أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ إِخْوَانِي وعِشْرَتَهُم

أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ إِخْوَانِي وعِشْرَتَهُم

وكلَّ خِرْقٍ إِلى العلياءِ سَبّاقِ

وكلَّ خِرْقٍ إِلى العلياءِ سَبّاقِ

I entrust my brothers and fellowship with them to God,

I entrust my brethren and their company to God,

and every gallant man who races toward the heights of glory,

And every valiant youth racing to highness,

وفِتْيَةً كنُجُومِ القَذْفِ نَيِّرهُمُ

وفِتْيَةً كنُجُومِ القَذْفِ نَيِّرهُمُ

يَهْدِي وصائِبُهُمْ يُودى بإِحْراقِ

يَهْدِي وصائِبُهُمْ يُودى بإِحْراقِ

and youths like shooting stars: their radiant one

Whose arrows hit their mark like brilliant stars,

guides, and their true-striking one kills with fire;

While their joints burn those they mean to destroy.

وكوْكَباً لِيَ منهمْ كانَ مَغْرِبُهُ

وكوْكَباً لِيَ منهمْ كانَ مَغْرِبُهُ

قَلْبِي ومَشْرِقُهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَطْواقِي

قَلْبِي ومَشْرِقُهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَطْواقِي

and a star of mine among them, whose setting-place was

Among them was a star that set in my heart,

my heart, and whose rising-place lay between my collars.

And rose between my breastbones, O how it blazed!

اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي ما أُفَارِقُهُ

اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي ما أُفَارِقُهُ

إِلا وَفِي الصَّدْرِ مِنِّي حَرُّ مُشْتَاقِ

إِلا وَفِي الصَّدْرِ مِنِّي حَرُّ مُشْتَاقِ

God knows that I never part from him

God knows I'll never leave him -

without the heat of longing in my breast.

Without a burning longing locked inside my chest.

كُنَّا أَلِيفَيْنِ خانَ الدَّهْرُ أُلْفَتَنَا

كُنَّا أَلِيفَيْنِ خانَ الدَّهْرُ أُلْفَتَنَا

وأَيُّ حُرّ على صَرْفِ الرَّدَى باقِ

وأَيُّ حُرّ على صَرْفِ الرَّدَى باقِ

We were two close companions; time betrayed our bond.

Once friends, time's guile betrayed our bond.

And what noble man survives the ravages of death?

What freeman stands against the whims of fate?

فإِنْ أَعِشْ فلعلَّ الدَّهْرَ يَجْمَعُنَا

فإِنْ أَعِشْ فلعلَّ الدَّهْرَ يَجْمَعُنَا

وإِنْ أَمُتْ فَسَيَسقِيهِ كَذَا السّاقِي

وإِنْ أَمُتْ فَسَيَسقِيهِ كَذَا السّاقِي

So if I live, perhaps time will reunite us;

If I live, perhaps time will reunite us;

and if I die, the cupbearer will likewise give him drink.

If I die, so shall the pourer pour his drink.

لا ضيَّعَ اللَّهُ إِلا مَن يُضِيِّعُهُ

لا ضيَّعَ اللَّهُ إِلا مَن يُضِيِّعُهُ

ومَن تَخَلَّقَ فِيه غَيْرَ أَخْلاقِي

ومَن تَخَلَّقَ فِيه غَيْرَ أَخْلاقِي

May God forsake none but those who forsake him,

None is lost but he who loses himself,

and those whose conduct toward him is unlike mine.

Or mimics morals not his own.

قَد كانَ بَرْدِي إِذا مَا مَسَّنِي كلفٌ

قَد كانَ بَرْدِي إِذا مَا مَسَّنِي كلفٌ

لا يَثْلمُ الحُبُّ آدابِي وأَعْرَاقِي

لا يَثْلمُ الحُبُّ آدابِي وأَعْرَاقِي

He was indeed my cool relief whenever passion touched me—

My affection once pierced me when stirred,

love never marred my manners or my lineage—

Love's manners wouldn't breach my dignity.

حتَّى رَمَتْنَا صُرُوفُ الدَّهْرِ عن كَثَبٍ

حتَّى رَمَتْنَا صُرُوفُ الدَّهْرِ عن كَثَبٍ

فَفَرَّقَتْنَا وَهل مِن صَرْفِه واقِ

فَفَرَّقَتْنَا وَهل مِن صَرْفِه واقِ

until the vicissitudes of time struck us at close range

But destiny's caprice cast us far apart,

and parted us—is there any shield against its blows?

And who can stop its endless changes?

إِنِّي لأَرْمُقُهُ والمَوْتُ يَضْغَطُنِي

إِنِّي لأَرْمُقُهُ والمَوْتُ يَضْغَطُنِي

فأَقتضي فُرْجةً مُرْتَدَّ أَرْمَاقِي

فأَقتضي فُرْجةً مُرْتَدَّ أَرْمَاقِي

Indeed, I gaze at him while death presses upon me,

I glimpse him as death squeezes me,

so I claim a respite—the time it takes my glances to return.

And seize a fleeting vision 'fore my eyes dim.