لِهَوى النُفوسِ سَريرَةٌ لا تُعلَمُ

لِهَوى النُفوسِ سَريرَةٌ لا تُعلَمُ

عَرَضاً نَظَرتُ وَخِلتُ أَنّي أَسلَمُ

عَرَضاً نَظَرتُ وَخِلتُ أَنّي أَسلَمُ

The passion of souls has a secret unknown;

Deep in the passion of the soul, a secret lies unknown,

by chance I looked, and thought I would be safe.

I cast a casual, fleeting glance, and thought I was safe alone.

يا أُختَ مُعتَنِقِ الفَوارِسِ في الوَغى

يا أُختَ مُعتَنِقِ الفَوارِسِ في الوَغى

لَأَخوكِ ثَمَّ أَرَقُّ مِنكِ وَأَرحَمُ

لَأَخوكِ ثَمَّ أَرَقُّ مِنكِ وَأَرحَمُ

O sister of him who embraces horsemen in battle,

O sister of the warrior knight who hugs his foes in war,

your brother there is surely more tender and merciful than you.

Your brother shows more mercy there than you do, standing fore.

يَرنو إِلَيكِ مَعَ العَفافِ وَعِندَهُ

يَرنو إِلَيكِ مَعَ العَفافِ وَعِندَهُ

أَنَّ المَجوسَ تُصيبُ فيما تَحكُمُ

أَنَّ المَجوسَ تُصيبُ فيما تَحكُمُ

He gazes at you chastely, yet believes

He gazes on you chastely, yet he comes to realize,

that the Magians are right in what they decree.

The Magi judged aright to claim a sister as a prize.

راعَتكِ رائِعَةُ البَياضِ بِعارِضي

راعَتكِ رائِعَةُ البَياضِ بِعارِضي

وَلَوَ أَنَّها الأولى لَراعَ الأَسحَمُ

وَلَوَ أَنَّها الأولى لَراعَ الأَسحَمُ

The startling whiteness in my side-whiskers frightened you;

The sudden white upon my temples filled your heart with dread,

and had it come first, jet-black would have frightened you.

Yet had the first black stayed, you would have feared that hue instead.

لَو كانَ يُمكِنُني سَفَرتُ عَنِ الصِبا

لَو كانَ يُمكِنُني سَفَرتُ عَنِ الصِبا

فَالشَيبُ مِن قَبلِ الأَوانِ تَلَثُّمُ

فَالشَيبُ مِن قَبلِ الأَوانِ تَلَثُّمُ

If I could, I would unveil my youth;

Could I but tear the veil away and let my youth shine through,

for gray hair before its time is a face-veil.

For age that comes before its time is but a masking hue.

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الحادِثاتِ فَلا أَرى

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الحادِثاتِ فَلا أَرى

يَقَقاً يُميتُ وَلا سَواداً يَعصِمُ

يَقَقاً يُميتُ وَلا سَواداً يَعصِمُ

And I have indeed seen calamities, so I see no

I've witnessed Time’s calamities, and this truth I detect:

whiteness that kills, nor blackness that protects.

No white hair deals out death, nor can the black of youth protect.

وَالهَمُّ يَختَرِمُ الجَسيمَ نَحافَةً

وَالهَمُّ يَختَرِمُ الجَسيمَ نَحافَةً

وَيُشيبُ ناصِيَةَ الصَبِيِّ وَيُهرِمُ

وَيُشيبُ ناصِيَةَ الصَبِيِّ وَيُهرِمُ

And worry wastes the stout man to death,

For anxiety will carve the sturdy frame to bone and skin,

and grays the child's forelock and makes him old.

And turn the infant’s forelock grey before his years begin.

ذو العَقلِ يَشقى في النَعيمِ بِعَقلِهِ

ذو العَقلِ يَشقى في النَعيمِ بِعَقلِهِ

وَأَخو الجَهالَةِ في الشَقاوَةِ يَنعَمُ

وَأَخو الجَهالَةِ في الشَقاوَةِ يَنعَمُ

The man of reason suffers amid bliss through his reason,

The man of wit, amidst his bliss, is by his wit distressed,

and the ignorant man finds bliss amid misery.

While in the depths of misery, the ignorant is blessed.

وَالناسُ قَد نَبَذوا الحِفاظَ فَمُطلَقٌ

وَالناسُ قَد نَبَذوا الحِفاظَ فَمُطلَقٌ

يَنسى الَّذي يولى وَعافٍ يَندَمُ

يَنسى الَّذي يولى وَعافٍ يَندَمُ

And people have cast off loyalty: one set free

Mankind has cast all faith aside; the freed forgets the deed,

forgets the favor bestowed, and one who pardons regrets it.

While he who pardons finds regret is strictly virtue’s meed.

لا يَخدَعَنَّكَ مِن عَدُوٍّ دَمعُهُ

لا يَخدَعَنَّكَ مِن عَدُوٍّ دَمعُهُ

وَاِرحَم شَبابَكَ مِن عَدُوٍّ تَرحَمُ

وَاِرحَم شَبابَكَ مِن عَدُوٍّ تَرحَمُ

Do not let an enemy's tears deceive you,

Let not the tears your foe may shed deceive or soften you,

and spare your youth from an enemy you pity.

But pity your own youth before you pity what they do.

لا يَسلَمُ الشَرَفُ الرَفيعُ مِنَ الأَذى

لا يَسلَمُ الشَرَفُ الرَفيعُ مِنَ الأَذى

حَتّى يُراقَ عَلى جَوانِبِهِ الدَمُ

حَتّى يُراقَ عَلى جَوانِبِهِ الدَمُ

Lofty honor is not safe from harm

No high and lofty honor stays immune from harm and mud,

until blood is spilled along its sides.

Until around its very flanks is shed a tide of blood.

يُؤذي القَليلُ مِنَ اللِئامِ بِطَبعِهِ

يُؤذي القَليلُ مِنَ اللِئامِ بِطَبعِهِ

مَن لا يَقِلُّ كَما يَقِلُّ وَيَلؤُمُ

مَن لا يَقِلُّ كَما يَقِلُّ وَيَلؤُمُ

The petty man among the base, by nature, harms

The slightest touch of vile men hurts, it is their nature’s stain,

one who is not petty and base as he is.

For those who lack in noble worth cause nothing else but pain.

الظُلمُ مِن شِيَمِ النُفوسِ فَإِن تَجِد

الظُلمُ مِن شِيَمِ النُفوسِ فَإِن تَجِد

ذا عِفَّةٍ فَلِعِلَّةٍ لا يَظلِمُ

ذا عِفَّةٍ فَلِعِلَّةٍ لا يَظلِمُ

Wrongdoing is among the traits of souls; if you find

Injustice is a trait of souls, ingrained in every breast;

one with restraint, some cause keeps him from wrongdoing.

If one refrains from wrong, 'tis but by lack of power suppressed.

يَحمي اِبنَ كَيغَلَغَ الطَريقَ وَعِرسُهُ

يَحمي اِبنَ كَيغَلَغَ الطَريقَ وَعِرسُهُ

ما بَينَ رِجلَيها الطَريقُ الأَعظَمُ

ما بَينَ رِجلَيها الطَريقُ الأَعظَمُ

Ibn Kayghalagh guards the road, while his wife—

Ibn Kayghalagh guards the roads with vigilance and pride,

what lies between her legs is the greatest highway.

While ‘twixt his wife’s own legs there lies a highway open wide.

أَقِمِ المَسالِحَ فَوقَ شُفرِ سُكَينَةٍ

أَقِمِ المَسالِحَ فَوقَ شُفرِ سُكَينَةٍ

إِنَّ المَنِيَّ بِحَلقَتَيها خِضرِمُ

إِنَّ المَنِيَّ بِحَلقَتَيها خِضرِمُ

Set guard-posts above Sukayna's vulvar lip;

Go station garrisons along Sukaynah’s distinct rim,

indeed, semen in her two openings is a vast sea.

For in her depths the fluids form a sea where armies swim.

وَاِرفُق بِنَفسِكَ إِنَّ خَلقَكَ ناقِصٌ

وَاِرفُق بِنَفسِكَ إِنَّ خَلقَكَ ناقِصٌ

وَاِستُر أَباكَ فَإِنَّ أَصلَكَ مُظلِمُ

وَاِستُر أَباكَ فَإِنَّ أَصلَكَ مُظلِمُ

And be gentle with yourself: your constitution is deficient;

Be gentle with your soul, for you are flawed in every part,

and hide your father, for your lineage is dark.

And hide your father’s name, for dark the root from which you start.

وَغِناكَ مَسأَلَةٌ وَطَيشُكَ نَفخَةٌ

وَغِناكَ مَسأَلَةٌ وَطَيشُكَ نَفخَةٌ

وَرِضاكَ فَيشَلَةٌ وَرَبُّكَ دِرهَمُ

وَرِضاكَ فَيشَلَةٌ وَرَبُّكَ دِرهَمُ

And your wealth is begging, and your rashness a puff of wind;

Your wealth comes but from begging, and your rage is empty air,

and your pleasure is a penis-head, and your lord a dirham.

A phallus represents your joy; a coin, your only prayer.

وَاِحذَر مُناواةَ الرِجالِ فَإِنَّما

وَاِحذَر مُناواةَ الرِجالِ فَإِنَّما

تَقوى عَلى كَمَرِ العَبيدِ وَتُقدِمُ

تَقوى عَلى كَمَرِ العَبيدِ وَتُقدِمُ

And beware of opposing men, for only

Beware of challenging true men, keep to your proper beat:

against slaves' penis-heads are you strong and daring.

To exercise your prowess upon a slave-boy’s meat.

وَمِنَ البَليَّةِ عَذلُ مَن لا يَرعَوي

وَمِنَ البَليَّةِ عَذلُ مَن لا يَرعَوي

عَن غَيِّهِ وَخِطابُ مَن لا يَفهَمُ

عَن غَيِّهِ وَخِطابُ مَن لا يَفهَمُ

And one affliction is rebuking someone who will not desist

It is a tragic plague to chide a man who won't abstain

from his error, and addressing someone who does not understand.

From sin, or speak to one who lacks the wit to use a brain.

يَمشي بِأَربَعَةٍ عَلى أَعقابِهِ

يَمشي بِأَربَعَةٍ عَلى أَعقابِهِ

تَحتَ العُلوجِ وَمِن وَراءٍ يُلجَمُ

تَحتَ العُلوجِ وَمِن وَراءٍ يُلجَمُ

He walks on all fours upon his heels,

He scuttles on all fours, with his heels upon the ground,

beneath the foreign brutes, and is bridled from behind.

Beneath the weight of foreign louts, bridled and tightly bound.

وَجُفونُهُ ما تَستَقِرُّ كَأَنَّها

وَجُفونُهُ ما تَستَقِرُّ كَأَنَّها

مَطروفَةٌ أَو فُتَّ فيها حِصرِمُ

مَطروفَةٌ أَو فُتَّ فيها حِصرِمُ

And his eyelids never rest, as though they were

His eyelids never find repose, but twitch in constant flight,

struck, or unripe grapes had been crushed in them.

As if struck by a blow, or stung by acid’s burning bite.

وَإِذا أَشارَ مُحَدِّثاً فَكَأَنَّهُ

وَإِذا أَشارَ مُحَدِّثاً فَكَأَنَّهُ

قِردٌ يُقَهقِهُ أَو عَجوزٌ تَلطِمُ

قِردٌ يُقَهقِهُ أَو عَجوزٌ تَلطِمُ

And when he gestures while speaking, he is like

And when he gestures as he speaks, he mimics in his shape

a guffawing monkey, or an old woman slapping her face.

A wailing crone who slaps her face, or cackling of an ape.

يَقلي مُفارَقَةَ الأَكُفِّ قَذالُهُ

يَقلي مُفارَقَةَ الأَكُفِّ قَذالُهُ

حَتّى يَكادَ عَلى يَدٍ يَتَعَمَّمُ

حَتّى يَكادَ عَلى يَدٍ يَتَعَمَّمُ

The back of his head hates parting from palms,

The back of his neck hates to part from palms that strike and beat,

until he almost wraps his turban over a hand.

Until it wears a turban made of hands that on it meet.

وَتَراهُ أَصغَرَ ما تَراهُ ناطِقاً

وَتَراهُ أَصغَرَ ما تَراهُ ناطِقاً

وَيَكونُ أَكذَبَ ما يَكونُ وَيُقسِمُ

وَيَكونُ أَكذَبَ ما يَكونُ وَيُقسِمُ

And he seems smallest when you see him speaking,

You find him most diminutive when he attempts to speak,

and he is most deceitful when he swears.

And when he swears a solemn oath, the truth is far to seek.

وَالذُلُّ يُظهِرُ في الذَليلِ مَوَدَّةً

وَالذُلُّ يُظهِرُ في الذَليلِ مَوَدَّةً

وَأَوَدُّ مِنهُ لِمَن يَوَدُّ الأَرقَمُ

وَأَوَدُّ مِنهُ لِمَن يَوَدُّ الأَرقَمُ

And abasement displays affection in the abased,

Humiliation makes the base act loving, tame, and mild,

and a speckled serpent is more loving than he toward one he loves.

Yet vipers show more love than him, however reconciled.

وَمِنَ العَداوَةِ ما يَنالُكَ نَفعُهُ

وَمِنَ العَداوَةِ ما يَنالُكَ نَفعُهُ

وَمِنَ الصَداقَةِ ما يَضُرُّ وَيُؤلِمُ

وَمِنَ الصَداقَةِ ما يَضُرُّ وَيُؤلِمُ

And some enmity brings you benefit,

There is a kind of enmity that brings a gainful end,

and some friendship harms and pains you.

Just as there is a friendship that will hurt you and offend.

أَرسَلتَ تَسأَلُني المَديحَ سَفاهَةً

أَرسَلتَ تَسأَلُني المَديحَ سَفاهَةً

صَفراءُ أَضيَقُ مِنكَ ماذا أَزعُمُ

صَفراءُ أَضيَقُ مِنكَ ماذا أَزعُمُ

You foolishly sent asking me for praise;

You sent to ask for praise from me? A fool's request to make,

Safra is tighter than you—what am I to claim?

When you are tight and mean of soul, what honor can you take?

أَتُرى القِيادَةَ في سِواكَ تَكَسُّباً

أَتُرى القِيادَةَ في سِواكَ تَكَسُّباً

يا اِبنَ الأُعَيِّرِ وَهيَ فيكَ تَكَرُّمُ

يا اِبنَ الأُعَيِّرِ وَهيَ فيكَ تَكَرُّمُ

Do you think pimping in others is a livelihood,

Do you deem pimping in other men a trade for earning gold,

O son of the little ass, while in you it is generosity?

While in your house, O Donkey’s Son, ‘tis charity extolled?

فَلَشَدَّ ما جاوَزتَ قَدرَكَ صاعِداً

فَلَشَدَّ ما جاوَزتَ قَدرَكَ صاعِداً

وَلَشَدَّ ما قَرُبَت عَلَيكَ الأَنجُمُ

وَلَشَدَّ ما قَرُبَت عَلَيكَ الأَنجُمُ

So how far you have climbed above your station,

How vastly you have overstepped the bounds of your degree!

and how close the stars have come to you!

You think the very stars themselves have drawn near to thee.

