جَزِعتُ وَلَم يَكُن جَلَدي صَبورا

جَزِعتُ وَلَم يَكُن جَلَدي صَبورا

وَعَن خَلَدي أَبى إِلّا نُفورا

وَعَن خَلَدي أَبى إِلّا نُفورا

I was distraught, and my fortitude proved impatient;

I was distressed, though my patience is not enduring,

and it would do nothing but flee my mind.

And my soul refused all but aversion,

وَخِفتُ وَقَد وَقاني اللَهُ مِن أَن

وَخِفتُ وَقَد وَقاني اللَهُ مِن أَن

أَرى يَوماً عَبوساً قَمطَريرا

أَرى يَوماً عَبوساً قَمطَريرا

And I feared—though God had shielded me from

And I feared, though God protected me from

seeing a grim, bitterly harsh day—

Seeing a frowning, gloomy day.

عَشِيَّةَ قيلَ تاجُ الدينِ مُضنىً

عَشِيَّةَ قيلَ تاجُ الدينِ مُضنىً

نَحيفاً يا لَهُ يَفَناً كَبيرا

نَحيفاً يا لَهُ يَفَناً كَبيرا

that evening when they said Taj al-Din was stricken,

One evening it was said Crown of Faith was ill

emaciated—alas for him, a decrepit old man!

And frail - what a great loss that would be!

فَأَفئِدَةُ الفَضائِلِ واجِفاتٌ

فَأَفئِدَةُ الفَضائِلِ واجِفاتٌ

مِنَ الخَوفِ الَّذي مَلَأَ الصُدورا

مِنَ الخَوفِ الَّذي مَلَأَ الصُدورا

So the hearts of the virtues trembled

So the hearts of excellence trembled

with the fear that filled their breasts.

With a fear that filled their breasts.

فَوافاني البَشيرُ بِبُرئِهِ مِن

فَوافاني البَشيرُ بِبُرئِهِ مِن

شَكِيَّتِهِ فَقَبَّلتُ البَشيرا

شَكِيَّتِهِ فَقَبَّلتُ البَشيرا

Then the bearer of glad tidings brought me news of his recovery from

But the herald brought me the news of his recovery

his illness, and I kissed the bearer of glad tidings.

From his illness, so I kissed the herald.

وَلَولا أَنَّني رَجُلٌ فَقيرٌ

وَلَولا أَنَّني رَجُلٌ فَقيرٌ

لَجُدتُ بِرَشوَةٍ تُغني الفَقيرا

لَجُدتُ بِرَشوَةٍ تُغني الفَقيرا

And were I not a poor man,

And had I not been a poor man,

I would have given a gratuity enough to enrich a poor man.

I would have rewarded him to enrich the poor.

وَلَكِنّي عَلى مِقدارِ حالي ال

وَلَكِنّي عَلى مِقدارِ حالي ال

ضَعيفِ نَذَرتُ لِلَهِ النُذورا

ضَعيفِ نَذَرتُ لِلَهِ النُذورا

But, according to my means,

But according to my meager means

meager as they are, I made vows to God.

I vowed offerings to God.

وَلَكِن لَم أَكُن إِلّا لِرَبّي

وَلَكِن لَم أَكُن إِلّا لِرَبّي

عَلى إِبلالِهِ عَبداً شَكورا

عَلى إِبلالِهِ عَبداً شَكورا

Yet, to my Lord, I was nothing but

Yet to my Lord I was but His thankful

a grateful servant for his recovery.

And reverent servant in His benevolence.

وَقُلتُ وَنالَني جَذَلٌ عَظيمٌ

وَقُلتُ وَنالَني جَذَلٌ عَظيمٌ

مَقالاً لَم يَكُن مَيناً وَزورا

مَقالاً لَم يَكُن مَيناً وَزورا

And I said, as great joy came over me,

And I spoke - and a great honor came to me -

words that were neither lie nor falsehood:

Words that were honest, not false.

إِذا الكِندِيُّ تاجُ الدينِ زَيدٌ

إِذا الكِندِيُّ تاجُ الدينِ زَيدٌ

أَبَلَّ وَلَم يُبَل حُزتُ السُرورا

أَبَلَّ وَلَم يُبَل حُزتُ السُرورا

When al-Kindi, Taj al-Din Zayd,

When the Kendi, Crown of Faith, triumphed

recovered and was spared affliction, I gained joy.

And was not defeated, joy triumphed.

وَصارَ بِبُرئِهِ زَمَني رَبيعاً

وَصارَ بِبُرئِهِ زَمَني رَبيعاً

مَريعاً مُتأَقاً نَوراً وَنُورا

مَريعاً مُتأَقاً نَوراً وَنُورا

And through his recovery my days became a spring,

And by his recovery my era became radiant,

lush, brimming with blossom and light.

