THE UNGRATEFUL

THE UNGRATEFUL
Poem by Mahmoud Said Kawash

I brought a plant and planted it on the top of a mountain
It bore fruit and its taste was bitter
I wish I had not brought and planted it
I wish I was ignorant of agriculture
He who sows favour in a fallow land
No matter how hard it is, it will be exhausted and consumed
He will not be well received
He will not find a plough´-or-sickle to reap his harvest
He will be like a candle burner in the hall of blind people
Or like a rose planter in the depths of a stream
For my good deed, I will not get a reward´-or-thanks
I will not get gratitude´-or-positive response
It is as if I am about the nobility in a deep valley
Or an unarmed soldier in the battlefield
Is the favour I do a kind of ignorance,
Or if I overlook it is wiser?
So beware of the person whom you offer good to
Stay away and don’t be afraid of him
The pot exudes what it usually contains
And people eat from what it contains
It is true I’m strong as if I’m made of iron
But from dignity and honour I gain and increase
If I am given the choice to live with an ignoble person
It will be easier for me to be struck by the sword
O you who comes seeking generosity diligently
Ask the people of chivalry about me
You will find a spring of loyalty flowing from me
And he who doesn’t know me is mere ignorant
If I’m compared with others
I’ll be a sea of generosity and the others a small stream
The most famous, in sympathy and giving gifts
The most well known, in loyalty and chivalry
Envy is a disease, you are ill of it
If you hold a sword, you will definitely be killed by it
Do not attach any pride to yourself
You are stingier than all stingy people history told us about
I ask God to help me staying far away from you and people like you
To stay stranger, generous, respected and revered forever.

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