أَتُرى حَمولَةَ لا يُحَمِّلُ نَفسَهُ

أَتُرى حَمولَةَ لا يُحَمِّلُ نَفسَهُ

تَقويمَ هالِكَةِ اِبنِ عَبدِ الواحِدِ

تَقويمَ هالِكَةِ اِبنِ عَبدِ الواحِدِ

Do you suppose Ḥamūla does not burden himself

Does he bear a burden without loading himself,

with reforming Ibn ʿAbd al-Wāḥid’s ruined woman?

The calendar of the doomed son of Abdelwahid?

قادَ الرِجالَ عَلى العِيالِ وَما اِمتَرى

قادَ الرِجالَ عَلى العِيالِ وَما اِمتَرى

في أَنَّ لِلقَوّادِ أَجرَ القائِدِ

في أَنَّ لِلقَوّادِ أَجرَ القائِدِ

He led men to the household, and never doubted

He led men over families, without considering

that the pimp earns a commander’s reward.

That pimps get the wage of the leader.

أَجدَت صِناعَتُهُ فَأَغمَضَ عَينَهُ

أَجدَت صِناعَتُهُ فَأَغمَضَ عَينَهُ

عَمّا تَرى عَينُ النَصيحِ الجاهِدِ

عَمّا تَرى عَينُ النَصيحِ الجاهِدِ

His trade proved profitable, so he closed his eye

His craft succeeded, so he closed his eyes,

to what the diligent, sincere adviser’s eye sees.

From what the eye of the sincere adviser sees.

بِئسَ المُرَجّى لِلفَتاةِ يَصونُها

بِئسَ المُرَجّى لِلفَتاةِ يَصونُها

وَالمُرتَجى لِصَلاحِ أَمرِ فاسِدِ

وَالمُرتَجى لِصَلاحِ أَمرِ فاسِدِ

Wretched is the man trusted to protect the girl,

Evil is hoped for the girl he protects,

and relied upon to set a corrupt affair right.

And the hoped for the reform of a corrupt matter.

وَعَجِبتُ لِاِبنِ المَزرُبانِ وَجَحدِهِ

وَعَجِبتُ لِاِبنِ المَزرُبانِ وَجَحدِهِ

إِيّايَ حُسنَ مَواقِفي وَمَشاهِدي

إِيّايَ حُسنَ مَواقِفي وَمَشاهِدي

And I marveled at Ibn al-Mazrubān and his denying

And I wondered at the son of Al-Marzuban and his denial

me credit for my worthy actions and presence.

Of my good stances and scenes.

ما إِن تَزالُ لَهُ وَإِن أَحبَبتُهُ

ما إِن تَزالُ لَهُ وَإِن أَحبَبتُهُ

عِندي إِساءَةُ مُخطِئٍ أَو عامِدِ

عِندي إِساءَةُ مُخطِئٍ أَو عامِدِ

He never ceases, even though I love him,

Whatever his transgression against me, I still love him

to wrong me, whether by mistake or on purpose.

The mistake of an errant or deliberate wrongdoer.

ضَيَّعتَ مِنّي خُلَّةً في حِفظِها

ضَيَّعتَ مِنّي خُلَّةً في حِفظِها

كَبتُ العَدُوِّ وَرَغمُ أَنفِ الحاسِدِ

كَبتُ العَدُوِّ وَرَغمُ أَنفِ الحاسِدِ

You squandered a friendship with me, whose preservation

You lost from me a dear friend whose keeping

humbles the foe and rubs the envier’s nose in dust.

I endured the enemy’s spite and the envier’s grudge.

مُتَطاوِلٌ حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ صاعِدٌ

مُتَطاوِلٌ حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ صاعِدٌ

أَو رَبُّ مَكرُمَةٍ مِنِ اِبنى صاعِدِ

أَو رَبُّ مَكرُمَةٍ مِنِ اِبنى صاعِدِ

You tower in pride, as though you were Ṣāʿid,

Haughty, as if ascending,

or a man of noble deeds among Ṣāʿid’s two sons.

Or the lord of a gift from the sons of Sa’eed.

أَعتاضُ مِنكَ وَلَستَ مِنّي واحِداً

أَعتاضُ مِنكَ وَلَستَ مِنّي واحِداً

عِوَضاً فَقارِب مُنصِفاً أَو باعِدِ

عِوَضاً فَقارِب مُنصِفاً أَو باعِدِ

I take in your place—you are not my only one—

I am fed up with you, and you are not one with me,

a substitute; so draw near in fairness, or keep away.

So take the substitute of an impartial or remote one.

وَاِعلَم بِأَنَّكَ واحِدٌ مِن عِدَّةٍ

وَاِعلَم بِأَنَّكَ واحِدٌ مِن عِدَّةٍ

كَثُرَت وَأَنّي واحِدٌ مِن واحِد

كَثُرَت وَأَنّي واحِدٌ مِن واحِد

And know that you are one among a number

And know that you are one of many

that has grown large, while I am one of one.

Who increased, and I am one of one.