وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said:
لَاDo notتَنْهَضْriseعَنْfromوَكْرِكَyour nest
Do not rise from your nest
فَتَنْقُصَكَlest diminish youالْغُرْبَةُexile
lest exile diminish you
وَتَضِيمَكَand oppress youالْوَحْدَةُ.loneliness.
and loneliness oppress you.
وَشَبَّهَتِAnd comparedالْعَرَبُthe Arabsوَالْحُكَمَاءُand the wiseالْغَرِيبَthe strangerبِالْيَتِيمِto the orphanاللَّطِيمِthe bereaved
And the Arabs and the wise compared the stranger to the bereaved orphan
الَّذِيwhoثَكِلَlostأَبَوَيْهِhis parents
who lost his parents,
فَلَاso neitherأُمَّmotherتَرْأَمُis affectionateلَهُto him
so neither is there a mother affectionate to him
وَلَاnorأَبَfatherيَحْدَبُis tenderعَلَيْهِ.toward him.
nor a father tender toward him.
وَكَانَAnd itيُقَالُ:was said:
And it was said:
الْجَالِيThe one exiledعَنْfromمَسْقِطِthe birthplaceرَأْسِهِof his head
The one exiled from his birthplace
كَالْعَيْرِis like the wild assالنَّاشِزِdriven awayعَنْfromمَوْضِعِهِits place
is like the wild ass driven away from its place
الَّذِيwhichهُوَitلِكُلِّto everyسَبُعٍbeast of preyفَرِيسَةٌprey
which is prey to every beast of prey,
وَلِكُلِّand to everyكَلْبٍdogقَنِيصَةٌgame
and game to every dog,
وَلِكُلِّand to everyرَامٍarcherرَمِيَّةٌ.target.
and target to every archer.
وَكَانَAnd itيُقَالُ:was said:
And it was said:
الْغَرِيبُThe strangerعَنْaway fromوَطَنِهِhis homelandوَمَحَلِّand placeرِضَاعِهِof his nursing
The stranger away from his homeland and place of his upbringing
كَالْغَرْسِis like the saplingالَّذِيwhichزَايَلَleftأَرْضَهُits land
is like the sapling which left its land
وَفَقَدَand lostشِرْبَهُits water
and lost its water,
فَهُوَso it isذَاوٍwitheredلَاnotيُثْمِرُbearing fruit
so it is withered, not bearing fruit,
وَذَابِلٌand droopingلَاnotيَنْضِرُ،flourishing.
and drooping, not flourishing.
وَأَنْشَدَ:And he recited:
And he recited:
وَمُغْتَرِبٍAnd an exileبِالْمَرْجِin the meadowيَبْكِيweepingلِشَجْوِهِfor his grief......وَقَدْwhileغَابَhas been absentعَنْهُfrom himالْمُسْعِدُونَthose who assistعَلَىinالْحُبِّlove
And an exile in the meadow weeping for his grief, while those who assist in love have been absent from him,
إِذَاWhenمَاeverأَتَاهُcame to himالرَّكْبُthe caravanمِنfromنَحْوِthe direction ofأَرْضِهِhis land......تَنَفَّسَhe breathes deeplyيَسْتَشْفِيseeking healingبِرَائِحَةِby the scent ofالرَّكْبِthe caravan
Whenever the caravan comes to him from the direction of his land, he breathes deeply, seeking healing by the scent of the caravan.
وَلِآخَرَ:And for another:
And for another:
إِذَاWhenمَاeverذَكَرْتُI rememberالثَّغْرَthe frontierفَاضَتْoverflowedمَدَامِعِيmy tears
Whenever I remember the frontier, my tears overflowed,
وَأَحْضَىand becameفُؤَادِيmy heartنَهْبَةًplunderلِلْهَمَاهِمِfor anxieties
and my heart became plunder for anxieties,
حَنِينًاout of yearningإِلَىforأَرْضٍa landبِهَاin itاخْضَرَّgreenedشَارِبِيmy mustache
out of yearning for a land in which my youth began,
وَحَلَّتْand were tiedبِهَاin itعَنِّيfrom meعُقُودُthe amuletsالتَّمَائِمِof talismans
and in it the amulets of childhood were tied around me.
