حَتَّامَ تَخدَع عزمي الآمالُ

حَتَّامَ تَخدَع عزمي الآمالُ

وتَصُدُّني عن فعليَ الأقوالُ

وتَصُدُّني عن فعليَ الأقوالُ

How long will hopes deceive my resolve,

As long as my hopes are deceived by fate,

and words hold me back from acting?

And words hinder my deeds,

وإلامَ يُصبحُ ظاهري مُتَفَرِّغاً

وإلامَ يُصبحُ ظاهري مُتَفَرِّغاً

ولباطني بهمومه أشغالُ

ولباطني بهمومه أشغالُ

And how long will I seem outwardly unoccupied,

How can my outward self remain dedicated,

while inwardly my cares keep me busy?

When inwardly, worries preoccupy me?

ولقد عجبتُ لِهِمَّتي كيف اهتَدَت

ولقد عجبتُ لِهِمَّتي كيف اهتَدَت

لسبيلها اللُّوَّامُ والعُذَّالُ

لسبيلها اللُّوَّامُ والعُذَّالُ

And I have indeed marveled at my ambition—how did

I am amazed at my determination, how it was guided,

the reproachers and fault-finders find its path?

To its path, by the gentle and the severe.

ما العُذرُ عن إدراك آمالي وقد

ما العُذرُ عن إدراك آمالي وقد

صَحَّ الزمانُ وأمكن التِّرحالُ

صَحَّ الزمانُ وأمكن التِّرحالُ

What excuse have I for not attaining my hopes, when

What excuse for not attaining my hopes, when

the times are favorable and travel is possible?

The time has cleared and travel made possible?

غيري تَشُقُّ عليه حادثَةُ النَّوَى

غيري تَشُقُّ عليه حادثَةُ النَّوَى

وتَرُدُّهُ عن قَصده الأهوالُ

وتَرُدُّهُ عن قَصده الأهوالُ

Others find the ordeal of separation hard,

Others find the occurrence of adversity,

and terrors turn them from their purpose.

And terrors drive them back from their aims.

ولقد وثقتُ من الزمان بعادةٍ

ولقد وثقتُ من الزمان بعادةٍ

ما إن يفَيلُ لديَّ منها الفالُ

ما إن يفَيلُ لديَّ منها الفالُ

And I have trusted in a habit of time,

And I had trusted the days with a custom,

whose omen never fails me.

Whereby if they incline towards me, so does fortune.

إنَّ الدُّنوَّ نتيجةُ البُعدِ بعادةٍ

إنَّ الدُّنوَّ نتيجةُ البُعدِ بعادةٍ

ما إن يفيلُ لديَّ منها الفالُ

ما إن يفيلُ لديَّ منها الفالُ

Indeed, nearness is the fruit of distance, by a custom

For, by custom, baseness is the result of distance.

whose omen never fails me.

If they incline towards me, so does fortune.

ولكم فقير صار من أهل الغنى

ولكم فقير صار من أهل الغنى

ولكم غنى مالَ عنه المالُ

ولكم غنى مالَ عنه المالُ

And many a poor man has joined the ranks of the rich,

So many a poor man has become rich

and many a rich man has had his wealth desert him.

And so much wealth has abandoned its owner.

وكذا الليالي قد جرَت عاداتُها

وكذا الليالي قد جرَت عاداتُها

ألا يدومَ لنا عليها حالُ

ألا يدومَ لنا عليها حالُ

And such has been the customary course of the nights:

And so the nights, their habits have passed:

no condition of ours endures through them.

Our state does not last permanently over them.

وبقاؤها لا يُستطَاعُ لطالبٍ

وبقاؤها لا يُستطَاعُ لطالبٍ

وطلابُ ما لا يُستطاعُ محالُ

وطلابُ ما لا يُستطاعُ محالُ

And no seeker can secure their continuance;

And permanence cannot be attained by one who desires,

and seeking what cannot be achieved is futile.

Seeking the impossible is madness.

حَسبُ الفتى حُسنُ الثناءِ فإنَّهُ

حَسبُ الفتى حُسنُ الثناءِ فإنَّهُ

لا يَعتريه مدى الزمان زَوَالُ

لا يَعتريه مدى الزمان زَوَالُ

Good praise is enough for a man, for it

It suffices the youth to have good repute, for it

never fades throughout the span of time.

