أَتَدري اللَّيالي أَيَّ خَصمٍ تُشاغِبُه

أَتَدري اللَّيالي أَيَّ خَصمٍ تُشاغِبُه

وَأَيَّ همامٍ بِالرَزايا تُواثبُهْ

وَأَيَّ همامٍ بِالرَزايا تُواثبُهْ

Do the nights know what foe they provoke,

Do you know what opponent the nights battle

and what champion they assail with calamities?

And what worries leap at calamities?

تَجاهَلَ هَذا الدَهرُ بي فَتَكَتَّبت

تَجاهَلَ هَذا الدَهرُ بي فَتَكَتَّبت

عَلَيَّ بِأَنواعِ البَلايا كَتائبُهْ

عَلَيَّ بِأَنواعِ البَلايا كَتائبُهْ

This Time feigned ignorance of me, so its battalions massed

Time ignored me, so it wrote

against me with every kind of affliction.

Upon me all types of afflictions in lines.

وَظَنَّ مُحالاً أَن أَدينَ لِحُكمِهِ

وَظَنَّ مُحالاً أَن أَدينَ لِحُكمِهِ

لِتَبكِ عَلى عَقلِ المُعنّى نَوادِبُهْ

لِتَبكِ عَلى عَقلِ المُعنّى نَوادِبُهْ

It supposed—absurdly—that I would submit to its judgment;

And it wrongly thought I would submit

let its mourners weep over the tormented one's reason!

To its rule, so that elegies would cry over the mind's corpse.

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَبدى اِصعِراراً بِخَدِّهِ

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَبدى اِصعِراراً بِخَدِّهِ

وَأَوجَفَ بِي وَاِزوَرَّ لِلبُغضِ جانِبُهْ

وَأَوجَفَ بِي وَاِزوَرَّ لِلبُغضِ جانِبُهْ

And I, though it haughtily turns its cheek away

And even if I show stubbornness in its face

and drives me hard, its side turned away in hatred,

And it frowned at me and inclined to hatred in its side,

لأُغضي عَلى بَغضائِهِ وَاِزوِرارِهِ

لأُغضي عَلى بَغضائِهِ وَاِزوِرارِهِ

وَأَعجَبُ مِن حُرٍّ كَريمٍ يُعاتِبُهْ

وَأَعجَبُ مِن حُرٍّ كَريمٍ يُعاتِبُهْ

will surely overlook its hatred and aversion,

I will forgive its hatred and leaning,

and marvel at a noble, free man who reproaches it.

And be astonished at a free noble one it blames.

وَأَستَقبلُ الخَطبَ الجَليلَ بِثاقِبٍ

وَأَستَقبلُ الخَطبَ الجَليلَ بِثاقِبٍ

مِن العَزمِ يَعلو لاهِبَ النارِ لاهبُهْ

مِن العَزمِ يَعلو لاهِبَ النارِ لاهبُهْ

I face the mighty calamity with a piercing force

And I will face the great misfortunes with penetrating

of resolve, whose blaze rises above the fire's flame,

Determination, flaming, flaming its fire,

وَرَأيٍ مَتى جَرَّدتُهُ وَاِنتَضَيتُهُ

وَرَأيٍ مَتى جَرَّدتُهُ وَاِنتَضَيتُهُ

وَجَدتُ حُساماً لَم تُفلَّل مَضارِبُهْ

وَجَدتُ حُساماً لَم تُفلَّل مَضارِبُهْ

and with judgment which, whenever I bare and unsheathe it,

And an opinion - when I unsheathe it and sharpen it -

I find a sharp sword whose cutting edges are unnotched.

I find a sword whose blades are not blunt.

وَلَستُ بِيَهفوفٍ يَرى رَأي عِرسِهِ

وَلَستُ بِيَهفوفٍ يَرى رَأي عِرسِهِ

مَتى أَركَبتهُ مَركباً فَهوَ راكِبُهْ

مَتى أَركَبتهُ مَركباً فَهوَ راكِبُهْ

I am no foolish weakling who follows his wife's opinion:

And I am not spineless, who sees the view of his mare

whatever mount she sets him on, he rides it.

Whenever he rides it, it becomes its rider.