وَأَرَغتَ ما لِأَبي العَشائِرِ خالِصاً

وَأَرَغتَ ما لِأَبي العَشائِرِ خالِصاً

إِنَّ الثَناءَ لِمَن يُزارَ فَيُنعِمُ

إِنَّ الثَناءَ لِمَن يُزارَ فَيُنعِمُ

And you sought what belongs exclusively to Abu al-Asha'ir;

You sought the tribute reserved for Abu al-Asha’ir’s name;

praise is for the man who is visited and gives generously,

True praise belongs to him who gives to all who seek his fame.

وَلِمَن أَقَمتَ عَلى الهَوانِ بِبابِهِ

وَلِمَن أَقَمتَ عَلى الهَوانِ بِبابِهِ

تَدنو فَيُوجأُ أَخدَعاكَ وَتُنهَمُ

تَدنو فَيُوجأُ أَخدَعاكَ وَتُنهَمُ

and for him at whose door you stayed in humiliation:

To him at whose majestic gate you stood in humble fear,

you draw near, then are struck on both sides of the neck and shouted at.

Approaching but to catch a blow and harsh abuse to hear.

وَلِمَن يُهينُ المالَ وَهوَ مُكَرَّمٌ

وَلِمَن يُهينُ المالَ وَهوَ مُكَرَّمٌ

وَلِمَن يَجُرُّ الجَيشَ وَهوَ عَرَمرَمُ

وَلِمَن يَجُرُّ الجَيشَ وَهوَ عَرَمرَمُ

And for one who holds wealth cheap, while he himself is honored,

To him who holds all gold in scorn, while honor he holds dear,

and for one who leads a vast, teeming army,

Who leads the armies in his train, a force that breeds all fear.

وَلِمَن إِذا اِلتَقَتِ الكُماةُ بِمازِقٍ

وَلِمَن إِذا اِلتَقَتِ الكُماةُ بِمازِقٍ

فَنَصيبُهُ مِنها الكَمِيُّ المُعلَمُ

فَنَصيبُهُ مِنها الكَمِيُّ المُعلَمُ

and for one who, when armored warriors meet on a battlefield,

To him who, when the armored knights in deadly deadlock meet,

has as his share their armored warrior marked with insignia.

Claims for his sword the champion foe to lay him at his feet.

وَلَرُبَّما أَطَرَ القَناةَ بِفارِسٍ

وَلَرُبَّما أَطَرَ القَناةَ بِفارِسٍ

وَثَنى فَقَوَّمَها بِآخَرَ مِنهُمُ

وَثَنى فَقَوَّمَها بِآخَرَ مِنهُمُ

And often he bent his lance against a horseman,

At times he bends the lance’s shaft upon a horseman’s chest,

and struck again, straightening it against another of them.

Then strikes another, straightening the wood with zeal and zest.

وَالوَجهُ أَزهَرُ وَالفُؤادُ مُشَيَّعٌ

وَالوَجهُ أَزهَرُ وَالفُؤادُ مُشَيَّعٌ

وَالرُمحُ أَسمَرُ وَالحُسامُ مَصَمِّمُ

وَالرُمحُ أَسمَرُ وَالحُسامُ مَصَمِّمُ

And his face is radiant, and his heart courageous,

His face is bright and luminous, his heart is bold and true,

and his spear is brown, and his keen sword cuts straight through.

His lance is brown and sturdy wood, his sword strikes through and through.

أَفعالُ مَن تَلِدُ الكِرامُ كَريمَةٌ

أَفعالُ مَن تَلِدُ الكِرامُ كَريمَةٌ

وَفَعالُ مَن تَلِدُ الأَعاجِمُ أَعجَمُ

وَفَعالُ مَن تَلِدُ الأَعاجِمُ أَعجَمُ

The deeds of one born to the noble are noble,

The deeds of those of noble birth are noble, grand, and fair,

and the deeds of one born to non-Arabs are barbarous.

While barbaric are the actions that the base-born churls declare.