قلبٌ على جمرِ الغضا يتقلّبُ

قلبٌ على جمرِ الغضا يتقلّبُ

لمهاجرٍ من غير ذنبٍ يوجبُ

لمهاجرٍ من غير ذنبٍ يوجبُ

A heart writhes upon the ghada tree's embers,

A heart writhing on the embers of grief,

for one who has forsaken it, though no fault warrants this.

Of an emigrant who did nothing wrong,

يشكو وأعظم ما شكاه جنايةً

يشكو وأعظم ما شكاه جنايةً

لم يجنها أمست إِليه تنسبُ

لم يجنها أمست إِليه تنسبُ

It laments, and its greatest grievance is an offense

He complains, and the greatest of his complaints

it never committed, yet which is now attributed to it.

Is of an injustice not done by him attributed to him,

كذبَ الوشاة بها عليه وصُدّقوا

كذبَ الوشاة بها عليه وصُدّقوا

ومن البلا تصديقُ واشٍ يكذبُ

ومن البلا تصديقُ واشٍ يكذبُ

The slanderers falsely accused it of that, and were believed.

The slanderers lied about him and were believed,

And among afflictions is believing a slanderer who lies.

And from affliction, the words of a liar are believed,

ليتَ اللقا خلف الفراق بليلةٍ

ليتَ اللقا خلف الفراق بليلةٍ

تسعُ العتابَ لكي يبين المذنبُ

تسعُ العتابَ لكي يبين المذنبُ

Would that reunion replaced separation for one night,

If only we could meet after separation for a night,

ample enough for reproach, so the guilty one might be revealed.

That would allow for reproach, so the guilty one appears,

ما كنتُ أحسبه يصدّق واشياً

ما كنتُ أحسبه يصدّق واشياً

حتى بدالي منه مالا أحسبُ

حتى بدالي منه مالا أحسبُ

I never thought he would believe a slanderer,

I did not think he would believe a slanderer,

until I saw from him what I had not expected.

Until he changed from me in ways I could not expect,

عجباً لأهلِ العشقِ كلٌّ يشتكي

عجباً لأهلِ العشقِ كلٌّ يشتكي

عدم الوفاء وبعد ما يستقربُ

عدم الوفاء وبعد ما يستقربُ

How strange are lovers: each complains

Strange are the people of passion, each complaining,

of faithlessness and the remoteness of what he considers near.

Of lack of loyalty, even after intimacy grows near,

أَمر قضى فيهم فلا هم سلّموا

أَمر قضى فيهم فلا هم سلّموا

لقضا الإشله ولا قضاه يُغلبُ

لقضا الإشله ولا قضاه يُغلبُ

A matter was decreed for them, yet they did not submit

A matter was decreed about them, so they did not accept,

to God's decree, nor can His decree be overcome.

The decree of the Almighty, nor could the decree be overcome,

فظلوعهم تحنى على جمرِ الغَضا

فظلوعهم تحنى على جمرِ الغَضا

ودموعهم مثل السحائب تسكبُ

ودموعهم مثل السحائب تسكبُ

So their ribs bend over the ghada tree's embers,

So their oppression knelt on the embers of grief,

and their tears pour like clouds.

And their tears flowed like pouring rain,

ترثي لهم أعداؤهم يا ويحَ من

ترثي لهم أعداؤهم يا ويحَ من

لهم رثى الأعداء مما عذّبوا

لهم رثى الأعداء مما عذّبوا

Their enemies pity them—alas for those

Their enemies eulogize them - woe to those,

whose enemies pity them for the torment they have suffered.

Whose eulogy by enemies is from their torment,

قال تجلدْ واجز من أَحببته

قال تجلدْ واجز من أَحببته

بتجنبٍ إِن بأنَ منه تجنّبُ

بتجنبٍ إِن بأنَ منه تجنّبُ

He said: Be steadfast, and repay the one you loved

He said: show fortitude and avoid whom you loved,

with avoidance, if avoidance appears from him.

