على العُدْوةِ القُصْوى وإن عَفَتِ الدارُ

على العُدْوةِ القُصْوى وإن عَفَتِ الدارُ

سلامُ غَرِيبٍ لا يؤوبُ فيزدَارُ

سلامُ غَرِيبٍ لا يؤوبُ فيزدَارُ

Upon the farthest bank, even if the dwelling has been effaced,

Upon the farthest bank, though the dwelling is effaced,

a stranger's greeting—he will not return to be visited.

Is the peace of a stranger who returns not to visit.

وحُقَّ بُكاءُ العينِ والقَلْبُ مُسعدٌ

وحُقَّ بُكاءُ العينِ والقَلْبُ مُسعدٌ

لمن باتَ مِثلي لا حبِيبٌ ولا جارُ

لمن باتَ مِثلي لا حبِيبٌ ولا جارُ

And the eye is right to weep, with the heart lending its aid,

The eye’s weeping is justified, with the heart as its ally,

for one who spends the night like me, with neither beloved nor neighbor.

For one who passes the night like me, without lover or neighbor.

أُعادى على فَضْلي وأستصحِبُ العِدَى

أُعادى على فَضْلي وأستصحِبُ العِدَى

ولي حَسَنَات عندهم هيَ أوزارُ

ولي حَسَنَات عندهم هيَ أوزارُ

I am hated for my merit, and take enemies as companions;

I am antagonized for my merit, yet forced to accompany foes,

and I have good deeds that, in their eyes, are sins.

And I possess virtues which, in their eyes, are sins.

مَديحِي هِجَاءٌ واِبتسامي تَجهُّمٌ

مَديحِي هِجَاءٌ واِبتسامي تَجهُّمٌ

وشَكْوايَ كُفرٌ واِعترافِيَ إِنكارُ

وشَكْوايَ كُفرٌ واِعترافِيَ إِنكارُ

My praise is invective, and my smile a scowl;

My praise is taken as satire, my smile as a scowl,

and my complaint is unbelief, and my acknowledgment denial.

My complaint is blasphemy, and my confession is denial.

ولم أرَ مِثلِي فاضِلاً يَنقصونه

ولم أرَ مِثلِي فاضِلاً يَنقصونه

بَلَى قلَّما يَخْلُو من القَرْضِ دينارُ

بَلَى قلَّما يَخْلُو من القَرْضِ دينارُ

And I have never seen a man of merit like me whom they belittle;

I have never seen a virtuous man like me whom they diminish—

but yes—scarcely a dinar escapes clipping.

Though indeed, rarely is a gold dinar free from being clipped.

عزيزٌ علينا أن نُقِيمَ بذلَّةٍ

عزيزٌ علينا أن نُقِيمَ بذلَّةٍ

فليتَ حشايانا الوطيئةَ أكْوارُ

فليتَ حشايانا الوطيئةَ أكْوارُ

It is hard for us to remain in humiliation;

It is grievous for us to remain in humiliation;

so would that our soft mattresses were camel-saddles!

Would that our soft mattresses were camel saddles instead.

شفَى اللَّه داءَ القَيْرَوانَينِ بعدَنا

شفَى اللَّه داءَ القَيْرَوانَينِ بعدَنا

فقد مَرِضَتْ للقيْرَوَانَيْنِ أَبصارُ

فقد مَرِضَتْ للقيْرَوَانَيْنِ أَبصارُ

May God heal the sickness of the two Qayrawans after our departure,

May God cure the malady of the two Qayrawans after our departure,

for eyes have grown sick with longing for the two Qayrawans.

For eyes have grown sick with longing for the two Qayrawans.

وكيف غِناءُ الطّيرِ في غير أَيكِها

وكيف غِناءُ الطّيرِ في غير أَيكِها

وقد بَعُدَتْ عنها فِرَاخٌ وأوكارُ

وقد بَعُدَتْ عنها فِرَاخٌ وأوكارُ

And how can birds sing outside their own groves,

How can birds sing when away from their own thicket,

when their chicks and nests are far from them?

When their chicks and nests have become so distant?

وإنِّي لأَوْلى بالبُكَاءِ لأَنَّها

وإنِّي لأَوْلى بالبُكَاءِ لأَنَّها

تَطيرُ إذا اِشتَاقَتْ وما أنا طيَّارُ

تَطيرُ إذا اِشتَاقَتْ وما أنا طيَّارُ

And surely I have more right to weep, for they

Yet I am more deserving of weeping, for the bird

fly when they yearn, while I cannot fly.

Can fly when it yearns, while I am no flyer.

أَلا يا بُرُوقاً لُحْنَ من نحوِ صَبْرَةٍ

أَلا يا بُرُوقاً لُحْنَ من نحوِ صَبْرَةٍ

وليسَ لها إلّا دُمُوعِيَ أمطارُ

وليسَ لها إلّا دُمُوعِيَ أمطارُ

Ah, flashes of lightning that gleamed from the direction of Sabra,

O lightning flashes that gleamed from the direction of Sabra,

and whose only rain is my tears!

Having no rains to offer other than my own tears,

عسى فيك من ماء الحبيباتِ شربَةٌ

عسى فيك من ماء الحبيباتِ شربَةٌ

ولو مِثْلَ ما يُوعِي من الماء مِنْقَارُ

ولو مِثْلَ ما يُوعِي من الماء مِنْقَارُ

Perhaps in you is a sip of the beloveds' water,

Perhaps you hold a sip of water from the beloveds,

even if only as much water as a beak can hold.

Even if only as much as a bird's beak could hold.