِيَ تُزيلُ عَقلاً
فَتَحتَ بِهِ مَغالِقَ مُبهَماتِ
As for wine, it takes away the mind
So you unlock with it the ambiguous meanings sealed.
وَلَو ناجَتكَ أَقداحُ النَدامى
عَدَت عَن حَملِها مُتَنَدِّماتِ
And if the cups of the penitent confided in you
They would refrain from carrying regretting.
تَذيعُ السِرَّ مِن حُرٍّ وَعَبدٍ
وَتُعرَبُ عَن كَنائِزَ مُعجَماتِ
It broadcasts the secret of freeman and slave
And interprets the hidden lexicons.
وَيَنفُضُ إِلفُها الراحاتِ حَتّى
تَعودَ مِنَ النَفائِسِ مُعدَماتِ
Its intimacy unravels pleasures until
It returns from the rarities devoid.
وَزَيَّنَت القَبيحَ فَباشَرَتهُ
نُفوسٌ كُنَّ عَنهُ مُخَزَّماتِ
It beautified the ugly so the souls pursued it
Which had been prohibiting it.
وَيَشرَبُها فَيَقلِسُها غَويٌّ
لَقَد شامَ الخَفِيَّ مِنَ الشِماتِ
A seducer drinks it so it entraps him
He obtained the unperceived indications.
وَيَرفَعُ شَربُها لَغطاً بِجَهلٍ
كَأَسرابٍ وَرَدنَ مُسَدَّماتِ
Its drinking lifts ignorance clamorously
Like flocks which came crowded.
لَعَلَّ الرُبدَ عُجنَ لَها بِرَبعٍ
فَإِضنَ مِنَ السِفاهِ مُصَلَّماتِ
Perhaps degenerates kneaded it with fermentation
So it overflowed with foolishness solidifying.
أَو الغِربانَ مِلنَ لَها بِبَيضٍ
نَواصِعَ فَاِنثَنَينَ مُحَمَّماتِ
Or the crows completed it with eggs
Peak white ones, bending.
فَإِن هَلَكَت خُروسُكِ أُمَّ لَيلى
فَما أَنا مِن صِحابِكِ وَاللُمّاتِ
If the roosters of Layla perished
Then I am not of your companions, blaming!
فَعَنكِ تَعودُ أَبنِيَةُ المَعالي
وَأَطلالُ النُهى مُتَهَدِّماتِ
Because of you, the edifices of noble deeds return
And the ruins of restraint collapsed.
وَقَد يُضحي صُحاتُكِ أَهلَ سَجنٍ
وَتَلقَينَ الكُؤوسَ مُحَطَّماتِ
Your companions may become prisoners
And meet the goblets broken.
وَلا تُخبِر شُؤونَكَ وَاِجعَلَنها
سَرائِرَ في الضَميرِ مُكَتَّماتِ
Do not tell your affairs but keep them
Secrets in the conscience concealed.
فَإِنَّ السِرَّ في الخَلِدَينِ مَيِتٌ
أَخو لَحدَينِ بَينَ مُقَسَّماتِ
For the secret in both eternities is dead,
A brother to two graves allotted.
وَما الجاراتُ إِلّا جارِياتٌ
بِعَيبِكَ إِن وجِدنَ مُهَيَّماتِ
The neighbors are but young maidens
About your fault, if they found hovering.
فَلا تَسأَل أَهِندٌ أَم لَميسٌ
ثَوَت في النِسوَةِ المُتَخَيِّماتِ
Do not ask, is it a singing girl or a Laymis
Who settled among the women residing.
وَلا تَرمُق بِعَينِكَ رائِحاتٍ
إِلى حَمّامِهِنَّ مُكَمَّماتِ
Do not glance with your eye at departing winds
To their bathroom veiled.
فَكَم حَلَّت عُقودُ النَظمِ وَهناً
عُقوداً لِلرَشادِ مُنَظَّماتِ
Many odes of poetry, their knots became weak,
Knots for guidance composed.
وَكَم جَنَت المَعاصِمُ مِن مَعاصٍ
تَعودُ بِها المَعاضِدُ مُعصِماتِ
Many strongholds from disobedience were plucked
By which the forearms are protected.
وَمَن عاشَرتَ مِن إِنسٍ فَحاذِر
غَوائِلَ مُرَّدٍ مُتَهَكِّماتِ
Whoever you mingled with from humans, so beware
The pitfalls of a scorner mocking.
مَتّى يَطمَعنَ فيكَ يُرَينَ تيهاً
لِأَطيَبَ مَطعَمٍ مُتَأَجِّماتِ
When they aspire to you, they show misguidance
To the best delicacy postponing.
