صَبْراًBeفَإِنَّforالْيَوْمَtodayيَتْبَعُهُis followed by itغَدٌtomorrow
Be patient, for today is followed by tomorrow.
وَيَدُAnd the hand ofالْخَلِيفَةِthe Caliphلَاnotتُطَاوِلُهَاdoes it reach in lengthيَدُany hand
And the hand of the Caliph, no hand can reach its height.
وَالْحَبْسُAnd imprisonmentمَاas long asلَمْnotتَغْشَهُit comes over itدَنِيَّةٌa base matter
And imprisonment, as long as no baseness approaches it,
تُزْرِيthat demeansفَنِعْمَthen excellent isالْمَنْزِلُthe abodeالْمُتَوَرَّدُvisited
that demeans, then excellent is the abode visited.
لَوْIfلَمْnotيَكُنْthere wereفِيinالْحَبْسِimprisonmentإِلَّاexceptأَنَّهُthat it
Had there been nothing in imprisonment except that
لَاnotيَسْتَذِلُّكَhumiliates youبِالْحِجَابِby the veil/barrierالْأَعْبَدُthe servant/slave
the servant does not humiliate you behind the barrier.
بَيْتٌA houseيُجَدِّدُrenewsلِلْكَرِيمِfor the noble personكَرَامَةًdignity
A house that renews dignity for the noble person,
وَيُزَارُand it is visitedفِيهِin itوَلَاand notيَزُورُhe visitsوَيُحْمَدُand he is praised
and he is visited in it, and he does not visit, and he is praised.
يَاOأَحْمَدَAhmadبْنَson ofأَبِيAbiدُؤَادٍDu'adإِنَّمَاindeed
O Ahmad bin Abi Du'ad, indeed
تُدْعَىyou are calledلِكُلِّfor everyعَظِيمَةٍgrave matterيَاOأَحْمَدُAhmad
you are called for every grave matter, O Ahmad.
أَبْلِغْConveyأَمِيرَto the Commander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe Faithfulوَدُونَهُand before him is
Convey to the Commander of the Faithful, and before him are
خَوْضُcrossingالْعِدَىenemiesوَمَخَاوِفُand fearsلَاnotتَنْفَدُending
crossing enemies and fears that never end.
أَنْتُمْYouبَنُوare sons ofعَمِّthe paternal uncle ofالنَّبِيِّthe ProphetمُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
You are the sons of the paternal uncle of the Prophet Muhammad,
أَوْلَىmore deservingبِمَاof whatشَرَعَlegislatedالنَّبِيُّthe ProphetمُحَمَّدٌMuhammad
more deserving of what the Prophet Muhammad legislated.
مَاWhatكَانَwasمِنْofحُسْنٍgoodnessفَأَنْتُمْthen you areأَهْلُهُits people
Whatever goodness there is, you are its people.
طَابَتْPure wereمَغَارِسُكُمْyour planting groundsوَطَابَand pure wasالْمَحْتِدُthe origin/root
Pure were your origins and pure is the root.
أَمِنَIs it fromالسَّوِيَّةِfairnessيَاOابْنَson ofعَمِّuncle ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
Is it from fairness, O son of the uncle of Muhammad,
خَصْمٌan adversaryتُقَرِّبُهُyou bring him closeوَآخَرُand anotherتُبْعِدُyou keep away
that you bring one adversary close and keep another away?
إِنَّIndeedالَّذِينَthose whoسَعَوْاstroveإِلَيْكَto youبِبَاطِلٍwith falsehood
Indeed, those who came to you with falsehood
أَعْدَاءُare enemies ofنِعْمَتِكَyour blessingالَّتِيwhichلَاnotتُجْحَدُis denied
are enemies of your blessing which cannot be denied.
شَهِدُواThey witnessedوَغِبْنَاand we were absentعَنْهُمْfrom themفَتَحَكَّمُواso they ruled
They witnessed while we were absent from them, so they ruled
فِينَاover usوَلَيْسَand there is notلِغَائِبٍfor an absent personمَنْwhoيَشْهَدُtestifies
over us, and there is no one to testify for an absent person.
