Poem: The Secrets of the Soul’s Affection
By Al-Mutanabbi:
A person of reason suffers in pleasure because of their intellect,
While the ignorant one finds enjoyment in hardships.
The people have discarded restraint; thus, the one who forgets is unbound,
Forgets what has been entrusted to them and regrets their negligence.
Let not the tears of an enemy deceive you,
And be mindful of your youth from an enemy who shows mercy.
A noble honor does not escape from harm
Until blood is shed on its sides.
A little from the vile can hurt with its nature,
Those who are indifferent hurt as they please.
Injustice is a characteristic of souls; if you find
A person of honor, it is for a reason they do not oppress.
One of the calamities is the reproach of one who does not heed
Their ignorance and the discourse of one who does not understand.
And their eyelids do not fixate, as if they were
A branch in the wind, or mysteriously unfurled.
And when they gesture while conversing, it resembles
A monkey screeching or an old woman slapping.
They cling to separation, their words often stilted,
Until it seems they might cover their heads with their hand.
And you see them, the smallest presentable thing, yet
They turn out to be the most deceitful, swearing oaths.
Defeat reveals affection in the weak,
And I would prefer them, over the one who is treacherous.
Poem: If a Person Only Cares for You Out of Convenience
By Imam Al-Shafi’i:
If a person only cares for you with pretense,
Let them be, and do not lament their absence excessively.
In people, there are alternatives, and in leaving, tranquility,
And in the heart, patience for a beloved, even if they turn away.
Not everyone you desire truly desires you,
And not all who associate with you genuinely find peace.
When the essence of friendship is not natural,
Then there is no good in affection that is forced.
Nor is there any benefit in a friend who betrays their companion,
And then treats them with indifference after fondness has passed.
And denies a life that was once cherished,
And reveals a secret that was hidden just yesterday.
Peace be upon the world if there is no one in it
Who is a sincere, trustworthy friend keeping their promise justly.
Poem: We Blame Our Era, Yet the Flaw is Within Us
By Imam Al-Shafi’i:
We blame our era, though the fault lies within us,
And there is no fault in our era except ourselves.
We criticize this time without cause,
And if time could speak, it would criticize us.
And the wolf does not consume the flesh of another wolf;
We consume one another indiscriminately.
Poem: Blame is What Avoids Blame
By Al-Mutanabbi:
And my visitor carries a modest shyness,
For they only visit in the dark.
I offered them delicacies and delicacies,
But they turned away and spent the night in my bones.
My skin tightens from my breath and their absence,
Yet it expands with various ailments.
When they part, they cleanse me,
As if we were both immersed in something forbidden.
It seems that dawn drives them away, so tears flow,
Four streams running vigorously down.
I watch for their moment without longing,
Observing like a passionate seeker.
Their promises are true, yet truth can be dark,
When they abandon you in great hardships.
O daughter of time! For me, every girl is
How did you find your way in the crowded racket?
You have wounded one in despair; there remains not
A place for swords nor arrows.
Oh, I wish the poetry of my hands could express,
Guide reins or a bridle with ease.
Poem: What Do I Long For with No Family or Home?
By Al-Mutanabbi:
Not everything a person wishes for can be attained;
The winds blow contrary to what the ships desire.
I have seen you; your neighbor does not protect your honor,
Nor does he nurture sustenance for your pastures.
The reward for anyone close to you is annoyance,
And every lover finds despair in your presence.
You become resentful of someone who claimed your kindness,
Until provocation and disdain become their punishment.
Separation leaves a void between you and me,
It wanders, deceiving both the eye and the ear.
In the aftermath, spoils are painting over the remnants of it,
And the earth questions the weight of burdens.
I seek solace in my patience, and it is generous to me,
But I do not accompany my patience — it fails me in cowardice.
I will not dwell upon wealth that humiliates me,
Nor will I relish what hurts my honor.
I stayed up late after parting, feeling deserted for you,
Then my grief stretched on, returning to the tranquil state.
And if I was afflicted by a bond akin to yours,
Then I am surely capable of parting likewise.
My proud steed grows weary in other’s company,
Traded apologies for walls instead of a bridle.
By the noble ones, my generosity drowned,
In its kindness, among the red-clad tribe of Mudar and Yemen.
And if some appointment has been delayed,
My hopes do not diminish, nor do they weaken.
For he is reliable, but I reminded him of a bond,
That he tests and examines meticulously.
Poem: My Affection
By Badawi Al-Jabal:
Patience is admirable, yet I,
Was never pleased with patience, nor it with me.
I long, yes I long, with my eyes fixed,
Since the day I parted with that indifference.
Place your hand on my burning heart,
As if it were crafted from pure silver.
And smile with pearls, reveal
The soft complexion that shines brilliantly.
On your enchanting cheek—lush and charming,
A succulent apple, tender at heart.
Your decree of beauty reigns over lovers,
My love is enough to judge the dark judgments.