Will not be touched by the passage of time.

دعني على خُلقي فقد أكثرتَ في

دعني على خُلقي فقد أكثرتَ في

عذل امرئٍ يحلو لهُ الإقلالُ

عذل امرئٍ يحلو لهُ الإقلالُ

Leave me to my nature; you have gone too far in

Leave me to my nature, for you have excessively

reproaching a man who finds poverty sweet.

Criticized one who finds brevity pleasant.

بحوادث الأيَّام عند ذوي النُّهى

بحوادث الأيَّام عند ذوي النُّهى

تَتَبيَّنُ الكرماءُ والبُخَّالُ

تَتَبيَّنُ الكرماءُ والبُخَّالُ

Through the misfortunes of days, to those of understanding,

The incidents of time reveal to people of principle,

the generous and the miserly stand revealed.

The generous and the stingy.

ولقلما يخشى الحوادث من غدا

ولقلما يخشى الحوادث من غدا

وله إلى آل الزبيرِ مآل

وله إلى آل الزبيرِ مآل

And seldom does the man fear misfortunes

Rarely does one who fears tomorrow’s woes,

who has come to find refuge with the house of al-Zubayr.

And who seeks refuge with the House of Zubair, fear.

قومٌ يُضئ الليلُ من أنوارهم

قومٌ يُضئ الليلُ من أنوارهم

فيهم تدُلُّ عليهمُ السؤال

فيهم تدُلُّ عليهمُ السؤال

A people whose lights illuminate the night;

A people whose light illuminates the night.

among them, petitioners point the way to them.

About them, questions give indication.

أعراضُهم ووجوههم وجفانهم

أعراضُهم ووجوههم وجفانهم

بيضٌ فلم لا تهتدي الضّلالُ

بيضٌ فلم لا تهتدي الضّلالُ

Their honor, their faces, and their serving bowls

Their honor, faces and brows are white,

are white—why, then, do the lost not find their way?

So how can the lost not find guidance?

بيراعهم وسُيُوفهم بين الورى

بيراعهم وسُيُوفهم بين الورى

تتقسَّمُ الأرزاقُ والآجالُ

تتقسَّمُ الأرزاقُ والآجالُ

By their reed pens and their swords, among mankind,

With their flags and swords among mankind,

livelihoods and lifespans are apportioned.

Sustenance and terms are divided.

لا بُوسعُون نفوسهم عُذراً إذا

لا بُوسعُون نفوسهم عُذراً إذا

لم يفعلواأضعافَ ما قد نالوا

لم يفعلواأضعافَ ما قد نالوا

They allow themselves no excuse if

They cannot excuse themselves if they do not do

they do not give many times what they have received.

Multiples of what they have attained.

فهمُ بحارٌ إن أتاهم واردٌ

فهمُ بحارٌ إن أتاهم واردٌ

وهُم إذا خَفَّ الحليمُ جِبَالُ

وهُم إذا خَفَّ الحليمُ جِبَالُ

For they are seas when a water-seeker comes to them,

They are oceans - if a stream comes to them

and mountains when the forbearing lose their composure.

And they, if the forbearing get angry, are mountains.

نالوا المعالي بالنَّدى والبَأس في

نالوا المعالي بالنَّدى والبَأس في

كَيد الحسود وحَسبُهُم ما نالوا

كَيد الحسود وحَسبُهُم ما نالوا

They attained high honors through generosity and valor, despite

They attained the heights with benevolence and firmness

the envious man's plotting; what they attained suffices them.

Amidst the guile of enviers - sufficient for them is what they attained.

طَابَت أصولٌ منهمُ فتشابَهَ ال

طَابَت أصولٌ منهمُ فتشابَهَ ال

آباء والأعمامُ والأخوالُ

آباء والأعمامُ والأخوالُ

Their roots were noble; thus alike were the

Good roots have sprouted from them, so fathers,

fathers, paternal uncles, and maternal uncles.

Uncles and in-laws resembled one another.

ولهم بيعقوبَ الفَخَارُ على الوَرى

ولهم بيعقوبَ الفَخَارُ على الوَرى

فإليه يُعزى الفضلُ والأفضالُ

فإليه يُعزى الفضلُ والأفضالُ

And through Ya'qub they have glory above mankind;

And they have, over mankind, the pride of Jacob,

for to him are ascribed excellence and beneficence.

