Laamiyah Ibn Al-Wardi
لامية ابن الوردي
﷽
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اعْتَزِلْ ذِكْرَ الأَغَانِي وَالْغَزَلْ * وَقُلِ الْفَصْلَ وَجَانِبْ مَنْ هَزَلْ
Abandon the mention of songs and romantic poetry, and speak decisively and avoid the one who jests.
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وَدَعِ الذِّكْرَى لِأَيَّامِ الصِّبَا * فَلِأَيَّامِ الصِّبَا نَجْمٌ أَفَلْ
And abandon the remembrance of youthful days; for the days of youth are like a star that has [already] set.
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إنَّ أَهْنَأَ عِيشَةٍ قَضَيْتَهَا * ذَهَبَتْ لَذَّاتُهَا وَالإِثْمُ حَلّ
Indeed, the sweetest life you lived; their pleasures have gone, and the sins remain.
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وَاتْرُكِ الْغَادَةَ لَا تَحْفَلْ بِهَا * تُمْسِ فِي عِزٍّ رَفِيعٍ وَتُجَلّ
And abandon the tender young maiden; do not indulge with her. You will attain high honour, and you will be exalted.
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وَالْهَ عَنْ آلَةٍ لَهْوٍ أَطْرَبَتْ * وَعَنِ الْأَمْرَدِ مُرْتَجِّ الْكَفَلْ
And turn away from the instrument of amusement that enchants, and from the beardless young man who sways his hips.
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وَافْتَكِرْ فِي مُنْتَهَى حُسْنِ الَّذِي * أَنْتَ تَهْوَاهُ تَجِدْ أَمْرًا جَلَلْ
And reflect on the fate of the beauty that you desire; you will find a great matter [in ugliness].
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وَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ فَتَقْوَى اللَّهِ مَا * جَاوَرَتْ قَلْبَ امْرِئٍ إِلَّا وَصَلْ
And fear Allah, for the fear of Allah does not settle in the heart of a person except that it connects [with it].
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وَاهْجُرِ الْخَمْرَةَ إِنْ كُنْتَ فَتًى * كَيْفَ يَسْعَى فِي جُنُونٍ مَنْ عَقَلْ
And abandon the intoxicating drinks if you are young; how can a person of intellect strive for insanity?
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لَيْسَ مَنْ يَقْطَعُ طُرْقًا بَطَلًا * إِنَّمَا مَنْ يَتَّقِي اللَّهَ الْبَطَلْ
The hero is not the one who cuts off paths. Indeed, the only hero is the one who fears Allah.
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صَدِّقِ الشَّرْعَ وَلَا تَرْكَنْ إِلَى * رَجُلٍ يَرْصُدُ فِي اللَّيْلِ زُحَلْ
Believe in the Shariah, and do not lean towards a man who observes Saturn at night.
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حَاَرَتِ الْأَفْكَارُ فِي حِكْمَةِ مَنْ * قَدْ هَدَانَا سُبْلَنَا عَزَّ وَجَلّ
Thoughts are perplexed in the wisdom of the One who guided us to our paths. May He be exalted and glorified.
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كُتِبَ الْمَوْتُ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ فَكَمْ * فَلَّ مِنْ جَيْشٍ وَأَفْنَى مِنْ دُوَلْ
Death has been written upon all the creation, so how many armies have been defeated and nations it has annihilated.
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أَيْنَ نَمْرُودُ وَكَنْعَانُ وَمَنْ * مَلَكَ الْأَرْضَ وَوَلَّى وَعَزَلْ
Where is Namrud and Can’an and those who owned the earth, then turned away and departed?
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أَيْنَ عَادٌ أَيْنَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَنْ * رَفَعَ الْأَهْرَامَ مَنْ يَسْمَعْ يَخَلْ
Where is ‘Ad? Where is Pharaoh and the one who raised the pyramids? The one who listens will discern.
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أَيْنَ مَنْ سَادُوا وَشَادُوا وَبَنَوْا * هَلَكَ الْكُلُّ وَلَمْ تُغْنِ الْقُلَلْ
Where are the ones who ruled, and raised [their structures] high, and built? All have perished; the lofty [palaces] could not save them.
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أَيْنَ أَرْبَابُ الْحِجَى أَهْلُ النُّهَى * أَيْنَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْقَوْمُ الْأُوَلْ
Where are the possessors of intelligence and people of intellect? Where are the people of knowledge and the ancient people?
