عَصَيْتُI disobeyedالْهَوَىpassion
I disobeyed passion and abandoned women... and I was a medicine, so I became a disease.
وَهَجَرْتُand I abandonedالنِّسَاءَthe women
and I abandoned the women...
وَكُنْتُand I wasدَوَاءًa medicineفَأَصْبَحْتُso I becameدَاءًa disease
and I was a medicine, so I became a disease.
وَمَاAnd whateverأَنْسَI forget
And whatever I forget, I do not forget until death... the calling of the antelopes answering the antelopes.
لَاnotأَنْسَI forgetحَتَّىuntilالْمَمَاتِthe death
I do not forget until death...
نَزِيبَthe callingالظِّبَاءِof the antelopesتُجِيبُansweringالظِّبَاءَthe antelopes
the calling of the antelopes answering the antelopes.
دَعِينِيLeave meوَصَبْرِيand my patienceعَلَىwithنَائِبَاتٍcalamities
Leave me and my patience with calamities... for through patience I attained the earth and the resting place.
فَبِالصَّبْرِFor with patienceنِلْتُI attainedالثَّرَىthe earthوَالثَّوَاءَand the resting place
for through patience I attained the earth and the resting place.
وَإِنْAnd ifيَكُbeدَهْرِيmy timeلَوَىbentرَأْسَهُits head
And if my time bent its head... time has met from me twisting.
فَقَدْfor indeedلَقِيَmetالدَّهْرُtimeمِنِّيfrom meاِلْتِوَاءًtwisting
time has met from me twisting.
لَيَالِيَNightsأُرْوِيI quenchصُدُورَthe chestsالْقَنَاof the spears
Nights when I quench the chests of the spears... and I quench with them the thirsty chests.
وَأُرْوِيand I quenchبِهِنَّwith themالصُّدُورَthe chestsالظِّمَاءَthirsty
and I quench with them the thirsty chests.
وَنَحْنُAnd weإِذَاwhenكَانَwasشُرْبُthe drinkingالْمُدَامِof wine
And we, when the drinking of wine is, we drink upon the thoroughbreds the blood.
شُرِبْنَاwe drankعَلَىuponالصَّافِنَاتِthe thoroughbred horsesالدِّمَاءَthe blood
we drink upon the thoroughbreds the blood.
بَلَغْنَاWe reachedالسَّمَاءَthe skyبِأَنْسَابِنَاby our lineages
We reached the sky by our lineages... and had it not been for the sky, we would have crossed the sky.
وَلَوْلَاand had it not been forالسَّمَاءُthe skyلَجُزْنَاwe would have crossedالسَّمَاءَthe sky
and had it not been for the sky, we would have crossed the sky.
فَحَسْبُكَSo suffices youمِنْofسُؤْدَدٍnobilityأَنَّنَاthat we
So it suffices you of nobility that we... with good trial we uncovered the trial.
بِحُسْنِwith goodالْبَلَاءِtrialكَشَفْنَاwe uncoveredالْبَلَاءَthe trial
with good trial we uncovered the trial.
يَطِيبُIs sweetالثَّنَاءُthe praiseلِآبَائِنَاfor our fathers
Praise is sweet for our fathers... and the mention of Ali adorns the praise.
وَذِكْرُand the mentionعَلِيٍّof Aliيُزَيِّنُadornsالثَّنَاءَthe praise
and the mention of Ali adorns the praise.
إِذَاWhenذَكَرَmentionedالنَّاسُthe peopleكُنَّاwe wereمُلُوكاًkings
When people were mentioned, we were kings... and they were slaves and they were handmaids.
وَكَانُواand they wereعَبِيداًslavesوَكَانُواand they wereإِمَاءًhandmaids
and they were slaves and they were handmaids.
هَجَانِيSatirized meقَوْمٌa peopleوَلَمْand I did notأَهْجُهُمْsatirize them
A people satirized me and I did not satirize them... God refused for me that I should speak satire.
أَبَىRefusedاللَّهُGodلِيfor meأَنْthatأَقُولَI sayالْهِجَاءَthe satire
God refused for me that I should speak satire.
وَقَالَAnd saidغَيْرُهُanother
And another said:
وَإِنِّيAnd indeed Iمِنَfromالْقَوْمِthe peopleالَّذِينَwhoعَرَفْتُهُمْI knew them
And indeed I am from the people whom I knew... if a master among them dies, his companion arises.