وَأَلْطَفُAnd the kindestقَوْمٍof peopleبِالْفَتَىto the youthأَهْلُare the people ofأَرْضِهِhis land
And the kindest people to a youth are the people of his land,
وَأَرْعَاهُمْand the most observant of themلِلْمَرْءِof a man'sحَقَّrightالتَّقَادُمِof long-standing
and the most observant of a man's right of long-standing acquaintance.
وَلِآخَرَ:And for another:
And for another:
أَحُنُّI yearnإِلَىforأَرْضِthe land ofالْحِجَازِHijazوَحَاجَتِيand my need
I yearn for the land of Hijaz, and my need is
خِيَامٌtentsبِنَجْدٍin Najdدُونَهَاbefore whichالطَّرْفُthe gazeيَقْصُرُfalls short
tents in Najd before which the gaze falls short.
وَمَاAnd is notنَظَرِيmy lookingمِنfromنَحْوِthe direction ofنَجْدٍNajdبِنَافِعِيof any benefit to me
And my looking toward Najd is of no benefit to me,
أَجَلْyesلَاnoوَلَكِنِّيbut Iعَلَىatذَاكَthatأَنْظُرُlook
indeed no, but I look at that nonetheless.
أَفِيIs it inكُلِّeveryيَوْمٍdayنَظْرَةٌa glanceثُمَّthenعَبْرَةٌa tear
Is there every day a glance and then a tear
لِعَيْنَيْكَfor your eyesيَجْرِيflowingمَاؤُهَاits waterيَتَحَدَّرُdescending
for your eyes, its water flowing and descending?
مَتَىWhenيَسْتَرِيحُwill restالْقَلْبُ؟the heart?
When will the heart rest?
إِمَّاEitherمُجَاوِرٌa neighborحَزِينٌgrievingوَإِمَّاorنَازِحٌone far awayيَتَذَكَّرُremembering
Either a grieving neighbor or one far away remembering.
الطَّائِيُّ:Al-Ta'i said:
Al-Ta'i:
نَقِّلْMoveفُؤَادَكَyour heartحَيْثُwhereverشِئْتَyou wishمِنofالْهَوَىpassion
Move your heart wherever you wish among passions,
مَاnone isالْحُبُّloveإِلَّاexceptلِلْحَبِيبِfor the belovedالْأَوَّلِfirst
love is only for the first beloved.
كَمْHow manyمَنْزِلٍa homeفِيinالْأَرْضِthe earthيَأْلَفُهُlovesالْفَتَىthe youth
How many a home on earth does a youth love,
وَحَنِينُهُand his yearningأَبَدًاalwaysلِأَوَّلِis for the firstمَنْزِلِhome.
and his yearning is always for the first home.
[مَسَاوِئُ[The evils ofمَنْwhoكَرِهَhatesالْوَطَنَ]the homeland]
[The Evils of Hating the Homeland]
قَالَSaidبَعْضُsomeالْفَلَاسِفَةِ:philosophers:
Some philosophers said:
اُطْلُبُواSeekالرِّزْقَsustenanceفِيinالْبُعْدِdistance
Seek sustenance in distance,
فَإِنَّكُمْfor indeed youإِنْifلَمْnotتَكْسِبُواyou earnمَالًاwealth
for if you do not earn wealth,
غَنِمْتُمْyou will have gainedعَقْلًاintellectكَثِيرًا.much.
you will have gained much intellect.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said:
لَاDoes notيَأْلَفُcherishالْوَطَنَthe homelandإِلَّاexceptضَيِّقُnarrowالْعَطَنِ.mind.
None cherishes the homeland except one of narrow mind.
