صرمت حبالك بعد وصلك زينب — Saleh Bin Abdul Quddus

صَرَمَت حِبَالَكَ بعد وَصْلِك زينبُ

والدَّهْرُ فِيهِ تَصَرُّمٌ وَتَقَلُّبُ

Zaynab severed your bonds after being joined with you.

And time brings severance and change.

نَشَرتْ ذَوَائِبَهَا التي تَزْهُو بها

سُوداً وَرَأْسُكَ كالنَّعَامَةِ أَشْيَبُ

She spread out the tresses in which she takes pride,

Black, while your head is gray like an ostrich.

واسْتَنْفَرَتْ لمَّا رأتْكَ وَطَالَمَا

كَانَتْ تَحِنُّ إِلى لِقَاكَ وَتَرْهَبُ

And she took fright when she saw you, though for so long

She had yearned to meet you and felt fear.

وَكَذَاكَ وَصْلُ الغَانِيَاتِ فإنَّهُ

آلٌ ببلقعةٍ وبرقٌ خلَّبُ

And such is union with beautiful women: it is

A mirage on a barren plain, and deceptive, rainless lightning.

فَدَعِ الصِّبا فَلَقَدْ عَدَاكَ زَمَانُهُ

وَازْهَدْ فَعُمْركَ مِنْهُ ولَّى الأطْيَبُ

So abandon youthful dalliance: its season has passed you by.

And renounce desire: the sweetest part of your life has departed.

ذَهَبَ الشَّبَابُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ عَوْدَةٍ

وَأَتَى المَشِيبُ فَأَيْنَ مِنْهُ المَهْرَبُ؟

Youth has gone, and there is no return for it.

And gray hair has come: where is the escape from it?

ضَيْفٌ ألَمَّ إلَيْكَ لَمْ تَحْفِلْ بِهِ

فَتَرَى لَهُ أَسَفاً وَدَمْعاً يُسْكَبُ

A guest has come to you whom you did not heed;

So you feel sorrow over it, and tears are shed.

دَعْ عَنْكَ مَا قَدْ فَاتَ فِي زَمَنِ الصِّبا

واذكُرْ ذُنُوبَك وَابْكِهَا يَا مُذْنِبُ

Leave aside what has passed in the days of youthful dalliance,

And remember your sins and weep over them, O sinner.

واخْشَ مُنَاقَشَةَ الحِسَابِ فَإنَّهُ

لابُدَّ يُحْصَى مَا جَنَيْتَ وَيُكْتَبُ

And fear the strict scrutiny of the reckoning, for

What you have committed must be counted and recorded.

لَمْ يَنْسَهُ المَلَكَانِ حِينَ نَسِيتَهُ

بَلْ أثْبَتَاهُ وَأَنْتَ لاهٍ تَلعَبُ

The two angels did not forget it when you forgot it;

Rather, they recorded it while you heedlessly played.

والرُّوحُ فِيكَ وَدِيعَةٌ أُودِعْتَهَا

سَتَرُدُّهَا بِالرَّغْمِ مِنْكَ وَتُسْلَبُ

And the soul within you is a trust entrusted to you;

You will return it against your will and be stripped of it.

وَغُرُورُ دُنْيَاكَ التِي تَسْعَى لَهَا

دَارٌ حَقِيقَتُهَا مَتَاعٌ يَذْهَبُ

And your beguiling world, for which you strive,

Is an abode whose reality is enjoyment that passes away.

وَالليلُ فَاعْلَمْ وَالنَّهَارُ كِلاهُمَا

أنْفَاسُنَا فِيهَا تُعَدُّ وتُحْسَبُ

And night—know this—and day, both of them:

Therein our breaths are counted and reckoned.

وَجَمِيعُ مَا حَصَّلْتَهُ وَجَمَعْتَهُ

حَقاً يَقِيناً بَعْدَ مَوْتِكَ يُنْهَبُ

And all that you acquired and gathered

Will truly, certainly, be plundered after your death.

تَبَّاً لِدَارٍ لا يَدُومُ نَعِيمُهَا

وَمَشِيدُهَا عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ يُخْرَبُ

Woe to an abode whose bliss does not last,

And whose lofty structure is soon laid waste.

فَاسْمَعْ هُدِيتَ نَصَائِحاً أوْلاَكَها

بَرٌّ لبيبٌ عَاقِلٌ مُتَأدِّبُ

So listen—may you be guided—to counsels bestowed on you

By a virtuous, discerning, wise, well-mannered man.

