لِنَفسِكَ لُم لا عُذرَ قَد نفذ العُذرُ

لِنَفسِكَ لُم لا عُذرَ قَد نفذ العُذرُ

بذا حكم المَقدور إِذ قُضيَ الأَمرُ

بذا حكم المَقدور إِذ قُضيَ الأَمرُ

Blame yourself—there is no excuse; all excuse is spent.

Blame yourself: no excuse remains; the excuse is spent.

Thus has destiny ruled, once the matter was decreed.

Thus fate decreed when the matter was settled.

لَقَد لفظتني كُلَّ أَرضٍ وَبَلدَةٍ

لَقَد لفظتني كُلَّ أَرضٍ وَبَلدَةٍ

وَما لفظتني عَن مَواطنها مِصرُ

وَما لفظتني عَن مَواطنها مِصرُ

Every land and every town has cast me out,

Every land and town has cast me out,

yet Egypt would not cast me forth from its abodes.

Yet Egypt has not cast me out of its abodes.

لَعمري لَقَد طَوَّفَت في طَلَبِ العُلى

لَعمري لَقَد طَوَّفَت في طَلَبِ العُلى

وَحالَفَني بَرٌّ وَحالَفَني بَحرُ

وَحالَفَني بَرٌّ وَحالَفَني بَحرُ

By my life, I roamed far in pursuit of high glory;

By my life, I have roamed far in pursuit of eminence,

land befriended me, and sea befriended me.

And land has been my ally, and sea has been my ally.

فَشَرَّقَت حَتّى لَم أَجِد لي مَشرِقاً

فَشَرَّقَت حَتّى لَم أَجِد لي مَشرِقاً

وَغرَّبت حَتّى قيلَ هَذا هوَ الخضرُ

وَغرَّبت حَتّى قيلَ هَذا هوَ الخضرُ

I journeyed east until I found no east remaining,

So I went east until I found no east left for me,

and west until they said, “This is al-Khidr.”

And I went west until it was said, "This is al-Khidr."

أَروم جُسَيمات الأُمورِ وَإِنَّما

أَروم جُسَيمات الأُمورِ وَإِنَّما

قُصارايَ أَن أَبقى إِذا أَبقى الدَهرُ

قُصارايَ أَن أَبقى إِذا أَبقى الدَهرُ

I aspire to the gravest of undertakings, though

I seek mighty undertakings, yet

my utmost hope is merely to endure as long as Time endures.

My utmost hope is to survive, if Time spares me.

وَلَو كُنتُ أَرضى بِالكَثيرِ وَجَدتُهُ

وَلَو كُنتُ أَرضى بِالكَثيرِ وَجَدتُهُ

وَلَكِنَّ في نَفسي أَمورٌ لَها أَمرُ

وَلَكِنَّ في نَفسي أَمورٌ لَها أَمرُ

Had I been content with abundance, I would have found it,

Had I been content with abundance, I would have found it,

but within my soul are ambitions that command.

But within my soul are matters that hold sway.

ظَلَلتُ بِمصر في السُجونِ مُخَلَّداً

ظَلَلتُ بِمصر في السُجونِ مُخَلَّداً

وَإِنّي لَسيفٌ جفنه فَوقه سِترُ

وَإِنّي لَسيفٌ جفنه فَوقه سِترُ

I remain in Egypt, immured forever in prisons,

I have remained in Egypt's prisons, confined forever,

though I am a sword with its sheath bound fast upon it.

Yet I am indeed a sword, with a covering over its scabbard.

فَقدت أَخلّائي الَّذينَ عَهِدتُهُم

فَقدت أَخلّائي الَّذينَ عَهِدتُهُم

وَجانبني مَن كانَ لي عِندَهُ وَفرُ

وَجانبني مَن كانَ لي عِندَهُ وَفرُ

I have lost the intimate friends I once knew,

I have lost the close friends I once knew,

and whoever once had plenty at hand now shuns me.

And those with whom I once enjoyed ample favor have shunned me.

وَأَعظَمُ ما بي يا مُحَمَّدُ أَنَّنا

وَأَعظَمُ ما بي يا مُحَمَّدُ أَنَّنا

بِأَرضٍ وَفيما بَينَنا البُعدُ وَالهَجرُ

بِأَرضٍ وَفيما بَينَنا البُعدُ وَالهَجرُ

What pains me most, Muhammad, is that we are

And my greatest sorrow, O Muhammad, is that we

in one land, yet distance and estrangement lie between us.

Are in one land, yet between us lie distance and estrangement.

