أناديك يا من ليس في سمعه وَقْرُ

أناديك يا من ليس في سمعه وَقْرُ

نداءَ مُحقّ لا يُنَهْنههُ الزجرُ

نداءَ مُحقّ لا يُنَهْنههُ الزجرُ

I call to you, O you whose hearing knows no deafness—

I call to you, O you whose hearing holds no deafness,

the call of one whose cause is just, undeterred by rebuke.

with the call of a rightful claimant whom rebuke cannot restrain.

فهل يَسمع الإحسانُ والحسن والحجا

فهل يَسمع الإحسانُ والحسن والحجا

تظلُّمَ مظلوم ظُلامتُهُ الهَجر

تظلُّمَ مظلوم ظُلامتُهُ الهَجر

Will generosity, beauty, and wisdom then hear

Will beneficence, beauty, and wisdom hear

the complaint of a grieving man whose grievance is abandonment?

the complaint of one wronged, whose wrong is estrangement

ومنعُ الجَدا المبذولِ حتى كأنني

ومنعُ الجَدا المبذولِ حتى كأنني

لقىً لا يُرجّى فيه حمدٌ ولا أجر

لقىً لا يُرجّى فيه حمدٌ ولا أجر

And bounty, freely bestowed, is withheld until I seem

and the withholding of freely offered bounty, until I seem

a castaway from whom neither praise nor recompense is hoped for.

a castoff from whom neither praise nor reward is expected?

أقاسمُ دَع قَدْري وما يستحقُّهُ

أقاسمُ دَع قَدْري وما يستحقُّهُ

وقدرُك فارفعْهُ فما مثلُه قدر

وقدرُك فارفعْهُ فما مثلُه قدر

O Qasim, set aside my worth and whatever it deserves;

O Qasim, leave aside my worth and what it deserves;

but exalt your own worth—for no worth can equal it.

raise your own worth, for no worth is like it.

وصِلْني بأعْفَى نائِليكَ مِنَ الجدَا

وصِلْني بأعْفَى نائِليكَ مِنَ الجدَا

أو اليأس تُمْهَر حرمةً ما لها مَهْر

أو اليأس تُمْهَر حرمةً ما لها مَهْر

And favor me with the most unstinting of your bountiful gifts,

Grant me the easier of your two gifts—bounty

or let despair endow my sacred claim—though no dowry is due it.

or despair—and so dower a bond that has no dower.

أأغدو وأمري لا يسوء مُنافسي

أأغدو وأمري لا يسوء مُنافسي

وأمرُك أمرٌ لا يعارضه أمر

وأمرُك أمرٌ لا يعارضه أمر

Must I depart while my plight gives my rival no pain,

Am I to wake with my condition no distress to my rival,

though your command is one no other command can oppose?

while your command is a command none can oppose?

وقد أمَّلتْك النفسُ بعد تحوُّمٍ

وقد أمَّلتْك النفسُ بعد تحوُّمٍ

لأبرد من هذا على قلبيَ الجمر

لأبرد من هذا على قلبيَ الجمر

My soul had hoped, after this turn of fortune,

And my soul has hoped in you after circling about,

to cool with this the embers upon my heart.

seeking something cooler than these embers upon my heart.

وكم رُمتُ صبراً إذا جُفيتُ وما أرى

وكم رُمتُ صبراً إذا جُفيتُ وما أرى

إليه سبيلاً أو يُفاضحني الجهر

إليه سبيلاً أو يُفاضحني الجهر

How often I sought patience when you shunned me; yet I see

How often I sought patience when shunned, yet I see

no path to it—unless speaking out must disgrace me.

no way to it unless speaking openly exposes me to shame.

على أن نفسي جَرَّبَتها فألْفِيَتْ

على أن نفسي جَرَّبَتها فألْفِيَتْ

وليْلَتُهما دهرٌ وساعتها شهر

وليْلَتُهما دهرٌ وساعتها شهر

Still, I put my soul to the test and found

Yet my soul has tried it, and this was found:

its night an age, its hour a month.

their night is an age, and its hour a month.