وَقِيلَAnd it was saidلِآخَرَ:to another:
And it was said to another:
مَاHowأَصْبَرَكَpatient you areعَلَىwithالْغُرْبَةِ!exile!
How patient you are with exile!
فَقَالَ:He said:
He said:
آنِسْتُI became familiarبِالنَّوَائِبِwith calamitiesحَتَّىuntilمَاnotأَعْرِفُI knowغَيْرَهَاother than them
I became familiar with calamities until I know nothing else
وَغُذِّيتُand I was nourishedبِالْمَكَارِهِon hardshipsفَمَاso I do notأَجِدُfindضَيْرَهَا.their harm.
and I was nourished on hardships, so I do not find their harm.
وَمَدَحَAnd praisedأَعْرَابِيٌّa Bedouinرَجُلًاa manفَقَالَ:saying:
A Bedouin praised a man, saying:
خَرَّجَتْهُtrained himالْغُرْبَةُexile
Exile trained him,
وَدَرَّبَتْهُand practiced himالتَّجْرِبَةُexperience
experience practiced him,
وَضَرَسَتْهُand hardened himالنَّوَائِبُ.calamities.
and calamities hardened him.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said:
مَاDoesحَنَّyearnأَحَدٌanyoneإِلَىtoبَلَدٍa town
No one yearns for a town
لَاnotيَجْمَعُgatheringفِيهِin itشَمْلَهُhis affairs
that does not gather his affairs together in it
إِلَّاexceptلِوَصْمَةٍfor a defectفِيinعَقْلِهِhis intellect
except due to a defect in his intellect,
وَلَاnorتَنْزِعُinclinesنَفْسُهُhis soulإِلَىtoبَلَدٍa town
nor does his soul incline to a town
قَلَّscantyبِهِin itرِفْدُهُhis provision
where his provision is scanty
إِلَّاexceptلِاسْتِيلَاءِdue to the prevalence ofالْمُوقِstupidityعَلَيْهِ.over him.
except due to the prevalence of stupidity over him.
وَقِيلَAnd it was saidلِآخَرَ:to another:
And it was said to another:
مَاWhat isالْعَيْشُ؟life?
What is life?
فَقَالَ:He said:
He said:
دَوَرَانُRoamingالْبُلْدَانِcountries
Roaming countries,
وَلِقَاءُmeetingالْإِخْوَانِbrothers
meeting brothers,
وَمُغَازَلَةُflirting withالْقِيَانِslave-singer girls
flirting with slave-singer girls,
وَاسْتِمَاعُand listening toالْأَغَانِيsongsوَالنَّغَمَاتِand melodies
and listening to songs and melodies
مِنَfromالزِّيرِthe zairوَالْمَثَانِي.and the mathani.
from the zair and the mathani instruments.
وَقَدْAndقِيلَ:it has been said:
And it has been said:
مَنْWhoeverصَبَرَis patientعَلَىwithالْغُرْبَةِexileأَمِنَis safeمِنَfromالْكُرْبَةِ،distress.
Whoever is patient with exile is safe from distress,
وَأَفْضَلُand the bestالْعُدَّةِprovisionالصَّبْرُis patienceعَلَىwithالشِّدَّةِ.hardship.
and the best provision is patience with hardship.
وَقَالُوا:And they said:
And they said:
لَاDo notتُوحِشَنَّكَmake you feel lonelyالْغُرْبَةُexileإِذَاifآنَسْتَyou find comfortبِالْكَفَايَةِ،in sufficiency.
Do not let exile make you feel lonely if you find comfort in sufficiency,
وَلَاand do notتَجْزَعْdespairلِفِرَاقِat the parting ofالْأَهْلِfamilyمَعَalong withلِقَاءِencounteringالْيَسَارِ.wealth.
and do not despair at the parting of family along with encountering wealth.
