حالِيَ حالُ اليائِسِ الراجي

حالِيَ حالُ اليائِسِ الراجي

وَإِنَّما أَرجِعُ أَدراجي

وَإِنَّما أَرجِعُ أَدراجي

My state is that of one despairing yet hopeful,

My state is that of the despaired hopeful one

and I only retrace my steps.

And I only retrace my steps

إِذا رَأَيتُ الخَيرَ في رَقدَتي

إِذا رَأَيتُ الخَيرَ في رَقدَتي

عَدَدتُها لَيلَةَ مِعراجي

عَدَدتُها لَيلَةَ مِعراجي

When I see goodness in my sleep,

When I see goodness in my slumber

I count it the night of my ascension.

I count it as the night of my ascension

إِن قُمتُ مِن وبرَةِ هَذا الثَرى

إِن قُمتُ مِن وبرَةِ هَذا الثَرى

أُهدى إِلى خَضراءَ مِئراجِ

أُهدى إِلى خَضراءَ مِئراجِ

If I rise from the down of this soil,

If I get up from the rags of this dust

I am led to fragrant greenery.

I will be guided to the verdant resting place

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ عَلى نِعمَةٍ

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ عَلى نِعمَةٍ

تُعقِبُ مِن ضَنكٍ وَإِحراجِ

تُعقِبُ مِن ضَنكٍ وَإِحراجِ

So praise be to God for a blessing

So praise be to Allah for the blessing

that compensates for hardship and constraint.

That comes after hardship and distress

لَو أَنَّني البِرجيسُ أَو جارُهُ

لَو أَنَّني البِرجيسُ أَو جارُهُ

نَزَلتُ مِن أَرفَعَ أَبراجِ

نَزَلتُ مِن أَرفَعَ أَبراجِ

Were I Jupiter or its neighbor,

If I were Al-Birjis or his neighbor

I would descend from the loftiest celestial towers.

I would descend from the highest minarets

ما أُمُّ سِرياحٍ إِذا ما غَدَت

ما أُمُّ سِرياحٍ إِذا ما غَدَت

مُوَرِّثَتي أَدمُعَ دَرّاجِ

مُوَرِّثَتي أَدمُعَ دَرّاجِ

Umm Siryah, whenever she goes forth at dawn, will not

What mother of winds could when she comes

bequeath me a francolin's tears.

Make my inheritance tears of affliction

يَنسى الفَتى الحَربِيُّ في قَبرِهِ

يَنسى الفَتى الحَربِيُّ في قَبرِهِ

أَيّامَ إِلجامٍ وَإِسراجِ

أَيّامَ إِلجامٍ وَإِسراجِ

The warrior youth forgets in his grave

The young warrior forgets in his grave

the days of bridling and saddling,

Days of bridling and saddling

وَخَوضَهُ في نَفَيانِ الوَغى

وَخَوضَهُ في نَفَيانِ الوَغى

عَلى طُموحِ الطَرفِ هَرّاجِ

عَلى طُموحِ الطَرفِ هَرّاجِ

and his plunging into battle's flying dust

And his plunging into the perils of battle

upon a high-gazing, swift-running steed,

With ambitious eyes, excitable and impetuous

وَخَضبَهُ الأَبيَضَ مُستَأنِساً

وَخَضبَهُ الأَبيَضَ مُستَأنِساً

بِأَسوَدٍ لِلهَولِ فَرّاجِ

بِأَسوَدٍ لِلهَولِ فَرّاجِ

and his staining the white blade, taking comfort

And his whitening of the dark, finding it charming

in a black steed that dispels terror.

To the blackness that startles the terrified

يَفُضُّ ما أَذهَبَ مِن قَونَسٍ

يَفُضُّ ما أَذهَبَ مِن قَونَسٍ

بِزِئبَقٍ يَمتَدُّ رَجراجِ

بِزِئبَقٍ يَمتَدُّ رَجراجِ

He shatters the gilded crown of a helmet

It pours forth what the goblet took away

with quicksilver that stretches out, quivering.

With mercury that flows murmuring

أَشَلَّ أَو أَعرَجَ دَهرٌ عَدا

أَشَلَّ أَو أَعرَجَ دَهرٌ عَدا

فَوارِساً عَن شَكِّ أَعراجِ

فَوارِساً عَن شَكِّ أَعراجِ

Time has crippled or lamed and barred

Whether time has limped or grown lame

horsemen from spearing camel herds.

Horsemen questioning the doubts of the lame