ساءَ بَريّاً مِنَ البَرايا

ساءَ بَريّاً مِنَ البَرايا

مَن لَبِسَ الدينَ سابِرِيّا

مَن لَبِسَ الدينَ سابِرِيّا

He wrongs an innocent among creatures—

Became ill from troubles, O you who wear the faith

whoever wears religion like fine Sabiri cloth.

Whoever draped themselves in religion, modestly

إِن كَسَّرَتني يَدُ المَنايا

إِن كَسَّرَتني يَدُ المَنايا

فَما الأَطِبّاءُ جابِرِيّا

فَما الأَطِبّاءُ جابِرِيّا

If the hand of death shatters me,

Though the hand of fate has broken me

then physicians will not mend me.

The healers cannot mend me

أَمَرتَ بِالغَدرِ أُمَّ دَفرِ

أَمَرتَ بِالغَدرِ أُمَّ دَفرِ

وَلَم أُطِع فيكَ آمِرِيّا

وَلَم أُطِع فيكَ آمِرِيّا

You commanded treachery, Umm Dafr, Mother of Stench,

You commanded betrayal, O mother of deception

yet I did not obey those commanding me concerning you.

And I did not obey you in that, O commander

عَبَرتُ في عَيشَةٍ مَضيقاً

عَبَرتُ في عَيشَةٍ مَضيقاً

فَليوسِعِ الحَفرَ قابِرِيّا

فَليوسِعِ الحَفرَ قابِرِيّا

I passed through a narrow passage in life;

I lived in a life of hardship

so let those burying me make the grave spacious.

So let the grave expand to accommodate me, O gravedigger

مَفازَةٌ ما الضَبابُ فيها

مَفازَةٌ ما الضَبابُ فيها

وَلا عَقيلٌ بِحافِرَيّا

وَلا عَقيلٌ بِحافِرَيّا

A wasteland where neither Dibab

A barren desert where there is no mist

nor Uqayl dig for me.

Nor a guide with two feet

ما أَحوَجَتني إِلى وُرودٍ

ما أَحوَجَتني إِلى وُرودٍ

لَمّا سَقَتني الخُمارَ رِيّا

لَمّا سَقَتني الخُمارَ رِيّا

It left me no need to seek water,

How I longed for flowers

once it had given me my fill of hangover.

When the wine quenched my thirst

قَد خَبِرَ اللَهُ مِن ضَميري

قَد خَبِرَ اللَهُ مِن ضَميري

ما لَم يَكُن عِندَ خابِرِيّا

ما لَم يَكُن عِندَ خابِرِيّا

God has known of my innermost self

God knows my conscience

what was unknown to those who knew me.

What was not with my confidant

وَلَم يُطِل سامِري حَديثي

وَلَم يُطِل سامِري حَديثي

بَل عِشتُ في الدَهرِ سامِرِيّا

بَل عِشتُ في الدَهرِ سامِرِيّا

And my evening companion did not prolong my talk;

My gossip did not last long

rather, I lived in this world like the Samiri.

Rather I lived as a gossip in life

لَو عَلِمَ العاذِلونَ سِرّي

لَو عَلِمَ العاذِلونَ سِرّي

لَأَصبَحَ القَومُ عاذِرِيّا

لَأَصبَحَ القَومُ عاذِرِيّا

Had my reproachers known my secret,

If those who blame knew my secret

those people would have come to excuse me.

The people would become excusers

يا أُمَّتي اِتَّقوا شُروراً

يا أُمَّتي اِتَّقوا شُروراً

مِنّي وَبيتوا مُحاذِرِيّا

مِنّي وَبيتوا مُحاذِرِيّا

O my people, beware of evils

O my nation, beware of evils

from me, and spend the night wary of me.

From me, and take precautions

قامِرَةٌ كُلَّنا اللَيالي

قامِرَةٌ كُلَّنا اللَيالي

فَما أُبالي بِقامِرِيّا

فَما أُبالي بِقامِرِيّا

The nights beat us all at gambling;

We are all gamblers of nights

so I care nothing for those who beat me at gambling.

So I do not care about my gambling

وارَتنِيَ الأَرضُ فَاِهجُروني

وارَتنِيَ الأَرضُ فَاِهجُروني

لا يَرهَبِ العَتبَ هاجِرِيّا

لا يَرهَبِ العَتبَ هاجِرِيّا

The earth has hidden me; so forsake me.

The earth has welcomed me, so leave me

Let those who forsake me fear no reproach.

Let not reproach frighten the migrant

هَل كَرِهَ القُربَ مِن عِظامي

هَل كَرِهَ القُربَ مِن عِظامي

أَعظُمُ قَومٍ مُجوِرِيّا

أَعظُمُ قَومٍ مُجوِرِيّا

Has nearness to my bones been resented

Did the greatest tyrants

by the bones of people who called me unjust?

Dislike being near my bones?

ما بَهَشوا بِالسَلامِ نَحوي

ما بَهَشوا بِالسَلامِ نَحوي

وَلا أَراهُم مُحاوِرِيّا

وَلا أَراهُم مُحاوِرِيّا

They did not hasten toward me with greetings,

They did not greet me with peace

nor do I see them conversing with me.

Nor do I see them conversing with me

غَنيتُ عَن زائِرٍ مُلِمٍّ

غَنيتُ عَن زائِرٍ مُلِمٍّ

فَليَشغَلِ الخَيرُ زائِرِيّا

فَليَشغَلِ الخَيرُ زائِرِيّا

I have no need of a visitor calling by;

I do without a visiting friend

so let good deeds occupy my visitors.

So let good occupy my visitor

أَزَيَّلَ المُلكَ آلُ كِسرى

أَزَيَّلَ المُلكَ آلُ كِسرى

وَصارَ بِالشامِ عامِرِيّا

وَصارَ بِالشامِ عامِرِيّا

Did the house of Kisra part with kingship,

The kingdom of Chosroes declined

and did it become Amiri in al-Sham?

And became prosperous in Syria