رضيتُ بالدّونِ لمّا لم أجدْ وَزَراً

رضيتُ بالدّونِ لمّا لم أجدْ وَزَراً

ولو وجدتُ لَما أُرضيتُ بالدُّونِ

ولو وجدتُ لَما أُرضيتُ بالدُّونِ

I was content with the lesser when I found no refuge.

I accepted inferiority when I did not find an equal,

And had I found one, I would not have been appeased with the lesser.

And if I had found one, I would not have accepted inferiority.

كَم ذا أُعالجُ إمّا كاشحاً حَنِقاً

كَم ذا أُعالجُ إمّا كاشحاً حَنِقاً

أَوْ أُبتَلى بصديقٍ غيرِ مأمونِ

أَوْ أُبتَلى بصديقٍ غيرِ مأمونِ

How long must I struggle with either a spiteful, enraged foe,

How often do I struggle, angry or afflicted

or be afflicted with a friend who cannot be trusted?

By an unreliable friend?

ما زلتُ بُقياً على الأحوالِ تجمعنا

ما زلتُ بُقياً على الأحوالِ تجمعنا

أُطيعه وهو طولَ الدّهرِ يعصيني

أُطيعه وهو طولَ الدّهرِ يعصيني

I have always, out of regard for the circumstances that unite us,

I have remained obedient to our circumstances,

obeyed him, while he disobeys me throughout life.

While he disobeys me for ages.

بُعداً وسُحقاً لقومٍ لا حِفاظَ لهمْ

بُعداً وسُحقاً لقومٍ لا حِفاظَ لهمْ

كنزتُ عندهمُ وُدّاً فملّوني

كنزتُ عندهمُ وُدّاً فملّوني

Away and to perdition with a people who have no loyalty!

Away with people who have no loyalty,

I stored up affection with them, so they tired of me.

I invested affection with them but they filled me with hatred.

ما زلتُ فيهم وَصولاً مَن يقاطعني

ما زلتُ فيهم وَصولاً مَن يقاطعني

ورائشاً عندهمْ من كان يَبريني

ورائشاً عندهمْ من كان يَبريني

I have always kept ties with those among them who cut me off,

I continued to visit those who boycott me,

and feathered those among them who whittled me down.

And was intimate with those who distance themselves from me.

منُّوا عليَّ بأن لم يسلبوا نَسَبِي

منُّوا عليَّ بأن لم يسلبوا نَسَبِي

سَقْياً ورَعْياً لفضلٍ غير ممنونِ

سَقْياً ورَعْياً لفضلٍ غير ممنونِ

They held it over me as a favor that they had not stripped me of my lineage.

They boasted that they did not rob me of my lineage,

Rain and nurture upon a kindness free of reproach!

Irrigating and grazing an ungrateful merit.

مِن كلِّ أَخرَقَ مأسورٍ بشهوتِهِ

مِن كلِّ أَخرَقَ مأسورٍ بشهوتِهِ

مُخَدَّعٍ برخاءِ العيشِ مفتونِ

مُخَدَّعٍ برخاءِ العيشِ مفتونِ

From every fool held captive by his desire,

Every feeble-minded person, captive to his desires,

deluded and bewitched by the ease of living.

Deceived by the comforts of life.

ظنّوا وليس لهمْ فضلٌ يقدّمهم

ظنّوا وليس لهمْ فضلٌ يقدّمهم

إنّ التقدّمَ في أَيدي السَّلاطينِ

إنّ التقدّمَ في أَيدي السَّلاطينِ

They supposed—though they have no merit to advance them—

They thought they had virtue to advance them,

that advancement lies in the hands of rulers.

Though truly, advancement is in the hands of rulers.

هيهاتَ ما الفضل إلّا ما حبَتك به

هيهاتَ ما الفضل إلّا ما حبَتك به

أَمُّ الفضائلِ من عقلٍ ومن دينِ

أَمُّ الفضائلِ من عقلٍ ومن دينِ

Far from it! Merit is only what you are endowed with

Alas! Virtue is only what your reason and religion love,

by the mother of virtues in the form of reason and faith.

The mother of virtues, from intellect and faith.

