لا يُحمَدُ السَجلُ حَتّى يُحكَمَ الوَذَمُ

لا يُحمَدُ السَجلُ حَتّى يُحكَمَ الوَذَمُ

وَلا تُرَبُّ بِغَيرِ الواصِلِ النِعَمُ

وَلا تُرَبُّ بِغَيرِ الواصِلِ النِعَمُ

The bucket is not praised until its leather straps are securely fastened.

Blame is undeserved till the critic is tried,

Nor are favors nurtured without one who maintains ties.

Nor should you, save by unbroken tie, good deem.

وَفي الجَواهِرِ أَشباهٌ مُشاكِلَةٌ

وَفي الجَواهِرِ أَشباهٌ مُشاكِلَةٌ

وَلَيسَ تَمتَزِجُ الأَنوارُ وَالظُلَمُ

وَلَيسَ تَمتَزِجُ الأَنوارُ وَالظُلَمُ

And among jewels are matching counterparts,

In jewels are semblances which disputes breed

yet lights and darkness do not mingle.

Light mingles not with darkness, and extremes.

وَرُبَّ خَطبٍ رَمى إِلفَينِ فَاِنصَدَعا

وَرُبَّ خَطبٍ رَمى إِلفَينِ فَاِنصَدَعا

عَنِ المَوَدَّةِ وَالأَسبابُ تَلتَئِمُ

عَنِ المَوَدَّةِ وَالأَسبابُ تَلتَئِمُ

And many a calamity struck two intimates, so they split apart

Oft hath a compact two together thrown

from affection, though the bonds knit together.

Then friends are parted and reunion comes.

يَصورُ قَلبَيهِما عَهدٌ يُجَدِّدُهُ

يَصورُ قَلبَيهِما عَهدٌ يُجَدِّدُهُ

طولُ الزَمانِ وَلا يَغتالُهُ القِدَمُ

طولُ الزَمانِ وَلا يَغتالُهُ القِدَمُ

A covenant draws their two hearts together, renewed by

Long years renew the troth in two fond hearts

the long passage of time, while age does not slay it.

Which age enfeebles not nor time benumbs.

ذَمّا العُقوقَ وَرَدّا فَضلَ حِلمِهِما

ذَمّا العُقوقَ وَرَدّا فَضلَ حِلمِهِما

وَراجَعا الوَصلَ وَاِستَثناهُما الكَرَمُ

وَراجَعا الوَصلَ وَاِستَثناهُما الكَرَمُ

They condemned disloyalty and restored the bounty of their forbearance,

Who blame their sin and to their worth return

and resumed their bond, while nobility spared them.

Are quit of fault, and nobles self o'ercomes.

كُنّا وَكُنتَ عَلى عَهدٍ مَضى سَلَفاً

كُنّا وَكُنتَ عَلى عَهدٍ مَضى سَلَفاً

وَفي عَواقِبِ حالِ القاطِعِ النَدَمُ

وَفي عَواقِبِ حالِ القاطِعِ النَدَمُ

We and you shared a covenant in bygone days,

We were and 'thou' wast in one pact and then

and regret lies at the end of the bond-breaker's course.

Of severance the sad repentance comes.

لَنا قَريبانِ في قَلبَينِ رَدَّهُما

لَنا قَريبانِ في قَلبَينِ رَدَّهُما

إِلى الصَفاءِ هَوىً بادٍ وَمُكتَتَمُ

إِلى الصَفاءِ هَوىً بادٍ وَمُكتَتَمُ

We have two intimates in two hearts, brought back

We have two familiars whose hearts still tend

to purity by love both open and concealed.

To hoarded passion none but Allah plumbs.

حَتّى إِذا لَم نَخَف نَقضَ الهَوى وَصَفَت

حَتّى إِذا لَم نَخَف نَقضَ الهَوى وَصَفَت

لَنا المَوَدَّةُ حَتّى ماؤُها سَجِمُ

لَنا المَوَدَّةُ حَتّى ماؤُها سَجِمُ

Until, when we feared no breach of love and there grew clear

Till we fear not the breaking of the tie

our affection, till its water flowed freely,

Cementing friendship jealousy benumbs.

وَنَحنُ في كَنَفَي حالٍ مُساعِدَةٍ

وَنَحنُ في كَنَفَي حالٍ مُساعِدَةٍ

كُلٌّ عَلى صَبوَةِ العُشّاقِ مُعتَزِمُ

كُلٌّ عَلى صَبوَةِ العُشّاقِ مُعتَزِمُ

while favorable circumstances sheltered us on either side,

We live in calmest life, each one content

each intent on the passion of lovers,

To play the worthy lover while breath comes.

كَوارِدِ الخِمسِ شَهرَ القَيظِ جادَ لَهُ

كَوارِدِ الخِمسِ شَهرَ القَيظِ جادَ لَهُ

حِسيٌ وَمَدَّ عَلَيهِ ظِلَّهُ السَلَمُ

حِسيٌ وَمَدَّ عَلَيهِ ظِلَّهُ السَلَمُ

like one coming to water on the fifth day in the month of summer heat, generously supplied by

Like one athirst who finds in hottest time

a sandy waterhole, with acacia spreading its shade over him,

A runnel shaded, and the hot troop shuns,

أَلهَتكَ عَن حاجَةٍ ضَيَّعتَ حُرمَتَها

أَلهَتكَ عَن حاجَةٍ ضَيَّعتَ حُرمَتَها

وِلايَةٌ وَدَواعي النَفسِ تُتَّهَمُ

وِلايَةٌ وَدَواعي النَفسِ تُتَّهَمُ

you were distracted from a need whose rightful claim you neglected

Whom joys detain from need and urgencies,

by a governorship—and the soul's impulses are suspect.

His hopes convict him and his deed condemns.

أَحينَ قُمتَ مِنَ الأَيّامِ في كَبِدٍ

أَحينَ قُمتَ مِنَ الأَيّامِ في كَبِدٍ

كَما أَنارَ بِنارِ الموقِدِ العَلَمُ

كَما أَنارَ بِنارِ الموقِدِ العَلَمُ

Was it when you rose to the very heart of the days,

Whenas you woke the watches of the night

as a mountain glows with the kindler's fire,

With lively blaze which dimmed the rascal nums,

أَنشَبتَ نَفسَكَ في ظَلماءَ مُسدِفَةٍ

أَنشَبتَ نَفسَكَ في ظَلماءَ مُسدِفَةٍ

وَأَفسَدَتكَ عَلى إِخوانِكَ النِعَمُ

وَأَفسَدَتكَ عَلى إِخوانِكَ النِعَمُ

that you entangled yourself in a pitch-dark night,

You hung self on a blackness fate and foul

and blessings turned you against your brethren?

Whereby unlike yourself you changed, and comes

دُنيا وَلَكِنَّها دُنيا سَتَنصَرِمُ

دُنيا وَلَكِنَّها دُنيا سَتَنصَرِمُ

وَآخِرُ الحَيَوانِ المَوتُ وَالهَرَمُ

وَآخِرُ الحَيَوانِ المَوتُ وَالهَرَمُ

Worldly life—but worldly life that will pass away;

This world! But 'tis a world that passes by

and the end of life is death and decrepitude.

And death draws near, lays hand on hoary head.