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سَيُعِيدُ اللَّهُ كُلًّا مِنْهُمُ * وَسَيَجْزِي فَاعِلًا مَا قَدْ فَعَلْ
Allah will bring back all of them, and He will reward each doer what he has done.
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يَا بُنَيَّ اسْمَعْ وَصَايَا جَمَعَتْ * حِكَمًا خُصَّتْ بِهَا خَيْرُ الْمِلَلْ
Oh my son, listen to the pieces of advice that has gathered wisdom which has been singled out for the best of religions.
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اُطْلُبِ الْعِلْمَ وَلَا تَكْسَلْ فَمَا * أَبْعَدَ الْخَيْرَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْكَسَلْ
Seek knowledge and do not be lazy, for how distant is goodness from those who are lazy.
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وَاهْجُرِ النَّوْمَ وَحَصِّلْهُ فَمَنْ * يَعْرِفِ الْمَطْلُوبَ يَحْقِرْ مَا بَذَلْ
And abandon sleep and attain [knowledge], for whoever knows [the value of] what he seeks, he belittles the efforts he makes.
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وَاحْتَفِلْ لِلْفِقْهِ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَا * تَشْتَغِلْ عَنْهُ بِمَالٍ وَخَوَلْ
And give importance to understanding in religion, and do not be occupied with wealth and possessions from it.
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لَا تَقُلْ قَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أَرْبَابُهُ * كُلُّ مَنْ سَارَ عَلَى الدَّرْبِ وَصَلْ
Do not say its possessors [of knowledge] have gone; whoever walks upon the path will reach [his destination].
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فِي ازْدِيَادِ الْعِلْمِ إِرْغَامُ الْعِدَا * وَجَمَالُ الْعِلْمِ إِصْلَاحُ الْعَمَلْ
In the increasing of knowledge is the humiliation of enemies, and the beauty of knowledge is the rectification of actions.
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جَمِّلِ الْمَنْطِقَ بِالنَّحْوِ فَمَنْ * يُحْرَمِ الْإِعْرَابَ بِالنُّطْقِ اخْتَبَلْ
Beautify your speech with grammar, for whoever is deprived of correct syntax becomes confused [misunderstands speech].
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وَانْظِمِ الشِّعْرَ وَلَازِم مَّذْهَبِي * فِي اطِّرَاحِ الرِّفْدِ فَالدُّنْيَا أَقَلّ
And compose poetry and adhere to my doctrine in rejecting grants, and the world is [even] less [in value].
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فَهُوَ عُنْوَانٌ عَلَى الْفَضْلِ وَمَا * أَحْسَنَ الشِّعْرَ إِذَا لَمْ يُبْتَذَلْ
For it is a sign of virtue, and how excellent is poetry when it does not contain indecency.
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مَاتَ أَهْلُ الْفَضْلِ لَمْ يَبْقَ سِوَى * مُقْرِفٍ أَوْ مَنْ عَلَى الْأَصْلِ اتَّكَلْ
The people of virtue passed away. None remained except the loathsome one or the one who relies on his lineage.
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أَنَا لَا أَخْتَارُ تَقْبِيلَ يَدٍ * قَطْعُهَا أَجْمَلُ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْقُبَلْ
I do not choose to kiss a hand; cutting it off is more beautiful than such kisses.
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إِنْ جَزَتْنِي عَنْ مَدِيحِي صِرْتُ فِي * رِقِّهَا أَوْ لَا فَيَكْفِينِي الْخَجَلْ
If it [that hand] rewards me for my praise, I become in its servitude; otherwise, shame [from Allah] is sufficient for me.
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أَعْذَبُ الْأَلْفَاظِ قَوْلِي لَكَ خُذْ * وَأَمَرُّ اللَّفْظِ نُطْقِي بِلَعَلّ
The sweetest of words is when I say to you, “Take”, and the most bitter word is when I say, “Perhaps”.
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مُلْكُ كِسْرَى تُغْنِي عَنْهُ كِسْرَةٌ * وَعَنِ الْبَحْرِ اجْتِزَاءٌ بِالْوَشَلْ
A piece [of bread] suffices from the kingdom of Khosrow, and little water suffices from the sea.
