Living in Hope
These verses serve as a caution from the poet Khalil Al-Farahidi against procrastination and excessive hope, as he eloquently expresses:
A person lives in hope,
one that echoes through eternity;
he longs for various forms of wealth
and desires children.
Yet he is unaware that death may arrive
sooner than tomorrow.
Thus, nothing remains for his parents,
nor will there be any legacy for his offspring.
Allah is My Lord and Prophet Muhammad
In this poem, Khalil Al-Farahidi praises the Prophet and his family:
Allah is my Lord, and the Prophet Muhammad
illuminates the message with profound reasons.
Then comes the successor, the heir of Ahmad,
the fortress of knowledge, wise and discerning.
He surpasses his peers; there is no equal to his stature,
and he stands above friends and companions.
With merits and virtues unmatched
in all worlds for the sincere worshippers.
And his descendants are the sons of the chosen Prophet;
what an honor they bring as elders and youth!
And for Fatimah, may our Lord send peace upon them,
to the ancient Ahmad, the repentant guide.
Before You, the Doctor Cured the Sick
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi urges acceptance of simplicity and readiness for departure:
Before you, a physician treated the sick,
the patient lived, yet the doctor died.
So be prepared for the call of demise,
for what is forthcoming is indeed near.
O Paradise, Superior to All Paradises
These verses, composed by Khalil Al-Farahidi, extol a land where he has settled, noting particularly the beauty of its ships:
O Paradise, that surpasses all others,
there’s no treasure or price that can match it.
I found it and made it my home,
my heart resides in its love.
The fish of this land are wed to its fog,
this is the husband, and that is the bride.
Contemplate and ponder what encircles you—
the perceptive thinker who is astute.
From ships akin to approaching ostriches,
and from ostriches, as if they are vessels.
There are None Left but the Pleasures of Men
Here, Khalil Al-Farahidi laments the scarcity of wise men in his time:
There remains of pleasures only
the dialogues of wise men.
And when counted, they were few;
now, they have become fewer still.
It is Just a Night, Followed by Its Day
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi reflects on the fleeting nature of life, warning against negligence:
It is but a night, then comes its day,
and the year turns to year, and the month to month;
vehicles bring the new close to decay,
and they bring the noble’s remains to the grave.
They leave behind the jealous wives to another,
and they divide what is hoarded by those who save.
When You Tighten a Matter, It Grows Tighter
In these two lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi advises patience and refraining from exaggerating troubles:
If you constrict a matter, it will grow tighter,
and if you ease it, it will become easier.
So do not despair over a matter that is slightly constricted,
for how many arduous things have after all become easy.
I Fulfilled Every Friend’s Duty to Me
In these verses, Khalil Al-Farahidi expresses that he will disappoint those reveling in his misfortunes:
I fulfilled every friend’s duty towards me,
except for the one who harbors high hopes for my days.
For I assure that I will not reward him,
except by showcasing my virtues and favors.
Do Not Accept Poetry and Then Reject It
In this piece, Khalil Al-Farahidi advises poets who abandon their craft, calling them ungrateful:
Do not accept poetry and then forsake it,
while you sleep, and poets remain awake.
Know that, if they are not justly treated,
they judge themselves by their own rulers.
And the crime of the wrongdoer against them will cease,
while their rebuke will linger through the ages.
The Wrongdoer is Not Less Notorious When Hidden
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi reveals his disdain for the wrongdoer who conceals their faults:
The wrongdoer, if his evil is concealed,
is no better than the openly wicked.
Whoever shows what I adore is akin to
the trusted one, the benefactor, in my eyes.
And Allah knows what lies in the hearts; indeed,
you have only what is apparent from them through the tongues.
Does Your Age Not Restrict You from Your Youth?
In these two lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi admonishes a heart that remains enamored despite aging:
Does not your gray hair restrain you from your youth,
while you persist in the things that mislead your heart?
Do you hope that your heart will obey you, O Salma,
while you claim that your heart has disobeyed?
If You Lack Meat
In this piece, Khalil Al-Farahidi advocates for simplicity and contentment with the little one has:
If you have no meat,
you are sufficient with pure herbs and oil.
If that is insufficient, then a piece of bread,
it remains in your shelter until death arrives.
This is chastity and safety.
So do not be misled by the “if only!”
Live What Pleases You, Your Death Is Short
These verses invite Khalil Al-Farahidi to minimize worldly attachments, as they are fleeting:
Live as you wish; your death is certain,
there is no escape from it, nor is there any delay.
While the wealth of a home and its splendor,
wealth fades, and the house crumbles.
What do I wish to know about what is intended for us?
For rarely does the “if only” offer any gain.
