إلى كم حبسُها تشكو المضيقا

إلى كم حبسُها تشكو المضيقا

أثِرْها ربّما وجدتْ طريقا

أثِرْها ربّما وجدتْ طريقا

How long must they remain confined, complaining of cramped quarters?

How long will she complain of confinement?

Rouse them; perhaps they will find a road.

Perhaps if you trace her, she will find a way,

تنشّطْ سُوقَها واسرَحْ طُلاها

تنشّطْ سُوقَها واسرَحْ طُلاها

عساها أن تَرى للخصب سُوقا

عساها أن تَرى للخصب سُوقا

Set their shanks moving and let their necks range free;

Revive her markets and unleash her yearnings,

Perhaps they will find a market for plenty.

That she may find fertility's markets lush.

وإن لم تمضِ هرولةً وجَمزاً

وإن لم تمضِ هرولةً وجَمزاً

فأمهلْها الروائدَ والعنيقا

فأمهلْها الروائدَ والعنيقا

And if they do not go at a trot or a bounding run,

If she won't gallop and leap,

Allow them a leisurely pace and a brisk amble.

Then give her time and the gentle pacer,

أجلْها تطلب القُصوى ودعْها

أجلْها تطلب القُصوى ودعْها

سُدىً يرمي الغروبُ بها الشروقا

سُدىً يرمي الغروبُ بها الشروقا

Send them roaming toward the farthest goal, and leave them

Delay her seeking the farthest places and leave her

Unfettered, as sunset casts them toward sunrise.

Aimlessly casting the sunsets into the dawns.

فإنّ من المحال ولم تُهدَّمْ

فإنّ من المحال ولم تُهدَّمْ

غواربُها تنجُّزَكَ الحقوقا

غواربُها تنجُّزَكَ الحقوقا

For it is impossible, while still unbroken remain

For it's impossible, unless her strongholds

Their withers, for you to secure your rightful dues.

Are demolished, for you to gain your rights.

أتعقِلُها وتقنعُ بالهوينا

أتعقِلُها وتقنعُ بالهوينا

تكون إذا بذلَّتها خليقا

تكون إذا بذلَّتها خليقا

Will you hobble them and be content with easy going?

Reason with her and let her be content with cooing;

Then you would deserve the humiliation it brings.

When she yields she will be fitting.

ولم يُشفِقْ على حسبٍ غلامٌ

ولم يُشفِقْ على حسبٍ غلامٌ

يكون على ركائبه شفيقا

يكون على ركائبه شفيقا

No young man has ever guarded his noble standing

No lad has pitied a lineage

While being tender toward his riding camels.

And been tender toward its riding-camels

أخضْ أخفافَها الغمرات حتى

أخضْ أخفافَها الغمرات حتى

ترى في الآل سابحَها غريقا

ترى في الآل سابحَها غريقا

Plunge their soft hooves into the depths, until

Except he will plunge their hooves into the billows

In the mirage you see their swimmer drowned.

Until he sees her swimmers drowning among the family.

سمائن أو تعرِّقَها الفيافي

سمائن أو تعرِّقَها الفيافي

فتتركها عظاماً أو عروقا

فتتركها عظاماً أو عروقا

Be they fat, or stripped of flesh by the deserts,

Or the highlands make her sweat blood

Which leave them bones or sinews.

And she leaves only bones and veins.

تلاقط جوهرَ الحصباء منها

تلاقط جوهرَ الحصباء منها

مناسمُ من دمٍ يصف العقيقا

مناسمُ من دمٍ يصف العقيقا

The gravel's jewels are picked up by their

The essence of the pebbles is picked from her,

Soft hoof-pads, with blood that evokes carnelian.

Pieces of blood describing carnelian.

يصيب به رميَّتَه مُعانُ ال

يصيب به رميَّتَه مُعانُ ال

يدين موفَّقٌ نَصْلاً وفُوقا

يدين موفَّقٌ نَصْلاً وفُوقا

With it he hits his quarry, aided in both

With it the skilled archer hits his target -

Hands, favored in arrowhead and nock.

The accomplished is not helmeted above or below.

يُقِضّ على جُنوب البيد منها

يُقِضّ على جُنوب البيد منها

سهامَ النزع مفلتةً مُروقا

سهامَ النزع مفلتةً مُروقا

He drives down upon the deserts' flanks, from them,

It decides the South of the land for her

Drawn arrows, loosed and piercing through.

