ما عَنْ فَعالِ القبيحِ يَحْجِزُهُ

ما عَنْ فَعالِ القبيحِ يَحْجِزُهُ

مَنِ الفَعالُ الجميلُ يُعْجِزُهُ

مَنِ الفَعالُ الجميلُ يُعْجِزُهُ

He is not kept from doing evil,

He is not deterred from vile deeds,

the man for whom doing good is beyond reach.

Nor is he unable to perform good deeds.

أعْرِزْ على قومه الأعزَّةِ أن

أعْرِزْ على قومه الأعزَّةِ أن

يُضحي على جُلِّهم تَعزُّزه

يُضحي على جُلِّهم تَعزُّزه

How grievous for his honored people that

He sacrifices himself for his honored people,

his arrogance should loom over most of them!

Giving up all his honor for their sake.

قومٌ همُ مركزُ الفخارِ إِذا

قومٌ همُ مركزُ الفخارِ إِذا

ما يُسْألُ الفخرُ أَين مركزه

ما يُسْألُ الفخرُ أَين مركزه

A people who are the center of glory whenever

They are the pinnacle of pride, so

Glory is asked where its center lies.

When pride is sought, its pinnacle is them.

إِنْ يتَّسِعْ حَيِّزُ السَّناءِ فإ

إِنْ يتَّسِعْ حَيِّزُ السَّناءِ فإ

نَّ عَنْهُ يضيقُ حَيِّزه

نَّ عَنْهُ يضيقُ حَيِّزه

If the realm of splendor widens, then

If the realm of glory expands,

indeed, its realm shrinks away from him.

Its realm will still be too narrow for it.

تهونُ في دورهمْ عداوته

تهونُ في دورهمْ عداوته

حَسْبُكَ خيرُ الكلامِ أوجزُه

حَسْبُكَ خيرُ الكلامِ أوجزُه

His enmity counts for little in their homes;

Their enmity is slight in their homes -

enough—the best speech is the briefest.

Sufficient for you is the best of speech, so summarize it!

وقلَّ جاني عِذْقٍ يُزهِّدُه

وقلَّ جاني عِذْقٍ يُزهِّدُه

في العِذْقِ سُلاَّءَةٌ تُعزّزُهُ

في العِذْقِ سُلاَّءَةٌ تُعزّزُهُ

And seldom does a date-cluster's picker lose desire

And say to the critic of the vine branch that

for it because a palm-thorn makes it hard to reach.

Its luscious fruits make it only more precious.

ما لسعيدِ بنِ مُحرزٍ أَترى

ما لسعيدِ بنِ مُحرزٍ أَترى

يُحرزه مِنْ أَذايَ مُحْرزُه

يُحرزه مِنْ أَذايَ مُحْرزُه

What ails Sa'id ibn Muhriz? Do you think

What will protect Sa’id ibn Muhariz

his protector shelters him from my harm?

From the pains that assail his refuge?

أبي السريِّ المغيِّبِ السَّرْو إِذ

أبي السريِّ المغيِّبِ السَّرْو إِذ

أبرزَ سَرْوَ السريِّ مُبرزُه

أبرزَ سَرْوَ السريِّ مُبرزُه

Abu al-Sari, who conceals nobility when

Abu Al-Sarī concealed among the pines -

its revealer brings al-Sari's nobility to light.

When his pines were uncovered, so was he!

كم قد تأَنَّيْتُهُ لأُصْلِحَهُ

كم قد تأَنَّيْتُهُ لأُصْلِحَهُ

وكان كالشنِّ حينَ تَخْرِزهُ

وكان كالشنِّ حينَ تَخْرِزهُ

How often I have treated him patiently to reform him,

I tried to fix him but he was stubborn

yet he was like a worn-out waterskin when you stitch it.

As a rock from which carvings cannot be made.

وفي صريحِ الإبريزِ لي شُغُلٌ

وفي صريحِ الإبريزِ لي شُغُلٌ

عن طلبي بَهْرَجاً أُبَرِّزُه

عن طلبي بَهْرَجاً أُبَرِّزُه

And pure gold gives me enough to occupy me,

On the shores of the Euphrates, I am busy

without seeking counterfeit coin to display.

