نَطَقَت مُقلَةُ الفَتى المَلهوفِ

نَطَقَت مُقلَةُ الفَتى المَلهوفِ

فَتَشَكَّت بِفَيضِ دَمعٍ ذَروفِ

فَتَشَكَّت بِفَيضِ دَمعٍ ذَروفِ

The eye of the grief-stricken youth spoke,

The eye of the distraught youth spoke,

voicing its complaint in a flood of streaming tears.

and lamented with a flood of streaming tears.

تَرجَمَ الدَمعُ في صَحائِفِ خَدَّي

تَرجَمَ الدَمعُ في صَحائِفِ خَدَّي

هِ سُطوراً مُؤَلَّفاتِ الحُروفِ

هِ سُطوراً مُؤَلَّفاتِ الحُروفِ

Tears translated, upon the pages of his cheeks,

Tears translated, upon the pages of his cheeks,

lines composed of letters.

lines whose letters were joined together.

فَلَئِن شَطَّتِ الدِيارُ وَغالَ ال

فَلَئِن شَطَّتِ الدِيارُ وَغالَ ال

دَهرُ في آلِفٍ وَفي مَألوفِ

دَهرُ في آلِفٍ وَفي مَألوفِ

Though the dwellings have grown distant, and Time has dealt harshly

Yet if the dwellings have grown distant and Time has ravaged

with one who holds dear and one held dear,

both the loving and the loved,

وَتَبَدَّلتُ بِالبَشاشَةِ حُزناً

وَتَبَدَّلتُ بِالبَشاشَةِ حُزناً

بَعدَ لَهوٍ في مَربَعٍ وَمصَيفِ

بَعدَ لَهوٍ في مَربَعٍ وَمصَيفِ

and I have exchanged cheerfulness for sorrow,

and I have exchanged cheerfulness for sorrow

after carefree pleasure in spring pasture and summer retreat,

after merriment in spring and summer quarters,

فَعَزائي بِأَنَّ عِرضي مَصونٌ

فَعَزائي بِأَنَّ عِرضي مَصونٌ

سائِغُ الوِردِ وَالسَماحُ خَليفي

سائِغُ الوِردِ وَالسَماحُ خَليفي

my consolation is that my honor remains guarded,

my consolation is that my honor is safeguarded,

my wellspring easy of access, and generosity stands in my stead;

its draught sweet, and generosity my deputy;

ثُمَّ عِلمي عَلى حَداثَةِ سِنّي

ثُمَّ عِلمي عَلى حَداثَةِ سِنّي

بِصُروفِ الدُهورِ وَالتَصريفِ

بِصُروفِ الدُهورِ وَالتَصريفِ

and then there is my knowledge, despite my tender years,

and then my knowledge, despite my tender age,

of the vicissitudes of time and all its transformations;

of the vicissitudes of time and its changes.

راكِبٌ لِلأُمورِ في حَلبَةِ الأَي

راكِبٌ لِلأُمورِ في حَلبَةِ الأَي

يامِ لِلمُنجِياتِ أَو لِلحُتوفِ

يامِ لِلمُنجِياتِ أَو لِلحُتوفِ

I mount affairs in the arena of the days,

A rider through affairs in the racecourse of days,

toward deliverance—or toward death;

toward deliverance or death;

ذو اِعتِداءٍ عَلى ثَراءِ فَتى الجو

ذو اِعتِداءٍ عَلى ثَراءِ فَتى الجو

دِ الشَريفِ الفَعالِ وَاِبنِ الشَريفِ

دِ الشَريفِ الفَعالِ وَاِبنِ الشَريفِ

one who presses a claim upon the riches of generosity’s champion,

assailing the wealth of the generous youth,

noble in deed and son of the noble.

noble in deeds and son of a noble man.

لَيتَ شِعري ماذا يُريبُكَ مِنّي

لَيتَ شِعري ماذا يُريبُكَ مِنّي

وَلَقَد فُقتَ فِطنَةَ الفَيلَسوفِ

وَلَقَد فُقتَ فِطنَةَ الفَيلَسوفِ

Would that I knew what in me arouses your distrust,

Would that I knew what in me makes you suspicious,

when indeed, in acumen, you have surpassed the philosopher.

and you have indeed surpassed the philosopher's discernment.

إِنتَهِز فُرصَةً تَسُرُّكَ مِنّي

إِنتَهِز فُرصَةً تَسُرُّكَ مِنّي

بِاِصطِناعِ الخَيراتِ وَالمَعروفِ

بِاِصطِناعِ الخَيراتِ وَالمَعروفِ

Seize your chance with me—it will bring you joy—

Seize from me an opportunity that will delight you,

by bestowing good deeds and kindness.

by doing good deeds and showing kindness.

أَنا ذو مَنطِقٍ شَريفٍ لِإِعطا

أَنا ذو مَنطِقٍ شَريفٍ لِإِعطا

ءٍ وَذو مَنطِقٍ لِمَنعٍ عَفيفِ

ءٍ وَذو مَنطِقٍ لِمَنعٍ عَفيفِ

I am a man of noble speech when gifts are given,

I have noble words in response to giving,

and of restrained, chaste speech when they are withheld.

and chaste words in response to withholding.

ما أُبالي إِذا عَنَتكَ أُموري

ما أُبالي إِذا عَنَتكَ أُموري

كَيفَ أَنحَت عَلَيَّ أَيدي الصُروفِ

كَيفَ أَنحَت عَلَيَّ أَيدي الصُروفِ

If my plight concerns you, I care nothing

I do not care, if my affairs concern you,

for how the hands of vicissitude hew at me.

how the hands of vicissitude have borne down on me.