نزحت لبينِ النازحين مدامعِي

نزحت لبينِ النازحين مدامعِي

وعادوا فعادت رُجَّعاً عبرَاتي

وعادوا فعادت رُجَّعاً عبرَاتي

I wept my eyes dry at the parting of those who departed;

My tears migrated to the place of the migrants

and they returned, so my tears returned again and again.

And they came back reflected in my weeping

وكنتُ من الأفكارِ والدمع بعدهم

وكنتُ من الأفكارِ والدمع بعدهم

كأنِّيَ في بحرٍ من الظلمات

كأنِّيَ في بحرٍ من الظلمات

And after they left, amid thoughts and tears, I was

And I was after them from thoughts and tears

as though in a sea of darkness.

As if I were in a sea of darkness

كأنِّيَ معكوسٌ من السهدِ والأسى

كأنِّيَ معكوسٌ من السهدِ والأسى

فليلِي معاشِي والنهارُ سباتي

فليلِي معاشِي والنهارُ سباتي

As though I were turned upside down by sleeplessness and sorrow,

As if I were upside down from misery and sorrow

so my night is my waking time, and day my sleep.

So my night is my livelihood and the day is my slumber

بعادٌ وقربٌ فيهما النوحُ والبكا

بعادٌ وقربٌ فيهما النوحُ والبكا

أعلِّمُ وُرْقَ الطيرِ في الوَكنات

أعلِّمُ وُرْقَ الطيرِ في الوَكنات

Separation and reunion—both hold lament and weeping;

Absence and presence in both is weeping and crying

I teach the gray doves in their nests.

I teach the leaves of birds in the nests

وزيرَ العلى والعلمِ والبرِّ والتقى

وزيرَ العلى والعلمِ والبرِّ والتقى

على أيمنِ الأوقات والحركات

على أيمنِ الأوقات والحركات

O minister of glory, learning, goodness, and piety,

Minister of the Most High, knowledge, righteousness and piety

at the most auspicious of times and undertakings,

At the best of times and movements

قدِمتَ بوفد الرأي والعزمِ والندَى

قدِمتَ بوفد الرأي والعزمِ والندَى

وقدْ كانَ يكفِي وافد البركات

وقدْ كانَ يكفِي وافد البركات

you arrived with a delegation of judgment, resolve, and generosity,

You came with the delegation of opinion, determination and clarity

though a bearer of blessings alone would have sufficed.

And the arrival of blessings would have sufficed

قدومَ الحيا يروِي ظمَا كلّ منبتٍ

قدومَ الحيا يروِي ظمَا كلّ منبتٍ

ضعيفٍ فيا بشرى لضعفِ نبات

ضعيفٍ فيا بشرى لضعفِ نبات

Like rain's arrival, slaking the thirst of every seedbed

The arrival of the living waters every weak sprout

that is frail—O glad tidings for feeble growth!

So good tidings to the weakness of growth

ذخرنا نداه في الورى وَوَلاءهُ

ذخرنا نداه في الورى وَوَلاءهُ

ليومِ حياةٍ أو ليومِ ممات

ليومِ حياةٍ أو ليومِ ممات

We have stored up his generosity among mankind, and his patronage,

We stockpiled his support in creation and his loyalty

for a day of life, or a day of death.

For a day of life or a day of death

وليّ غمامٍ أو وليّ عبادةٍ

وليّ غمامٍ أو وليّ عبادةٍ

ترجِّيه للإحسان والحسنات

ترجِّيه للإحسان والحسنات

A rain-cloud's shower, or a saint of devotion,

My guardian of clouds or my guardian of worship

you look to him for kindness and good deeds.

I hope for his benevolence and good deeds

إذا بسطت كفَّاه باليمنِ للورى

إذا بسطت كفَّاه باليمنِ للورى

رجوا بسطها للأمنِ بالدعوات

رجوا بسطها للأمنِ بالدعوات

When his two palms stretch out with blessings to mankind,

When he extends his palms to the right for the people

they hope he will stretch them out in prayer for safety.

Hope through his prayers for security

هو المرء خافَ الله في كلّ حالةٍ

هو المرء خافَ الله في كلّ حالةٍ

فخافتهُ حتَّى الأسدُ في الفلوات

فخافتهُ حتَّى الأسدُ في الفلوات

He is the man who feared God in every circumstance,

He is the man who feared God in every situation

so even the lions in the wilderness feared him.

So even the lion feared him in the wilderness

وقوَّى ضعيف الحالِ منا بدهرِهِ

وقوَّى ضعيف الحالِ منا بدهرِهِ

خلا ما بلحظِ الغِيدِ من فترات

خلا ما بلحظِ الغِيدِ من فترات

And in his time he strengthened those in poor circumstances among us,

And empowered the weak state of us in his time

save the languor in the glances of graceful women.

Apart from the naps of drowsiness

فلا كلم الأعداء جانب جاههُ

فلا كلم الأعداء جانب جاههُ

ودامَ مطاعاً نافذَ الكلمات

ودامَ مطاعاً نافذَ الكلمات

So may the enemies never wound the flank of his prestige,

So no enemy spoke against his side

and may he remain obeyed, his words carrying force.

And he remained obeyed, effective in speech