By staying away, if by staying away from him you avoid,

فاجبتْ ما قلبي كمثل قلوبكم

فاجبتْ ما قلبي كمثل قلوبكم

أعمى أصم عن المحبةِ مغربُ

أعمى أصم عن المحبةِ مغربُ

I replied: My heart is not like your hearts—

So I replied: my heart is not like your hearts,

blind, deaf, far removed from love.

Blind, deaf to love, ignorant of sunset's glow,

لو كانَ يوجدُ مثل من أَحببته

لو كانَ يوجدُ مثل من أَحببته

ما كنت عن جَلدي وصبري أغلبُ

ما كنت عن جَلدي وصبري أغلبُ

If there were anyone like the one I loved,

If one could find the like of whom I loved,

I would not be overcome and lose my fortitude and patience.

I would not lose control or patience because of passion,

لكنهُ عدم النظير وهل ترى

لكنهُ عدم النظير وهل ترى

كالبدر يطلعُ نجم أفق يغربُ

كالبدر يطلعُ نجم أفق يغربُ

But he has no equal; and do you see

But he is matchless, do you see,

a star on the horizon rise and set like the full moon?

A moon rising while the horizon stars set?

لو كان يخطرُ في فؤادي سلوة

لو كان يخطرُ في فؤادي سلوة

ما كنتُ أرضى لي فوادٌ يصحبٌ

ما كنتُ أرضى لي فوادٌ يصحبٌ

If forgetfulness were to cross my heart,

If any consolation occurred in my heart,

I would not accept a heart as my companion.

I would not consent to a heart that accompanies,

من لا يذوقُ الحبَّ فهو بهيمةٌ

من لا يذوقُ الحبَّ فهو بهيمةٌ

من جملةِ البقرِ السوائم يحسبُ

من جملةِ البقرِ السوائم يحسبُ

Whoever does not taste love is a beast,

Whoever does not taste love is an animal,

reckoned among the grazing cattle.

Among the herd of cattle he is counted,

حبُّ الغواني شيمةٌ مرضيةٌ

حبُّ الغواني شيمةٌ مرضيةٌ

لا رأي من راي يراها أصوبُ

لا رأي من راي يراها أصوبُ

Love of beautiful women is a praiseworthy disposition;

The love of beautiful youths is a noble trait,

no opinion is sounder than one that approves it.

No sound opinion sees it as wrong,

أَوما بهن بدا النبيُّ محمد

أَوما بهن بدا النبيُّ محمد

فيما من الدنيا إِليه يحببُ

فيما من الدنيا إِليه يحببُ

Did not the Prophet Muhammad begin with them

Did not the Prophet Muhammad with them appear,

among the worldly things made dear to him?

In the pleasures of this world he delighted?

أو ليس يحيى وهو سلطان الورى

أو ليس يحيى وهو سلطان الورى

يجري لديه ذكرهن فيطربُ

يجري لديه ذكرهن فيطربُ

And is not Yahya, sovereign of mankind,

Is not Yahya, king of the earth,

moved to delight when they are mentioned in his presence—

Whose mention among them brings joy?

الطاهر بن الاشرف الملك الذي

الطاهر بن الاشرف الملك الذي

ما فوق منصبه المعظمِ منصبُ

ما فوق منصبه المعظمِ منصبُ

al-Tahir, son of al-Ashraf, the king whose

Al-Ṭāhir bin al-Ashraf, the honored king

exalted rank no other rank surpasses?

Above whose elevated office no office is elevated,

سهلت عليه المكرماتُ وإنها

سهلت عليه المكرماتُ وإنها

مما يعزُّ على سواه ويصعبُ

مما يعزُّ على سواه ويصعبُ

Acts of generosity come easily to him, though they

Kindnesses were made easy for him, though they

are daunting and difficult for anyone else.

Are difficult for others, arduous,

ما رامَ أمراً لا يرامُ لبعدِه

ما رامَ أمراً لا يرامُ لبعدِه

إلاّ رأى لا شيء منه أقربُ

إلاّ رأى لا شيء منه أقربُ

Never did he seek a thing left unsought for its remoteness

He did not desire something unattainable,

without finding that nothing was nearer than it.

