قُم لا تَقَع خَلِّ عَنكَ اليَأس كُن رَجُلا

قُم لا تَقَع خَلِّ عَنكَ اليَأس كُن رَجُلا

وَأَيقظ فُؤادكَ وَأَكفُف مَدمَعاً هَملا

وَأَيقظ فُؤادكَ وَأَكفُف مَدمَعاً هَملا

Rise, do not fall; cast off despair; be a man.

Arise, do not fall, rid yourself of despair, be a man

And awaken your heart, and stem the streaming tears.

And awaken your heart, restrain your flowing tears

وَأَمسك جِراحَك لا تَهوي عَلى خَطَرٍ

وَأَمسك جِراحَك لا تَهوي عَلى خَطَرٍ

فَكُلُ جَرحٍ إِذا داوَيتَهُ اِندَملا

فَكُلُ جَرحٍ إِذا داوَيتَهُ اِندَملا

And staunch your wounds; do not plunge into danger;

Grasp your wounds, do not plunge into danger

For every wound, once you treat it, heals.

For every wound will heal if you tend it

دَع لَطم خَديكَ إِنَّ اللَطمَ يوجعها

دَع لَطم خَديكَ إِنَّ اللَطمَ يوجعها

سُدىً كَمَن يَندُبُ الأَحجار وَالطَلا

سُدىً كَمَن يَندُبُ الأَحجار وَالطَلا

Stop striking your cheeks; the blows hurt them

Cease beating your cheeks, for such blows only hurt them

In vain, like one who mourns stones and wine.

In vain, like one who laments rocks and hills

وَأَرفق بِذاتَكَ قَد أَوشَكتَ تَعدمها

وَأَرفق بِذاتَكَ قَد أَوشَكتَ تَعدمها

قَلبي عَليكَ اِكتَوى وَالجسمُ قَد نحلا

قَلبي عَليكَ اِكتَوى وَالجسمُ قَد نحلا

And be gentle with yourself; you have nearly destroyed yourself.

Be gentle with yourself, you are near to losing yourself

My heart has burned for you, and my body has grown thin.

My heart aches for you, and my body is worn out

وَأَنتَ قَلبكَ لَم يُشفق عَلَيكَ وَلَم

وَأَنتَ قَلبكَ لَم يُشفق عَلَيكَ وَلَم

أَعهدهُ يَقسي إِذا ما حادِثٌ نَزَلا

أَعهدهُ يَقسي إِذا ما حادِثٌ نَزَلا

And you—your heart has shown you no pity, and never

Yet your heart has no pity for you, nor was it

Have I known it to harden when calamity befell.

Accustomed to cruelty when misfortune struck

أَو أَنتَ في الحُزن لَم تشفق عَلَيهِ لِذا

أَو أَنتَ في الحُزن لَم تشفق عَلَيهِ لِذا

قَد ضَلَّ في ظُلماتِ الياسِ مُشتَعِلا

قَد ضَلَّ في ظُلماتِ الياسِ مُشتَعِلا

Or have you, in sorrow, shown it no pity? Thus

Or are you, in grief, without pity for it, so

It has strayed, ablaze, in the darkness of despair.

It wanders lost in the darkness of despair, aflame

قَلبٌ بِهِ لِيَ قسمٌ لَستُ أَترُكَهُ

قَلبٌ بِهِ لِيَ قسمٌ لَستُ أَترُكَهُ

فَأَنتَ خَصمي إِذا أَورَثتَهُ العِلَلا

فَأَنتَ خَصمي إِذا أَورَثتَهُ العِلَلا

A heart in which I have a share—I shall not abandon it;

A heart that still has a place with me, I'll not abandon it

So you are my adversary if you bequeath it ailments.

You are my adversary if you make it sick

لا بدع إِن ذابَ وَيَحي وَهُوَ مُتَقِدٌ

لا بدع إِن ذابَ وَيَحي وَهُوَ مُتَقِدٌ

عَلى أَخٍ لَكَ لَا تَلقى لَهُ بَدَلا

عَلى أَخٍ لَكَ لَا تَلقى لَهُ بَدَلا

No wonder if it melts—alas for me!—while burning

There is no alternative, it must melt and revive while burning

For a brother of yours, for whom you will find no replacement.

For a brother like you, you'll find no substitute

ناداكَ لَما دَعاهُ صَوتُ خالِقِهِ

ناداكَ لَما دَعاهُ صَوتُ خالِقِهِ

يَبغي وَداعكَ حالَ البُعدِ مُرتَحِلا

يَبغي وَداعكَ حالَ البُعدِ مُرتَحِلا

He called to you when his Creator's voice called him,

It called you when your Creator's voice summoned it

Seeking to bid you farewell as he departed, far from you.

