أَلا تَرَيانِ البَرقِ ما هُوَ صانِعُ

أَلا تَرَيانِ البَرقِ ما هُوَ صانِعُ

بِدَمعَةِ صَبٍّ شَفَّهُ النَأيُ وَالشَحطُ

بِدَمعَةِ صَبٍّ شَفَّهُ النَأيُ وَالشَحطُ

Do you two not see what the lightning is doing

Do you not see lightning, what is it doing

to a tear of a lover wasted by separation and distance?

With a teardrop the long separation has dried up

مِنَ اللَهِ سُقياهُ لِشُرٍّ وَجَودُهُ

مِنَ اللَهِ سُقياهُ لِشُرٍّ وَجَودُهُ

وَلَيسَ لَها سَحُّ الغَمامِ وَلا القَحطُ

وَلَيسَ لَها سَحُّ الغَمامِ وَلا القَحطُ

May God grant Shurr its watering and abundant rain,

God has quenched it for evil while its flowing is goodness

and neither the clouds' deluge nor drought is hers.

It has no power over the clouds or drought

وَمِن رَحمَةِ اللَهِ الَّتي أَنا آمِلٌ

وَمِن رَحمَةِ اللَهِ الَّتي أَنا آمِلٌ

وَمُنتَظِرٌ قُربَ المَزارِ وَإِن شَطّوا

وَمُنتَظِرٌ قُربَ المَزارِ وَإِن شَطّوا

And part of God's mercy, which I hope for

And from God’s mercy which I hope for

and await, is a meeting near at hand, though they are far away.

And await nearness to the shrine though they were unkind

فَإِن نَجتَمِع بَعدَ الفِراقِ فَما لَنا

فَإِن نَجتَمِع بَعدَ الفِراقِ فَما لَنا

عَلى فَعَلاتِ الدَهرِ عَتبٌ وَلا سُخطُ

عَلى فَعَلاتِ الدَهرِ عَتبٌ وَلا سُخطُ

If we meet after separation, we shall bear no

If we gather after separation, we have no

reproach or resentment toward the deeds of time.

Reproach or anger at the deeds of fate

أَلا هَل تَرَوا ما قَد رَأى مِن مُعاشِرٍ

أَلا هَل تَرَوا ما قَد رَأى مِن مُعاشِرٍ

لَهُم فِيَّ حُكمٌ يَهجُرُ الحَقَّ مُشتَطُّ

لَهُم فِيَّ حُكمٌ يَهجُرُ الحَقَّ مُشتَطُّ

Ah, do you see what he has endured from companions,

Do you see what has been seen from companions

whose judgment against me forsakes the truth and oversteps all bounds?

Whose judgment of me discards truth, they are quick to judge

يُذيعونَ ما أَعتَبتُهُم في شَبيبَتي

يُذيعونَ ما أَعتَبتُهُم في شَبيبَتي

عَلى حينَ أَن ذَكَّيتُ وَاِشتَعَلَ الوَخطُ

عَلى حينَ أَن ذَكَّيتُ وَاِشتَعَلَ الوَخطُ

They spread abroad what I made amends to them for in my youth,

They spread what I chided them for in my youth

now that I have grown old and streaks of gray have flared.

When I was wise and anger was kindled

أَلا إِنَّها أُمُّ العَجائِبِ فَاِصطَبِر

أَلا إِنَّها أُمُّ العَجائِبِ فَاِصطَبِر

وَإِن كُنتَ ما لُقّيتَ أَمثالَها قَطُّ

وَإِن كُنتَ ما لُقّيتَ أَمثالَها قَطُّ

Ah, this is the mother of wonders—so endure it patiently,

Verily it is the mother of wonders, so be patient

even if you have never been made to encounter its like.

Even if you have not met its like before

إِذا ما رَأَوا خَيراً أَبَوا وَتَحَمَّلوا

إِذا ما رَأَوا خَيراً أَبَوا وَتَحَمَّلوا

إِلى بَيتِهِم أَو إِن رَأَوا شِرَّةً حَطّوا

إِلى بَيتِهِم أَو إِن رَأَوا شِرَّةً حَطّوا

When they see good, they refuse it and pack up

When they see good, they refuse and carry

for their home—or, if they see mischief, they settle down.

Evil back to their homes or scatter it if they see it

أَلا إِنَّ حِلمي واسِعٌ إِن صَلُحتُمُ

أَلا إِنَّ حِلمي واسِعٌ إِن صَلُحتُمُ

بِحِلمي وَعِندي بَعضُهُ الجوعُ وَالخَمطُ

بِحِلمي وَعِندي بَعضُهُ الجوعُ وَالخَمطُ

Know that my forbearance is ample, if you mend your ways

Verily my forbearance is vast if you reform

through my forbearance; yet with me, part of it is hunger and fury.