إِذَاwhenمَاتَdiesمِنْهُمْfrom themسَيِّدٌa masterقَامَarisesصَاحِبُهُhis companion
if a master among them dies, his companion arises.
نُجُومُStarsالسَّمَاءِof the skyكُلَّمَاwheneverانْقَضَّfallsكَوْكَبٌa star
The stars of the sky, whenever a star falls... a star appears, whose constellations take shelter in it.
بَدَاappearsكَوْكَبٌa starتَأْوِيtake shelterإِلَيْهِin itكَوَاكِبُهُits constellations
a star appears, whose constellations take shelter in it.
أَضَاءَتْIlluminatedلَهُمْfor themأَحْسَابُهُمْtheir lineagesوَوُجُوهُهُمْand their faces
Their lineages and faces illuminated for them... the darkness of the night until its piercer organized the pearl necklace.
دُجَىdarknessاللَّيْلِof the nightحَتَّىuntilنَظَّمَorganizedالْجِزْعَthe pearl necklaceثَاقِبُهُits piercer
the darkness of the night until its piercer organized the pearl necklace.
فَلَاSo do notتُوعِدْنِيthreaten meيَاOشُرَيْحُShurayhفَإِنَّنِيfor indeed I
So do not threaten me, O Shurayh, for indeed I am... like a lion of a thicket whose jackals fled from him.
كَلَيْثِlike a lionعَرِينٍof a thicketفَرَّfledعَنْهُfrom himثَعَالِبُهُits jackals
like a lion of a thicket whose jackals fled from him.
يَمْشِيHe walksبِأَوْصَالِwith limbsالرِّجَالِof menإِذَاwhenسَتَاhe grew tall
He walks with the limbs of men when he grows tall... his claws have reddened from the gushing of blood.
قَدْindeedاحْمَرَّreddenedمِنْfromنَضْخِgushingالدِّمَاءِof bloodمَخَالِبُهُhis claws
his claws have reddened from the gushing of blood.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُanother
And another said:
حُلَمَاءُForbearingحِينَwhenيَقُولُspeaksقَائِلُهُمْtheir speaker
Forbearing when their speaker speaks... white-faced, eloquent leaders.
بِيضُWhiteالْوُجُوهِfacesمَقَاوِلُleadersلُسُنٌeloquent
white-faced, eloquent leaders.
لَاNotيَفْطُنُونَthey noticeلِعَيْبِthe faultجَارِهِمْof their neighbor
They do not notice the fault of their neighbor... and they are mindful of preserving his neighborhood.
وَهُمْand theyلِحِفْظِfor preservingجِوَارِهِhis neighborhoodفِطَنُmindful
and they are mindful of preserving his neighborhood.
وَأَحْسَنُAnd betterمِنْthanذَلِكَthatكُلِّهِall of itقَوْلُis the sayingرَسُولِof the Messengerاللَّهِof God
And better than all of that is the saying of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, when a Bedouin came to him and said: By my father and mother, you are the most noble of people in lineage! He said: The best of them in character and the most excellent of them in piety. So the Bedouin turned away. He said: Bring him back. Then he said: O Bedouin, perhaps you wanted a lineage? He said: Yes. He said: Joseph the truthful one of God, son of Jacob, Israel of God, son of Isaac, the sacrificed one of God, son of Abraham, the friend of God. So where is the like of these fathers in the whole world! There was never the like of them in it at all. And the poet said:
صَلَّىMay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
وَقَدْandأَتَاهُcame to himأَعْرَابِيٌّa Bedouinفَقَالَand said
when a Bedouin came to him and said
بِأَبِيBy my fatherأَنْتَyouوَأُمِّيand my motherأَكْرَمُmost nobleالنَّاسِof peopleحَسَباًin lineage
By my father and mother, you are the most noble of people in lineage!
فَقَالَSo he said
He said
أَحْسَنُهُمْThe best of themخُلُقاًin characterوَأَفْضَلُهُمْand the most excellent of themتَقْوَىin piety
The best of them in character and the most excellent of them in piety.
فَانْصَرَفَSo turned awayالْأَعْرَابِيُّthe Bedouin
So the Bedouin turned away.