Gleaming, sparkling, light upon light.

يَظَلُّ غُرابُهُ فيهِ مُلِثّاً

يَظَلُّ غُرابُهُ فيهِ مُلِثّاً

رَفيعَ العَيشِ يَأبى أَن يَطيرا

رَفيعَ العَيشِ يَأبى أَن يَطيرا

Its crow keeps lingering there,

Its raven remains there copiously,

living splendidly, refusing to fly away.

Living well, refusing to fly.

لَدى المَلِكِ المُعَظَّمِ مِنهُ تاجٌ

لَدى المَلِكِ المُعَظَّمِ مِنهُ تاجٌ

عَلَيهِ دَهرُهُ غَلَبَ الدُهورا

عَلَيهِ دَهرُهُ غَلَبَ الدُهورا

Beside al-Malik al-Mu'azzam, he is a crown

Before the exalted king, from whom comes a crown

upon him; his era has surpassed all eras.

Above which time has defeated eras.

فَكانَ الفارِسِيَّ أَبا عَلِيٍّ

فَكانَ الفارِسِيَّ أَبا عَلِيٍّ

لَدى العَضُدِ الَّذي مَلَكَ الأُمورا

لَدى العَضُدِ الَّذي مَلَكَ الأُمورا

Thus he was like Abu 'Ali al-Farisi

So the Persian was Abu Ali

beside al-'Adud, who ruled all affairs.

Before the Support whose rule grasped affairs.

أَبا اليُمنِ اِستَمِع مِنّي قَريضاً

أَبا اليُمنِ اِستَمِع مِنّي قَريضاً

بِعَفوِكَ عَنهُ جاءَكَ مُستَجيرا

بِعَفوِكَ عَنهُ جاءَكَ مُستَجيرا

Abu al-Yumn, hear from me a poem

O father of fortune, hear from me verses

that has come to you seeking refuge in your pardon for it.

That came to you seeking your pardon.

وَإِنَّ المُنشِدَ الكِندِيَّ بَيتاً

وَإِنَّ المُنشِدَ الكِندِيَّ بَيتاً

كَمَن أَهدى إِلى هَجر التُمورا

كَمَن أَهدى إِلى هَجر التُمورا

And indeed, one who recites a verse to al-Kindi

The Kendi reciter is like one who gifted

is like one who brings dates as a gift to Hajar.

Poetry to the hajar al-tumur.

وَها أَنا مُطرِقٌ مِنهُ حَياءً

وَها أَنا مُطرِقٌ مِنهُ حَياءً

وَلَو كُنتُ الفَرَزدَقَ أَو جَريرا

وَلَو كُنتُ الفَرَزدَقَ أَو جَريرا

And here I am, head bowed in shame over it,

And here I am, head bowed in shyness,

even were I al-Farazdaq or Jarir.

Though I were Al-Farazdaq or Jarir.

شَأَوتَ الناسَ في دَركِ المَعالي

شَأَوتَ الناسَ في دَركِ المَعالي

فَلَم تَنظُر لَكَ الدُنيا نَظيرا

فَلَم تَنظُر لَكَ الدُنيا نَظيرا

You have outstripped mankind in attaining high honors,

You have surpassed people in the realm of glory,

so the world has seen no equal to you.

So the world did not look upon your like.

لَقَد أُوتيتَ ما لَم يُؤتَ خَلقٌ

لَقَد أُوتيتَ ما لَم يُؤتَ خَلقٌ

فَعِش عُمراً تَفوتُ بِهِ النُسورا

فَعِش عُمراً تَفوتُ بِهِ النُسورا

You have indeed been granted what no creature was granted;

You were given what no people were given,

so live a lifetime longer than the vultures'.

So live a life by which you defeat the eagles.

وَلَولا الضَعفُ جِئتُ إِلَيكَ أَسعى

وَلَولا الضَعفُ جِئتُ إِلَيكَ أَسعى

لِأَنظُرَ وَجهَكَ القَمَرَ المُنيرا

لِأَنظُرَ وَجهَكَ القَمَرَ المُنيرا

And were it not for weakness, I would have come hurrying to you,

And were it not for weakness, I would come to you racing

to behold your face, the shining moon.

To look upon your moon-like brilliant face.

وَأَنتَ بِما نَفَثتُ بِهِ خَبيرٌ

وَأَنتَ بِما نَفَثتُ بِهِ خَبيرٌ

فَكَيفَ أُنَبِّئُ الفَطنَ الخَبير

فَكَيفَ أُنَبِّئُ الفَطنَ الخَبير

And you know well what I have breathed forth;

And you know what I have exhaled herein,

how, then, can I inform one so discerning and well informed?

So how can I inform the wise one?