نَهَيتُكُمُI warned you عَنagainst صالِحٍṢāliḥ فَأَبىbut it refused بِكُمfor you
نَهَيتُكُمُ عَن صالِحٍ فَأَبى بِكُم
لَجاجُكُمُyour obstinacy إِلّاexcept اِغتِراراًdeluded confidence بِصالِحِabout Ṣāliḥ
لَجاجُكُمُ إِلّا اِغتِراراً بِصالِحِ
I warned you against Ṣāliḥ, but you insisted,
I forbade you from righteousness, but you refused out of sheer obstinacy,
in your obstinacy, on nothing but deluded confidence about Ṣāliḥ.
And I warned you against mounting misguidance recklessly,
وَحَذَّرتُكُمand I warned you أَنto تَركَبواyou ride الغَيَّfolly سادِراًheedlessly
وَحَذَّرتُكُم أَن تَركَبوا الغَيَّ سادِراً
فَيَطرَحَكُمand so it hurls you فيinto موبِقاتِdeadly hazards المَطارِحِplaces of downfall
فَيَطرَحَكُم في موبِقاتِ المَطارِحِ
I warned you not to ride headlong into folly,
Lest it cast you into utter ruin.
lest it hurl you into deadly places of downfall.
What grievance did you have with him except your own stubbornness
وَماذاand what نَقَمتُمyou resented مِنهُin him لَولاwere it not for اِعتِسافِكُمyour injustice
وَماذا نَقَمتُم مِنهُ لَولا اِعتِسافِكُم
وَتَلجيجُكُمand your plunging فيinto مُظلِمِdark اللُجِthe deep طافِحِsurging
وَتَلجيجُكُم في مُظلِمِ اللُجِ طافِحِ
And what fault did you find in him, but for your injustice
And contention in the darkness of overflowing rancor?
and your plunging into a dark, surging deep?
The counsel of the Commander of the Faithful and his sword,
نَصيحُsincere counselor أَميرِcommander of المُؤمِنينَthe faithful وَسَيفُهُand his sword
نَصيحُ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَسَيفُهُ
وَماand not مُضمِرٌone concealing غِشّاًdeceit كَآخَرَlike another ناصِحِsincere in counsel
وَما مُضمِرٌ غِشّاً كَآخَرَ ناصِحِ
A sincere counselor to the Commander of the Faithful, and his sword;
Not hiding any deceit like another counselor.
one who harbors deceit is not like another who counsels sincerely.
His two pillars are supported by loyalists, and he is committed
تُؤَيِّدُstrengthen رُكنَيهِhis two pillars المَواليthe retainers وَيَعتَزيand he declares allegiance
تُؤَيِّدُ رُكنَيهِ المَوالي وَيَعتَزي
إِلىto مَذهَبٍa course عِندَin the eyes of الخَليفَةِthe caliph واضِحِclear
إِلى مَذهَبٍ عِندَ الخَليفَةِ واضِحِ
The retainers strengthen his two pillars, and he declares allegiance
To a clear methodology with the Caliph.
to a course clear to the caliph.
He has uncovered his secrets and mysteries,
تَكَشَّفَhe laid bare عَنconcerning أَسرارِهِhis secrets وَغُيوبِهِand his hidden affairs
تَكَشَّفَ عَن أَسرارِهِ وَغُيوبِهِ
تَكَشُّفَthe emergence of نَجمٍa star فيin الدُجُنَّةِthe darkness لائِحِshining
تَكَشُّفَ نَجمٍ في الدُجُنَّةِ لائِحِ
He has laid bare his secrets and hidden affairs,
Like the unveiling of a bright star in the dark night.
as a star emerges, shining in the darkness.
You had the respite to desist from defying him
وَكانَتand there was لَكُمfor you مَندوحَةٌroom to avoid عَنaway from عِنادِهِdefying him
وَكانَت لَكُم مَندوحَةٌ عَن عِنادِهِ
لَوَif اَنَّكُمُthat you اِختَرتُمyou chose عِفِيَّwide-open المَنادِحِavenues of escape
لَوَ اَنَّكُمُ اِختَرتُم عِفِيَّ المَنادِحِ
And there was room for you to avoid defying him,
If only you had chosen the gentle rebuke.
had you chosen the wide-open avenues of escape.