ما كان مُبتاعُهم إلّا أَخا نَدَمٍ

ما كان مُبتاعُهم إلّا أَخا نَدَمٍ

وَليسَ بائعهم إلّا بمغبونِ

وَليسَ بائعهم إلّا بمغبونِ

Their buyer is nothing but a brother to regret,

Their purchases were nothing but regretful brothers,

and their seller is nothing but a cheated man.

And their sellers were only the cheated.

جَنَوْا سَقامي وكم فيهم وعندهُم

جَنَوْا سَقامي وكم فيهم وعندهُم

طَبٌّ بدائي ولكنْ لا يُداويني

طَبٌّ بدائي ولكنْ لا يُداويني

They caused my sickness; how many among them and in their midst

They gathered my sickness, and how much in them and from them

know my illness well, yet do not treat me!

Is medicine for my affliction but does not cure me!

يقولُ قومٌ وما لي فيهمُ دُوَلٌ

يقولُ قومٌ وما لي فيهمُ دُوَلٌ

أجفوهُ بَذْلاً له فيهمْ ويجفوني

أجفوهُ بَذْلاً له فيهمْ ويجفوني

Some people say—and I have no turn of fortune among them—

Some people say, though I have no authority among them,

'I shun him'—an offering to him among them—and they shun me.

I shun them openly, so they shun me.

كم بين فَقْرٍ وإثراءٍ فقلت لهمْ

كم بين فَقْرٍ وإثراءٍ فقلت لهمْ

ما بين عزِّ الفتى في النّاسِ والهُونِ

ما بين عزِّ الفتى في النّاسِ والهُونِ

'How far apart are poverty and wealth?' I answered them:

How far between poverty and wealth! I said to them,

'As far as a man's dignity among people is from humiliation.'

What is between the glory of a man among people and lowness!

عش مفرداً غيرَ مقرونٍ فلا جَذَلٌ

عش مفرداً غيرَ مقرونٍ فلا جَذَلٌ

إلّا بأنِّيَ فردٌ غيرُ مقرونِ

إلّا بأنِّيَ فردٌ غيرُ مقرونِ

Live alone, bound to no one, for there is no joy

Live alone, not coupled, so no rejection

except in my being alone, bound to no one.

Except that I am single, not coupled.

لو كنتُ أعلمُ أنّ البعدَ يؤمنني

لو كنتُ أعلمُ أنّ البعدَ يؤمنني

بعدتُ لكنّ بُعدي لا يُنجّيني

بعدتُ لكنّ بُعدي لا يُنجّيني

If I knew that distance would make me safe,

If I knew that distance would secure me,

I would go far away; but my distance does not save me.

I would keep my distance, but my distance does not save me.

مَن مُخرِجِي من بلادي فهْيَ موبئةٌ

مَن مُخرِجِي من بلادي فهْيَ موبئةٌ

وكلّ داءٍ بها في الخلقِ يُعديني

وكلّ داءٍ بها في الخلقِ يُعديني

Who will lead me out of my land? It is plague-ridden,

Who will take me out of my country? It is plague-ridden,

and every disease among its people infects me.

And every disease in creation infects me.

وقد عَمَرْتُ زماناً في مرابعها

وقد عَمَرْتُ زماناً في مرابعها

أعدو المحاذرَ فيها وهْيَ تعدوني

أعدو المحاذرَ فيها وهْيَ تعدوني

And I have lived a long time in its springtime abodes,

I have lived long in its plains,

trying to outrun the dangers there, while they outpace me.

Fearing its hazards while it chased me.

وَقَد صَحبتُ الّذي بالغيِّ يَأمُرُني

وَقَد صَحبتُ الّذي بالغيِّ يَأمُرُني

وبالّذي يُدنِسُ الأعراضَ يُغرِيني

وبالّذي يُدنِسُ الأعراضَ يُغرِيني

And I have accompanied one who commands me to go astray,

And I have accompanied one who impels me to sin

and lures me to what defiles honor.

And incites me to defile honors.

إنّي لأعجبُ منه وهو ذو عَجَبٍ

إنّي لأعجبُ منه وهو ذو عَجَبٍ

يبيعني قبل أن يلقي ويَشريني

يبيعني قبل أن يلقي ويَشريني

I truly marvel at him, for he is a marvel:

I wonder at him—he who is wondrous—

he sells me before he meets me and buys me.

Selling me before he meets and nods to me!

