إذا شَذَّت عن العَرَبِ المَعاني

إذا شَذَّت عن العَرَبِ المَعاني

فَلَيْسَ إلى تَعرُّفِها سَبيلُ

فَلَيْسَ إلى تَعرُّفِها سَبيلُ

If meanings elude the Arabs,

When meanings depart from the Arabs

Then there is no way to understand them.

To understand them there is no way

وما يَحْويهِ هذا الدَّهْرُ أنأَى

وما يَحْويهِ هذا الدَّهْرُ أنأَى

وأَبْعَدُ من شَبا فِكْرٍ يَجُولُ

وأَبْعَدُ من شَبا فِكْرٍ يَجُولُ

And what this age holds lies more remote

Whatever this world contains though far

And farther than roaming thought's sharp points can reach.

Farther than youthful thought that goes astray

ورُبَّتَما بِطُولِ الفكرِ يُدرى

ورُبَّتَما بِطُولِ الفكرِ يُدرى

ولكنْ عاجَلَ الفِكرَ الرَّسُولُ

ولكنْ عاجَلَ الفِكرَ الرَّسُولُ

And perhaps it can be understood through prolonged thought,

By prolonged thought perchance is understood

But the messenger gave thought no time.

But thought's swift messenger soon understood