وَما ليَ مِن ذَنبٍ إِلَيكَ أَجترَمتُهُ

وَما ليَ مِن ذَنبٍ إِلَيكَ أَجترَمتُهُ

فَقُل لي مَع الأُخوانِ غَيَّرَكَ الدَهرُ

فَقُل لي مَع الأُخوانِ غَيَّرَكَ الدَهرُ

I committed no offense against you,

I have committed no offense against you;

so tell me: has Time changed you along with the other brothers?

So tell me: has Time changed you along with the friends?

تأَمَّل أَبا عَبدِ الإِلَهِ مَقالَتي

تأَمَّل أَبا عَبدِ الإِلَهِ مَقالَتي

فَإِنَّ الصَديقَ الحُرَّ يَعتِبه الحُرُّ

فَإِنَّ الصَديقَ الحُرَّ يَعتِبه الحُرُّ

Reflect, Abu Abd al-Ilah, upon my words:

Consider my words, Abu Abd al-Ilah,

a free man may reproach the free man who is his friend.

For a noble man reproaches a noble friend.

أَتَذكُرُ إِذ كُنّا لَدى الدَهر رتعاً

أَتَذكُرُ إِذ كُنّا لَدى الدَهر رتعاً

وَمصر وَأَرض الشامِ إِذ عَيشُنا نضرُ

وَمصر وَأَرض الشامِ إِذ عَيشُنا نضرُ

Do you remember when we grazed freely in Time’s pasture,

Do you remember when we grazed at ease in Time's care,

in Egypt and the land of Syria, when our life was lush?

And Egypt and the land of al-Sham, when our life was fresh and flourishing?

فَمالك تَجفوني مَع الدَهرِ إِذ عَتى

فَمالك تَجفوني مَع الدَهرِ إِذ عَتى

أَكُلُّ زَمانٍ هَكَذا عَيشُهُ مُرُّ

أَكُلُّ زَمانٍ هَكَذا عَيشُهُ مُرُّ

Why, then, do you shun me as Time grows cruel?

Why, then, do you shun me alongside Time when it has grown tyrannical?

Must every age have a life this bitter?

Is life in every age this bitter?

فَلا سائِلٌ عَنّي فأعذر صاحِباً

فَلا سائِلٌ عَنّي فأعذر صاحِباً

وَلا لَكَ في تَركِ السُؤالِ بِنا عُذرُ

وَلا لَكَ في تَركِ السُؤالِ بِنا عُذرُ

No one asks after me—so I excuse a friend;

No one asks after me, that I might excuse a friend,

but you have no excuse for ceasing to ask after us.

And you have no excuse for neglecting to ask after us.

فَإِن أَحرم الأُخوانِ وَالزَورِ مِنهُمُ

فَإِن أَحرم الأُخوانِ وَالزَورِ مِنهُمُ

فَإِنّي امرؤٌ مِن شيمَتي في الأَسى الصَبرُ

فَإِنّي امرؤٌ مِن شيمَتي في الأَسى الصَبرُ

Though I am deprived of my brothers and their visits,

So if I am denied friends and visits from them,

I am a man whose nature in sorrow is patience.

Then I am a man whose way in sorrow is patience.

عَتِبتُكَ عتب الذاكِرِ الودّ إِذ غَدا

عَتِبتُكَ عتب الذاكِرِ الودّ إِذ غَدا

أَسيراً وَمَحبوساً وَقَد نالَهُ ضُرُّ

أَسيراً وَمَحبوساً وَقَد نالَهُ ضُرُّ

I reproached you as one mindful of affection reproaches, when he became

I reproached you as one remembering affection, when he became

a captive and prisoner overtaken by harm.

A captive and imprisoned, already overtaken by harm.

فَلَو كُنتُ في أَسرِ الزَمانِ أَقالَني

فَلَو كُنتُ في أَسرِ الزَمانِ أَقالَني

وَلَكِنَّني في أَسرِ قَومٍ بِهِم كِبرُ

وَلَكِنَّني في أَسرِ قَومٍ بِهِم كِبرُ

Had I been captive to Time, it might have released me;

Had I been held captive by Time, it would have released me,

but I am captive to a people filled with pride.

But I am captive to a people filled with arrogance.

إِذا جَنَّني لَيلى وَهاجَت بَلابِلي

إِذا جَنَّني لَيلى وَهاجَت بَلابِلي

وَعاوَدني هَمّي تَجَدَّد لي فِكرُ

وَعاوَدني هَمّي تَجَدَّد لي فِكرُ

Whenever night enfolds me and my anxieties stir,

When my night shrouds me and my anxieties flare,

and care returns to me, thought is renewed.

And my grief returns, thought begins anew within me.

