أَغباوةٌ بالعُربِ والعَجَمِ

أَغباوةٌ بالعُربِ والعَجَمِ

أَم كلُّهم اِلْبٌ على ظُلْمِي

أَم كلُّهم اِلْبٌ على ظُلْمِي

Is it stupidity among Arabs and non-Arabs,

Ignorance among Arabs and non-Arabs alike,

or are they all allied in wronging me?

Or are they all unjust towards my darkness?

زَعَموا بأَنْ لا عيبَ في كَلِمي

زَعَموا بأَنْ لا عيبَ في كَلِمي

الا اختصارُ النثْرِ والنَظْمِ

الا اختصارُ النثْرِ والنَظْمِ

They claimed there was no fault in my words

They claimed my words were flawless,

except the brevity of my prose and verse.

Except for brevity of prose and verse.

انْ قلَّ دلَّ على المرادِ فلمْ

انْ قلَّ دلَّ على المرادِ فلمْ

يبعدْ على المتبلّدِ الفدْمِ

يبعدْ على المتبلّدِ الفدْمِ

If brief, it conveys the intended meaning, and so

If the heart's longing was expressed concisely,

is not beyond the dull-witted dolt.

What harm to convey meaning to the confounded?

ما الطولُ انْ أوضحتَ في قِصَرٍ

ما الطولُ انْ أوضحتَ في قِصَرٍ

مما يزيدُ أَخاكَ في الفهْمِ

مما يزيدُ أَخاكَ في الفهْمِ

Length, if you have made things clear in brief,

Brevity that elucidates is better,

adds nothing to your brother's understanding.

Than causing confusion with more words.

لا يلحقونَ بجريهم خَبَبي

لا يلحقونَ بجريهم خَبَبي

أَو يلحقُ الدَّبَرانُ بالنجْمِ

أَو يلحقُ الدَّبَرانُ بالنجْمِ

Their running cannot catch my trot,

They cannot equal my speed,

unless Aldebaran can catch the Pleiades.

Nor can the pursuer match the star.

شاع النفاقُ فما أرَى أَحداً

شاع النفاقُ فما أرَى أَحداً

يُبدي الرضا الاَّ على رَغْمِ

يُبدي الرضا الاَّ على رَغْمِ

Hypocrisy has spread; I see no one

Hypocrisy has spread, I see no one,

showing approval except unwillingly.

Expressing satisfaction, except resentfully.

ما لي سِوى السَّيْفِ الحُسَامِ أخٌ

ما لي سِوى السَّيْفِ الحُسَامِ أخٌ

للهِ ما وَلَدَتْ به أُميِّ

للهِ ما وَلَدَتْ به أُميِّ

I have no brother but the keen-edged sword:

I have nothing but a sharp sword, a brother,

God be praised for what my mother bore!

By God, not born of my mother.

يَحمى ولا تُحمى مضاربُه

يَحمى ولا تُحمى مضاربُه

كم بينَ من يُحمى ومن يَحمِي

كم بينَ من يُحمى ومن يَحمِي

It protects, though its striking edges are not protected;

It protects but is not protected,

what a gulf between the protected and the protector!

Between the protected and the protector lies much difference.

لاقيتُ بعدكم صَمَامِ ومَنْ

لاقيتُ بعدكم صَمَامِ ومَنْ

لاقى صَمَامِ يقلْ لها صَمّي

لاقى صَمَامِ يقلْ لها صَمّي

After you, I met Samam, dire calamity; whoever

After you I met those who were deaf,

meets Samam tells her, 'Strike your hardest!'

And whoever meets the deaf, should pretend deafness.

ومدحتُ قوماً لو شَتَمتُهم

ومدحتُ قوماً لو شَتَمتُهم

حاشى عُلاي لزانَهم شَتْمِي

حاشى عُلاي لزانَهم شَتْمِي

I praised people whom, had I insulted them—

I praised a people, had I blamed them,

far be it from my lofty standing—my insults would have adorned.

I would have avoided insulting their sheepishness.

مُدِحوا فما ارتاحوا وذمهم

مُدِحوا فما ارتاحوا وذمهم

قومٌ فما جَزِعوا من الذَّمِّ

قومٌ فما جَزِعوا من الذَّمِّ

They were praised but felt no delight; they were censured by

They were praised but did not find comfort,

others, yet felt no anguish at the censure.

And their criticism did not upset them.

ولقد لبستُهُمُ على جَرَبٍ

ولقد لبستُهُمُ على جَرَبٍ

وكظمتُ لو يَرضونَ بالكظْمِ

وكظمتُ لو يَرضونَ بالكظْمِ

I wore them despite their mange,

I endured them with patience,

and swallowed my anger—if only they would accept restraint—

And suppressed my anger if they were content with suppression.