فصرِّحْ فتصريحُ الصريح شبيهُهُ

فصرِّحْ فتصريحُ الصريح شبيهُهُ

وحاشاك ضداك الخيانةُ والغدر

وحاشاك ضداك الخيانةُ والغدر

Speak plainly: plain declaration befits the forthright,

So speak frankly: a frank man's frank speech resembles him;

and far from you be its opposites—treachery and perfidy.

far be it from you—treachery and betrayal are your opposites.

وصُنْ قدرَ نفس عندها عَصبِيَّةٌ

وصُنْ قدرَ نفس عندها عَصبِيَّةٌ

تُريها بحقٍّ أنّ تأميلك الوَفْر

تُريها بحقٍّ أنّ تأميلك الوَفْر

Preserve the dignity of a soul whose proud zeal

And protect the worth of a soul whose fierce loyalty

rightly makes it see abundance in hoping in you,

rightly shows it that hope in you means abundance,

وتُقْنِعُها بالذُّلِّ وهْيَ عزيرةٌ

وتُقْنِعُها بالذُّلِّ وهْيَ عزيرةٌ

يُكانِفها من عزمها الصبر والنصر

يُكانِفها من عزمها الصبر والنصر

and persuades it to humble itself, though proud—

and reconciles it to abasement, though it is strong.

a soul whose resolve is matched by patience and victory.

Patience and victory from its resolve flank it.

ولكنها مُنَّتْ بِمَنْزورِ حظِّها

ولكنها مُنَّتْ بِمَنْزورِ حظِّها

لديك وهل شيءٌ تجود به نزر

لديك وهل شيءٌ تجود به نزر

Yet it has been allotted a meager share

Yet it was fed hopes of its scant share

with you—but can anything you bestow be meager?

with you—and is anything you give ever scant?

وطاب لها المعروفُ منكَ كأنما

وطاب لها المعروفُ منكَ كأنما

بدا فيه طعمٌ من سجاياكَ أو نَشر

بدا فيه طعمٌ من سجاياكَ أو نَشر

Your kindness tasted sweet to it, as though

Your kindness tasted sweet to it, as though

it bore the savor of your nature, or its fragrance.

some savor of your character, or its fragrance, appeared in it.

وكل غِنىً في ظل غيركَ تافهٌ

وكل غِنىً في ظل غيركَ تافهٌ

ولو أنني كِسرى وداريَ إصْطَخر

ولو أنني كِسرى وداريَ إصْطَخر

All wealth beneath another's patronage is paltry,

All wealth beneath another's shelter is worthless,

even were I Khosrow and Istakhr my home.

even were I Kisra, and my home Istakhr.

عرضتُ على نفسي الغِنَى منك تارةً

عرضتُ على نفسي الغِنَى منك تارةً

ومِنِّيَ أخرى والغِنى مِنِّيَ الصبر

ومِنِّيَ أخرى والغِنى مِنِّيَ الصبر

Once I held out to my soul the wealth it might gain from you,

I offered my soul wealth from you at one time,

and another time wealth from myself—my wealth being patience.

and from myself at another—my own wealth being patience.

فمالتْ إلى نيل الغنى منك إنهُ

فمالتْ إلى نيل الغنى منك إنهُ

غنى خالصٌ والصبر قِدْماً غنىً فقر

غنى خالصٌ والصبر قِدْماً غنىً فقر

It inclined toward gaining wealth from you, for that

It inclined toward obtaining wealth from you, for that is

is wealth unalloyed; patience has ever been poverty's wealth.

unmixed wealth; patience has always been wealth that is poverty.

وأقْسِمُ إن لم تُغْنِني أهنأَ الغنى

وأقْسِمُ إن لم تُغْنِني أهنأَ الغنى

لأمْتَطينَّ الصبر إذْ حَرَن الدهْر

لأمْتَطينَّ الصبر إذْ حَرَن الدهْر

I swear, if you do not enrich me with the most wholesome wealth,

And I swear: if you do not enrich me with the sweetest wealth,

I shall surely mount patience, now that fortune has balked.

