تُكاشِرُني كُرهاً كَأَنَّكَ ناصِحٌ

تُكاشِرُني كُرهاً كَأَنَّكَ ناصِحٌ

وَعَينُكَ تُبدي أَنَّ صَدرَكَ لي دَوي

وَعَينُكَ تُبدي أَنَّ صَدرَكَ لي دَوي

You grin at me unwillingly, as though you were a well-wisher,

You show me feigned affection like a counselor,

yet your eye shows that your breast is sick with rancor against me.

yet your eyes reveal your heart bears malice towards me.

لِسانُكَ لي أَريٌ وَغَيبُكَ عَلقَمٌ

لِسانُكَ لي أَريٌ وَغَيبُكَ عَلقَمٌ

وَشَرُّكَ مَبسوطٌ وَخَيرُكَ مُلتَوي

وَشَرُّكَ مَبسوطٌ وَخَيرُكَ مُلتَوي

Your tongue is honey to me, but your hidden self is bitter colocynth.

Your tongue flatters me while your absence backbites me,

Your evil is spread wide, but your goodness is curled away.

your harm manifest while your good obscured.

تُفاوِضُ مَن أَطوي طَوى الكَشحِ دونَهُ

تُفاوِضُ مَن أَطوي طَوى الكَشحِ دونَهُ

وَمَن دونِ مَن صافَيتُهُ أَنتَ مُنطَوَي

وَمَن دونِ مَن صافَيتُهُ أَنتَ مُنطَوَي

You converse with those from whom I turn my flank away,

You negotiate with those I avoid, shunning them,

and withdraw from anyone I sincerely befriend.

while shunning those whose good faith in me is manifest.

تُصافِحُ مَن لاقَيتَ لي ذا عَداوَةٍ

تُصافِحُ مَن لاقَيتَ لي ذا عَداوَةٍ

صِفاحاً وَعَنّي بَينُ عَينِكَ مُنزَوَي

صِفاحاً وَعَنّي بَينُ عَينِكَ مُنزَوَي

You shake hands with any enemy of mine whom you meet,

You befriend those hostile towards me,

palm to palm, while you turn from me with a furrowed brow.

making a show of amity while spurning me behind your eyes.

أَراكَ إِذا اِستَغنَيتَ عَنّا هَجَرتَنا

أَراكَ إِذا اِستَغنَيتَ عَنّا هَجَرتَنا

وَأَنتَ إِلَينا عِندَ فَقرِكَ مُنضَوي

وَأَنتَ إِلَينا عِندَ فَقرِكَ مُنضَوي

I see you abandon us whenever you have no need of us,

I see when independent of us you shun us,

yet in your poverty you come to us for shelter.

yet cling to us when destitute.

إِلَيكَ اِنعَوَى نُصحِي وَمالي كِلاهُما

إِلَيكَ اِنعَوَى نُصحِي وَمالي كِلاهُما

وَلَستَ إِلى نُصحي وَمالي بِمُنعَوَي

وَلَستَ إِلى نُصحي وَمالي بِمُنعَوَي

My counsel and my wealth have both turned toward you,

To you have I made plain my counsel and wealth alike,

yet you do not incline toward my counsel and my wealth.

yet neither my counsel nor wealth you would embrace.

أَراكَ إِذا لَم أَهوَ أَمراً هَويتَهُ

أَراكَ إِذا لَم أَهوَ أَمراً هَويتَهُ

وَلَستَ لِما أَهوى مِنَ الأَمرِ بِالهَوي

وَلَستَ لِما أَهوى مِنَ الأَمرِ بِالهَوي

I see that when I do not desire a thing, you desire it,

I see whatever I desire you too desire,

but you have no desire for anything I desire.

yet what I want, you do not want.

أَراكَ اِجتَوَيتَ الخَيرَ مِنّي وَأَجتَوي

أَراكَ اِجتَوَيتَ الخَيرَ مِنّي وَأَجتَوي

أَذاكَ فَكُلٌّ مُجتَوٍ قُربَ مُجتَوَي

أَذاكَ فَكُلٌّ مُجتَوٍ قُربَ مُجتَوَي

I see you loathe the good that comes from me, while I loathe

From me you take bounty, while I take the like from you -

your harm; each loathes the company of one he loathes.

does each thus take from those who take from him?

فَلَيتَ كَفافاً كانَ خَيرُكَ كُلّهُ

فَلَيتَ كَفافاً كانَ خَيرُكَ كُلّهُ

وَشَرُّكَ عَنّي ما اِرتَوى الماءَ مُرتَوي

وَشَرُّكَ عَنّي ما اِرتَوى الماءَ مُرتَوي

Would that all your good stayed well away,

Would that your good were but enough,

and your evil too, from me, as long as anyone drinks his fill of water.

and that your evil from me receded like sated water.