لَوْIfيَجْمَعُwere to gatherالْخُصَمَاءَthe litigantsعِنْدَكَat your placeمَجْلِسٌa gathering
If a gathering were to collect the litigants by your side
يَوْماًone dayلَبَانَwould have become clearلَكَto youالطَّرِيقُthe pathالْأَقْصَدُmost direct
one day, the most direct path would have become clear to you.
وَالشَّمْسُAnd the sunلَوْلَاwere it not thatأَنَّهَاit isمَحْجُوبَةٌveiled
And the sun, were it not that it is veiled
عَنْfromنَاظْرَيْكَyour two glancesلَمَاwould not haveأَضَاءَilluminatedالْفَرْقَدُthe bright star
from your eyes, the Farqad star would not have shone.
قَالَHe saidفَعَارَضَهُThen Asim opposed himعَاصِمُAsimبْنُson ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadالْكَاتِبُthe writer
He said: Then Asim bin Muhammad the scribe responded to him
لَمَّاwhenحَبَسَهُimprisoned himأَحْمَدُAhmadبْنُson ofعَبْدِAbdالْعَزِيزِal-Aziz
when Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz imprisoned him
بِتَغَيُّرِdue to the change ofحَمُولَةٍa mount/transportلَهُfor himفَقَالَso he said
over a change in his mount, and said:
قَالَتْShe saidحُبِسْتَYou have been imprisonedفَقُلْتُso I saidخَطْبٌa matterأَنْكَدُdistressing
She said: You are imprisoned. I said: A distressing affair,
أَنْحَىdirectedعَلَيَّagainst meبِهِwith itالزَّمَانُtimeالْمُرْصَدُlying in wait
which time, lying in wait, has directed against me.
لَوْIfكُنْتُI wereحُرّاًfreeكَانَwould beسَرْبِيmy path/wayمُطْلَقاًfree/unfettered
Had I been free, my path would have been unfettered,
مَاnotكُنْتُwould I have beenأُؤْخَذُseizedعَنْوَةًby forceوَأُقَيَّدُand chained
nor would I have been seized by force and fettered.
أَوْOrكُنْتُI had beenكَالسَّيْفِlike the swordالْمُهَنَّدِIndianلَمْnotأَكُنْwould I be
Or had I been like the Indian sword, I would not have been
وَقْتَat the time ofالشَّدِيدَةِhardshipوَالْكَرِيهَةِand adversityأُغْمَدُsheathed
sheathed at the time of hardship and adversity.
أَوْOrكُنْتُI had beenكَاللَّيْثِlike the lionالْهَصُورِferociousلَمَاwould not haveرَعَتْgrazed/preyed
Or had I been like the ferocious lion, the wolves would not have preyed
فِيَّupon meالذِّئَابُthe wolvesوَجَذْوَتِيand my emberتَتَوَقَّدُglows
upon me while my ember was glowing.
مَنْWhoeverقَالَsaysإِنَّthatالْحَبْسَimprisonmentبَيْتُis a house ofكَرامَةٍdignity
Whoever says that imprisonment is a house of dignity,
فَمُكَاشِرٌis smiling/showing teethفِيinقَوْلِهِhis statementمُتَجَلِّدٌfeigning endurance
he is smiling in his statement, feigning endurance.
مَاNotالْحَبْسُis imprisonmentإِلَّاexceptبَيْتُthe house ofكُلِّeveryمَهَانَةٍbaseness
Imprisonment is nothing but the house of every baseness,
وَمَذَلَّةٍand humiliationوَمَكَارِهٍand adversitiesمَاthatتَنْفَدُnever end
humiliation, and endless adversities.
إِنْIfزَارَنِيvisits meفِيهِin itالْعَدُوُّthe enemyفَشَامِتٌhe is gloating
If the enemy visits me in it, he gloates,
يُبْدِيdisplayingالتَّوَجُّعَsympathyتَارَةًat timesوَيُفَنِّدُand rebuking
displaying sympathy at times and rebuking.
أَوْOrزَارَنِيvisits meفِيهِin itالصَّدِيقُthe friendفَمُوجَعٌhe is pained
Or if the friend visits me in it, he is pained,
يُذْرِيsheddingالدُّمُوعَtearsبِزَفْرَةٍwith a sighتَتَرَدَّدُrecurring
shedding tears with a recurring sigh.