يَظلُّ إِذا ما نابَهُ الأَمرُ مُحجَزاً

يَظلُّ إِذا ما نابَهُ الأَمرُ مُحجَزاً

يُخاطِبُها في شَأنِهِ وَتُخاطِبُهْ

يُخاطِبُها في شَأنِهِ وَتُخاطِبُهْ

When trouble befalls him, he remains restrained,

It remains when the matter turns away from it, prevented,

addressing her about his affairs, and she addressing him.

Addressing it regarding its affair, and it addresses it.

وَلا قائِلٍ لِلدَّهرِ رِفقاً وَقَد طَمَت

وَلا قائِلٍ لِلدَّهرِ رِفقاً وَقَد طَمَت

أَواذِيُّهُ شَرّاً وَجاشَت غَوارِبُهْ

أَواذِيُّهُ شَرّاً وَجاشَت غَوارِبُهْ

Nor am I one who tells Time, “Gently!” when

And no one says gently to fate, and its

its breakers swell with evil and its wave-crests seethe.

Harms have overflowed and its twists have boiled.

وَسيّانَ عِندي عَذبُهُ وَأَجاجُهُ

وَسيّانَ عِندي عَذبُهُ وَأَجاجُهُ

وَحاضِرُهُ فِيما يَشاءُ وَغائِبُهْ

وَحاضِرُهُ فِيما يَشاءُ وَغائِبُهْ

Its sweetness and its brine are alike to me,

Both its sweetness and bitterness are equal to me,

and its presence, in whatever it wills, and its absence.

As are its presence regarding what it wills and its absence.

وَما الدَّهرُ خَصمٌ أَتَّقيهِ فَشَأنُهُ

وَما الدَّهرُ خَصمٌ أَتَّقيهِ فَشَأنُهُ

حَربي فَلا عَزَّ اِمرؤٌ لا يُحارِبُهْ

حَربي فَلا عَزَّ اِمرؤٌ لا يُحارِبُهْ

Time is no foe I fear; its business is

And fate is no opponent I fear, so its matter

to war against me—may no man who does not fight it win honor!

Is my war, and no man has honor who does not battle it.

سَلوا صَرفَهُ هَل راعَني أَو تَزَعزَعت

سَلوا صَرفَهُ هَل راعَني أَو تَزَعزَعت

مَناكِبُ عَزمي حينَ مادَت مَناكِبُهْ

مَناكِبُ عَزمي حينَ مادَت مَناكِبُهْ

Ask its vicissitudes whether they frightened me, or whether

Ask its twists - did it watch over me or did

the shoulders of my resolve shook when its shoulders swayed.

My determination waver when its determination firmed?

فَكَم غارَةٍ قَد شَنَّها بَعدَ غارَةٍ

فَكَم غارَةٍ قَد شَنَّها بَعدَ غارَةٍ

عَلَيَّ وَفَرَّت مِن قِراعي مَقانِبُهْ

عَلَيَّ وَفَرَّت مِن قِراعي مَقانِبُهْ

How many a raid it launched, raid after raid,

So how many raids has it launched, raid after raid,

against me, yet its squadrons fled from my blows!

Against me while its spears fled from my encounter?

وَإِنَّ جَليلَ الخَطبِ عِندي لَهَيِّنٌ

وَإِنَّ جَليلَ الخَطبِ عِندي لَهَيِّنٌ

إِذا لَزِمت دارَ اِبن عَمّي عَقارِبُهْ

إِذا لَزِمت دارَ اِبن عَمّي عَقارِبُهْ

Even a mighty calamity is easy for me,

And great adversity is insignificant to me

if its scorpions remain in my cousin's house.

If the pincers of the scorpion, my cousin's son, insist.

وَكَم قائِلٍ ماذا المقامُ وَإِنَّما

وَكَم قائِلٍ ماذا المقامُ وَإِنَّما

مَقامُ الفَتى المُستَهلِك المالَ عائِبُهْ

مَقامُ الفَتى المُستَهلِك المالَ عائِبُهْ

How many a man has said, “Why remain? For

And how often is it said what's the use of staying

remaining disgraces a young man who consumes his wealth.

When the stay of the lost young man is blaming his money?