I shall surely mount patience, since fortune has balked.

ألا فامتعِضْ من قَوْلتي لك عندها

ألا فامتعِضْ من قَوْلتي لك عندها

رَوِيتُ بريقي حين أظمأني البحر

رَوِيتُ بريقي حين أظمأني البحر

Then take offense at this saying of mine to you:

Then take offense at what I shall say to you then:

I quenched myself with my own saliva when the sea left me thirsty.

I quenched my thirst with my saliva when the sea left me parched.

ويا سوءتا للمجد والفخر بعدها

ويا سوءتا للمجد والفخر بعدها

وقد حُقَّ أن يُستحسنَ المجدُ والفخر

وقد حُقَّ أن يُستحسنَ المجدُ والفخر

Oh, the shame upon glory and pride thereafter—

And what shame for glory and pride after that,

though rightly should glory and pride admire what I did!

when glory and pride ought rightly to be admired!

ويا عَجَبَاً والدهرُ جمٌّ عجيبُهُ

ويا عَجَبَاً والدهرُ جمٌّ عجيبُهُ

أيُسْكِرُ ماءٌ حين لا تُسكِرُ الخمر

أيُسْكِرُ ماءٌ حين لا تُسكِرُ الخمر

How strange—while time is full of its wonders!

And O wonder—time is full of wonders!

Can water intoxicate when wine does not?

Can water intoxicate when wine cannot?

ويا عجَباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

ويا عجَباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

أيُنْبِتُ طَلٌّ حين لا يُنبت القَطر

أيُنْبِتُ طَلٌّ حين لا يُنبت القَطر

How strange—while time is full of its wonders!

And O wonder—time is full of wonders!

Can drizzle make things grow when rain does not?

Can dew make things grow when rain cannot?

ويا عجباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

ويا عجباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

أيُقمِرُ نَجْمٌ حين لا يُقمِرُ البدر

أيُقمِرُ نَجْمٌ حين لا يُقمِرُ البدر

How strange—while time is full of its wonders!

And O wonder—time is full of wonders!

Can a star shed moonlight when the full moon does not?

Can a star shed moonlight when the full moon cannot?

ويا عجباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

ويا عجباً والدهر جم عجيبهُ

أتَبْهَرُ نار حين لا يَبْهر الفجر

أتَبْهَرُ نار حين لا يَبْهر الفجر

How strange—while time is full of its wonders!

And O wonder—time is full of wonders!

Can a fire dazzle when the dawn does not?

Can a fire dazzle when dawn cannot?

أأدعو لِغوْثي قاسماً وعزيمتي

أأدعو لِغوْثي قاسماً وعزيمتي

فتُغْني ولا يُغْني ندَى كفِّهِ الغمر

فتُغْني ولا يُغْني ندَى كفِّهِ الغمر

Do I call Qasim to my rescue, while my own resolve

Do I summon Qasim and my resolve to rescue me,

enriches me, but the overflowing bounty of his palm does not?

and my resolve suffices, while his hand's copious bounty does not?

دعوتُ فما جاش الندى ودعوتها

دعوتُ فما جاش الندى ودعوتها

فجاش بها قلب يُشَيِّعُهُ صبر

فجاش بها قلب يُشَيِّعُهُ صبر

I called: bounty did not surge; but when I called upon my resolve,

I called him, but generosity did not surge; I called on it,

a heart surged through it, accompanied by patience.

and a heart surged with it, strengthened by patience.

جرى وجرتْ فاستهدَمتْ وهْو واقفٌ

جرى وجرتْ فاستهدَمتْ وهْو واقفٌ

عجبت لهذا الأمرِ بل عَجِبَ الأمر

عجبت لهذا الأمرِ بل عَجِبَ الأمر

It ran, and I dragged it on and made it my target, while it stood firm.

He ran and it ran; it spent itself while he stood still.

I marveled at this affair—indeed, the affair itself marveled.

I marveled at this affair—indeed, the affair itself marveled.

