وَيَقولُ ما ضاقَ الفَضاءُ وَضاقَ مِن

وَيَقولُ ما ضاقَ الفَضاءُ وَضاقَ مِن

أَدنى الهُمومِ فَصارَ كَالسِجنِ الفَضا

أَدنى الهُمومِ فَصارَ كَالسِجنِ الفَضا

And he says: The open expanse did not grow narrow; he chafed at

And he says space has not narrowed, yet he grew distressed by

the slightest care, until the open expanse became like a prison.

the slightest cares, so space became like a prison.

لا ناقَةٌ عِندي يَكونُ زِمامُها

لا ناقَةٌ عِندي يَكونُ زِمامُها

بِيَدي وَلَيسَ لِراجِلٍ أَن يَركُضا

بِيَدي وَلَيسَ لِراجِلٍ أَن يَركُضا

I have no she-camel whose reins might be

I have no she-camel whose rein is

in my hand; nor may a man on foot gallop.

in my hand, and a man on foot cannot gallop.

أَما القَضاءُ فَلَست أَعرفُ سِرَّه

أَما القَضاءُ فَلَست أَعرفُ سِرَّه

بل لا أَسمِّي القَضا

بل لا أَسمِّي القَضا

As for Fate, I cannot fathom its secret;

As for fate, I do not know its secret;

rather, I do not even name Fate.

rather, I do not even name fate.

نارُ الحَشا لا تَنطَفي لا كُنتُمُ

نارُ الحَشا لا تَنطَفي لا كُنتُمُ

مِن موقِدينَ وَتَنطَفي نارُ الغَضى

مِن موقِدينَ وَتَنطَفي نارُ الغَضى

The fire within my breast never dies—may you not be

The fire within does not go out—may you not be

among those who keep it kindled—though even ghada-wood fire dies down.

among its kindlers—yet the fire of ghada wood goes out.