وَقافِيَةٍ غَيرِ إِنسِيَّةٍ

وَقافِيَةٍ غَيرِ إِنسِيَّةٍ

قَرَضتُ مِنَ الشِعرِ أَمثالَها

قَرَضتُ مِنَ الشِعرِ أَمثالَها

And many a rhyme not of human kind,

With an unearthly rhyme

I have composed its like in verse—

I have composed poetry like it

شَرودٍ تَلَمَّعُ بِالخافِقَينِ

شَرودٍ تَلَمَّعُ بِالخافِقَينِ

إِذا أُنشِدَت قيلَ مَن قالَها

إِذا أُنشِدَت قيلَ مَن قالَها

far-ranging, flashing in east and west;

Wandering thoughts that sparkle with fluttering

when recited, they ask, "Who composed it?"

When recited it is asked who authored it

وَحَيرانَ لا يَهتَدي بِالنَهارِ

وَحَيرانَ لا يَهتَدي بِالنَهارِ

مِنَ الظَلعِ يَتبَعُ ضُلّالَها

مِنَ الظَلعِ يَتبَعُ ضُلّالَها

And a bewildered one who cannot find his way by day,

And confused not guided by daylight

through lameness, follows its wanderers.

From the ribs follows its misguidance

وَداعٍ دَعا دَعوَةَ المُستَغيثِ

وَداعٍ دَعا دَعوَةَ المُستَغيثِ

وَكُنتَ كَمَن كانَ لَبّى لَها

وَكُنتَ كَمَن كانَ لَبّى لَها

And a caller who cried the cry of one seeking help,

A supplicant who supplicated the supplication of the desperate

and you were like one who had answered it.

And you were like one who responded to it

إِذا المَوتُ كانَ شَجاً بِالحُلوقِ

إِذا المَوتُ كانَ شَجاً بِالحُلوقِ

وَبادَرَتِ النَفسُ أَشغالَها

وَبادَرَتِ النَفسُ أَشغالَها

When death was a bone lodged in throats,

When death was difficult on the throats

and the soul hastened to its concerns,

And the soul rushed its occupations

صَبَرتُ وَلَم أَكُ رِعديدَةً

صَبَرتُ وَلَم أَكُ رِعديدَةً

وَلَلصَبرُ في الرَوعِ أَنجى لَها

وَلَلصَبرُ في الرَوعِ أَنجى لَها

I stood firm and was no trembling coward;

I was patient and did not become thunderous

and steadfastness amid terror is safer for it.

And patience in fear is safest for it

وَيَومٍ تَسَعَّرُ فيهِ الحُروبُ

وَيَومٍ تَسَعَّرُ فيهِ الحُروبُ

لَبِستُ إِلى الرَوعِ سِربالَها

لَبِستُ إِلى الرَوعِ سِربالَها

And many a day when wars blazed,

And a day in which wars flare up

I donned its coat of mail to face terror:

I donned fear as its coat

مُضَعَّفَةَ السَردِ عادِيَّةً

مُضَعَّفَةَ السَردِ عادِيَّةً

وَعَضبَ المَضارِبِ مِفصالَها

وَعَضبَ المَضارِبِ مِفصالَها

double-linked, ancient armor of ʿĀd,

With repetitive epic structure

and its keen-edged, joint-cleaving sword,

And the wrist of rhythm articulating it

وَمُطَّرِداً مِن رُدَينِيَّةٍ

وَمُطَّرِداً مِن رُدَينِيَّةٍ

أَذودُ عَنِ الوِردِ أَبطالَها

أَذودُ عَنِ الوِردِ أَبطالَها

and a straight Rudaynian spear,

And continually from well-foundedness

driving its champions from the watering-place.

I defend the roses their heroes

فَلَم يَبقَ مِن ذاكَ إِلّا التُقى

فَلَم يَبقَ مِن ذاكَ إِلّا التُقى

وَنَفسٌ تُعالِجُ أَبطالَها

وَنَفسٌ تُعالِجُ أَبطالَها

So nothing remained of that but piety

So nothing remained of that except piety

and a soul grappling with its champions.

And a soul that handles its heroes

أُمورٌ مِنَ اللَهِ فَوقَ السَماءِ

أُمورٌ مِنَ اللَهِ فَوقَ السَماءِ

مَقاديرُ تَنزِلُ أَنزالَها

مَقاديرُ تَنزِلُ أَنزالَها

Matters from God above the sky—

Matters from God above the sky

decrees descending to their appointed resting places.

Ordained destinies that descend their descents

أَعوذُ بِرَبّي مِنَ المُخزِيا

أَعوذُ بِرَبّي مِنَ المُخزِيا

تِ يَومَ تَرى النَفسُ أَعمالَها

تِ يَومَ تَرى النَفسُ أَعمالَها

I seek refuge in my Lord from things that bring disgrace,

I seek refuge in my Lord from disgrace

on the day when the soul sees its deeds,

The day the self sees its deeds

وَخَفَّ المَوازينُ بِالكافِرينَ

وَخَفَّ المَوازينُ بِالكافِرينَ

وَزُلزِلَتِ الأَرضُ زِلزالَها

وَزُلزِلَتِ الأَرضُ زِلزالَها

and the scales weigh light for the unbelievers,

And the scales tipped for the disbelievers

and the earth is shaken in its convulsion,

And the earth shook its shaking

وَنادى مُنادٍ بِأَهلِ القُبورِ

وَنادى مُنادٍ بِأَهلِ القُبورِ

فَهَبّوا لِتُبرِزَ أَثقالَها

فَهَبّوا لِتُبرِزَ أَثقالَها

and a herald calls to the dwellers in the graves;

And a caller called to the people of the graves

so they spring up, that the earth may bring forth its burdens,

So they rose to reveal their burdens

وَسُعِّرَتِ النارُ فيها العَذابُ

وَسُعِّرَتِ النارُ فيها العَذابُ

وَكانَ السَلاسِلُ أَغلالَها

وَكانَ السَلاسِلُ أَغلالَها

and the fire is kindled, with torment in it,

And the fire was stoked in which is torment

and the chains are its fetters.

And the chains were its shackles