تغير إخوان الصفاء فكلهم

تغير إخوان الصفاء فكلهم

مضب على الشحناء والشنآن

مضب على الشحناء والشنآن

Brothers in true affection have changed; every one of them

The brothers of sincerity have changed, and all of them

Secretly harbors rancor and hatred.

Bear malice and resentment.

تأسوا جميعا فيالمداجاة ذا بذا

تأسوا جميعا فيالمداجاة ذا بذا

فراح فلان قدوة بفلان

فراح فلان قدوة بفلان

They all copied one another in feigned friendship,

They have all despaired of cordiality with each other,

Thus so-and-so took so-and-so as his model.

So one has become an example for the other.

برومون شأوي في القريض وقد رأوا

برومون شأوي في القريض وقد رأوا

بأن ليس في الإمكان مثل مكاني

بأن ليس في الإمكان مثل مكاني

They seek to match my reach in verse, though they have seen

They saw that, in my ability,

That no station like mine is attainable.

There is no place like my place.

وما ضرني وابن الصريحين والدي

وما ضرني وابن الصريحين والدي

إذا ابن هجين الوالدين هجاني

إذا ابن هجين الوالدين هجاني

And it does me no harm—my father the son of two pureborn parents—

And I was not harmed by the son of the two nobles, my father,

If a son of mixed parentage lampoons me.

When the son of the two ignoble ones insulted me.

وكم ريع صرف الدهر منه بأروع

وكم ريع صرف الدهر منه بأروع

يلاقي جبين الخطب غير جبان

يلاقي جبين الخطب غير جبان

How often fate's vicissitudes have quailed before him, an awe-inspiring man,

How much good the days have reaped from him in the finest way,

Who faces calamity's brow, never a coward.

Meeting the forehead of events without cowardice.

دنت من يد الجاني ثمار فواكه

دنت من يد الجاني ثمار فواكه

كما امتد ظل العفو منه لجاني

كما امتد ظل العفو منه لجاني

The harvest of fruit drew near the gatherer's hand,

The fruits of the offender's hand approached me,

Just as the shade of forgiveness spread from him to a wrongdoer.

As the shade of pardon from him extended to the offender.

وكم مخبر عن كيده ودهائه

وكم مخبر عن كيده ودهائه

فقلت له حدث عن الحدثان

فقلت له حدث عن الحدثان

And many a man has told of his stratagems and cunning;

And how many informers about his plots and cunning

So I said to him, 'Tell of the turns of fate.'

I said to him, talk about the gossip.

إذا هو هز الرمح لم يك عنده

إذا هو هز الرمح لم يك عنده

جنى عسل أحلى من العسلان

جنى عسل أحلى من العسلان

When he brandishes the spear, he finds no

When he shook the spear, he had no

Gathered honey sweeter than its quivering.

Sweeter harvest of honey than wit.

وما زلت تلقانا ببكر من اللها

وما زلت تلقانا ببكر من اللها

إذا نحن جئنا من ثنا بعوان

إذا نحن جئنا من ثنا بعوان

And you have always greeted us with a maiden gift,

And we did not cease to meet you at daybreak by the grace of God,

Whenever we came with praise already a matron,

When we came pleading for help.

إلى أن ظننا أن جودك شاعر

إلى أن ظننا أن جودك شاعر

يعارض معنى مدحنا بمعاني

يعارض معنى مدحنا بمعاني

Until we thought your generosity was a poet,

Until we thought your generosity competes

Answering the theme of our praise with themes of its own.

With the meaning of our praise with meanings.