سَقى اللهَ الجَزيرةَ من بلادٍ

سَقى اللهَ الجَزيرةَ من بلادٍ

وَوَادىِ الرِّمْثِ من شَجَنِ وَوَادِ

وَوَادىِ الرِّمْثِ من شَجَنِ وَوَادِ

May God water al-Jazira among lands,

God watered the peninsula from the lands,

and Wadi al-Rimth among wooded ravines and valleys,

And the valley of Rimth from passion and valleys,

وأيَاماً سكنَّ اليَّ أُنْساً

وأيَاماً سكنَّ اليَّ أُنْساً

سكونَ المقلتينِ الى الرُّقَادِ

سكونَ المقلتينِ الى الرُّقَادِ

and days that nestled close to me in intimacy,

And days that settled gently with me,

as the two eyes settle into slumber.

The tranquility of the two eyelids to sleep,

تَغَلْغَلَ سُكرُها في أُمِّ رأسي

تَغَلْغَلَ سُكرُها في أُمِّ رأسي

فلم أَعرفْ صَلاحى من فَسَادِى

فلم أَعرفْ صَلاحى من فَسَادِى

Their intoxication permeated the core of my head,

Its drunkenness stirred in the mother of my head,

so I could not tell my soundness from my ruin.

So I did not know my righteousness from my corruption,

أَرى بذلَ التِّلادِ لها قليلاً

أَرى بذلَ التِّلادِ لها قليلاً

ولا أَعتَدُّ عُمرى مِنْ تِلادي

ولا أَعتَدُّ عُمرى مِنْ تِلادي

I deem giving my inherited wealth for them a little thing,

I see giving youth to it is little,

and do not count my lifetime among my inherited possessions.

And I do not count my lifetime from my birth,

كأَنى لا أَظُنُّ العيشَ يَفنى

كأَنى لا أَظُنُّ العيشَ يَفنى

ولا أَنَّ الحياةَ الى نَفَاذِ

ولا أَنَّ الحياةَ الى نَفَاذِ

As though I did not think that living comes to an end,

It's as if I don't think life will vanish,

or that life is headed toward exhaustion.

And that life is bound to run out,

وَحَيَّا اللهُ بالزوراءِ حَيّاً

وَحَيَّا اللهُ بالزوراءِ حَيّاً

سَلبتُ اليهم مَرَحَ الجِيَادِ

سَلبتُ اليهم مَرَحَ الجِيَادِ

And may God bless a clan in al-Zawra:

And may God liven the Zoraa, lively,

on my way to them, I robbed the noble steeds of their friskiness,

I took from them the joy of the steeds,

ونَخْوَةَ وارداتِ الخِمْسِ لَغْواً

ونَخْوَةَ وارداتِ الخِمْسِ لَغْواً

يُطَاوِلْنَ الأسِنَّةَ بالهوَادِي

يُطَاوِلْنَ الأسِنَّةَ بالهوَادِي

and, heedlessly, the pride of camels arriving for their fifth-day watering,

And the vigor of the five visitors foolishly,

whose necks rival spearheads in height.

Prolonging the tongues in the valleys,

كَرَاكِرُ جَمَّةٌ من آلِ حَمْدٍ

كَرَاكِرُ جَمَّةٌ من آلِ حَمْدٍ

وَرِثْنَ المجدَ قبلَ تُراثِ عَادِ

وَرِثْنَ المجدَ قبلَ تُراثِ عَادِ

Numerous great companies from the house of Hamd

Like the boats of the people of Hamd,

inherited glory before the legacy of 'Ad.

Who inherited glory before the inheritance of Aad,

هم قبل البواذجِ من شَرَوَرى

هم قبل البواذجِ من شَرَوَرى

وقبل الهَضْبِ أوَتادُ البِلاَدِ

وقبل الهَضْبِ أوَتادُ البِلاَدِ

They were, before the rocky heights of Sharawra,

They are before the examples of my evils,

and before the highlands, pillars of the land.

And before the plateau, the pegs of the countries,

ولما استبدلتْ بهم الليالى

ولما استبدلتْ بهم الليالى

فَقَدْتُهُم ولم افقدْ وِدَادِي

فَقَدْتُهُم ولم افقدْ وِدَادِي

And when the nights replaced them with others,

And when the nights changed them,

I lost them, but did not lose my affection.