فَقَالَHe said
He said
رُدُّوهُBring him back
Bring him back.
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe said
Then he said
يَاOأَعْرَابِيُّBedouinلَعَلَّكَperhaps youأَرَدْتَwantedنَسَباًa lineage
O Bedouin, perhaps you wanted a lineage?
قَالَHe said
He said
نَعَمْYes
Yes.
قَالَHe said
He said
يُوسُفُJosephصِدِّيقُthe truthful oneاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofيَعْقُوبَJacobإِسْرَائِيلُIsraelاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofإِسْحَاقَIsaacذَبِيحُthe sacrificed oneاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofإِبْرَاهِيمَAbrahamخَلِيلِthe friendاللَّهِof God
Joseph the truthful one of God, son of Jacob, Israel of God, son of Isaac, the sacrificed one of God, son of Abraham, the friend of God.
فَأَيْنَSo where isمِثْلُthe likeهَؤُلَاءِof theseالْآبَاءِfathersفِيinجَمِيعِallالدُّنْيَاthe world
So where is the like of these fathers in the whole world!
مَاNotكَانَwasفِيهَاin itمِثْلُهُمْthe like of themأَبَداًever
There was never the like of them in it at all.
وَقَالَAnd saidالشَّاعِرُthe poet
And the poet said:
وَلَمْAnd I did notأَرَseeكَالْأَسْبَاطِlike the descendantsأَبْنَاءِsonsوَالِدٍof a father
And I have not seen like the descendants, sons of a father... nor like their father a father when he is reckoned.
وَلَاnorكَأَبِيهِمْlike their fatherوَالِداًa fatherحِينَwhenيُنْسَبُhe is reckoned
nor like their father a father when he is reckoned.
وَدَخَلَAnd enteredعُيَيْنَةُUyaynahبْنُson ofحِصْنٍHisnالْفَزَارِيُّthe Fazariعَلَىuponالنَّبِيِّthe Prophet
And Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazari entered upon the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, and traced his lineage then said: I am the son of the noble elders. So he said, peace and blessings of God be upon him: You are then Joseph the truthful one of God, son of Jacob, Israel of God, son of Isaac, the sacrificed one of God, son of Abraham, the friend of God. And he said, peace and blessings of God be upon him: The best of mankind is Adam, peace be upon him, and the best of the Arabs is Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, and the best of the Persians is Salman, and the best of the Romans is Suhayb, and the best of the Abyssinians is Bilal, may God have mercy on them all.
صَلَّىMay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
فَانْتَسَبَand traced his lineageثُمَّthenقَالَsaid
and traced his lineage then said
أَنَاI amابْنُthe sonالْأَشْيَاخِof the eldersالْأَكَارِمِnoble
I am the son of the noble elders.
فَقَالَSo he said
So he said
صَلَّىmay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
أَنْتَYouإِذاًthenيُوسُفُJosephصِدِّيقُthe truthful oneاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofيَعْقُوبَJacobإِسْرَائِيلُIsraelاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofإِسْحَاقَIsaacذَبِيحُthe sacrificed oneاللَّهِof Godبْنُson ofإِبْرَاهِيمَAbrahamخَلِيلِthe friendاللَّهِof God
You are then Joseph the truthful one of God, son of Jacob, Israel of God, son of Isaac, the sacrificed one of God, son of Abraham, the friend of God.
وَقَالَAnd said
And he said
صَلَّىmay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
خَيْرُThe bestالْبَشَرِof mankindآدَمُis Adam
The best of mankind is Adam
عَلَيْهِupon himالسَّلَامُbe the peace
peace be upon him
وَخَيْرُand the bestالْعَرَبِof the Arabsمُحَمَّدٌis Muhammad
and the best of the Arabs is Muhammad
صَلَّىmay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
وَخَيْرُand the bestالْفُرْسِof the Persiansسَلْمَانُis Salman
and the best of the Persians is Salman
وَخَيْرُand the bestالرُّومِof the Romansصُهَيْبٌis Suhayb
and the best of the Romans is Suhayb
وَخَيْرُand the bestالْحَبَشَةِof the Abyssiniansبِلَالٌis Bilal
and the best of the Abyssinians is Bilal
رَحِمَهُمُmay have mercy on themاللَّهُGodأَجْمَعِينَall
may God have mercy on them all.
