للصبر في مهجتي والهم معترك

للصبر في مهجتي والهم معترك

والظن فيك لديها مسرح يزك

والظن فيك لديها مسرح يزك

Patience and sorrow are locked in combat within my soul;

Patience and sorrow have a battlefield within my heart.

and journeying toward you finds in her a course where it surges on.

And trust in you is turned loose within it, ambling.

إذا رآها وعت قال اصبري فانا

إذا رآها وعت قال اصبري فانا

على من كل شيء خفته الدرك

على من كل شيء خفته الدرك

When Patience sees that she understands, he says, “Hold fast, for I

When it sees that she has understood, it says, 'Be patient, for I

can withstand every thing you feared would overtake you.”

Bear responsibility for everything you fear.'

ومن تكن يا ابن إسمعيل مفزعه

ومن تكن يا ابن إسمعيل مفزعه

قضى له بالنجاة النجم والفلك

قضى له بالنجاة النجم والفلك

Whoever has you, O son of Isma‘il, as his refuge—

And whoever has you, O son of Isma'il, as his refuge,

the star and the celestial sphere decree his deliverance.

The star and the celestial sphere have decreed his deliverance.

يرجى الغنى بجوار البحر أو ملك

يرجى الغنى بجوار البحر أو ملك

فأنت جارى وأنت البحر والملك

فأنت جارى وأنت البحر والملك

He hopes for riches through the protection of a sea or a king;

Riches are hoped for beside the sea or a king;

for you are the protecting neighbor—you are the sea and the king.

For you are my neighbor, and you are the sea and the king.

أنت الذي وفره صيد متى نصبت

أنت الذي وفره صيد متى نصبت

له حبائل راج حازه الشرك

له حبائل راج حازه الشرك

You are he whose bounty is quarry: whenever there are laid

You are the one whose wealth is quarry: whenever they are laid—

for it the snares of a hopeful seeker, the trap takes it.

A hopeful man's snares for it—the net captures it.

وما أخادعه إلا تخادع لي

وما أخادعه إلا تخادع لي

كأنه الجد وهو الهزل والضحك

كأنه الجد وهو الهزل والضحك

I never try to outwit him but that he plays at being outwitted for me,

Whenever I try to deceive him, he pretends to be deceived for my sake,

as though it were earnest—though it is jest and laughter.

As though it were serious, though it is jest and laughter.

هذي شباك رجاي الآن قد نصبت

هذي شباك رجاي الآن قد نصبت

والنفس ترقب ما يأتي به الشبك

والنفس ترقب ما يأتي به الشبك

These are the nets of my hope; now they have been set,

These nets of my hope have now been set,

and my soul watches for what the netting will bring in.

And my soul awaits what the net will bring.