وَقِيلَAnd it was said:
And it was said:
الْفَقِيرُThe poor manفِيamongالْأَهْلِfamilyمَصْرُومٌis cut offوَالْغَنِيُّand the rich manفِيinالْغُرْبَةِexileمَوْصُولٌ.is connected.
The poor man among family is cut off, and the rich man in exile is connected.
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:
And it was said:
أَوْحَشُThe most desolate ofقَوْمِكَyour peopleمَاis thatكَانَwhichفِيinإِوحَاشِهِمْtheir desolationأُنْسُكَis your comfort
The most desolate of your people is that in whose desolation is your comfort,
وَاهْجُرْand forsakeوَطَنَكَyour homelandمَاwheneverنَبَتْrevoltsعَنْهُagainst itنَفْسُكَ.your soul.
and forsake your homeland whenever your soul revolts against it.
وَقُرِئَAnd it was readعَلَىonبَابِthe door ofخَانٍan innبِطَرْسُوسَ:in Tarsus:
And it was read on the door of an inn in Tarsus:
مَاThere is noمِنoneغَرِيبٍstrangerوَإِنْeven ifأَبْدَىhe displaysتَجَلُّدَهُhis fortitude
There is no stranger, even if he displays his fortitude,
إِلَّاexcept thatتَذَكَّرَhe remembersعِنْدَatالْغُرْبَةِthe time of exileالْوَطَنَاthe homeland.
except that at the time of exile he remembers the homeland.
الطَّائِيُّ:Al-Ta'i said:
Al-Ta'i:
لَاDo notيَمْنَعَنَّكَprevent youخَفْضُthe ease ofالْعَيْشِlifeتَطْلُبُهُwhile you seek it
Let not the ease of life, while you seek it, prevent you
نِزَاعَfrom the yearningشَوْقٍof longingإِلَىforأَهْلٍfamilyوَأَوْطَانِand homelands.
from the yearning of longing for family and homelands.
تَلْقَىYou will findبِكُلِّin everyبِلَادٍlandإِنْifحَلَلْتَyou settleبِهَاin it
You will find in every land, if you settle in it,
أَهْلًاfamilyبِأَهْلٍfor familyوَجِيرَانًاand neighborsبِجِيرَانِfor neighbors.
family for family and neighbors for neighbors.
وَلِآخَرَ:And for another:
And for another:
نَبَتْHas cast you outبِكَwith youالدَّارُthe houseفَسِرْso travelآمِنًاsafely
The house has cast you out, so travel safely,
فَلِلْفَتَىfor for the youthحَيْثُwhereverانْتَهَىhe reachesدَارُis a home.
for for the youth, wherever he reaches is a home.
وُرُوِيَAnd it was narratedعَنْfromكَعْبِKa'bبْنِson ofمَالِكٍMalik
And it was narrated from Ka'b bin Malik
أَنَّهُthat heوَصَفَdescribedوَحْشَةَthe desolation ofالْمَدِينَةِMedinaلِغَيْبَةِdue to the absence ofالنَّبِيِّ،the Prophet,
that he described the desolation of Medina due to the absence of the Prophet,
صَلَّىmay Allah invoke blessingsاللَّهُand peaceعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَ،and grant him peace,
may Allah invoke blessings and peace upon him,
فَقَالَ:and said:
and said:
تَنَكَّرَتِGrew unrecognizableالْبِلَادُthe landsفَمَاand they are notهِيَtheyبِالْبِلَادِthe landsالَّتِيwhichنَعْرِفُ،we know.
The lands grew unrecognizable, and they are not the lands which we know,
وَتَنَكَّرَand grew unrecognizableالنَّاسُthe peopleفَمَاand they are notهُمْtheyبِالنَّاسِthe peopleالَّذِينَwhoنَعْرِفُ.we know.
and the people grew unrecognizable, and they are not the people who we know.
