أرَىI see جَمراتٍembers فيin مَسالِكpassageways أنفاسيmy breaths
أرَى جَمراتٍ في مَسالِك أنفاسي
وأَغصانُand the branches عَيشيmy life كلُّهاall of them يابِسdry عاسيstiff
وأَغصانُ عَيشي كلُّها يابِس عاسي
I see embers in the passageways of my breath,
I see embers in the paths of my breath,
and all the branches of my life are dry and stiff.
And all the branches of my life are withered and desolate.
وكنتُand I used to أعدُّregard الموتَdeath بَأساًan affliction وعِندماand when
وكنتُ أعدُّ الموتَ بَأساً وعِندما
أراهُI see it فَماthen there is no فيin ذلكَthat البأسِthe affliction منany باسِharm
أراهُ فَما في ذلكَ البأسِ من باسِ
I used to regard death as an affliction; and when
I used to count death as adversity, but when
I see it, there is no harm in that affliction.
I face it, there is no adversity in that.
كأنِّيas though I وحيدٌalone فيin قِفارِwastes تَنوفَةٍa barren wilderness
كأنِّي وحيدٌ في قِفارِ تَنوفَةٍ
وإنeven though كنتُI am أُمسيI spend the evening فيin زحامٍa crowd منof الناسِpeople
وإن كنتُ أُمسي في زحامٍ من الناسِ
It is as though I were alone in the wastes of a barren wilderness,
It is as if I am alone in the deserts of Tanuf,
even though I spend the evening amid a crowd of people.
Even if I spend my evenings among crowds of people.
فياthen, oh ليتَwould that ليfor me ماwhat كانَwas غَيريanother بمِثلهfor its like
فيا ليتَ لي ما كانَ غَيري بمِثله
يُعابُis reproached إذاwhen قالواthey said هُوhe الطاعِمthe eater الكَاسيthe wearer of clothes
يُعابُ إذا قالوا هُو الطاعِم الكَاسي
Oh, would that I had the like of what another
Oh, if only I had what others have,
was reproached for, when they said, 'He is the eater, the wearer of clothes.'
I would be blamed when they say he is the drunken reveler.
فلِمso why أناI فيin وَهدٍa hollow منof الأرضِthe earth هابطٍlow-lying
فلِم أنا في وَهدٍ من الأرضِ هابطٍ
وبالقُربِand nearby منيto me للعُلىtoward the heights جَبلٌa mountain راسِfirmly rooted
وبالقُربِ مني للعُلى جَبلٌ راسِ
Why, then, am I in a low-lying hollow of the earth,
Why am I in a pit descending into the earth
while near me a mountain stands firm, rising toward the heights?
While nearby a towering mountain rises above me.
يَلوحُshines عَليهupon it جَعفرُJaʿfar بنُson of مُيسَّرٍMuyassar
يَلوحُ عَليه جَعفرُ بنُ مُيسَّرٍ
فَيَرفعُso he raises منيof me إنif رَفعتُI raise لهto him راسِيmy head
فَيَرفعُ مني إن رَفعتُ له راسِي
Upon it shines Jaʿfar ibn Muyassar,
Ja'far ibn Muyyasir beckons atop it,
and so he raises me up if I raise my head toward him.
Lifting me up if I raise my head to him.
ويُطمعُنيand makes me hope فيfor عادَةٍa customary favor أستَعيدهاI seek to regain it
ويُطمعُني في عادَةٍ أستَعيدها
ولاand no وَجهَexcuse مَعwith تيكَthose العَوائدrecurring favors للناسِيfor one who forgets
ولا وَجهَ مَع تيكَ العَوائد للناسِي
And he makes me hope for a customary favor I seek to regain,
He gives me hope of recovering a habit
and with those recurring favors, one who forgets has no excuse.
Though nothing can restore the ways of the forgetful.
أرَىI see ذلَّةَthe abasement الشكوىof complaint قدindeed اشتغلتI have become absorbed بهاwith her
أرَى ذلَّةَ الشكوى قد اشتغلت بها
فَمنso who يَشتَكيcomplains عنهاon her behalf هَواهاher passion إلىto الناسِيthe forgetful one
فَمن يَشتَكي عنها هَواها إلى الناسِي
I see the abasement of complaint; I have become absorbed in her.
I see complaint has busied itself with humiliation,
Who, then, will complain on her behalf of her passion to the forgetful one?
So who will complain about its love to the forgetful?
فَواعَجبيso, how I marvel مِنهاat her هيshe الياسdespair وهيَand she لوif
فَواعَجبي مِنها هي الياس وهيَ لو
تعودُvisits مَريضاًa sick man أذهبَتshe would take away عنهfrom him بالياسِwith despair
تعودُ مَريضاً أذهبَت عنه بالياسِ
How, then, I marvel at her! She is despair; yet if she
How wondrous it is that despair is also hope,
visited a sick man, she would take despair away from him.
And if accustomed, would remove despair.
Sol 6.1