أعاني وما يَدْرِي الورى عن مُعاناتي
ولم يَسْمَعِ النَّشْجَ الأليمَ وآهاتي!
I suffer, though the people know not of my torment,
Nor have they heard my painful laments and sighs!
وكيف وبَوْحُ الحُرِّ يَجْرَحُ رُوحَهُ
فيَطوِي على الدَّامي المُؤَرِّقِ.. والعاتي!
How can the free man bare his soul, wounded,
And fold over his grieving, tormenting enemy?
ويُسْعِدَه الكِتْمانُ حتى كأّنَّهُ
ضَرِيحٌ يُوارِي بُؤْسَه في الغَياباتِ!
Concealment brings him joy, as if
He were a tomb, hiding his misery in seclusion!
ويَبْتسِمُ والأَضْلاعُ مِن وَقْدة الحَشا
تُحِسُّ بِإزميلٍ يَقُدُّ لِنَحَّاتِ!
He smiles, while the ribs with the blaze of passion
Feel the sculptor's chisel leading to the undertaker!
ويَحْسَبُني الرَّاؤون شَخْصاً مُرَفَّها
سعيداً بِماضِيَّ الحفيلِ.. وبالآتي!
The onlookers think me a frivolous man,
Happy with my vile past and future!
يَظُنُّونَ أن المالَ والمجْدَ جَنَّةٌ
وأَنَّهما مِرْقاتُنا للسَّماواتِ!
They think money and glory are paradise,
And they are our ascension to the heavens!
وأنَّهما لُبُّ السَّعادِةِ.. والمُنى
لِطُلاَّبها تَأْتِي على غَيْرِ مِيقاتِ!
They think them the essence of happiness and wish,
For their seekers, they come without appointment!
شَجاني الأَسى مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ جَهْرَةً
وقد هَتَفوا من جَهْلِهِمْ بِالعَداوات!
Their loud ignorance injures me,
As they have cried out with enmity!
ولو عَلِموا أَنِّي الشَّقِيُّ بِكُلِّ ما
يَظُنُّونَهُ سعْداً يُضِيءُ بِمِشْكاةِ!
If they but knew I was wretched in all
They think happiness, illuminated by a lantern!
لَكَفُّوا عن اللَّغْوِ المَقِيتِ. وأَقْلَعوا
عن الظَّنِّ يُلْقي رَهْطَهُ في المَتَاهاتِ!
They would cease their hateful nonsense and stop
Their conjectures which lead their ilk astray!
فما السَّعْدَ إلاَّ في الرّضا فهو نِعْمَةٌ
مُبَرَّأَةٌ تٌفْضِي بِنا لِلْمسَرَّاتِ!
Happiness lies only in contentment, it is a
Blessing that guides us to bliss!
فما مالُ قارُونِ.. ولا مَجْدُ قَيْصّرٍ
بِمُغْنٍ عن الباغي – إذا طاش – والعاتي!
Neither Qarun's wealth, nor Caesar's glory
Can protect the tyrant - when he rages - or the transgressor!
ولن يَضَعا في البالِ ذَرّةَ راحةٍ
سوى راحةِ الذِّئْبِ المُتَيَّم بالشاةِ!
They cannot instill in the mind a speck of tranquility,
Save the tranquility of the wolf glutted on the lamb!
ولو أَنَّني خُيِّرتُ لاخْتَرت فاقتيْ
إذا منَحَتْني بالرِّضا.. رِفْعَةَ الذَّاتِ!
If I were given the choice, I would choose my poverty,
If it granted me, through contentment, self-esteem!
فما المالُ والمجْدُ لِلْورى
إذا اسْتَأْذَبَا واسْتَشْريا غَيْرُ آفاتِ!
Wealth and glory for the people,
If they charm and spread, are naught but misfortunes!
ألا لَيْتَ أَهْلي الأقْرَبِينَ ورُفْقَتي
بَصائِرُ تسْتهْدي بِرُشْدٍ وإخْباتِ!
If only my closest kin and friends
Had insight to be guided by righteousness and wisdom!
فلا تَنْحَني إلاَّ إلى الله وَحْدَهُ
ولِلْمَجْدِ مَجْلُوّاً بأَصْدَقِ آياتِ!
That they bow only to God alone,
And to glory, reciting the truest verses!
فقد تٌهْلِكُ الأطماعُ مَن شُغِفوا بها
وتَهوِي لٍلْقاع مِن دون أَقْوَاتِ!
For greed can destroy those who covet it
And cast them into the abyss without delay!
أّنِلْني الرِّضا – يا رَبِّ – غَيْرَ مُبارحٍ
حَنايايَ إنّي بالرَِضا خَيْرُ مُقْتاتِ!
Grant me contentment - O Lord - never leaving
My worries, for in contentment I find the best provision!
وبارِكُه بالإِلهامِ يَهْدى قَريحتي
إلى قممٍ شُمٍّ تَضُوعُ بأَبْياتي!
And bless it with inspiration to guide my talent
To the lofty summits flowing with my verses!
قَصائِدُ غُرُّ ليس فيها تَمَلُّقٌ
ولا جَشَعٌ يُفْضِي بِها لِلْغوايات!
My sincere poems contain no flattery,
No greed to lead them to temptation!
فما الشِّعْرُ إلاَّ حِكْمةٌ وتَرَفُّعٌ
وإلاَّ سُمُوٌّ ما يَجِشُ بِسَوْءاتِ!
For poetry is but wisdom and grace,
Sublimity beyond evil's reach!
ولكنَّه يَهْدي ويُعْلي ويَرْتَقي
إلى ذُرْوَةٍ تَشْفي الورى بالمُناجاةِ!
But it guides, elevates and rises,
To the peak that heals the world through supplication!
إلى ذُرْوَةِ تَشْدو بِشِعْري وتَنْتَشِي
وتَهْتِفُ بالمُصْغِينَ والصَّخَراتِ!
To the peak that sings with my poetry, rejoices,
And exclaims to the listeners and the boulders!
