أَلا رَجُلٌ يَبكي لِشَجوِ أَبي الفَضلِ

أَلا رَجُلٌ يَبكي لِشَجوِ أَبي الفَضلِ

بِعَبرَةِ عَينٍ دَمعُها واكِفُ السَجلِ

بِعَبرَةِ عَينٍ دَمعُها واكِفُ السَجلِ

Is there no man to weep for Abu al-Fadl's sorrow,

Behold, a man weeps for his passion for Abu al-Fadl

with tears from an eye whose tears pour as from a brimming bucket?

With teary eyes whose tears suffice as evidence

كَفى حُزناً أَنّي وَفَوزاً بِبَلدَةٍ

كَفى حُزناً أَنّي وَفَوزاً بِبَلدَةٍ

مُقيمانِ في غَيرِ اِجتِماعٍ مِنَ الشَملِ

مُقيمانِ في غَيرِ اِجتِماعٍ مِنَ الشَملِ

It is sorrow enough that Fawz and I, in one town,

My grief is enough that I and excellence are in a town

both dwell, yet do not come together.

While we reside apart with no union

أَما وَالَّذي ناجى مِن الطورِ عَبدَهُ

أَما وَالَّذي ناجى مِن الطورِ عَبدَهُ

وأَنزَلَ فُرقاناً وَأَوحى إِلَى النَحلِ

وأَنزَلَ فُرقاناً وَأَوحى إِلَى النَحلِ

Indeed, by Him who spoke privately to His servant from the Mount,

I swear by Him who spoke to His servant from Mount Sinai

and sent down the Criterion and inspired the bees,

And sent down the Criterion and inspired the bees

لَقَد وَلَدَت حَوّاءُ مِنكِ بَلِيَّةً

لَقَد وَلَدَت حَوّاءُ مِنكِ بَلِيَّةً

عَلَيَّ أُقاسيها وَخَبلاً مِنَ الخَبلِ

عَلَيَّ أُقاسيها وَخَبلاً مِنَ الخَبلِ

Eve has indeed brought forth in you a calamity

Eve begot through you a calamity for me

for me to endure, and a madness among madnesses.

I endure it and confusion from the confused

أَلا إِنَّما أَنعى حَياتي إِلَيكُمُ

أَلا إِنَّما أَنعى حَياتي إِلَيكُمُ

وَأَبكي عَلى نَفسي قَتيلاً بِلا ذَحلِ

وَأَبكي عَلى نَفسي قَتيلاً بِلا ذَحلِ

Hear me: I only announce my life's passing to you,

Lo! I announce my life’s end to you

and weep over myself, slain without a blood feud.

And weep for myself, slain without fight

وَلَو كُنتُم مِمَّن يُقادُ لَما وَنَت

وَلَو كُنتُم مِمَّن يُقادُ لَما وَنَت

مَصاليتُ قَومي مِن حَنيفَةَ أَو عِجلِ

مَصاليتُ قَومي مِن حَنيفَةَ أَو عِجلِ

And had you been among those liable to blood vengeance, they would not have faltered—

Had you been of those who are rightly guided

my people's valiant warriors, of Hanifa or Ijl.

My prayers of my people would not vary from Hanifah or Ijil

أَرى الناسَ لا يَرضى ذَوو العِشقَ مِنهُمُ

أَرى الناسَ لا يَرضى ذَوو العِشقَ مِنهُمُ

بِشَيءٍ سِوى حُسنُ المُؤاتاةِ وَالبَذلِ

بِشَيءٍ سِوى حُسنُ المُؤاتاةِ وَالبَذلِ

I see that, among people, lovers are not content

I see people are not pleased with lovers among them

with anything but gracious compliance and generosity.

Unless there is kindness and generosity

وَإِنّي لَيُرضيني الَّذي لَيسَ بِالرِضا

وَإِنّي لَيُرضيني الَّذي لَيسَ بِالرِضا

وَتَقنَعُ نَفسي بِالمَواعيدِ وَالمَطلِ

وَتَقنَعُ نَفسي بِالمَواعيدِ وَالمَطلِ

And I am indeed satisfied by what is no satisfaction,

I am pleased with what is not pleasing

and my soul is content with promises and delay.

And my soul is content with promises and delays

هَنيئاً لِمَن يَحظى لَدى مَن يُحبُّهُ

هَنيئاً لِمَن يَحظى لَدى مَن يُحبُّهُ

وَيا وَيحَ مَن يَشقى بِذي الهَجرِ وَالبُخلِ

وَيا وَيحَ مَن يَشقى بِذي الهَجرِ وَالبُخلِ

Happy is he who finds favor with the one he loves,

Congratulations to those in favor with their beloveds

and woe to one made wretched by someone who shuns and withholds!

And woe to those suffering separation and stinginess

سَلامٌ عَلَيكُم عَذِّبوا أَو تَعَطَّفوا

سَلامٌ عَلَيكُم عَذِّبوا أَو تَعَطَّفوا

سَأَجهَدُ أَن تَرضَوا لِأُدرِكَ أَو أُبلي

سَأَجهَدُ أَن تَرضَوا لِأُدرِكَ أَو أُبلي

Peace be upon you—torment me or show me tenderness.

Peace be upon you, torment me or show mercy

I shall strive to win your pleasure, to succeed or give my all.

I will struggle to please you or exert myself or fail