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اِعْتَبِرْ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ * تَلْقَهُ حَقًّا وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلْ
Take heed of [the verse], “We have divided among them”; you will find it true, and in truth, it was revealed.
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لَيْسَ مَا يَحْوِي الْفَتَى مِنْ عَزْمِهِ * لَا وَلَا مَا فَاتَ يَوْمًا بِالْكَسَلْ
What a young man possesses is not [only] from his determination, and nor when he misses a day due to laziness.
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اِطْرَحِ الدُّنْيَا فَمِنْ عَادَاتِهِ * تَخْفِضُ الْعَالِي وَتُعْلِي مَنْ سَفَلْ
Throw away the world, for among its habits is that it lowers the high and raises the low.
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عِيشَةُ الزَّاهِدِ فِي تَحْصِيلِهَا * عِيشَةُ الْجَاهِدِ بَلْ هَذَا أَذَلّ
The life of the abstinent one in acquiring it is the [same] as the life of the striving one; rather, this one is more humiliating.
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كَمْ جَهُولٍ وَهْوَ مُثْرٍ مُكْثِرٌ * وَحَكِيمٍ مَاتَ مِنْهَا بِالْعِلَلْ
How many a fool, while he is wealthy and abundant; and how many wise people die from it due to ailments.
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كَمْ شُجَاعٍ لَمْ يَنَلْ فِيهَا الْمُنَى * وَجَبَانٍ نَالَ غَايَاتِ الْأَمَلْ
How many a brave man who has not [yet] attained his desires from it, and how many a coward who has attained his highest hopes.
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فَاتْرُكِ الْحِيلَةَ فِيهَا وَاتَّئِدْ * إِنَّمَا الْحِيلَةُ فِي تَرْكِ الْحِيَلْ
Then abandon the trickery in it, and act slowly. Indeed, the only trick is in abandoning the tricks.
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أَيُّ كَفٍ لَمْ تُفِدْ مِمَّا تُفِدْ * فَرَمَاهَا اللَّهُ مِنْهَا بِالشَّلَلْ
Any hand that does not benefit from what it has been given, then may Allah bring paralysis upon it.
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لَا تَقُلْ أَصْلِي وَفَصْلِي أَبَدًا * إِنَّمَا أَصْلُ الْفَتَى مَا قَدْ حَصَلْ
Never say, “My ancestors and my progeny”; indeed, the true true worth of a person is what he has accomplished.
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قَدْ يَسُودُ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَبٍ * وَبِحُسْنِ السَّبْكِ قَدْ يُنْفَى الزَّغَلْ
A man can become leader without a father, and with fine crafting, deceit can be removed.
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وَكَذَا الْوَرْدُ مِنَ الشَّوْكِ وَمَا * يَنْبُتُ النَّرْجِسُ إِلَّا مِنْ بَصَلْ
Likewise, the rose comes from thorns, and the narcissus only grows from onions.
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غَيْرَ أَنِّي أَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى * نَسَبِي إِذْ بِأَبِي بَكْرِ اتَّصَلْ
Except that I praise Allah for my lineage as it is connected to Abu Bakr.
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قِيمَةُ الْإِنْسَانِ مَا يُحْسِنُهُ * أَكْثَرَ الْإِنْسَانُ مِنْهُ أُوْ أَقَلّ
The value of a person is in what they excel at, whether the person does it a lot or a little.
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اُكْتُمِ الْأَمْرَيْنِ فَقَرًا وَغِنَى * وَاكْسَبِ الْفَلْسَ وَحَاسِبْ مَنْ بَطَلْ
Conceal two matters: poverty and wealth; earn a living and hold accountable the one who does not work.
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وَادَّرِعْ جِدًّا وَكَدًّا وَاجْتَنِبْ * صُحْبَةَ الْحَمْقَى وَأَرْبَابَ الْخَلَلْ
And arm yourself with with diligence and hard work, and avoid the company of fools and those with flawed [characters].
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بَيْنَ تَبْذِيرٍ وَبُخْلٍ رُتْبَةٌ * فَكِلَا هَذَيْنِ إِنْ دَامَ قَتَلْ
Between extravagance and stinginess lies a rank, for both, if persistent, can lead to ruin.