Except he saw nothing of it was far,

لا تحسبوا عليا لبعدِ منالهِ

لا تحسبوا عليا لبعدِ منالهِ

حصروا به من نصفِ شهر يقربُ

حصروا به من نصفِ شهر يقربُ

Do not suppose that Ali's being hard to reach

Think not, because his desire was far,

was why they besieged him for nearly half a month.

They limited him to half a month to attain it,

هيهاتَ لو أضَحى بأعنان السما

هيهاتَ لو أضَحى بأعنان السما

ما كان عنه فردُ يومٍ يحجبُ

ما كان عنه فردُ يومٍ يحجبُ

Far from it! Even had he been in heaven's heights,

Never! If he let loose the reins of the sky,

he would not have been hidden from him for a single day.

No single day from him would be veiled,

لكنْ أراد الله يظهر صبره

لكنْ أراد الله يظهر صبره

ويصاب بعض الناس فيما يكسبُ

ويصاب بعض الناس فيما يكسبُ

But God wished to reveal his patience,

But God wanted to show his patience,

and to afflict some people in what they earn.

And some people be struck in what they earn,

أعني جهولاً غره شيطانه

أعني جهولاً غره شيطانه

بوميض برق وهو برقٌ خلبُ

بوميض برق وهو برقٌ خلبُ

I mean an ignorant fool whom his devil deceived

I mean the ignorant whose devil deceived,

with a flash of lightning—deceptive lightning.

With the lightning of greed which is deceptive lightning,

قالَ اغتنمها فرصة بشراه ما

قالَ اغتنمها فرصة بشراه ما

هذا منيع إِن هذا مطلبُ

هذا منيع إِن هذا مطلبُ

He said: Seize this chance to buy it—

He said: seize the opportunity, his greed drove him,

this is not impregnable; this is a prize to be sought.

This is impregnable, this is the desired,

فسخت يداهُ واشتراه بما اشتهوا

فسخت يداهُ واشتراه بما اشتهوا

طمعاً بربح فيه يقوى المكسبُ

طمعاً بربح فيه يقوى المكسبُ

His hands gave freely, and he bought it for what they desired,

So his hands were active and he bought it with what they desired,

hoping for a profit that would swell his gains.

Greedily seeking profit to increase his earnings,

ماراعهم إلا الجيوش مواكباً

ماراعهم إلا الجيوش مواكباً

تتلو الجيوش وصاعقات ترعبُ

تتلو الجيوش وصاعقات ترعبُ

Nothing startled them but armies in columns,

He did not heed the armies accompanying,

following armies, and terrifying thunderbolts.

The armies succeeding and lightning that terrifies,

وقرينهُ الشيطانِ يضحكُ هارباً

وقرينهُ الشيطانِ يضحكُ هارباً

منه ومن هَوَسٍ به يتعجّبُ

منه ومن هَوَسٍ به يتعجّبُ

And his companion, Satan, laughed as he fled

And his devil friend laughing, fleeing

from him, marveling at the madness within him.

From him and from madness that astonishes him,

فاخذته قهراً وأصبح باكياً

فاخذته قهراً وأصبح باكياً

أسفاً على أمواله يتصبّبُ

أسفاً على أمواله يتصبّبُ

So they seized him by force, and he began to weep,

So he forcibly seized him and he wept,

streaming with sorrow over his wealth.

Regretting his money, oozing drool,

لولا عواذِله أقام مآتما

لولا عواذِله أقام مآتما

يبكين من لأفات منه تندبُ

يبكين من لأفات منه تندبُ

But for his reproaching women, he would have held mourning gatherings,

If not for his women wailing the deceased,

where women would weep and lament his calamities.

Crying for possessions lost lamenting him,

لا تعجبنَ والألف فلسٌ عندكم

لا تعجبنَ والألف فلسٌ عندكم

لبكاء من كالألف فلساً يحسبُ

لبكاء من كالألف فلساً يحسبُ

Do not marvel—you for whom a thousand is one copper coin—

Be not surprised - a thousand coins to you

at the weeping of someone who counts one copper as a thousand.