لَعَلَّكَ أَن تَنأى بِأَرضِكَ نِيَّةً

لَعَلَّكَ أَن تَنأى بِأَرضِكَ نِيَّةً

وَإِلّا فَإِنّي غَيرَ أَرضِكَ مُنتَوَي

وَإِلّا فَإِنّي غَيرَ أَرضِكَ مُنتَوَي

Perhaps you will seek a far-off destination in your own land;

Perhaps you intend with your land to keep your distance,

otherwise, I intend to seek a land other than yours.

else I shall settle far from your land.

تَبَدَّلْ خَليلاً بي كَشَكلِكَ شَكلُهُ

تَبَدَّلْ خَليلاً بي كَشَكلِكَ شَكلُهُ

فَإِنّي خَليلاً صالِحاً بِكَ مُقتَوَي

فَإِنّي خَليلاً صالِحاً بِكَ مُقتَوَي

Take, instead of me, a friend whose character matches yours;

Take a friend whose shape is like your shape,

for I shall take a worthy friend in exchange for you.

for I desire a righteous friend, not one like you.

فَلَم يُغوِني رَبّي فَكَيفَ اِصطِحابُنا

فَلَم يُغوِني رَبّي فَكَيفَ اِصطِحابُنا

وَرَأسُكَ في الأَغوى مِنَ الغَيِّ مُنغَوي

وَرَأسُكَ في الأَغوى مِنَ الغَيِّ مُنغَوي

My Lord has not led me astray; how, then, can we keep company,

My Lord did not lead me astray - how then could we walk together,

when your head is plunged into the worst of error?

when your head strays into misleading ways?

عَدُوُّكَ يَخشى صَولَتي إِن لَقيتُهُ

عَدُوُّكَ يَخشى صَولَتي إِن لَقيتُهُ

وَأَنتَ عَدُوِّي لَيسَ ذاكَ بِمُستَوي

وَأَنتَ عَدُوِّي لَيسَ ذاكَ بِمُستَوي

Your enemy fears my onslaught if I meet him,

Your enemy fears my assault should he meet me,

yet you are my enemy; that is not fair.

while you, my enemy, do not fear the like.

وَكَم مَوطِنٍ لَولايَ طِحتَ كَما هَوى

وَكَم مَوطِنٍ لَولايَ طِحتَ كَما هَوى

بِأَجرامِهِ مِن قُلَّةِ النِيقِ مُنهِوي

بِأَجرامِهِ مِن قُلَّةِ النِيقِ مُنهِوي

In how many a place, but for me, you would have fallen as falls

How many dwellings but for my aid would have crumbled,

one plunging bodily from a mountain's summit.

collapsing from feebleness into oblivion?

نَداكَ عَنِ المَولى وَنَصرُكَ عاتِمٌ

نَداكَ عَنِ المَولى وَنَصرُكَ عاتِمٌ

وَأَنتَ لَهُ بِالظُلمِ وَالغِمرِ مُختَوَي

وَأَنتَ لَهُ بِالظُلمِ وَالغِمرِ مُختَوَي

Your generosity and aid are slow to reach your kinsman,

You called against the Lord and your aid is dark,

yet toward him you are bent on injustice and rancor.

while you in injustice and deceit are steeped towards Him.

تَوَدُّ لَهُ لَو نالَهُ نابُ حَيَّةٍ

تَوَدُّ لَهُ لَو نالَهُ نابُ حَيَّةٍ

رَبيبِ صَفاةٍ بَينَ لِهبَينِ مُنحَوَي

رَبيبِ صَفاةٍ بَينَ لِهبَينِ مُنحَوَي

You wish that a serpent's fang would strike him,

You wish that the fangs of a serpent would strike Him,

reared on smooth rock, coiled between two rocky clefts.

a serpent hissing between flickering flames.

إِذا ما بَنى المَجدَ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ لَم تُعِن

إِذا ما بَنى المَجدَ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ لَم تُعِن

وَقُلتَ أَلا بَل لَيتَ بُنيانَهُ خَوِي

وَقُلتَ أَلا بَل لَيتَ بُنيانَهُ خَوِي

When your cousin builds up glory, you lend no help,

When the son of your uncle builds glory you do not assist,

and say, 'No, rather—if only his building would collapse!'

saying "No! Would that his building turn to ruin!"

كَأَنَّكَ إِن قيلَ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ غانِمٌ

كَأَنَّكَ إِن قيلَ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ غانِمٌ

شَجٍ أَو عَميدٌ أَو أَخو مَغلَةٍ لَوي

شَجٍ أَو عَميدٌ أَو أَخو مَغلَةٍ لَوي

It is as though, when someone says, 'Your cousin has gained,'

You are filled with rage against me, and so

you were grief-stricken, gravely ill, or writhing with stomach pain.

that rage persists until you all but perish from it.