ويعَضُدُني صبري ويُغْفِلُ قاسمٌ

ويعَضُدُني صبري ويُغْفِلُ قاسمٌ

مُعِاضدَتي والعَقْر من زمني عَقر

مُعِاضدَتي والعَقْر من زمني عَقر

My patience supports me, while Qasim neglects

My patience supports me, while Qasim neglects

to support me; the crippling blow dealt by my age is crippling.

to support me, though fortune's wounds are wounds indeed.

وقد سار مدحي شرقَ أرض وغربها

وقد سار مدحي شرقَ أرض وغربها

وغنَّى به القومُ المقيمون والسفر

وغنَّى به القومُ المقيمون والسفر

My praise has traveled through the land's east and west,

My praise has traveled through the land, east and west,

and residents and travelers alike have sung it.

and settled folk and travelers have sung it.

وقِيل مُرجّي قاسمٍ ووليُّهُ

وقِيل مُرجّي قاسمٍ ووليُّهُ

ونافسني في ربح صَفْقَتيَ البَحْر

ونافسني في ربح صَفْقَتيَ البَحْر

It was said: “Qasim is the patron in whom I hope, and I am his protégé,”

I was called Qasim's hopeful petitioner and ally,

and the sea vied with me for the profit of my bargain.

and the sea vied with me for profit from my bargain.

لَعمرِي لقد غوثْتُ غير مُقَصِّرٍ

لَعمرِي لقد غوثْتُ غير مُقَصِّرٍ

ليجبر من حالي وقد أمكن الجبر

ليجبر من حالي وقد أمكن الجبر

By my life, I sought relief without falling short,

By my life, I cried for help, sparing no effort,

so that my condition might be mended while mending was still possible.

that he might mend my condition, when mending was possible.

وكم قائل أبلغتَ فيما تقولهُ

وكم قائل أبلغتَ فيما تقولهُ

فقلت لقد غَنَّيْتُ إنْ ساعد الزَمر

فقلت لقد غَنَّيْتُ إنْ ساعد الزَمر

How many a speaker has said, “You have gone too far in what you say”;

Many a speaker said, 'You have excelled in what you say,'

then I said, “I have sung—if only the choruses lend aid.”

and I said, 'Indeed I have sung—if the piping lends support.'

أيُمطَرُ من صُغرَى بنانك جانبي

أيُمطَرُ من صُغرَى بنانك جانبي

وقد أمطرَتْ قوماً أناملُك العشر

وقد أمطرَتْ قوماً أناملُك العشر

Will the least of your fingertips rain upon my side,

Will rain reach my side from your littlest finger,

when all ten of your fingers have rained upon whole peoples?

when your ten fingertips have rained upon other folk?

لئن كان نذْراً منك ظلمُكَ حُرمتي

لئن كان نذْراً منك ظلمُكَ حُرمتي

ومَدحي وتأميلي لقد قُضِيَ النذر

ومَدحي وتأميلي لقد قُضِيَ النذر

If your violation of my sacred claim was but a trifle,

If you vowed to wrong my honored claim,

that trifle has toppled both my praise and my hope.

my praise and my hopes, the vow has indeed been fulfilled.

وإن كان ذنباً صِدقُ وُدي فإنني

وإن كان ذنباً صِدقُ وُدي فإنني

مُصِرٌّ وإن عافانيَ الصَفح والغُفر

مُصِرٌّ وإن عافانيَ الصَفح والغُفر

And if the sincerity of my affection was a sin, then I

And if the sincerity of my affection is a sin, then I

persist in it, even if pardon and forgiveness spare me.

persist, even if pardon and forgiveness absolve me.

حُنُوّاً بني وهب علينا فإنه

حُنُوّاً بني وهب علينا فإنه

على ذاك منكمٍ يصلح الناسُ والعصر

على ذاك منكمٍ يصلح الناسُ والعصر

Be tender, sons of Wahb, toward us, for

Show us tenderness, sons of Wahb, for

through such conduct from you, people and the age are set right.

through that from you, people and the age are set right.