With arrows of determination loose and feathered.

صبور للهواجر والسوافي

صبور للهواجر والسوافي

يرى بجدوبه العيشَ الرقيقا

يرى بجدوبه العيشَ الرقيقا

Patient through noonday heats and blowing sands,

Patient toward the migrants and wanderers,

He sees a life of ease amid its barrenness.

Seeing with his troop of horses life made slight.

إذا عدم المياهَ على الركايا

إذا عدم المياهَ على الركايا

كفاه أن يعدَّ لها البروقا

كفاه أن يعدَّ لها البروقا

If he finds no water at the wells,

When the waters are cut off for the she-camels,

It suffices him to count the lightning flashes for them.

It suffices him to prepare the lightning for them.

تورَّطْها فإما نلت خيراً

تورَّطْها فإما نلت خيراً

فسعيٌ وافق القدَر المسوقا

فسعيٌ وافق القدَر المسوقا

Venture with them: if you gain some good,

He implicated her, so either she obtained good -

Your striving has matched the destiny ordained.

An effort coinciding with the guided ordinance -

وإما أن تخيب فلست فيها

وإما أن تخيب فلست فيها

بأوّل طالبٍ حُرمَ اللُّحوقا

بأوّل طالبٍ حُرمَ اللُّحوقا

And if you fail, you are not in this

Or she is disappointed, but I am not

The first seeker denied attainment.

The first seeker deprived of attainment.

أرى الأيام تأخذُ ثم تُعطي

أرى الأيام تأخذُ ثم تُعطي

وتخرُق ثم تنتصِحُ الخروقا

وتخرُق ثم تنتصِحُ الخروقا

I see the days take, then give,

I see the days take and then give

And tear, then stitch up the rents.

And rend and then mend the rending,

وتوقد نارَها دِقّاً لقومٍ

وتوقد نارَها دِقّاً لقومٍ

وفي قومٍ تُضرِّمها حريقا

وفي قومٍ تُضرِّمها حريقا

They kindle their fire with small kindling for some,

And kindle their fire tightly for some people

And among others fan it into a conflagration.

And in some people stifle it into a blaze.

وكلُّ حُلوبِها عندي سواءٌ

وكلُّ حُلوبِها عندي سواءٌ

مشوباً أو صريفاً أو مَذيقا

مشوباً أو صريفاً أو مَذيقا

All the milk they yield is alike to me,

All her shifts to me are equal,

Mixed, fresh from the udder, or diluted.

Whether checkered or plain or bitter.

مظالم لو رُفعن إلى كريم

مظالم لو رُفعن إلى كريم

لكان بسدّ عورتها حقيقا

لكان بسدّ عورتها حقيقا

Grievances which, were they brought before a noble man,

Oppressions - if they were raised to a generous one,

He would be fit to mend their exposed breach.

He would be sincere in concealing her shame.

ولو نادت كمالَ الملك ألفتْ

ولو نادت كمالَ الملك ألفتْ

على الأدواءِ حاسمها الرفيقا

على الأدواءِ حاسمها الرفيقا

Were they to call on Kamāl al-Mulk, they would find

If she called on the perfection of the sovereign, she'd find

A gentle healer who roots out their maladies.

Over her injuries, his healing gentleness.

وحطَّت فادحَ الأثقال منه

وحطَّت فادحَ الأثقال منه

بذي جنبين يحملها مطيقا

بذي جنبين يحملها مطيقا

And lay their crushing burdens upon him,

She lowered the most monstrous of weights from him

A man whose two flanks can bear them.

To one with two sides who carries her firmlysupported.

غيور لا ينام على اهتضام ال

غيور لا ينام على اهتضام ال

كرام ولا الغِرارَ ولا الخُفوقا

كرام ولا الغِرارَ ولا الخُفوقا

Zealous, he never sleeps through the oppression of the

Jealous, he does not sleep amid the violating of

Noble—not for a brief doze, nor even a nod.

Dignities, nor lies, nor dereliction of duty.

تنقِّله من العزمات شُمٌّ

تنقِّله من العزمات شُمٌّ

يدوس جبالَها نِيقاً فنِيقا

يدوس جبالَها نِيقاً فنِيقا

Lofty resolves carry him onward;

A perception moves him from resolutions -

He treads their mountains, summit after summit.