من بعدِ ما جاروا وما ظَلموا

من بعدِ ما جاروا وما ظَلموا

وأَتوا مُسَالمتي على الظُّلْمِ

وأَتوا مُسَالمتي على الظُّلْمِ

after they acted unjustly and did wrong,

After they wronged and oppressed,

and sought peace with me on unjust terms.

They came to make peace with me over their injustice.

هلاَّ وفي الأَغمادِ مُرْهَفَةٌ

هلاَّ وفي الأَغمادِ مُرْهَفَةٌ

كَمَنتْ كمونَ العَزمِ في الهَمِّ

كَمَنتْ كمونَ العَزمِ في الهَمِّ

Why, while keen blades lay in their scabbards,

My blades remain sheathed,

hidden as resolve lies within intent,

As intention lies dormant within anxiety.

والسَّمهريةُ في مراكزها

والسَّمهريةُ في مراكزها

طلبَ الاقالةَ قارفُ الكَلْمِ

طلبَ الاقالةَ قارفُ الكَلْمِ

and the hard spears stood in their rests,

And the Samārid in their abodes,

did the wound's perpetrator not ask for pardon?

Seeking dismissal for the silent one’s misdeeds.

فالآنَ اذْ وَقَعَتْ مواقعُها

فالآنَ اذْ وَقَعَتْ مواقعُها

يوجونَ بعد نُدوبَها سِلْمِي

يوجونَ بعد نُدوبَها سِلْمِي

But now that their blows have struck home,

Now their positions have been realized,

they [apparently] hope for peace with me after their scars.

They come after their wounds to make peace with me.

لو جئتُ أَبغي البرءَ في جُشَمٍ

لو جئتُ أَبغي البرءَ في جُشَمٍ

يوماً لأَغْدُرَهُ على سُقْمِي

يوماً لأَغْدُرَهُ على سُقْمِي

If I came seeking healing among Jusham

If I sought exoneration regarding their aggression,

one day, I would abandon it, still in my illness;

I would betray it one day when my sickness passes.

أَو أَنْ أَخُصَّ بها بَني مطرٍ

أَو أَنْ أَخُصَّ بها بَني مطرٍ

ذادوا العِدَى بفواهقٍ فُقْمِ

ذادوا العِدَى بفواهقٍ فُقْمِ

or if I singled out the sons of Matar for it,

Or if I particularly supported the tribe of Maṭar,

they would drive foes off with broad, gaping wounds.

They repelled injustice with eloquent mouths.

مَن يلقَهم يلقَ الطعانَ على ال

مَن يلقَهم يلقَ الطعانَ على ال

لباتِ قبلَ ورودِه يُدْمِي

لباتِ قبلَ ورودِه يُدْمِي

Whoever meets them meets spear-thrusts upon the

Whoever faces them, faces the slanderer

upper chests, drawing blood before his arrival.

At the watering places, before they arrive to shed his blood.

قوم يُراعونَ الوحوشَ فما

قوم يُراعونَ الوحوشَ فما

تَدنو مخاطِمُهُم من الخَطْمِ

تَدنو مخاطِمُهُم من الخَطْمِ

A people who watch over wild beasts, so

A people who watch over beasts, so they

their muzzles never approach nose-reins.

Do not approach their reserved pastures.

يقرون زادَهم الضيوف ويح

يقرون زادَهم الضيوف ويح

مونَ المضافَ من الردَى الحَتْمِ

مونَ المضافَ من الردَى الحَتْمِ

They feed guests their provisions, and

They prepare provisions for guests and protect

protect those given refuge from certain death.

The hosted from vile certainty.

منعُ الذِّمارِ أَجلُّ مكرمَةٍ

منعُ الذِّمارِ أَجلُّ مكرمَةٍ

وأَجلُّ منه البذلُ في العُدْمِ

وأَجلُّ منه البذلُ في العُدْمِ

Defending one's charge is the noblest honorable deed;

To withhold reproach is the greatest honor,

nobler still is giving in poverty.

And greater than it is generosity in scarcity.

وكلاهما هبةُ الحياةِ لدى ال

وكلاهما هبةُ الحياةِ لدى ال

هيجاءِ والايثار بالطَّعْمِ

هيجاءِ والايثار بالطَّعْمِ

Both are gifts of life: amid

Both are life’s gifts in the view of

battle, and in selfless sharing of food.

The vivacious, and preference with provision.

