عَصَيتُ فيكِ مَقالَ اللائِمِ اللاحي

عَصَيتُ فيكِ مَقالَ اللائِمِ اللاحي

فَعامِلني بِغُفرانٍ وَإِسجاحِ

فَعامِلني بِغُفرانٍ وَإِسجاحِ

I disobeyed, for your sake, the words of the faultfinding reprover.

I disobeyed the reproach of the blamer in you,

I defied the words of the persistent critic for your sake,

So treat me with forgiveness and forbearance.

So treat me with forgiveness and appeasement.

So treat me with forgiveness and gentle grace.

حَلَيتِ مِنّي مَحَلَّ الروحِ مِن جَسَدي

حَلَيتِ مِنّي مَحَلَّ الروحِ مِن جَسَدي

لا كَالمصافاةِ بَينَ الماءِ وَالراحِ

لا كَالمصافاةِ بَينَ الماءِ وَالراحِ

You hold in me the place the soul holds in my body,

You have assumed in me the place of the soul in the body,

You have taken a place within me like the soul within my body,

Not like the mingling of water and wine.

Not like the strainer between the water and the jug.

A bond far deeper than the mingling of water with wine.

أَقولُ وَالقَلبُ يَهفو مِن تَحَرُّقِهِ

أَقولُ وَالقَلبُ يَهفو مِن تَحَرُّقِهِ

وَالعَينُ مِن دَمعِها في زِيِّ سَبّاحِ

وَالعَينُ مِن دَمعِها في زِيِّ سَبّاحِ

I speak while my heart flutters with its burning,

I say while my heart burns from its inflammation

I speak while my heart flutters from its burning passion,

And my eye, through its tears, wears a swimmer's guise.

And my eye from its tears in the clothing of a swimmer.

And my eye, amidst its pouring tears, appears to swim.

لا يُبعِدِ اللَهُ أَيّامَ الشَبابِ وَما

لا يُبعِدِ اللَهُ أَيّامَ الشَبابِ وَما

فيهِنَّ لي مِن خَلاعاتٍ وَأَشطاحِ

فيهِنَّ لي مِن خَلاعاتٍ وَأَشطاحِ

May God not banish the days of youth and all

May God not remove the days of youth and what

May God never banish the days of youth,

The reckless revels and capers that were mine in them.

Of shedding restraints and wanderings I had in them.

Nor my moments therein of reckless revelry and wild excess.

فَكَم نَظَمتُ بِها وَالأُنسُ مُنتَظِمٌ

فَكَم نَظَمتُ بِها وَالأُنسُ مُنتَظِمٌ

عَذراءِ يَشكرُ مِن أَلفاظِها الصاحي

عَذراءِ يَشكرُ مِن أَلفاظِها الصاحي

For how often in those days, with mirth in harmony, I composed

So how much did I compose in them and intimacy was composed,

How often I composed verse then, when joy was fully aligned,

A maiden poem, for whose words the sober man gives thanks.

A maiden who thanks for its eloquent words her companion.

Virgin lines whose phrasing even the sober man would praise.

يَشدو بِها أَوطَفُ العَينَينِ ذو هَيفٍ

يَشدو بِها أَوطَفُ العَينَينِ ذو هَيفٍ

أَغَنُّ في شَدوِهِ تَرجيعُ مَيّاحِ

أَغَنُّ في شَدوِهِ تَرجيعُ مَيّاحِ

One with long-lashed eyes and a slender waist sings it,

The tenderest-eyed sings with it, the one with passion,

Sung by one with heavy lashes and a slender waist,

Nasal-voiced, his song carrying a water-drawer's lilting refrain.

The most melodious in his singing, the echo of wind instruments.

With a melodious voice that carries the vibrato of a swaying drunkard.

