تَعيب عَليَّ مَألوف القَصابة

تَعيب عَليَّ مَألوف القَصابة

وَمَن لَم يَدرِ قَدرَ الشَيء عابَه

وَمَن لَم يَدرِ قَدرَ الشَيء عابَه

You fault me for my accustomed trade of butchery,

You blame me for my usual butchery,

and whoever does not know a thing's worth finds fault with it.

And he who knows not a thing’s worth finds fault with it.

وَلَو أَحكَمت مِنها بَعض فَنٍ

وَلَو أَحكَمت مِنها بَعض فَنٍ

لَما استبدلت مِنها بالحجابة

لَما استبدلت مِنها بالحجابة

Had you mastered even some of its art,

Had you mastered even a little of the art,

you would not have exchanged it for chamberlainship.

You would not have substituted veil for slaughter.

لعمرك لَو نَظَرت إِليَّ فيها

لعمرك لَو نَظَرت إِليَّ فيها

وَحَولي مِن بَني كَلبٍ عصابه

وَحَولي مِن بَني كَلبٍ عصابه

By your life, had you looked at me practicing it,

By your life, were you to look on me there

with a band of the sons of Kalb around me,

With a horde of Kalb's sons around me, bandits,

لَهالك ما رَأَيت وَقُلت هَذا

لَهالك ما رَأَيت وَقُلت هَذا

هَزبرٌ صَير الأَوضام غابه

هَزبرٌ صَير الأَوضام غابه

what you saw would awe you, and you would say: “This

You would be confounded and say "This is

is a lion who has made the chopping blocks a forest.”

Hazebr, who makes desolation the wilds."

وَلَو تَدري بِها كَلفى وَوَجدي

وَلَو تَدري بِها كَلفى وَوَجدي

عَلمت عَلام تَحتملُ الصَبابة

عَلمت عَلام تَحتملُ الصَبابة

Had you known my passion and ardor for it,

And did you know my power and experience,

you would know what such longing is endured for.

You would know why savagery bears the disasters.

لَقَد شهدت لَنا كلب وهرٌ

لَقَد شهدت لَنا كلب وهرٌ

بِأَن المَجد قَد حزنا لبابه

بِأَن المَجد قَد حزنا لبابه

A dog and a cat have indeed borne witness for us

The she-wolf Kallab bore witness for us

that we have won the very essence of glory.

That glory has mourned the closing of its door.

إِذا طلع الوَليد لَنا رَضيعاً

إِذا طلع الوَليد لَنا رَضيعاً

رَأَيت بِوَجهِهِ سيما النَجابه

رَأَيت بِوَجهِهِ سيما النَجابه

When a newborn appears among us, still suckling,

When Al-Walid is born to us as a suckling babe,

you see the mark of nobility upon his face.

You see in his face the marks of the noble.

وَإِن بَلَغَ الفِطامَ فَذاكَ لَيث

وَإِن بَلَغَ الفِطامَ فَذاكَ لَيث

هَزبرٌ كاسر للحرب نابه

هَزبرٌ كاسر للحرب نابه

Once he reaches weaning, he is a lion,

And when he reaches weaning, that is a lion,

a mighty lion whose fang crushes in battle.

Hazebr, breaker of battle, biting.

إِذا ما نَحنُ نازَلنا قَبيلاً

إِذا ما نَحنُ نازَلنا قَبيلاً

رَأَيت المَوت قَد أَمضى حِرابه

رَأَيت المَوت قَد أَمضى حِرابه

Whenever we confront a tribe in combat,

When we make war on a tribe,

you see that Death has sharpened his spears.

You see death has shot its arrows.

فَتَكنا في بَني العنزيّ فَتكاً

فَتَكنا في بَني العنزيّ فَتكاً

أَقر الذُعر فيهم وَالمَهابه

أَقر الذُعر فيهم وَالمَهابه

We ravaged the sons of al-‘Anzi with a ravaging

So we wrought havoc among the Banu 'Anaza,

that planted terror and awe among them.

Spreading terror and awe among them.