لا جودَ يتلو ما بِهِ بدَأوا

لا جودَ يتلو ما بِهِ بدَأوا

هلْ ثالثٌ للروحِ والجِسْمِ

هلْ ثالثٌ للروحِ والجِسْمِ

No generosity follows what they began with;

No generosity remains after what they began with,

is there a third beyond spirit and body?

Can there be a third for the soul and body?

بالبيتِ أَحلِفُ والألى رَفَعُوا

بالبيتِ أَحلِفُ والألى رَفَعُوا

أَحجَارَهُ رَضْماً على رَضْمِ

أَحجَارَهُ رَضْماً على رَضْمِ

By the House I swear, and by those who raised

I swear by the house whose stones

its stones, pile upon pile;

They raised, adding one stone upon another.

وولاة عبدِ الدارِ تَحجبُهُ

وولاة عبدِ الدارِ تَحجبُهُ

اِلا من التطوافِ واللثْمِ

اِلا من التطوافِ واللثْمِ

and by the custodians of Abd al-Dar, who screen it

And the rulers of Allah's house forbid him

from all but circling and kissing;

Except from circumambulation and touching.

والرَّاقِصَاتِ بكلِّ لامِعَةٍ

والرَّاقِصَاتِ بكلِّ لامِعَةٍ

يمسحنَها بمناسِمِ خُثْمِ

يمسحنَها بمناسِمِ خُثْمِ

and by the dancing camels on every gleaming waste,

And the female dancers in their shining clothes

sweeping it with broad, blunt footpads:

Wipe it with the edges of their sleeves.

ما كان كابنِ المَرزُبانِ ولا

ما كان كابنِ المَرزُبانِ ولا

فيما يكونُ أَخالُ في العُجْمِ

فيما يكونُ أَخالُ في العُجْمِ

None has been like Ibn al-Marzuban, nor,

It was not like Ibn al-Marzuban's nor

I think, will there be among the non-Arabs,

Will its equal be found among the non-Arabs.

أَحمَى لداعٍ فرَّ اخوتُه

أَحمَى لداعٍ فرَّ اخوتُه

عنه وأجبرُ منه للعَظْمِ

عنه وأجبرُ منه للعَظْمِ

a stauncher defender of one whose brothers fled

More protective of one who appeals, when his brothers

from him, or one better than he at mending bones.

Abandon him, and more compelled than him towards glory.

يَزْدَ انَفَاذَارٌ وأَيُّهُمُ

يَزْدَ انَفَاذَارٌ وأَيُّهُمُ

في العَزمِ يُشْبِهُهُ وفي الحَزْمِ

في العَزمِ يُشْبِهُهُ وفي الحَزْمِ

Yazdanafadhar—who among them

Increase oh Nufādhār, and which of them

resembles him in resolve and sound judgment?

Resembles you in resolve and discretion?

ضِرغامةٌ يغدو على حَنَقٍ

ضِرغامةٌ يغدو على حَنَقٍ

فيصيبُ من لاقى بلا جُرْمِ

فيصيبُ من لاقى بلا جُرْمِ

A lion who sets out in rage,

A grumbling band that sets out at daybreak

striking whoever he meets, though guiltless;

And meets whoever it encounters without crime.

أشبالُه في الغَيلِ طاويةٌ

أشبالُه في الغَيلِ طاويةٌ

قدْ عُوِّدَتْ لحماً على لَحْمِ

قدْ عُوِّدَتْ لحماً على لَحْمِ

his cubs lie hungry in the thicket,

Its cubs in the thickets ready to pounce,

accustomed to flesh upon flesh.

Trained to feast on flesh over flesh.

أَوْحَيَّةٌ تُحْيي حميَّته

أَوْحَيَّةٌ تُحْيي حميَّته

وتُميتُ عن تُمتَاهُ بالشَّمِ

وتُميتُ عن تُمتَاهُ بالشَّمِ

Or a serpent whose protective ardor gives life,

Snarling she-wolves who revive his zeal

and kills by scent [middle wording unclear].

And kill those they suspect with their fangs.

أو كالسِّماكِ تَخَالُهُ قَبَساً

أو كالسِّماكِ تَخَالُهُ قَبَساً

في الأفقِ وهو الأَرضُ في العَظْمِ

في الأفقِ وهو الأَرضُ في العَظْمِ

Or like al-Simak: you take him for a flame

As the fish takes the mirage for a torch

on the horizon, yet in magnitude he is the earth.

In the horizon, while it remains on land.

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ تَنْدَى اذا كبتوا

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ تَنْدَى اذا كبتوا

أَقلامهم بالأَرْي والسَّمِ

أَقلامهم بالأَرْي والسَّمِ

From a people whose pens, when they vanquish,

A people who excel when they dip

grow moist with honey and poison.