وَيَرفَعنَ المَقالَ عَلَيكَ جَهلاً
وَيَنفِدنَ الذَخائِرَ مُغرِماتِ
They raise charges against you ignorantly
And spend your treasures infatuated.
تَوَهَّمنَ الظُنونَ فَكُنَّ ناراً
لِما أُشعِرنَهُ مُتَوَهِّماتِ
They imagined suspicions so they became a fire
For what they felt imagining.
إِذا زُيَّنَّ في أَيّامِ حَفلٍ
بَدَت خَيلُ المَريدِ مُسَوَّماتِ
When adorned on days of merriment
The horses of suitors were presented.
فَغِر زُهرَ الحِجالِ وَلا تُغِرها
فَتَسمَح بِالدُموعِ مُسَجَّماتِ
Disregard the blossoms of coquetry and do not fall for it
So you allow tears recorded.
وَلَيسَ عُكوفُهُنَّ عَلى المُصَلّى
أَماناً مِن غِوارٍ مُجرَماتِ
Their sitting in the mosque is no safety
From sins heavily burdened.
وَلا تَحمَد حِسانَكَ إِن تَوافَت
بِأَيدٍ لِلسُطورِ مُقَوِّماتِ
Do not praise your beneficence if they concur
With hands correcting texts.
فَحَملُ مَغازِلِ النِسوانِ أَولى
بِهُنَّ مِنَ اليَراعِ مُقَلَّماتِ
Bearing the flirtations of women is more worthy of them
Than pens markedly distinguished.
سِهامٌ إِن عَرِفنَ كِتابَ لِسنٍ
رَجَعنَ بِما يَسوءُ مُسَمَّماتِ
Arrows, if they learned the book of evil
They would return with what is reprehensible poisoned.
وَيَترُكنَ الرَشيدَ بِغَيرِ لُبٍّ
أَتَينَ لِهَديَه مُتَعَلِّماتِ
They leave the rational with an undiscriminating mind
When they came to guide learning.
وَإِن جِئنَ المُنَجَّمَ سائِلاتٍ
فَلَسنَ عَنِ الضَلالِ بِمُنجَماتِ
If they asked the astrologer as inquirers
They are not by the astrologers rescued from misguidance.
لِيَأخِذنَ التَلاوَةَ عَن عَجوزٍ
مِنَ اللائي فَغَرنَ مُهَتَّماتِ
To take the recital from an old woman
Of those who were concerned.
يُسَبِّحنَ المَليكَ بِكُلِّ جُنحٍ
وَيَركَعنَ الضُحى مُتَأَثِّمَتِ
They praise the King with every wing
And bow at dawn prejudiced.
فَما عَيبٌ عَلى الفَتَياتِ لَحنٌ
إِذا قُلنَ المَرادَ مُتَرجِماتِ
No fault is on the girls, a melodious tone
When they say the intended translated.
وَلا يُدنَينَ مِن رَجُلٍ ضَريرٍ
يُلَقِّنُهُنَّ آياً مُحكَماتِ
Do not let them near a blind man
Who dictates to them verses firm.
سِوى مَن كانَ مُرتَعِشاً يَداهُ
وَلِمَّتهُ مِنَ المُتَثَغِّماتِ
Except one whose hands trembled
And his tongue of those stuttering.
وَإِن طاوَعنَ أَمرَكَ فَإِنَّهُ غِيداً
يُزِرنَ عَرائِساً مُتَيِمِّماتِ
If they obey your order it is only blindness
They visit brides emulsified.
أَخَذنَ كَريشِ طاوُوسٍ لِباساً
وَمِسكاً بِالضُحى مُتَلَغِّماتِ
They wore peacock feathers as attire
And musk at dawn registering.
وَأَبعِدهُنَّ مِن رَبّاتِ مَكرٍ
سَواحِرَ يَغتَدينَ مُعَزِّماتِ
Take them away from the cunning ladies
Sorceresses who come determined.
يَقُلنَ نُهَيَّجُ الغُيّابَ حَتّى
يَجيؤوا بِالرُكابِ مُزَمَّماتِ
They say: We provoke the absent ones until
They come with sandals tied.
وَنَعطِف هاجِرَ الخِلّانِ كَيما
يَزولُ عَنِ السَجايا المُسئِماتِ
We turn the pitchers of milk until
The misfortunes disappear from the imprisoned.
زَعَمنَ بِأَنَّ في مَغنى فَقيرٍ
عَلَينا بِالجَوالِبِ مُوَذَّماتِ
They claimed that in the chant of a poor one
Are treasures for kings concealed.
زَعَمنَ بِأَنَّ في مَغنى فَقيرٍ
كُنوزاً لِلمُلوكِ مُصَتَّماتِ
Do not let them enter your house by choice
I knew them to be blemished.