Trampling her mountains, docile, most docile.

إذا ركب الطريقَ إلى المعالي

إذا ركب الطريقَ إلى المعالي

فلا زاداً يُعِدُّ ولا رفيقا

فلا زاداً يُعِدُّ ولا رفيقا

When he takes the road to lofty honors,

If he takes the route to the heights,

He prepares neither provisions nor a companion.

He prepares no provision and takes no friend.

وحيد تُرهِفُ الأحداثُ منه

وحيد تُرهِفُ الأحداثُ منه

على أعناقها نصلاً عتيقا

على أعناقها نصلاً عتيقا

Alone, events hone him into

Alone, events humble themselves before him,

A noble blade against their own necks.

With their necks bearing an ancient blade.

لبيب الرأي يكبر عن مشير

لبيب الرأي يكبر عن مشير

إذا ما الرأيُ شارفَ أن يموقا

إذا ما الرأيُ شارفَ أن يموقا

Discerning in judgment, too great to need an adviser,

The intelligent in opinion rises above the advisor

When thought is on the verge of folly.

When the opinion nears being carried out.

إذا خفِيتْ شواكلُ كلّ أمرٍ

إذا خفِيتْ شواكلُ كلّ أمرٍ

جليلِ الخطب أبصرَها دقيقا

جليلِ الخطب أبصرَها دقيقا

When the outlines of any matter lie hidden,

When the symbols of every matter are hidden,

However grave its import, he discerns them keenly.

The exalted one discerns them precisely.

فلو روّى ليفرِق بين ماءٍ

فلو روّى ليفرِق بين ماءٍ

وماء مثلهِ وجدَ الفروقا

وماء مثلهِ وجدَ الفروقا

Were he to ponder, to distinguish between water

So if he wished to distinguish between one water

And water like it, he would find the differences.

And another like it, he'd find the differences.

نمتْ أمُّ الوزارة من أخيه

نمتْ أمُّ الوزارة من أخيه

ومنه البدرَ والغصنَ الرشيقا

ومنه البدرَ والغصنَ الرشيقا

The mother of the vizierate brought forth from his brother

The mother of ministry grew from her brother

And him the full moon and the graceful bough.

And the full moon and elegant branch grew from him.

هما الولدان من صلةٍ وبِرٍّ

هما الولدان من صلةٍ وبِرٍّ

إذا ولدت من الناس العُقوقا

إذا ولدت من الناس العُقوقا

They are her two sons, all kindness and filial devotion,

The two are children of kinship and piety

When, from other men, she brought forth filial disobedience.

When disavowal is born among the people.

من النفر الذين إذا استغيثوا

من النفر الذين إذا استغيثوا

رأيتَ بهم وَساعَ الأرض ضيقا

رأيتَ بهم وَساعَ الأرض ضيقا

Of the band who, when summoned for aid,

Some whom, when they cry for help,

You see the earth's vast expanse made narrow by them:

You see the earth constricted by them.

كتائبَ ما رعتْ عيناك خُرْساً

كتائبَ ما رعتْ عيناك خُرْساً

مسوّمةً وألويةً خفوقا

مسوّمةً وألويةً خفوقا

Silent battalions, as far as your eyes can range,

Regiments the like of which your eye never saw,

Marked for battle, and fluttering banners.

Poisonous and flags lowered.

تخال بديهَ أمرهمُ رويّاً

تخال بديهَ أمرهمُ رويّاً

إذا اجتمعوا وواحدَهم فريقا

إذا اجتمعوا وواحدَهم فريقا

You take their spontaneous action for considered thought

Their brilliant command you'd think haphazard

When they gather, and each single man for a whole company.

When they gather, and any one of them a brigade.

رطابُ النطق بسّامو المجالي

رطابُ النطق بسّامو المجالي

إذا ما أيبسَ الفَرَقُ الحُلوقا

إذا ما أيبسَ الفَرَقُ الحُلوقا

Moist of tongue, with smiling faces,

Long-necked in speech, warriors of onslaught

When fear has dried men's throats.

When the eloquent are made mute.

لهم شرفٌ سرى من ظهر كسرى

لهم شرفٌ سرى من ظهر كسرى

مَطاً فمطاً فما ضلّ الطريقا

مَطاً فمطاً فما ضلّ الطريقا

Theirs is a nobility that flowed from Kisrā's back,

They have a nobility that crept from Kisra's back

From back to back, never straying from the path.

