وَعاذِلَةٍ هَبَّت بِلَيلٍ تَلومُني

وَعاذِلَةٍ هَبَّت بِلَيلٍ تَلومُني

وَقَد غابَ عَيّوقُ الثُرَيّا فَعَرَّدا

وَقَد غابَ عَيّوقُ الثُرَيّا فَعَرَّدا

And a reproachful woman rose at night to blame me,

A complainer berated me at night when my mule disappeared on the mount,

When the Pleiades' Ayyuq had set and fled away.

Blaming me for wasting money when the miser is displeased and frowns.

تَلومُ عَلى إِعطائِيَ المالَ ضِلَّةً

تَلومُ عَلى إِعطائِيَ المالَ ضِلَّةً

إِذا ضَنَّ بِالمالِ البَخيلُ وَصَرَّدا

إِذا ضَنَّ بِالمالِ البَخيلُ وَصَرَّدا

She reproaches me for giving wealth away as folly,

She says, "Why don’t you hold back, for I see money preserved with the stingy."

When the miser begrudges his wealth and gives sparingly.

Leave me be and my state, for your wealth is abundant,

تَقولُ أَلا أَمسِك عَلَيكَ فَإِنَّني

تَقولُ أَلا أَمسِك عَلَيكَ فَإِنَّني

أَرى المالَ عِندَ المُمسِكينَ مُعَبَّدا

أَرى المالَ عِندَ المُمسِكينَ مُعَبَّدا

She says, "Will you not keep it for yourself? For I

And each person goes along with what they are accustomed to.

See wealth subdued in the hands of those who hold it."

I do not blame you, complainer, except for my nature.

ذَريني وَحالي إِنَّ مالَكِ وافِرٌ

ذَريني وَحالي إِنَّ مالَكِ وافِرٌ

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ جارٍ عَلى ما تَعَوَّدا

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ جارٍ عَلى ما تَعَوَّدا

Leave me to my ways; your wealth is plentiful,

So do not make your tongue like an icy wind above me.

And everyone follows what he has grown accustomed to.

Leave me be so my money can protect my honor,

أَعاذِلَ لا آلوكِ إِلّا خَليقَتي

أَعاذِلَ لا آلوكِ إِلّا خَليقَتي

فَلا تَجعَلي فَوقي لِسانَكِ مِبرَدا

فَلا تَجعَلي فَوقي لِسانَكِ مِبرَدا

O reproacher, I can offer you nothing but my nature;

Money protects my honor before it scatters away.

So do not make your tongue a file upon me.

Show me a generous man who died jesting so I can see what you see,

ذَريني يَكُن مالي لِعِرضِيَ جُنَّةً

ذَريني يَكُن مالي لِعِرضِيَ جُنَّةً

يَقي المالُ عِرضي قَبلَ أَن يَتَبَدَّدا

يَقي المالُ عِرضي قَبلَ أَن يَتَبَدَّدا

Leave me; let my wealth be a shield for my honor.

Or a stingy man despised for eternity.

Wealth guards my honor before it is scattered away.

Otherwise, stop blaming me in part, and make

أَريني جَواداً ماتَ هَزلاً لَعَلَّني

أَريني جَواداً ماتَ هَزلاً لَعَلَّني

أَرى ما تَرَينَ أَو بَخيلاً مُخَلَّدا

أَرى ما تَرَينَ أَو بَخيلاً مُخَلَّدا

Show me a generous man who died emaciated, so perhaps I

Your view dependent on the view of the one you consult.

May see what you see—or a miser made immortal.

Don't you know that when a guest comes to me

وَإِلّا فَكُفّي بَعضَ لَومِكِ وَاِجعَلي

وَإِلّا فَكُفّي بَعضَ لَومِكِ وَاِجعَلي

إِلى رَأيِ مَن تَلحَينَ رَأيَكِ مُسنَدا

إِلى رَأيِ مَن تَلحَينَ رَأيَكِ مُسنَدا

Otherwise, curb some of your reproach, and make

And the villages are barren, I host lavish feasts?

Your judgment rest upon the judgment of the one you blame.

I favor the chiefs of the tribe, knowing

أَلَم تَعلَمي أَنّي إِذا الضَيفُ نابَني

أَلَم تَعلَمي أَنّي إِذا الضَيفُ نابَني

وَعَزَّ القِرى أَقري السَديفَ المُسَرهَدا

وَعَزَّ القِرى أَقري السَديفَ المُسَرهَدا

Have you not learned that, when a guest comes to me

Without my people in hardships I'd be abandoned.

And guest-fare is scarce, I serve the hump-fat of a well-fattened camel?

I am a guardian of the tribe’s honor,

أُسَوَّدُ ساداتِ العَشيرَةِ عارِفاً

أُسَوَّدُ ساداتِ العَشيرَةِ عارِفاً

وَمِن دونِ قَومي في الشَدائِدِ مِذوَدا

وَمِن دونِ قَومي في الشَدائِدِ مِذوَدا

I am made chief over the clan's chiefs, discerning,

And their rights, until I am depleted.

And stand before my people as a bulwark in hardships.

They tell me, “You’ve destroyed your money, so be frugal,”

وَأُلفى لِأَعراضِ العَشيرَةِ حافِظاً

وَأُلفى لِأَعراضِ العَشيرَةِ حافِظاً

وَحَقِّهِمِ حَتّى أَكونَ المُسَوَّدا

وَحَقِّهِمِ حَتّى أَكونَ المُسَوَّدا

And I am found guarding the clan's honor,

And had they not spoken, I would not be a lord.

And their rights, until I become the acknowledged chief.

“Eat now from the sustenance of God and live comfortably,

يَقولونَ لي أَهلَكتَ مالَكَ فَاِقتَصِد

يَقولونَ لي أَهلَكتَ مالَكَ فَاِقتَصِد

وَما كُنتُ لَولا ما تَقولونَ سَيِّدا

وَما كُنتُ لَولا ما تَقولونَ سَيِّدا

They tell me, "You have exhausted your wealth; be frugal."

For tomorrow, your sustenance is upon the Merciful.”

Yet, but for what you speak of, I would not be a chief.

I will keep from my money a horse, a swimmer,

كُلوا الآنَ مِن رِزقِ الإِلَهِ وَأَيسِروا

كُلوا الآنَ مِن رِزقِ الإِلَهِ وَأَيسِروا

فَإِنَّ عَلى الرَحمَنِ رِزقَكُمُ غَدا

فَإِنَّ عَلى الرَحمَنِ رِزقَكُمُ غَدا

Eat now from God's provision, and live at ease;

A rugged brown horse, and a fierce rooster.

For your provision tomorrow rests upon the Most Merciful.

And that suffices me of all the money,

سَأَذخَرُ مِن مالي دِلاصاً وَسابِحاً

سَأَذخَرُ مِن مالي دِلاصاً وَسابِحاً

وَأَسمَرَ خَطِّيّاً وَعَضباً مُهَنَّدا

وَأَسمَرَ خَطِّيّاً وَعَضباً مُهَنَّدا

I shall save from my wealth smooth armor and a galloping steed,

Protected, whenever I have an heir.

And a brown Khatti spear and a keen Indian-made sword.

وَذَلِكَ يَكفيني مِنَ المالِ كُلِّهِ

وَذَلِكَ يَكفيني مِنَ المالِ كُلِّهِ

مَصوناً إِذا ما كانَ عِندِيَ مُتلِدا

مَصوناً إِذا ما كانَ عِندِيَ مُتلِدا

And that suffices me out of all my wealth,

Kept safe, when I hold it as lasting property.