With a mule I show off but cannot ride.

ها أنا ذا موعزٌ إليه بما

ها أنا ذا موعزٌ إليه بما

يُشفى به مَنْ إليه يُوعزُه

يُشفى به مَنْ إليه يُوعزُه

Here I am, sending him a message

What will heal one who accepts advice.

that heals the one who sends it to him.

If he stubbornly rages, the easiest thing

إن يتميّزْ غيظاً فأيسرُ ما

إن يتميّزْ غيظاً فأيسرُ ما

يعرضُ في غيظه تميُّزُه

يعرضُ في غيظه تميُّزُه

If he bursts apart with rage, the least of what

To present to his rage is compromise.

befalls him in his rage is bursting apart.

So do not blame him for pretentiousness -

فلا تَلُمْهُ على التحفُّزِ في

فلا تَلُمْهُ على التحفُّزِ في

ثلبي فلؤمُ الطباعِ يَحْفِزُه

ثلبي فلؤمُ الطباعِ يَحْفِزُه

So do not blame him for rushing

The faults of nature spur him on.

to revile me: his base temperament spurs him on.

As for satirizing me, if it gives him pride,

أما هجائي فإنْ تَفَزَّزه

أما هجائي فإنْ تَفَزَّزه

فليس مستنكراً تَفَزُّزُه

فليس مستنكراً تَفَزُّزُه

As for my satire, if it startles him,

His pride in satire should not be condemned.

his agitation is no surprise.

He who stores within him what he inhaled

مَنْ كنزُ فيهِ لمن تَنَسَّمَهُ

مَنْ كنزُ فيهِ لمن تَنَسَّمَهُ

نظيرُ ما في الكنيفِ يكنزُهُ

نظيرُ ما في الكنيفِ يكنزُهُ

One whose mouth's hoard, to anyone who sniffs it,

Is like a hidden treasure chest.

resembles what he hoards in the privy.

He has the ferocity of the son of Yazan

لهُ بهِ صولةُ ابنِ ذي يَزَنٍ

لهُ بهِ صولةُ ابنِ ذي يَزَنٍ

بوهزٍ يومَ صالَ وَهْرَزُهُ

بوهزٍ يومَ صالَ وَهْرَزُهُ

With it he has Ibn Dhi Yazan's onslaught,

On a day of fighting when empty threats were made.

with a thrust, on the day his Wahriz charged.

If he meets an army he will defeat it,

إِنْ لقي الجيشَ فهو يَهْزِمُه

إِنْ لقي الجيشَ فهو يَهْزِمُه

أو حاول النهبَ فهو يُحْرزُه

أو حاول النهبَ فهو يُحْرزُه

If he meets the army, he routs it;

Or if he attempts plunder he will gain it.

or seeks plunder, he secures it.

I provoke his satire to elevate it -

أُغري هجائي به لأَرْفَعَهُ

أُغري هجائي به لأَرْفَعَهُ

وَبَخْتُهُ في الهجاءِ يَلْكُزُه

وَبَخْتُهُ في الهجاءِ يَلْكُزُه

I set my satire on him to raise him up,

I rebuked him in satire and he recoiled!

while his luck in satire punches him.

I pretend to admire him, though I

أَجَدُّ ما كنتُ عنده فأنا

أَجَدُّ ما كنتُ عنده فأنا

أعبثُ شيءٍ به وأَطْنَزُه

أعبثُ شيءٍ به وأَطْنَزُه

At my most serious with him, I am

Am merely toying with him, mocking him.

most playful with him, and most mocking.

With obstinacy his love grows cold -

أَسْمِجْ به عاشقاً سماجُتُهُ

أَسْمِجْ به عاشقاً سماجُتُهُ

تبرَّد العشقَ بل تُتَرِّزُه

تبرَّد العشقَ بل تُتَرِّزُه

How hideous he is as a lover! His ugliness

Rather, his love is ossified.

chills love—no, makes it stiff and lifeless.

