Feedback

Whenever fate troubled me time and again,

وكنت إذا ما رابني الدهر مرة

1. Whenever fate troubled me time and again,
And time had begotten the generous who gave birth,

١. وكُنْتُ إِذا ما رابَنِي الدَّهْرُ مَرَّةً
وَقَدْ وَلَدَ الدَّهْرُ الْكِرامَ فَأَنْجَبا

2. I called upon a generous one, who answered my call,
Alluring when intended by presumption most fertile.

٢. دَعَوْتُ كَرِيماً فَاسْتَجابَ لِدَعْوَتِي
أَغَرَّ إِذا ما رادَهُ الظَّنُّ أَخْصَبا

3. If you seek a favor from one hoped for,
It suffices me to hope for the refined pillar.

٣. إِذا كُنْتَ راجِي نِعْمَةٍ مِنْ مُؤَمَّلٍ
فَحَسْبِيَ أَنْ أَرْجُو الْعَمِيدَ الْمُهَذَّبا

4. May his expected generosity revive one doomed,
A prisoner of time, tortured by calamities.

٤. عَسى جُودُهُ الْمأْمُولُ يَنْتاشُ هالِكاً
أَسِيرَ زَمانٍ بِالْخُطُوبِ مُعَذَّبا

5. I see time only grows increasingly violent toward me,
And I only grow increasingly plaintive.

٥. أَرى الدَّهْرَ لا يَزْدادُ إِلاّ فَظاظَةً
عَلَيَّ وَلا أَزْدادُ إِلاّ تَعَتُّبا

6. So be a fortress and sanctuary for the freeborn,
When the caprice of time betrays and fails them.

٦. فَكُنْ لِبَنِي الأَحْرارِ حِصْناً وَمَعْقِلاً
إِذا خانَهُمْ صَرْفُ الزَّمانِ وَخَيَّبا

7. Except you, those who praise are blamed for ingratitude,
And anyone else from whom glory is sought unyielding.

٧. سِواكَ يُعابُ الْمادِحُونَ بِنَيْلِهِ
وَغَيْرُكَ مَنْ آبى لِجَدْواهُ مَطْلَبا