يَكْفِيكَIt is enough for you thatأَنَّthatالْحَبْسَimprisonmentبَيْتٌis a house whereلَاnotتَرَىyou see
It is enough for you that imprisonment is a house where you do not see
أَحَداًanyoneعَلَيْهِover itمِنَofالْخَلَائِقِcreaturesيَحْسُدُenvying
anyone among creatures envying you over it.
عِشْنَاWe livedبِخَيْرٍin goodnessبُرْهَةًfor a whileفَكَبَاthen stumbledبِنَاwith us
We lived in goodness for a while, then stumbled with us
رَيْبُthe vicissitudes ofالزَّمَانِtimeوَصَرْفُهُand its turnsالْمُتَرَدِّدُfluctuating
the vagaries of time and its fluctuating turns.
قَصُرَتْShortened wereخُطَايَmy stepsوَمَاand notكَبِرْتُdid I grow oldوَإِنَّمَاrather
My steps were shortened, not because I grew old, but rather
قَصُرَتْthey were shortenedلِأَنِّيbecause Iفِيinالْحَدِيدِironsمُصَفَّدُshackled
they were shortened because I am shackled in iron.
فِيInمُطْبَقٍa dungeonفِيهِin itالنَّهَارُthe daytimeمُشَاكِلٌresembles
In a dungeon where daytime resembles
لِلَّيْلِthe nightوَالظُّلُمَاتُand the darknessفِيهِin itسَرْمَدُperpetual
the night, and the darkness in it is perpetual.
تَمْضِيPassاللَّيَالِيthe nightsلَاnotأَذُوقُdo I tasteلِرَقْدَةٍfor sleepطَعْماًa taste
The nights pass while I taste no flavor of sleep,
فَكَيْفَso how isحَيَاةُthe life ofمَنْone whoلَاnotيَرْقُدُsleeps
so how is the life of one who does not sleep?
فَتَقُولُSo saysلِيto meعَيْنِيmy eyeإِلَىuntilكَمْwhenأَسْهَرْتُhave you kept awake
My eye says to me: Until when have you kept me awake?
وَيَقُولُAnd saysلِيto meقَلْبِيmy heartإِلَىuntilكَمْwhenأَكْمَدُshall I grieve
And my heart says to me: Until when shall I grieve?
وَغِذَايَAnd my nourishmentبَعْدَafterالصَّوْمِfastingمَاءٌis waterمُفْرَدٌalone
And my nourishment after fasting is plain water alone,
كَمْhow wretched isعَيْشُthe life ofمَنْone whomيَغْذُوهُnourishes himمَاءٌwaterمُفْرَدٌalone
how wretched is the life of one whom plain water nourishes.
وَإِذَاAnd whenنَهَضْتُI stand upإِلَىforالصَّلَاةِprayerتَهَجُّراًhurriedly/early
And when I rise for prayer hurriedly,
جَذَبَتْpullقُيُودِيmy shacklesرُكْبَتِيmy kneesفَأَسْجُدُso I prostrate
my shackles pull my knees so I prostrate.
فَإِلَىSo untilمَتَىwhenهَذَاthisالشَّقَاءُmiseryمُؤَكَّدٌconfirmed
So until when is this misery confirmed,
وَإِلَىand untilمَتَىwhenهَذَاthisالْبَلَاءُafflictionمُجَدَّدُrenewed
and until when is this affliction renewed?
يَاOرَبِّLordفَارْحَمْhave mercy onغُرْبَتِيmy strangenessوَتَلَافَنِيand rescue me
O Lord, have mercy on my strangeness and rescue me,
إِنِّيverily I amغَرِيبٌa strangerمُفْرَدٌaloneمُتَلَدِّدُwandering/perplexed
for I am a stranger, alone, and perplexed.
مَاNotلِيfor meمُجِيرٌis a protectorغَيْرُother thanسَيِّدِيmy masterالَّذِيwho
I have no protector other than my master, who
مَاnotزَالَceasedيَكْفُلُنِيto provide for meفَنِعْمَso excellent isالسَّيِّدُthe master
has never ceased to provide for me, so excellent is the master.
غَذَيْتَYou nourishedحَشَاشَةَthe remnants ofمَهْجَتِيmy soulبِنَوَافِلٍwith bounties
You nourished the remnants of my soul with bounties
مِنْfromسَيْبِكَyour flow of giftsوَصَنَائِعٍand favorsلَاnotتُجْحَدُdenied
from your generosity and undeniable favors.