The star's rising is difficult -

مستثقلُ النجمِ لا تشمُّرُهُ

مستثقلُ النجمِ لا تشمُّرُهُ

يُجدي عليه ولا تَعَلُّزُه

يُجدي عليه ولا تَعَلُّزُه

Ill-starred, neither his exertion

He cannot aid it or propel it.

avails him nor his restlessness.

So his share of it is like one whose hand

فحظُّه منه حظُّ مَنْ يدُه

فحظُّه منه حظُّ مَنْ يدُه

في الماء مشغولةٌ تُجَرِّزه

في الماء مشغولةٌ تُجَرِّزه

His share of it is that of one whose hand

Is busy in the water, unable to grasp it.

is busy in the water, trying to cut it.

The elephant has tusks and bulk -

للفيلِ أنيابه وَجُثَّتُه

للفيلِ أنيابه وَجُثَّتُه

فأيُّ شيءٍ في الفيل يُعْوِزُه

فأيُّ شيءٍ في الفيل يُعْوِزُه

He has an elephant's tusks and bulk;

What thing does the elephant lack?

so what does he lack of an elephant?

He walks as though he has

يَمْشي إذا ما مشى كأنَّ له

يَمْشي إذا ما مشى كأنَّ له

قُدَّامَةُ مَنْ يريدُ يَشْكُزُه

قُدَّامَةُ مَنْ يريدُ يَشْكُزُه

When he walks, he walks as though he had

A leader who wants to guide him.

someone before him intent on prodding him.

I will not name him - you can discern

لستُ أُسمِّيه أنت تبصرُ ما

لستُ أُسمِّيه أنت تبصرُ ما

وصفتُ من فرسخٍ فَتَفْرِزُه

وصفتُ من فرسخٍ فَتَفْرِزُه

I do not name him: you can see what

What I described from a mile away.

I have described from a parasang away, and pick him out.

He shows a face so ugly to behold

يبرزُ وجهاً يروعُ منظرُه

يبرزُ وجهاً يروعُ منظرُه

نواظرَ الخلقِ حينَ يُبْرِزُه

نواظرَ الخلقِ حينَ يُبْرِزُه

He displays a face whose appearance terrifies

That all who see it curse its features.

people's eyes when he reveals it.

I almost mentioned his blemishes but

وجهٌ لبيسٌ أَديمُه خَلَقٌ

وجهٌ لبيسٌ أَديمُه خَلَقٌ

يُلْعَنُ مَرْفُوُّهُ وَمُدْرَزُه

يُلْعَنُ مَرْفُوُّهُ وَمُدْرَزُه

A much-worn face, its skin threadbare,

When I saw him, I refrained from naming them.

its darning and its stitching cursed.

In the musk gland of a billy goat, in its stink,

أومي إلى لمزه فأقذَرُه

أومي إلى لمزه فأقذَرُه

حين أَراهُ فلستُ أَلْمزه

حين أَراهُ فلستُ أَلْمزه

I make to taunt him, but find him disgusting

I detect a wild billy goat and nip it in the bud.

when I see him, so I do not taunt him.

With sagging nostrils, broken teeth,

في خَنَزِ التيسِ في سهوكتهِ

في خَنَزِ التيسِ في سهوكتهِ

أَسهكُ تيسٍ بُري وأَخْنَزُه

أَسهكُ تيسٍ بُري وأَخْنَزُه

He has a he-goat's stench and rankness—

His mouth split or contorted.

the rankest, foulest he-goat ever created.

Belittled by one who would realize, if he knew,

ذو نَغَفٍ ما يني مُذَرَّقُهُ

ذو نَغَفٍ ما يني مُذَرَّقُهُ

على سِبَالَيْهِ أو مُلَوَّزُه

على سِبَالَيْهِ أو مُلَوَّزُه

Maggot-ridden, his filth never stops splattering

That he magnifies one he belittles.

on his mustache-tips, or forming almond-shaped clots.

Leave me be. If I do not provoke him,

مُنَبَّزٌ كالذي يُصَغِّرُه

مُنَبَّزٌ كالذي يُصَغِّرُه

مكبَّرٌ لو درى مُنَبِّزُه

مكبَّرٌ لو درى مُنَبِّزُه

He is nicknamed as though the name belittled him,

I will toss him, though he is difficult to toss.

yet it magnifies him, if his nicknamer only knew.