أَبدنا شَبيهم وَمَتى ظَفَرنا

أَبدنا شَبيهم وَمَتى ظَفَرنا

بِغُرٍ شَبَّ لَم نَرحَم شَبابه

بِغُرٍ شَبَّ لَم نَرحَم شَبابه

We annihilated their elders, and whenever we caught

We destroyed their graybeards, and when we conquered

a callow youngster grown up, we spared not his youth.

A lad with down on his cheek, we had no mercy for his youth.

وَلَولا نَحنُ لَم تَجد المَنايا الس

وَلَولا نَحنُ لَم تَجد المَنايا الس

بيلَ إِلى بَنيها المُستَطابه

بيلَ إِلى بَنيها المُستَطابه

Had it not been for us, Death would never have found the

Had it not been for us, death would not have found

pleasant path to her sons.

A way to its choice beloved ones.

وَهَل جملٌ بَدا إِلّا حملنا

وَهَل جملٌ بَدا إِلّا حملنا

عَلَيهِ حَملَةً هَتَكَت حِجابه

عَلَيهِ حَملَةً هَتَكَت حِجابه

Did any camel ever appear without our charging

Did a camel ever appear that we did not

against him in an assault that rent his veil?

Attack with a raid that tore its veil?

صَفَعنا بالشفار قَفاه حَتّى

صَفَعنا بالشفار قَفاه حَتّى

فَريناهُ وَمَزَقنا اهابه

فَريناهُ وَمَزَقنا اهابه

We slapped his nape with blades until

We slapped their heads with our swords until

we slit him open and tore his hide.

We made them flee, tearing their garments.

وَلَم نُقلع عَن الثَورىّ حتّى

وَلَم نُقلع عَن الثَورىّ حتّى

مَزَجنا بِالدَم القاني لُعابه

مَزَجنا بِالدَم القاني لُعابه

Nor did we relent against the Thawri bull until

Nor did we cease from the Thawri until

we mingled his saliva with crimson blood.

We mixed shed blood with their spittle.

إِذا ما لانَ عود الناس يَوماً

إِذا ما لانَ عود الناس يَوماً

وَخَرَّ فَعودَنا فيهِ صَلابه

وَخَرَّ فَعودَنا فيهِ صَلابه

If one day people's timber softens

When men's spears fail one day

and falls, our timber still has firmness.

And ours prevail mightily,

نُريق دَماً وَلا حرج عَلَينا

نُريق دَماً وَلا حرج عَلَينا

وَمَن نَقتلهُ لا نَخشى عِقابه

وَمَن نَقتلهُ لا نَخشى عِقابه

We spill blood, and no blame rests upon us;

We shed blood without shame,

whoever we kill, we fear not his retribution.

And he whom we kill, we fear no vengeance for him.

وَيُبرز واحِدٌ مِنا لِأَلفٍ

وَيُبرز واحِدٌ مِنا لِأَلفٍ

فَيفنيهم وَتلك مِن الغَرابه

فَيفنيهم وَتلك مِن الغَرابه

One of us steps forth against a thousand

One of us goes out against a thousand

and annihilates them: that is a marvel.

And destroys them - that is nothing strange.

وَمَن يَغتَر مِنهُم بِاِمتِناعٍ

وَمَن يَغتَر مِنهُم بِاِمتِناعٍ

فَإِن إِلى سَواطِرنا إِيابه

فَإِن إِلى سَواطِرنا إِيابه

Whoever among them trusts in his defenses

He who trusts to be safe from us

will surely return to our cleavers.

Will return to our mercy.

بِناءُ المَجد لا شيدُ المَباني

بِناءُ المَجد لا شيدُ المَباني

وَجدُّ السَيف لا جَدُّ الكِتابه

وَجدُّ السَيف لا جَدُّ الكِتابه

Building glory, not raising buildings,

Glory is built by daring, not raising buildings,

and the earnest work of the sword, not of writing.

And the sword's edge, not the pen's, is serious.

وَرِثنا المَجد عَن قرمٍ فَقَرمٍ

وَرِثنا المَجد عَن قرمٍ فَقَرمٍ

فَلَيسَ لِغَيرِنا تُعزى نِجابه

فَلَيسَ لِغَيرِنا تُعزى نِجابه

We inherited glory from one noble sire after another,

We inherited glory, clan after clan,

so nobility is attributed to none but us.