Is as one weeping for a thousand counted,

يمسى يعضُّ يمينه ندماً ويأ

يمسى يعضُّ يمينه ندماً ويأ

كلُ كفه وفؤاده يتلهّبُ

كلُ كفه وفؤاده يتلهّبُ

He spends the evening biting his right hand in remorse and

He sleeps gnashing his right hand in regret, Oh!

devouring his palm, while his heart blazes.

Chewing his palm, while his heart burns,

لا تأسفنّ فلستَ أول من رجا

لا تأسفنّ فلستَ أول من رجا

ربحاً ففوت رأسَ مال يرقبُ

ربحاً ففوت رأسَ مال يرقبُ

Do not grieve: you are not the first to hope

Do not grieve, you are not the first to hope

for profit, only to forfeit the capital he counted on.

For profit but miss the capital sought,

هوّن عليك فسوف تنسى في غدٍ

هوّن عليك فسوف تنسى في غدٍ

ما قد سلبت بما وراه تسلبَ

ما قد سلبت بما وراه تسلبَ

Take it lightly; tomorrow you will forget

Console yourself, for tomorrow you will forget

what has been taken from you through what will be taken next.

What you have lost in what you still gain,

غرتكَ أطماعٌ بغير بصيرةٍ

غرتكَ أطماعٌ بغير بصيرةٍ

وعلى المطامع كم رؤوس تذهبُ

وعلى المطامع كم رؤوس تذهبُ

Greedy hopes deceived you without insight;

Greed without insight deceived you,

how many heads are lost through covetous hopes!

And over greed, how many heads are lost!

أدخلت قومك لم تقدَّر مخرجاً

أدخلت قومك لم تقدَّر مخرجاً

حتى لقد نشبوا ومثلك ينشبُ

حتى لقد نشبوا ومثلك ينشبُ

You led your people in without planning a way out,

You entered your people without a way out foreseen,

until they were entangled—as one like you gets entangled.

Until they were trapped and, like you, snared.

عجباً لمن أَلقيتهم في هوةٍ

عجباً لمن أَلقيتهم في هوةٍ

ما فيهمُ رجلٌ لرشدٍ ينَسبُ

ما فيهمُ رجلٌ لرشدٍ ينَسبُ

How strange those you cast into an abyss:

Strange is one who cast them into a pit,

not one among them is credited with sound judgment.

Among them not a man of reason belonged!

لو لم يكن يحيى هناك لقتلوا

لو لم يكن يحيى هناك لقتلوا

بسيوفهم يوم الإِسار وصلبوا

بسيوفهم يوم الإِسار وصلبوا

Had Yahya not been there, they would have been killed

If not for Yahya being there, they would have been killed

by their swords on the day of captivity, and crucified.

By their swords the day of captivity and crucified!

بل أَدركتهم رحمةٌ من عندِه

بل أَدركتهم رحمةٌ من عندِه

من بعد كسرٍ صدعه لا يشعبُ

من بعد كسرٍ صدعه لا يشعبُ

Instead, mercy from him reached them

But a mercy from him delivered them,

after a shattering whose fracture could not be mended.

After breaking, with no cracks branching out,

أحياهم من بعد ما أوقعتهم

أحياهم من بعد ما أوقعتهم

في التهلكات وأنت ثمّ منكب

في التهلكات وأنت ثمّ منكب

He kept them alive after you had cast them

He gave them life after you had cast them

into destruction, while you lay there, cast down.

Into destruction, while you then slumbered,

تغزوا وأَنت معلقٌ في صخرةٍ

تغزوا وأَنت معلقٌ في صخرةٍ

من شرقها في ملكه والمغربُ

من شرقها في ملكه والمغربُ

You raid while suspended upon a rock,

You raid while hanging on a rock,

with its east in his dominion, and its west as well.

To the east in his kingdom and the west!

طمّعت نفسكَ أن تجاوز قدْرها

طمّعت نفسكَ أن تجاوز قدْرها

فطلب يا مسكينُ مالا يطلبُ

فطلب يا مسكينُ مالا يطلبُ

You tempted your soul to exceed its station;

You made your soul aspire beyond its fate,

so seek, poor wretch, what is not to be sought!