I missed them and did not miss my affection,

هجرتُ الناسَ غيرَهم فَلَجُّوا

هجرتُ الناسَ غيرَهم فَلَجُّوا

مُباينَةً ولجَّ بيَ التَّمَادِي

مُباينَةً ولجَّ بيَ التَّمَادِي

I shunned all people but them; the others persisted

I deserted people other than them so they broke off,

in estrangement, while obstinacy held fast to me.

Differing, and my persistence broke me,

أَدام اللهُ ما خَوَّلْتُمُوهُ

أَدام اللهُ ما خَوَّلْتُمُوهُ

وأَوهنَ كيدُكم كيدَ الأَعادِي

وأَوهنَ كيدُكم كيدَ الأَعادِي

May God perpetuate what you have been granted,

May God sustain what you have authorized,

and may your stratagem weaken your enemies' stratagem.

And weaken the deceit of your enemies like enemies,

فاني لا أزالُ أَلومُ نَفْسى

فاني لا أزالُ أَلومُ نَفْسى

على طُولِ التَّجَنُّبِ والبِعَادِ

على طُولِ التَّجَنُّبِ والبِعَادِ

For I never cease to blame myself

For I still blame myself,

for my long avoidance and estrangement.

For long avoidance and distance,

وأعلم أَنَّ رأْيكمُ سَليمٌ

وأعلم أَنَّ رأْيكمُ سَليمٌ

لمن والاكم وارِي الزنَادِ

لمن والاكم وارِي الزنَادِ

And I know that your judgment is sound,

And I know your opinion is sound,

its firesticks kindling for whoever is loyal to you.

To those loyal to you and the carrier of supplies,

وما اعتاضُ بالأَقوامِ منكم

وما اعتاضُ بالأَقوامِ منكم

وهل يعتاضُ صَدرِى من فُؤادِي

وهل يعتاضُ صَدرِى من فُؤادِي

I take no other people in exchange for you;

And I'm not bothered by the people from you,

and could my breast take a substitute for my heart?

Does my heart get bothered by my love?

فِدَى للاريَحي أَبى عليِّ

فِدَى للاريَحي أَبى عليِّ

وقَلَّ له بأَنْ يَفديهِ فَادِ

وقَلَّ له بأَنْ يَفديهِ فَادِ

May I be a ransom for the openhanded Abu 'Ali,

To Al-Arihi, my father Ali refused,

though whoever ransoms him gives too little for him.

And said to him that he would ransom him,

ضَجيعٌ للهُوَينا لم تُبِتْهُ

ضَجيعٌ للهُوَينا لم تُبِتْهُ

مآربهُ على شَواكِ القَتَادِ

مآربهُ على شَواكِ القَتَادِ

A bedfellow of ease, never made to spend the night

A comrade of Al-Hawina did not spend the night,

by his ambitions on the piercing thorns of the qatad.

His hopes on the thorns of the cushion,

فلم أَرَ مثلَهُ لِدِفاع خَطْبٍ

فلم أَرَ مثلَهُ لِدِفاع خَطْبٍ

وَرقْيَةِ حَيَّةٍ نزلتْ بِوَادِ

وَرقْيَةِ حَيَّةٍ نزلتْ بِوَادِ

I have seen none like him for warding off calamity

So I did not see the likes of him to defend a matter,

and charming a serpent that came down into a valley:

And the charm of a serpent that descended into a valley,

أَمَرُّ مَرَارَةً وأشَدُّ بَطْشا

أَمَرُّ مَرَارَةً وأشَدُّ بَطْشا

وكشفاً للمُلمَّاتِ الشِّدَادِ

وكشفاً للمُلمَّاتِ الشِّدَادِ

more intensely bitter and fiercer in assault,

More bitter in taste and more violent in might,

and stronger at dispelling grievous calamities.

And revealing the atrocities of tyrants,

غنيٌّ حينَ تَطْرُقُهُ لأَمْرٍ

غنيٌّ حينَ تَطْرُقُهُ لأَمْرٍ

عن التَّعْريضِ فيهِ بالمُرَادِ

عن التَّعْريضِ فيهِ بالمُرَادِ

When you call upon him about a matter, he has no need

Rich when matters worry him,

for hints about what you intend in it.

