لله من يوم بليت بصاحب

لله من يوم بليت بصاحب

ضخم الخليفة كالهزبر الضاري

ضخم الخليفة كالهزبر الضاري

God, what a day it was when I was afflicted with a fellow,

Since the day I was afflicted by a companion

massive in build, like a ferocious lion.

With a big ego like a raging lion

وغدا عليّ بأمره متحكماً

وغدا عليّ بأمره متحكماً

كتحكم الحجّاج في الأنصار

كتحكم الحجّاج في الأنصار

And he began imposing his commands on me,

And he became controlling over me in his command

as al-Hajjaj ruled over the Ansar.

Like al-Hajjaj's control over al-Ansar

إني أريد لك الشفاء وربّما

إني أريد لك الشفاء وربّما

كان الشفاء بلسعة من نار

كان الشفاء بلسعة من نار

“I want healing for you, and perhaps

I wish you healing, and perhaps

healing lies in a sting of fire.

The healing could be by a sting of fire

إياك أن تبدي حراكا واصطبر

إياك أن تبدي حراكا واصطبر

فالصبر يا ذا شيمة الأحرار

فالصبر يا ذا شيمة الأحرار

Do not stir at all; bear it patiently,

Beware of making any move, and be patient

for patience, O man, is the virtue of free men.”

For patience is the trait of the noble ones

الله أكبر حين قام مشمراً

الله أكبر حين قام مشمراً

كابن الزبيبة قاصد العمّار

كابن الزبيبة قاصد العمّار

God is greatest! When he rose with sleeves rolled up,

God is Greater when he stood up ready

like Ibn al-Zabiba, intent on the worshippers.

Like Ibn al-Zubayr heading to al-Ammar

وأتى بميسمه العريض ولونه

وأتى بميسمه العريض ولونه

كلسان طير أو بريق شرار

كلسان طير أو بريق شرار

And he brought his broad branding iron, its color

And he came with his wide-bladed sword that was colored

like a bird's tongue or the flash of sparks.

Like the tongue of a bird or the glint of sparks

فأكب مني الركبتين وكفّه

فأكب مني الركبتين وكفّه

صخر يعانق جذوة من نار

صخر يعانق جذوة من نار

Then he pressed down my knees, and his palm

So he bent my knees and his palm was

was rock embracing a glowing brand of fire.

A rock embracing a spark of fire

يا ويح جسمي حين ذاق سعيره

يا ويح جسمي حين ذاق سعيره

وأصرَّ فيه بشدة وقرار

وأصرَّ فيه بشدة وقرار

Alas for my body when it tasted its blazing heat,

Oh woe to my body when it tasted his hellfire

and he kept at it with force and steadiness.

And he was severe and determined with it

فعرفت من وادي السعير مقامه

فعرفت من وادي السعير مقامه

وسطقت أهذي كتلة من قار

وسطقت أهذي كتلة من قار

So I knew his place in the valley of blazing fire,

So I knew his position from hellfire valley

and I fell raving—a lump of pitch.

And I poured out my cheeks like a piece of tar

إن كان مالك خازن دار اللظى

إن كان مالك خازن دار اللظى

فحمدان خازنها بهذي الدار

فحمدان خازنها بهذي الدار

If Malik is keeper of the abode of flame,

If Malik is the keeper of the abode of agony

then Hamdan is its keeper in this world.

Then Hamdan is its keeper in this house

هلاّ تراه بها يعذّب قومه

هلاّ تراه بها يعذّب قومه

لا يعرف الأبرار من فجّار

لا يعرف الأبرار من فجّار

Do you not see him there tormenting his people,

If only you could see him torturing his people there

not distinguishing the righteous from the wicked?

Unable to distinguish the good from the evil

عفواً أخي فلقد قصدت دعابة

عفواً أخي فلقد قصدت دعابة

فحذار منك مدى الحياة حذار

فحذار منك مدى الحياة حذار

Forgive me, my brother; I meant it as a joke.

Sorry brother, I only meant it as a joke

So I must beware of you all my life—beware!

So beware of me for life, beware

الطين عندهم علاج نافع

الطين عندهم علاج نافع

يشفي البطين وكل ذي إضرار

يشفي البطين وكل ذي إضرار

Clay, in their view, is a useful remedy,

Mud to them is effective medicine

healing the potbellied and everyone who suffers harm.

That heals the abdomen and all harm

يا ويحهم لو عُلِّموا فتعلّموا

يا ويحهم لو عُلِّموا فتعلّموا

لكن دار الجهل دار بوار

لكن دار الجهل دار بوار

Alas for them! If only they were taught and learned!

Oh woe to them, if only they were taught and learned

But the abode of ignorance is an abode of ruin.

But the abode of ignorance is a barren abode