ما لاِبنة السَّعْدي ما تُسْلَى

ما لاِبنة السَّعْدي ما تُسْلَى

تَبلى مودتُها ولا تَبلَى

تَبلى مودتُها ولا تَبلَى

What is it with al-Sa'di's daughter, never forgotten?

What ails the daughter of Sa'd, that she finds no solace?

Her affection wears out, yet she does not.

Her affection wears out, but does not wear away.

قالتْ سَمعتَ العَذْلَ قلتُ لها

قالتْ سَمعتَ العَذْلَ قلتُ لها

حُباً لذكركِ أَسمعُ العَذْلا

حُباً لذكركِ أَسمعُ العَذْلا

She said, "You listened to reproach." I told her,

She said "Did you hear the censure?" I said "For love of your mention I listen to censure."

"For love of hearing you mentioned, I listen to reproach."

Don't be anxious for your love about virtue.

لا تَجزعي بهواكِ عن عُرُضٍ

لا تَجزعي بهواكِ عن عُرُضٍ

غَلَبَ النَّسَاءُ عليَّ واستَولى

غَلَبَ النَّسَاءُ عليَّ واستَولى

Do not grieve over my love for you: by chance

Women have overcome me and taken control.

forgetfulness prevailed over me and took control.

Youth is a wild colt I have mounted,

انَّ الشبابَ صِبىً أَصبتَ بهِ

انَّ الشبابَ صِبىً أَصبتَ بهِ

وبثكلِهِ دُعيَ الرَّدى ثكلا

وبثكلِهِ دُعيَ الرَّدى ثكلا

Indeed, youth is a passion with which you were smitten;

And because of him, destruction was called a ruin.

and through its loss, death was called bereavement.

Oh how I miss the tryst though days have rendered it vain,

يا حبَّذَا الميعادُ تخلِفُهُ

يا حبَّذَا الميعادُ تخلِفُهُ

أَيام كنتُ للبِّها شُغْلا

أَيام كنتُ للبِّها شُغْلا

How dear the tryst she used to miss,

When I was preoccupied with sending messages.

in the days when I occupied her thoughts!

And the poetry I knew has changed,

وتغيرُ الشَّعْر الذي عَهِدَتْ

وتغيرُ الشَّعْر الذي عَهِدَتْ

قد غيرَ الهِجْرانَ والوَصْلا

قد غيرَ الهِجْرانَ والوَصْلا

And the change in the hair she once knew

Separation and union have changed it.

has altered estrangement and union.

So its whiteness, if it has become motes,

فبياضُه انْ كانَ صارَ قَذَىً

فبياضُه انْ كانَ صارَ قَذَىً

فيما يكون سَوادُه كُحْلاً

فيما يكون سَوادُه كُحْلاً

Its whiteness, if present, has become a mote in the eye,

Is made into kohl by its blackness.

where its blackness would be kohl.

I yearn for a kingdom I was passionate about,

لهفي على مُلكٍ فُجِعْتُ به

لهفي على مُلكٍ فُجِعْتُ به

كان المشيبُ لملكه عضزْلا

كان المشيبُ لملكه عضزْلا

Alas for a kingdom whose loss bereaved me:

When gray hair for his kingdom was but an unkempt lock.

gray hair was the overthrow of its rule.

The rising sun cannot ascend,

ما تستقلُّ الشَّمسُ طالعةً

ما تستقلُّ الشَّمسُ طالعةً

الا ذكرتُ لها بِها مِثْلا

الا ذكرتُ لها بِها مِثْلا

Never does the sun rise aloft

Except that I liken it to her visage.

without my recalling in it a likeness of her.

And stops I have no excuse for, ever,

ومواقفاً لا عُذرَ لي أَبَداً

ومواقفاً لا عُذرَ لي أَبَداً

ان كنتُ أَعلمُ أَيُّها أَجْلى

ان كنتُ أَعلمُ أَيُّها أَجْلى

And scenes—I would have no excuse, ever,

If I know, O most sublime.

if I knew which of them was most vivid.

