إِني لآنف مِن ذكر الأَعاجيب

إِني لآنف مِن ذكر الأَعاجيب

لِهول ما شاهَدتُهُ عَين تَجريبي

لِهول ما شاهَدتُهُ عَين تَجريبي

Indeed, I disdain even the mention of marvels,

I indeed disdain recounting marvels,

at the horror of what the eye of my experience has witnessed.

for the horror of what the eye of my experience has witnessed.

الصدق يَسأم مِنهُ سَمع مُختَبَر

الصدق يَسأم مِنهُ سَمع مُختَبَر

حال الزَمان فَما شَأن الأَكاذيب

حال الزَمان فَما شَأن الأَكاذيب

The ear of one seasoned by experience grows weary of truth;

Truth wearies the ear of one who has experienced

time has changed—what, then, of lies?

the state of the times—what, then, of lies?

تَلاعب الدَهر بي طفلاً وَيَصَّرني

تَلاعب الدَهر بي طفلاً وَيَصَّرني

بِالفكر ما لا تَراهُ أَعيُن الشَيب

بِالفكر ما لا تَراهُ أَعيُن الشَيب

Time toyed with me when I was a child and made me see,

Time toyed with me as a child and made me see

through thought, what graybeards’ eyes cannot see.

through reflection what the eyes of the gray-haired cannot see.

عَوضت عَن جلق بِالروم مُتَخِذاً

عَوضت عَن جلق بِالروم مُتَخِذاً

بَأسي بِها بَدَلاً عَن كُل مَطلوب

بَأسي بِها بَدَلاً عَن كُل مَطلوب

I was recompensed for Jillaq in the land of Rūm, taking

I exchanged Jilliq for Rum, taking

my valor there as recompense for every desired thing.

my distress there in place of all I sought.

بَدا بَعيد فَقُلت العيد أَيكما

بَدا بَعيد فَقُلت العيد أَيكما

لَما تَأَملت مِن حُسن وَمِن طيب

لَما تَأَملت مِن حُسن وَمِن طيب

One long absent appeared, and I said, “Which of you two is the feast?”

He appeared on a feast day, and I said, 'Which of you two is the feast?'

when I beheld such beauty and such goodness.

when I contemplated such beauty and sweetness.

أَعادَ حُزنيَ أَفراحاً وَصَيرَني

أَعادَ حُزنيَ أَفراحاً وَصَيرَني

أَثني عَلى طول تَشتيتي وَتَغريبي

أَثني عَلى طول تَشتيتي وَتَغريبي

He turned my grief to joys and made me

He turned my sorrow into joys and made me

praise him throughout my long wandering and exile.

praise my long dispersal and exile.