From alluding to them with intent,

فما قِدَمُ التجاربِ قَدَّمَتْهُ

فما قِدَمُ التجاربِ قَدَّمَتْهُ

ولكنَّ السيادةَ في السَّوَادِ

ولكنَّ السيادةَ في السَّوَادِ

It was not long experience that brought him to the fore,

So the steps of experiences did not put him forward,

but lordship lies in the man himself.

But supremacy among the commoners,

جَرَى وَجَرَى الجِيادُ الى مَدَاهُ

جَرَى وَجَرَى الجِيادُ الى مَدَاهُ

فما عَلِقَ الكُوَاديِنُ بالجيَادِ

فما عَلِقَ الكُوَاديِنُ بالجيَادِ

He raced, and thoroughbreds raced toward his mark,

The steeds flowed to their extent,

but the packhorses could not keep pace with the thoroughbreds.

So the valleys did not cling to the steeds,

ولا أغنَتْ شِيَاتٌ مُعْجَبَاتٌ

ولا أغنَتْ شِيَاتٌ مُعْجَبَاتٌ

ولا عُرَرٌ تُضَمَّخُ بالجِسَادِ

ولا عُرَرٌ تُضَمَّخُ بالجِسَادِ

Nor did splendid markings avail,

Nor did the adorned gray horses avail,

nor blemishes smeared with saffron.

Nor the lame ones stained with corpses,

يَروقُكَ صيغةُ الجَفنِ المُحَلى

يَروقُكَ صيغةُ الجَفنِ المُحَلى

ونصلُ السيفِ أوَلى بالِجِلاَدِ

ونصلُ السيفِ أوَلى بالِجِلاَدِ

The workmanship of the ornamented scabbard delights you,

You like the shape of the eyelid when it is adorned,

but the sword's blade is better suited to combat.

And the sword blade is more worthy of skins,

وَشَمَّرَ للمكارمِ شَمَّرِيٌّ

وَشَمَّرَ للمكارمِ شَمَّرِيٌّ

تَبينَ فضلُه عندَ الوِلاَدِ

تَبينَ فضلُه عندَ الوِلاَدِ

A resolute man girded himself for noble deeds,

And he prepared for generosity, a preparer,

whose excellence was clear at birth.

Whose virtue was evident among children,

نمى في دولةِ الملكِ المُرَجَّى

نمى في دولةِ الملكِ المُرَجَّى

كما ينمى النَّباتُ على العِهَادِ

كما ينمى النَّباتُ على العِهَادِ

He grew under the rule of the king in whom hopes are placed,

He grew in the state of the desired king,

as plants grow under successive rains.

As plants grow on poles,

كريمُ الفِعْلِ مطبوعُ السَّجايا

كريمُ الفِعْلِ مطبوعُ السَّجايا

على التوفيقِ فيها والرَّشَادِ

على التوفيقِ فيها والرَّشَادِ

Noble in deed, his disposition is naturally formed

Generous in deed, innate in nature,

for success and right guidance in its ways.

To succeed in it and to guide,

يُعاطينى بَشَاشَتَهُ فَأروَى

يُعاطينى بَشَاشَتَهُ فَأروَى

كما يروى بِبرْدْ الماءِ صَادٍ

كما يروى بِبرْدْ الماءِ صَادٍ

He offers me his cheerful welcome, and I drink my fill,

He gives me his cheerfulness and I quench,

as a thirsty man is quenched by cool water.

As the thirsty are quenched with cool water,

أَقولُ لخائفٍ رَجَّى سِوَاهُ

أَقولُ لخائفٍ رَجَّى سِوَاهُ

فَلَمْ يَظْفَرْ بعزٍّ مستفَادِ

فَلَمْ يَظْفَرْ بعزٍّ مستفَادِ

I say to a fearful man who placed his hopes in another,

I say to a fearful one who hoped for other than Him,

but acquired no strength:

But did not win honorable gains:

اذا واليتَ فانظرْ من تُوالىِ

اذا واليتَ فانظرْ من تُوالىِ

وانْ عاديتَ فانظرْ من تُعَادِي

وانْ عاديتَ فانظرْ من تُعَادِي

If you ally yourself, consider whom you ally with;

If you befriend, then look at who you befriend,

and if you make an enemy, consider whom you oppose.