كَأَنَّ طُرَّتَهُ مِن فَوقِ غَرَّتِهِ

كَأَنَّ طُرَّتَهُ مِن فَوقِ غَرَّتِهِ

لَيلٌ تَأَلَّقَ فيهِ ضَوءُ مِصباحِ

لَيلٌ تَأَلَّقَ فيهِ ضَوءُ مِصباحِ

As though his forelock above his bright forehead

As if his knoll above his rise

It was as if the lock of hair falling over his brow

Were a night in which a lamp's light shone.

Is a night illuminated in it by the light of a lamp.

Were a night in which the light of a lamp shines bright.

في غَفلَةِ الدَهرِ خالَلتُ السُرورَ بهِ

في غَفلَةِ الدَهرِ خالَلتُ السُرورَ بهِ

أَرنو بِطَرفٍ إِلى اللَذّاتِ طَمّاحِ

أَرنو بِطَرفٍ إِلى اللَذّاتِ طَمّاحِ

While time looked away, I made joy my companion through him,

In the heedlessness of fate I mixed happiness with it

While time was heedless, I befriended joy through him,

Gazing toward pleasures with an eager eye.

Aspiring with a wink to pleasures, ambitious.

Gazing with an eye that hungrily aspired to pleasures.

لَمّا نَهاني مَشيبي وَاِستَوى أَوَدي

لَمّا نَهاني مَشيبي وَاِستَوى أَوَدي

قَبِلتُ بَعدَ جِماجٍ قَولَ نُصّاحي

قَبِلتُ بَعدَ جِماجٍ قَولَ نُصّاحي

When my gray hair checked me and my waywardness was straightened,

When my old age prohibited me and the valleys leveled,

But when my white hair restrained me and my posture bent,

I accepted, after unruliness, the counsel of my advisers.

I accepted after stubbornness the words of my advisor.

I accepted, after much defiance, the counsel of my advisors.

كَذا الجَديدانِ إِن يَصحَبهُما أَحَدٌ

كَذا الجَديدانِ إِن يَصحَبهُما أَحَدٌ

يُبَدّلا مِنه دَيجوراً بِإِصباحِ

يُبَدّلا مِنه دَيجوراً بِإِصباحِ

Thus are day and night: if anyone keeps their company,

So are the two seashells, if someone accompanies them,

Such are the Night and Day: if anyone keeps their company,

They replace his deep darkness with daybreak.

They change from him late morning to daybreak.

They exchange his raven darkness for the whiteness of dawn.

لا بُدَّ أَن يَستَرِدَّ الدَهرُ ما وَهَبَت

لا بُدَّ أَن يَستَرِدَّ الدَهرُ ما وَهَبَت

أَيّامُهُ مِن مَسَرّاتٍ وَأَفراحِ

أَيّامُهُ مِن مَسَرّاتٍ وَأَفراحِ

Time must reclaim whatever was bestowed

Fate must take back what its days

Fate must inevitably reclaim what was bestowed

By its days—delights and joys.

Gave of joys and weddings.

By its days, of delights and joyous times.

فَاِنعَم وَلَذَّ إِذا ما أَمكَنَت فُرَصٌ

فَاِنعَم وَلَذَّ إِذا ما أَمكَنَت فُرَصٌ

وَاِجعَل تُقى اللَهِ رَأسَ الأَمرِ يا صاحِ

وَاِجعَل تُقى اللَهِ رَأسَ الأَمرِ يا صاحِ

So enjoy yourself and take pleasure whenever opportunities allow,

So enjoy and delight when opportunities arise,

So take pleasure and delight whenever chances arise,

And make reverence for God your first concern, my friend.

And make fearing God the foremost, O my friend!

But make the fear of God your highest aim, my friend.

أَجَلتُ في أَهلِ دَهري طَرفَ مُختَبِرٍ

أَجَلتُ في أَهلِ دَهري طَرفَ مُختَبِرٍ

وَسِرتُ سَيرَ مُجِدِّ العَزمِ سَيّاحِ

وَسِرتُ سَيرَ مُجِدِّ العَزمِ سَيّاحِ

I swept an appraising eye over the people of my time,

I tarried among the people of my time with a testing glance

I cast a testing gaze upon the people of my age,

And traveled like a wanderer of earnest resolve.

