أمسى دمشقيُّ الأمير ودهرُه

أمسى دمشقيُّ الأمير ودهرُه

ملقٍ عليه بركَهُ وجِرانَهُ

ملقٍ عليه بركَهُ وجِرانَهُ

The prince’s Damascene now finds his fate

The prince of Damascus spent his days

pressing its breast and the underside of its neck upon him.

Bowed under the weight of his troubles and sorrows

والَى عليه مصيبتين أفاضتا

والَى عليه مصيبتين أفاضتا

عبراتِه واستذكَتا أحزانَهُ

عبراتِه واستذكَتا أحزانَهُ

It brought him two successive calamities that poured forth

And was afflicted by two tribulations that made

his tears and set his sorrows ablaze:

His tears flow and revived his grief

بأخ شقيقٍ بعد أُمٍّ برةٍ

بأخ شقيقٍ بعد أُمٍّ برةٍ

بالأمس قطَّع منهما أقرانَهُ

بالأمس قطَّع منهما أقرانَهُ

a full brother’s loss, after a loving mother’s—

For his dear brother and kind mother

only yesterday it severed his bonds with both.

Whose companionship was torn from him yesterday

وأجلُّ رُزءيه أخوه فإنه

وأجلُّ رُزءيه أخوه فإنه

قد كان مُنصَلَهُ وكان سنانَهُ

قد كان مُنصَلَهُ وكان سنانَهُ

And the graver of his two losses is his brother, for he

His greatest agony is for his brother

had been his sword and his spearhead.

Who had been his confidant and mainstay

فليُحيِه الملك الهُمام فلم يَفُت

فليُحيِه الملك الهُمام فلم يَفُت

مَحياهُ قدرتَهُ ولا سلطانَهُ

مَحياهُ قدرتَهُ ولا سلطانَهُ

So let the valiant king revive him; it is not beyond

So may the magnificent king restore him to life

his power or authority to restore his life.

For his power did not fail him, nor his dominion

وحياتُه لي أن أقوم مقَامَه

وحياتُه لي أن أقوم مقَامَه

وأسُدُّ من دار الأمير مكانَهُ

وأسُدُّ من دار الأمير مكانَهُ

For me, his revival means my taking his place

And that I may take his place

and filling his position in the prince’s household,

And guard the prince's house in his stead

كيلا أرى أحداً يُقاتُ برزقه

كيلا أرى أحداً يُقاتُ برزقه

غيري ويُوطَنُ بَعده أوطانَهُ

غيري ويُوطَنُ بَعده أوطانَهُ

so that I see no one sustained by his stipend

Lest I see anyone enjoy his income

except myself, and lodged in his dwellings after him.

Or settle in his lands after him

ومتى خلفتُ أخي هناك فإنما

ومتى خلفتُ أخي هناك فإنما

أنا روحُه إن لم أكن جثمانَهُ

أنا روحُه إن لم أكن جثمانَهُ

And whenever I succeed my brother there, then

And when I take my brother's place

I am but his spirit, even if I am not his body.

I will be his soul even if not his body

فهل الأمير بذاك مُسعِفُ عبدِهِ

فهل الأمير بذاك مُسعِفُ عبدِهِ

متطولاً ومُكمِّلاً إحسانَهُ

متطولاً ومُكمِّلاً إحسانَهُ

Will the prince, then, grant his servant this,

So will the prince aid his servant in this

showing generosity and completing his kindness?

Prolonging and completing his benevolence?

أم لا فعبدُك باسطٌ لك عذرَه

أم لا فعبدُك باسطٌ لك عذرَه

إمَّا أبيتَ ولائمٌ حرمانَهُ

إمَّا أبيتَ ولائمٌ حرمانَهُ

Or not? Your servant will make excuses for you,

Or not, and your servant spreads before you his excuse

if you refuse, and blame his own ill fortune.

Whether you refuse him and deprive him of fellowship

أنَّى يلومُك طائعاً من لا يرى

أنَّى يلومُك طائعاً من لا يرى

ما دمتَ حياً أن يلومَ زمانَهُ

ما دمتَ حياً أن يلومَ زمانَهُ

How could one willingly blame you who sees no reason,

How can one willingly blame you

so long as you live, to blame his fate?

As long as you live, or blame the times?

وأظن أنك لا محالَة مُسعِفي

وأظن أنك لا محالَة مُسعِفي

ظناً سيتْبَعُ شكُّه استيقانَهُ

ظناً سيتْبَعُ شكُّه استيقانَهُ

And I believe you will, without fail, come to my aid—

I think without doubt you will help me

a belief whose doubt will be followed by certainty.

A belief I am sure will prove true

لِترُبَّ ما قد كنت توليه أخي

لِترُبَّ ما قد كنت توليه أخي

عندي وتعمرَ جانبي عمرانَهُ

عندي وتعمرَ جانبي عمرانَهُ

To nurture what you once bestowed upon my brother

That you may care for what you entrusted my brother

in me, and make my life flourish as you made his.

And rebuild my side into civilisation

لستَ الذي يُولي الوليَّ صنعيةً

لستَ الذي يُولي الوليَّ صنعيةً

حَتىُ إذا حَين الوليِّ أحانَهُ

حَتىُ إذا حَين الوليِّ أحانَهُ

You are not one who grants a loyal friend a favor,

You are not one who would appoint a successor

only to bring him to ruin when his fatal hour arrives.

Only to replace him when the time suits you