Step by step - they did not miss the path.

طوى أصلابهم أو جاء عبد ال

طوى أصلابهم أو جاء عبد ال

رحيم فجاء متَّسقاً مَسوقا

رحيم فجاء متَّسقاً مَسوقا

It passed through their loins until there came ʿAbd al-

The servant of the Merciful folded their ribs

Raḥīm, and it came in ordered succession, borne onward.

Or he came, marching them together, marching them along.

ترى الأبَ بالشهادة في بنيه

ترى الأبَ بالشهادة في بنيه

قريباً وهو قد أمسى سحيقا

قريباً وهو قد أمسى سحيقا

You see the father visibly present in his sons,

You see the father, by the testimony among his sons,

Near at hand, though he has become far distant.

Is near, while he has grown far.

وما تسمو النفوسُ ولا تَزكّى

وما تسمو النفوسُ ولا تَزكّى

إذا لم تنظم الحسبَ العريقا

إذا لم تنظم الحسبَ العريقا

Souls neither rise nor grow pure

Souls cannot rise up or become pure

Unless they weave in deep-rooted ancestral honor.

Unless they systemize the venerable lineage,

وبانت آيةٌ بأبي المعالي

وبانت آيةٌ بأبي المعالي

فكان مصَلِّياً فضَلَ السَّبوقا

فكان مصَلِّياً فضَلَ السَّبوقا

A wondrous sign appeared in Abū al-Maʿālī:

And the sign of Abu al-Ma'ali has appeared -

He was the runner-up who surpassed the front-runner.

So he became a worshipper who gained precedence.

ربا معه الكمالُ فشُقَّ منه

ربا معه الكمالُ فشُقَّ منه

له لقبٌ فصار له شقيقا

له لقبٌ فصار له شقيقا

Perfection grew with him, and from it was derived

Perfection grew alongside him, so it split from him,

A title for him, which became his twin.

Giving him a title, and becoming his namesake.

خلائق تارةً يُشرَبن صاباً

خلائق تارةً يُشرَبن صاباً

وأحياناً مشعشعةً رحيقا

وأحياناً مشعشعةً رحيقا

Traits at times drunk as bitter sap,

Temperaments - sometimes made to drink mint,

And sometimes as pure wine tempered with water.

And sometimes sparkling with pure wine,

يثير السخطُ منها والتغاضي

يثير السخطُ منها والتغاضي

صواعقَها ووابلَها الدَّفوقا

صواعقَها ووابلَها الدَّفوقا

Anger and forbearance rouse from them

Rousing anger and pardon from them -

Their thunderbolts and their copiously pouring rain.

Its lightning bolts and pouring rain.

ففي حالٍ تكون بها شريباً

ففي حالٍ تكون بها شريباً

وفي حال تكون بها شريقا

وفي حال تكون بها شريقا

In one state you drink of them freely,

So in one state with them you are agreeable,

And in another you choke on them.

And in another state with them, you are hostile.

ويُسكرك الذي يُصحيك منها

ويُسكرك الذي يُصحيك منها

فما تنفكُّ سكراناً مفيقا

فما تنفكُّ سكراناً مفيقا

What sobers you from them also makes you drunk,

And what intoxicates you sobers you from them -

So you remain both drunken and sober.

So you are never done being sober and intoxicated.

فِداؤك كلُّ جهمِ الوجه أنَّى

فِداؤك كلُّ جهمِ الوجه أنَّى

لقي مُرِّ الخلائق كيف ذيقا

لقي مُرِّ الخلائق كيف ذيقا

May every grim-faced man be your ransom, wherever

Your ransom is meeting the bitterness of all faces, however

Met—bitter in character, however tasted.

You find the bitterness of dispositions - how it was tasted!

تراه ناشطاً يأتي ويمضي

تراه ناشطاً يأتي ويمضي

وقَيدُ العجز يجعله ربيقا

وقَيدُ العجز يجعله ربيقا

You see him bustling, coming and going,

You see him energetic, coming and going,

Yet incapacity's fetter holds him in a noose.

While the fetter of incapacity makes him apathetic.

إذا عزلوه لم يحذر عدوّاً

إذا عزلوه لم يحذر عدوّاً

وإن ولَّوه لم يُحرِز صديقا

وإن ولَّوه لم يُحرِز صديقا

When they dismiss him, he fears no enemy;

If they isolate him, he won't fear an enemy,

And when they appoint him, he secures no friend.

And if they appoint him, he won't rely on a friend.

يراك بمُؤخِر العينين غيظاً

يراك بمُؤخِر العينين غيظاً

وقد أقذيتَه جفناً وموقا

وقد أقذيتَه جفناً وموقا

He eyes you from the corners of his eyes in rage,

He sees you with the backs of his eyes angrily

You having put grit in his eyelid and inner eye-corner.

When you have harmed him, eyelid and gaze.

فلا مَدَّت لنعمتك الليالي

فلا مَدَّت لنعمتك الليالي

يداً طُولى ولا ظُفراً عَلوقا

يداً طُولى ولا ظُفراً عَلوقا

May the nights never stretch toward your prosperity

So neither have the nights stretched out to you

A long-reaching hand or a clinging claw.

A long hand, nor fingers clinging.

وإن سنحتْ ميامنُ كلِّ يوم

وإن سنحتْ ميامنُ كلِّ يوم

صباحاً بالسعادة أو طُروقا

صباحاً بالسعادة أو طُروقا

And if each day's good omens cross your path,

And if the auspices of each day in the morning

With happiness at dawn or coming by night,

Greet with good fortune or little luck,

فغنّتك المَطاربَ ثم أبكت

فغنّتك المَطاربَ ثم أبكت

ديارَ عداك نَوْحاً أو نعيقا

ديارَ عداك نَوْحاً أو نعيقا

May they sing you songs of joy, then make weep

Then the singers sing to you and then weep

Your enemies' dwellings, with lamentation or cawing.

For your abodes other than you - wailing or moaning,

وجادك كسبُ جودك من ثنائي

وجادك كسبُ جودك من ثنائي

مواقرَ تَرجِع الذاوي وريقا

مواقرَ تَرجِع الذاوي وريقا

And may your bounty's earnings, from my praise, rain on you

And your generosity's earnings reward your generosity

In laden clouds that make the withered leafy.

With returns that bring the lovers back emaciated.

إذا هي أوبلت بسطتْ عريضاً

إذا هي أوبلت بسطتْ عريضاً

وإن هي أسبلتْ حفرتْ عميقا

وإن هي أسبلتْ حفرتْ عميقا

When they rain heavily, they spread far and wide,

When it pours down it spreads wide,

And when they pour down, they dig deep.

And when it holds back it digs deep.

فتُلحِم في ربوعك أو تُسدِّي

فتُلحِم في ربوعك أو تُسدِّي

خمائلَ تأسر الطرف الطليقا

خمائلَ تأسر الطرف الطليقا

Within your grounds they weave weft or lay warp,

So it binds in your meadows or levels

Of groves that capture the unfettered gaze.

Encampments that captivate the roving glance.

تزورك شاكياتٍ كلّ يوم

تزورك شاكياتٍ كلّ يوم

حشىً حرّانَ أو قلباً مشوقا

حشىً حرّانَ أو قلباً مشوقا

They visit you each day, complaining

You are visited by complaining women every day,

Of a burning breast or a yearning heart.

With inflamed desires or infatuated hearts,

على مسعاتها قامت مقاماً

على مسعاتها قامت مقاماً

مقرّاً من قبولك أو زليقا

مقرّاً من قبولك أو زليقا

In their endeavor, they take a stand,

Raised before your hearing, taking a stance,

Made firm by your acceptance, or left slippery.

Either accepted by you or spurned.

وكم عثرتْ بذنبٍ كان سهواً

وكم عثرتْ بذنبٍ كان سهواً

فكنتَ بأن تَغمّدَه حقيقا

فكنتَ بأن تَغمّدَه حقيقا

How often they stumbled through an inadvertent fault,

How often she stumbles on a mistake unwittingly,

And it was fitting for you to pardon it.

And you are true in sheathing it!

وحرّ بالخطيئة صار عبداً

وحرّ بالخطيئة صار عبداً

غفرتَ غلاطَه فغدا طليقا

غفرتَ غلاطَه فغدا طليقا

And a free man, made a slave by wrongdoing—

One enflamed by sin becomes a servant -

You forgave his blunders, and he became free.

You forgave his error and he became free.