So its nobility cannot be attributed to other than us.

وَحُزنا في النَقاوة كُلُ فَن

وَحُزنا في النَقاوة كُلُ فَن

فَلَيسَ بِغَيرِنا تَصبو ذُبابه

فَلَيسَ بِغَيرِنا تَصبو ذُبابه

We have mastered every art of cleanliness,

And we were preeminent in purity in every art,

so no fly yearns for anyone but us.

So none but us aspired to its goals.

أَبا الفَل الوَزير أَجب نِدائي

أَبا الفَل الوَزير أَجب نِدائي

فَفَضلك ضامِنٌ عَنكَ الإِجابه

فَفَضلك ضامِنٌ عَنكَ الإِجابه

O Abu al-Fal, minister, answer my call;

O father of excellence, the vizier, hear my call!

your bounty guarantees an answer on your behalf.

For your superiority guarantees response.

وَاِصغاءً إِلى شَكوى شَكورٍ

وَاِصغاءً إِلى شَكوى شَكورٍ

أَطلتَ عَلى قَصَابتِهِ عِتابه

أَطلتَ عَلى قَصَابتِهِ عِتابه

Listen to the complaint of a grateful man

And hearken to the complaint of one grateful

whom you have long reproached for his butchery.

For your reproach of his butchery.

جَلاه الدَهر بِالأَرجاء ظُلماً

جَلاه الدَهر بِالأَرجاء ظُلماً

وَأَنشب ظفره فيهِ وَنابه

وَأَنشب ظفره فيهِ وَنابه

Time unjustly banished him through the regions

Fate exiled him unjustly to the wilds,

and sank its claw and fang into him.

And extended its claw to grasp him.

لعمرك ما تَرَكت الشَعر حَتّى

لعمرك ما تَرَكت الشَعر حَتّى

رَأَيتُ البُخل قَد أَمضى شهابه

رَأَيتُ البُخل قَد أَمضى شهابه

By your life, I did not abandon poetry until

By your life, I did not abandon poetry

I saw miserliness had sharpened its fiery bolt;

Until I saw meanness extend its flame,

وَحَتّى زُرت مُشتاقاً حَميمي

وَحَتّى زُرت مُشتاقاً حَميمي

فَأَظهر لي التَجَهُم وَالكَآبه

فَأَظهر لي التَجَهُم وَالكَآبه

and until, longing for him, I visited my close friend,

And until, yearning for an intimate friend,

who then showed me a scowl and gloom.

I visited him, and he showed gloom and moroseness,

وَظَن زِيارَتي لِطُلاب نيل

وَظَن زِيارَتي لِطُلاب نيل

فَنافرني وَغَلظ لي حِجابه

فَنافرني وَغَلظ لي حِجابه

He thought my visit was to seek a gift,

Thinking I visited in order to gain something,

so he shunned me and thickened his barrier against me.

So he was aloof and closed his door tight.

وَذو الهِمَم العَلية مِن تجافى

وَذو الهِمَم العَلية مِن تجافى

وَجَنَّب كُل مَن يَبغى اِجتِنابه

وَجَنَّب كُل مَن يَبغى اِجتِنابه

A man of lofty aspirations is one who draws away

But he of high resolves turns aside

and avoids everyone who wishes to shun him.

From all whose company he would avoid.

لَقَد حجب النَدى المألوفُ وَجهاً

لَقَد حجب النَدى المألوفُ وَجهاً

وَحَط اللُؤم عَن قَصدٍ نِقابه

وَحَط اللُؤم عَن قَصدٍ نِقابه

Familiar generosity has veiled its face,

Kind companionship has hidden its face,

and baseness has deliberately cast off its veil.

And villainy has lowered over a noble intention its veil.

وَصارَ الجود لَفظاً دونَ مَعنى

وَصارَ الجود لَفظاً دونَ مَعنى

وَصرنا بِالمُنى نَرتادُ بابه

وَصرنا بِالمُنى نَرتادُ بابه

Generosity has become a word without meaning,

Generosity has become a word without meaning,

and we now seek its door with wishful hopes.

And we vainly frequent its door.

إِذا ما قيل هَذا بَحرُ جودٍ

إِذا ما قيل هَذا بَحرُ جودٍ

وَرَدتُ فَلَم أَجد إِلّا سَرابه

وَرَدتُ فَلَم أَجد إِلّا سَرابه

Whenever someone says, “Here is a sea of generosity,”

Whenever it is said "This is a sea of generosity"

I come to drink and find only its mirage.

I go and find only a mirage.

وَكانَ الشعر أَحسَن ما يُحلّى

وَكانَ الشعر أَحسَن ما يُحلّى

بِهِ أَهل الدَعارة وَالدَعابة

بِهِ أَهل الدَعارة وَالدَعابة

Poetry was once the finest adornment

Poetry was the best adornment

for people of debauchery and jest.

For people of immorality and foolery.

فَصارَ بَنوه عِندَ الناس أَدنى

فَصارَ بَنوه عِندَ الناس أَدنى

وَأَحقر في العُيون مِن الصؤابه

وَأَحقر في العُيون مِن الصؤابه

But its sons have become, among people, baser

So its sons became the lowest of men

and more contemptible in their eyes than a nit.

In people's eyes, viler than dogs.

إِذا ما شئت أَن تُشنأ فنظِّم

إِذا ما شئت أَن تُشنأ فنظِّم

قَريضاً وَالتمس فيهِ الإِثابه

قَريضاً وَالتمس فيهِ الإِثابه

If you wish to be hated, compose

If you wish to gain standing, compose

verse and seek a reward for it.

Some poetry and seek reward through it.

وَلَما صارَ أَهل الأَرض طُرا

وَلَما صارَ أَهل الأَرض طُرا

ذِئاباً صُرتُ مُفتَرِساً ذِئابه

ذِئاباً صُرتُ مُفتَرِساً ذِئابه

When all the people of the earth became

When the people of the earth turned

wolves, I became a predator of those wolves.

To wolves, I turned to hunting wolves.

فَمن لَم أَستمله بِالقَوافي

فَمن لَم أَستمله بِالقَوافي

وَكانَ البُخلُ بِالمَعروض دابه

وَكانَ البُخلُ بِالمَعروض دابه

Whoever I could not win over with rhymes,

He whom I could not make a client with verse

whose habit was stinginess with what was offered,

Because meanness was his nature in poetry,

نصبت للؤمه شرك اِحتيالي

نصبت للؤمه شرك اِحتيالي

وَصِدتُ لَهاهُ مِن باب القَصابه

وَصِدتُ لَهاهُ مِن باب القَصابه

I set the snare of my cunning for his meanness

I set for his villainy a cunning trap

and caught his bounty by way of butchery.

And I crouched to leap on him from the butcher's stall.

وَلا حَرَج عَلى المُضطَر في أَن

وَلا حَرَج عَلى المُضطَر في أَن

يُصرف في تَخلصه خِلابه

يُصرف في تَخلصه خِلابه

No blame lies on a desperate man if

There is no shame on the needy man

his wiles are employed to secure his escape.

To employ his cunning in escaping.

يَذلل لي صِعابَ القَول طَبع

يَذلل لي صِعابَ القَول طَبع

جَعَلتُ إِلى رِياضَتِهِ اِنتِدابه

جَعَلتُ إِلى رِياضَتِهِ اِنتِدابه

A natural gift tames difficult speech for me;

A talent whose cultivation I devoted myself to

I have devoted its efforts to training that speech.

Makes the difficulties of poetic speech easy for me.

وَيَهتَز القَريض إِليّ عُجبا

وَيَهتَز القَريض إِليّ عُجبا

مَتّى أَوجَفتُ في أَحَدٍ رِكابه

مَتّى أَوجَفتُ في أَحَدٍ رِكابه

Verse sways toward me in admiration

The poem dances to me in wonder

whenever I spur its mounts toward someone.

Whenever I spur someone with its meter.