فَلا يَدخُلنَ دارَكَ بِاِختِيارٍ
فَقَدَ أَلفَيتُهُنَّ مُذَمَّماتِ
If they secretly deceived your ignorance anticipating
Then it is right that they leave blamed.
وَإِن خالَسنَ غِرَّتَكَ اِرتِقاباً
فَحَقٌّ أَن يَرُحنَ مُشَتَّماتِ
Equalize to you the Christian comrades
And an eye of a Jew and Muslim.
وَساوِ لَدَيكَ أَترابَ النَصارى
وَعيناً مِن يَهودَ وَمُسلِماتِ
Whoever you neighbored of pure and murky -
Let the virtuous be honored.
وَمَن جاوَرتَ مِن حُنُفٍ وَسِربٍ
صَوابيءَ فَليَبِنَّ مُكَرَّماتِ
All people are equal
Even if wars kindled hot.
فَإِنَّ الناسَ كُلَّهُم سَواءٌ
وَإِن ذَكَت الحُروبُ مُضَرَّماتِ
Do not let an elderly poor man marry
One of the girls luxuriating.
وَلا يَتَأَهَّلَن شَيخٌ مُقِلٌّ
بِمُعصُرَةٍ مِنَ المُتَنَعِّماتِ
For poverty is a defect if appended
To old age, it brings revered.
فَإِنَّ الفَقرَ عَيبٌ إِن أُضيفَت
إِلَيهِ السَنَّ جاءَ بِمُعَظَّماتِ
But the marriage of this is a life era’s daughter
Who avoided faces rouged.
وَلَكِن عِرسُ ذَلِكَ بِنتُ دَهرٍ
تَجَنَّبَت الوُجوهَ مُحَمَّماتِ
Of those who when a year is scarce
Surpass misfortunes destructive.
مِنَ اللائي إِذا لَم يُجدِ عامٌ
تَفَوَّقنَ الحَوادِثَ مُعدِماتِ
Of street vendors, they avoided with every peg
And spent years criminalized.
مِنَ الشُمطِ اِعتَزَلنَ بِكُلِّ عودٍ
وَأَفنَينَ السِنينَ مُجَرَّماتِ
Wealth overlooks a headstrong mistake
If your mentality submits.
وَيَغتَفِرُ الغِنى وَخَطّاً بِرَأسٍ
إِذا كانَت قِواكَ مُسَلَّماتِ
One is enough for you so do not exceed
To another who brings agonizing.
وَواحِدَةٌ كَفَتكَ فَلا تُجاوِز
إِلى أُخرى تَجيءُ بِمُؤلِماتِ
If you oppressed a female companion with harm
Then it is most proper to frighten with threats.
وَإِن أَرغَمتَ صاحِبَةً بِضَرٍّ
فَأَجدِر أَن تَروعَ بِمُعرِماتِ
Glassware, if you are gentle with it but otherwise
You see its fragments fragmented.
زُجاجٌ إِن رَفِقتَ بِهِ وَإِلّا
رَأَيتَ ضُروبَه مُتَقَصِّماتِ
Guard yourself in the crevice from demonic spirits
Who visit the stars darkened.
وَصِن في الشَرخِ نَفسَكَ عَن غَوانٍ
يَزُرنَ مَعَ الكَواكِبِ مُعتِماتِ
The seducer may advance unto shelters
With wings in clouds starred.
فَقَد يَسري الغَوِيُّ إِلى مَخازٍ
بِجِنحٍ في سَحائِبَ مُنجَماتِ
A spouse does not protect the deal like a husband
Who makes her of the prohibited.
وَما حَفِظَ الخَريدَةَ مِثلُ بَعلٍ
تَكونُ بِهِ مِن المُتَحَرِماتِ
He guards her loss from every matter
And protects her from formidable tribulations.
يَحوطُ ذِمارَها مِن كُلِّ خَطبٍ
وَيَمنَعُها مَصاعِبَ مُقرَماتِ
When the caves enticed them with lawful
Your religion is piety and silence.
إِذا الغارانِ غِرتَهُما بِحِلٍّ
فَدينُكَ بِالتَوَرُّعِ وَالصُماتِ
This is the saying of an experienced advisor
And advice for life and death.
فَهاذا قَولُ مُختَبِرٍ شَفيقٍ
وَنُصحٌ لِلحَياةِ وَلِلَمَماتِ
Four natures were stamped with a matter
So they overflowed bearing it stamped.
طَبائِعُ أَربَعٌ جُشَّمنَ أَمراً
فَإِضنَ لِحَملِهِ مُتَجَشِّماتِ
Spirits wandering in bodies
Disgraced that they appear embodied.
وَأَرواحٌ سَوالِكُ في جُسومٍ
يُهَنَّ بِأَن يُرَينَ مُجَسَّماتِ
