لَعَلَّ نُجومَ اللَيلِ تُعمِلُ فِكرَها

لَعَلَّ نُجومَ اللَيلِ تُعمِلُ فِكرَها

لِتَعلَمَ سِرّاً فَالعُيونُ سَواهِدُ

لِتَعلَمَ سِرّاً فَالعُيونُ سَواهِدُ

Perhaps the stars of night set their minds to work

Perhaps the stars of the night put their minds to work

to learn a secret, for the eyes are sleepless.

To learn a secret, while eyes slumber

خَرَجتُ إِلى ذي الدارِ كُرهاً وَرِحلَتي

خَرَجتُ إِلى ذي الدارِ كُرهاً وَرِحلَتي

إِلى غَيرِها بِالرَغمِ وَاللَهُ شاهِدُ

إِلى غَيرِها بِالرَغمِ وَاللَهُ شاهِدُ

I came forth into this abode unwillingly, and my departure

I went out to another house unwillingly and my journey

to another is against my will—and God is witness.

To other than it was by force, and God is witness

فَهَل أَنا فيما بَينَ ذَينَكَ مُجبَرٌ

فَهَل أَنا فيما بَينَ ذَينَكَ مُجبَرٌ

عَلى عَمَلٍ أَو مُستَطيعٌ فَجاهِدُ

عَلى عَمَلٍ أَو مُستَطيعٌ فَجاهِدُ

So am I, between those two, compelled

So am I, between these two, compelled

to act, or able to act, and thus striving?

To a deed or able and striving?

عَدَمتُكِ يا دُنِّيا فَأَهلُكِ أَجمَعوا

عَدَمتُكِ يا دُنِّيا فَأَهلُكِ أَجمَعوا

عَلى الجَهلِ طاغٍ مُسلِمٌ وَمُعاهِدُ

عَلى الجَهلِ طاغٍ مُسلِمٌ وَمُعاهِدُ

May I be rid of you, O world! For your people are united

I lost you, O world, so your people altogether

in ignorance—Muslim and treaty-protected non-Muslim alike are transgressors.

Are overwhelming in ignorance, submissive and covenanting

فَمُفتَضِحٌ يُبدي ضَمائِرَ صَدرِهِ

فَمُفتَضِحٌ يُبدي ضَمائِرَ صَدرِهِ

وَمُخفٍ ضَميرَ النَفسِ فَهُوَ مُجاهِدُ

وَمُخفٍ ضَميرَ النَفسِ فَهُوَ مُجاهِدُ

So one is disgraced, revealing the secrets of his breast,

One exposes the secretes of his chest

while another conceals his soul's secret, and so struggles.

While another conceals the soul’s secret, yet he strives

أَخو شَيبَةٍ طِفلُ المَرادِ وَهِمَّةٌ

أَخو شَيبَةٍ طِفلُ المَرادِ وَهِمَّةٌ

لَها هِمَّةٌ في العَيشِ عَذراءُ ناهِدُ

لَها هِمَّةٌ في العَيشِ عَذراءُ ناهِدُ

A gray-haired man is a child in desire; and an aged woman,

Brother of youthful purpose and determination

with her longing for life, is a virgin with swelling breasts.

With determination in living, an abstaining maiden

فَوا عَجَباً نَقفو أَحاديثَ كاذِبٍ

فَوا عَجَباً نَقفو أَحاديثَ كاذِبٍ

وَنَترُكُ مِن جَهلٍ بِنا ما نُشاهِدُ

وَنَترُكُ مِن جَهلٍ بِنا ما نُشاهِدُ

How strange! We follow a liar's tales,

What wonder we stop to hear a liar’s tales

and, out of our own ignorance, disregard what we see.

And in our ignorance leave unseen what we observe

لَقَد ضَلَّ هَذا الخَلقُ ما كانَ فيهُمُ

لَقَد ضَلَّ هَذا الخَلقُ ما كانَ فيهُمُ

وَلا كائِنٌ حَتّى القِيامَةِ زاهِدُ

وَلا كائِنٌ حَتّى القِيامَةِ زاهِدُ

This human race has indeed gone astray: among them there never was,

Truly these people went astray; none will be

nor will there be until the Resurrection, an ascetic.

Until Judgment Day, an ascetic