أَلَستَ تَرى أَنّ المُقِلَّ يَمُجُّهُ

أَلَستَ تَرى أَنّ المُقِلَّ يَمُجُّهُ

أَخو الرَّحمِ القُربى وَتَبدو معايِبُه

أَخو الرَّحمِ القُربى وَتَبدو معايِبُه

Do you not see that a man of little means is spurned

Don't you see that shortage makes

by his nearest kinsman, and his faults become apparent?

A brother of womb and relatives find faults?

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَملُك مِنَ المالِ ثَروَةً

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَملُك مِنَ المالِ ثَروَةً

رَمَتهُ عِداهُ وَاِجتَوتهُ أَقارِبُهْ

رَمَتهُ عِداهُ وَاِجتَوتهُ أَقارِبُهْ

When a man possesses no store of wealth,

When a man does not own wealth of money

his foes assail him, and his relatives loathe him.

His enemies cast him away and his relatives shun him.

وَمَن يَجعَلِ العَجزَ المَطِيَّةَ لَم يَزَل

وَمَن يَجعَلِ العَجزَ المَطِيَّةَ لَم يَزَل

يَمُرُّ عَلَيهِ الدَهرُ وَالفَقرُ صاحِبُهْ

يَمُرُّ عَلَيهِ الدَهرُ وَالفَقرُ صاحِبُهْ

Whoever makes helplessness his mount will always

And whoever makes incapacity his mount

have Time pass over him, with poverty his companion.

Time and poverty will always accompany him.

فَقُم وَاِركَبِ الأَهوالَ جِدّاً فَطالَما

فَقُم وَاِركَبِ الأَهوالَ جِدّاً فَطالَما

أَفادَ الغِنى بِالمَركَبِ الصَّعبِ راكِبُهْ

أَفادَ الغِنى بِالمَركَبِ الصَّعبِ راكِبُهْ

So rise and ride the terrors in earnest; many a time

So stand and daringly ride the horrors, for long

the rider of a difficult mount has gained wealth.

Has wealth benefited the rider of the rugged ship.

وَلا تَقعُدَن لِلشامِتينَ فَكُلُّهُم

وَلا تَقعُدَن لِلشامِتينَ فَكُلُّهُم

يُذَعلِبُ أَو تَأتيكَ جَهراً نَيادِبُهْ

يُذَعلِبُ أَو تَأتيكَ جَهراً نَيادِبُهْ

Do not stay idle for the gloaters, for each of them

And do not sit for gloaters, for all of them

scurries about, or his outcries reach you openly.

Slander, or their cackling comes to you openly.

فَأَنت الفَتى حَزماً وَعَزماً وَلَم تَضِق

فَأَنت الفَتى حَزماً وَعَزماً وَلَم تَضِق

بِمِثلِكَ في كُلِّ النَواحي مَذاهِبُهْ

بِمِثلِكَ في كُلِّ النَواحي مَذاهِبُهْ

You are the true youth in prudence and resolve; never have

You are the young man, resolute and determined, and the likes of you

its paths in any region narrowed for one like you.

Do not find its paths crowded in any region.

فَما يَقطَعُ الصّمصامُ إِلّا إِذا اِنتَحى

فَما يَقطَعُ الصّمصامُ إِلّا إِذا اِنتَحى

عَن الغِمدِ لَو كانَت حِداداً مَضارِبُهْ

عَن الغِمدِ لَو كانَت حِداداً مَضارِبُهْ

The keen sword cuts only when it moves

And the swords do not cut unless they unveil

out of the sheath, even if its edges are sharp.

Themselves from the sheath, even if their blades are Indian steel.

وَما دامَ لَيثُ الغابِ في الغابِ كامِناً

وَما دامَ لَيثُ الغابِ في الغابِ كامِناً

فَإِنَّ حَراماً أَن تُدَمّى مَخالِبُهْ

فَإِنَّ حَراماً أَن تُدَمّى مَخالِبُهْ

As long as the forest lion lurks in the forest,

And the forest's lion remains harmless

its claws cannot be bloodied.

As long as he lurks in the forest, his claws undyed with blood.

كَذا البَدرُ لَولا سَيرُهُ وَاِنتِقالُهُ

كَذا البَدرُ لَولا سَيرُهُ وَاِنتِقالُهُ

عَن النَقص لاِستَعلَت عَلَيهِ كَواكِبُهْ

عَن النَقص لاِستَعلَت عَلَيهِ كَواكِبُهْ

Likewise, were the full moon not to travel and pass

Likewise is the moon - was it not for its course and transit -

beyond its waning, its stars would rise above it.