Seeking your farewell as it journeyed onward

فَاِعتاضَ باسمكَ زاداً وَهُوَ يَرسُمُهُ

فَاِعتاضَ باسمكَ زاداً وَهُوَ يَرسُمُهُ

ذِكراً عَلى شَفَتَيهِ حينَما اِنتَقَلا

ذِكراً عَلى شَفَتَيهِ حينَما اِنتَقَلا

So he took your name instead as provisions, tracing it

So it took your name as provision, tracing it

As a remembrance upon his lips when he passed on.

As a memento on its lips as it passed away

فَكانَ لإِسمكَ حَظٌّ أَنتَ تَحسدُهُ

فَكانَ لإِسمكَ حَظٌّ أَنتَ تَحسدُهُ

لِأَنَّهُ قَد جَنى مِن لَمسِهِ القُبُلا

لِأَنَّهُ قَد جَنى مِن لَمسِهِ القُبُلا

Thus your name enjoyed a fortune you envy,

Thus your name had the privilege you envy

For it had reaped kisses from his touch.

For it gathered kisses from his touch

وَكُنتَ بِالروحِ تَسخى قَبل مَصرَعِهِ

وَكُنتَ بِالروحِ تَسخى قَبل مَصرَعِهِ

لِكَي تَراهُ وَلَكنَّ القَضا بَخلا

لِكَي تَراهُ وَلَكنَّ القَضا بَخلا

And you would have gladly given your soul before his death

You were generous of spirit before his death

To see him, but fate was miserly.

That you might see him, but fate was miserly

إِن كُنتَ في غُربَةٍ تَشقى فَكُن أَبَداً

إِن كُنتَ في غُربَةٍ تَشقى فَكُن أَبَداً

بِالحلم فيها غَريباً يُذهِلُ العُقلا

بِالحلم فيها غَريباً يُذهِلُ العُقلا

If you suffer in exile, then always be

If you are suffering in exile, then forever

Remarkable there for your forbearance, astounding the wise.

Be reasonable in it, an exile that dazzles the mind

مالي أَراكَ ضَعيف القَلب منسحقاً

مالي أَراكَ ضَعيف القَلب منسحقاً

وَطالَما كُنتَ تَنفي الحادِثَ الجَلَلا

وَطالَما كُنتَ تَنفي الحادِثَ الجَلَلا

Why do I see you weak of heart and crushed,

Why do I see you, weak of heart, crushed

When so often you used to repel grievous calamity?

When you have so often denied tremendous calamities

تَبكي فَتىً في رَبيع العُمر مُنصَرِعاً

تَبكي فَتىً في رَبيع العُمر مُنصَرِعاً

كَالغُصنِ منقَصِفاً في الرَوض قَد ذَبلا

كَالغُصنِ منقَصِفاً في الرَوض قَد ذَبلا

You weep for a youth struck down in the springtime of life,

You weep for a youth in the spring of life, struck down

Like a branch snapped in the garden that has withered.

Like a snapped branch in the garden, withered

تَبكي أَخاكَ سَليمَ المَوتِ يَلسَعَهُ

تَبكي أَخاكَ سَليمَ المَوتِ يَلسَعَهُ

لا تَبكِ فَهُوَ سَليمٌ لِلجِنانِ عَلا

لا تَبكِ فَهُوَ سَليمٌ لِلجِنانِ عَلا

You weep for your brother Salim, stung by death;

You weep for your brother, safe from death's sting

Do not weep: he is safe, risen to the gardens of Paradise.

Do not weep, he is safe in the gardens on high

تَبكي عَلى عَضدٍ قَد بَتَّ تَندبهُ

تَبكي عَلى عَضدٍ قَد بَتَّ تَندبهُ

تَبكي لِحادِثِ فَقدٍ خَيَّبَ الأَمَلا

تَبكي لِحادِثِ فَقدٍ خَيَّبَ الأَمَلا

You weep for a supporting arm you have spent the night lamenting;

You mourn an arm you kept lamenting was gone

You weep for a bereavement that dashed your hopes.

You weep for a loss that disappointed hopes

وَالدَهرُ يَفتك بِالآمال مُشتَغِلاً

وَالدَهرُ يَفتك بِالآمال مُشتَغِلاً

بِهَدم أَبراجِها لا يَعرِفُ المَلَلا

بِهَدم أَبراجِها لا يَعرِفُ المَلَلا

And time destroys hopes, busy

While fate remains busy destroying hopes

Demolishing their towers, never knowing boredom.