So you sought, poor soul, what cannot be sought.

من ظنّ بحراً لا يجاوز كعبه

من ظنّ بحراً لا يجاوز كعبه

فبحمقهِ الأمثال مثلك تضربُ

فبحمقهِ الأمثال مثلك تضربُ

Whoever thinks a sea will not rise above his ankle—

Whoever thought the sea not beyond his ankles,

his folly, like yours, becomes proverbial.

In his foolishness, examples like you are given.

فابشرْ بيومٍ لا تشمُّ به الهوى

فابشرْ بيومٍ لا تشمُّ به الهوى

مما عليك به يضيقُ المذهبُ

مما عليك به يضيقُ المذهبُ

Then welcome a day when you will not breathe the air,

So get news of a day in which you will not smell desire,

so tightly will the way out close upon you.

From what will constrain you, narrowing your doctrine,

أنت الذي طلب الهلاك لنفسه

أنت الذي طلب الهلاك لنفسه

وجعلتها غرضا لرمى ينصبُ

وجعلتها غرضا لرمى ينصبُ

You are the one who sought destruction for himself

You who sought destruction for yourself

and made himself a target set up for shooting.

And made it the target of intentional aim,

كم من سعى ليصيدَ فاعترضتْ له

كم من سعى ليصيدَ فاعترضتْ له

أُحبولة أمسى بها يتقلبُ

أُحبولة أمسى بها يتقلبُ

How many set out to hunt, only to encounter

How many strove to hunt but snares intercepted them,

a snare in which they end up writhing!

By which at night they twist and turn!

ما كانَ أشأمها عليكم فارقبوا

ما كانَ أشأمها عليكم فارقبوا

سُحبَ البلا فغدا عليكم تسكبُ

سُحبَ البلا فغدا عليكم تسكبُ

How ill-omened it was for you! Await

It was not ill-omened for you, so beware,

the clouds of calamity: tomorrow they will pour upon you.

The clouds of affliction pouring upon you tomorrow,

المالٌ منهوبٌ وهذي بعده

المالٌ منهوبٌ وهذي بعده

أَرواحكم عمّا قليلٍ تُنهبُ

أَرواحكم عمّا قليلٍ تُنهبُ

The wealth is plundered, and after it these—

The money is plundered, and after it,

your lives—will soon be plundered.

Your souls, in little time, will be plundered.

لوذوا بيحيى وادركوا أرواحكم

لوذوا بيحيى وادركوا أرواحكم

فعسى بذلك ينمحى ما يكتبُ

فعسى بذلك ينمحى ما يكتبُ

Take refuge with Yahya and save your lives;

Take refuge in Yahya and preserve your souls,

perhaps thereby what is written may be erased.

Perhaps by that the written decree will be erased.

يارب يحيى نائب لك في الورى

يارب يحيى نائب لك في الورى

وخليفة لا ظن فيها فيك يخيّبُ

وخليفة لا ظن فيها فيك يخيّبُ

O Lord, Yahya is Your deputy among mankind,

O Lord, Yahya is your deputy in the earth,

and a vicegerent through whom no hope in You is disappointed.

And caliph about whom no doubt in You arises,

فانصرهُ ياربي وخلّدْ ملكهُ

فانصرهُ ياربي وخلّدْ ملكهُ

ليرى بني ابنا بنيه تركبُ

ليرى بني ابنا بنيه تركبُ

Grant him victory, O my Lord, and make his reign endure,

So aid him, O my Lord, and perpetuate his kingdom,

so he may see the sons of his sons' sons ride.

To see the sons of his sons riding mounts!

واجمع بشملٍ منه شملَ أحبةٍ

واجمع بشملٍ منه شملَ أحبةٍ

يمسي تعدُّ له الليالي وتحسبُ

يمسي تعدُّ له الليالي وتحسبُ

And unite the company of loved ones in a reunion through him,

And unite in harmony from him the harmony of loved ones,

for which the nights are counted and reckoned each evening.

The nights for him counting and reckoned.