صَحِبَ الزَّمَانَ وَأهْلَهُ مُسْتَبْصِراً

وَرَأَى الأُمورَ بمَا تَؤُوبُ وَتَعْقُبُ

He accompanied time and its people with insight,

And saw affairs by their outcomes and consequences.

هْدَى النَّصِيحَةَ فَاتَّعِظْ بمَقَالِهِ

فَهُوَ التقِيُّ اللَّوْذَعِيُّ الأدْرَبُ

He offered counsel, so take heed of his words;

For he is pious, keen-witted, and well-seasoned.

لا تَأْمَنِ الدَّهْرَ الصُّرُوفَ فإنَّهُ

لا زَالَ قِدْماً للرِّجَالِ يُهَذِّبُ

Do not trust ever-changing time, for it

Has always, since ancient days, disciplined men.

وَكَذَلِكَ الأيَّامُ فِي غَدَوَاتِهَا

مَرَّتْ يُذَلُّ لَهَا الأعَزُّ الأنْجَبُ

And likewise the days, with their mornings,

Have passed: the mightiest and noblest are humbled before them.

فَعَلَيْكَ تَقْوَى اللهِ فَالْزَمْهَا تَفُزْ

إنَّ التَّقِيَّ هُوَ البَهِيُّ الأهْيَبُ

So embrace fear of God; hold fast to it and succeed.

Indeed, the pious man is splendid and most awe-inspiring.

وَاعْمَلْ لِطَاعَتِهِ تَنَلْ مِنْهُ الرِّضَا

إنَّ المُطِيعَ لِرَبِّه لمُقرَّبُ

And work to obey Him: you will attain His approval.

Indeed, whoever obeys his Lord is surely brought near.

وَاقْنَعْ فَفي بَعْضِ القَنَاعَةِ رَاحَةٌ

وَاليَأْسُ مِمَّا فَاتَ فَهُوَ المَطْلَبُ

And be content: in some contentment there is rest.

And giving up hope of what is lost is the goal.

وَإذَا طُعِمتَ كُسِيتَ ثَوْبَ مَذَلَّةٍ

فَلَقَدْ كُسِي ثَوْبَ المَذلَّةِ أشْعَبُ

And when you are fed, you are clothed in a robe of humiliation;

For Ash'ab was indeed clothed in humiliation's robe.

وَتَوَقَّ مِنْ غَدْرِ النِّسَاءِ خِيَانَةً

فَجَمِيعُهُنَّ مَكَائِدٌ لَكَ تُنصَبُ

And beware betrayal from the treachery of women;

For all of them are traps set for you.

لا تَأْمَنِ الأنْثَى حَيَاتَكَ إنَّها

كالأُفعُوَانِ يُراعُ مِنْهُ الأنيُبُ

Do not trust a woman throughout your life; she is

Like a viper whose fangs inspire fear.

لا تَأْمَنِ الأنْثَى زَمَانَكَ كُلَّهُ

يَوْماً وَلَوْ حَلَفَتْ يَمِيناً تَكْذبُ

Do not trust a woman in your entire lifetime,

Even for one day; even if she swears an oath, she lies.

تُغْرِي بطِيبِ حَدِيثِها وَكَلامِهَا

وَإذَا سَطَتْ فَهي الثَّقِيلُ الأشْطَبُ

She entices with the sweetness of her conversation and speech;

And when she strikes, she is the heavy, grooved sword.

وَالْقَ عَدُوَّكَ بالتَّحِيَّةِ لا تَكُنْ

مِنْهُ زَمَانَكَ خَائِفاً تَتَرَقَّبُ

And meet your enemy with a greeting; do not be

Afraid of him throughout your days, keeping watch.

إنَّ الحَقُودَ وَإنْ تَقَادَمَ عَهْدُهُ

فَالْحِقْدُ بَاقٍ فِي الصُّدُورِ مُغَيَّبُ

Indeed, though much time has passed for the resentful man,

Resentment remains hidden in hearts.

وَإذَا الصَّدِيقُ رَأَيْتَهُ مُتَمَلِّقاً

فَهُوَ العَدُوُّ وَحَقُّهُ يُتَجَنَّبُ

And if you see a friend flattering you,

He is the enemy, and deserves to be avoided.

لا خَيْرَ فِي وُدِّ امرِئٍ مُتَمَلِّقٍ

حُلْوِ اللسَانِ وَقَلْبُهُ يَتَلَهَّبُ

There is no good in the affection of a flattering man,

Sweet-tongued while his heart burns.

يَلْقَاكَ يَحْلِفُ أنَّهُ بكَ وَاثِقٌ

وإذَا تَوَارَى عَنْكَ فَهْوَ العَقْرَبُ

He meets you, swearing that he trusts you;

And when he hides from you, he is the scorpion.