[مَسَاوِئُ[The evilsالِافْتِخَارِ]of boasting]
[The Evils of Boasting]
رُوِيَIt was narratedعَنْfromابْنِIbnعَبَّاسٍAbbasقَالَhe said
It was narrated from Ibn Abbas, he said: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, said: Do not boast about your fathers in the pre-Islamic period, for by Him in Whose hand is my soul, the rolling dung-beetle with its nose is better than your fathers who died in the pre-Islamic period.
قَالَsaidرَسُولُthe Messengerاللَّهِof God
The Messenger of God
صَلَّىmay send peaceاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant security
peace and blessings of God be upon him
لَاDo notتَفْخَرُواboastبِآبَائِكُمْabout your fathersفِيinالْجَاهِلِيَّةِthe pre-Islamic period
Do not boast about your fathers in the pre-Islamic period
فَوَالِذِيfor by Himنَفْسِيmy soulبِيَدِهِis in His hand
for by Him in Whose hand is my soul
لَمُدَحْرِجُthe rollingالْجِعْلِdung-beetleبِأَنْفِهِwith its noseخَيْرٌis betterمِنْthanآبَائِكُمُyour fathersالَّذِينَwhoمَاتُواdiedفِيinالْجَاهِلِيَّةِthe pre-Islamic period
the rolling dung-beetle with its nose is better than your fathers who died in the pre-Islamic period.
قِيلَIt was said
It was said: Al-Hasan al-Basri used to say: O son of Adam, why do you boast when you merely emerged from a urine channel twice as a drop mixed with filth?
وَكَانَAnd usedالْحَسَنُAl-Hasanالْبَصْرِيُّal-Basriيَقُولُto say
Al-Hasan al-Basri used to say
ابْنَO sonآدَمَof Adamلَمَwhyتَفْخَرُdo you boastوَإِنَّمَاwhen merelyخَرَجْتَyou emergedمِنْfromمَسِيلِchannelبُولَيْنِof urine twiceنُطْفَةًas a dropمُشِجَتْmixedبِأَقْذَارٍwith filth
O son of Adam, why do you boast when you merely emerged from a urine channel twice as a drop mixed with filth?
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُهُمْsome of themلِرَجُلٍto a manيَتَبَخْتَرُstrutting
And some of them said to a man who was strutting: O this one, your beginning is a filthy drop, and your end is a stinking corpse, and you are between them a vessel of excrement, so what is this walking?
يَاOهَذَاthisإِنَّindeedأَوَّلَكَyour beginningنُطْفَةٌis a dropقَذِرَةٌfilthy
O this one, your beginning is a filthy drop
وَآخِرَكَand your endجِيفَةٌis a corpseمُنْتِنَةٌstinking
and your end is a stinking corpse
وَأَنْتَand youفِيمَاin whatبَيْنَهُمَاis between themوِعَاءُa vesselعَذِرَةٍof excrementفَمَاso whatهَذِهِis thisالْمِشْيَةُwalking
and you are between them a vessel of excrement, so what is this walking?
قَالَHe saidوَقِيلَand it was saidلِعَامِرِto Amirبْنِson ofقَيْسٍQays
And it was said to Amir ibn Qays: What do you say about man? He said: What do I say about someone who if he starves, becomes submissive, and if he eats his fill, becomes insolent.
مَاWhatتَقُولُdo you sayفِيaboutالْإِنْسَانِman
What do you say about man?
قَالَHe saidمَاwhatأَقُولُdo I sayفِيمَنْabout someone whoإِنْifجَاعَhe starvesضَرَعَbecomes submissive
He said: What do I say about someone who if he starves, becomes submissive
وَإِنْand ifشَبِعَhe eats his fillطَغَىbecomes insolent
and if he eats his fill, becomes insolent.
وَرُوِيَAnd it was narratedعَنْfromابْنِIbnعَبَّاسٍAbbasأَنَّهُthat heقَالَsaid
And it was narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: They are favored in this world by honor, households, emirates, emancipation, beauty, appearance, and speech, and they are favored in the hereafter by piety and certainty, so the most pious of them is the best of them in certainty, the purest of them in deeds, the highest of them in degree, and the wisest of them.