Their pens in saliva and poison.

لم يقو ذو القرنين حين سَما

لم يقو ذو القرنين حين سَما

الاَّ بطَاقَتِهمْ على الرُّدْمِ

الاَّ بطَاقَتِهمْ على الرُّدْمِ

Dhu al-Qarnayn, when he rose, had no strength

Only with their power did he who possessed two horns prevail

to raise the rampart except through their might.

When he ascended, upon the mound.

نزلوا بواسطةٍ البلادَ فهم

نزلوا بواسطةٍ البلادَ فهم

يحمونَ عنها بالقَنا الصمِ

يحمونَ عنها بالقَنا الصمِ

They settled at the heart of the land, and they

They descended into the cities of Wāsiṭ, they

defend it with solid-shafted spears.

Protect it with the bridge over the marsh.

هم فجَّروا الأنهارَ طائعةً

هم فجَّروا الأنهارَ طائعةً

فيها وراضوا الخيلَ باللجمِ

فيها وراضوا الخيلَ باللجمِ

They made the rivers burst forth obediently

They made the rivers flow submissively,

there, and trained horses with bridles.

And satisfied the horses with fodder.

فالرومُ منهم حين تطلبهم

فالرومُ منهم حين تطلبهم

والهِنْدُ بين الحدسِ والعزمِ

والهِنْدُ بين الحدسِ والعزمِ

So, because of them, the Romans, when seeking them,

So Rome asks after them

and the Indians hover between conjecture and resolve.

And India deliberates and resolves.

طردوا الليالي عن طوادثِها

طردوا الليالي عن طوادثِها

ومشوا على الطوفانِ في اليَمِ

ومشوا على الطوفانِ في اليَمِ

They drove the nights away from their [calamities],

They dispelled the nights from their misfortunes,

and walked upon the flood in the sea.

And walked upon the deluge in the depths.

وهم بنُو الأَحْرارِ طِفلُهُمُ

وهم بنُو الأَحْرارِ طِفلُهُمُ

يَغنَى بِنِسْبَتِهِ عن الاسْمِ

يَغنَى بِنِسْبَتِهِ عن الاسْمِ

They are the sons of the free; their child

They are the sons of the noble, their child

needs no name beyond his lineage.

Sings his lineage instead of his name.

أنتَ المحامي عن ذمارِهم

أنتَ المحامي عن ذمارِهم

والجهلُ مندرعُ على الحِلْمِ

والجهلُ مندرعُ على الحِلْمِ

You are the defender of their honor,

You are the advocate for their singers,

while rashness is armored against forbearance.

While ignorance is armored with patience.

ولك الثلاثةُ من بيوتهم

ولك الثلاثةُ من بيوتهم

عند القضاءِ وفيصلِ الحُكْمِ

عند القضاءِ وفيصلِ الحُكْمِ

And yours are the three of their houses,

Three are yours among their houses,

at judgment and the decisive verdict.

During litigation and the judiciary’s decision.

ما زلتَ تنفي الضرَّ عن جَسدِي

ما زلتَ تنفي الضرَّ عن جَسدِي

حتى نفيتُ الشكَّ عن وَهْمِي

حتى نفيتُ الشكَّ عن وَهْمِي

You never ceased driving harm from my body

You never ceased to avert harm from my body

until I drove doubt from my mind.

Until I dispelled doubt from my mind.

وحسِبتُ ظِلَّكَ فيَّ هاجرةً

وحسِبتُ ظِلَّكَ فيَّ هاجرةً

فاذا ظِلالُ مقاطفِ الكَرْمِ

فاذا ظِلالُ مقاطفِ الكَرْمِ

I thought your shade upon me was scorching noon,

I reckoned your shadow upon me an emigrant,

but behold, the shade of grape-harvest baskets!

As it were the shadows of robes of generosity.

سقياً لتربةِ أصبهانَ فقد

سقياً لتربةِ أصبهانَ فقد

خُصَّتْ بكل سَمَيْدَعٍ قَرمِ

خُصَّتْ بكل سَمَيْدَعٍ قَرمِ

May rain water Isfahan's soil, for it

Irrigator of the soil of Isfahan, it

has been favored with every noble, mighty chief,

Was endowed with every palm tree laden with fruit.

تُغني عن المأثورِ لَفْظتُهُ

تُغني عن المأثورِ لَفْظتُهُ

وتنوبُ لحظتُهُ عن السَّهْمِ

وتنوبُ لحظتُهُ عن السَّهْمِ

whose utterance dispenses with the patterned sword,

Your utterance supersedes the proverbial,

and whose glance takes the place of an arrow.

And your glance supersedes the arrow.