And if you oppose, then look at who you oppose,

فانَّ العبدَ يأتى الضيمَ طوعاً

فانَّ العبدَ يأتى الضيمَ طوعاً

وانَّ الحُرَّ يأنفُ في الصِّفَادِ

وانَّ الحُرَّ يأنفُ في الصِّفَادِ

For the slave goes willingly to oppression,

For the slave comes harm willingly,

but the free man scorns it even in fetters.

While the freeman disdains shackles,

أَبوكَ ثَنى الجَوامحَ عن هَواهَا

أَبوكَ ثَنى الجَوامحَ عن هَواهَا

وعلّمها مُطَاوعةَ القِيَادِ

وعلّمها مُطَاوعةَ القِيَادِ

Your father turned unruly steeds away from their desires

Your father bent the unruly from their passion,

and taught them obedience to the reins.

And taught them to obey the lead,

وكانَ الملكُ مُضْطراً اليهِ

وكانَ الملكُ مُضْطراً اليهِ

كما أُضْطُرَّ الطِّرافُ الى العِمَادِ

كما أُضْطُرَّ الطِّرافُ الى العِمَادِ

Sovereignty had need of him,

And the king had to resort to him,

as a leather tent has need of its supporting pole.

As the eyelids are compelled to the pillar,

كأَنَّ الناظرينَ اليه رِيْعُوا

كأَنَّ الناظرينَ اليه رِيْعُوا

بِرئبَالٍ من الاسَادِ عَادِ

بِرئبَالٍ من الاسَادِ عَادِ

It was as though those who looked at him were terrified

It is as if those who looked at him were cattle,

by a ravening lion among lions.

Of giants from Aad,

يَسُورُ حِذَارَهُ في العينِ حتى

يَسُورُ حِذَارَهُ في العينِ حتى

يُنَهْنِهُهَا عن النَّظَرِ المُعَادِ

يُنَهْنِهُهَا عن النَّظَرِ المُعَادِ

Dread of him surges in the eye until

Caution flows in the eye until,

it restrains it from looking again.

It deters it from the repeated gaze,

رأَى في الرفقِ كيداً لم يروهُ

رأَى في الرفقِ كيداً لم يروهُ

وكانَ الرفقُ أَدنى للسَّدَادِ

وكانَ الرفقُ أَدنى للسَّدَادِ

He saw in gentleness a stratagem they did not see,

He saw trickery in gentleness that they did not see,

and gentleness came closer to sound judgment.

And gentleness was closest to propriety,

ولم يَتَعَسَّفِ التَّدْبيرَ خَبْطاً

ولم يَتَعَسَّفِ التَّدْبيرَ خَبْطاً

كمن ركبَ الفلاةَ بغيرِ هَادِ

كمن ركبَ الفلاةَ بغيرِ هَادِ

He did not blunder haphazardly in his planning,

He did not arbitrarily manage affairs confusedly,

like one who rode the wilderness without a guide.

Like one who rode into the wilderness without a guide,

يُقَلِّبُ رأْيَهُ كَراً وفَرّاً

يُقَلِّبُ رأْيَهُ كَراً وفَرّاً

كما قَلَّبْتَ رُمْحَكَ في الطِّرَادِ

كما قَلَّبْتَ رُمْحَكَ في الطِّرَادِ

He turns his judgment through advance and retreat,

He turns his opinion again and again,

as you turned your lance in mounted combat.

As you turned your spear in the chase,

فأَبلغْ سيدَ الوزراءِ عَنِّى

فأَبلغْ سيدَ الوزراءِ عَنِّى

مقالةَ ناصحٍ مَحْضٍ الوِدَادِ

مقالةَ ناصحٍ مَحْضٍ الوِدَادِ

So convey on my behalf to the chief of ministers

So convey to the master of ministers from me,

the words of a counselor whose affection is pure:

The speech of an advisor purely affectionate:

أَقِمْ أَودَ الرعيَّةِ غَيرَ وَانٍ

أَقِمْ أَودَ الرعيَّةِ غَيرَ وَانٍ

وكلَّهم اذا لم يجد جادِ

وكلَّهم اذا لم يجد جادِ

Set straight your subjects' crookedness, without flagging,

Set straight the flock without deviation,

and set them all right when no benefactor offers help.