Its planets would gain mastery over it.

وَأَنتَ مِنَ الفرعِ الَّذي فَخَرَت بِهِ

وَأَنتَ مِنَ الفرعِ الَّذي فَخَرَت بِهِ

نِزارٌ وَسارَت في مَعَدٍّ مَناقِبُهْ

نِزارٌ وَسارَت في مَعَدٍّ مَناقِبُهْ

You belong to the branch in which

And you are from the branch over which

Nizar took pride, whose glories spread through Ma'add.

The glory of Nizar triumphed, its merits excelling.

سَما بِكَ بَيتٌ عَبدَليٌّ أحلَّهُ

سَما بِكَ بَيتٌ عَبدَليٌّ أحلَّهُ

ديار الأَعادي سُمرُهُ وَقواضِبُهْ

ديار الأَعادي سُمرُهُ وَقواضِبُهْ

An 'Abdali house raised you high, a house whose

By you there is the Abdali house which he inhabited,

brown spears and cleaving swords settled it in enemy lands;

Whose deserts Murr watered and Qawadib irrigated.

وَعالي مَحَلٍّ مِن رَبيعَةَ أَشرَفَت

وَعالي مَحَلٍّ مِن رَبيعَةَ أَشرَفَت

عُلُوّاً عَلى كُلِّ البَرايا مَراتِبُهْ

عُلُوّاً عَلى كُلِّ البَرايا مَراتِبُهْ

and a lofty station in Rabi'ah, whose ranks towered

And the elevated place of Rabia they ennobled,

high above all mankind.

Rising high over all the lands in status.

فَشَمِّر وَسِر شَرقاً وَغَرباً فَقَلَّما

فَشَمِّر وَسِر شَرقاً وَغَرباً فَقَلَّما

أَفادَ الغِنى مَن لَم تُشَمِّر رَكائِبُهْ

أَفادَ الغِنى مَن لَم تُشَمِّر رَكائِبُهْ

So gird yourself and journey east and west; seldom

So roll up your sleeves and travel east and west, for rarely

has a man gained wealth whose mounts did not hasten.”

Has wealth benefited one who did not roll up his sleeves.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا تَعجَلَن رُبَّ سَاعَةٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا تَعجَلَن رُبَّ سَاعَةٍ

تُزيلُ عَن الأَيّامِ ما أَنا عاتِبُهْ

تُزيلُ عَن الأَيّامِ ما أَنا عاتِبُهْ

I told him, “Do not hurry; many an hour

So I said to him, do not hurry, for many a time

may remove from the days what I reproach them for.

An hour removes from the days what I blame it for.

فَفي عُقرِ داري مِن مُلوكِ بَني أَبي

فَفي عُقرِ داري مِن مُلوكِ بَني أَبي

هُمامٌ إِلى الخَيراتِ تَجري مَآرِبُهْ

هُمامٌ إِلى الخَيراتِ تَجري مَآرِبُهْ

For in the heart of my home, among the kings of my father's kin,

In the middle of my house, of the Kings of Bani Abi,

is a champion whose aims run toward good deeds.

Is a zeal which its kindnesses flow to me.

إِذا لَم أَنُط مُستَعصِماً بِرجائِهِ

إِذا لَم أَنُط مُستَعصِماً بِرجائِهِ

رَجائي وَتَروي تُربَ أَرضي سَحائِبُهْ

رَجائي وَتَروي تُربَ أَرضي سَحائِبُهْ

If I do not, seeking refuge, attach to hope in him

If I do not seek refuge in its hopes

my own hope, while his clouds water the soil of my land,

My hopes and the clouds will water the soil of my land.

فَأَيُّ مَليكٍ أَرتَضى وَتَؤمُّهُ

فَأَيُّ مَليكٍ أَرتَضى وَتَؤمُّهُ

رِكابي وَأَمشي نَحوَهُ وَأُخاطِبُهْ

رِكابي وَأَمشي نَحوَهُ وَأُخاطِبُهْ

then what king should I choose, toward whom would

So which King do I accept and head

my mounts go, while I walk toward him and address him?

