لي في مجال الشعر شأ

لي في مجال الشعر شأ

وٌ لا يطال إذا قرضته

وٌ لا يطال إذا قرضته

In poetry's realm I have a reach

I have talent in poetry

none can attain when I compose it.

Of high caliber when I compose it

وتمدني الفصحى بدر اللفظ

وتمدني الفصحى بدر اللفظ

يبهر إن نظمته

يبهر إن نظمته

And classical Arabic supplies me with pearls of expression,

And classical Arabic supplies me with eloquent words

which dazzle if I string them together.

That dazzle if I string them into verses

إن عن لي في الليل فُتُّ الليلَ

إن عن لي في الليل فُتُّ الليلَ

طوعاً والتزمتُه

طوعاً والتزمتُه

If it comes to me at night, I outlast the night

If I am inspired in the night, the night becomes obedient

willingly, and hold fast to it.

And I harness it

تأتيه أبكار المعاني الخاطبات

تأتيه أبكار المعاني الخاطبات

كما اشتهيته

كما اشتهيته

Virgin meanings come to it as suitors,

The meanings come to me fresh and maidenly

just as I desired it.

Just as I desired

لو قيل ليل شعري وكنت نسيت

لو قيل ليل شعري وكنت نسيت

شعري لأدعيته

شعري لأدعيته

If the night of my poetry were mentioned, and I had forgotten

If someone said my poetry is forgettable

my poetry, I would claim it.

And I forgot it, I would claim it as mine

ما قلته في غير منفعة القبيل

ما قلته في غير منفعة القبيل

ولا ابتذلته

ولا ابتذلته

I have never uttered it except for the tribe's benefit,

I don't say anything without benefit to the tribe

nor have I debased it.

Or make it trite

ما سقته يوماً على

ما سقته يوماً على

ملقٍ لمخلوقٍ رجوته

ملقٍ لمخلوقٍ رجوته

I never offered it, even once, out of

I never once poured it

flattery to a mortal in whom I placed my hopes.

Over a greedy person hoping for it

يتهافت الشعراء حول المال

يتهافت الشعراء حول المال

لكني أبيته

لكني أبيته

Poets throng around money,

Poets scramble for money

but I have refused it.

But I spurn it

فالشعر يزرى غير أني حين

فالشعر يزرى غير أني حين

صان العرض صنته

صان العرض صنته

For poetry is disparaged; yet I, when

For poetry can be sown though when

it safeguarded honor, safeguarded it.

I guarded dignity, I guarded it

قد كان وقفاً في الشبا

قد كان وقفاً في الشبا

ب على الجمالِ وقد طويته

ب على الجمالِ وقد طويته

It was once devoted, in youth,

It was dedicated in youth

to beauty, and I have folded it away.

To beauty and I folded it away

والآن إن أذنَ الإله

والآن إن أذنَ الإله

بقوله للَه قلته

بقوله للَه قلته

And now, if God grants leave

And now if God permits

to utter it, I utter it for God,

Through his words I speak them

أو في مديح محمدٍ

أو في مديح محمدٍ

لو هزني للمدح بيته

لو هزني للمدح بيته

or in praise of Muhammad,

Or in praising Muhammad

if his house stirred me to praise.

If passion moves me to praise his poetry

لو كان خلقي سابقاً

لو كان خلقي سابقاً

ميلاد أحمد لانتظرته

ميلاد أحمد لانتظرته

Had my creation preceded

If my nature preceded

Ahmad's birth, I would have waited for him,

The birth of Ahmad I would have waited for him

إن جاز أن اللَه في

إن جاز أن اللَه في

عمري يمدُّ إذا سألته

عمري يمدُّ إذا سألته

if it were possible for God to

If it's possible for God to extend

extend my life when I asked Him,

My life if I ask

حتى إذا بعث السرا

حتى إذا بعث السرا

ج لهذه الدنيا اتبعته

ج لهذه الدنيا اتبعته

so that, when the Lamp was sent

Until the surahs were sent down

to this world, I would have followed him,

To this world I would follow them

وركبت في الغزوات مع

وركبت في الغزوات مع

ه ولذ لي ما قال صوته

ه ولذ لي ما قال صوته

and ridden in the campaigns with

And marched in holy war with him

him, and what his voice said would have been sweet to me.

And the sweetness of his voice would please me

وأنا قرير بالشها

وأنا قرير بالشها

دة والذي أملت نلته

دة والذي أملت نلته

And I would have been content with martyrdom,

While I am content with martyrdom

and attained what I had hoped for.

And what I hoped for, I attained

يا ربّ قد أخرتني

يا ربّ قد أخرتني

عنه ولكني لحقته

عنه ولكني لحقته

O Lord, You have made me come later

O Lord, you delayed me

than him, yet I have caught up with him.

From him but I caught up

روحي تطيف بروحهِ

روحي تطيف بروحهِ

فيخال لي أن صحبته

فيخال لي أن صحبته

My soul circles around his soul,

My soul roams with his spirit

so it seems to me that I have been his companion.

So I feel I accompanied him

لم أرج إلا حجة

لم أرج إلا حجة

إن نلتها يا رب زرته

إن نلتها يا رب زرته

I have hoped for nothing but a pilgrimage;

I hope only for the pilgrimage

if I attain it, O Lord, I will visit him.

If attained, O Lord, I would visit him