So your wealth has now appeared after its concealment,
فَقَدfor indeed ظَهَرَتcame to light أَموالُكُمyour wealth بَعدَafter سَترِهاits concealment
فَقَد ظَهَرَت أَموالُكُم بَعدَ سَترِها
وَبَعدَand after تَخَفّيهاits being hidden ظُهورَthe emergence of الفَضائِحِscandals
وَبَعدَ تَخَفّيها ظُهورَ الفَضائِحِ
For your wealth has come to light after being concealed,
And after its hiding, the disgraces have surfaced.
and after being hidden away, as scandals come to light:
Treasures whose rights the truthful one denied,
ذَخائِرُtreasures ذيدَwas driven away الحَقُّthe rightful due عَنهاfrom them وَأُرتِجَتand were bolted shut
ذَخائِرُ ذيدَ الحَقُّ عَنها وَأُرتِجَت
عَليهاover them مَغاليقُlocks الصُدورِbreasts الشَحائِحِmiserly
عَليها مَغاليقُ الصُدورِ الشَحائِحِ
treasures from which rightful claims were barred, and over which were shut
And over which the miserly hearts’ locks were tightened.
the locks of miserly breasts.
Repelling needs as if you were absent-minded people with blank stares,
بِدَفعٍwith refusal عَنِaway from الحاجاتِneeds حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
بِدَفعٍ عَنِ الحاجاتِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
سُئِلتُمyou were asked for أَناسِيَّpupils الحِداقِof the eyes اللَوامِحِglancing
سُئِلتُم أَناسِيَّ الحِداقِ اللَوامِحِ
You refused to meet needs, until it seemed
And avoiding good deeds as if you saw in them the ills of healthy souls.
you were asked for the pupils of your glancing eyes;
Whoever missed the day of the loyalists and your day
وَبُعدٍand distance عَنِfrom المَعروفِkindness حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّكُمas though you
وَبُعدٍ عَنِ المَعروفِ حَتّى كَأَنَّكُم
تَرونَyou see بِهِin it سُقمَsickness of النُفوسِsouls الصَحائِحِhealthy
تَرونَ بِهِ سُقمَ النُفوسِ الصَحائِحِ
and shunned kindness, as though you
Missed a momentous day of great calamities.
saw in it a sickness for healthy souls.
Tomorrow you marched, and the canopy is the venue
وَمَنand whoever غابَwas absent عَنfrom يَومِthe day of المَواليthe retainers وَيَومِكُمand your day
وَمَن غابَ عَن يَومِ المَوالي وَيَومِكُم
فَقَدthen indeed غابَwas absent عَنfrom يَومٍa day عَظيمِgreat in الجَوائِحِcalamities
فَقَد غابَ عَن يَومٍ عَظيمِ الجَوائِحِ
And whoever missed the retainers' day and yours
For two steadfast opponents, with little frivolity and much seriousness.
missed a day of grievous calamities.
No person stood for Mars against Mercury,
غَداhe went forth at dawn وَغَدَوتُمand you went forth at dawn وَالسُرادِقُand the pavilion مَوعِدٌa meeting-place
غَدا وَغَدَوتُم وَالسُرادِقُ مَوعِدٌ
لِخَصمَينِfor two adversaries ثَبتٍsteadfast عَنafter قَليلٍa short while وَطائِحِand one fallen
لِخَصمَينِ ثَبتٍ عَن قَليلٍ وَطائِحِ
He went forth at dawn, and so did you, the pavilion a meeting-place
Nor did you stand for the people during the struggle.
for two foes: soon one standing firm, the other fallen.
When your pens and swords met,
فَماso not قامَstood firm لِلمِرّيخِagainst Mars شَخصُthe form of عُطارِدٍMercury
فَما قامَ لِلمِرّيخِ شَخصُ عُطارِدٍ
وَلاnor قُمتُمُyou stood firm لِلقَومِagainst the men عِندَat التَكافُحِclose combat
وَلا قُمتُمُ لِلقَومِ عِندَ التَكافُحِ
So Mercury's form could not stand against Mars,
The birds of prey revealed their sharp talons.
nor could you stand against those men in close combat.
So let no vainglorious scribe deceive me after you,
وَلَمّاand when التَقَتmet أَقلامُكُمyour pens وَسُيوفُهُمand their swords
وَلَمّا التَقَت أَقلامُكُم وَسُيوفُهُم
أَبَدَّتdestroyed بُغاثَweaklings الطَيرِamong birds زُرقُblue-eyed الجَوارِحِbirds of prey
أَبَدَّت بُغاثَ الطَيرِ زُرقُ الجَوارِحِ
And when your pens met their swords,
If he does not wield the firm spear.
the blue-eyed birds of prey destroyed the weak birds.
Abu al-Fadl, never lack loftiness when the tongue of a foe assails,
فَلاso let not غَرَّنيdeceive me مِنfrom بَعدِكُمafter you عِزُّthe power of كاتِبٍa scribe
فَلا غَرَّني مِن بَعدِكُم عِزُّ كاتِبٍ
إِذاif هُوَhe لَمnot يَأخُذhe grasps بِحُجزَةِby the waistband of رامِحِa spearman
إِذا هُوَ لَم يَأخُذ بِحُجزَةِ رامِحِ
So, after you, may no scribe's power deceive me,
Or when the heart of a slanderer murmurs.
if he does not grasp a spearman's waistband.
The causes against the people are severed, and they have reached
أَباO Abū الفَضلِal-Faḍl لاتَعدَمmay you never lack عُلوّاًeminence مَتىwhenever اِعتَدىassailed
أَبا الفَضلِ لاتَعدَم عُلوّاً مَتى اِعتَدى
لِسانُthe tongue of عَدوٍّan enemy أَوor صَغاinclined قَلبُthe heart of كاشِحِa hidden foe
لِسانُ عَدوٍّ أَو صَغا قَلبُ كاشِحِ
O Abū al-Faḍl, may you never lack eminence when assault comes
An epoch-making event in the prophecy of time.
from an enemy's tongue, or a hidden foe's heart turns against you.
So nothing remains but an imposition of demands,
تَقَطَّعَتِwere severed الأَسبابُcords of support بِالقَومِfor the men وَاِنتَهَواand they ended up
تَقَطَّعَتِ الأَسبابُ بِالقَومِ وَاِنتَهَوا
إِلىat حَدَثٍa calamity مِنfrom نَبوَةِan adverse turn of الدَهرِfortune فادِحِcrushing
إِلى حَدَثٍ مِن نَبوَةِ الدَهرِ فادِحِ
The men's cords of support were severed, and they came
With its clutches, or a favor from one who forgives.
to a crushing calamity from fortune's adverse turn.
Whoever forgets the rest, I am neither his supporter
فَلَمso not تَبقَremained إِلّاexcept سَطوَةٌforce مِنfrom مُطالِبٍone seeking vengeance
فَلَم تَبقَ إِلّا سَطوَةٌ مِن مُطالِبٍ
بِأَضغانِهِfor his grudges أَوor نِعمَةٌa favor مِنfrom مُسامِحِone forgiving
بِأَضغانِهِ أَو نِعمَةٌ مِن مُسامِحِ
So nothing remained but the force of one seeking
Nor among those who hope for it, fleeing.
vengeance for his grudges, or a favor from one forgiving.
If you do not refrain from malice, you will not succeed
وَمَنand whoever نَسِيَforgot البُقياclemency فَلَستَyet you are not لِفَضلِهاof its merit
وَمَن نَسِيَ البُقيا فَلَستَ لِفَضلِها
بِناسٍforgetful وَلاnor مِنfrom مُرتَجيهاthose hoping for it بِنازِحِaloof
بِناسٍ وَلا مِن مُرتَجيها بِنازِحِ
And whoever forgets clemency, you do not let its merit
In reputation, nor be fortunate with a praising eulogizer.
slip your mind, nor stand aloof from those who hope for it.
No abundance is hoped for from a non-flowing cloud,
إِذاif أَنتَyou لَمnot تُضرِبyou turn away عَنِfrom الحِقدِrancor لَمnot تَفُزyou win
إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُضرِب عَنِ الحِقدِ لَم تَفُز
بِذِكرٍwith renown وَلَمand not تَسعَدyou are gladdened بِتَقريظِby the praise of مادِحِa praiser
بِذِكرٍ وَلَم تَسعَد بِتَقريظِ مادِحِ
If you do not turn away from rancor, you will not win
Nor any rain from a non-pouring raincloud.
renown, nor be gladdened by a praiser's tribute.
When you are not gentle, you will not gain
وَلَنand never يُرتَجىcan be hoped for فيin مالِكٍa master غَيرِnot مُسجِحٍlenient
وَلَن يُرتَجى في مالِكٍ غَيرِ مُسجِحٍ
فَلاحٌsuccess وَلاnor فيin قادِرٍone with power غَيرِnot صافِحِforgiving
فَلاحٌ وَلا في قادِرٍ غَيرِ صافِحِ
And there can be no hope, in a master who is not lenient,
Any mention, nor be felicitous with a praising panegyrist.
of success, nor in one with power who does not pardon.
Partial English translation: 43 of 44 Arabic lines translated.