لا حُزنَ إلّا أراه دون ما أجدُ

لا حُزنَ إلّا أراه دون ما أجدُ

وهل كمن فقدت عيناي مفتقَدُ

وهل كمن فقدت عيناي مفتقَدُ

Every grief seems to me less than what I feel.

No sadness but I see it less than what I find,

And is anyone mourned like the one my eyes have lost?

Is one who lost his eyes like one deprived?

لا يبعدَن هالكٌ كانت منيّتهُ

لا يبعدَن هالكٌ كانت منيّتهُ

كما هوى عن غطاء الزبيةِ الأسدُ

كما هوى عن غطاء الزبيةِ الأسدُ

May the fallen man never be far away; his death was

Let not a doomed one think I wished his doom,

like the lion's fall from the cover of a trapping pit.

As fiercely as a lion on its prey has pounced.

لا يدفعُ الناس ضيماً بعد ليلتهم

لا يدفعُ الناس ضيماً بعد ليلتهم

إذ لا تمَدُّ إلى الجاني عليك يدُ

إذ لا تمَدُّ إلى الجاني عليك يدُ

The people cannot repel oppression after that night of theirs,

People cannot undo wrongs after their night,

when no hand is raised against the one who wronged you.

When you cannot against your wronger raise a hand.

لو أنّ سيفي وعقلي حاضران له

لو أنّ سيفي وعقلي حاضران له

أبليتهُ الجهد إذ لم يبله أحدُ

أبليتهُ الجهد إذ لم يبله أحدُ

Had my sword and my judgment been there for him,

Had but my sword and mind about him been,

I would have served him with all my strength, when no one else did.

I would have wearied him, since none wearied him.

جاءت منيّته والعينُ هاجعةٌ

جاءت منيّته والعينُ هاجعةٌ

هلّا أتته المنايا والقنا قصد

هلّا أتته المنايا والقنا قصد

His death came while the eye slept.

His death came while the eye was sleeping,

Why did death not come to him amid shattered spears?

Would that death had come to him while the spear was seeking.

هلّا أتته أعاديه مجاهرةً

هلّا أتته أعاديه مجاهرةً

والحربُ تسعر والأبطالُ تجتلد

والحربُ تسعر والأبطالُ تجتلد

Why did his enemies not confront him openly,

Would that his enemies had come openly,

while war blazed and champions clashed?

While war was raging and heroes were resolute.

فخرّ فوقَ سرير الملك منجدلاً

فخرّ فوقَ سرير الملك منجدلاً

لم يحمه ملكه لمّا انقضى الأمَدُ

لم يحمه ملكه لمّا انقضى الأمَدُ

So he fell, laid low upon the royal throne;

He fell proudly above the throne praising,

his kingship did not protect him when his allotted term ended.

His kingdom did not protect him when his term was over.

قد كان أنصارُه يحمون حوزتَهُ

قد كان أنصارُه يحمون حوزتَهُ

وللردى دون أرصاد الفتى رصَدُ

وللردى دون أرصاد الفتى رصَدُ

His supporters had guarded his domain,

His supporters had been guarding his territory,

yet death lies in ambush nearer than a man's sentries.

But destiny for the young man was lying in wait.

وأصبح الناس فوضى يعجبون له

وأصبح الناس فوضى يعجبون له

ليثاً صريعاً تنزّى حولهُ النقَدُ

ليثاً صريعاً تنزّى حولهُ النقَدُ

And the people became leaderless, marveling at him:

And people were in disarray wondering about him,

a slain lion, with sheep leaping around him.

A fallen lion, around which eagles circle.

علتكَ أسيافُ من لا دونهُ أحَدٌ

علتكَ أسيافُ من لا دونهُ أحَدٌ

وليسَ فوقَكَ إلّا الواحدُ الصمَدُ

وليسَ فوقَكَ إلّا الواحدُ الصمَدُ

The swords of those beneath whom none stands rose above you,

Your swords were raised by those below whom there was no one,

though above you is none but the One, the Self-Sufficient.

And above you was none but the One, the Eternal.

جاءوا عظيماً لدنيا يسعدون بها

جاءوا عظيماً لدنيا يسعدون بها

فقد شقوا بالذي جاءوا وما سعدوا

فقد شقوا بالذي جاءوا وما سعدوا

They committed a monstrous deed for worldly gain through which to prosper;

They came great, happy with this world,

but what they did brought them misery, not prosperity.

But they cracked because of that which they came, and were not happy.

ضجّت نساؤكَ بعد العزّ حين رأت

ضجّت نساؤكَ بعد العزّ حين رأت

خدّاً كريماً عليهِ قارِتٌ جسِدُ

خدّاً كريماً عليهِ قارِتٌ جسِدُ

Your women wailed after their days of honor, when they saw

Your women cried bitterly after power,

a noble cheek bearing clotted, dried blood.

When they saw a noble cheek, upon which rests a body.

أضحى شهيدُ بني العباس موعظةً

أضحى شهيدُ بني العباس موعظةً

لكلّ ذي عزّةٍ في رأسهِ صيَدُ

لكلّ ذي عزّةٍ في رأسهِ صيَدُ

The martyr of the sons of al-Abbas has become a warning

The martyr of the Abbasids is a lesson,

to every man of power with a proud tilt to his head.

To everyone honored, upon whose head is a crown.

خليفةٌ لم ينل ما نالَهُ أحدٌ

خليفةٌ لم ينل ما نالَهُ أحدٌ

ولم يضع مثلَهُ روحٌ ولا جسد

ولم يضع مثلَهُ روحٌ ولا جسد

A caliph—none attained what he attained,

A caliph who attained what no one attained,

and no soul or body like his has ever been lost.

And no soul or body has been brought down like him.

كم في أديمك من فوهاء هادرةٍ

كم في أديمك من فوهاء هادرةٍ

من الجوائفِ يغلي فوقَها الزبَدُ

من الجوائفِ يغلي فوقَها الزبَدُ

How many gaping, roaring wounds your skin bears—

How much froth flows in your skin,

deep, body-piercing wounds, over which froth boils!

Boiling over it from the insides.

إذا بكيتَ فإنّ الدمعَ منهملٌ

إذا بكيتَ فإنّ الدمعَ منهملٌ

وإن رثيتَ فأنَ القول مطرِدُ

وإن رثيتَ فأنَ القول مطرِدُ

When you weep, the tears pour down;

If you cry, tears are condemned,

and if you lament him, the words flow without cease.

And if you eulogize, words fail.

إنّا فقدناكَ حتى لا اصطبار لنا

إنّا فقدناكَ حتى لا اصطبار لنا

وماتَ قبلك أقوامٌ فما فُقدوا

وماتَ قبلك أقوامٌ فما فُقدوا

Indeed, we have lost you, till we have no patience left;

We lost you until we have no patience,

and people died before you, yet were not missed.

And people died before you who were not missed.

قد كنتُ أسرِفُ في مالي وتخلف لي

قد كنتُ أسرِفُ في مالي وتخلف لي

فعلّمتني الليالي كيف أقتصدُ

فعلّمتني الليالي كيف أقتصدُ

I used to spend my wealth lavishly, and you would replenish it for me;

I used to be extravagant with my money and some was left,

then the nights taught me how to be frugal.

The nights have taught me how to economize.

لمّا اعتقدتُم أناساً لا حلوم لهم

لمّا اعتقدتُم أناساً لا حلوم لهم

ضعتم وضيّعتم من كان يعتَقَدُ

ضعتم وضيّعتم من كان يعتَقَدُ

When you trusted people who lacked sound judgment,

When I thought you were merciless people,

you came to ruin, and neglected those who were trusted.

You lost him who believed in you.

ولو جعلتُم على الأحرار نعمتُكم

ولو جعلتُم على الأحرار نعمتُكم

حمَتكم السادةُ المذكورةُ الحُشُدُ

حمَتكم السادةُ المذكورةُ الحُشُدُ

Had you bestowed your favor upon free men,

Had you bestowed your bounty upon the noble,

the renowned lords, mustered in force, would have protected you—

The mentioned chiefs would have protected you.

قومٌ هم الجذمُ والأنسابُ تجمعُهُم

قومٌ هم الجذمُ والأنسابُ تجمعُهُم

والمجد والدين والأحلامُ والبلدُ

والمجد والدين والأحلامُ والبلدُ

a people who are the rootstock, united by lineage,

A people who are the essence and lineage unites them,

and glory, religion, sound judgment, and homeland.

As well as glory, religion, dreams and homeland.

إنّ العبيدَ إذا أذللتهم صلحوا

إنّ العبيدَ إذا أذللتهم صلحوا

على الهوان وإن أكرمتَهُم فسدوا

على الهوان وإن أكرمتَهُم فسدوا

Indeed, slaves, when you abase them, behave well

Slaves, when humiliated, are reformed,

under humiliation; but if you honor them, they turn corrupt.

And when honored, they are spoiled.

ما عندَ عبدٍ لمن رجّاهُ محتملٌ

ما عندَ عبدٍ لمن رجّاهُ محتملٌ

ولا على العبد عند الحرب معتمدُ

ولا على العبد عند الحرب معتمدُ

A slave offers no support to anyone who puts hope in him,

A slave has nothing for one who hopes in him,

nor can a slave be relied upon in war.

And in war, no dependent is trusted.

فاجعل عبيدكَ أوتاداً مشمّخةً

فاجعل عبيدكَ أوتاداً مشمّخةً

لا يثبت البيتُ حتى يقرعَ الوتدُ

لا يثبت البيتُ حتى يقرعَ الوتدُ

So make your slaves tall tent-pegs;

So make your slaves firmly rooted stakes,

a tent stands firm only when its peg is hammered.

No house stands unless the peg is driven.

إذا قريشٌ أرادوا شدَ ملكهمُ

إذا قريشٌ أرادوا شدَ ملكهمُ

بغير قحطانَ لم يبرح بهِ أوَدُ

بغير قحطانَ لم يبرح بهِ أوَدُ

If Quraysh wish to strengthen their rule

If Quraysh wanted to strengthen their kingdom

without Qahtan, it will never be free of crookedness.

With other than Qahtan, no harmony would remain.

قد وتِرَ الناس طُرّاً ثمّ قد صمتوا

قد وتِرَ الناس طُرّاً ثمّ قد صمتوا

حتّى كأَنّ الذي نيلرا به رشَدُ

حتّى كأَنّ الذي نيلرا به رشَدُ

All the people were bereaved, then fell silent,

People were coupled then fell silent,

until it seemed that what had been inflicted on them was right guidance.

As if what we hoped for from them was right guidance.

من الأُلى وهبوا للمجد أنفسَهم

من الأُلى وهبوا للمجد أنفسَهم

فما يبالونَ ما نالوا إذا حمدوا

فما يبالونَ ما نالوا إذا حمدوا

They are among those who gave themselves to glory,

Those destroyed themselves for glory,

so they care not what they endure, provided they are praised.

And they do not care what they attained, if praised.