عِشْرِينَTwentyحَوْلاًyearsعِشْتُI livedتَحْتَunderجَنَاحِهِhis wing
Twenty years I lived under his wing,
عَيْشَthe life ofالْمُلُوكِkingsوَحَالَتِيand my conditionتَتَزَايَدُwas increasing
the life of kings, while my condition was ever-increasing.
إِنْIfحِدْتُI deviatedعَنْfromقَصْدِthe middleالْمَحَجَّةِpathقَالَhe saidلِيto me
If I deviated from the middle path, he said to me:
مَهْلاًSlow downفَذَاكَfor that isهُوَitالطَّرِيقُthe pathالْأَقْصَدُmost direct
Slow down, for that is the most direct path.
فَيَرُدُّنِيSo he returns meبِتَرَفُّقٍgentlyنَحْوَtowardsالَّتِيthat which
He would return me gently towards that
فِيهَاin it isالسَّلَامَةُsafetyوَالسَّبِيلُand the wayالْأَرْشَدُmost guided
in which is safety and the most guided way.
فَبَعُدْتُSo I was distancedعَنْهُfrom himمُجْبَراًcompelledمُتَكَرِّهاًreluctant
So I was distanced from him, compelled and reluctant,
اللَّهُGodيَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatأَقُولُI sayوَيَشْهَدُand bears witness
and God knows what I say and bears witness.
وَخَلَاAnd alone wasالْعَدُوُّthe enemyبِمَوْضِعِيin my placeمِنْofقَلْبِهِhis heart
And the enemy occupied my place in his heart alone,
فَحَشَاهُso he filled it withجَمْراًembersنَارُهُwhose fireلَاnotتَخْمَدُextinguishes
so he filled it with embers whose fire never extinguishes.
هَبْنِيGrant thatأَسَأْتُI did wrongفَلِمَthen whyحَقَدْتَdid you harbor grudge againstإِسَاءَتِيmy wrongdoing
Grant that I did wrong, then why did you harbor a grudge for my wrongdoing,
مَاnotإِنْeverعَهَدْتُكَdid I know youمُذْsinceصَحِبْتُكَI accompanied youتَحْقِدُharboring grudges
while I never knew you, since I accompanied you, to harbor grudges?
بَلْRatherكُنْتَyou used toتَغْتَفِرُforgiveالذُّنُوبَsinsتَكَرُّماًgenerously
Rather, you used to forgive sins out of generosity,
وَتَظَلُّand you would remainتَعْفُوpardoningدَائِماًalwaysوَتُغْمِدُand overlooking
and you would remain always pardoning and overlooking.
فَاغْفِرْSo forgiveلِعَبْدِكَyour servantذَنْبَهُhis sinمَتَطَوِّلاًbestowing grace
So forgive your servant his sin out of your grace,
فَالْحِقْدُfor grudgeمِنْكَfrom youسَجِيَّةٌis a traitلَاnotتُعْهَدُknown
for a grudge is not a trait known of you.
وَاذْكُرْAnd rememberخَصَائِصَthe special traits ofحُرْمَتِيmy sanctityوَمَقَاوِمِيand my standing
And remember the special sanctity of my rights and my standing,
أَيَّامَduring the daysكُنْتَyou wereجَمِيعَallأَمْرِيmy affairsتَحْمَدُpraising
in the days when you used to praise all my affairs.
يَاOأَحْمَدَAhmadبْنَson ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadيَاOذَاpossessor ofالنَّدَىgenerosity
O Ahmad bin Muhammad, O possessor of generosity,
دُمْcontinueلِيfor meعَلَىuponمَاwhatكُنْتَyou wereلِيto meيَاOأَحْمَدُAhmad
continue for me as you used to be to me, O Ahmad.
لَاDo notتُشْمِتَنْlet gloatبِيover meالْعَدُوَّthe enemyوَخَلِّنِيand leave me
Do not let the enemy gloat over me, and leave me
بِبَيَاضِwith the whiteness ofوَجْهِكَyour faceإِنَّforوَجْهِيmy faceأَسْوَدُis black
with the brightness of your face, for my face is black.
وَلِغَيْرِهِAnd by someone else:
And by someone else: