لَعَمري الخَيرُ الذُخرِ في كُلِّ شِدَّةٍ

لَعَمري الخَيرُ الذُخرِ في كُلِّ شِدَّةٍ

إِلَهُكَ تَرجو فَضلَهُ وَأَلاهُ

إِلَهُكَ تَرجو فَضلَهُ وَأَلاهُ

By my life, the best treasure in every hardship

My life, goodness is the treasure in every hardship

is your God, whose bounty and blessings you hope for.

Your God, you hope for His grace and care for Him

فَلا تُشبِهِ الوَحشيَّ خَلَّفَ طِفلَهُ

فَلا تُشبِهِ الوَحشيَّ خَلَّفَ طِفلَهُ

لِخَنساءَ تَرعى بِالمَغيبِ طَلاهُ

لِخَنساءَ تَرعى بِالمَغيبِ طَلاهُ

So do not resemble the wild beast that left his young

So do not resemble the savage who abandoned his child

with a snub-nosed wild cow, tending his calf in his absence.

For Khausaa to graze his young in the place of sunset

وَإِن نِلتَ في دُنياكَ لِلجِسمِ نِعمَةً

وَإِن نِلتَ في دُنياكَ لِلجِسمِ نِعمَةً

مِنَ العَيشِ فَاِذكُر دَفنَهُ وَبِلاهُ

مِنَ العَيشِ فَاِذكُر دَفنَهُ وَبِلاهُ

And if in your worldly life you gain comfort for the body

And if you attain blessings in your worldly life for the body

from living, remember its burial and decay.

Of living, recall its burial and decay

إِذا اِختَصَمَت في سَيِّءِ الفِعلِ وَاِبنَها

إِذا اِختَصَمَت في سَيِّءِ الفِعلِ وَاِبنَها

فَلا هِيَ مِن أَهلِ الحُقوقِ وَلا هو

فَلا هِيَ مِن أَهلِ الحُقوقِ وَلا هو

When she and her son quarrel over wrongdoing,

When the mother and her evil deed dispute

neither she nor he has a rightful claim.

Then neither is she of rights nor is he

مَتى يَصرِمِ الخِلُّ المُسيءُ فَلا تُرَع

مَتى يَصرِمِ الخِلُّ المُسيءُ فَلا تُرَع

فَأَفضَلُ مِن وَصلِ اللَئيمِ قِلاهُ

فَأَفضَلُ مِن وَصلِ اللَئيمِ قِلاهُ

Whenever a hurtful friend cuts you off, do not be alarmed;

When will the base slanderer reform? So do not befriend him

for loathing a base man is better than his friendship.

For better than befriending the despicable is shunning him

وَكَم غَيَّبَ الإِلفُ الشَقيقُ أَليفَهُ

وَكَم غَيَّبَ الإِلفُ الشَقيقُ أَليفَهُ

فَريعَ لَهُ الأَيّامَ ثُمَّ سَلاهُ

فَريعَ لَهُ الأَيّامَ ثُمَّ سَلاهُ

How often has a brotherly companion buried his beloved,

And how many a dear friend did time make disappear

then been distraught for him for days, and finally forgotten him.

Then the days slew him and effaced him

وَما كانَ حادي العيسِ في غُربَةِ النَوى

وَما كانَ حادي العيسِ في غُربَةِ النَوى

عَلَيَّ كَحادي النَجمِ حينَ قَلاهُ

عَلَيَّ كَحادي النَجمِ حينَ قَلاهُ

The driver of pale camels, in the exile of separation, was not

And the guide star was not like the guide of ‘Ees in the exile of An-Nawaa

to me like the star's driver when he forsook it.

To me when it disappeared from sight

وَمَن يَحلِفِ الأَيمانَ بِاللَهِ لا وَنى

وَمَن يَحلِفِ الأَيمانَ بِاللَهِ لا وَنى

عَنِ الوُدِّ يَحنَث أَو يَضِرَه أَلاهُ

عَنِ الوُدِّ يَحنَث أَو يَضِرَه أَلاهُ

Whoever swears by God never to falter

And whoever swears an oath by Allah untruthfully

in affection will break his oath, or his oath will harm him.