With my forbearance while some of it is hunger and trial

فَلا تُكثِروا شَوكَ الأَذى في غُصونَكُم

فَلا تُكثِروا شَوكَ الأَذى في غُصونَكُم

فَيَكثُرَ مِنّي فيكُمُ الكَسرُ وَالخَبطُ

فَيَكثُرَ مِنّي فيكُمُ الكَسرُ وَالخَبطُ

So do not multiply the thorns of harm on your branches,

So do not increase thorns that prick in your branches

lest the breaking and thrashing I deal you grow greater.

Lest breaking and splitting increase from me among you

وَلَيسَ لِقُرباكُم وَأَنتُم عَقَقتُمُ

وَلَيسَ لِقُرباكُم وَأَنتُم عَقَقتُمُ

عَلى السَيفِ يَومَ الرَوعِ عَهدٌ وَلا شَرطُ

عَلى السَيفِ يَومَ الرَوعِ عَهدٌ وَلا شَرطُ

Your kinship, since you have violated its bonds, holds no

For your nearness, while you have rebelled

pledge or stipulation binding the sword on the day of terror.

There is no pact or vow on the sword-day of turmoil

وَلا رَحِمٌ إِلّا وَقَد شُجِبَت بِكُم

وَلا رَحِمٌ إِلّا وَقَد شُجِبَت بِكُم

وَمَزَّقتُموها مِثلَ ما مُزِّقَ المِرطُ

وَمَزَّقتُموها مِثلَ ما مُزِّقَ المِرطُ

And no bond of kinship but has been ruined by you,

No womb but that you have estranged it

and you have torn it just as a cloak is torn.

Tearing it like shredded scrolls

سَتَدرُسُ آثارُ المَحَبَّةِ بَينَنا

سَتَدرُسُ آثارُ المَحَبَّةِ بَينَنا

وَنَحنُ بَنو عَمٍّ كَما اِنفَرَجَ المِشطُ

وَنَحنُ بَنو عَمٍّ كَما اِنفَرَجَ المِشطُ

The traces of affection between us will fade,

Traces of affection between us will be erased

though we are cousins, like the parted teeth of a comb.

While we are cousins, like the comb disjoined

كَفَرتُم يَدي فيكُم فَحُلَّ عِقالُها

كَفَرتُم يَدي فيكُم فَحُلَّ عِقالُها

إِلى غَيرِكُم لَمّا يُشَدُّ لَها رَبطُ

إِلى غَيرِكُم لَمّا يُشَدُّ لَها رَبطُ

You denied my hand's favors to you, so its tether was loosed,

You rejected my hand, so its reins are freed

toward others, with no bond yet fastened upon it.

To others when it is pulled to tie

وَما كُنتُ إِلّا مِن يَدِ اللَهِ مُعطِياً

وَما كُنتُ إِلّا مِن يَدِ اللَهِ مُعطِياً

أَلا أَنَّهُ في كَفِّهِ القَبضُ وَالبَسطُ

أَلا أَنَّهُ في كَفِّهِ القَبضُ وَالبَسطُ

And I have been nothing but a giver from the hand of God;

I was only a giver from God’s hand

know that withholding and giving lie in His palm.

Verily withholding and releasing are in His grip

وَهَل عِندَكُم عَتبي فَيَرجِعَ مُحسِنٌ

وَهَل عِندَكُم عَتبي فَيَرجِعَ مُحسِنٌ

بِعَينِ الرِضا وَالعَفوِ نائِلُهُ بَسطُ

بِعَينِ الرِضا وَالعَفوِ نائِلُهُ بَسطُ

And have you redress for my grievance, so a benefactor may return,

Is there among you reproach so a benefactor returns

with an eye of favor and pardon, his bounty unstinted?

With the eye of approval and pardon, its reception a gift?

وَإِلّا عَزَلتُ الأَمرَ عَنّي وَعَنكُمُ

وَإِلّا عَزَلتُ الأَمرَ عَنّي وَعَنكُمُ

وَكُنتُ كَأَنّي لَيسَ لي مِنكُمُ رَهطُ

وَكُنتُ كَأَنّي لَيسَ لي مِنكُمُ رَهطُ

Otherwise, I would set the matter apart from me and you,

Otherwise, I will remove the matter from me and you

and be as though I had no kinsfolk among you.

