بَكَرَت تَلومُكَ مطلَعَ الفجرِ

بَكَرَت تَلومُكَ مطلَعَ الفجرِ

ولقد تلومُ بغيرِ ما تدري

ولقد تلومُ بغيرِ ما تدري

She came early to reproach you at the break of dawn,

At dawn you blame me

And indeed she reproaches you without knowing.

And you blame without knowing

ما إن ملكتُ مصيبةً نزَلت

ما إن ملكتُ مصيبةً نزَلت

إذ لا يحكَّم طائعاً أمري

إذ لا يحكَّم طائعاً أمري

I had no control over a calamity that befell me,

I have no control over the misfortunes that befall me

Since my command is not willingly given sway.

For my affairs are not ruled by my will

ملك الملوك عليَّ مقتدراً

ملك الملوك عليَّ مقتدراً

يُعطي إذا ما شاء من يُسرِ

يُعطي إذا ما شاء من يُسرِ

The King of kings holds power over me;

The King of Kings has power over me

He grants ease whenever he wills.

He gives ease whenever He wishes

فلَرُبَّ مُغتَبِطٍ بمُرزِئةٍ

فلَرُبَّ مُغتَبِطٍ بمُرزِئةٍ

ومُفَجَّعٍ بنوائِبِ الدَّهرِ

ومُفَجَّعٍ بنوائِبِ الدَّهرِ

For many a man rejoices in a calamity,

So there is many a happy man in distress

And many a man is grief-stricken by time's calamities.

And many a mourner in the turns of fate

ومكاشحٍ لي قد مدَدتُ لهُ

ومكاشحٍ لي قد مدَدتُ لهُ

نحراً بلا ضَرعٍ ولا غمرِ

نحراً بلا ضَرعٍ ولا غمرِ

And to many a foe of mine I have offered

And many who reproach me have offered their necks to me

My throat, without weakness or rancor,

Without udder or milk pail

حتَّى يقول لِنفسِهِ لهفاً

حتَّى يقول لِنفسِهِ لهفاً

في أي مذهبٍ غايةٍ أجري

في أي مذهبٍ غايةٍ أجري

Until he says to himself in anguish:

Until they say to themselves in yearning

“On what course, toward what goal, am I running?”

"To what doctrine should I turn?"

وترى قناتي حيثُ يغمزها

وترى قناتي حيثُ يغمزها

غمزَ الثقافِ بطيئةِ الكسرِ

غمزَ الثقافِ بطيئةِ الكسرِ

And you see my spear-shaft, where he presses it,

And you see my waterskins where the extractor

With a straightening clamp's pressure, slow to break.

Squeezes them, slowly drawing out the milk