To severe ties or harm his kith and kin

وَمَن تُرِكَ العِلجُ المُعَرِّدُ راتِعاً

وَمَن تُرِكَ العِلجُ المُعَرِّدُ راتِعاً

بِأَفيَحَ يَقرو في الخَلاءِ خَلاهُ

بِأَفيَحَ يَقرو في الخَلاءِ خَلاهُ

And was the elusive wild ass left to graze

And whoever the abandoned sick camel moans for

in a broad plain, seeking its fresh grass in the wilderness?

In desolate places, only its moan keeps it company

وَقَد كَلَأَ المِسكينَ في الوِردِ بائِسٌ

وَقَد كَلَأَ المِسكينَ في الوِردِ بائِسٌ

وَمِن كَبِدِ القَوسِ الكَتومِ كَلاهُ

وَمِن كَبِدِ القَوسِ الكَتومِ كَلاهُ

A wretch had watched the poor creature as it came to drink,

And the poor wretch was hurt by separation in the myrtle

and from a soundless bow's belly struck it in the kidney.

And the taut bow’s liver—only its tension accompanied it

فَطَلَّقَ عِرساً كارِهاً وَفَلا الرَدى

فَطَلَّقَ عِرساً كارِهاً وَفَلا الرَدى

لَها تَولَباً لَم يَمتَنِع بِفَلاهُ

لَها تَولَباً لَم يَمتَنِع بِفَلاهُ

So, unwillingly, it parted from its mate, and Death weaned

So it divorced a husband it disliked, and separation

her foal, which found no protection in its wilderness.

Caused it to suffer though it did not protest its suffering

فَلا تُقرِ هَمَّ النَفسِ عَجزاً عَنِ القِرى

فَلا تُقرِ هَمَّ النَفسِ عَجزاً عَنِ القِرى

وَأَدلِج إِذا ما الرَكبُ مالَ طُلاهُ

وَأَدلِج إِذا ما الرَكبُ مالَ طُلاهُ

So do not host your soul's anxiety because you cannot host guests;

So do not settle the soul’s worries out of inability for visitation

and travel by night when the caravan's necks droop.

And travel by night when the caravan turns its course

طَوى عَنكَ سِرّاً صاحِبٌ قَبلَ شَيبِهِ

طَوى عَنكَ سِرّاً صاحِبٌ قَبلَ شَيبِهِ

فَلَمّا اِنجَلى عَنهُ الشَبابُ جَلاهُ

فَلَمّا اِنجَلى عَنهُ الشَبابُ جَلاهُ

A companion concealed a secret from you before he grew gray,

A friend turned away from you secretly before his old age

then revealed it when youth had departed from him.

But when the vigour of youth turned from him, it exposed him

وَلا مُلكَ إِلّا لِلَّذي عَزَّ وَجهُهُ

وَلا مُلكَ إِلّا لِلَّذي عَزَّ وَجهُهُ

وَدامَت عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ عُلاهُ

وَدامَت عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ عُلاهُ

No sovereignty belongs to any but Him whose countenance is exalted,

And none has everlasting kingship save He Whose Face is Mighty

and whose loftiness endures through the passing of time.

And His sovereignty remains over the passage of time

وَقَد يُدرِكُ المَجدَ الفَتى وَهوَ مُقتِرٌ

وَقَد يُدرِكُ المَجدَ الفَتى وَهوَ مُقتِرٌ

كَثيرُ الرَزايا مُخلِقٌ سَمِلاهُ

كَثيرُ الرَزايا مُخلِقٌ سَمِلاهُ

A young man may attain glory though he is destitute,

And glory may come to a young man while he is destitute

burdened with calamities, his two ragged garments worn out.

Of many hopes, miserable and forlorn

غَدا جَمَلاهُ يُرقِلانِ بِكورُهُ

غَدا جَمَلاهُ يُرقِلانِ بِكورُهُ

وَهَل غَيرُ عَصرَي دَهرِهِ جَمَلاهُ

وَهَل غَيرُ عَصرَي دَهرِهِ جَمَلاهُ

His two camels set out in the morning, trotting with his saddle;

Tomorrow his two camels will kneel at daybreak

and are his two camels anything but his life's day and night?

But does he have more than this time of his?