The masters of satire inform him,

دعني فإن كنت لا أُطَيِّرُه

دعني فإن كنت لا أُطَيِّرُه

من ثِقلٍ إِنّني أُقَفِّزه

من ثِقلٍ إِنّني أُقَفِّزه

Leave me be: if I cannot make him fly

So how can he become too proud afterwards?

because of his weight, I can surely make him leap.

When the rage in his heart is tested,

أَضحى خَبَارُ الهجاءِ يُطْلِعُهُ

أَضحى خَبَارُ الهجاءِ يُطْلِعُهُ

فكيف إِنَّ عَزَّ بعدُ أَمْعَزُه

فكيف إِنَّ عَزَّ بعدُ أَمْعَزُه

The soft ground of satire has made him limp;

It is like embers that burn within him.

what, then, if its stony ground proves hard afterward?

Not one who dwells near fermented rum, dirtied

إذا حزازاتُ قلِبه امتحنتْ

إذا حزازاتُ قلِبه امتحنتْ

كانت شِفاراٍ فيه تُحَزِّزُه

كانت شِفاراٍ فيه تُحَزِّزُه

When the rancors in his heart are tested,

By its vapors with his nose upturned.

they become blades within him, cutting him.

Nor one who milks dry udders without knots

ما قاطنٌ جانبَ السماقِ تَغَ

ما قاطنٌ جانبَ السماقِ تَغَ

شّاه شُوَيهاتُه وأَعنُزُه

شّاه شُوَيهاتُه وأَعنُزُه

No dweller beside al-Summaq,

To shape his curds and soft cheese.

surrounded by his little sheep and goats,

Nor one from Mu’ān who suffered drought in Hejaz,

ولا مُسِيمُ اللقاحِ مِنْ عَقَدٍ

ولا مُسِيمُ اللقاحِ مِنْ عَقَدٍ

يصوغُ جَرْجَارُه وَعنُقَزه

يصوغُ جَرْجَارُه وَعنُقَزه

nor a grazier of milk-camels from 'Aqad,

Seeing salvation in his prayer beads and amulets.

fashioning his jarjar and his marjoram,

I cease poetry which he recites,

ولا مُعانٍ قحطَ بالحجازِ يرى

ولا مُعانٍ قحطَ بالحجازِ يرى

أن العُلا قِدُّه وعِلْهِزه

أن العُلا قِدُّه وعِلْهِزه

nor one famine-stricken in the Hijaz, who thinks

Wanting to explain it but unable to untie its knots.

loftiness is his hide-strips and his wool-and-blood fare,

If I said “Count me when you fulfill,” he would not

أَكفُ بالشعرِ ينشده

أَكفُ بالشعرِ ينشده

يريدُ إِيضاحَه فَليُلغزه

يريدُ إِيضاحَه فَليُلغزه

is more inept at the poetry he recites;

Fulfill my promise, nor know how to fulfill it.

he wants to clarify it—so let him make it a riddle.

A master of ignorance - or rather, it mastered him -

لو قلتُ عِدْني متى تُصيب لما

لو قلتُ عِدْني متى تُصيب لما

أَنجزَ وعدي وكيفَ يُنجزه

أَنجزَ وعدي وكيفَ يُنجزه

If I said, 'Promise me when you will get it right,' he would not

Assailing him since he was but a pup.

fulfill his promise to me—and how could he fulfill it?

Then a fledgling, with none who’d

مُحنَّكُ الجهلِ بل محكَّكه

مُحنَّكُ الجهلِ بل محكَّكه

قارحُه منذ كان كُرَّزُه

قارحُه منذ كان كُرَّزُه

Seasoned in ignorance—rather, polished in it,

Knead him gently or bake him well.

its full-grown steed since he was its fledgling.

He pecks out of frailty, and you’d think

ثم فطيرٌ فليس من أَحدِ

ثم فطيرٌ فليس من أَحدِ

يَعْجِنه آنفاً ويخبزه

يَعْجِنه آنفاً ويخبزه

And yet, unleavened dough, with no one

A worm in his rear was pecking him.

to knead him now and bake him.

