ذخرتُك لي إن نابَني الدهرُ مُرهفا

ذخرتُك لي إن نابَني الدهرُ مُرهفا

على ثقةٍ فيه أصولُ على الخطب

على ثقةٍ فيه أصولُ على الخطب

I kept you in reserve for myself—a keen blade should time assail me—

I kept you in reserve should fate treat me harshly

trusting in it to charge against adversity.

Trusting in you I stand firm despite misfortunes

وقلتُ أبي والأمر لله إن مضى

وقلتُ أبي والأمر لله إن مضى

فعنه أخي والحمدُ لله لي حسبي

فعنه أخي والحمدُ لله لي حسبي

And I said: 'If my father passes away—and the matter rests with God—

And I said, “My father”, though the matter is God’s will

my brother will suffice me in his stead; praise be to God.'

So you are my brother, and God suffices me

وبتُّ لنفسي عنه فيكَ مُسلّياً

وبتُّ لنفسي عنه فيكَ مُسلّياً

وعينُ رجائي فيكَ معقودةُ الهُدب

وعينُ رجائي فيكَ معقودةُ الهُدب

And I spent the night consoling myself for his loss through you,

I distracted myself from you by finding comfort

and the eye of my hope in you had its lashes bound.

In you, while my hopeful eyes brim with tears

فلمَّا عليَّ الخطبُ ألقى جِرانَه

فلمَّا عليَّ الخطبُ ألقى جِرانَه

وسدَّ بعيني واسعَ الشرقِ والغرب

وسدَّ بعيني واسعَ الشرقِ والغرب

Then, when adversity laid its neck upon me

When troubles befell me overwhelming its banks

and blocked the vast expanse of east and west before my eyes,

And flooded both East and West before my eyes

نزلتُ بآمالي عليكَ ظوامياً

نزلتُ بآمالي عليكَ ظوامياً

وقلتُ رِدِي قد صرت للمنهل العذب

وقلتُ رِدِي قد صرت للمنهل العذب

I came to you with my thirsting hopes,

I descended into despair, wandering blindly

and said: 'Go to drink—you have reached the sweet watering place.'

And said “Turn me back!” for I longed for sweet water

عهدتُكَ عنِّي في العظائِم ناهِضاً

عهدتُكَ عنِّي في العظائِم ناهِضاً

بأثقالِها فَرَّاجَ مُعضلة الكرَب

بأثقالِها فَرَّاجَ مُعضلة الكرَب

I had known you to rise on my behalf amid great calamities,

I relied on you in times of great tribulation

bearing their burdens, dispelling anguish's intractable troubles.

To lift its heavy burdens and untangle hardship

وكان رجائي منك ما يُكمد العدى

وكان رجائي منك ما يُكمد العدى

فعادَ رجائي إن تدومَ على الحبّ

فعادَ رجائي إن تدومَ على الحبّ

And what I hoped for from you was something to grieve the foes;

And I hoped in you to subdue the enemy host

now my hope is that you remain constant in love.

But my hopes in you were in vain if they were false

فكيفَ وأنتَ السيفُ حدًّا ورونقاً

فكيفَ وأنتَ السيفُ حدًّا ورونقاً

ونَيتَ على أنِّي هَززتُك بالعتب

ونَيتَ على أنِّي هَززتُك بالعتب

How then, when you are a sword in sharpness and luster,

How could this be when you are the gleaming sword

did you falter, though I shook you with reproach?

When I have reproached you for being blunted?