And be as if I have no tribe among you

وَهَل لَكُمُ مِن هَذِهِ غَيرُ زَفرَةٍ

وَهَل لَكُمُ مِن هَذِهِ غَيرُ زَفرَةٍ

تُصَعَّدُ مِنكُم في الصُدورِ وَتَنحَطُّ

تُصَعَّدُ مِنكُم في الصُدورِ وَتَنحَطُّ

And have you from this anything but a sigh

Or is there in this for you anything but a gasp

that is heaved within your breasts and sinks again?

That ascends in the chests and descends

وَإِلّا وَعيدٌ لا يَسيرُ بِجُندِهِ

وَإِلّا وَعيدٌ لا يَسيرُ بِجُندِهِ

وَحَيّاتُ ضِغنٍ في مَكامِنِها رُقطُ

وَحَيّاتُ ضِغنٍ في مَكامِنِها رُقطُ

Or else a threat that does not march with its army,

Otherwise only threats, his troops untroubled,

and speckled snakes of rancor in their hidden lairs?

And snakes in their lurking-places, coiled

فَمَن يَكُ ذا سِلمٍ فَإِنّي طَبيبُهُ

فَمَن يَكُ ذا سِلمٍ فَإِنّي طَبيبُهُ

وَمَن يَكُ مَجنوناً فَعِندي لَهُ سَعطُ

وَمَن يَكُ مَجنوناً فَعِندي لَهُ سَعطُ

So whoever is peaceable, I am his physician;

So whoever is sick, I am his doctor

and whoever is mad, I have medicinal snuff for him.

Whoever insane, I have a remedy for him

فَغانَيتُمُ إِن مَسَّ حالُكُمُ الغِنى

فَغانَيتُمُ إِن مَسَّ حالُكُمُ الغِنى

فَلا تَصرَحوا بِاِسمي إِذا مَسَّها الضَغطُ

فَلا تَصرَحوا بِاِسمي إِذا مَسَّها الضَغطُ

So you vie in wealth, if riches touch your fortunes;

You hid when fortune smiles then does not

then do not utter my name when hardship touches them.

So do not mention me by name when distress grips it

إِذا ما اِلتَقَت حَلقاتُ دَهرٍ عَلَيكُمُ

إِذا ما اِلتَقَت حَلقاتُ دَهرٍ عَلَيكُمُ

فَيُمنى يَدَيهِ في أَديمُكُمُ عَطُّ

فَيُمنى يَدَيهِ في أَديمُكُمُ عَطُّ

When the rings of time close together around you,

When the rings of fate close in around you

then its right hand tears into your skin.

And its right hand fans your hide, a gift

وَعِندَ كَمالِ الحَظِّ يُخشى زَوالُهُ

وَعِندَ كَمالِ الحَظِّ يُخشى زَوالُهُ

كَما لِغَريقِ اللُجَّةِ الرَيُّ وَالقَحطُ

كَما لِغَريقِ اللُجَّةِ الرَيُّ وَالقَحطُ

And at the fullness of good fortune, its passing is feared,

And at the height of fortune, its decline is feared

as one drowning in the deep has both quenching and drought.

Like the drowned man has rain then drought

أَأَن مَدَّني فَرعُ العُلى فَعَلَوتُهُ

أَأَن مَدَّني فَرعُ العُلى فَعَلَوتُهُ

وَأَمسَكَكُم بَطنُ القَرارَةِ وَالهَبطُ

وَأَمسَكَكُم بَطنُ القَرارَةِ وَالهَبطُ

Is it because glory's bough supported me and I climbed it,

Did the branch of glory elevate me and I climbed it

while the hollow's depths and the low ground held you fast,

While the belly of lowland held you back?

سَخَطتُم عَلى اللَهِ العَظيمِ قَضائَهُ

سَخَطتُم عَلى اللَهِ العَظيمِ قَضائَهُ

سَيَمضي بِما فيهِ إِذا كَثُرَ اللَغطُ

سَيَمضي بِما فيهِ إِذا كَثُرَ اللَغطُ

that you resented God the Great for His decree?

You resent the great ordinance of God

It will run its course with all it holds, when clamor grows.

It will go on with whatever increases confusion

فَيا لَكَ حَقّاً لا يُقالُ لِسامِعٍ

فَيا لَكَ حَقّاً لا يُقالُ لِسامِعٍ

وَجَوهَرَ حُكمٍ ما لِمَنثورِهِ لَقطُ

وَجَوهَرَ حُكمٍ ما لِمَنثورِهِ لَقطُ

So, what a truth, not spoken to a listener,

O you who are rightfully beyond words to a listener

and a jewel of judgment whose scattered fragments go ungathered!

And essence of wisdom no scattered bits can pick up