تَيَمَّمتُ سَعدَ اللَهِ لِلفَألِ بِاسمِهِ

تَيَمَّمتُ سَعدَ اللَهِ لِلفَألِ بِاسمِهِ

وَلَم آتِ سَعدَ اللَهِ لَو كانَ لي عَقلُ

وَلَم آتِ سَعدَ اللَهِ لَو كانَ لي عَقلُ

I sought Sa'd Allah for the good omen in his name;

I sought the auspices of Sa'd Allah in his name,

Yet I would not have come to Sa'd Allah had I any sense.

Yet I did not attain Sa'd Allah's favor, had I any wisdom.

وَقُلتُ فَتىً مِن دَوحَةٍ عَرَبِيَّةٍ

وَقُلتُ فَتىً مِن دَوحَةٍ عَرَبِيَّةٍ

تَشابَه مِنها الفرعُ في الطيبِ وَالأصلُ

تَشابَه مِنها الفرعُ في الطيبِ وَالأصلُ

And I said: a youth from an Arab tree,

And I said "A youth from cultured Doha,

Whose branch and root were alike in goodness.

Whose branch is similar in fragrance and origin."

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الأَرمَنِيَّةَ ظِئرُهُ

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الأَرمَنِيَّةَ ظِئرُهُ

وَفي الأَرمَنِيّاتِ النَجاسَةُ وَالبُخلُ

وَفي الأَرمَنِيّاتِ النَجاسَةُ وَالبُخلُ

Yet I did not know that an Armenian woman was his wet nurse;

Yet I did not know that the Armenian woman was his wet nurse,

And in Armenian women lie uncleanness and stinginess.

And in Armenian women are impurity and stinginess.

أَظَلُّ كَمُرتَدّ عَنِ الدينِ عاكِفاً

أَظَلُّ كَمُرتَدّ عَنِ الدينِ عاكِفاً

أُلازِمُهُ مالي سِوى شُغلِهِ شُغلُ

أُلازِمُهُ مالي سِوى شُغلِهِ شُغلُ

I remain, like an apostate from the faith, in constant attendance;

I cling to him like an apostate clinging to religion,

I cling to him, with no occupation but keeping him busy.

I devote myself to him; my occupation, apart from his occupation, an occupation.

أَروحُ إِلَيهِ بِالسَلامِ وَأَغتَدي

أَروحُ إِلَيهِ بِالسَلامِ وَأَغتَدي

إِلى بابِهِ وَاليَومُ في مَهدِهِ طِفلُ

إِلى بابِهِ وَاليَومُ في مَهدِهِ طِفلُ

I go to him at evening with greetings, and set out early

I go to him in peace and take lunch

To his door, while the day is an infant in its cradle.

At his door while the day is still an infant.

فَما كُنتُ إِلّا مُستَظِلّاً بِعشبَةٍ

فَما كُنتُ إِلّا مُستَظِلّاً بِعشبَةٍ

مِنَ الشَوكِ ما فيها جَنىً لي وَلا ظِلُّ

مِنَ الشَوكِ ما فيها جَنىً لي وَلا ظِلُّ

So I was merely seeking shade beneath a plant

Yet I am nothing but one taking shade beneath a hut

Of thorns, with neither fruit for me nor shade.

Of thorns, in it no harvest for me, nor shade.