Towards and speak to?

وَمَن ذا الَّذي أَرضى عَطاياهُ أَو أَرى

وَمَن ذا الَّذي أَرضى عَطاياهُ أَو أَرى

يُزاحِمُني في سُدَّةِ البابِ حاجِبُهْ

يُزاحِمُني في سُدَّةِ البابِ حاجِبُهْ

And who is the one whose gifts I would accept, or see

And who is one I accept his gifts or I see

his chamberlain jostling me at the gate's threshold?

His chamberlain competing with me at the gate?

وَمَن مِثلُ مَسعودِ الأَميرِ إِذا غَدا

وَمَن مِثلُ مَسعودِ الأَميرِ إِذا غَدا

يَغُصُّ بِفَضلِ الرّيقِ وَالماءِ شارِبُهْ

يَغُصُّ بِفَضلِ الرّيقِ وَالماءِ شارِبُهْ

And who is like Prince Mas'ud when

And who is like Masoud the Prince when he sets out

a drinker comes to choke on leftover saliva and water?

Filling with the saliva of favor and the water of his drink?

سَلِ الخَيلَ عَنهُ وَالمَنايا كَأَنَّما

سَلِ الخَيلَ عَنهُ وَالمَنايا كَأَنَّما

يُناهِبُها أَرواحَها وَتُناهِبُهْ

يُناهِبُها أَرواحَها وَتُناهِبُهْ

Ask the horses and the deaths about him: it is as though

Ask the steeds about him, as if

he vies with them for their souls, and they vie with him.

He plunders their souls while they plunder him.

أَخُو الطَعنَةِ النَجلاءِ وَالنَقعُ ساطِعٌ

أَخُو الطَعنَةِ النَجلاءِ وَالنَقعُ ساطِعٌ

وَوَقعُ المَذاكي يَملَأُ الطَرفَ حاصِبُهْ

وَوَقعُ المَذاكي يَملَأُ الطَرفَ حاصِبُهْ

Master of the wide-gaping thrust, while the dust rises,

The brother of glorious stabbing, and the shining swords,

and the gravel sprayed by full-grown steeds' hoofbeats fills the sight;

And the impact of spears that fill the eyes with terror.

وَضَرَّابُ هامِ الدَارِعينَ إِذا اِستَوَت

وَضَرَّابُ هامِ الدَارِعينَ إِذا اِستَوَت

أسودُ الشَرى في مَوجِهِ وَثَعالِبُهْ

أسودُ الشَرى في مَوجِهِ وَثَعالِبُهْ

striker of armored men's heads, when

The striker of the thick armor, when

Shara's lions and its foxes are equal amid its surge;

The black fates align in its surge and billows.

وَمَنّاعُ أَعقابِ اللَّيالي إِذا اِغتَدَت

وَمَنّاعُ أَعقابِ اللَّيالي إِذا اِغتَدَت

تَعاطى وَواراها مِنَ النَقعِ ثائِبُهْ

تَعاطى وَواراها مِنَ النَقعِ ثائِبُهْ

one who wards off the nights' aftermath when they go forth

The defender of the nights' heels when they go too far,

to grapple, and a returning cloud of dust conceals them;

Curbing them with the spears that pierce.

وَسَلّابُ أَرواحِ الكُماةِ لَدى الوَغى

وَسَلّابُ أَرواحِ الكُماةِ لَدى الوَغى

وَلَكِن مُرجِّيهِ لَدى السِّلمِ سالِبُهْ

وَلَكِن مُرجِّيهِ لَدى السِّلمِ سالِبُهْ

plunderer of champions' souls amid battle,

And the capturer of the champions' souls in battle

yet in peace the one who hopes in him is his plunderer;

While their savior in peace gently captures them.

وَحَمّالُ ما لا يَستَطيعُ تَثَبُّتاً

وَحَمّالُ ما لا يَستَطيعُ تَثَبُّتاً

بِهِ حَضَنٌ إِلّا وَمادَت شَناخِبُهْ

بِهِ حَضَنٌ إِلّا وَمادَت شَناخِبُهْ

bearer of what cannot be borne steadily

And the bearer of what no chest can endure

by Hadan without its peaks swaying;

Unless its shoulders extend and stretch.

