أَرى الناسَ كلَّهُمُ عاذِلي

أَرى الناسَ كلَّهُمُ عاذِلي

وحبُّكمُ عَنهمُ شاغِلي

وحبُّكمُ عَنهمُ شاغِلي

I see all people reproaching me,

I see all people blaming me,

and love for you distracts me from them.

Yet your love distracts me from them.

ويَدفَع فِعلي أقاوِيلَهم

ويَدفَع فِعلي أقاوِيلَهم

وهل يُدفَعُ الحقُّ بِالباطِلِ

وهل يُدفَعُ الحقُّ بِالباطِلِ

And my conduct refutes their claims;

And my actions refute their words,

can truth be refuted by falsehood?

Can the truth be warded off by falsehood?

ومَن ذا الَّذي جَعلَ القائِلي

ومَن ذا الَّذي جَعلَ القائِلي

نَ يَوماً يُقاسونَ بالفاعِلِ

نَ يَوماً يُقاسونَ بالفاعِلِ

And who is it that made speakers

And who made those blamers

ever comparable to a doer?

One day be judged by the doer?

ويا باعِثَ السُّقم حَسبي فقَد

ويا باعِثَ السُّقم حَسبي فقَد

شُكرتَ على بِرِّكَ الواصِلِ

شُكرتَ على بِرِّكَ الواصِلِ

And O bringer of sickness, enough for me, for already

O sender of sickness, enough for me -

you have been thanked for your continuing kindness.

I thank you for your lasting kindness.

تكلفُ طرفَك حملَ الهَوى

تكلفُ طرفَك حملَ الهَوى

إليَّ فيُجحِفُ بالحامِلِ

إليَّ فيُجحِفُ بالحامِلِ

You task your glance with carrying love

Your eyes trouble themselves to carry love to me,

to me, and so it overburdens the bearer.

Then deal unfairly with the carrier.

فإن كُنتَ عن مُدنفٍ مُغرَمٍ

فإن كُنتَ عن مُدنفٍ مُغرَمٍ

غَفلتَ فَما اللَّهُ بالغافِلِ

غَفلتَ فَما اللَّهُ بالغافِلِ

And if, concerning a sick man enslaved by love,

If you are infatuated with a slanderer,

you have been heedless, God is not heedless.

You forgot, but Allah is not forgetful.

وسَوفَ يُتيحُ له عارِضاً

وسَوفَ يُتيحُ له عارِضاً

يُعارضُ بالهاطِلِ الوابِلِ

يُعارضُ بالهاطِلِ الوابِلِ

And He will provide him with a rain cloud

And He will grant him a chance

that answers with pouring, torrential rain.

To confront the pouring rain with falsehood.

يعلِّلهُ عن هواكُم بِه

يعلِّلهُ عن هواكُم بِه

أبو الحسن ابن أبي كامِلِ

أبو الحسن ابن أبي كامِلِ

With it, he diverts him from loving you—

Justifying to you thereby,

Abu al-Hasan, son of Abu Kamil.

Abu Al-Hassan ibn Abi Kamil.

تَيَقَّنَ أنَّ العُلى بِالنَّدى

تَيَقَّنَ أنَّ العُلى بِالنَّدى

فليسَت تُنالُ بِلا نائِلِ

فليسَت تُنالُ بِلا نائِلِ

He knew for certain that high honor comes through generosity;

He was certain elevation is by harmony,

so it cannot be attained without bounty.

It cannot be attained without effort.

فأَصبَحَ في مالِه حاكِماً

فأَصبَحَ في مالِه حاكِماً

ولكنَّه ليسَ بالعادِلِ

ولكنَّه ليسَ بالعادِلِ

So he became a ruler over his wealth,

So he became master of his wealth,

but he is not a just one.

But he is not just.

يُحبُّ العَطايا كحبِّ العُلى

يُحبُّ العَطايا كحبِّ العُلى

وكلٌّ بَغيضٌ إِلى الباخِلِ

وكلٌّ بَغيضٌ إِلى الباخِلِ

He loves giving gifts as he loves high honor,

He loves gifts like he loves elevation,

and each is hateful to the miser.

And both are hateful to the stingy.

ويَبدأ بالجُودِ قبلَ السُّؤالِ

ويَبدأ بالجُودِ قبلَ السُّؤالِ

لكَي لا يَرى صَفحَةَ السائِلِ

لكَي لا يَرى صَفحَةَ السائِلِ

And he begins with generosity before being asked,

He starts with generosity before being asked,

so that he does not see the petitioner's face.

Lest he see the face of the questioner.

ويخملُ ذِكر عَطِيَّاتِهِ

ويخملُ ذِكر عَطِيَّاتِهِ

وكيفَ وما ذاكَ بالخامِلِ

وكيفَ وما ذاكَ بالخامِلِ

And he suppresses mention of his gifts—

And he hides mention of his gifts,

but how, when that is not obscure?

How could he when he is not concealing?

وليسَ بجَمَّاعةٍ للحُطامِ

وليسَ بجَمَّاعةٍ للحُطامِ

يحبُّ الزيادَةَ في الحاصِلِ

يحبُّ الزيادَةَ في الحاصِلِ

Nor is he a hoarder of worldly chaff,

He is not one who gathers rubble,

who loves to increase what he has amassed.

He loves increase in the harvest.

إذا حَملَ الأدبَ الجاهِلو

إذا حَملَ الأدبَ الجاهِلو

نَ إِلى مُستَخفٍّ به جاهِلِ

نَ إِلى مُستَخفٍّ به جاهِلِ

When the ignorant carry literature

When the ignorant carry manners

to an ignorant man who holds it in contempt,

To one scornful out of ignorance,

رأى لَهم الفَضلَ في قَصدِهم

رأى لَهم الفَضلَ في قَصدِهم

وما الفَضلُ إلا معَ الباذِلِ

وما الفَضلُ إلا معَ الباذِلِ

he sees merit as theirs for seeking him out,

He sees their merit in their purpose,

yet merit lies only with the giver.

And merit is only with the giver.

أبا حَسنٍ ناصِحٌ في العُلى

أبا حَسنٍ ناصِحٌ في العُلى

تحمَّلَ نُصحاً إِلى قابِلِ

تحمَّلَ نُصحاً إِلى قابِلِ

O Abu Hasan, a counselor in matters of high honor

Abu Hassan's advice is for elevation,

has brought counsel to one who accepts it.

Bearing advice for the receptive.

أرَى المالَ عن أهلِه زائِلاً

أرَى المالَ عن أهلِه زائِلاً

ولستُ أرى المجدَ بالزائِلِ

ولستُ أرى المجدَ بالزائِلِ

I see wealth departing from its owners,

I see wealth leaving its people,

yet I do not see glory passing away.

And I do not see glory in departure.

وهَذا مُقيمٌ وذا راحِلٌ

وهَذا مُقيمٌ وذا راحِلٌ

فخُذ للمُقيمِ من الراحِلِ

فخُذ للمُقيمِ من الراحِلِ

And this remains, while that departs;

This remains and that departs,

so take from what departs for what remains.

So take from the departing for the remaining.