تَعَرَّض لِلرَئيسِ أَبي عَلِيٍّ

تَعَرَّض لِلرَئيسِ أَبي عَلِيٍّ

عَلى حُكمِ الإِخاءِ بِلا اِحتِشامِ

عَلى حُكمِ الإِخاءِ بِلا اِحتِشامِ

Approach the chief, Abu Ali,

I addressed the chief Abu Ali

on the terms of brotherhood, without reserve.

About the rule of brotherhood without propriety

فَلي حَقٌّ أَمُتُّ بِهِ إِلَيهِ

فَلي حَقٌّ أَمُتُّ بِهِ إِلَيهِ

وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ وافي الذِمامِ

وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ وافي الذِمامِ

For I have a claim through which I appeal to him,

So I have a right that I give to him

and I know he is faithful to his pledges.

And I know he is of unfailing resolve

وَقُل يا سَيِّدي قَد صَحَّ عَزمي

وَقُل يا سَيِّدي قَد صَحَّ عَزمي

وَقَولي قَولُ أَصحابِ الحِمامِ

وَقَولي قَولُ أَصحابِ الحِمامِ

And say: My lord, my resolve is firm,

And say, my master, my determination is sound

and my word is that of those facing death:

And my words are those of the people of virtue

أَصومُ لِصَومِكُم خَمسينَ يَوماً

أَصومُ لِصَومِكُم خَمسينَ يَوماً

وَأَهجُرُ كُلَّ مَحظورٍ حَرامِ

وَأَهجُرُ كُلَّ مَحظورٍ حَرامِ

I shall observe your fast for fifty days,

I fast fifty days for your fasting

and shun every forbidden, unlawful thing.

And I abstain from all forbidden vices

وَأَجتَنِبُ الذَبائِحَ لا بِحُكمِ ال

وَأَجتَنِبُ الذَبائِحَ لا بِحُكمِ ال

ضَرورَةِ بَل بِحُكمِ الإِلتِزامِ

ضَرورَةِ بَل بِحُكمِ الإِلتِزامِ

And I shall avoid slaughtered meat, not out of

I avoid meat not by need

necessity, but out of commitment.

But by duty and devotion

وَأَترُكُ طائِعاً مِن غَيرِ عُذرِ

وَأَترُكُ طائِعاً مِن غَيرِ عُذرِ

مُوافَقَةً لَكُم شُربَ المُدامِ

مُوافَقَةً لَكُم شُربَ المُدامِ

And I willingly give up, without an excuse,

And I voluntarily leave, without excuse

in accord with you, the drinking of wine,

Drinking alcohol, agreeing with you

إِلى أَن تَجمَعَ الأَيّامُ شَملي

إِلى أَن تَجمَعَ الأَيّامُ شَملي

بِكُم ما بَينَ باطِيَةٍ وَجامِ

بِكُم ما بَينَ باطِيَةٍ وَجامِ

until the days reunite me

Until the days gather my group

with you between a wine-bowl and a goblet,

Between Batiya and Jam

وَنَجلوها عَلى النَدمانِ بِكراً

وَنَجلوها عَلى النَدمانِ بِكراً

كَقَرنِ الشَمسِ في جُنحِ الظَلامِ

كَقَرنِ الشَمسِ في جُنحِ الظَلامِ

and we unveil her, a virgin, before the drinking companions,

And we spend it repenting

like the sun's rim in the cover of darkness.

Like the horns of the sun in the darkness of night

فَإِنَّ التُرَهاتِ لَها اِتِفاقٌ

فَإِنَّ التُرَهاتِ لَها اِتِفاقٌ

عَلى الشُعَراءِ في هَذا المَقامِ

عَلى الشُعَراءِ في هَذا المَقامِ

For absurdities are in league

For concessions have agreement

against poets in this situation,

Among the poets in this regard

وَلاسِيَما وَهَذا عامُ مَحلٍ

وَلاسِيَما وَهَذا عامُ مَحلٍ

تَوالى الجَدبُ فيهِ بَعدَ عامِ

تَوالى الجَدبُ فيهِ بَعدَ عامِ

and especially since this is a year of dearth,

Especially since this is a year of dearth

drought having persisted in it, year after year.

Drought followed drought this year

غَدا وَجهُ السَحابِ الطَلقُ جَهماً

غَدا وَجهُ السَحابِ الطَلقُ جَهماً

وَأَكدَت فيهِ أَنواءُ الغَمامِ

وَأَكدَت فيهِ أَنواءُ الغَمامِ

The clouds' once-cheerful face has grown grim,

Tomorrow the face of the rain clouds will frown

and their seasonal rains have failed in it.

And sorrows of clouds grew firm in it

وَأَضحى المُسلِمونَ مَعَ النَصارى

وَأَضحى المُسلِمونَ مَعَ النَصارى

عَلى الإِمساكِ فيهِ وَالصِيامِ

عَلى الإِمساكِ فيهِ وَالصِيامِ

And Muslims, along with Christians, are now

And Muslims and Christians became

abstaining and fasting in this year.

Alike in abstaining and fasting in it

وَإِن تَمَّمتَ بِالحَلوا وَحاشى

وَإِن تَمَّمتَ بِالحَلوا وَحاشى

لِجودِكَ أَن يَكونَ بِلا تَمامِ

لِجودِكَ أَن يَكونَ بِلا تَمامِ

And if you complete it with sweets—and far be it

And if you complete with forgiveness and restraint

from your generosity to be incomplete—

By your generosity, without flaw

حَصَلتَ عَلى الثَناءِ الحُرِّ مِنّي

حَصَلتَ عَلى الثَناءِ الحُرِّ مِنّي

بِها وَسَلِمتَ مِن جِهَةِ المَلامِ

بِها وَسَلِمتَ مِن جِهَةِ المَلامِ

you will earn sincere praise from me

You will gain sincere praise from me

through them, and be spared reproach.

And be safe from any blame

وَإِن مَهَّدتَ في التَثقيلِ عُذري

وَإِن مَهَّدتَ في التَثقيلِ عُذري

فَذَلِكَ مِن سَجاياكَ الكِرامِ

فَذَلِكَ مِن سَجاياكَ الكِرامِ

And if you make room for my excuse for being burdensome,

And if you pave the way to excuse my burden

that is one of your noble traits.

That is of your noble traits

وَفي البُرشانِ لي طَمَعٌ قَوِيٌّ

وَفي البُرشانِ لي طَمَعٌ قَوِيٌّ

وَلَكِن لَيسَ ذا وَقتَ الكَلامِ

وَلَكِن لَيسَ ذا وَقتَ الكَلامِ

And I have a strong desire for the communion bread,

And for the glad tidings I have strong hope

and yet this is not the time for talk.

But this is not the time for talk