Demolishing their towers, tireless, without pause

هاجَتكَ يا صاحِ في الأَوطانِ نادِبَةٌ

هاجَتكَ يا صاحِ في الأَوطانِ نادِبَةٌ

ثَكلي تَنوحُ عَلى نجمٍ لَها أَفلا

ثَكلي تَنوحُ عَلى نجمٍ لَها أَفلا

A mourning woman in your homeland has stirred you, my friend,

Your keen wailing stirred the lands, mourning

A bereaved mother wailing for a star of hers that has set.

"Alas for me!" it laments a star of its own now set

أُمٌّ تُناديكَ عَن بُعدٍ لِسَلوَتِها

أُمٌّ تُناديكَ عَن بُعدٍ لِسَلوَتِها

وَمِن دَعاكَ لِكَشفِ الضَيم ما اِنخَذَلا

وَمِن دَعاكَ لِكَشفِ الضَيم ما اِنخَذَلا

A mother calls to you from afar for her consolation,

A mother calls you from afar for her consolation

And whoever called on you to relieve affliction was never let down.

And those who called you to redress wrongs were not let down

فَقُمتَ في مَصر تَهدي الشامَ عَن حَرَقٍ

فَقُمتَ في مَصر تَهدي الشامَ عَن حَرَقٍ

مِن النواحِ حَنيناً يُقلِقُ الحللا

مِن النواحِ حَنيناً يُقلِقُ الحللا

So you rose in Egypt, offering Syria, out of burning grief,

So you rose in Egypt to calm Syria's burning

A yearning cry of lament that unsettles its dwellings.

With yearning laments that disturb resolute minds

تَسعى إِلى النيلِ ظَمأَناً فَتَحسَبَهُ

تَسعى إِلى النيلِ ظَمأَناً فَتَحسَبَهُ

نَهراً مِن النارِ لا تَلقى بِهِ بَلَلا

نَهراً مِن النارِ لا تَلقى بِهِ بَلَلا

You hasten, thirsty, to the Nile, and imagine it

You race to the Nile, thirsty, and imagine it

A river of fire in which you find no moisture.

A river of fire where you find no drink at all

قَد هاجَمَتكَ خُطوبٌ لَستَ تَعرِفُها

قَد هاجَمَتكَ خُطوبٌ لَستَ تَعرِفُها

فَاِعرف مِن الحَزم ما تَغدو بِهِ مَثَلا

فَاِعرف مِن الحَزم ما تَغدو بِهِ مَثَلا

Calamities unknown to you have assailed you;

Hardships unknown to you attacked

So learn such resolve as will make you an example.

So learn through wisdom what example to set

آهاً فَذي المَرة الأُولى الَّتي سَكَبَت

آهاً فَذي المَرة الأُولى الَّتي سَكَبَت

عَلَيكَ في حَربِها هَولاً فَكُن بَطَلا

عَلَيكَ في حَربِها هَولاً فَكُن بَطَلا

Ah, this is the first time calamity has poured

Alas, this first time it poured out on you

Terror upon you in its war; so be a hero.

Horrors of its war, so be a hero

وَيَحي عَلَيكَ أَضَعتَ الرُشدَ مُنسَلِباً

وَيَحي عَلَيكَ أَضَعتَ الرُشدَ مُنسَلِباً

سَكران لا بِالطَلا حَيران مُنذَهِلا

سَكران لا بِالطَلا حَيران مُنذَهِلا

Alas, my grief for you! You have lost your reason, bereft,

Live, you lost your senses, stripped of reason

Drunk, but not on wine; bewildered, dazed.

Drunk, not on wine, confused and reckless

تَظن إِن وجود الناس منكبةً

تَظن إِن وجود الناس منكبةً

لَهُم وَإِن نِظام الكَون ما اِكتَمَلا

لَهُم وَإِن نِظام الكَون ما اِكتَمَلا

You think that people's existence is a calamity

You think people's existence is a burden to them

For them, and that the order of the universe is incomplete.

And the order of the universe remains incomplete

ماذا السوادُ وَما ذا الثَوبُ تَلبَسَهُ

ماذا السوادُ وَما ذا الثَوبُ تَلبَسَهُ

كُلُّ امرءٍ في ظَلامِ البينِ قَد رَفَلا

كُلُّ امرءٍ في ظَلامِ البينِ قَد رَفَلا

What is this blackness, and what is this garment you wear?

