Poetic Wisdom of Antarah ibn Shaddad
Let your swords judge at the necks of the accusers,
And if you find yourself in a house of humiliation, then depart.
And should you be afflicted by a tyrant, become a tyrant yourself,
And when you encounter the ignorant, act as if you are ignorant.
If the coward discourages you on a day of peril,
Out of fear for your safety in the chaos of battle,
Then disregard his words and pay them no mind,
Advance boldly when the opportunity for confrontation arises.
Choose for yourself a dwelling that elevates you,
Or choose to die nobly beneath the shade of the noble tree.
For death does not spare you from its dangers,
No fortress, even when built of strong rock, can protect you.
It is far better for a young man to die in his dignity
Than to spend a night as a captive of those with dark eyes.
If I am counted among the slaves, my ambition
Is above the Pleiades and the unarmed star.
If the knights of Abas deny my lineage,
Then my spear is my proof, and my sword guarantees my honor.
With my swords and my scimitars, I have achieved greatness,
Not through lineage or the larger number of people.
I threw my horse into the dust, where it splashed,
And sparks flew from the edges of swords.
It waded through the dust, and when the time came,
It returned untouched, having borne no stain.
And I delivered a crushing blow to the sons of Harayqa,
When I pierced the heart of the brave one.
I slayed their knight, Rabee’a, forcefully,
Along with Haydhan and Jabir ibn Muhalhal,
And sons of Rabee’a, Al-Haris, and Malik.
And Al-Zubairqan fell, abandoned upon the rocks.
And I am the son of a black-hearted woman, as if she were
A wild beast roaming the ruins of her home.
Her leg resembles the leg of an ostrich,
And her hair is like the seeds of pepper.
Her smile from beneath the veil is like
A flash of lightning in the enveloping darkness.
Oh, you who come upon the guarding and its dwellings,
Will you not see my restlessness within the confines?
Though your pride may rise, my love remains a burden,
And it is indeed a wonder, your pride and my suffering.
Do not offer me the water of life in humiliation,
But serve it to me with pride, as the bitter cup.
For the water of life in disgrace is like hellfire,
And hell is a better abode when laced with dignity.
Poetic Wisdom of Imam Al-Shafi’i
Let the days do as they please,
And be at peace when fate decides.
Do not despair at the calamities of nights,
For worldly events do not last forever.
Be a man of resilience in the face of adversity,
And let kindness and loyalty be your traits.
And if your flaws are many among the people,
Conceal them, as it is said: generosity veils all faults.
Never show weakness to your enemies,
For the glee of foes is an affliction.
Do not expect kindness from the stingy,
For in hell, there is no water for the thirsty.
Your sustenance is not diminished by patience,
And striving does not increase your provision.
Neither sorrow remains indefinitely, nor joy,
And you shall not suffer nor thrive in hardship.
And if death arrives at your doorstep,
Neither land nor sky will protect you.
The earth of Allah is vast, yet
When fate descends, space feels constricted.
Let the days betray at every moment,
For no medicine can stave off death.
Poetic Wisdom of Sufi al-Din al-Hilli
No one climbs the summit without braving danger,
And no one attains greatness without toil.
He who seeks elevation without effort,
Shall meet an end without having grasped it.
Sweetness requires a hive to protect it,
And no one reaps benefits without bearing infliction.
A request is only fulfilled after hardship,
And aspirations are realized only by those who persevere.
The most prudent of people would not approach water
Until they have quenched their thirst with distress.
The wisest of men, when looking upon a matter,
Are careful to consider others’ perspectives.
For it may be said that if a foot slips,
The fault lies with the man, not the decision.
He who manages his life through wisdom shall endure,
And when misfortune strikes, he may be left apologetic.
The calamities of fate become insignificant,
For he who misjudges will not be blamed for destiny.
He who loses dignity to his means shall gain it
Through his deeds; if fate were to grant him trial.
Every white face has born valor’s mark,
If it were to channel a single drop of virtue.
He wades through the dust, naked, until the fog lifts,
Only to emerge adorned in the blood of the valiant.
Honor shines in only its domain,
And loyalty only befitting those who express gratitude.
True elevation is only for a youth whose lineage elevates,
So he complies with destiny’s every command.
Like a righteous king whose power brings fear,
Should he challenge fate’s heart, it would shatter.
When he sees evil showing its teeth,
And treachery unfurls its fangs for war,
He viewed the bows as females in reality,
So he turned away, consulting the sharp sword.
He readied his resolve against the banishment of death,
A monarch who seeks renown beyond fame.
Poetic Wisdom of Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri
It pains me to know the rotten nature of humanity,
And that I am unable to purify them.
It afflicts me to reflect upon the contempt,
Of every lowly-souled trickster.
Awakening the miseries of a nation entangled,
With grievances that are masked by false appearances.
Here I am, tormented by the black intentions,
Revisiting dark thoughts from time to time.