So sheathe your sword after your audacity,

انْ فُلَّ حدِّي بعدَ جُرأَتِهِ

انْ فُلَّ حدِّي بعدَ جُرأَتِهِ

فالسيفُ مرهوبٌ وانْ فُلاَّ

فالسيفُ مرهوبٌ وانْ فُلاَّ

If my edge is blunted after its daring,

For the sword inspires awe even when sheathed.

a sword is feared even when blunted.

And a young man who assumed the burden of calamity

وفتىً تَحَمَّلَ ثِقلَ نائبةٍ

وفتىً تَحَمَّلَ ثِقلَ نائبةٍ

عنِّي وكان لحملها أَهْلا

عنِّي وكان لحملها أَهْلا

And a young man bore the burden of a calamity

From me, though fit to carry that load.

for me, and was fit to bear it.

My hands were too short for what I have for him,

قضصُرَتْ يدي عمَّا لديَّ له

قضصُرَتْ يدي عمَّا لديَّ له

فرأى عليَّ لنفسهِ الفضْلا

فرأى عليَّ لنفسهِ الفضْلا

My hand fell short of what I owed him,

So he saw for himself the superiority.

so he considered himself to have the advantage over me.

Consider if I had known of it,

أنظر فاني لو شَعَرْتُ بها

أنظر فاني لو شَعَرْتُ بها

لوضعتُ عن سَيْسَائِك الثِّقْلا

لوضعتُ عن سَيْسَائِك الثِّقْلا

Give me time, for had I known of it,

I would have removed the burden from your slender frame.

I would have lifted the burden from your backbone.

And the caprices of fate would have granted me respite,

ولكان ريبُ الدَّهْرِ يُمهلُني

ولكان ريبُ الدَّهْرِ يُمهلُني

لو قلتُ يومئذٍ له مهْلا

لو قلتُ يومئذٍ له مهْلا

And time's adversity would have granted me respite,

If I had said to it then, "grant me respite."

had I said to it that day, "Wait."

And its consequences will follow me,

وعسى عواقبُه ستعقبني

وعسى عواقبُه ستعقبني

فأَزيد أَو أُولي كما أَولَى

فأَزيد أَو أُولي كما أَولَى

And perhaps its outcomes will recompense me,

So I will increase or diminish as it diminished or increased.

so I may give more, or bestow as he bestowed.

The night does not travel with its stars,

الليلُ لا أَسْرى بأَنجمِهِ

الليلُ لا أَسْرى بأَنجمِهِ

لولاي كان بحليها عُطْلا

لولاي كان بحليها عُطْلا

The night—I do not journey by its stars;

Had it not been for her visage adorning it.

without me it would be bare, despite their ornaments.

And I met the dawn, it asked me about it

ولقد لقيتُ الصبحَ يسأَلني

ولقد لقيتُ الصبحَ يسأَلني

عنه فما وليتُ اذْ ولَّى

عنه فما وليتُ اذْ ولَّى

And indeed I met the dawn asking me

So I did not turn away when it turned away.

about it; I did not turn back when it withdrew.

And I built a cairn over calamity,

وبَنَيتُ برداً فوقَ نائبةٍ

وبَنَيتُ برداً فوقَ نائبةٍ

بتنوفةٍ لا تعرف الظِّلاْ

بتنوفةٍ لا تعرف الظِّلاْ

And I fashioned a cloak over adversity,

With a small rock that knows no shade.

in a wilderness that knows no shade.

Its honey bees befriend me,

سِرحانُها العسَّالُ يألَفني

سِرحانُها العسَّالُ يألَفني

كالسهمريِّ يُصاحب النَصْلا

كالسهمريِّ يُصاحب النَصْلا

Its loping wolf grows familiar with me,

Like arrows accompanying pinion feathers.

as a sturdy spear-shaft keeps company with its blade.