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لَا تَخُضْ فِي سَبِّ سَادَاتٍ مَضَوْا * إِنَّهُمْ لَيْسُوا بِأَهْلٍ لِلزَّلَلْ
Do not engage in insulting the noble ones who have passed, for they are not deserving of [such] reproach.
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وَتَغَافَلْ عَنْ أُمُورٍ إِنَّهُ * لَمْ يَفُزْ بِالْحَمْدِ إِلَّا مَنْ غَفَلْ
And overlook certain matters, for no one attains praise except the one who overlooks.
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لَيْسَ يَخْلُو الْمَرْءُ مِنْ ضِدٍ وَإِنْ * حَاوَلَ الْعُزْلَةَ فِي رَأْسِ الْجَبَلْ
A person is not free from enemies, even if he attempts solitude at the top of the mountain.
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مِلْ عَنِ النَّمَّامِ وَاهْجُرْهُ فَمَا * بَلَغَ الْمَكْرُوهَ إِلَّا مَنْ نَقَلْ
Turn away from the tale-bearer and abandon him, for no one spreads the unpleasant except the one who carries [tales].
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دَارِ جَارَ السُّوءِ بِالصَّبْرِ وَإِنْ * لَمْ تَجِدْ صَبْرًا فَمَا أَحْلَى النُّقَلْ
Endure the bad neighbour with patience, and if you find no patience, then how sweet is relocation?
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جَانِبِ السُّلْطَانَ وَاحْذَرْ بَطْشَهُ * لَا تُعَانِدْ مَنْ إِذَا قَالَ فَعَلْ
Avoid the ruler, and beware of his aggression. Do not be stubborn with the one who, when he says something, acts upon it.
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لَا تَلِ الْحُكْمَ وَإِنْ هُمْ سَأَلُوا * رَغْبَةً فِيكَ وَخَالِفْ مَنْ عَذَلْ
Do not accept [positions of] authority, even if they ask out of desire for you, and oppose the one who criticises [you for it].
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إِنَّ نِصْفَ النَّاسِ أَعْدَاءٌ لِمَنْ * وَلِيَ الْأَحْكَامَ هَذَا إِنْ عَدَلْ
Indeed, half of the people are enemies to the one who takes on the judgements, this is if he is just.
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فَهْوَ كَالْمَحْبُوسِ عَنْ لَذَّاتِهِ * وَكِلَا كَفَيْهِ فِي الْحَشْرِ تُغَلّ
He is like the one who is imprisoned from his pleasures, and both of his hand on the day of judgement will be chained.
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إِنَّ لِلنَّقْصِ وَالْاِسْتِثْقَالِ فِي * لَفْظَةِ الْقَاضِي لَوَعْظًا أَوْ مَثَلْ
Indeed, for the (grammatical) defect and heaviness (which causes grammatical constraint) in the term “Al-Qadi” is both a lesson and an example.
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لَا تُسَاوِي لَذَّةُ الْحُكْمِ بِمَا * ذَاقَهُ الْمَرْءُ إِذَا الْمَرْءُ انْعَزَلْ
The pleasure of ruling cannot be compared to what a person tastes if he withdraws [from it].
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فَالْوِلَايَاتِ وَإِنْ طَابَتْ لِمَنْ * ذَاقَهَا فَالسُمُّ فِي ذَاكَ الْعَسَلْ
For positions of authority, even if they are pleasant to the one who tastes them, poison lies within that honey.
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نَصَبُ الْمَنْصِبِ أَوْهَى جَسَدِي * وَعَنَائِي مَنْ مُدَارَاةِ السَّفَلْ
The burden of positions has weakened my body, and my hardship [arises] from dealing with the lowly.
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قَصِّرِ الْآمَالَ فِي الدُّنْيَا تَفُزْ * فَدَلِيلُ الْعَقْلِ تَقْصِيرُ الْأَمَلْ
Shorten your expectations in this world, and you will succeed, for the sign of wisdom is to limit one’s [worldly] aspirations.
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إِنَّ مَنْ يَطْلُبُهُ الْمَوْتُ عَلَى * غِرَّةٍ مِنْهُ جَدِيرٌ بِالْوَجَلْ
Indeed, the one whom death seeks while he is heedless is deserving of fear.
