أَجدٌّ بِهَذا الهَجرِ أَم مُتَمَزحُ

أَجدٌّ بِهَذا الهَجرِ أَم مُتَمَزحُ

صُدودُكَ وَالهِجرانُ بِالحَبلِ منجحُ

صُدودُكَ وَالهِجرانُ بِالحَبلِ منجحُ

Are you serious in this estrangement, or merely jesting?

Is this estrangement serious or jesting?

Your shunning and estrangement have their effect upon the cord.

Your aloofness and separation are secured with rope.

أَم العلةُ الأُخرى عِتابٌ عَتبتهُ

أَم العلةُ الأُخرى عِتابٌ عَتبتهُ

عَلى بَعضِ مَن يَهدي السَّلامَ وَيَنصحُ

عَلى بَعضِ مَن يَهدي السَّلامَ وَيَنصحُ

Or is the other cause a reproach you made

Or is the other reason resentment you resented

Against one of those who send greetings and counsel sincerely?

Against some who bid peace and advise sincerely?

وَقَد كانَ عَهدي بِالبعادِ مَلَجَّةً

وَقَد كانَ عَهدي بِالبعادِ مَلَجَّةً

لِذي الودِّ حَتّى يَجعَلَ الودَّ يَنزحُ

لِذي الودِّ حَتّى يَجعَلَ الودَّ يَنزحُ

And I have known separation to provoke obstinacy

My way with remoteness has always been

In one who loves, until it makes affection ebb away.

To push affection until affection ebbs away.

وَلا تَنقَطِعُ مِن وامِقٍ ذي مَوَدَّةٍ

وَلا تَنقَطِعُ مِن وامِقٍ ذي مَوَدَّةٍ

بِغَيبٍ وَلا واشٍ يَدُبُّ وَيَقدحُ

بِغَيبٍ وَلا واشٍ يَدُبُّ وَيَقدحُ

And do not cut yourself off from a lover full of affection

Nor does sincere friendship cease with an absent friend,

Because of absence, or a slanderer who creeps about and maligns.

Or whisperer creeping, kindling sparks and fires.

وَلِلمَلكِ سُلطانٌ وَلِلحُبِّ هَيبَةٌ

وَلِلمَلكِ سُلطانٌ وَلِلحُبِّ هَيبَةٌ

إِذا ما أَجنتهُ أَضالِعُ جنّحُ

إِذا ما أَجنتهُ أَضالِعُ جنّحُ

And a king has authority, and love has awe,

The king has authority, and love has awe

When curving ribs have concealed it.

When ribs of zealots guard it, so it thrives.

فَلا تَصرِمَنَّ الدَّهرَ مَن قَد حَبَوتهُ

فَلا تَصرِمَنَّ الدَّهرَ مَن قَد حَبَوتهُ

بِودِّكَ وَاِعلمْ أَهلَهُ حينَ تمنَحُ

بِودِّكَ وَاِعلمْ أَهلَهُ حينَ تمنَحُ

So never sever ties with one you have favored

Do not spurn all time one you've adored with love,

With your affection; and know who deserves it when you bestow it.

And know your people when you grant and give.

وَخَيرُ الهَوى العَهد القَديم وَشَرّهُ

وَخَيرُ الهَوى العَهد القَديم وَشَرّهُ

ضِعافُ القُوى وَالكاذِبُ المتمنحُ

ضِعافُ القُوى وَالكاذِبُ المتمنحُ

And the best of love is an old bond, and its worst:

The best love is old covenant, and the worst

Those of feeble strength, and the lying seeker of favors.

Weak powers and lying beggar craving gifts.

يَقولُ صحابي إِذ نَظَرت صَبابَةً

يَقولُ صحابي إِذ نَظَرت صَبابَةً

بِجرفٍ حَميدٍ ما لِطَرفِكَ يَطمَحُ

بِجرفٍ حَميدٍ ما لِطَرفِكَ يَطمَحُ

My companions say, as I gaze with longing

My friend said when he saw a lively doe

At Jurf Hamid: ‘Why does your gaze wander?’

On a pleasant lofty dune: “Why do you gaze?”

ثَقيلٌ عَلى جَنبِ المهادِ وَماله

ثَقيلٌ عَلى جَنبِ المهادِ وَماله

خَفيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ حينَ يَسرَحُ

خَفيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ حينَ يَسرَحُ

He weighs heavily on the side of the bed, while his wealth

Heavy upon the litter's side, but light

Weighs lightly upon his enemies when he goes forth.

Upon its enemies when it stamps away.

فَإِن ماتَ لَم يفجَعْ صَديقاً مَكانَهُ

فَإِن ماتَ لَم يفجَعْ صَديقاً مَكانَهُ

وَإِن عاشَ فَهوَ الدَّيدَنِيِّ المترّحُ

وَإِن عاشَ فَهوَ الدَّيدَنِيِّ المترّحُ

So if he dies, no friend mourns his empty place;

If it dies, no friend replaces it,

And if he lives, he is an inveterate bringer of grief.

And if it lives, it is the wont to roam.

فَإِنَّ أمينَ الغَيبِ يَحصر صَدره

فَإِنَّ أمينَ الغَيبِ يَحصر صَدره

مِراراً وَيَستَحيي الحَبيبُ فَيصفحُ

مِراراً وَيَستَحيي الحَبيبُ فَيصفحُ

For one faithful in absence feels his breast constrict

For the keeper of one absent wrings his heart

Again and again; the beloved feels shame and so forgives.

Repeatedly, and the lover is too shy to greet.

إِذا لَم ترافدْ في الرفادِ وَلَم تَسق

إِذا لَم ترافدْ في الرفادِ وَلَم تَسق

عَدوّاً وَلَم تَستَغنِ فَالمَوتُ أَروَحُ

عَدوّاً وَلَم تَستَغنِ فَالمَوتُ أَروَحُ

If you do not join in giving aid, nor drive off

If you do not help in time of need or quench

An enemy, nor become self-sufficient, then death is more restful.

A foe, and you do not suffice, then death is rest.