سَليلُ عُلاً ما زالَ يُخشى وَيُرتَجى

سَليلُ عُلاً ما زالَ يُخشى وَيُرتَجى

فَتُخشى مَوَاضيهِ وَتُرجى مَواهِبُهْ

فَتُخشى مَوَاضيهِ وَتُرجى مَواهِبُهْ

scion of loftiness, ever feared and hoped in,

The descendant of glory always feared and hoped for,

his keen swords feared and his gifts hoped for;

So his resting grounds are feared and his gifts hoped for.

وَتَرّاكُ ما لَو أَنَّ قَيسَ بنَ عاصِمٍ

وَتَرّاكُ ما لَو أَنَّ قَيسَ بنَ عاصِمٍ

أُصيبَ بِبَعضٍ مِنهُ أَورَت حُباحِبُهْ

أُصيبَ بِبَعضٍ مِنهُ أَورَت حُباحِبُهْ

one who overlooks what, had Qays ibn 'Asim

And the splitter - if Qais bin Aasim was struck

suffered even a part of it, would have made his sparks flare;

By some of it, it would tear open his enclosures.

كَثيرُ سُهادِ العَينِ لا في مَكيدَةٍ

كَثيرُ سُهادِ العَينِ لا في مَكيدَةٍ

يُكابِدُ عُقبى شَرِّها مَن يُصاحِبُهْ

يُكابِدُ عُقبى شَرِّها مَن يُصاحِبُهْ

often wakeful-eyed, but not over a plot

Of much clear sightedness - not in a scheme

whose evil aftermath one who keeps his company suffers;

Does he endure its evil consequence, whoever accompanies him.

جَريٌّ إِذا لَم يَبقَ لِلطِّرفِ مَسلَكٌ

جَريٌّ إِذا لَم يَبقَ لِلطِّرفِ مَسلَكٌ

وَصَمَّ حَصى الجَبّارِ لِلخَوفِ جالِبُهْ

وَصَمَّ حَصى الجَبّارِ لِلخَوفِ جالِبُهْ

bold when no path remains for the noble steed,

Flowing, when no path remains for the eye

and terror's bringer has deafened al-Jabbar's pebbles.

And the pebbles of the tyrant silence it in fear.

إِذا صالَ قالُوا هَل لَهُ مِن مُصاوِلٍ

إِذا صالَ قالُوا هَل لَهُ مِن مُصاوِلٍ

وَإِن قالَ قالوا هَل همامٌ يُخاطِبُهْ

وَإِن قالَ قالوا هَل همامٌ يُخاطِبُهْ

When he charges, they ask, “Has he any challenger?”

When he is silent, they say does he have someone to converse with?

And when he speaks, they ask, “Is there a champion who can answer him?”

And if he speaks, they say does he have ambitions that speak to him?

أَبو ماجِدٍ تِربُ العُلى وَربيبُها

أَبو ماجِدٍ تِربُ العُلى وَربيبُها

أَبوهُ الَّذي تهدي السَّرايا مَقانِبُهْ

أَبوهُ الَّذي تهدي السَّرايا مَقانِبُهْ

Abu Majid, loftiness's peer and foster-child,

Father of Majid, the soil of glory and its foster child,

is his father, whose squadrons guide the raiding troops.

His father who the horses of good lead to.

وَتَلقى عَلِيّاً جَدَّهُ خَيرَ مَن حَدَت

وَتَلقى عَلِيّاً جَدَّهُ خَيرَ مَن حَدَت

إِلَيهِ المَطايا وَاِلتَقتها رَغائِبُهْ

إِلَيهِ المَطايا وَاِلتَقتها رَغائِبُهْ

And you find 'Ali, his grandfather, the best man approached

And his grandfather Ali met - the best who

by journeying mounts, which his bounties met;

Galloped to him while his desires met them.

مُهينُ العِدى أَيّامَ تَعدو حُمولُها

مُهينُ العِدى أَيّامَ تَعدو حُمولُها

وَفي العقبِ مِنها خَيلهُ وَنَجائِبُهْ

وَفي العقبِ مِنها خَيلهُ وَنَجائِبُهْ

humiliator of foes in the days when their laden camels raced,

The humbler of enemies on days their burdens pass

his horses and noble mounts close behind them.

While in the future are his horses and his virtues.