يُعْطِيكَ مِنْ طَرَفِ اللِّسَانِ حَلاوَةً

وَيَرُوغُ عَنْكَ كَمَا يَرُوغُ الثَّعْلَبُ

He gives you sweetness from the tip of his tongue,

And slips away from you as the fox slips away.

وَاخْتَرْ قَرِينَكَ وَاصْطَفِيهِ تَفَاخُراً

إنَّ القَرِينَ إلى المُقَارَنِ يُنْسَبُ

And choose your companion, selecting one you can be proud of;

For a companion is associated with the one he accompanies.

إنَّ الغَنِيَّ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ مُكَرَّمٌ

وَتَرَاهُ يُرْجَى مَا لَدَيْهِ وَيُرْهَبُ

Indeed, the wealthy man among men is honored;

And you see his possessions sought after, and himself feared.

ويُبَشُّ بالتَّرْحِيبِ عِنْدَ قُدُومِهِ

وَيُقَامُ عِنْدَ سَلامِهِ وَيُقَرَّبُ

He is greeted with smiles and welcome upon his arrival,

And people rise at his greeting, and he is brought close.

وَالفَقْرُ شَيْنٌ للرِّجَالِ فَإنَّهُ

يُزْرَى بِهِ الشَّهْمُ الأرِيبُ الأنْسَبُ

And poverty is a blemish for men, for through it

The noble-hearted, discerning, well-born man is disparaged.

وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ للأقَارِبِ كُلِّهِمْ

بتَذَلُّلٍ وَاسْمَحْ لَهُمْ إنْ أذْنَبُوا

And lower your wing to all your relatives

With humility, and forgive them if they do wrong.

وَدَعِ الكَذُوبَ فَلا يَكُنْ لَكَ صَاحِباً

إنَّ الكَذُوبَ لبئْسَ خِلاً يُصْحَبُ

And leave the liar; do not let him be your companion.

Indeed, the liar is a wretched friend to keep.

وَذَرِ الحَسُودَ وَلَوْ صَفَا لَكَ مَرَّةً

أبْعِدْهُ عَنْ رُؤْيَاكَ لا يُسْتَجْلَبُ

And abandon the envious man, even if he is sincere with you once.

Keep him far from your sight; he is not to be sought out.

وَزِنِ الكَلامَ إذا نَطَقْتَ وَلا تَكُنْ

ثَرْثَارَةً فِي كُلِّ نَادٍ تَخْطُبُ

And weigh your words when you speak; do not be

A chatterbox, holding forth in every gathering.

وَاحْفَظْ لِسَانَكَ وَاحْتَرِزْ مِنْ لَفْظِهِ

فَالْمَرْءُ يَسْلَمُ باللِّسَانِ وَيَعْطَبُ

And guard your tongue, and beware its utterances;

For through the tongue a person is safe or perishes.

والسِّرَ فَاكْتُمْهُ وَلا تَنْطِقْ بِهِ

فَهُوَ الأسِيرُ لَدَيْكَ إذْ لا يُنْشَبُ

And conceal the secret, and do not speak of it;

For it is your captive, while it is not entangled.

وَاحْرَصْ عَلَى حِفْظِ القُلُوبِ مِنَ الأذَى

فَرُجُوعُهَا بَعْدَ التَّنَافُرِ يَصْعُبُ

And take care to protect hearts from harm;

For their return after estrangement is difficult.

إنَّ القُلُوبَ إذا تَنَافَرَ وُدُّهَا

شِبْهُ الزُّجَاجَةِ كَسْرُهَا لا يُشْعَبُ

Indeed, hearts, when their affection turns to estrangement,

Are like a glass vessel whose fracture cannot be mended.

وَكَذَاكَ سِرُّ المَرْءِ إنْ لَمْ يَطْوِهِ

نَشَرَتْهُ ألْسِنَةٌ تَزِيدُ وَتَكْذِبُ

And likewise a man's secret, if he does not fold it away,

Is spread by tongues that embellish and lie.

لا تحْرَصَنْ فَالْحِرْصُ لَيْسَ بزَائِدٍ

فِي الرِّزْقِ بَلْ يُشْقِي الحَرِيصَ وَيُتْعِبُ

Do not be greedy, for greed does not increase

Sustenance; rather, it makes the greedy miserable and weary.

وَيَظَلُّ مَلْهُوفاً يَرُومُ تَحَيُّلاً

وَالرِّزْقُ لَيْسَ بِحِيلَةٍ يُسْتَجْلَبُ

And he remains distressed, seeking some stratagem,

Yet sustenance is not obtained through trickery.