وَهَل أَحَدٌ بِأَمضى فيهِ مني

وَهَل أَحَدٌ بِأَمضى فيهِ مني

وَأَنقذ سَهماً أَو أَقوى إِصابه

وَأَنقذ سَهماً أَو أَقوى إِصابه

Is anyone keener in it than I,

Is there anyone I surpass in it

more piercing with an arrow, or stronger in striking the mark?

Or whose arrow flies straighter than mine?

مَتى أَمدح أَشِد مَجداً أَثيلاً

مَتى أَمدح أَشِد مَجداً أَثيلاً

يَد الأَيام لا تُمضى خَرابه

يَد الأَيام لا تُمضى خَرابه

Whenever I praise, I raise a deep-rooted glory

Whenever I praise one of mighty glory

that the hand of time cannot bring to ruin.

Time's hand cannot destroy his glory.

وَلَو كُنتُ امرأً بِالذَم يُغرى

وَلَو كُنتُ امرأً بِالذَم يُغرى

هَرقتُ عَلى مُرققه صِنابه

هَرقتُ عَلى مُرققه صِنابه

If I were a man enticed by censure,

Had I been a man moved by blame

I would pour its mustard sauce over its thin bread.

I would have poured upon the slanderer his chastisement.

وَلَكني شَئمتُ الذَم حَتّى

وَلَكني شَئمتُ الذَم حَتّى

نَضَوت تَكَرُماً عَني ثِيابه

نَضَوت تَكَرُماً عَني ثِيابه

But I so abhorred censure as ill-omened that

But I blamed slander until

out of nobility I stripped its garments off myself.

Its garments were cast off from me in disdain.

وَرَبُّ الشعر ما لَم يَأس يَوماً

وَرَبُّ الشعر ما لَم يَأس يَوماً

وَيَجرَح لا تَكون لَهُ مَهابه

وَيَجرَح لا تَكون لَهُ مَهابه

A master of poetry, unless one day he heals

By the Lord of poetry! Whoever does not despair

and wounds, will inspire no awe.

And whose flesh is torn will have no fear.

وَإِذ أَيقَظتَني وَنَدبت مني

وَإِذ أَيقَظتَني وَنَدبت مني

إِلى قَصد الوَرى صَعبَ الإِنابه

إِلى قَصد الوَرى صَعبَ الإِنابه

Since you have awakened me and called forth from me

When you awakened me and summoned me

one hard to turn back, to set out toward mankind,

To seek the path - difficult to turn into -

فَأَنت أَحَق مَسؤولٍ بِقَصدي

فَأَنت أَحَق مَسؤولٍ بِقَصدي

وَأَفضلُ مَن قَرَعت عَلَيهِ بابه

وَأَفضلُ مَن قَرَعت عَلَيهِ بابه

you are the most deserving recipient of my appeal

You have most right to my seeking

and the best of those at whose door I have knocked.

And are most deserving that I knock on your door.

وَقَد صَيَرت ما أَشكو كِتاباً

وَقَد صَيَرت ما أَشكو كِتاباً

فَصير ما تَجود بِهِ جَوابه

فَصير ما تَجود بِهِ جَوابه

I have made my complaint a letter;

So make what I complain of a book,

so make what you give its answer.

And make your generosity its answer.

وَإِلا فُرضةٌ منكم عَسى أَن

وَإِلا فُرضةٌ منكم عَسى أَن

يَقال لَقَد ملا يَحيى جِرابه

يَقال لَقَد ملا يَحيى جِرابه

Otherwise, a portion from you—perhaps

Lest it be burdensome to you, it may be said

people will say: “Yahya has filled his bag.”

"Yahya has filled his purse."

مِن الأَوشال لجُّ البَحر طامٍ

مِن الأَوشال لجُّ البَحر طامٍ

وَفَيض السَيل مِن نقط السَحابه

وَفَيض السَيل مِن نقط السَحابه

From trickles the sea's depths overflow,

With bounties like the abundant sea

and the torrent's flood comes from the cloud's drops.