وَإِن يَفتَخِر بِالفَضلِ فَضلُ بنُ عَبدَلٍ

وَإِن يَفتَخِر بِالفَضلِ فَضلُ بنُ عَبدَلٍ

فَيا بِأَبي أَعراقُهُ وَمَناسِبُهْ

فَيا بِأَبي أَعراقُهُ وَمَناسِبُهْ

And if Fadl ibn 'Abdal boasts of excellence,

And if he boasts of superiority, the superiority of Ibn Abdil

then, my father be his ransom—what roots and lineages he has!

Is — by my father — his veins and his qualities!

همامٌ حَمى البَحرَينِ سَبعاً وَمِثلَها

همامٌ حَمى البَحرَينِ سَبعاً وَمِثلَها

سِنينَ وَسارَت في الفَيافي مَواكِبُهْ

سِنينَ وَسارَت في الفَيافي مَواكِبُهْ

A champion who defended Bahrain for seven and as many

A zeal that protected the two seas seven and likewise

years, his processions traveling through the deserts.

Years, while its processions walked the deserts.

وَلم يَرعَ مِن ثاجٍ إِلى الرَملِ مُصرِمٌ

وَلم يَرعَ مِن ثاجٍ إِلى الرَملِ مُصرِمٌ

عَلى عَهدِهِ إِلّا اِستُبيحَت حَلائِبُهْ

عَلى عَهدِهِ إِلّا اِستُبيحَت حَلائِبُهْ

No small-herd owner pastured beasts from Thaj to al-Raml

And no boat beside sand dunes sailed during his time

in his reign without his milch camels being seized as spoil.

Except its milk was made permissible to drink.

زَمانَ يَقولُ العامِريُّ لِمَن غَدا

زَمانَ يَقولُ العامِريُّ لِمَن غَدا

يُحَدِّثُهُ عَنهُ وَذو الحُمقِ غالِبُهْ

يُحَدِّثُهُ عَنهُ وَذو الحُمقِ غالِبُهْ

In the time when al-'Amiri said to one who began

An era when Ameri says to one who sets out

telling him about him—and the foolish one had the upper hand over him—

Conversing with him while the ignoramus overcomes him:

مَتى يَلتقي مَن نارَبَردَ مَحَلُّهُ

مَتى يَلتقي مَن نارَبَردَ مَحَلُّهُ

وَآخرُ سَودِيٌّ بَعيدٌ مَذاهِبُهْ

وَآخرُ سَودِيٌّ بَعيدٌ مَذاهِبُهْ

“When will one whose dwelling is Narabard meet

When will one whose abode the Naibard firebrand burned

another, a Sawdi, whose routes lie far away?”

Meet one whose ways are distant and black?

فَلَم يَستَتِمَّ القَولَ حَتّى إِذا بِهِ

فَلَم يَستَتِمَّ القَولَ حَتّى إِذا بِهِ

يُسايِرُهُ وَالدَهرُ جَمٌّ عَجائِبُهْ

يُسايِرُهُ وَالدَهرُ جَمٌّ عَجائِبُهْ

He had not finished speaking when, behold,

He had not finished his words when there he was,

he was traveling alongside him—Time has wonders in plenty!

Accompanying him while time's wonders overwhelmed him.

فَقالَ لَهُ الآن اِلتَقَينا فَأَرعَدَت

فَقالَ لَهُ الآن اِلتَقَينا فَأَرعَدَت

فَرائِصُهُ وَالجَهلُ مُرٌّ عَواقِبُهْ

فَرائِصُهُ وَالجَهلُ مُرٌّ عَواقِبُهْ

He said to him, “Now we have met!” and

So he said to him, now we have met and his

his flanks trembled; ignorance has bitter consequences.

Composure thundered while ignorance is bitterness' consequence.

وَمَن تلكُمُ آباؤُهُ وَجدودُهُ

وَمَن تلكُمُ آباؤُهُ وَجدودُهُ

فَمَن ذا يُسامي فَخرَهُ أَو يُقارِبُهْ

فَمَن ذا يُسامي فَخرَهُ أَو يُقارِبُهْ

And one whose fathers and forefathers are those—

And who are those, his forefathers and ancestors?

who can rival his glory or come close to it?”

For who can equal his pride or draw near him?