تَملَّأتَ مِن غَيظٍ عَلَيَّ فَلَم يَزَل

تَملَّأتَ مِن غَيظٍ عَلَيَّ فَلَم يَزَل

بِكَ الغَيظُ حَتّى كِدتَ في الغَيظِ تَنشَوي

بِكَ الغَيظُ حَتّى كِدتَ في الغَيظِ تَنشَوي

You filled yourself with rage against me, and it remained

An envious soul whose envy eats away at you

within you, until you almost roasted in that rage.

does not cease until it is said "Are you possessed?"

فَما بَرِحَت نَفسٌ حَسودٌ حُشيتَها

فَما بَرِحَت نَفسٌ حَسودٌ حُشيتَها

تُذيبُكَ حَتّى قيلَ هَل أَنتَ مُكتَوَي

تُذيبُكَ حَتّى قيلَ هَل أَنتَ مُكتَوَي

The envious soul you were stuffed with never ceased

The genealogists said "He is a fabricator of lineage,

melting you away, until people asked, 'Are you being cauterized?'

no! Rather, he is consumed by envy."

وَقالَ النِطاسِيّونَ إِنَّكَ مُشعَرٌ

وَقالَ النِطاسِيّونَ إِنَّكَ مُشعَرٌ

سُلالاً أَلا بَل أَنتَ مِن حَسَدٍ جَوَي

سُلالاً أَلا بَل أَنتَ مِن حَسَدٍ جَوَي

The expert physicians said, 'You are afflicted

I ransom a man who did not break his covenant of estrangement,

with consumption.' No—rather, you are sick with envy.

while your estrangement began with the call to break ties.

فَدَيتَ اِمرِءاً لَم يَدوَ لِلنَأيِ عَهدَهُ

فَدَيتَ اِمرِءاً لَم يَدوَ لِلنَأيِ عَهدَهُ

وَعَهدُكَ مِن قَبلِ التَنائي هُوَ الدَوي

وَعَهدُكَ مِن قَبلِ التَنائي هُوَ الدَوي

You ransomed a man whose loyalty did not sicken through distance;

You gathered grossness, backbiting, and gossip -

but your loyalty was diseased even before you parted.

three shameful traits you do not refrain from.

جَمَعتَ وَفُحشاً غَيبَةً وَنَميمَةً

جَمَعتَ وَفُحشاً غَيبَةً وَنَميمَةً

خِلالاً ثَلاثاً لَستَ عَنها بِمُرعَوي

خِلالاً ثَلاثاً لَستَ عَنها بِمُرعَوي

You have combined obscenity, backbiting, and tale-bearing—

Grossness, wickedness, and dishonor at the cost of repute,

three traits from which you do not desist.

as though you were a deadly viper fled from its lair.

أَفُحشاً وَخِبّاً وَاِختِناءً عَلى النَدى

أَفُحشاً وَخِبّاً وَاِختِناءً عَلى النَدى

كَأَنَّكَ أَفعى كَدِيَّةٍ فَرَّ مُحجَوي

كَأَنَّكَ أَفعى كَدِيَّةٍ فَرَّ مُحجَوي

What—obscenity, deceit, and hiding from generosity,

So the slanderer casts you into every evil,

as though you were a viper of stony ground, fleeing into cover?

oh what an evil one to be so cast by the rash!

فَيَدحو بِكَ الداحي إِلى كُلِّ سوءَةٍ

فَيَدحو بِكَ الداحي إِلى كُلِّ سوءَةٍ

فَيا شَرَّ مَن يَدحو بِأَطيَشِ مُدحَوي

فَيا شَرَّ مَن يَدحو بِأَطيَشِ مُدحَوي

So the pusher pushes you toward every disgrace;

Do you amass by begging what is your brothers',

O worst of pushers, pushing the most reckless of the pushed!

while hoarding wealth beyond what your brothers possess?

أَتَجمَعُ تَسآلَ الأَخِلّاءَ مالَهُم

أَتَجمَعُ تَسآلَ الأَخِلّاءَ مالَهُم

وَمالَكَ مِن دونِ الأَخِلّاءِ تَحتَوي

وَمالَكَ مِن دونِ الأَخِلّاءِ تَحتَوي

Do you combine asking your friends for their wealth

Deceit long concealed by you is manifest,

with hoarding your own wealth apart from your friends?

as a mother concealed her son's affliction.

بَدا مِنكَ غِشٌ طالَما قَد كَتَمتَهُ

بَدا مِنكَ غِشٌ طالَما قَد كَتَمتَهُ

كَما كَتَمَتْ داءَ اِبنِها أَمُ مُدَّوي

كَما كَتَمَتْ داءَ اِبنِها أَمُ مُدَّوي

Your deceit has emerged, though you long concealed it,

So the critic runs you down into every disgrace.

as the mother of an ailing son concealed her son's disease.

Oh worst of those run down by the thoughtless fool!