وَما فَتَلاهُ عَن سَجاياهُ بَعدَما

وَما فَتَلاهُ عَن سَجاياهُ بَعدَما

أَجادَ كِتاباً مُحكَماً فَتَلاهُ

أَجادَ كِتاباً مُحكَماً فَتَلاهُ

They did not turn him from his dispositions after

And nothing distracted him from his disposition after

he perfected a well-fashioned book, then recited it.

He had composed a firm, decisive book and recited it

فَإِن ماتَ أَو غاداهُ قَتلٌ فَما هُما

فَإِن ماتَ أَو غاداهُ قَتلٌ فَما هُما

أَماتاهُ في حُكمي وَلا قَتَلاهُ

أَماتاهُ في حُكمي وَلا قَتَلاهُ

If he dies, or killing comes to him in the morning, those two have not

So if he dies or is killed, they are not to me

caused his death, in my judgment, nor killed him.

His killers, nor did they kill him

يَدٌ حَمَلَت هَذا الأَنامَ عَلَيهِما

يَدٌ حَمَلَت هَذا الأَنامَ عَلَيهِما

وَلَولا يَمينُ اللَهِ ما اِحتَمَلاهُ

وَلَولا يَمينُ اللَهِ ما اِحتَمَلاهُ

A hand set this creation upon them,

A hand that carried these creatures due to them

and but for God's right hand, they could not have borne it.

And were it not for Allah’s oath, it would not have borne them

وِعاءانِ لِلأَشياءِ ما شَذَّ عَنهُما

وِعاءانِ لِلأَشياءِ ما شَذَّ عَنهُما

قَليلٌ وَلا ضاقا بِما شَمِلاهُ

قَليلٌ وَلا ضاقا بِما شَمِلاهُ

Two vessels for things; nothing has strayed beyond them—

Two vessels containing things—little eludes them

not even a little—nor are they cramped by what they encompass.

Nor are they burdened by what they hold

وَجاءَ بِمَينٍ مُدَّعٍ جاءَ زاعِماً

وَجاءَ بِمَينٍ مُدَّعٍ جاءَ زاعِماً

بِأَنَّهُما عَن حاجَةٍ خَتَلاهُ

بِأَنَّهُما عَن حاجَةٍ خَتَلاهُ

A pretender came with a lie, claiming

And he came with a false claim, claiming

that the two had deceived him out of need.

That they were free of need though he had wronged them

عَجِبتُ لِرامي النَبلِ يَقصُدُ آبِلاً

عَجِبتُ لِرامي النَبلِ يَقصُدُ آبِلاً

بِجَهلٍ وَقَد راحَت لَهُ إِبلاهُ

بِجَهلٍ وَقَد راحَت لَهُ إِبلاهُ

I marvel at the archer aiming at a camel-herder,

I wondered at the archer aiming arrows at cattle

in ignorance, though his two camel herds have come home to him at evening.

In ignorance though he had cattle of his own

بَدا عارِضاً خَيرٍ وَشَرٍّ لِشائِمٍ

بَدا عارِضاً خَيرٍ وَشَرٍّ لِشائِمٍ

وَما اِستَوَيا في الخَطبِ إِذ وَبَلاهُ

وَما اِستَوَيا في الخَطبِ إِذ وَبَلاهُ

Two clouds of good and evil appeared to one watching for rain,

He appeared, attributing good and evil to a slanderer

and were not equal in effect when they drenched him.

And they are not equal in adversity when it afflicts

زَجَرتُهُما زَجرَ اِبنِ سَبعٍ سِباعَهُ

زَجَرتُهُما زَجرَ اِبنِ سَبعٍ سِباعَهُ

وَلَو فَهِما زَجري لَما قَبِلاهُ

وَلَو فَهِما زَجري لَما قَبِلاهُ

I rebuked them as Ibn Sabʿ rebuked his wild beasts;

I rebuked them with the rebuke of the son of Sab’ to his lions

had they understood my rebuke, they would not have accepted it.