So excellence and virtues are attributed to him.

سَمحٌ إذا دجت الخطوبُ فبشرُهُ

سَمحٌ إذا دجت الخطوبُ فبشرُهُ

بَرقٌ وغَيثُ نواله هَطَّالُ

بَرقٌ وغَيثُ نواله هَطَّالُ

Generous: when calamities darken, his cheerful face

Open-handed, when calamities strike - give him glad tidings -

is lightning, and the rain of his bounty pours down.

A lightning bolt whose gifts pour profusely.

ماضي العزيمة تُنصَفُ الأمداحُ في

ماضي العزيمة تُنصَفُ الأمداحُ في

نادي نَداه وتُظلَمُ الأمَوالُ

نادي نَداه وتُظلَمُ الأمَوالُ

Firm of resolve: praises are treated justly in

Resolute, praises do him justice in an assembly

his assembly of bounty, while wealth is wronged.

Whose splendor makes wealth seem scant.

دَع ما سواه ومَن سواه وسر له

دَع ما سواه ومَن سواه وسر له

إن شئت تدري العِزُّ كيف يُنالُ

إن شئت تدري العِزُّ كيف يُنالُ

Leave all else and all others, and journey to him,

Leave all others and he who is other, and walk in his path

if you wish to learn how glory is attained.

If you wish, you will know how honor is attained.

تلق الكريم على الحقيقة طالما

تلق الكريم على الحقيقة طالما

نابَت لنا عن قوله الأفعالُ

نابَت لنا عن قوله الأفعالُ

You will find the truly generous man; time and again

Meet the generous with truthfulness whenever

his deeds have stood for us in place of his words.

Actions have turned from words for us.

مُتَوَقَدُ العزمات لكن قد حوى

مُتَوَقَدُ العزمات لكن قد حوى

بأسٌ على طول المدا ونوالُ

بأسٌ على طول المدا ونوالُ

Aflame with resolves, yet he has gathered

Fervor is ignited but has contained within

valor and bounty throughout the ages.

A danger equal to the length of spears and gifts.

حَسبُ المُعَادي والمُوالي عنده

حَسبُ المُعَادي والمُوالي عنده

بَأسٌ على طول المدَا ونوالُ

بَأسٌ على طول المدَا ونوالُ

For foe and friend, he has enough

Sufficient for friend and foe in his eyes

valor and bounty throughout the ages.

Is danger equal to the length of spears and gifts.

حبرٌ إذا هزَّ البراعَ بنانُهُ

حبرٌ إذا هزَّ البراعَ بنانُهُ

شاهدت منه السِّحر وهوَ حلالُ

شاهدت منه السِّحر وهوَ حلالُ

A scholar: when his fingertips set the reed pen moving,

An ocean - when the skillful stirs its depths -

you behold magic from him—and it is lawful.

You see therein sorcery, yet it is lawful.

خَطّاً ولفظاً راق ذاك ورقَّ ذا

خَطّاً ولفظاً راق ذاك ورقَّ ذا

كالماء إِذ مُزِجت به الجريالُ

كالماء إِذ مُزِجت به الجريالُ

In script and wording, the former charms and the latter is delicate,

In prose and verse, one captivates, the other dances,

like water when red wine is mixed with it.

Like water mixed with pure wine.

فبعلمه وبحلمه وبجوده

فبعلمه وبحلمه وبجوده

في كلّ حينٍ تُضربُ الأَمثالُ

في كلّ حينٍ تُضربُ الأَمثالُ

Thus his knowledge, his forbearance, and his generosity

So by his knowledge, forbearance and generosity,

are held up as examples at every moment.

Parables about him are always struck.

مولايَ زينَ الدينِ كم لك من يَدٍ

مولايَ زينَ الدينِ كم لك من يَدٍ

شهدت بحُسن وفائها الآمالُ

شهدت بحُسن وفائها الآمالُ

My lord, Zayn al-Din, how many favors you have granted,

My master, Zayn al-Din - how many a hand

to whose gracious fulfillment hopes bear witness!

Bore witness to its loyalty through hopes realized!

أنتَ الذي لا يَعتَريه السَّهوُ في

أنتَ الذي لا يَعتَريه السَّهوُ في

حالِ كمثل سواك والإِغفَالُ

حالِ كمثل سواك والإِغفَالُ

You are the one whom forgetfulness never afflicts in

You, whom absentmindedness amidst the likes of you

any circumstance, unlike others—nor does neglect.

