أَبَنِيَّ إِنّي قَد كَبِرتُ وَرابَني

أَبَنِيَّ إِنّي قَد كَبِرتُ وَرابَني

بَصَري وَفِيَّ لِمُصلِحٍ مُستَمتِعُ

بَصَري وَفِيَّ لِمُصلِحٍ مُستَمتِعُ

My sons, I have grown old, and I am troubled by

My sons, I have grown old, and what troubles me

O my sons! I have grown old and my vision fails me,

my sight; yet there remains in me something useful to one who would set things right.

is my eyesight; yet one who sets things right can still find benefit in me.

Yet I hope for the righteous and am content.

فَلَئِن هَلَكتُ لَقَد بَنَيتُ مَساعِياً

فَلَئِن هَلَكتُ لَقَد بَنَيتُ مَساعِياً

تَبقى لَكُم مِنها مَآثِرُ أَربَعُ

تَبقى لَكُم مِنها مَآثِرُ أَربَعُ

Though I perish, I have built up worthy endeavors

So if I perish, I have indeed built up worthy deeds,

If I should perish, my deeds have built monuments,

from which four noble legacies will remain for you:

from which four lasting honors will remain for you:

That will remain for you - four lasting wonders:

ذِكرٌ إِذ ذُكِرَ الكِرامُ يَزينُكُم

ذِكرٌ إِذ ذُكِرَ الكِرامُ يَزينُكُم

وَوِراثَةُ الحَسَبِ المُقَدَّمِ تَنفَعُ

وَوِراثَةُ الحَسَبِ المُقَدَّمِ تَنفَعُ

a name that adorns you whenever honorable men are mentioned;

a name that adorns you whenever the noble are named,

A name, when the noble are mentioned, glorifies you,

an inherited, preeminent nobility that will benefit you;

and inheritance of preeminent ancestral honor that brings benefit;

Ancestral merit is profitable heritage;

وَمَقامُ أَيّامٍ لَهُنَّ فَضيلَةٌ

وَمَقامُ أَيّامٍ لَهُنَّ فَضيلَةٌ

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ وَالمَجامِعُ تَجمَعُ

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ وَالمَجامِعُ تَجمَعُ

a record of standing firm on days of distinguished trial,

and a stand on days of distinction,

Days that for their blessings on Hafiz do call

when honor is at stake and assemblies gather;

when honor must be defended and assemblies gather;

In gatherings, and thoughts that unite, recall;

وَلُهىً مِنَ الكَسبِ الَّذي يُغنيكُمُ

وَلُهىً مِنَ الكَسبِ الَّذي يُغنيكُمُ

يَوماً إِذا اِختَصَرَ النُفوسَ المَطمَعُ

يَوماً إِذا اِختَصَرَ النُفوسَ المَطمَعُ

and gifts from earnings that will make you independent

and gifts from earnings that will suffice you

Pastime from gain which will enrich you all,

one day, when greed constricts men's souls;

on a day when greed cuts lives short.

When the soul, its hopes cut short, will disengage;

وَنَصيحَةٌ في الصَدرِ صادِرَةٌ لَكُم

وَنَصيحَةٌ في الصَدرِ صادِرَةٌ لَكُم

ما دُمتُ أُبصِرُ في الرِجالِ وَأَسمَعُ

ما دُمتُ أُبصِرُ في الرِجالِ وَأَسمَعُ

and counsel, issuing from my heart for you

And counsel within my breast, issuing forth to you,

Advice in my breast flows clear for you still,

as long as I can see among men and hear.

as long as I can still see and hear among men.

While of men I discern, or can hear, or see well;

أوصيكُمُ بِتُقى الإِلَهِ فَإِنَّهُ

أوصيكُمُ بِتُقى الإِلَهِ فَإِنَّهُ

يُعطي الرَغائِبِ مَن يَشاءُ وَيَمنَعُ

يُعطي الرَغائِبِ مَن يَشاءُ وَيَمنَعُ

I charge you to be mindful of God, for He

I counsel you to revere God, for He

I commend you to fear of the Godhead, for He

grants cherished things to whom He wills and withholds them;

grants desired gifts to whom He wills, and withholds them.

Gives whatever is wished to whom He will or denies.

وَبِبِرِّ والِدِكُم وَطاعَةِ أَمرِهِ

وَبِبِرِّ والِدِكُم وَطاعَةِ أَمرِهِ

إِنَّ الأَبَرَّ مِنَ البَنينَ الأَطوَعُ

إِنَّ الأَبَرَّ مِنَ البَنينَ الأَطوَعُ

and to honor your father and obey his command:

And to be dutiful to your father and obey his command;

By your father's kindness, obey his command!

the most dutiful of sons is the most obedient.

the most dutiful of sons is the most obedient.