Their schemes penetrated so I faced them

نَفَذَتْ مكائدُه فظاهرني

نَفَذَتْ مكائدُه فظاهرني

بالكيدِ اذ عييتُه خَتْلا

بالكيدِ اذ عييتُه خَتْلا

His schemes ran out, so he lent me his aid

With schemes when guile failed me.

in cunning, since I had baffled him by guile.

What is the way to association,

كيف السبيلُ الى مُواصَلةٍ

كيف السبيلُ الى مُواصَلةٍ

تُدني الديارَ وتجمعُ الشَّمْلا

تُدني الديارَ وتجمعُ الشَّمْلا

How can there be a path to reunion

That brings the abode near and unites kin?

that draws the dwellings near and gathers the scattered?

While the Buyids, after their intimacy,

وبنو بويهٍ بعد ألفَتِها

وبنو بويهٍ بعد ألفَتِها

تتعاورُ الخَطِّيَّ والنَبْلا

تتعاورُ الخَطِّيَّ والنَبْلا

While the sons of Buwayh, after their harmony,

Vie in villainy and archery.

exchange Khattian spears and arrows.

It is they who have crammed wars with every

وهم أَزمَّتنَا الذينَ بهم

وهم أَزمَّتنَا الذينَ بهم

نُقتاسُ انْ جِداً وانْ هَزْلا

نُقتاسُ انْ جِداً وانْ هَزْلا

They are our reins, the ones by whom

Young lion that tears apart the billows or is set free.

we measure ourselves, whether in earnest or in jest.

And with every wrongful, wrathful tyrant

لَقحوا الحروبَ بكل مُلْجَمَةٍ

لَقحوا الحروبَ بكل مُلْجَمَةٍ

تَتَقَحَّمُ الغَمراتِ أَو تُخلَى

تَتَقَحَّمُ الغَمراتِ أَو تُخلَى

They made wars pregnant with every bridled mare

They have made him justice among themselves.

that plunges into perilous depths or is let loose.

And with Muhnad, his nature has enriched him

وبكل أظمى جائرٍ حَنِقٍ

وبكل أظمى جائرٍ حَنِقٍ

جعلوه فيما بينهم عَدْلاً

جعلوه فيما بينهم عَدْلاً

And with every dusky spear, unjust and wrathful,

From renewing after him a scabbard.

which they made a just arbiter among themselves.

Arrogance, which makes the forbearing forget

ومهندٍ أغناه طابعه

ومهندٍ أغناه طابعه

عن ان يجدد بعده صَقْلا

عن ان يجدد بعده صَقْلا

And an Indian-steel sword, whose smith spared it

What forbearance holds, so he rides ignorance.

the need to have its polish renewed thereafter.

Succors of Ahmad's nation have overcome

عَصَبِيَّةٌ ينسى الحليمُ لها

عَصَبِيَّةٌ ينسى الحليمُ لها

ما في الاناةِ فيركبُ الجَهْلا

ما في الاناةِ فيركبُ الجَهْلا

A factional zeal for which the forbearing man forgets

The views of men, so be an arbiter for it.

the worth of deliberation, and rides into folly.

Draw near to your brother, and do not obey those

أَغياثَ أُمةِ أَحمدٍ غلبتْ

أَغياثَ أُمةِ أَحمدٍ غلبتْ

رأَيَ الرجِالِ فكن لها فَصْلا

رأَيَ الرجِالِ فكن لها فَصْلا

O succor of Ahmad's community, it has overpowered

Who forbade you to befriend family.

men's judgment; be its decisive arbiter.

Have you considered, if his wish were to approach me,

قاربْ أَخاكَ ولا تطع نفراً

قاربْ أَخاكَ ولا تطع نفراً

منعوكَ أَنْ تتأَلفَ الأَهْلا

منعوكَ أَنْ تتأَلفَ الأَهْلا

Draw close to your brother, and do not obey men

Who would have more right to mourn him?

who kept you from making peace with your kin.