لقد حزَّر الحُزَّار منكم لعبدكم

لقد حزَّر الحُزَّار منكم لعبدكم

وفاءً وإفضالاً فلا يخطئِ الحَزر

وفاءً وإفضالاً فلا يخطئِ الحَزر

The loyalty and generosity shown to your servant have indeed warned

The estimators have reckoned for your servant, from you,

the wary against you—so vigilance does not miss its mark.

loyalty and generosity; let their reckoning not prove wrong.

وما أهَّلوا بذري لِذاك وإن زكا

وما أهَّلوا بذري لِذاك وإن زكا

ولكن لكم خِيمٌ يُريع به البَذر

ولكن لكم خِيمٌ يُريع به البَذر

They did not neglect to sow my seed for that, though it flourished;

They did not deem my seed worthy of that, though it flourished,

rather, yours is a nature in which seed yields richly.

but you have a nature through which seed yields abundantly.

وبايعَ بعد الفتح قوم سبقتهم

وبايعَ بعد الفتح قوم سبقتهم

فلِمْ أنا في نُعماك رِدْفٌ وهُمْ صدر

فلِمْ أنا في نُعماك رِدْفٌ وهُمْ صدر

After the Conquest, people whom I had preceded pledged allegiance;

Others pledged allegiance after the conquest, though I preceded them;

why then, amid your favors, am I in the rear while they are at the fore?

why am I at the rear in your favors, while they are at the front?

ولم يصفُ من شيءٍ صفاءَ طَويتي

ولم يصفُ من شيءٍ صفاءَ طَويتي

فلِمْ شرْبُهم صفو ولمْ مَشربي كدر

فلِمْ شرْبُهم صفو ولمْ مَشربي كدر

Nothing has ever equaled the purity of my inward intent;

Nothing has been as pure as my inward intentions;

why then is their drink clear while mine is turbid?

why is their draught clear, and why is mine turbid?

وما جاش مدٌّ مثلُ مدحيَ فيكُمُ

وما جاش مدٌّ مثلُ مدحيَ فيكُمُ

فلِمْ كسبُهم مَدٌّ ولمْ مكسبي جَزْر

فلِمْ كسبُهم مَدٌّ ولمْ مكسبي جَزْر

No tide has ever surged like my praise of you;

No tide has surged like my praise of you;

why then is their gain a flood tide and mine an ebb?

why are their gains a flood tide, and why are mine an ebb?

وماليَ لا أنفكُّ أبغي مُسَنَّداً

وماليَ لا أنفكُّ أبغي مُسَنَّداً

ولي مثلكُمْ ظَهْرٌ وما مثلكم ظهر

ولي مثلكُمْ ظَهْرٌ وما مثلكم ظهر

Why do I keep seeking some support

Why do I never cease seeking a support,

when I have backs like yours—and no backs are like yours?

when I have a backer like you—and no backer is like you?

عفاءٌ على الدنيا تفاحَشَ عَكسُها

عفاءٌ على الدنيا تفاحَشَ عَكسُها

فخاب بها مثلي وفاز بها عمرو

فخاب بها مثلي وفاز بها عمرو

Away with this world, whose reversals have grown monstrous,

Ruin upon the world! Its reversals have grown monstrous:

where one like me fails and some ʿAmr succeeds!

one like me has failed in it, while Amr has succeeded.

ألا إنها من صورة لقبيحةٌ

ألا إنها من صورة لقبيحةٌ

مِنَ اللائي لا يرضى بها وجهُك النضر

مِنَ اللائي لا يرضى بها وجهُك النضر

Behold, it is an image truly ugly,

Indeed, it is a truly ugly picture,

one your radiant face could never approve.

one of those your radiant face will not approve.

وما بيَ إِلا أنْ يراها مُمَيِّزٌ

وما بيَ إِلا أنْ يراها مُمَيِّزٌ

فَيَتْبَعها من رأيه نظر شزر

فَيَتْبَعها من رأيه نظر شزر

My only grievance is that a discerning man should see it

My only concern is that a discerning person might see it

and follow it with a sidelong glance of judgment.

and follow it with a scornful glance of judgment.