قَطَّعتُهُ يَوماً وَلَيسَ يُطيعُهُ

قَطَّعتُهُ يَوماً وَلَيسَ يُطيعُهُ

هَيهاتَ إِنَّ قَناتَهُ لَم تُمضَغِ

هَيهاتَ إِنَّ قَناتَهُ لَم تُمضَغِ

I cut him to pieces one day, yet he does not obey him.

I once severed it, though it would not obey,

Far from it! His spear-shaft has not been chewed.

Alas, its canal was not yet fully formed.

ظَلَّت تُخَوِّفُني لِقاءَ مَنيَّتي

ظَلَّت تُخَوِّفُني لِقاءَ مَنيَّتي

فَأُحِلُّها يا هِندُ مِمّا أَبتَغي

فَأُحِلُّها يا هِندُ مِمّا أَبتَغي

She kept frightening me with the prospect of meeting my death.

It kept frightening me with the specter of my death,

So I release it, O Hind, from what I seek.

So unload it, O Hind, of what I seek.

وَأَطَلتِ بي سَفَرَ المَلامَةِ وَالأَذى

وَأَطَلتِ بي سَفَرَ المَلامَةِ وَالأَذى

فَاِثني الرِكابَ هُنيدَ أَن تَتَبَلَّغي

فَاِثني الرِكابَ هُنيدَ أَن تَتَبَلَّغي

And you have prolonged for me the journey of reproach and harm.

And you dragged me into the journey of blame and harm,

So turn the riding camels back, Hunayd, that you may reach your goal.

So rein in your mount, O Hind, lest you attain it.

صَيري إِلى عُذري فَإِنّي مُشتَرٍ

صَيري إِلى عُذري فَإِنّي مُشتَرٍ

بِالجودِ مِن جودِ الإِلَهِ الأَسبَغِ

بِالجودِ مِن جودِ الإِلَهِ الأَسبَغِ

Accept my excuse, for I am buying

Turn to my excuse, for I bargain

with generosity, a share of God's most abundant bounty.

Generosity for the generosity of the Bountiful God.

يا مَن يُناجي صَعبَةً في نَفسِهِ

يا مَن يُناجي صَعبَةً في نَفسِهِ

وَيَدُبُّ مِن تَحتِ الأَفاعي اللُدغِ

وَيَدُبُّ مِن تَحتِ الأَفاعي اللُدغِ

O one who whispers to a troublesome thought within himself,

O you who confides in a disobedient soul

and creeps from beneath the biting vipers,

And crawls beneath treacherous snakes' bites.

وَيَبيتُ يُنهِضُ زَفرَةً في صَدرِهِ

وَيَبيتُ يُنهِضُ زَفرَةً في صَدرِهِ

مِنّي فَإِن دَمِيَت جِراحي يُولَغِ

مِنّي فَإِن دَمِيَت جِراحي يُولَغِ

and spends the night raising a sigh within his breast

Who spends the night rousing sighs in his chest,

because of me—if my wounds bleed, he is made to lap them;

My blood will heal my wounds if shed.

وَيَظَلُّ مُنتَهِكاً لِعِرضي آمِناً

وَيَظَلُّ مُنتَهِكاً لِعِرضي آمِناً

وَيُسَرُّ حينَ يَخافُ حُسنَ المَربَغِ

وَيُسَرُّ حينَ يَخافُ حُسنَ المَربَغِ

and goes on violating my honor, feeling safe,

And he remains violating my honor, secure,

and rejoices when he fears the beauty of the lush pasture.

Happy when he fears the beauty of silk.

نَغِلَت ضَمائِرُ صَدرِهِ مِن دائِهِ

نَغِلَت ضَمائِرُ صَدرِهِ مِن دائِهِ

نَغلَ الإِهابِ مُعَطَّلاً لَم يُدبَغِ

نَغلَ الإِهابِ مُعَطَّلاً لَم يُدبَغِ

The hidden thoughts of his breast have rotted from his disease,

The consciences of his chest are dyed with his disease,

like a neglected hide rotting, left untanned.

Dyed like undyed hides.

لا تَبتَغي مِنّي الَّتي لا أَبتَغي

لا تَبتَغي مِنّي الَّتي لا أَبتَغي

إِن كُنتَ مَشغولاً بِشَأني فَاِفرَغِ

إِن كُنتَ مَشغولاً بِشَأني فَاِفرَغِ

Do not seek from me what I do not seek.

Do not seek from me what I do not seek.

If you are occupied with my affairs, then free yourself.

If you are busy with my affairs, then make yourself free.

أَنهاكَ غَيرَ مُعاتِبٍ عَن خَطَّةٍ

أَنهاكَ غَيرَ مُعاتِبٍ عَن خَطَّةٍ

حَزنٍ مُقَوِّمَةٍ زُيوغَ الزُيَّغِ

حَزنٍ مُقَوِّمَةٍ زُيوغَ الزُيَّغِ

I warn you, without reproach, against a course

You tire me without reproach for a misstep -

rugged, straightening the crookedness of the wayward.

Sorrow that straightens the crooked.

عِندي لِأَبناءِ السَخائِمِ وَطأَةٌ

عِندي لِأَبناءِ السَخائِمِ وَطأَةٌ

تَرمي رُؤوسَهُمُ إِذا لَم تَدمَغِ

تَرمي رُؤوسَهُمُ إِذا لَم تَدمَغِ

I have a crushing tread for the sons of rancor,

I have severity towards the sons of wickedness

that hurls their heads away if it does not crush their brains.

That would strike their heads if they are not dyed.

وَيَخافُ شَيطانُ النِفاقِ مَواقِفي

وَيَخافُ شَيطانُ النِفاقِ مَواقِفي

وَإِذا رَآني حاضِراً لَم يَنزَغِ

وَإِذا رَآني حاضِراً لَم يَنزَغِ

And the devil of hypocrisy fears my stances;

And the devil of hypocrisy fears my stances -

and when he sees me present, he does not incite discord.

If he sees me present, he will not pull.

يُعطي العِنانَ إِذا رَآهُ رَأسَهُ

يُعطي العِنانَ إِذا رَآهُ رَأسَهُ

طَوعاً وَيُعطي سَوطَهُ ما يَبتَغي

طَوعاً وَيُعطي سَوطَهُ ما يَبتَغي

He gives his head to the reins when he sees him,

He voluntarily gives the rein when he sees his head,

willingly, and gives his whip whatever it seeks.

And gives his whip what it seeks.

وَكَأَنَّما شُقَّت عَلَيهِ غُلالَةٌ

وَكَأَنَّما شُقَّت عَلَيهِ غُلالَةٌ

بَيضاءُ مِن زُبَرِ الحَديدِ المُفرَغِ

بَيضاءُ مِن زُبَرِ الحَديدِ المُفرَغِ

And as though a thin tunic had been cut for him,

And it is as if white shackles of forged iron

white, from chunks of cast iron.

Were forced upon him.