وَفِيAnd inمَعْنَاهُits meaningقَالَsaidالشَّاعِرُ:the poet:
And in its meaning the poet said:
فَمَاSo neitherالنَّاسُare the peopleبِالنَّاسِthe peopleالَّذِينَwhomعَهِدْتُهُمْI knew
So neither are the people the people whom I knew,
وَلَاnorالدَّارُis the houseبِالدَّارِthe houseالَّتِيwhichكُنْتُI used toأَعْرِفُknow.
nor is the house the house which I used to know.
وَأَنْشَدَ:And he recited:
And he recited:
لَاDo notتَقْنَعَنَّbe contentوَمَطْلَبٌwhile a demandلَكَfor youمُمْكِنٌis possible
Do not be content while a demand for you is possible,
فَإِذَاso ifتَضَايَقَتِbecome constrainedالْمَطَالِبُthe demandsفَاقْنَعْthen be content.
so if demands become constrained, then be content.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said:
كَمِHow longالْمَقَامُthe stayingوَكَمْand how longتَعْتَادُكَdo afflict youالْعِلَلُailments?
How long the staying and how long do ailments afflict you?
مَاHas notضَاقَتِgrown narrowالْأَرْضُthe earthفِيinالدُّنْيَاthe worldوَلَاnorالسُّبُلُthe paths.
Neither the earth nor the paths have grown narrow in the world.
إِنْIfكُنْتَyou areتَعْلَمُawareأَنَّthatالْأَرْضَthe earthوَاسِعَةٌis vast
If you are aware that the earth is vast,
فِيهَاin itلِغَيْرِكَfor others than youمُرْتَادٌis a pastureوَمُرْتَحَلُand a departure.
in it for others than you is a pasture and a departure.
فَارْحَلْSo departفَإِنَّfor indeedبِلَادَthe lands ofاللَّهِAllahمَاwere notخُلِقَتْcreated
So depart, for indeed the lands of Allah were not created
إِلَّاexceptلِيَسْلُكَfor one to treadمِنْهَاfrom themالسَّهْلَthe plainوَالْجَبَلَand the mountain.
except for one to tread the plain and the mountain from them.
اللَّهُAllahقَدْhasعَوَّدَaccustomedالْحُسْنَىbeautyفَمَاand has notبَرِحَتْceased
Allah has accustomed to beauty, and has not ceased
عِنْدِيto meلَهُfrom Himنِعَمٌblessingsتَثْرِيthat aboundوَتَتَّصِلُand connect.
to have blessings from Him toward me that abound and connect.
إِنْIfضَاقَbecomes narrowبِيfor meبَلَدٌa townهَيَّأَHe preparesلَهُfor itعِوَضًاa replacement
If a town becomes narrow for me, He prepares a replacement for it,
وَإِنْand ifنَأَىis distantمَنْزِلٌa homeبِيfrom meكَانَthere isلِيfor meبَدَلُa substitute.
and if a home is distant from me, there is for me a substitute.
وَإِنْAnd ifتَغَيَّرَchangesلِيtoward meعَنْinوُدِّهِhis affectionرَجُلٌa man
And if a man changes toward me in his affection,
أَصْفَىwill purifyالْمَوَدَّةَthe affectionلِيfor meمِنafterبَعْدِهِhimرَجُلُanother man.
another man will purify affection for me after him.
لَمْDid notيَقْطَعِcut offاللَّهُAllahلِيfor meمِنfromصَاحِبٍa companionأَمَلًاany hope
Allah has not cut off any hope for me from a companion
إِلَّاexcept thatتَجَدَّدَwas renewedلِيfor meمِنafterبَعْدِهِhimأَمَلُa hope.
except that a hope was renewed for me after him.
لَاDo notتُمْتَهِنْdebaseأَبَدًاeverخَدَّيْكَyour cheeksمِنout ofطَمَعٍgreed
Do not ever debase your cheeks out of greed,
فَمَاfor there isلِوَجْهِكَfor your faceنُورٌno lightحِينَwhenيُبْتَذَلُit is debased.
for your face has no light when it is debased.