And had they understood my rebuke, they would not have accepted it

تَهاوى جِبالٌ مِن كِنانَةِ غالِبٍ

تَهاوى جِبالٌ مِن كِنانَةِ غالِبٍ

وَأَبطَحُها لَم يَنتَقِل جَبَلاهُ

وَأَبطَحُها لَم يَنتَقِل جَبَلاهُ

Mountains tumbled from a conqueror's quiver,

Mountains of the loftiness of Ghaalib collapsed

yet the two mountains of its gravelly valley did not move.

But their steepness did not change location

إِذا النَسلُ أَسواهُ الأَبُ اِهتاجَ أَنَّهُ

إِذا النَسلُ أَسواهُ الأَبُ اِهتاجَ أَنَّهُ

يَموتُ وَيَبقى مالُهُ وَحِلاهُ

يَموتُ وَيَبقى مالُهُ وَحِلاهُ

When a father provides for his offspring, the child is stirred by the thought that

When children equal him, the father is overjoyed that

his father will die, while his wealth and ornaments remain.

He will die while his wealth and effects remain

فَكَم وَلَدٍ لِلوالِدَينِ مُضَيِّعٍ

فَكَم وَلَدٍ لِلوالِدَينِ مُضَيِّعٍ

يُجازيهِما بُخلاً بِما نَجَلاهُ

يُجازيهِما بُخلاً بِما نَجَلاهُ

How many a child neglects both parents,

So how many ungrateful children to their parents

repaying them with stinginess for having begotten him!

Repay them with stinginess for what they were granted liberty

طَوى عَنهُما القوتَ الزَهيدَ نَفاسَةً

طَوى عَنهُما القوتَ الزَهيدَ نَفاسَةً

وَجَرّاهُ سارا الحَزنَ وَاِرتَحَلاهُ

وَجَرّاهُ سارا الحَزنَ وَاِرتَحَلاهُ

He withholds meager sustenance from them out of miserliness,

Austerity turned them away from nourishment disdainfully

and because of him they cross rough ground and take it as their mount.

And distress dragged them, wandering and moving about

يَرى فَرقَدَي وَحشِيَّةٍ بَدَليهِما

يَرى فَرقَدَي وَحشِيَّةٍ بَدَليهِما

وَما فَرقَدا مَسراهُما بَدَلاهُ

وَما فَرقَدا مَسراهُما بَدَلاهُ

He regards a wild cow's two calves as replacements for them,

He sees them as two desert wolves in place of his parents

yet the two Farqad stars on their night-road have not replaced him.

Though they are no comfort instead of his parents

وَلا مَهُما عَن فَرطِ حُبِّهِما لَهُ

وَلا مَهُما عَن فَرطِ حُبِّهِما لَهُ

وَفي بُغضِهِ إِيّاهُما عَذَلاهُ

وَفي بُغضِهِ إِيّاهُما عَذَلاهُ

He blamed them for their excessive love for him,

Nor do they care, out of excess love for him

while they reproached him for hating them.

Or hatred of them, to console him

أَساءَ فَلَم يَعدِلها بِشِراكِهِ

أَساءَ فَلَم يَعدِلها بِشِراكِهِ

وَكانا بِأَنوارِ الدُجى عَدَلاهُ

وَكانا بِأَنوارِ الدُجى عَدَلاهُ

He did wrong, not valuing her even as much as his sandal-strap,

He wronged them but did not equal it with partnership

though both had ranked him with the lights of night.

Though they were the lights of his darkness

يُعيرُهُما طَرفاً مِنَ الغَيظِ شافِناً

يُعيرُهُما طَرفاً مِنَ الغَيظِ شافِناً

كَأَنَّهُما فيما مَضى تَبِلاهُ

كَأَنَّهُما فيما مَضى تَبِلاهُ

He lends them a sidelong glance of rage,

He taunts them with a glance of anger gratifying himself

as though they had harmed him in the past.

As if they had worn out in the past

يَنامُ إِذا ما أَدنَفا وَإِذا سَرى

يَنامُ إِذا ما أَدنَفا وَإِذا سَرى

لَهُ الشَكوَ باتا الغِمضُ ما اِكتَحَلاهُ

لَهُ الشَكوَ باتا الغِمضُ ما اِكتَحَلاهُ

He sleeps when both fall gravely ill; but when, by night, there comes

He sleeps when they fester, and when he is well

illness to him, they keep vigil, never lining their eyes with sleep.