And oversight cannot befall!

أشكو لعَدلك جَورَ دَهرٍ جاهلٍ

أشكو لعَدلك جَورَ دَهرٍ جاهلٍ

فَضَلَت به فضلاءَهُ الجُهَّالُ

فَضَلَت به فضلاءَهُ الجُهَّالُ

I complain to your justice of an ignorant age's tyranny,

I complain to your justice of the oppression of an ignorant age.

in which the ignorant have outranked its men of merit.

By which its best were wronged by the ignorant.

مُنِعَت به عقلاؤه إذ قسِّمَت

مُنِعَت به عقلاؤه إذ قسِّمَت

بالجَورِ في أَنعامه الأَنفَالُ

بالجَورِ في أَنعامه الأَنفَالُ

In it, its wise men were denied, when

Thereby, its reasonable were denied when

the grants of its bounty were unjustly apportioned.

Its blessings were unjustly distributed.

علمي به لا ينَقضى وإذا بَدَت

علمي به لا ينَقضى وإذا بَدَت

حِيَلى عليه فدوني البَطَّالُ

حِيَلى عليه فدوني البَطَّالُ

My knowledge of it never ends; and when

My knowledge of it is endless, and whenever

my stratagems against it appear, the idler is beneath me.

My wits fail me, I am rendered inactive.

يكفيك أني في الصيام رَغِبتُ عن

يكفيك أني في الصيام رَغِبتُ عن

وطني وخَلفي معثَرُ وعِيَالُ

وطني وخَلفي معثَرُ وعِيَالُ

Suffice it for you that, during the fast, I turned away from

It suffices you that I have neglected, in my fasting,

my homeland, with hardship and dependents behind me.

My homeland - though my family is scattered and dependants many.

زمنٌ قد انعكست حَقائِقُ ذاته

زمنٌ قد انعكست حَقائِقُ ذاته

فكأنما رمضانُه شَوَّالُ

فكأنما رمضانُه شَوَّالُ

An age whose essential realities have been overturned,

A time whose realities are inverted,

as though its Ramadan were Shawwal.

As if its Ramadan were Shawwal.

والإِمَأُصبِحُ مُنجِداً أو مُتهماً

والإِمَأُصبِحُ مُنجِداً أو مُتهماً

سَئمَتني الأَعمال والعُمَّالُ

سَئمَتني الأَعمال والعُمَّالُ

And how long shall I keep making for Najd or Tihama,

As day breaks I rouse myself, either a helper or accused.

when the provinces and their officials have wearied of me?

I am tired of deeds and workers.

والأرضُ قد ثَقُلَت عليها وَطأَتي

والأرضُ قد ثَقُلَت عليها وَطأَتي

إذ عَمَّها الإِدبارُ والإِقبَالُ

إذ عَمَّها الإِدبارُ والإِقبَالُ

And my tread has weighed heavily upon the earth,

And the earth - my treading upon it has burdened it,

since going and coming have spread across it.

As decline and rise has enveloped it.

حتَّام أسبحُها فلولا أنَّ لي

حتَّام أسبحُها فلولا أنَّ لي

عَينينِ قال الناسُ ذا الدجَّالُ

عَينينِ قال الناسُ ذا الدجَّالُ

How long shall I swim across it? Were it not that I have

As long as my eyes remain, people say 'this is the antichrist',

two eyes, people would say, 'This is the Dajjal.'

I swim it - were it not for the fact I have two eyes.

مولاي خذها مِدحَةً ببديعها

مولاي خذها مِدحَةً ببديعها

لِبَني الفَريض وللقريض جَمَالُ

لِبَني الفَريض وللقريض جَمَالُ

My lord, take it as a praise-poem; its artistry

My master take it as an ode of unique beauty

is an adornment for the sons of verse and for verse itself.

To the House of the Faraidh and the Qaridh of splendor.

حسُنَت بإنشادي لها ولرُبَّما

حسُنَت بإنشادي لها ولرُبَّما

زان الحسامَ المَشرفي صقالُ

زان الحسامَ المَشرفي صقالُ

It grew beautiful through my recitation, and many a time

It is beautified by my singing it - and perhaps

polishing has adorned the Mashrafi sword.

My glistening sword adorns the Mashrafi scabbard.