فَعالُكَ في العَلياءِ أَسمى وَأَسمَحُ

فَعالُكَ في العَلياءِ أَسمى وَأَسمَحُ

وَوَجهُكَ في اللأواءِ أَوضا وَأَوضَحُ

وَوَجهُكَ في اللأواءِ أَوضا وَأَوضَحُ

Your deeds in the heights of glory are loftier and more generous.

Your deeds in lofty matters are supreme and most splendid,

And your face amid hardship is more radiant and brighter.

And your face in calamity is brightest and most lucid.

وَذِكرُكَ في قَلبِ الزَمانِ مَهابَةٌ

وَذِكرُكَ في قَلبِ الزَمانِ مَهابَةٌ

فَمِن بَعدِ ما قَد كانَ يَجمَحُ يَجنَحُ

فَمِن بَعدِ ما قَد كانَ يَجمَحُ يَجنَحُ

And mention of you fills the heart of Time with awe,

And your name in the heart of time is awe-inspiring,

So, after it once ran wild, it now yields.

So after what had been rash is now gentle and meek.

وَمِثلُكَ مِن قَبلِ المَسائِلِ واهِبٌ

وَمِثلُكَ مِن قَبلِ المَسائِلِ واهِبٌ

وَلَكِنَّهُ بَعدَ الجَرائِمِ يَصفَحُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ بَعدَ الجَرائِمِ يَصفَحُ

And one like you gives before being asked,

And one like you, before tribulations, is forgiving,

And yet he pardons after offenses.

Yet after crimes, you pardon and gently reproach.

وَجودُكَ مِثلُ الماءِ وَالماءُ مُغرِقٌ

وَجودُكَ مِثلُ الماءِ وَالماءُ مُغرِقٌ

وَبَأسُكَ مِثلُ النارِ وَالنارُ تَقدَحُ

وَبَأسُكَ مِثلُ النارِ وَالنارُ تَقدَحُ

And your generosity is like water—and water drowns.

Your generosity is like water, and water is drowning,

And your might is like fire—and fire strikes sparks.

And your might is like fire, and fire sets alight.

وَما كُنتَ قِدماً بِالجَفاءِ مُعَرِّضاً

وَما كُنتَ قِدماً بِالجَفاءِ مُعَرِّضاً

فَلِم أَنتَ في هَذا الأَوانِ مُصَرِّحُ

فَلِم أَنتَ في هَذا الأَوانِ مُصَرِّحُ

And in former days you did not hint at estrangement;

You were not formerly wont to turn away in disdain,

So why are you now declaring it openly?

Why then in this time are you being explicit?

دَعوني أُجَمجِم ما اِستَطَعتُ بِعَتبِكُم

دَعوني أُجَمجِم ما اِستَطَعتُ بِعَتبِكُم

وَلا تَدَعوني بِالشِكايَةِ أُفصِحُ

وَلا تَدَعوني بِالشِكايَةِ أُفصِحُ

Let me speak guardedly in reproaching you, as best I can,

Let me mumble what I can with your reproaches,

And do not let me voice my complaint plainly.

And do not make me, with complaining, speak outright.

رَعى اللَهُ قَلبي ما أَشَدَّ حِفاظَهُ

رَعى اللَهُ قَلبي ما أَشَدَّ حِفاظَهُ

يُوافي عَلى هَذي الهَناتِ وَيَنصَحُ

يُوافي عَلى هَذي الهَناتِ وَيَنصَحُ

May God guard my heart—how steadfast its loyalty!

May God guard my heart, how stringent is its keeping!

It comes to you despite these failings and remains sincere.

It meets with these setbacks and gives sincere advice.

وَإِنّي غَنِيُّ النَفسِ في الفَقرِ وَالغِنى

وَإِنّي غَنِيُّ النَفسِ في الفَقرِ وَالغِنى

أَظَلُّ إِلى بَردِ المُنى أَتَرَوَّحُ

أَظَلُّ إِلى بَردِ المُنى أَتَرَوَّحُ

And I am rich in spirit, in poverty and wealth;

For I am lofty of soul in poverty and in wealth.

I keep seeking refreshment in the coolness of hopes.

I linger in the coolth of wishes to refresh myself.

أَبيتُ عَفيفَ الطَعمِ وَالزادُ مُمكِنٌ

أَبيتُ عَفيفَ الطَعمِ وَالزادُ مُمكِنٌ

وَظامي الأَماني وَالمَوارِدُ تَطفَحُ

وَظامي الأَماني وَالمَوارِدُ تَطفَحُ

I pass the night restrained in eating, though provisions are at hand;

I pass the night abstinent of taste, and provisions are at hand,

And thirsty in my longings, though the watering places overflow.

My hopes are lofty, and resources gush forth.

وَإِنّي عَلى تِلكَ المُوالاةِ ثابِتٌ

وَإِنّي عَلى تِلكَ المُوالاةِ ثابِتٌ

وَلَستُ وَإِن أَقصَيتَني أَتَزَحزَحُ

وَلَستُ وَإِن أَقصَيتَني أَتَزَحزَحُ

And I am steadfast in that loyalty,

And I upon that allegiance stand steadfast,

And I will not budge, even if you cast me aside.

And will not, even if you drive me away, budge.

فَصَفقَةُ وُدّي إِن شَرَيتَ صَفاءَها

فَصَفقَةُ وُدّي إِن شَرَيتَ صَفاءَها

فَإِنَّكَ فيهِ لاَمَحالَةَ تَربَحُ

فَإِنَّكَ فيهِ لاَمَحالَةَ تَربَحُ

So, in the bargain of my affection, if you buy its purity,

So the bargain of my love, if you buy its purity,

Then you will surely profit from it.

You will inevitably thereby profit.

وَإِن كانَ قَد عَدَّدتَ ذَنباً ظَنَنتَهُ

وَإِن كانَ قَد عَدَّدتَ ذَنباً ظَنَنتَهُ

وَكانَ فَإِنَّ الصَفحَ أَرجى وَأَرجَحُ

وَكانَ فَإِنَّ الصَفحَ أَرجى وَأَرجَحُ

And if you have listed an offense you suspected,

And if you have counted a sin which you supposed,

And it was real—then pardon is more to be hoped for and carries greater weight.

Then pardon is better and weightier still.

فَإِن ضاقَ ذاكَ البِشرُ بَعدَ اِتِّساعِهِ

فَإِن ضاقَ ذاكَ البِشرُ بَعدَ اِتِّساعِهِ

فَما ضاقَ في الأَرضِ الفَسيحَةِ مَسرَحُ

فَما ضاقَ في الأَرضِ الفَسيحَةِ مَسرَحُ

So if that cheerful welcome grows narrow after being broad,

For if that manly virtue should narrow after its breadth,

There is still room to roam upon the spacious earth.

No spacious place on earth would afford range.