The eyelid remains sleepless from what it lines

إِنِ اِدَّعَيا في وُدِّهِ الجَهدُ صُدِّقا

إِنِ اِدَّعَيا في وُدِّهِ الجَهدُ صُدِّقا

وَما اِتُّّهِما فيهِ فَيَنتَحِلاهُ

وَما اِتُّّهِما فيهِ فَيَنتَحِلاهُ

If they claim utmost effort in loving him, they are believed;

If they claim, in his love, exertion, believe them

nor are they suspected of merely professing it.

And do not accuse them of taking it wrongfully

يَغُشُهُما في الأَمرِ هانَ وَطالَما

يَغُشُهُما في الأَمرِ هانَ وَطالَما

أَفاءَ عَلَيهِ النُصحَ وَاِنتَخَلاهُ

أَفاءَ عَلَيهِ النُصحَ وَاِنتَخَلاهُ

He deceives them in their affairs—may he be abased!—though often

He deceives them in the matter while cooing

they have lavished counsel upon him and sifted it pure.

Though he has often benefited from their advice and discarded it

يَسُرُّهُما أَن يَهجِرَ الريمَ دَهرَهُ

يَسُرُّهُما أَن يَهجِرَ الريمَ دَهرَهُ

وَأَنَّهُما مِن قَبلِهِ نَزَلاهُ

وَأَنَّهُما مِن قَبلِهِ نَزَلاهُ

They rejoice that he should shun the grave throughout his life,

He is pleased that the evildoer shuns him for life

and that the two should enter it before him.

And that he parted from him before

وَلَو بِمُشارِ العَينِ يوحى إِلَيهِما

وَلَو بِمُشارِ العَينِ يوحى إِلَيهِما

لِوَشكِ اِعتِزالِ العَيشِ لَاِعتَزَلاهُ

لِوَشكِ اِعتِزالِ العَيشِ لَاِعتَزَلاهُ

If a mere signal of the eye hinted to them

And if he hinted with a wink of the eye to them

to abandon life swiftly, they would abandon it.

Out of near abandonment of living, they would abandon it

يَوُدّانِ إِكراماً لَوِ اِنتَعَلَ السُهى

يَوُدّانِ إِكراماً لَوِ اِنتَعَلَ السُهى

وَإِنّ حَذِيا السَلّاءَ وَاِنتَعَلاهُ

وَإِنّ حَذِيا السَلّاءَ وَاِنتَعَلاهُ

They wish, to honor him, that he might make Suhā his sandal,

They both wish—as an honor—that the despised one

even if they were shod with thorns and wore them.

Would put on slippers, though the ascetics went barefoot

يَذُمُّ لِفَرطِ الغِيِّ ما فَعَلا بِهِ

يَذُمُّ لِفَرطِ الغِيِّ ما فَعَلا بِهِ

وَأَحسِن وَأَجمِل بِالَّذي فَعَلاهُ

وَأَحسِن وَأَجمِل بِالَّذي فَعَلاهُ

In his extreme perversity, he condemns what they have done for him;

He blames—out of excessive pride—what they did to him

yet how good and how beautiful is what they have done!

But do good and speak well of what was done to him

يُعِدّانِهِ كَالصارِمِ العَضبِ في العِدى

يُعِدّانِهِ كَالصارِمِ العَضبِ في العِدى

بِظَنِّهِما وَالذابِلِ اِعتَقَلاهُ

بِظَنِّهِما وَالذابِلِ اِعتَقَلاهُ

They prepare him like a sharp, keen sword against foes,

They count him like the angry warrior in enmity

in their estimation, and a supple spear they have grasped.

In their opinion, though he is frail and powerless

وَيُؤثِرُ بِالسِرِّ الكَنينِ سِواهُما

وَيُؤثِرُ بِالسِرِّ الكَنينِ سِواهُما

فَيَنقُلهُ عَنهُ وَما نَقَلاهُ

فَيَنقُلهُ عَنهُ وَما نَقَلاهُ

Yet he favors someone other than them with his closely guarded secret,

And he prefers the secret talebearer over them

who then passes it on from him, while the two never did.

So he transfers it from him though he did not transfer it