If offal were called out in the street,

ينقُر من خفّةٍ فتحسبُه

ينقُر من خفّةٍ فتحسبُه

في دُبره دودةٌ تُنقِّزه

في دُبره دودةٌ تُنقِّزه

He bobs with flightiness, so you would think

Hands would reach out to grab it.

a worm in his anus was making him jump.

Bent over, crooked, his neck wrinkled,

لو نُودي الرأز في السَّبيلِ إِذاً

لو نُودي الرأز في السَّبيلِ إِذاً

حَجَّتْ إليه الأيدي ترئزه

حَجَّتْ إليه الأيدي ترئزه

If testing were proclaimed along the road, then

Swollen, meaty, totally flaccid.

hands would make pilgrimage to him to press and test him.

If he pardons one who slapped him,

شَثْنُ القفا عَبْلُه مُضَبَّرُه

شَثْنُ القفا عَبْلُه مُضَبَّرُه

ممكورُه ضخمُه مُلزَّزه

ممكورُه ضخمُه مُلزَّزه

His nape is coarse, fleshy, thick-set,

His nape would still wink at him.

rounded, massive, tightly packed.

High-minded, with no shame adhering to him

إن عفَّ عن صفعةِ مُصَافِعُه

إن عفَّ عن صفعةِ مُصَافِعُه

كان قَفاه عليهِ يَغْمِزه

كان قَفاه عليهِ يَغْمِزه

If his slapper refrains from a slap,

Since he rose high, and no honor clothing him.

his nape itself would urge the man on.

Like a coin, if you threw it to pass,

عاليهِ خِزيٌ لم يُنضَ مُعلَمُه

عاليهِ خِزيٌ لم يُنضَ مُعلَمُه

منذ علاه ولا مطرَّزه

منذ علاه ولا مطرَّزه

Shame covers him: its bordered robe has not been shed

You’d find no meaning in it to validate it.

since it covered him, nor its embroidered one.

Less significant than a speck of dust -

كالفَلسِ لو رمتَ أن يجوزَ لما

كالفَلسِ لو رمتَ أن يجوزَ لما

وجدتَ فيه معنىً يُجَوِّزه

وجدتَ فيه معنىً يُجَوِّزه

Like a copper coin: if you wished him to pass, you would not

If you wink at it, it is easy to wink back.

find in him any merit that could make him pass.

How he fell from the slick of oil, until

أَقلُّ قدراً من الهباءِ فإن

أَقلُّ قدراً من الهباءِ فإن

تغمزْه يَسْهُلْ عليك مَغْمَزُه

تغمزْه يَسْهُلْ عليك مَغْمَزُه

Of less worth than dust-motes; if

A edge like a needle's probed him!

you probe him, his weak spot is easy to reach.

The dog inclines when humiliated,

كم راغَ من روغةِ فأدركَه

كم راغَ من روغةِ فأدركَه

حدٌّ كحدِّ المهمازِ يهمزه

حدٌّ كحدِّ المهمازِ يهمزه

How often he dodged, only to be caught

As though its inclining is useful.

by a point like a spur's, goading him.

He thinks I have no worse estimation -

تحيُّزَ الكلبِ حين أخسَأه

تحيُّزَ الكلبِ حين أخسَأه

كأَنَّه نافِعٌ تحيُّزُه

كأَنَّه نافِعٌ تحيُّزُه

He shrinks aside like a dog when I drive him away,

Yet this is his rags and tatters!

as though his retreat could be of use.

My words will not distinguish him,

يظنُّ هذا لا ظنَّ أخشنَ ما

يظنُّ هذا لا ظنَّ أخشنَ ما

عندي وذا خزُّه وَقِرمِزُه

عندي وذا خزُّه وَقِرمِزُه

He thinks this—may he never think!—the harshest thing

For he has nothing with which to distinguish them.

I have, though this is its silk and crimson.

فلِنْ تراهُ مميّزاً كَلمِي

فلِنْ تراهُ مميّزاً كَلمِي

وهل له ما به يًمَيِّزه

وهل له ما به يًمَيِّزه

So you will never see him discerning my words;

and has he anything with which to discern them?