So race to meet water brought to you both,

أَرأَيتَ انْ طَرقَتْ منيَّتُهُ

أَرأَيتَ انْ طَرقَتْ منيَّتُهُ

من ذا يكونُ بثكلهِ أَولَى

من ذا يكونُ بثكلهِ أَولَى

Have you considered: if his death should come by night,

Uplifting the great, and wetting the small.

who would be more entitled to mourn his loss?

Why not, when he came to you confessing

فاستبقِ ماءَ مَطاً جرى بكما

فاستبقِ ماءَ مَطاً جرى بكما

رفعَ الكبيرَ ورشحَ الطِّفْلا

رفعَ الكبيرَ ورشحَ الطِّفْلا

So preserve the water of the loins that flowed through you both,

Sins, make him feel at home?

that raised the elder and nurtured the child.

So refrain from mercy yet have mercy,

هلاَّ وقد وافاكَ معترفاً

هلاَّ وقد وافاكَ معترفاً

بالسيئات أَقلْتَهُ أَهْلا

بالسيئات أَقلْتَهُ أَهْلا

Why, when he came to you confessing

When you saw your dear humbled.

his misdeeds, did you not pardon him as kin?

There is no experience after the old age of a man,

فتكفَّ عن رحمٍ وترحمُها

فتكفَّ عن رحمٍ وترحمُها

لما رأَيتَ عزيزها ذَلاً

لما رأَيتَ عزيزها ذَلاً

Thus you would spare a bond of kinship and show it mercy,

Trials surely mature the mind.

when you saw its honored one brought low.

Leave this one for its closeness a connection,

ما بعدَ شيبِ المرءِ تجربة

ما بعدَ شيبِ المرءِ تجربة

انَّ التجاربَ تعمرُ العَقْلا

انَّ التجاربَ تعمرُ العَقْلا

There is no further lesson after a man's hair turns gray;

And purpose for another that severed the rope.

experiences build up the intellect.

Put the nomads wherever you put them,

دعْ هذهِ لدنوها صِلَةً

دعْ هذهِ لدنوها صِلَةً

واعمدْ لاخرى جَزَتِ الحبْلا

واعمدْ لاخرى جَزَتِ الحبْلا

Leave this bond intact, for its closeness,

They hunt gazelles and small deer.

and turn to another that has cut the rope.

It is as if I see them wink

وضع الأعاربَ حيثما وضعوا

وضع الأعاربَ حيثما وضعوا

تتصيدُ اليُربوعَ والحِسْلا

تتصيدُ اليُربوعَ والحِسْلا

And place the Bedouin Arabs where they placed themselves,

The wink of the squint-eyed, mocking the one-eyed.

hunting the jerboa and the young lizard.

Their elders are erased by their young,

فكأنني بهم وقد غَمَزوا

فكأنني بهم وقد غَمَزوا

غمزَ الثقافِ موارِناً عُصْلا

غمزَ الثقافِ موارِناً عُصْلا

It is as though I see them, already pressed

For the ignorance they brought upon them.

as the straightening tool presses crooked spear-shafts.

Like one stumbling, whose misstep

يَلْحَى كبارَهم صغارُهم

يَلْحَى كبارَهم صغارُهم

فيما جَنوه عليهم جَهْلا

فيما جَنوه عليهم جَهْلا

Their young reproach their elders

Ensnared a foot, so it necessitated a sandal.

for what they inflicted upon them in ignorance.

Be like Sapur, the day he healed

كالعَاثرِ استشرتْ بزلتهِ

كالعَاثرِ استشرتْ بزلتهِ

قَدَمٌ فأَلزَمَ دنبَها النَّعْلا

قَدَمٌ فأَلزَمَ دنبَها النَّعْلا

Like a stumbler, at whose slip grew unruly

The rage in chests and attained kingship.

a foot—yet he laid its fault upon the sandal.

And exiled troops after they had eaten

كُنْ مثلَ سابورٍ غَداةَ شَفَى

كُنْ مثلَ سابورٍ غَداةَ شَفَى

غيظَ الصُّدُورِ وأَدركَ التبْلا

غيظَ الصُّدُورِ وأَدركَ التبْلا

Be like Shapur on the morning he healed

The land of Saad and its people whole.

the fury in breasts and exacted vengeance.

