كُنتُ حِلفَ النَدى وربَّ السَماحِ

كُنتُ حِلفَ النَدى وربَّ السَماحِ

وَحَبيبَ النُفوسِ وَالأَرواحِ

وَحَبيبَ النُفوسِ وَالأَرواحِ

I was generosity's sworn ally and lord of bounty,

I used to swear by the dew and the Lord of forgiveness,

and the beloved of souls and spirits,

The beloved of souls and spirits,

إِذ يَميني لِلبَذل يَومَ العَطايا

إِذ يَميني لِلبَذل يَومَ العَطايا

ولقبض الأَرواحِ يَومَ الكِفاحِ

ولقبض الأَرواحِ يَومَ الكِفاحِ

when my right hand gave on the day of gifts,

When my right hand was for generosity on days of gifts,

and took souls on the day of combat,

And for taking souls on days of struggle,

وَشِمالي لَقَبضِ كُلِّ عنانٍ

وَشِمالي لَقَبضِ كُلِّ عنانٍ

يُقحِمُ الخَيلَ في مَجال الرِماحِ

يُقحِمُ الخَيلَ في مَجال الرِماحِ

and my left hand gripped every rein

While my left hand was for grabbing every rein,

that drove the horses into the field of spears.

That drives horses into the field of spears,

وَأَنا اليَومَ رَهنُ أسرٍ وَفَقرٍ

وَأَنا اليَومَ رَهنُ أسرٍ وَفَقرٍ

مُستَباحُ الحِمى مَهيضُ الجَناحِ

مُستَباحُ الحِمى مَهيضُ الجَناحِ

And today I am hostage to captivity and poverty,

Yet today I am a hostage of captivity and poverty,

my sanctuary violated, my wing broken.

My sanctuary violated, my wings broken,

لا أُجِيبُ الصَريخَ إِن حَضَرَ النا

لا أُجِيبُ الصَريخَ إِن حَضَرَ النا

س وَلا المُعتَفين يَومَ السَماحِ

س وَلا المُعتَفين يَومَ السَماحِ

I do not answer the caller for help when people gather,

I cannot answer the scream if people come begging,

nor those seeking gifts on the day of bounty.

Nor the supplicants on days of forgiveness,

عادَ بِشري الَّذي عهدتَ عُبوسا

عادَ بِشري الَّذي عهدتَ عُبوسا

شَغَلَتني الأَشجانُ عَن أَفراحي

شَغَلَتني الأَشجانُ عَن أَفراحي

The cheerful look you knew in me has turned to a frown;

My cheerful face that you knew has returned sullen,

sorrows have kept me from my joys.

Preoccupations have distracted me from my joys,

فالتِماحي إِلى العُيون كريهٌ

فالتِماحي إِلى العُيون كريهٌ

وَلَقَد كانَ نزهةَ اللَمّاحِ

وَلَقَد كانَ نزهةَ اللَمّاحِ

So the sight of me is repellent to the eyes,

So being playful with the eyes is now tedious,

though once it was a delight to the beholder.

Though it was once an amusement for the flirtatious.