خَليلي وَإِن قَصَّرتُ وَالحَقُّ سَيِّدي

خَليلي وَإِن قَصَّرتُ وَالحَقُّ سَيِّدي

أَصِخ لي فَإِنّي مُذ نَأَيتَ لَفي خُسرِ

أَصِخ لي فَإِنّي مُذ نَأَيتَ لَفي خُسرِ

My friend—though I have fallen short, and in truth you are my lord—

My friend, though I fall short, the truth is my master

Listen to me, for since you went away I have indeed suffered loss.

Pity me, for since you left I have been in loss

وَلا تُغفِلَنّي حينَ أَصبَحتُ ثاوِياً

وَلا تُغفِلَنّي حينَ أَصبَحتُ ثاوِياً

بِأَرحَبَ مِن بَحرٍ وَأَضيَقَ مِن شِبرِ

بِأَرحَبَ مِن بَحرٍ وَأَضيَقَ مِن شِبرِ

And do not neglect me, now that I dwell

Do not neglect me now that I wander desolate

In a place wider than a sea and narrower than a handspan.

In a sea vaster than oceans and narrower than a handspan

وَكُنتُ إِذا اِهتاجَت عَلَيَّ لَواعِجي

وَكُنتُ إِذا اِهتاجَت عَلَيَّ لَواعِجي

وَعاوَدَنِي شَوقي فَأَنحى عَلى فِكري

وَعاوَدَنِي شَوقي فَأَنحى عَلى فِكري

And whenever my burning pangs raged against me,

When cares assailed me and longing took me back

And my longing returned, then bore down upon my thoughts,

To lost thoughts, I found respite unraveling a parchment

أَرَحتُ اِكتِراثِي أَن أَفُكَّ صَحيفَةً

أَرَحتُ اِكتِراثِي أَن أَفُكَّ صَحيفَةً

نَظَمتَ بِها العَلياءَ سَطراً عَلى سَطرِ

نَظَمتَ بِها العَلياءَ سَطراً عَلى سَطرِ

I would ease my distress by unfolding a sheet,

On which you inscribed the exalted in line after line

In which you composed lofty glory, line upon line.

You sent it when company was but fleeting

بَعَثتَ بِها وَالأُنسُ بَعضُ حُداتِها

بَعَثتَ بِها وَالأُنسُ بَعضُ حُداتِها

فَقُل سَيِّدٌ أَهدَى الأَمانَ مِنَ الدَّهرِ

فَقُل سَيِّدٌ أَهدَى الأَمانَ مِنَ الدَّهرِ

You sent it, and solace was among its camel-drivers.

Say, a master gifted refuge from fate's caprice

So say: a lord has bestowed safety from Time.

And a face the scroll framed, though it fade to ashes

وَوَجهٍ بِها زُهراً حَوَتها صَحيفَةٌ

وَوَجهٍ بِها زُهراً حَوَتها صَحيفَةٌ

وَإِن تَستَرِب فَليَحوِها مَعدِنُ الدُّرِّ

وَإِن تَستَرِب فَليَحوِها مَعدِنُ الدُّرِّ

And [send] in it radiant stars that a sheet has contained;

Let none veil it but the flash of bright blades

And if you doubt, let a mine of pearls contain them.

Lest it guide amiss and from wisdom stray

وَلا تُمطِيَنها غَيرَ صَهوَةِ بارِقٍ

وَلا تُمطِيَنها غَيرَ صَهوَةِ بارِقٍ

فَرُبَّتَما أَدَّى وَحادَ عَنِ المَكرِ

فَرُبَّتَما أَدَّى وَحادَ عَنِ المَكرِ

And give them no mount but the back of lightning,

For few in this world are true in their faith

For sometimes it delivers and steers clear of deceit.

You see news until it becomes stale rumor

فَإِنَّ بَني الدُّنيا قَليلٌ وَفاؤُهُم

فَإِنَّ بَني الدُّنيا قَليلٌ وَفاؤُهُم

تَرى خَبَراً حَتّى تَجيءَ إِلى خُبرِ

تَرى خَبَراً حَتّى تَجيءَ إِلى خُبرِ

For the sons of this world have little loyalty:

The mark of one steadfast, if you would know it

You see what is reported, until you reach firsthand knowledge.

Is that he lends the softness of water to the hardness of rock

عَلامَةُ ذي جَدٍّ إِذا ما خَبَرتَهُ

عَلامَةُ ذي جَدٍّ إِذا ما خَبَرتَهُ

أَفادَكَ لينَ الماءِ في قَسوَةِ الصَّخرِ

أَفادَكَ لينَ الماءِ في قَسوَةِ الصَّخرِ

The mark of a fortunate man, when you have tested him:

He grants you water's softness within the hardness of rock.