قد كان حظِّي في الكتابةِ ناقصاً

قد كان حظِّي في الكتابةِ ناقصاً

أيامَ حظِّي في الشبيبةِ وافرُ

أيامَ حظِّي في الشبيبةِ وافرُ

My share in writing had been scant,

My fortune in writing was incomplete

in days when my share of youth was abundant.

In my youth, my fortune was abundant

حتَّى إِذا خدمَ اليراعةَ خاطرِي

حتَّى إِذا خدمَ اليراعةَ خاطرِي

قعدَ الجُدودُ بها وهن عواثِرُ

قعدَ الجُدودُ بها وهن عواثِرُ

Until, when my mind served the reed pen,

Until prudence ruled my thoughts

fortunes held it back, stumbling as they were.

And moderation settled in and obstacles arose

هذا ليمتنعَ الكمالُ ويعلمَ ال

هذا ليمتنعَ الكمالُ ويعلمَ ال

جُهَّالُ أَنَّ اللّهَ فَرْدٌ قادِرُ

جُهَّالُ أَنَّ اللّهَ فَرْدٌ قادِرُ

This is so perfection stays beyond reach, and the

So that perfection would be unattainable and the

ignorant may know that God is unique and powerful.

Ignorant would know that Allah is the One, the Able

أمنَ السويَّةِ أن أكونَ معطَّلاً

أمنَ السويَّةِ أن أكونَ معطَّلاً

ويلي الكتابةَ مستميتٌ جائِرُ

ويلي الكتابةَ مستميتٌ جائِرُ

Is it fair that I should be left unemployed,

Is it because of fairness that I am disabled

while a desperate, unjust man holds the scribal office?

While the unjust one is intensely immersed in writing

أشكو وما لشكيَّتِي من سَامعٍ

أشكو وما لشكيَّتِي من سَامعٍ

وأصيحُ مضطَهداًوما لي ناصرُ

وأصيحُ مضطَهداًوما لي ناصرُ

I complain, but no one hears my complaint;

I complain but my complaint has no listener

and I cry out, oppressed, but I have no defender.

And I cry out being oppressed but I have no helper

قد كادتِ الأيامُ تنقصُ شَرْطَها

قد كادتِ الأيامُ تنقصُ شَرْطَها

في الفضلِ لولا أنّهنَّ غوادِرُ

في الفضلِ لولا أنّهنَّ غوادِرُ

The days would almost have relaxed their terms

The days have nearly diminished their term

concerning merit, had they not been treacherous.

In merit, were it not that they are generous

كانت تقاتلُنِي وما ليَ ناصرٌ

كانت تقاتلُنِي وما ليَ ناصرٌ

واليومَ تقتُلنِي وما لي ثائِرُ

واليومَ تقتُلنِي وما لي ثائِرُ

They used to fight me, and I had no defender;

They used to fight me while I had no helper

and today they kill me, and I have no avenger.

And today they kill me while I have no avenger

فلئِنْ جُنِنْتُ فلا عجيبٌ أَنَّهُ

فلئِنْ جُنِنْتُ فلا عجيبٌ أَنَّهُ

قد جُنَّ هذا المنجنونُ الدائِرُ

قد جُنَّ هذا المنجنونُ الدائِرُ

So if I have gone mad, it is no wonder, for

So if I go insane, it's no wonder

this revolving waterwheel has gone mad.

For this circling madman has gone insane

فعَسى معينُ المُلْكِ يطْلعُ سَعْدُهُ

فعَسى معينُ المُلْكِ يطْلعُ سَعْدُهُ

ويعودُ عيشٌ في ذراهُ ناضِرُ

ويعودُ عيشٌ في ذراهُ ناضِرُ

So may Mu'in al-Mulk's lucky star rise,

Perhaps the helper of the kingdom will shine his fortune

and may life in his shelter flourish again.

And a fresh livelihood will return to its flourishing abode

للمجدِ فيه مواعِدٌ مضمونَةٌ

للمجدِ فيه مواعِدٌ مضمونَةٌ

واللّه ناصرُهُ ونِعْمَ الناصِرُ

واللّه ناصرُهُ ونِعْمَ الناصِرُ

In him lie guaranteed promises of glory,

For glory, it has guaranteed promises

and God is his defender—what an excellent defender!

And Allah is its helper, what an excellent helper!