عَليلٌ وَما دائي سِوى الضَيم مِنهُمُ

عَليلٌ وَما دائي سِوى الضَيم مِنهُمُ

فَهَل مِن خَلاصٍ إِذ مَدى الغايَة القَبرُ

فَهَل مِن خَلاصٍ إِذ مَدى الغايَة القَبرُ

I am ill, and my only illness is the wrong they do me;

I am ailing, with no sickness but the oppression they inflict;

is there any release before the final limit—the grave?

Is there any escape, then, when the ultimate destination is the grave?

فَلَو أَبصَرتَ عَيناكَ ما بيَ مِنَ الأَسى

فَلَو أَبصَرتَ عَيناكَ ما بيَ مِنَ الأَسى

بَكيت بِما يَنضى بِهِ الإِبل السَفَرُ

بَكيت بِما يَنضى بِهِ الإِبل السَفَرُ

If your eyes could see the sorrow within me,

If your eyes saw the sorrow within me,

you would weep as travel wears the camels lean.

You would weep at the hardship with which travel wears out camels.

عَلى أَنَّني لا أَستَكين لِنَكبَةٍ

عَلى أَنَّني لا أَستَكين لِنَكبَةٍ

وَلا واضِعٌ جَنبي وَإِن مَسَّني فَقرُ

وَلا واضِعٌ جَنبي وَإِن مَسَّني فَقرُ

Yet I do not submit to calamity,

Yet I do not submit to calamity,

nor lay down my side, though poverty touches me.

Nor lay my side down, though poverty touches me.

جَنيتُ عَلى نَفسي بِسَعيي إِلَيهِمُ

جَنيتُ عَلى نَفسي بِسَعيي إِلَيهِمُ

وَحَظّيَ من أَوفى مَواثيقهم غَدرُ

وَحَظّيَ من أَوفى مَواثيقهم غَدرُ

I wronged myself by going to them,

I brought harm upon myself by seeking them out,

and my portion of their firmest covenants was betrayal.

And my share of their firmest pledges is betrayal.

وَما ليَ مِن ذَنبٍ سِوى الشِعرِ إِنَّني

وَما ليَ مِن ذَنبٍ سِوى الشِعرِ إِنَّني

لَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ الذَنبَ في نَكبَتي الشِعرُ

لَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ الذَنبَ في نَكبَتي الشِعرُ

I have no crime except poetry; indeed,

I have no fault but poetry; indeed, I

I know that poetry is the crime behind my ruin.

Know full well that poetry is the offense behind my calamity.

لَعَلَّ اللَياليَ مُنصفات أَخا أَسىً

لَعَلَّ اللَياليَ مُنصفات أَخا أَسىً

بِأَحشائِهِ مِن فَرطِ حَسرَتِهِ جَمرُ

بِأَحشائِهِ مِن فَرطِ حَسرَتِهِ جَمرُ

Perhaps the nights will deal justly with a sorrowing man,

Perhaps the nights will do justice to a brother of sorrow,

whose entrails hold embers from the excess of his grief;

Whose entrails hold embers from his overwhelming anguish.

أَسيرُ لَدى قَومٍ بِغَيرِ جَنايَةٍ

أَسيرُ لَدى قَومٍ بِغَيرِ جَنايَةٍ

إِلّا في سَبيل اللَهِ ما صنعَ الدَهرُ

إِلّا في سَبيل اللَهِ ما صنعَ الدَهرُ

a captive among a people, though guilty of no offense

I am a captive among a people, without any crime,

except what Time has wrought in the way of God.

Except for what Time has wrought in God's cause.

لَقَد ضاقَت الدُنيا عَليَّ كَأَنَّها

لَقَد ضاقَت الدُنيا عَليَّ كَأَنَّها

لِما قَدَّرَ الرَحمَنُ في مُقلَتي فِترُ

لِما قَدَّرَ الرَحمَنُ في مُقلَتي فِترُ

The world has narrowed around me, as though

The world has narrowed around me, as though it

by the Merciful’s decree it were a mere handspan in my sight.

Were, by the Most Merciful's decree, a finger-span in my eye.

وَفي النَفسِ حاجاتٌ وَدونَ مَرامِها

وَفي النَفسِ حاجاتٌ وَدونَ مَرامِها

قُيودٌ وَحُرّاسٌ لَهُم حولنا زجرُ

قُيودٌ وَحُرّاسٌ لَهُم حولنا زجرُ

The soul has needs, but short of their attainment stand

And in the soul are desires, but barring their attainment

chains and guards, shouting rebukes around us.

Stand shackles and guards, whose rebukes surround us.