يَتَفَاضَلُونَThey are favoredفِيinالدُّنْيَاthe worldبِالشَّرَفِby honorوَالْبُيُوتَاتِand householdsوَالْإِمَارَاتِand emiratesوَالْعِتَاقِand emancipationوَالْجَمَالِand beautyوَالْهَيْئَةِand appearanceوَالْمَنْطِقِand speech
They are favored in this world by honor, households, emirates, emancipation, beauty, appearance, and speech
وَيَتَفَاضَلُونَand they are favoredفِيinالْآخِرَةِthe hereafterبِالتَّقْوَىby pietyوَالْيَقِينِand certainty
and they are favored in the hereafter by piety and certainty
فَأَتْقَاهُمْso the most pious of themأَحْسَنُهُمْis the best of themيَقِيناًin certaintyوَأَزْكَاهُمْand the purest of themعَمَلاًin deedsوَأَرْفَعُهُمْand the highest of themدَرَجَةًin degreeأَعْقَلُهُمْand the wisest of them
so the most pious of them is the best of them in certainty, the purest of them in deeds, the highest of them in degree, and the wisest of them.
وَقِيلَAnd it was saidفِيaboutذَلِكَthat
And it was said about that:
يُزَيِّنُAdornsالْفَتَىthe youthفِيamongالنَّاسِthe peopleصِحَّةُthe soundnessعَقْلِهِof his intellect
The soundness of his intellect adorns the youth among the people... even if his acquisitions are forbidden.
وَإِنْeven ifكَانَwereمَحْظُوراًforbiddenعَلَيْهِupon himمَكَاسِبُهُhis acquisitions
even if his acquisitions are forbidden.
يُشِينُDisgracesالْفَتَىthe youthفِيamongالنَّاسِthe peopleقِلَّةُthe lackعَقْلِهِof his intellect
The lack of his intellect disgraces the youth among the people... even if his fathers and lineage are noble.
وَإِنْeven ifكَرُمَتْwere nobleآبَاؤُهُhis fathersوَمَنَاسِبُهُand lineage
even if his fathers and lineage are noble.
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُsomeالْحُكَمَاءِof the wise men
And some of the wise men said: Honor is not through high status and lineage, do you not see that two brothers by father and mother, one of them is more honorable than the other?
لَاNotيَكُونُisالشَّرَفُthe honorبِالْحَسَبِby high statusوَالنَّسَبِand lineage
Honor is not through high status and lineage
أَلَاdo you notتَرَىseeأَنَّthatأَخَوَيْنِtwo brothersلِأَبٍby a fatherوَأُمٍّand mother
do you not see that two brothers by father and mother
يَكُونُisأَحَدُهُمَاone of themأَشْرَفَmore honorableمِنَthanالْآخَرِthe other
one of them is more honorable than the other?
وَلَوْAnd ifكَانَit wereذَلِكَthatمِنْfromقِبَلِthe direction ofالنَّسَبِlineage
And if that were from the direction of lineage... there would not be for any of them over the other any favor because their lineage is one.
لَمَاthere would notكَانَbeلِأَحَدٍfor anyمِنْهُمْof themعَلَىoverالْآخَرِthe otherفَضْلٌfavor
there would not be for any of them over the other any favor
لِأَنَّbecauseنَسَبَهُمَاtheir lineageوَاحِدٌis one
because their lineage is one.
وَلَكِنَّAnd butذَلِكَthatمِنْfromقِبَلِthe direction ofالْأَفْعَالِactions
And but that is from the direction of actions... because honor is only in it, not in lineage.
لِأَنَّbecauseالشَّرَفَhonorإِنَّمَاis onlyهُوَitفِيهِin itلَاnotفِيinالنَّسَبِlineage
because honor is only in it, not in lineage.
وَقَالَAnd saidالشَّاعِرُthe poetفِيaboutذَلِكَthat
And the poet said about that:
أَبُوكَYour fatherأَبِيis my fatherوَالْجَدُّand the grandfatherلَاnoشَكَّdoubtوَاحِدٌis one
Your father is my father and the grandfather without doubt is one... but we are two pieces of wood, myrtle and oleander.
وَلَكِنَّنَاand but weعُودَانِare two pieces of woodآسٌmyrtleوَخْرُوعٌand oleander
and but we are two pieces of wood, myrtle and oleander.