In the faces of these people, I see harshness,
Reminding me of the vile visages of predatory beasts.
The chaos unsettles me, as if I am among
The living dead resurrected from graves.
I reviewed the actions of humankind,
Finding only their shame concealed behind various veils.
I searched for their newly minted virtues,
To promote their ambitions and boastfulness.
And modesty seemed alluring in facade,
Yet beneath it lay the foulness of their true selves.
People pursue different goals with their luck,
Hopes range from straight to unfairly gained.
Strength veils weakness in successful endeavors,
Whilst a façade masks the flaws of the feeble.
And the weak find themselves investigated
For their petty faults while giants escape punishment.
Hypocrisy thrives amongst the proud,
Becoming a potent weapon for the insecure.
Deceit is cherished, whilst honesty shunned,
So that existence lies solely in conspiracy.
It aligns opposing forces for profit,
Fragmenting similarities amid desires.
A desolate realm where souls decay,
Corrupted spirits become a scourge upon their neighbors.
The fountain of morality has shriveled due to
Endless greed of the high-ranked opportunists.
They shout for honesty while simultaneously robbing,
Seeing only the blind spots, a mere bridge.
And man’s share is held hostage to how they see,
Those in power play the role of the gambler.
Perhaps he will sink to the depths, facedown,
Though he boasts high stature amidst the accolades.
Or perhaps he will ascend to the peak of glory,
On a ladder woven with sins and misfortune.
And there remains no essence in positions for us,
Except that they belong to the relatives of the powerful.
And if people’s garments are interwoven
With defects, except for the garments of the loyal.
Some laws are imposed upon those seeking
To attract the “empty” assembly.
It may amuse the sorrowful, the contradiction of a street,
The laws derived amid conflicts and quarrels.
Poets have been insulted, their talents extinguished,
And naysayers’ quills left barren.
A reign of terror enshrouds every venture,
Hovering between frivolity and rising voices.
Such strife has tired this nation,
Whose leaders have become as random letters.
It does not harm the people in power,
If their shadow burdens those with wisdom and insight.
All they need is to have the masses follow,
In the footsteps of any willing servant.
Poetic Wisdom of Imam Al-Shafi’i
We lament our times while the fault lies within us,
And our time bears no blame except for us.
We curse this age without cause,
If time could speak, it would accuse us.
The wolf does not devour the flesh of his kind,
Yet we openly consume one another.
When a person cares for you only out of duty,
Let them be; do not linger in regrets.
Among people are replacements; in leaving, there is peace,
And the heart holds patience for a loved one, even when neglected.
Not everyone you love can reciprocate your affection,
Nor can all who flatter you be genuinely pure-hearted.
If love is not an inherent quality,
Then there is no good in a friendship born of obligation.
There is no good in a companion who betrays his friend,
Then meets him after friendship has turned cold.
He denies the life that has passed,
And reveals a secret long hidden.
Peace be upon this world if it does not contain,
A truthful friend who is sincere in promise and fair.
There is no solace for the wise and the cultured
In remaining, so leave your lands and find new horizons.
Travel, and you will find compensation for those you part with,
For indeed, true pleasures are found in hardship.
I have witnessed stagnant waters decay,
If it remains still, it will become foul; whereas, if it flows, it remains pure.
The lion would not have hunted had it not left its domain,
And the arrow would not hit its mark if it did not leave the bow.
The sun would weary of a fixed position,
As men tire of familiarity, be they from the Arabic or non-Arabic nations.
Gold is like dust resting in its places,
And the tree is but firewood in its own land.
When this one departs, its value increases,
But if that one goes, it will be cherished like gold.
Poetic Wisdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah honor his face)
Preserve your soul, and carry it to its beauty,
You will live in safety, as your words will be lovely.
Do not show people but your embellishments,
For life has been unkind or a companion has forsaken you.
And if today’s sustenance tightens, be patient until tomorrow,
Perhaps the troubles of fate will relieve you.
The rich, who are wealthy in spirit, are noble even with little wealth,
And the rich of money can be subservient and meek.
There is no goodness in a fickle person’s loyalty,
For when the wind shifts, so do they.
He is magnanimous if you are independent of seeking his wealth,
But when you are in need, their stinginess will show.
How many friends multiply when you count them,
But they are few in times of adversity.
Do not wrong others when you have the upper hand,
For injustice will only return to cause regret.
You may find sleep in your eyes while the oppressed is awake,
Calling down upon you, and the eyes of Allah remain vigilant.
Poetic Wisdom of Abu Tammam
Transfer your heart wherever you may choose,
For love resides only with the first beloved.
How many abodes upon the land a young man frequents,
Yet his longing remains for the first abode.
Should you mingle with imperfect character,
You are no better than he you emulate.
I have seen the noble avoid disgrace,
And his loyalty shields him from betrayal.
There is no hardship but that ease will follow,
I have learned this lesson well from years of toil.
If the leader of the household withdraws,
Then the people reflect on that distance.