And flood pouring from drops of clouds -

دَعاكَ دُعاء مُضطَرٍ غَريقٍ

دَعاكَ دُعاء مُضطَرٍ غَريقٍ

وَيَرجو أَنّ دَعَوته مُجابه

وَيَرجو أَنّ دَعَوته مُجابه

He called on you with a desperate, drowning man's plea

The call of one drowning and desperate

and hopes his plea will be answered.

Appeals to you, hopeful that you will answer.

إِذا اُنتُخب العَظيم لَكَشف جُلى

إِذا اُنتُخب العَظيم لَكَشف جُلى

وَتَبليغِ المُنى كُنت اِنتِخابه

وَتَبليغِ المُنى كُنت اِنتِخابه

When a great man is chosen to dispel a grave calamity

When the great are chosen to reveal glory

and fulfill hopes, you are his choice.

And attain what is sought, you would be the choice.

وَمِن تك سَهمه الماضي وَيَأمل

وَمِن تك سَهمه الماضي وَيَأمل

بِكَ الغَرضَ الَّذي يَهوى أَصابه

بِكَ الغَرضَ الَّذي يَهوى أَصابه

Whoever has you as his piercing arrow and hopes

From you went forth the arrow that hit its mark before,

through you to reach his desired target will hit it.

And through you he hopes for the aim he desires.

قَد أَظلم بِالحَوادث أُفق سَعدي

قَد أَظلم بِالحَوادث أُفق سَعدي

فَجلِّ بِشَمس عَونك لي ضَبابه

فَجلِّ بِشَمس عَونك لي ضَبابه

Calamities have darkened the horizon of my good fortune;

The horizon of my fortune is darkened by events,

so clear its fog for me with the sun of your help.

So dispel for me its clouds with your sun.

وَضاقَ بِما طَواه السَعد ذرعاً

وَضاقَ بِما طَواه السَعد ذرعاً

فَوَسع بِالَّذي أَرجو جَنابه

فَوَسع بِالَّذي أَرجو جَنابه

It has grown cramped by what fortune has enfolded;

Narrow is what fate has folded,

so widen its expanse with what I hope for.

So expand what your side has spread.

وَصِل رحم التَأدب بِالأَماني

وَصِل رحم التَأدب بِالأَماني

فَإِن ذمامه أَدنى قَرابه

فَإِن ذمامه أَدنى قَرابه

Sustain the kinship of letters by granting wishes,

Join the tie of refinement to hopes,

for its bond is the closest kinship.

For its rein is gentler than kinship.

تآلفنا عَلى نَسب كَريم

تآلفنا عَلى نَسب كَريم

فَباب الشعر مِن باب الكِتابه

فَباب الشعر مِن باب الكِتابه

We have united in a noble lineage,

We are bound by noble lineage,

for poetry and writing belong to the same realm.

So the poetry's gate is the writing's gate.

كتبتُ بِهِ عَليل الجسم نَضواً

كتبتُ بِهِ عَليل الجسم نَضواً

وَذو الأَسقام قَد يَعدو صَوابه

وَذو الأَسقام قَد يَعدو صَوابه

I wrote it, ill in body and wasted,

I wrote it when my body was sickly,

and a sufferer may stray from sound judgment.

And he who is ill may keep to what is right.

وَمَوقِفُ حشر نَقدِ الشعر صَعب

وَمَوقِفُ حشر نَقدِ الشعر صَعب

فَيسّر عِندَ مَوقفه حِسابه

فَيسّر عِندَ مَوقفه حِسابه

The gathering for poetry's judgment is a hard ordeal;

The halt of Judgment Day, poetry's agony, is hard,

so make its reckoning easy at its station.

So make its reckoning easy when it halts.

وَأَغضاءً عَلَيهِ فَلَيسَ صَقرٌ

وَأَغضاءً عَلَيهِ فَلَيسَ صَقرٌ

يَجُرُّ الصَيد حَيث يَرى عِقابه

يَجُرُّ الصَيد حَيث يَرى عِقابه

Be indulgent toward it: no falcon

Overlook it, for it is no falcon

drags prey where it sees its eagle.

That drags its prey wherever it sees a perch.