For of sons the obedient are best in the land.

إِنَّ الكَبيرَ إِذا عَصاهُ أَهلُهُ

إِنَّ الكَبيرَ إِذا عَصاهُ أَهلُهُ

ضاقَت يَداهُ بِأَمرِهِ ما يَصنَعُ

ضاقَت يَداهُ بِأَمرِهِ ما يَصنَعُ

When the elder is disobeyed by his family,

Indeed, when an elder's family disobeys him,

The great man, if his folk should oppose his desire,

his hands are tied in his own affairs—what can he do?

his hands are powerless in his affairs—what can he do?

Is impotent, purposeless, helpless to act;

وَدَعوا الضَغينَةَ لا تَكُن مِن شَأنِكُم

وَدَعوا الضَغينَةَ لا تَكُن مِن شَأنِكُم

إِنَّ الضَغائِنَ لِلقَرابَةِ توضِعُ

إِنَّ الضَغائِنَ لِلقَرابَةِ توضِعُ

Put rancor aside; let it have no place in your conduct:

And forsake rancor; let it not be your way,

Renounce all rancour - such ways suit you not.

grudges rush headlong against the bonds of kinship.

for grudges race toward kinship's ruin.

For rancour in kinsmen is dangerous in fact.

وَاِعصوا الَّذي يُزجي النَمائِمَ بَينَكُم

وَاِعصوا الَّذي يُزجي النَمائِمَ بَينَكُم

مُتَنَصِّحاً ذاكَ السَمامُ المُنقَعُ

مُتَنَصِّحاً ذاكَ السَمامُ المُنقَعُ

Disobey the man who drives malicious tales among you

And defy the man who spreads malicious tales among you,

Shun him who stirs up the slumbering seeds of dispute -

while posing as an adviser: he is poison steeped and deadly.

posing as a counselor: that is steeped poison.

That sly reviler, himself to attack slow,

يُزجي عَقارِبَهُ لِيَبعَثَ بَينَكُم

يُزجي عَقارِبَهُ لِيَبعَثَ بَينَكُم

حَرباً كَما بَعثَ العُروقَ الأَخدَعُ

حَرباً كَما بَعثَ العُروقَ الأَخدَعُ

He sends his scorpions forth to kindle among you

He drives his scorpions forth to stir up among you

Who launches his snakes, that 'twixt you he may put

a war, as the jugular vein sets the other veins throbbing—

war, as the neck vein sets the veins throbbing.

A war, as the pregnant of Ad' tribe laid low.

حَرّانَ لا يَشفي غَليلَ فُؤادِهِ

حَرّانَ لا يَشفي غَليلَ فُؤادِهِ

عَسَلٌ بِماءٍ في الإِناءِ مُشَعشَعُ

عَسَلٌ بِماءٍ في الإِناءِ مُشَعشَعُ

fevered, whose heart's burning thirst cannot be soothed

He is parched; his heart's thirst is not quenched

Twain that heal not their bosoms, though honey in plenty

by honey diluted with water in the vessel.

by honey diluted with water in a bowl.

They drink mingled with water in vessel designed.

لا تَأمَنوا قَوماً يَشِبُّ صَبِيُّهُم

لا تَأمَنوا قَوماً يَشِبُّ صَبِيُّهُم

بَينَ القَوابِلِ بِالعَداوَةِ يُنشَعُ

بَينَ القَوابِلِ بِالعَداوَةِ يُنشَعُ

Never trust a people whose child grows to youth

Do not trust a people whose child grows up

Trust not a folk whose boy while still in his cradle

among midwives, reared upon enmity.

among midwives, with enmity poured down his throat.

Is reared in the feud by the nurse left behind.

فَضِلَت عَداوَتُهُم عَلى أَحلامِهِم

فَضِلَت عَداوَتُهُم عَلى أَحلامِهِم

وَأَبَت ضِبابُ صُدورِهِم لا تُنزَعُ

وَأَبَت ضِبابُ صُدورِهِم لا تُنزَعُ

Their enmity has overcome their reason,

Their enmity has outstripped their reason,

For their hate lives, outlasting their bogus profession,

and the festering malice within their breasts refuses to be drawn out—

and the lizards in their breasts refuse to be torn out.

And the mists on their spirits no efforts dispel.