فَكُن سائِلاً عَنّي فَإِنّي هالِكٌ

فَكُن سائِلاً عَنّي فَإِنّي هالِكٌ

وَما لَهمُ عِندي عَلى حالَةٍ وِترُ

وَما لَهمُ عِندي عَلى حالَةٍ وِترُ

Then ask after me—for I am perishing;

So ask after me, for I am perishing,

they have no grievance or blood-claim against me, whatever my condition.

Though they have no grievance against me under any circumstances.

حَذرتُ زَماناً ثُمَّ أَوقَعَني القَضا

حَذرتُ زَماناً ثُمَّ أَوقَعَني القَضا

وَهَل حذر يُنجي إِذا نَفذ العُمرُ

وَهَل حذر يُنجي إِذا نَفذ العُمرُ

I guarded against Time, then fate ensnared me;

I was wary for a time; then fate brought me down.

can caution save anyone when life’s term is spent?

And can caution save anyone when life's span is spent?

وَأَنتَ أَخي في كُلِّ حالٍ وَإِنَّما

وَأَنتَ أَخي في كُلِّ حالٍ وَإِنَّما

عَتَبتُك هَذا العَتبُ إِذ نفث الصَدرُ

عَتَبتُك هَذا العَتبُ إِذ نفث الصَدرُ

You are my brother in every condition; I only

And you are my brother in every circumstance; I only

reproached you so because my breast had to breathe out its grief.

Reproached you thus when my breast breathed out its sorrow.

أَكُلُّ غَريبٍ هَكَذا هوَ هالِكٌ

أَكُلُّ غَريبٍ هَكَذا هوَ هالِكٌ

بِمِصرَ وَلَم يَشفَع لَهُ شافِعٌ حُرُّ

بِمِصرَ وَلَم يَشفَع لَهُ شافِعٌ حُرُّ

Does every stranger perish like this

Does every stranger perish like this

in Egypt, with no free intercessor to plead for him?

In Egypt, with no noble intercessor pleading for him?

فَلَو أَنَّني في بَلدَةٍ غَيرَ هَذِهِ

فَلَو أَنَّني في بَلدَةٍ غَيرَ هَذِهِ

إِذاً لَفَداني المالُ والأُسُل السُمرُ

إِذاً لَفَداني المالُ والأُسُل السُمرُ

Had I been in a town other than this one,

Had I been in a town other than this,

wealth and the dusky spear-shafts would have ransomed me.

Then wealth and brown spears would surely have ransomed me.

وَما نالَني ضَيمٌ وَلا لانَ جانِبي

وَما نالَني ضَيمٌ وَلا لانَ جانِبي

وَلا نالَني ضَرٌّ وَلا مَسَّني عُسرُ

وَلا نالَني ضَرٌّ وَلا مَسَّني عُسرُ

Oppression has not broken me, nor has my side grown soft;

No oppression would have reached me, nor would my side have softened,

no harm has overcome me, nor hardship touched me.

No harm would have reached me, nor hardship touched me.

أَبيتُ لَها يَقظانَ بَينَ وَساوِسٍ

أَبيتُ لَها يَقظانَ بَينَ وَساوِسٍ

أُراعي نُجوم اللَيلِ ما طلعَ الفَجرُ

أُراعي نُجوم اللَيلِ ما طلعَ الفَجرُ

For its sake I spend the night wakeful among whispering fears,

I spend the night awake over it, amid anxious whispers,

watching the stars of night until dawn rises.

Watching the stars of night while dawn has yet to rise.

إِذا كانَ نَفسي مِن أَجَلِّ ذَخيرَتي

إِذا كانَ نَفسي مِن أَجَلِّ ذَخيرَتي

وَأَتلَفتُها لَم يَبقَ لي بَعدَها ذُخرُ

وَأَتلَفتُها لَم يَبقَ لي بَعدَها ذُخرُ

If my own life is my most precious treasure,

If my soul is among my most precious treasures,

and I squander it, no treasure remains for me afterward.

And I destroy it, no treasure will remain to me thereafter.

فَإِن عِشتُ أَبدَيتُ الَّذي في ضَمائِري

فَإِن عِشتُ أَبدَيتُ الَّذي في ضَمائِري

وَإِن مِتُّ إِنَّ المُلتَقى لَهوَ الحَشرُ

وَإِن مِتُّ إِنَّ المُلتَقى لَهوَ الحَشرُ

If I live, I will disclose what lies within my heart;

If I live, I shall reveal my innermost thoughts,

and if I die, the true meeting is at the Resurrection.

And if I die, the meeting will surely be at the Gathering.