وَكائِن مِن فَتى سَوءٍ تَرَيهِ
يُعَلِّكَ هَجمَةً حُمراً وَجُونا
No matter what evil youth you see
Assailing you with rancor and malice,
يَضَنُّ بِحَقِّها وَيُذَمُّ فيها
وَيَترُكُها لِقَومٍ آخَرينا
Begrudging you your right while blaming you,
Then leaving it to other hands.
فَإِنَّكِ إِن تَرَي إِبِلاً سِوانا
وَنُصبِحُ لا تَرَينَ لَنا لَبُونا
For if you see the camels large and sleek,
Yet find at dawn no milking pails for us,
فَإِنَّ لَنا حَظائِرَ ناعِماتٍ
عَطاءَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ العالَمِينا
Still we've fat sheepfolds, gifts of God
Dispenser of all boons to mortal men.
طَلَبنَ البَحرَ بِالأَذنابِ حَتّى
شَرِبنَ جِمامَهُ حَتّى رَوِينا
They longed and longed for seas until,
With straining necks, they had their fill of brine.
تُطاوِلُ مَخرِمَى صُدُدَي أُشَيٍّ
بَوَائِكَ ما يُبالِينَ السنينا
My stead's tall branches dare the yelling winds
In every gust, swaying but still standing straight.
كَأَنَّ فُرُوعَها في كُلِّ ريحٍ
جَوارٍ بِالذَّوائِبِ يَنتَصينا
The daughters of fate honor no abode
That lacks a tent peg driven deep to stay.
بَناتُ الدَّهرِ لا يَحفِلنَ مَحلاً
إِذا لَم تَبقَ سائِمَةٌ بَقينا
When years turn harsh, they're off, and never mind
The decades past. Guests come and go: they stay
إِذا كانَ السّنونَ مُجَلِّحاتٍ
خَرَجنَ وَما عَجِفنَ مِنَ السِنينا
Awhile, received with honor, then move on.
That for us is riches. Praise endures.
يَسِيرُ الضَّيفُ ثُمَّ يَحُلُّ فيها
مَحَلّاً مُكرَماً حَتّى يَبينا
So temper, man, your blame—don't play the fool.
Their daughters' daughters drew; they had their fill,
فَتِلكَ لَنا غِنىً وَالأَجرُ باقٍ
فَغُضِّي بَعضَ لَومِكِ يا ظَعينا
No arrow missed its mark. And now
The spider's mother comes to upbraid us!
بَناتُ بَناتِها وَبَناتُ أُخرى
صَوادٍ ما صَدِينَ وَقَد رَوِينا
I said, "Forbear! Forget those ancient days."
She spied a riftless ruin, proof against
غَدَت أُمُّ الخُنابِسِ أَيَّ عَصْرٍ
تُعاتِبُنا فَقُلتُ لَها ذَرِينا
Assault. I share it out for debts and alms.
رَأَت لي صِرمَةً لا شَرخَ فيها
أُقاسِمُها المَسائِلَ وَالدُّيونا