قَومٌ إِذا دَمَسَ الظَلامُ عَلَيهِمُ

قَومٌ إِذا دَمَسَ الظَلامُ عَلَيهِمُ

حَدَجوا قَنافِذَ بِالنَميمَةِ تَمزَعُ

حَدَجوا قَنافِذَ بِالنَميمَةِ تَمزَعُ

a people who, when darkness closes over them,

A people who, when darkness thickens over them,

A folk, when night darkens round them, like hedgehogs

send forth hedgehogs bristling and tearing with slander,

saddle hedgehogs that scurry with malicious gossip—

Start up, and with slanders each other ilsmell

أَمثالَ زَيدٍ حينَ أَفسَدَ رَهطَهُ

أَمثالَ زَيدٍ حينَ أَفسَدَ رَهطَهُ

حَتّى تَشَتَّتَ أَمرُهُم فَتَصَدَّعوا

حَتّى تَشَتَّتَ أَمرُهُم فَتَصَدَّعوا

men like Zayd, when he corrupted his clan

the likes of Zayd, when he corrupted his clan,

They are like to Zayd, who corrupted his comrades

until their unity scattered and they broke apart.

until their affairs disintegrated and they split apart.

Till severed their order and friendship lay torn.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ تَرَونَهُم إِخوانَكُم

إِنَّ الَّذينَ تَرَونَهُم إِخوانَكُم

يَشفي غَليلَ صُدورِهِم أَن تُصرَعوا

يَشفي غَليلَ صُدورِهِم أَن تُصرَعوا

Those whom you regard as your brothers

Indeed, those you regard as your brothers

Think not that your brothers are those you now view -

would soothe the burning in their breasts by seeing you struck down.

find their breasts' thirst quenched when you are struck down.

Their hearts heal of cankers on seeing you slain;

وَثَنِيَّةٍ مِن أَمرِ قَومٍ عَزَّةٍ

وَثَنِيَّةٍ مِن أَمرِ قَومٍ عَزَّةٍ

فَرَجَت يَدايَ فَكانَ فيها المَطلَعُ

فَرَجَت يَدايَ فَكانَ فيها المَطلَعُ

Many a steep impasse in the affair of a mighty people

And many a forbidding pass in a people's affairs

And two ranks of a lofty tribe, thrusting my hands there,

my two hands opened, until a way through appeared;

my hands have opened, making a way upward through it.

I opened the door of escape for my train;

وَمَقامِ خَصمٍ قائِمٍ ظَلِفاتُهُ

وَمَقامِ خَصمٍ قائِمٍ ظَلِفاتُهُ

مَن زَلَّ طارَ لَهُ ثَناءٌ أَشنَعُ

مَن زَلَّ طارَ لَهُ ثَناءٌ أَشنَعُ

and many a stand before a disputant poised on hard hoof-edges—

And many a place of dispute, its saddle-supports standing upright—

And stood facing the insulter whose wrongdoing

whoever slipped would have the ugliest reproach fly after him—

where the vilest reports flew abroad about whoever slipped—

From one fallen excuses no eloquence wins;

أَصدَرتُهُم فيهِ أُقَوِّمُ دَرأَهُم

أَصدَرتُهُم فيهِ أُقَوِّمُ دَرأَهُم

عَضَّ الثِقافِ وَهُم ظِماءٌ جُوَّعُ

عَضَّ الثِقافِ وَهُم ظِماءٌ جُوَّعُ

I brought them safely out of it, straightening their crooked opposition

there I sent them back, straightening their crookedness

I repelled them, straight judging and making them drink

with the bite of the straightening clamp, while they were thirsty and hungry.

with the straightening-clamp's bite, while they were thirsty and hungry.

A draught that soon showed them sharp famine within;

فَرَجَعتُم شَتّى كَأَنَّ عَميدَهُم

فَرَجَعتُم شَتّى كَأَنَّ عَميدَهُم

في المَهدِ يَمرُثُ وَدعَتَيهِ مُرضَعُ

في المَهدِ يَمرُثُ وَدعَتَيهِ مُرضَعُ

Then you returned dispersed, as though their afflicted leader were

So you returned scattered, as though their chief

Then you scattered, each seeming the runt of the litter

in the cradle, mouthing the two nursing objects like a suckling child.

were a suckling in the cradle, fingering his two cowrie shells.

Whose nursing dam's udders are dry of milk;

وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ بِأَنَّ قَصري حُفرَةٌ

وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ بِأَنَّ قَصري حُفرَةٌ

عَبراءُ يَحمِلُني إِلَيها شَرجَعُ

عَبراءُ يَحمِلُني إِلَيها شَرجَعُ

I know full well that my final dwelling is a pit,

And I know full well that my final abode is a pit,

And I knew well my palace was sickness' bare den,

vast and dusty, to which a bier will carry me.

tearful, to which a bier will carry me.

