العَينُ تَذرُفُ وَالفُؤادُ يَذوبُ

العَينُ تَذرُفُ وَالفُؤادُ يَذوبُ

وَالوَجدُ يَحضُرُ وَالعَزاءُ يَغيبُ

وَالوَجدُ يَحضُرُ وَالعَزاءُ يَغيبُ

The eye sheds tears, and the heart melts.

The eye sheds tears and the heart melts,

And anguish is present, while solace is absent.

And passion is present while consolation is absent.

وَلِقِلَّةِ الكُرَماءِ أَنتَ مُضَيَّعٌ

وَلِقِلَّةِ الكُرَماءِ أَنتَ مُضَيَّعٌ

وَلِكُثرَةِ الجُهّالِ أَنتَ غَريبُ

وَلِكُثرَةِ الجُهّالِ أَنتَ غَريبُ

And because the noble are few, you are neglected;

Due to the scarcity of generous souls, you are neglected,

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

And due to the abundance of ignoramuses, 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 did not fail you,

Only because you are wise and cultured.

Except that you are wise and cultivated.

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 - your lack of wealth consoles you -

No illustrious, noble man attains it.

For no impetuous youth can attain 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 aim proved unattainable—

They blamed my aloofness when my quest was hindered.

Have you seen a full moon without a frown?

Have you ever seen a full moon without aloofness?

وَشُحوبَ جِسمي مِن مُواصَلَةِ السَرى

وَشُحوبَ جِسمي مِن مُواصَلَةِ السَرى

هَل مِن هِلالٍ لَيسَ فيهِ شُحوبُ

هَل مِن هِلالٍ لَيسَ فيهِ شُحوبُ

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

And my body's pallor is from keeping intimate company by night.

Is there a crescent moon without pallor?

What crescent is there without pallor?

وَلَقَد يَدُلُّ عَلى كَمالِ كَرامَتي

وَلَقَد يَدُلُّ عَلى كَمالِ كَرامَتي

أَنّي إِلى قَلبِ الكَريمِ حَبيبُ

أَنّي إِلى قَلبِ الكَريمِ حَبيبُ

And indeed, this attests to the fullness of my nobility:

And it is proof of my perfect nobility

I am dear to the noble man's heart.

That I am the beloved of the noble heart.

وَلَقَد جَلا حُزني وَفَرَّجَ كَربَتي

وَلَقَد جَلا حُزني وَفَرَّجَ كَربَتي

أَنَّ اللَئيمَ لِرُؤيَتي مَكروبُ

أَنَّ اللَئيمَ لِرُؤيَتي مَكروبُ

And indeed, this has banished my sorrow and eased my distress:

My sorrow has passed and my anguish relieved

The base man is distressed at the sight of me.

For the despicable one is distressed by the sight of me.

لا تَلعَبَنَّ فَمِن رِوائِكَ طالِبٌ

لا تَلعَبَنَّ فَمِن رِوائِكَ طالِبٌ

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ لاعِبٌ مَطلوبُ

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ لاعِبٌ مَطلوبُ

Do not trifle, for behind you is a pursuer;

Do not play, for I have a seeker,

And strange indeed is one who plays while being pursued!

And it is a wonder for a player to be sought.