السَّيْفُ خَلْفي فَعُذْراً إنْ جُرِحْتُ إذاً

السَّيْفُ خَلْفي فَعُذْراً إنْ جُرِحْتُ إذاً

عَمَّا يَليقُ بأَمثالي مِن الأدَبِ

عَمَّا يَليقُ بأَمثالي مِن الأدَبِ

The sword is behind me; so pardon me, then, if I am wounded,

My sword's behind me, so excuse me if I'm hurt,

with regard to the manners befitting the likes of me.

It's not fitting for the likes of me, such lack of tact.

وَقَدْ تَحقَّقَ قُربي مِن جَنابِكُمُ

وَقَدْ تَحقَّقَ قُربي مِن جَنابِكُمُ

والقُرْبُ مِنهُ لَعَمْرِي أَعْظَمُ القُربِ

والقُرْبُ مِنهُ لَعَمْرِي أَعْظَمُ القُربِ

And my nearness to your honored presence has indeed been established;

My nearness to you is clearly evident,

and nearness to it, by my life, is the greatest act of devotion.

And nearness to you is truly the greatest closeness.

وَلَمْ أَجِدْ خَشَباً يَدْنُو السِّراجُ لهُ

وَلَمْ أَجِدْ خَشَباً يَدْنُو السِّراجُ لهُ

قَبلي وَكَمْ أَتَتِ الأَشْياءُ بالعَجَب

قَبلي وَكَمْ أَتَتِ الأَشْياءُ بالعَجَب

Nor have I found wood that the lamp (al-Siraj) approaches

I did not find wood that the lamp would near,

before me—and how often things have brought wonders!

Before me, though things come with such surprise.

وَفي يَدَيكَ أَمانٌ لاجْتِماعِهُما

وَفي يَدَيكَ أَمانٌ لاجْتِماعِهُما

لِخَائبِ الجَمْعِ بَيْنَ النَّارِ والخَشَبِ

لِخَائبِ الجَمْعِ بَيْنَ النَّارِ والخَشَبِ

And in your two hands lies safety for their union,

In your hands lies the safety of their gathering,

for one thwarted in joining fire and wood.

For whoever fails to bring fire and wood together.