And walked the walk of the glorious resolve, a wanderer.

And traveled like a determined wanderer.

فَكانَ أَكرَمَ مَن لاقَيتُ مِن بَشَرٍ

فَكانَ أَكرَمَ مَن لاقَيتُ مِن بَشَرٍ

وَمَن سَمِعتُ بهِ في الحَيّ وَالماحي

وَمَن سَمِعتُ بهِ في الحَيّ وَالماحي

So the noblest of the people I met,

The most generous of people I met

And the noblest human being I encountered,

And those I heard of, among the living and the departed,

And whom I heard of alive or dead,

Or heard of among the tribes and across the lands,

عيسى وَأَبناؤُهُ الغُرُّ الذينَ لهُم

عيسى وَأَبناؤُهُ الغُرُّ الذينَ لهُم

في المَجدِ بَحرٌ خِضَمٌّ غَيرُ ضَحضاحِ

في المَجدِ بَحرٌ خِضَمٌّ غَيرُ ضَحضاحِ

Were Isa and his illustrious sons, who have

Was Jesus and his noble sons who have

Was Isa, and his illustrious sons, who possess

In glory a vast, deep ocean, not shallow water.

In glory an abundant, copious sea.

A vast, deep ocean of glory, never shallow.

قَومٌ إِذا نَزَلوا أَو نازَلوا ذُكِروا

قَومٌ إِذا نَزَلوا أَو نازَلوا ذُكِروا

في الحالَتَينِ لِمَرهوقٍ وَمُمتاحِ

في الحالَتَينِ لِمَرهوقٍ وَمُمتاحِ

A people who, whether they make camp or fight, are remembered

A people, if they descend or settle, are mentioned

A people who are praised whether they host in peace or strike in war,

In either case for helping the hard-pressed and those seeking gifts.

In both states to the panting and afforded.

In both states aiding the burdened and the seeker of bounty.

هُمُ أَجاروا عَلى كِسرى طَريدَتَهُ

هُمُ أَجاروا عَلى كِسرى طَريدَتَهُ

لَمّا تَبَرَّأَ مِنها كُلُّ شَحشاحِ

لَمّا تَبَرَّأَ مِنها كُلُّ شَحشاحِ

They sheltered Kisra's quarry against him,

They gave refuge to the outcast Chosroes

They granted asylum against Chosroes to his fugitive prey,

When every bold warrior had disowned her.

When every lowly outcast disavowed him.

When every other bold leader had disowned her.

وَنازَلوهُ بِضَربٍ صادِقٍ خَذِمٍ

وَنازَلوهُ بِضَربٍ صادِقٍ خَذِمٍ

مُفَرِّقٍ بَين أَبدانٍ وَأَرواحِ

مُفَرِّقٍ بَين أَبدانٍ وَأَرواحِ

And met him in battle with sure, slicing blows,

And gave him lodging with a true, loyal,

They confronted him with true, sharp strikes,

Separating bodies from souls.

Separating blow between bodies and souls.

That sever souls from their bodies.

نَفسي الفِداءُ لِمَن تَحكي أَنامِلُهُ

نَفسي الفِداءُ لِمَن تَحكي أَنامِلُهُ

شُؤبوبَ مُنبَعِقِ الأَرجاءِ سَجّاحِ

شُؤبوبَ مُنبَعِقِ الأَرجاءِ سَجّاحِ

May my soul be ransom for him whose fingertips resemble

My soul is ransom for one whose fingers

My soul be ransom for him whose fingertips resemble

A freely pouring rainburst, gushing on every side.

Scatter the joints of the crackling charger.

A bursting rainstorm that pours across the lands.

