العَينُ تَذرُفُ وَالفُؤادُ يَذوبُ

العَينُ تَذرُفُ وَالفُؤادُ يَذوبُ

وَالوَجدُ يَحضُرُ وَالعَزاءُ يَغيبُ

وَالوَجدُ يَحضُرُ وَالعَزاءُ يَغيبُ

The eye sheds tears, and the heart melts away;

The eye sheds tears, and the heart melts.

Passion comes near, while consolation departs.

And anguish draws near, and consolation departs.

وَلِقِلَّةِ الكُرَماءِ أَنتَ مُضَيَّعٌ

وَلِقِلَّةِ الكُرَماءِ أَنتَ مُضَيَّعٌ

وَلِكُثرَةِ الجُهّالِ أَنتَ غَريبُ

وَلِكُثرَةِ الجُهّالِ أَنتَ غَريبُ

For want of generous souls, you are neglected;

And because generous people are few, you are neglected.

And amid the multitude of fools, you are a stranger.

And because ignorant people are many, you are a stranger.

تَاللَهِ لَم تُخطِئكَ أَسبابُ الغِنى

تَاللَهِ لَم تُخطِئكَ أَسبابُ الغِنى

إِلّا لِأَنَّكَ عاقِلٌ وَأَديبُ

إِلّا لِأَنَّكَ عاقِلٌ وَأَديبُ

By God, the means to wealth have passed you by

By God, the means of wealth have eluded you

Only because you are discerning and cultivated.

only because you are intelligent and cultured.

فَاِصبِر فَقَد عَزّاكَ عَن دَركِ الغِنى

فَاِصبِر فَقَد عَزّاكَ عَن دَركِ الغِنى

أَن لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ أَغَرُّ نَجيبُ

أَن لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ أَغَرُّ نَجيبُ

So be patient: this consoles you for not attaining wealth—

So be patient; what consoles you for not attaining wealth

That no bright, highborn noble ever attains it.

is that no illustrious, noble man attains it.

عابوا قُطوبي أَن تَعَذَّرَ مَطلَبي

عابوا قُطوبي أَن تَعَذَّرَ مَطلَبي

أَرَأَيتَ بَدراً لَيسَ فيهِ قُطوبُ

أَرَأَيتَ بَدراً لَيسَ فيهِ قُطوبُ

They faulted my frown when my quest proved unattainable—

They faulted my frowning because my goal proved unattainable.

Have you ever seen a full moon without a frown?

Have you seen a full moon without a frown?

وَشُحوبَ جِسمي مِن مُواصَلَةِ السَرى

وَشُحوبَ جِسمي مِن مُواصَلَةِ السَرى

هَل مِن هِلالٍ لَيسَ فيهِ شُحوبُ

هَل مِن هِلالٍ لَيسَ فيهِ شُحوبُ

And they faulted my body's pallor from journeying all night—

And my body's pallor from continual travel by night—

Is there any crescent moon that is not pale?

Is there a crescent moon without pallor?

وَلَقَد يَدُلُّ عَلى كَمالِ كَرامَتي

وَلَقَد يَدُلُّ عَلى كَمالِ كَرامَتي

أَنّي إِلى قَلبِ الكَريمِ حَبيبُ

أَنّي إِلى قَلبِ الكَريمِ حَبيبُ

Indeed, this attests the perfection of my honor:

And indeed, what shows the fullness of my nobility

That I am beloved by every generous heart.

is that I am dear to the noble man's heart.

وَلَقَد جَلا حُزني وَفَرَّجَ كَربَتي

وَلَقَد جَلا حُزني وَفَرَّجَ كَربَتي

أَنَّ اللَئيمَ لِرُؤيَتي مَكروبُ

أَنَّ اللَئيمَ لِرُؤيَتي مَكروبُ

And this has dispelled my grief and relieved my anguish:

And indeed, what dispelled my grief and eased my distress

That the ignoble man is distressed at the sight of me.

was that the base man is distressed at seeing me.

لا تَلعَبَنَّ فَمِن رِوائِكَ طالِبٌ

لا تَلعَبَنَّ فَمِن رِوائِكَ طالِبٌ

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ لاعِبٌ مَطلوبُ

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ لاعِبٌ مَطلوبُ

Do not trifle: among those watching you there is a pursuer;

Do not trifle, for behind you is a pursuer;

And what a wonder—a player who is himself pursued!

And strange indeed is a player who is pursued.