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غِبْ وَزُرْ غِبًّا تَزِدْ حُبًّا فَمَنْ * أَكْثَرَ التَّرْدَادَ أَغَنْاهُ الْمَلَلْ
Be absent, and visit occasionally, and your love will increase; indeed, whoever visits frequently, boredom will exhaust him.
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خُذْ بِحَدِّ السَّيْفِ وَاتْرُكْ غِمْدَهُ * وَاعْتَبِرْ فَضْلَ الْفَتَى دُونَ الْحُلَلْ
Take the sharp edge of the sword and leave its sheath, and consider the merit of the young man, not his attire.
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لَا يَضُرُّ الْفَضْلَ إِقْلَالٌ كَمَا * لَا يَضُرُّ الشَّمْسَ إِطْبَاقُ الطَّفَلْ
Poverty does not harm virtue, just as the darkness of sunset does not harm the sun.
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حُبُّكَ الْأَوْطَانَ عَجْزٌ ظَاهِرٌ * فَاغْتَرِبْ تَلْقَ عَنِ الْأَهْلِ بَدَلْ
Your love for your homeland is an evident weakness, so travel, and you will find a replacement for your people.
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فَبِمُكْثِ الْمَاءِ يَبْقَى آسِنًا * وَسُرَى الْبَدْرِ بِهِ الْبَدْرُ اكْتَمَلْ
Stagnant water remains foul, whereas the full moon becomes complete through its journey.
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أَيُّهَا الْعَائِبُ قَوْلِي عَبِثًا * إِنَّ طِيبَ الْوَرْدِ مُؤْذٍ بِالْجُعَلْ
Oh you who reproach me for my words foolishly; indeed, the fragrance of the rose is bothersome to the beetle.
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عَدِّ عَنْ أَسْهُمِ لَفْظِي وَاسْتَتِرْ * لَا يُصِيبَنَّكَ سَهْمٌ مِنْ ثُعَلْ
Flee from the arrows of my words and take cover; let not a single arrow from Thu'al (a tribe known for being the most skilled archers among the Arabs) strike you.
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لَا يَغُرَّنَكَ لِينٌ مِنْ فَتَى * إِنَّ لِلْحَيَّاتِ لِينًا يُعْتَزَلْ
Let not the softness of a young one deceive you; indeed, snakes have a softness that should be avoided.
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أَنَا مِثْلُ الْمَاءِ سَهْلٌ سَائِغٌ * وَمَتَى سُخِّنَ آذَى وَقَتَلْ
I am like water, easy and pleasant [to drink], but when it boils it harms and kills.
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أَنَا كَالْخَيْزُورِ صَعْبٌ كَسْرُهُ * وَهْوَ لَيْنٌ كَيْفَ مَا شِئْتَ انْتَفَلْ
I am like the bamboo, hard to break, and yet it is flexible, bending as you wish.
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غَيْرَ أَنِي فِي زَمَانِ مَنْ يَكُنْ * فِيهِ ذَا مَالٍ هُوَ الْمَوْلَى الْأَجَلْ
Except that I am in a time, anyone in it who is a possessor of wealth, he is the respected master.
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وَاجِبٌ عِنْدَ الْوَرَى إِكْرَامُهُ * وَقَلِيلِ الْمَالِ فِيهِمْ يُسْتَقَلّ
It is obligatory upon people to honour him, yet the one with little wealth among them is deemed insignificant.
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كُلُّ أَهْلِ الْعَصْرِ غُمْرٌ وَأَنَا * مِنْهُمُ فَاتْرُكْ تَفَاصِيلَ الْجُمَلْ
All the people of this era are naive and inexperienced, and I am one of them; so, leave off the intricacies of the statements.
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وَصَلَاةُ اللَّهِ رَبِّي كُلَّمَا * طَلَعَ الشَّمْسُ نَهَارًا وَأَفَلْ
And the blessings of my Lord, every time the sun rises by day and sets.
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لِلَّذِي حَازَ الْعُلَى مِنْ هَاشِمٍ * أَحْمَدَ الْمُخْتَارِ مَنْ سَادَ الْأُوَلْ
Upon the one who attained the highest rank from Hashim—Ahmad, the chosen one, who led the first ones.
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وَعَلَى آلٍ وَصَحْبٍ سَادَةٍ * لَيْسَ فِيهِمْ عَاجِزٌ إِلَّا بَطَلْ
And upon his family and noble companions, among whom there was no weakling, only champions.