غَيثٌ مِنَ العُرفِ قَد عَمَّت مَواقِعُهُ

غَيثٌ مِنَ العُرفِ قَد عَمَّت مَواقِعُهُ

مَن في البِلادِ وَمن يَمشي بِقَرواحِ

مَن في البِلادِ وَمن يَمشي بِقَرواحِ

Rain of kindness, whose falls have spread over

A rain from eminence whose places encompassed

A rain of beneficence whose fall encompasses

Those in the towns and those walking the open plain.

Those in the country and those walking lightly.

Those who dwell in towns and those who tread the open wilds.

جَمِّ الفَواضِلِ مِقدامٍ أَخي ثِقَةٍ

جَمِّ الفَواضِلِ مِقدامٍ أَخي ثِقَةٍ

يُرجى وَيُخشى لِبَطشٍ أَو لِإِصلاح

يُرجى وَيُخشى لِبَطشٍ أَو لِإِصلاح

Abundant in favors, daring, possessed of confidence,

The collection of virtues, my brother of confidence,

Abundant in virtue, daring, a brother of trust,

He is looked to and feared for his might or his setting things right.

Hoped for and feared for might or reform.

He is hoped for and feared, for his might or his mercy.

صُلبِ النِجارِ إِذا ما الحادِثاتُ طَمَت

صُلبِ النِجارِ إِذا ما الحادِثاتُ طَمَت

وَلَيسَ بِالكُثرِ في الدُنيا بِمِفراحِ

وَلَيسَ بِالكُثرِ في الدُنيا بِمِفراحِ

Of sturdy stock when calamities surge,

The hard wood when disasters swell

Of sturdy stock when calamities rise like floods,

And not overjoyed by worldly abundance.

And excess in the world is no comfort.

And not made vain by worldly abundance.

زَفَّت إِلَيهِ المَعالي نَفسَها وَرَنَت

زَفَّت إِلَيهِ المَعالي نَفسَها وَرَنَت

شَوقاً إِلى ماجِدِ الأَعراقِ جِحَجاحِ

شَوقاً إِلى ماجِدِ الأَعراقِ جِحَجاحِ

Lofty glory brought herself to him as a bride, and gazed

The lofty ideals marched themselves to him and purred

Glory presented itself to him like a bride, gazing

Longingly toward a mighty chief of noble lineage.

Yearning for the glorious lineage’s clamor.

With longing at the noble-rooted, masterful chief.

لَو كانَ يَدري كُليبٌ ما بَنَيتَ لَه

لَو كانَ يَدري كُليبٌ ما بَنَيتَ لَه

مِنَ الَفاخِرِ أَضحى جِدَّ مُرتاحِ

مِنَ الَفاخِرِ أَضحى جِدَّ مُرتاحِ

If Kulayb knew what you have built for him

If Kulayb knew what you built for him

If Kulayb knew the legacy you have built for him

Of splendor, he would be truly delighted.

Of the magnificent, he would be very content.

Of pride, he would surely be most content.

تَدومُ ما دُمتَ لِلعَلياءِ تَعمُرُها

تَدومُ ما دُمتَ لِلعَلياءِ تَعمُرُها

في طولِ عُمرٍ أَنيقِ العَيشِ فَيّاحِ

في طولِ عُمرٍ أَنيقِ العَيشِ فَيّاحِ

May you live on while you keep building lofty glory,

You remain as long as you inhabit them for the eminent

May you endure as long as you cultivate high glory,

In a long life of delightful, abundant living.

In a lifetime of pleasant, spacious living.

In a long life of elegant living and boundless space.

ثم الصلاةُ وَتَسليمُ الإلهِ على

ثم الصلاةُ وَتَسليمُ الإلهِ على

ماحي الضَلالَةِ حتى سُمِّيَ الماحي

ماحي الضَلالَةِ حتى سُمِّيَ الماحي

Then may God's blessings and salutations be upon

Then prayer and peace upon

Then, may the prayers and peace of God be upon

The effacer of misguidance, hence named al-Mahi.

The eraser of misguidance, who was named eraser.

The eraser of error, until he was named "The Eraser."