يَقِيهِ نحرِيَ مِن رامٍ فريستَه

يَقِيهِ نحرِيَ مِن رامٍ فريستَه

يوم الوغى هو عُمْرَ الدَّهرِ يرميني

يوم الوغى هو عُمْرَ الدَّهرِ يرميني

My breast shields him from an archer aiming at his prey

On the day of battle, he protects his neck from me,

on the day of battle, yet he shoots at me all his life.

Though all his life he has targeted me with arrows.

وَكلّما أَخرجتْ كفّي القَذاةَ له

وَكلّما أَخرجتْ كفّي القَذاةَ له

من جَفْنِهِ بات يُشجيني ويُقذيني

من جَفْنِهِ بات يُشجيني ويُقذيني

And whenever my hand removes a mote for him

And whenever I remove a mote from his eye,

from his eyelid, he spends the night grieving me and putting motes in my eyes.

He stays up at night, provoking and spearing me.

وكم أُلَبِّيهِ في ضَرّاءَ يركبُها

وكم أُلَبِّيهِ في ضَرّاءَ يركبُها

ولم يكن يومَ سَرّاءٍ يُلَبّيني

ولم يكن يومَ سَرّاءٍ يُلَبّيني

And how often I answer his call in hardship he ventures into,

How often he rides calamities I appease for him,

though on a day of prosperity he would not answer my call.

Yet on a day of joy, he does not appease me!

مَن لِي بِحُرٍّ من الإخوانِ ذي أَنَفٍ

مَن لِي بِحُرٍّ من الإخوانِ ذي أَنَفٍ

أكفيه أثقالَه طَوْراً ويكفيني

أكفيه أثقالَه طَوْراً ويكفيني

Who will find me a noble friend with self-respect,

Where can I find a brother, truly dignified,

whose burdens I shoulder at times, and who shoulders mine?

To lighten his burdens for me sometimes as I do for him?

لا يَلتَقي بِيَ إلّا عند نائبةٍ

لا يَلتَقي بِيَ إلّا عند نائبةٍ

يُعين فيها ومكروهٍ يُعنّيني

يُعين فيها ومكروهٍ يُعنّيني

He meets me only when calamity strikes,

He only meets me in times of distress,

helping in it, and when some hardship troubles me.

To assist against an evil and comfort me.

فهو المُؤاتِي ولكنْ في مُذَمَّمَةٍ

فهو المُؤاتِي ولكنْ في مُذَمَّمَةٍ

يُثنِي عَليَّ ونَرْدي لا يُؤاتِيني

يُثنِي عَليَّ ونَرْدي لا يُؤاتِيني

He is obliging, yet in a plight of disgrace

Thus he gives conveniently but in measured amounts,

he praises me, while my dice do not favor me.

Praising me while denying me gifts.

خذْ كيف شئتَ فما الدّنيا بخالدةٍ

خذْ كيف شئتَ فما الدّنيا بخالدةٍ

ولا البقاءُ على خلقٍ بمضمونِ

ولا البقاءُ على خلقٍ بمضمونِ

Take as you please, for the world is not everlasting,

Take it as you wish—the world is not eternal,

nor is continued life guaranteed to any creature.

Nor is remaining for creation guaranteed.

خُلِقتَ من طينةٍ لمّا خُلِقتَ فلِمْ

خُلِقتَ من طينةٍ لمّا خُلِقتَ فلِمْ

تَربأ بنفسكَ أنْ تُهدى إلى الطّينِ

تَربأ بنفسكَ أنْ تُهدى إلى الطّينِ

You were created from clay when you were created; so why

You were created from clay when created, so why

do you deem yourself too high to be conveyed to clay?

Disdain that you be guided back to clay?

إلى التّراب يصير النّاسُ كلُّهمُ

إلى التّراب يصير النّاسُ كلُّهمُ

مِن مُفْهَقٍ بالغِنى كفّاً ومِسكينِ

مِن مُفْهَقٍ بالغِنى كفّاً ومِسكينِ

All people come to dust,

All mankind returns to dust—

from the man whose palm brims with wealth to the pauper,

The wealthy, the destitute, the stingy and the generous.

مُبَدَّلين بتُربٍ عن ملابسهم

مُبَدَّلين بتُربٍ عن ملابسهم

وبالخشونةِ عن خَفْضٍ وعن لينِ

وبالخشونةِ عن خَفْضٍ وعن لينِ

given dust in place of their garments,

Exchanged for dirt instead of their clothes,

and roughness in place of ease and softness.