What is this blackness? What is this garment you wear?

Everyone has trailed his robes in the darkness of separation.

All men in the darkness of vision are masked

إِن كُنتَ تَبغي أَكدادَ النَفسِ في نَظَرٍ

إِن كُنتَ تَبغي أَكدادَ النَفسِ في نَظَرٍ

فَاِنظُر إِلى الدَهر دَوماً تَلتَقي الوَجلا

فَاِنظُر إِلى الدَهر دَوماً تَلتَقي الوَجلا

If you seek to weary your soul with a glance,

If you seek sympathy look always to fate

Then look always at time: you will encounter dread.

You'll find a comrade for each affliction that befalls

إِمِلتَ إِذنكَ عَن صَوتِ الخَليلِ وَقَد

إِمِلتَ إِذنكَ عَن صَوتِ الخَليلِ وَقَد

رامَ اِنتِباهُكَ حَتّى اِلتاعَ وَاِشتَعَلا

رامَ اِنتِباهُكَ حَتّى اِلتاعَ وَاِشتَعَلا

You have turned your ear away from Khalil's voice, though he

You turned your hearing from the voice of a friend and

Sought your attention until he was anguished and aflame.

Sought to hold its attention until it languished and burned

وَفَوقَ صَدرِكَ يا اِسكَندَراِنتَقَشَت

وَفَوقَ صَدرِكَ يا اِسكَندَراِنتَقَشَت

حَقايقٌ تَركَها يَستَوجِبُ الخَجَلا

حَقايقٌ تَركَها يَستَوجِبُ الخَجَلا

And upon your breast, O Iskandar, are engraved

And beneath your breast, O Iskander, truths are engraved

Truths whose abandonment brings shame.

That your heedlessness calls for shame

لَئِن فَقَدتَ أَخاكَ اليَومَ وَا أَسَفاً

لَئِن فَقَدتَ أَخاكَ اليَومَ وَا أَسَفاً

فَاِخضَع إِلى الحاكم الجَبار مُبتَهِلا

فَاِخضَع إِلى الحاكم الجَبار مُبتَهِلا

If indeed you have lost your brother today—alas!—

If today you lost your brother, what a pity!

Then bow before the Almighty Ruler in supplication.

Submit to the Almighty Judge, pleading

وَالحُزنُ ضَيفٌ ثَقيلٌ إِن عِشتَ بِهِ

وَالحُزنُ ضَيفٌ ثَقيلٌ إِن عِشتَ بِهِ

وَإِن تَبَسَّمتَ حلاً هَبَّ وَاِنتَقَلا

وَإِن تَبَسَّمتَ حلاً هَبَّ وَاِنتَقَلا

And sorrow is a burdensome guest if you live with it;

And sorrow is a heavy guest - if you live with it

And if you smile sweetly, it springs up and departs.

And smile, it will leave and move on

كَثيفُ طَبعٍ فَلا يَهوى اللَطيف لِذا

كَثيفُ طَبعٍ فَلا يَهوى اللَطيف لِذا

إِذا رَأى وَجه أُنسٍ باسِماً رَحَلا

إِذا رَأى وَجه أُنسٍ باسِماً رَحَلا

Coarse by nature, it does not love gentleness; thus,

Dense by nature, so it does not love the gentle, thus

When it sees a smiling face of cheer, it departs.

When it sees a cheerful face, it departs

وَالصَبرُ يَلفى لِجَرح القَلب خَيرَ شِفا

وَالصَبرُ يَلفى لِجَرح القَلب خَيرَ شِفا

فَكُلَمّا مَرَّ في طَيِّ القُلوبِ حَلا

فَكُلَمّا مَرَّ في طَيِّ القُلوبِ حَلا

And patience is found to be the best cure for the heart's wound;

Patience provides the best remedy for the heart's wound

For whenever it passes through the folds of hearts, it turns sweet.

So whenever it passes through the folds of hearts, it heals

وَالكُلُّ في الأَرضِ إِخوانٌ يُفَرِقُهُم

وَالكُلُّ في الأَرضِ إِخوانٌ يُفَرِقُهُم

داعي المَنون وَلا مِن يَدفَع الأَجَلا

داعي المَنون وَلا مِن يَدفَع الأَجَلا

And all on earth are brothers, parted

All on earth are brothers, separated only

By death's summoner, and no one can avert the appointed end.

By death's caller, and none can stop the appointed time