يا سَعيدٌ وَالأَمرُ فيكَ عَجيبُ

يا سَعيدٌ وَالأَمرُ فيكَ عَجيبُ

أَينَ ذاكَ التَأهيلُ وَالتَرحيبُ

أَينَ ذاكَ التَأهيلُ وَالتَرحيبُ

O Saʿid, there is something strange about you!

O Sa'eed, how strange this is

Where are that warm reception and welcome?

Where is that welcoming and greeting?

نَضَبَت بَينَنا البَشاشَةُ وَالوُ

نَضَبَت بَينَنا البَشاشَةُ وَالوُ

دُّ وَغارا كَما يَغورُ القَليبُ

دُّ وَغارا كَما يَغورُ القَليبُ

Cheerfulness between us has run dry, and

Between us cheer and affection have run out

affection too; both have ebbed away, as a well runs dry.

And vanished like cooling embers

زُرتَ رِفهاً فَأَخلَقَ الوَصلُ بِالوَصـ

زُرتَ رِفهاً فَأَخلَقَ الوَصلُ بِالوَصـ

ـلِ كَما يُخلِقُ الرِداءُ القَشيبُ

ـلِ كَما يُخلِقُ الرِداءُ القَشيبُ

You visited often, so closeness wore thin through

You visited well-off so association caused disassociation

closeness, as a new cloak wears out.

As a cloak causes an old man to seem dignified

لا تَغُرَّنكَ جَولَةُ الدَهرِ إِنَّ الدَ

لا تَغُرَّنكَ جَولَةُ الدَهرِ إِنَّ الدَ

هرَ كانَ مُذنِباً سَيَتوبُ

هرَ كانَ مُذنِباً سَيَتوبُ

Let no turn of fortune deceive you; for

Let not the turning of fate deceive you

Time has been a sinner; it will repent.

For fate was once unjust and will repent

وَتَعَجَّب مِن غَيرِ ما أَنا فيهِ

وَتَعَجَّب مِن غَيرِ ما أَنا فيهِ

فَكَذا كانَ مُسلِمٌ وَحَبيبُ

فَكَذا كانَ مُسلِمٌ وَحَبيبُ

And marvel at something other than my plight:

And be surprised at what I suffer from

for so it was with Muslim and Habib.

For so were Muslim and Habeeb

حَفِظَ اللَهُ أَحمَدَ اِبنَ مَنيعٍ

حَفِظَ اللَهُ أَحمَدَ اِبنَ مَنيعٍ

ما سَرى كَوكَبُ وَهَبَّت جَنوبُ

ما سَرى كَوكَبُ وَهَبَّت جَنوبُ

May God preserve Ahmad ibn Maniʿ

May Allah protect Ahmad ibn Mani'

as long as a star journeys by night and a south wind blows.

As long as stars shine and south winds blow

كانَ خِلَّ الأَديبِ حَقّاً وَهَل يَعـ

كانَ خِلَّ الأَديبِ حَقّاً وَهَل يَعـ

ـرِفُ حَقَّ الأَديبِ إِلّا الأَديبُ

ـرِفُ حَقَّ الأَديبِ إِلّا الأَديبُ

He was truly the man of letters' friend; and who

He was truly the bosom friend of the literary man

knows a man of letters' worth but a man of letters?

And who knows the right of the literary man except a literary man?

لَبِقٌ قُلقُلٌ لَهُ خُلُقٌ عَذ

لَبِقٌ قُلقُلٌ لَهُ خُلُقٌ عَذ

بٌ وَوَجهٌ طَلقٌ وَصَدرٌ رَحيبُ

بٌ وَوَجهٌ طَلقٌ وَصَدرٌ رَحيبُ

Tactful and lively, with a sweet

Gentle, tender-hearted, of excellent character

nature, a cheerful face, and a spacious breast.

Bright-faced and open-breasted

ما نَصيبونَ لي بِدارٍ وَمالي

ما نَصيبونَ لي بِدارٍ وَمالي

بِنَصيبَينِ غَيرَ عِرضي نَصيبُ

بِنَصيبَينِ غَيرَ عِرضي نَصيبُ

Nisibis is no home to me, nor have I

I have no share in a house or money

any share in Nisibis save my honor.

Except two shares other than my honour, which is my share

فَتَجَمَّل لَنا قَليلاً كَما كُنـ

فَتَجَمَّل لَنا قَليلاً كَما كُنـ

ـتَ فَإِنَّ الرَحيلَ عَنكَ قَريبُ

ـتَ فَإِنَّ الرَحيلَ عَنكَ قَريبُ

So be gracious to us a little longer, as you once

So be gentle with us for a while as you used to be

were, for departure from you is near.

For departure from you is near