كَمْ عَاجِزٍ فِي النَّاسِ يُؤْتَى رِزْقَهُ

رغْداً ويُحْرَمُ كيِّسٌ ويُخيَّبُ

How many helpless people are given their sustenance

In abundance, while a clever person is denied and disappointed.

أدِّ الأمَانَةَ وَالخِيَانَةَ فَاجْتَنِبْ

وَاعْدِلْ وَلا تَظْلِمْ يَكُنْ لَكَ مَكْسبُ

Fulfill your trust, and avoid betrayal.

And be just, and do not oppress; gain will be yours.

وَإذَا بُلِيتَ بنَكْبَةٍ فَاصْبِرْ لَهَا

مَنْ ذَا رَأَيْتَ مُسََلَّماً لا يُنْكَبُ

And if you are afflicted by a calamity, be patient with it.

Whom have you seen kept safe, never struck by calamity?

وَإذَا أَصَابَكَ فِي زَمَانِكَ شِدَّةٌ

وَأَصَابَكَ الخَطْبُ الكَرِيهُ الأصْعَبُ

And if hardship befalls you in your lifetime,

And the hateful, most severe calamity strikes you,

فادعُ لِرَبِّكَ إنَّهُ أدْنَى لِمَنْ

يَدْعُوهُ مِنْ حَبْلِ الوَرِيدِ وَأقْرَبُ

Then call upon your Lord: He is nearer to whoever

Calls on Him than the jugular vein, and closer still.

كُنْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ عَنِ الأنَامِ بِمَعْزِلٍ

إنَّ الكَثِيرَ مِنَ الوَرَى لا يُصْحَبُ

Keep apart from humankind as much as you can;

For many among people are not to be befriended.

وَاجْعَلْ جَلِيسَكَ سَيِّداً تَحْظَ بِهِ

حَبْراً لَبِيباً عَاقِلاً يَتَأَدَّبُ

And make your companion a noble man, through whom you prosper,

A discerning, wise scholar who cultivates good manners.

وَاحْذَرْ مِنَ المَظْلُومِ سَهْماً صَائِباً

وَاعْلَمْ بأنَّ دُعَاءَهُ لا يُحْجَبُ

And beware a well-aimed arrow from one who has been wronged,

And know that his prayer is not barred.

وَإذَا رَأَيْتَ الرِّزْقَ ضَاقَ ببَلْدَةٍ

وَخَشِيتَ فِيها أنْ يَضِيقَ المَكْسَبُ

And if you see sustenance grow scarce in a town,

And fear that earnings there will dwindle,

فَارْحَلْ فَأَرْضُ اللهِ وَاسِعَةُ الفَضَا

طُولاً وَعَرْضاً شَرْقُها وَالمَغْرِبُ

Then depart: God's earth is vast in expanse,

In length and breadth, in its east and west.

فَلَقَدْ نَصَحْتُكَ إنْ قَبِلْتَ نَصِيحَتِي

فَالنُّصْحُ أغْلَى مَا يُبَاعُ وَيُوهَبُ

I have indeed counseled you, if you accept my counsel;

For advice is the most precious thing sold or freely given.

خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ قَصِيدَةً مَنْظُومَةً

جَاءَتْ كَنَظْمِ الدُّرِّ بَلْ هِيَ أَعْجَبُ

Take it to yourself, a poem composed in verse,

It came like a string of pearls—rather, it is more wondrous.

حِكَمٌ وَآدَابٌ وَجُلُّ مَوَاعِظٍ

أمْثَالُهَا لِذَوِي البَصَائِرِ تُكْتَبُ

Maxims, good manners, and a wealth of admonitions:

Their like is written for people of insight.

فَاصْغِ لِوَعْظِ قَصِيدَةٍ أَوْلاَكَها

طَوْدُ العُلومِ الشَّامِخَاتِ الأهْيَبُ

So listen to the admonition of a poem bestowed on you

By the awe-inspiring mountain of lofty learning.

أعْنِي عَليّاً وَابْنَ عَمَّ مُحَمَّدٍ

مَنْ نَالَهُ الشَّرفُ الرَّفِيعُ الأنْسَبُ

I mean Ali, Muhammad's paternal cousin,

Who was graced with lofty honor of the noblest lineage.

يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبيِّ وَآلِهِ

عَدَدَ الخَلائِقِ حَصْرُها لا يُحْسَبُ

O my Lord, bless the Prophet and his family,

As many times as there are creatures, whose total cannot be counted.