And coarseness instead of smoothness and tenderness.

قُلْ للَّذي رَقَمَتْ أموالَهُ يدُه

قُلْ للَّذي رَقَمَتْ أموالَهُ يدُه

يُغنِي مُوَيلكَ مُفني مال قارونِ

يُغنِي مُوَيلكَ مُفني مال قارونِ

Tell him whose hand has tallied his riches:

Say to him whose hands engraved his wealth,

He who destroyed Qarun's wealth enriches your little hoard.

"Does your wealth avail you, O perishable wealth of Korah?"

أَينَ الّذي رَفع الإيوانَ تحسبُه

أَينَ الّذي رَفع الإيوانَ تحسبُه

إذا بدا لك طَوْداً لاح في بِينِ

إذا بدا لك طَوْداً لاح في بِينِ

Where is he who raised the Iwan, which you would deem,

Where is he who raised the palace you thought

when it appears to you, a mountain looming in an open expanse?

A towering mountain that gleamed from afar?

وأين عالٍ على غُمدانَ مُحتقراً

وأين عالٍ على غُمدانَ مُحتقراً

من كِبْرِياءٍ به غُرَّ العَثانينِ

من كِبْرِياءٍ به غُرَّ العَثانينِ

And where is he who towered atop Ghumdan, disdaining

And where is he who looked down on the commoners with arrogance,

in his arrogance the men of gleaming beards?

Swelling the Umayyads with pride?

وأين مَن حلّ في خَفّانَ مُحتكِماً

وأين مَن حلّ في خَفّانَ مُحتكِماً

على الملوكِ مُحَيّاً بالرّياحينِ

على الملوكِ مُحَيّاً بالرّياحينِ

And where is he who dwelt in Khaffan, holding sway

And where is he who resided in sandals ruling

over kings, greeted with fragrant flowers?

Over kings, greeted by the winds?

كأنّهمْ ساكني غُبْر القبورِ لهمْ

كأنّهمْ ساكني غُبْر القبورِ لهمْ

لم يسكنوا بيننا غُبْرَ البساتينِ

لم يسكنوا بيننا غُبْرَ البساتينِ

As though they, now dwelling in their dust-gray graves,

As if they were inhabitants of grave dirt—they did not

had never dwelt among us in dusky gardens.

Inhabit rose gardens among us.

بادوا فلا أثَرٌ منهمْ ولا خبرٌ

بادوا فلا أثَرٌ منهمْ ولا خبرٌ

إلّا أَساطيرُ تقريظٍ وتأبينِ

إلّا أَساطيرُ تقريظٍ وتأبينِ

They perished: no trace of them remains, no news,

They have perished—no trace or news of them,

save tales of praise and eulogy.

Except myths of elegy and eulogy.

يا ليتَ شعرِيَ أيُّ الأرض تَنبتُ لِي

يا ليتَ شعرِيَ أيُّ الأرض تَنبتُ لِي

وأيُّ تُربٍ من البَوْغاءِ يَعْلوني

وأيُّ تُربٍ من البَوْغاءِ يَعْلوني

Oh, if only I knew which earth will sprout for me,

I wish I knew which land will grow me,

and which fine, dusty soil will cover me,

And which soil from shoots will raise me!

وأيُّ وقتٍ من الأوقاتِ أكرهُهُ

وأيُّ وقتٍ من الأوقاتِ أكرهُهُ

أُجيبُ فيه حِمامي إذْ يناديني

أُجيبُ فيه حِمامي إذْ يناديني

and which moment, among all moments, I shall dread,

Which moment of moments will I hate

answering my death in it when it calls me.

When my pigeons answer as I call them?

إنْ كنتُ لم أعْيَ من خَطْبٍ رُميتُ به

إنْ كنتُ لم أعْيَ من خَطْبٍ رُميتُ به

فإنّ خَطْبَ صُروفِ الدّهرِ يُعييني

فإنّ خَطْبَ صُروفِ الدّهرِ يُعييني

If I have not wearied of a calamity hurled at me,

If I did not grow weary of troubles thrown at me,

then the calamity of time's reversals wears me out.

Then the troubles of time's circumstances exhaust me.