By God, the worth of Sinan, who made

ونفى اِياداً بعدما أَكلوا

ونفى اِياداً بعدما أَكلوا

أَرضَ السوادِ وأَهلَه أَكْلا

أَرضَ السوادِ وأَهلَه أَكْلا

And banished Iyad after they had devoured

Rods and spearheads into gravel.

the land of al-Sawad and its people ravenously.

It passed the generous, rising,

لله درُّ سنابِكٍ جَعَلَتْ

لله درُّ سنابِكٍ جَعَلَتْ

رضم المخارم والصُّوى رَمْلا

رضم المخارم والصُّوى رَمْلا

God bless the hoofs that turned

As if it had severed its rope through him.

the stone heaps of mountain passes and the cairns into sand.

Follow them, and despite their cunning,

مرتْ على الجُودي طَالِعَةً

مرتْ على الجُودي طَالِعَةً

وكأَنما قطعتْ به حَبْلا

وكأَنما قطعتْ به حَبْلا

They passed over al-Judi, climbing,

Twenty thousand adolescent recruits.

as though there they had crossed only a sand-ridge.

And it set out to Najd, leaving no

لحقوهم وعلى مهارتِهم

لحقوهم وعلى مهارتِهم

عشرون أَلفَ مراهقٍ عُزْلا

عشرون أَلفَ مراهقٍ عُزْلا

They overtook them, and upon their young horses

Branch for its inhabitants, or root.

were twenty thousand adolescents, unarmed.

Days when they were like dogs in it,

وَسَمَتْ الى نجدٍ فما تركتْ

وَسَمَتْ الى نجدٍ فما تركتْ

فرعاً لساكنِهِ ولا أَصْلا

فرعاً لساكنِهِ ولا أَصْلا

And they rose toward Najd, leaving

While the Banu Uqayl herded camels.

neither branch nor root for its inhabitants.

All delighted by his misery,

أَيام كانت كالكلابِ بهِ

أَيام كانت كالكلابِ بهِ

وبنو عُقيلٍ تعقِل الاِبْلا

وبنو عُقيلٍ تعقِل الاِبْلا

In the days when they were like dogs there,

The best of lands to him is the most barren.

and the sons of Uqayl hobbled the camels.

They love their brother with half his urine,

من كلِّ مسرورٍ بشقوته

من كلِّ مسرورٍ بشقوته

خيرُ المواطنِ عنده الأَخلى

خيرُ المواطنِ عنده الأَخلى

Each one delighted in his misery,

If he honors the riding beast or makes it kneel.

the best dwelling, to him, the most deserted.

And the thirsty one counts it generosity,

يَحبو أَخاه بشطر بولتهِ

يَحبو أَخاه بشطر بولتهِ

انْ عزَّ ماءُ الركبِ أَوقَلاَّ

انْ عزَّ ماءُ الركبِ أَوقَلاَّ

He gifts his brother half his urine

While the lowly is not made more lowly by lowness.

if the caravan's water is hard to find or runs low.

Reform your tribes, they have surely spoiled,

ويَعُدُّها الظمآنُ مكرمةً

ويَعُدُّها الظمآنُ مكرمةً

والرذلُ لا يستزذلُ الرَّذْلا

والرذلُ لا يستزذلُ الرَّذْلا

And the thirsty man counts it a noble favor;

By that you reform the knot and solution.

and a base man does not deem baseness base.

أَصلح أُهيلَكَ اِنَّهُمْ فَسَدُوا

أَصلح أُهيلَكَ اِنَّهُمْ فَسَدُوا

تُصلحْ بذاكَ العَقدَ والحَلا

تُصلحْ بذاكَ العَقدَ والحَلا

Set your dear kin right; they have grown corrupt:

thus you will set right both binding and unbinding.