مُقَلُ الجَآذِرِ نَبلُها الأَلحاظُ

مُقَلُ الجَآذِرِ نَبلُها الأَلحاظُ

ما إِن لَها فَذَذٌ وَلا أَرعاظُ

ما إِن لَها فَذَذٌ وَلا أَرعاظُ

The eyes of wild-ox calves have glances for arrows,

Tender of root, their glances are its nobility,

with neither fletchings nor arrowhead sockets.

With no waste or branches to them at all.

أَو لَم يَجُرنَ وَقَد مَلَكنَ قُلوبَنا

أَو لَم يَجُرنَ وَقَد مَلَكنَ قُلوبَنا

فَأَلَنَّها وَقُلوبُهُنَّ غِلاظُ

فَأَلَنَّها وَقُلوبُهُنَّ غِلاظُ

And have they not wronged us, having taken possession of our hearts,

Or did they not influence when they possessed our hearts?

then softened them, while their own hearts remain hard?

So they softened them while their own remained harsh.

يا ما لَهُنَّ لَذَعنَ بِالسُرَقِ الَّتي

يا ما لَهُنَّ لَذَعنَ بِالسُرَقِ الَّتي

سَفعُ الحَشا مِن لَذعِهِنَّ شُواظُ

سَفعُ الحَشا مِن لَذعِهِنَّ شُواظُ

Ah, what ails them? They sting with stolen glances,

O how their hidden swarms sting with bites

whose sting scorches the heart with smokeless flame.

Whose pain makes rugged rock shriek out.

لِمَ سَيرُهُنَّ إِذا اِستَفَدن تَعَسُّفٌ

لِمَ سَيرُهُنَّ إِذا اِستَفَدن تَعَسُّفٌ

وَنُفوسُهُنَّ إِذا أَسَرنَ فِظاظُ

وَنُفوسُهُنَّ إِذا أَسَرنَ فِظاظُ

Why is their course so ruthless once they have won us,

Why is their manner when they gain power unjust?

and their souls harsh once they have taken captives?

And their souls when they take captive are wrathful.

النَبلُ يَشوي وَقعهُنَّ وَإِنَّما

النَبلُ يَشوي وَقعهُنَّ وَإِنَّما

يُصمي فَيَقصِدُ وَقعها الأَلحاظُ

يُصمي فَيَقصِدُ وَقعها الأَلحاظُ

The arrows' blows wound without killing, but only

The arrows scorch their impact, but

the blows of glances kill and fell outright.

It is the glances that accurately strike their target.

ما صَدَّهُ وَعظُ النَصيحِ عَنِ الصِبا

ما صَدَّهُ وَعظُ النَصيحِ عَنِ الصِبا

لَكِن نَهاهُ مَشيبُهُ الوَعّاظُ

لَكِن نَهاهُ مَشيبُهُ الوَعّاظُ

The sincere adviser's admonition did not turn him from youthful passion,

He was not turned from his youth by advice’s admonishment,

but his gray hair, ever admonishing, restrained him.

Rather it was his grey hairs, the preachers, that deterred him.

لِأَبي عَلِيٍّ في المَعالي هِمَّةٌ

لِأَبي عَلِيٍّ في المَعالي هِمَّةٌ

تَسمو بِهِ وَخَواطِرٌ أَيقاظُ

تَسمو بِهِ وَخَواطِرٌ أَيقاظُ

Abu Ali has an ambition for lofty distinction

For my father Ali aspirations are lofty,

that bears him upward, and thoughts ever wakeful,

Raising him, and thoughts ever vigilant,

وَشَمائِلٌ ماءُ الحَياءِ مِزاجُها

وَشَمائِلٌ ماءُ الحَياءِ مِزاجُها

وَخَلائِقٌ مَألوفَةٌ وَحِفاظُ

وَخَلائِقٌ مَألوفَةٌ وَحِفاظُ

and qualities blended with the water of modesty,

And manners whose essence is the water of modesty,

and amiable dispositions, and steadfast regard for honor,

And habits familiar and protective,

وَمَكارِمٌ تَرنو إِلى عَليائِها

وَمَكارِمٌ تَرنو إِلى عَليائِها

عَينُ الحَسودِ وَقَلبُهُ مُغتاظُ

عَينُ الحَسودِ وَقَلبُهُ مُغتاظُ

and noble deeds at whose lofty heights gazes

And virtues that rise to their nobility,

the envious man's eye, while his heart seethes with rage.

While the eye of the envious and his heart are enraged.

فَهوَ الرَبيعُ ذُرىً فَداهُ مَعاشِرٌ

فَهوَ الرَبيعُ ذُرىً فَداهُ مَعاشِرٌ

أَنداؤُهُم إِن حُصِّلَت أَوشاظُ

أَنداؤُهُم إِن حُصِّلَت أَوشاظُ

For he is spring on the heights; may peoples be his ransom,

So he is the springtime whose cherished path

whose bounties, if reckoned, are mere scraps.

Their clamor, if gathered, would be discordant.

أَعذِر حَسودَكَ أَن يَبيتَ وَقَلبُهُ

أَعذِر حَسودَكَ أَن يَبيتَ وَقَلبُهُ

لَهفانُ مُستَولٍ عَلَيهِ كِظاظُ

لَهفانُ مُستَولٍ عَلَيهِ كِظاظُ

Excuse your envier for spending the night with his heart

Excuse your envious one if his heart

anguished, overwhelmed by choking grief.

Lies awake, possessed by brooding, consumed by rage.