فما يبالي إذا ما الدَّهرُ أسعَدَه

فما يبالي إذا ما الدَّهرُ أسعَدَه

ضَنَّ الخَلِيُّ بدَمْعِ العَينِ أو جادَا

ضَنَّ الخَلِيُّ بدَمْعِ العَينِ أو جادَا

So he cares not, when Time favors him,

What does he care if fate makes him happy

whether the carefree man withholds his tears or sheds them freely.

The friend sheds tears from his eyes or is generous

وعَنَّ للعَيْنِ سِرْبٌ راحَ يُذكِرُهُ

وعَنَّ للعَيْنِ سِرْبٌ راحَ يُذكِرُهُ

شبَائِهَ السِّرْبِ ألحاظاً وأجيادا

شبَائِهَ السِّرْبِ ألحاظاً وأجيادا

And a herd of gazelles appeared before his eyes, reminding him

For the eyes a flock of birds departed remembering him

of those like the herd in glances and necks.

With glances and generosity like the flock's young

راحُوا رِياحاً تُزجِّى كلَّ ساريةٍ

راحُوا رِياحاً تُزجِّى كلَّ ساريةٍ

من النَّدى وغدَوا لِلحِلْمِ أطوادا

من النَّدى وغدَوا لِلحِلْمِ أطوادا

They went forth as winds, driving every night-roving cloud

They went winds that blow every banner

of bounty, and became mountains of forbearance.

With dew, and they went to reason as camel loads

تَناهَبوا الفضلَ دونَ الناسِ كلِّهمُ

تَناهَبوا الفضلَ دونَ الناسِ كلِّهمُ

فأصبحَ الناسُ أعداءًً وحُسَّادا

فأصبحَ الناسُ أعداءًً وحُسَّادا

They seized excellence among themselves, excluding all others,

They took virtue from people altogether

so the people became enemies and enviers.

So people became enemies and envious

آل النبي حدت نفسي مودتكم

آل النبي حدت نفسي مودتكم

إلى النجاة فلم أحفل بمن حاد

إلى النجاة فلم أحفل بمن حاد

O family of the Prophet, love for you led my soul

The Prophet's family, my soul's love for you

to salvation, so I paid no heed to those who strayed.

Led me to salvation, so I did not care for one who strayed

لا يُبْعِدُ الله مِنكم عُصبةً فَضُلَتْ

لا يُبْعِدُ الله مِنكم عُصبةً فَضُلَتْ

فَزادهَا الفضلُ إقصاءً وإبعادا

فَزادهَا الفضلُ إقصاءً وإبعادا

May God never banish a band among you that excelled,

May God not distance from you a party that excelled

and whose excellence increased its exclusion and banishment.

So excellence increased their exclusion and avoidance

كَشِيمَةِ العُودِ ما زالَتْ بلا سببٍ

كَشِيمَةِ العُودِ ما زالَتْ بلا سببٍ

تُهدِي إلى العُودِ إحراقاً وإيقادا

تُهدِي إلى العُودِ إحراقاً وإيقادا

Like the nature of aloeswood, which has never ceased, without cause,

Like firewood's nature it persisted without cause

to bring burning and kindling upon the wood.

Burning and igniting the firewood

وجاهل زاد في بغضائكم سفها

وجاهل زاد في بغضائكم سفها

فلو عدوتم عداة الدين ما زاد

فلو عدوتم عداة الدين ما زاد

And an ignorant man grew more foolish in his hatred of you;

An ignorant person increased in his hatred of you foolishly

even had you outdone the enemies of the faith, his hatred could have grown no greater.

If you had befriended the enemies of religion, it would not have increased

أعزز علي بأن يشفى عدوكم

أعزز علي بأن يشفى عدوكم

ريا وتظمون أحشاء وأكبادا

ريا وتظمون أحشاء وأكبادا

How grievous to me that your enemy should find relief

It gives me pride that your enemy will be healed

with his thirst quenched, while your entrails and livers are parched.

While you wronged, with burning hearts and livers

منعتم كل حق واجب لكم

منعتم كل حق واجب لكم

حتى منعتم لذيذ الماء ورادا

حتى منعتم لذيذ الماء ورادا

You were denied every right owed to you,

You prevented every right and duty owed to you

till you were denied even sweet water as you came to drink.

Until you even prevented the sweet, cool water

قَتلى أُقيمَتْ بأكنافِ العِراقِ لها

قَتلى أُقيمَتْ بأكنافِ العِراقِ لها

مآتمٌ أصبحَتْ بالشَّامِ أعيادا

مآتمٌ أصبحَتْ بالشَّامِ أعيادا

The slain, for whom in the regions of Iraq were held

Those killed around Iraq, for them

mourning assemblies that in al-Sham became festivals.

Sorrows that became celebrations in Damascus