Severe Mockery Upon a Member of Our Tribe
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi alludes to a man from his tribe:
Severe mockery rests upon a member of our tribe,
as he strays from the path, walking away.
He gave little, then withdrew remorsefully,
and perhaps the miser erred before he gave.
They Descended to the Center of Generosity
In these couplets, Khalil Al-Farahidi praises a group for their elevated status:
They descended to the center of generosity,
and promised us relief from adversity.
Yet the hills are closest to the paths of peace,
and luck is a companion to the humble.
Increase Your Friends as Much as You Can, For They Are
In these two lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi encourages gathering friends as a means of support during hardships:
Gather friends as much as you can, for they are
sources of help when you call upon their strength.
And for the wise, the multitude of close friends
is outweighed by an enemy who is many.
I Found Comfort in Solitude and Stayed at Home
In these verses, Khalil Al-Farahidi reflects on the benefits of the isolation he imposed on himself:
I found comfort in my solitude, and I remained at home,
and companionship became sweet and joy flourished.
Time has taught me; I worry not.
I have been abandoned, and I shall not visit or be visited.
I am not one to inquire as long as I am alive:
Did the army march, or did the commander ride?
If You Do Not Know and Are Not One Who
In this piece, Khalil Al-Farahidi criticizes those who lead others yet lack knowledge themselves:
If you do not know and are not like one who
consults those who know, then how will you know?
You are ignorant yet do not realize that you are ignorant,
and that you do not know that you do not know.
And among the greatest misfortunes is your ignorance,
who will inform you that you do not know?
Perhaps a person moves forward, thinking that he knows,
while he is unaware of his ignorance of what is going on.
I Have Written in My Handwriting What You See in My Notebooks
In these two lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi describes the knowledge he has compiled in his books:
I have written in my handwriting what you see in my notebooks
about people of my time and all those before us.
If not for my solace that it’s not eternal,
I would have entrusted it to the graves.
The Champion of Grammar You Compiled
In this couplet, Khalil Al-Farahidi praises the work of grammarians, particularly the works of Isa ibn Umar:
The champion of grammar you have compiled
is not like what Isa ibn Umar authored.
That is completeness, and this one gathers knowledge—
both are like the sun and the moon for people.
This Amr Seeks Favor from
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi cautions against the consequences of injustice:
This Amr seeks favor from Zayd before the honorable judge.
So advise Amr, for I fear
the lion’s wrath upon the past invaders.
A man is not honorable when he guards
more than a man content with oppression.
The Thirsty Plebeians Returned and Received
In this piece, Khalil Al-Farahidi hints at a leader who has turned away from him:
The thirsty vagrants returned and received
water, and it was pleasing for them at your place.
And I approached your pool, parched and flowing,
but you returned my bucket, causing it to rattle.
And I see you pouring to one side,
while the ground of my land is barren from your sky.
Do your good deeds delay my needs,
or is it not within your means to offer me any good?
Sufficient for You, You Were Not Created for Generosity
In these verses, Khalil Al-Farahidi criticizes a man for his stinginess:
It suffices you that you were not built for generosity,
and your stinginess is no novelty.
Your hand is closed against goodness,
just as a hundred of its kind was reduced.
Your hand that gives three thousand
has only nine hundred in its grip.
I Offered You Advice, Muhammad
These verses express Khalil Al-Farahidi’s disappointment with a friend for not heeding his counsel:
I offered you advice, O Muhammad, that my counsel
is cheap, my companion, to a true friend.
Yet you did not accept it; how many good advises
were wasted as I strayed from the straightforward path?
This Wealth Is Distributed Among Men
In these lines, Khalil Al-Farahidi states that sustenance is proportioned among people, predestined by God:
And this wealth is granted to men,
who, when tested, piece it together.
And the sustenance of creation is brought to them,
precisely measured by the Majestic.
As swamps are watered abundantly,
the floods direct away from the precious lands.
Wealth does not come to those with intellect,
and minds cannot be divided by riches.
Convey to Solomon That I Am Abundant
In these verses, Khalil Al-Farahidi implies to a powerful figure or ruler that he no longer desires their assistance:
Convey to Solomon that I am in abundance,
and in wealth, though I am not wealthy.
It suffices me in that I see no one
dying of weakness while remaining in a state.
There lies a distinction between wealth and poverty,
traced by what is new, never old.
Sustenance is controlled by destiny; neither weakness diminishes it,
nor does the crafty scroll increase it.
If Solomon withholds his reward,
then God is the best responder to requests.
Poverty is in the soul, not the wealth,
and thus we recognize that the true riches reside in one’s spirit.
Wealth sometimes surrounds some without faith,
like floods surrounding the roots of the withered vines.
Everyone is bound to death,
so work for your soul; I am engrossed in thoughts.