And that Sirius' star-rise would thither me bring;

فَبَكى بَناتي شَجوَهُنَّ وَزَوجَتي

فَبَكى بَناتي شَجوَهُنَّ وَزَوجَتي

وَالأَقرَبونَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ تَصَدَّعوا

وَالأَقرَبونَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ تَصَدَّعوا

My daughters will weep out their grief, and my wife,

Then my daughters will weep in their grief, and my wife,

Then my daughters wept loud with the tearfullest plaining,

and those dearest to me; then they will disperse.

and those nearest to me; then they will disperse.

My spouse and my kinsfolk keened over me there,

وَتُرِكتُ في غَبراءَ يُكرَهُ وِردُها

وَتُرِكتُ في غَبراءَ يُكرَهُ وِردُها

تَسفي عَلَيَّ الريحُ حينَ أُوَدَّعُ

تَسفي عَلَيَّ الريحُ حينَ أُوَدَّعُ

I shall be left in a dusty place whose watering-place is loathed,

And I shall be left in a dust-gray pit whose approach is dreaded,

While abandoned to death in the home I abhorred

the wind sweeping dust over me when I am laid to rest.

the wind scattering dust over me as I am bid farewell.

The winds on my pillar of wood will career;

فَإِذا مَضَيتُ إِلى سَبيلي فَاِبعَثوا

فَإِذا مَضَيتُ إِلى سَبيلي فَاِبعَثوا

رَجُلاً لَهُ قَلبٌ حَديدٌ أَصمَعُ

رَجُلاً لَهُ قَلبٌ حَديدٌ أَصمَعُ

So when I have gone upon my way, send

So when I have gone my way, send forth

When I too am borne down my ordained path of doom,

a man with a heart of iron, steadfast and resolute.

a man with a keen, resolute heart.

Send ye a man whose heart's hard as iron to bear

إِنَّ الحَوادِثَ يَختَرِمنَ وَإِنَّما

إِنَّ الحَوادِثَ يَختَرِمنَ وَإِنَّما

عُمرُ الفَتى في أَهلِهِ مُستَودَعُ

عُمرُ الفَتى في أَهلِهِ مُستَودَعُ

Calamities snatch lives away; indeed,

Indeed, calamities snatch lives away, and

(For fate strikes man's hopes down and danger creeps near)

a young man's lifetime is merely entrusted to his family.

a young man's life is but a trust among his kin.

To toil, strive, and gather, spend freely and care,

يَسعى وَيَجمَعُ جاهِداً مُستَهتِراً

يَسعى وَيَجمَعُ جاهِداً مُستَهتِراً

جِدّاً وَلَيسَ بِآكِلٍ ما يَجمَعُ

جِدّاً وَلَيسَ بِآكِلٍ ما يَجمَعُ

He strives and gathers, laboring with reckless devotion,

He strives and gathers, toiling, obsessed

In earnest unwearied, no sluggard for food,

in deadly earnest, yet he will not consume what he gathers.

beyond measure, yet not eating what he gathers,

Till his tryst with the cistern he never can flee,

حَتّى إِذا وافى الحِمامُ لَوقَتِهِ

حَتّى إِذا وافى الحِمامُ لَوقَتِهِ

وَلِكُلِّ جَنبٍ لا مَحالَةَ مَصرَعُ

وَلِكُلِّ جَنبٍ لا مَحالَةَ مَصرَعُ

Then, when death arrives at its appointed time—

until, when death arrives at its appointed time—

Till, their greeting of "Peace" finding none to reply,

and every side must inevitably have its place of falling—

and every flank inevitably has a place where it will fall—

Of hearing or prayer that man utterly bare,

نَبَذوا إِلَيهِ بِالسَلامِ فَلَم يُجِب

نَبَذوا إِلَيهِ بِالسَلامِ فَلَم يُجِب

أَحَداً وَصَمَّ عَنِ الدُعاءِ الأَسمَعُ

أَحَداً وَصَمَّ عَنِ الدُعاءِ الأَسمَعُ

they cast him their farewell greeting, but he answered

they cast him greetings, but he answers

Who gathers and gathers, but never will eat

no one; the keenest-hearing had become deaf to every call.

no one; the keenest hearer has turned deaf to the call.

What he gathered and hoarded with diligent care.