And all of them if you do not find a volunteer,

وان لم يُنهَ أَصغرُهم بقمعٍ

وان لم يُنهَ أَصغرُهم بقمعٍ

فأَكبرُهم أَخفُ الى الفَسَادِ

فأَكبرُهم أَخفُ الى الفَسَادِ

And if the least of them is not restrained by force,

And if their smallest is not deterred by suppression,

the greatest of them will hasten more readily to corruption.

Their greatest is most prone to corruption,

أُحِبُّ بَقاءَ دولتكم وأرَجو

أُحِبُّ بَقاءَ دولتكم وأرَجو

لكم ولها الخلودَ الى التَّنَادِي

لكم ولها الخلودَ الى التَّنَادِي

I love the continuance of your state, and hope

I love the continuance of your state and I hope,

for you and it to endure until the Day of Calling.

For you and it, immortality to eternity,

وأَجهدُ في الولاءِ وليتَ أَنَّى

وأَجهدُ في الولاءِ وليتَ أَنَّى

اذا بالغتُ أَقنعُ باجتهَادِي

اذا بالغتُ أَقنعُ باجتهَادِي

I strive in loyalty; would that I,

And I strive in loyalty, if only I,

when I do my utmost, could be content with my striving.

When exerting, am content with my endeavor,

وكيفَ يمازُ في السَّرَّاءِ غِشَي

وكيفَ يمازُ في السَّرَّاءِ غِشَي

وفي الضَّرَّاءِ قد عُلمَ اعتقادِي

وفي الضَّرَّاءِ قد عُلمَ اعتقادِي

How could deceit be detected in me in prosperity,

And how can a cheat be distinguished in prosperity?

when my conviction has been known in adversity?

In adversity, my belief is known,

أَجبتُ وما دُعيتُ وكنتُ أُدعى

أَجبتُ وما دُعيتُ وكنتُ أُدعى

فلا أُصْغِى الى قَولِ المُنَادِي

فلا أُصْغِى الى قَولِ المُنَادِي

I answered though I was not called; once I used to be called

I responded though not called, and I used to be called,

and would not heed the caller's words.

So I do not listen to the words of the caller,

فهل لك في يَدٍ تَنْتَاشُ حُراً

فهل لك في يَدٍ تَنْتَاشُ حُراً

خفيفَ الظَّهرِ من حِملِ الأَيادِي

خفيفَ الظَّهرِ من حِملِ الأَيادِي

So will you offer a hand to rescue a free man,

Do you have a hand that caresses the free,

whose back is lightly burdened with favors?

Light of burden from the loads of hands?

اذا فُرصُ المطامعِ أَمكنته

اذا فُرصُ المطامعِ أَمكنته

تنكبَ نابلَ السمعِ الجوَادِ

تنكبَ نابلَ السمعِ الجوَادِ

When opportunities for gain presented themselves to him,

When the opportunities of greed enabled him,

he shunned the 'archer of generous hearing' [wording unclear].

He avoided the ear of the generous steed,

رآكَ أَحقَ بالتأميلِ منهم

رآكَ أَحقَ بالتأميلِ منهم

وأَولى بالحِيَاطَةِ والذيَادِ

وأَولى بالحِيَاطَةِ والذيَادِ

He deemed you more worthy of his hopes than they,

He saw you more deserving of favor than them,

and more deserving of protection and defense.

And more qualified for caution and armament,

نصيبٌ من صريحِ المجدِ فُزتُم

نصيبٌ من صريحِ المجدِ فُزتُم

به دونَ الحَواضرِ والبَوَادِي

به دونَ الحَواضرِ والبَوَادِي

A share of pure glory is what you have won,

A share of the essence of glory you have attained,

to the exclusion of town and desert alike.

Through it, beyond cities and deserts,

ومكُرمَةٌ لكم ذُخِرَتْ وصِيْنَتْ

ومكُرمَةٌ لكم ذُخِرَتْ وصِيْنَتْ

تَولى حِفْظَها ربُّ العِبَادِ

تَولى حِفْظَها ربُّ العِبَادِ

And a noble distinction has been stored up and safeguarded for you;

And an honor is reserved for you and protected,

the Lord of His servants has taken charge of its keeping.

The Lord of servants has undertaken its preservation,