كَفى بِكَ داءً أَن تَرى المَوتَ شافِيا

كَفى بِكَ داءً أَن تَرى المَوتَ شافِيا

وَحَسبُ المَنايا أَن يَكُنَّ أَمانِيا

وَحَسبُ المَنايا أَن يَكُنَّ أَمانِيا

It is sickness enough in you to see death as a healer,

It is enough of an illness that you see death as a healer,

Sufficient is the disease: to see death as a cure, / And that the fatal Dooms become one's heart's desire.

and enough for deaths that they should be wished for.

And it is enough for death that it be a wish.

You yearned for them when you had hoped to find / A loyal friend in vain, or a fawning, hidden liar.

تَمَنَّيتَها لَمّا تَمَنَّيتَ أَن تَرى

تَمَنَّيتَها لَمّا تَمَنَّيتَ أَن تَرى

صَديقاً فَأَعيا أَو عَدُوّاً مُداجِيا

صَديقاً فَأَعيا أَو عَدُوّاً مُداجِيا

You wished for them when you wished to see

You wished for it when you wished to see

If you are well content to live a life of shame, / Then do not ready the Yemeni blade for war.

a friend—but that proved impossible—or an enemy concealing his hatred.

A friend restored or a reconciled enemy.

Nor raise the towering lances for the raid, / Nor choose the noble steed of pedigree.

إِذا كُنتَ تَرضى أَن تَعيشَ بِذِلَّةٍ

إِذا كُنتَ تَرضى أَن تَعيشَ بِذِلَّةٍ

فَلا تَستَعِدَّنَّ الحُسامَ اليَمانِيا

فَلا تَستَعِدَّنَّ الحُسامَ اليَمانِيا

If you are content to live in humiliation,

If you are content to live in disgrace,

For modesty avails not the lion against his pangs, / Nor is he feared until he bares the claw.

then do not ready the keen Yemeni sword,

Then do not ready the Yemeni swords,

I taught you, Heart, to love before you loved the one who fled; / He was treacherous, so you be faithful now.

وَلا تَستَطيلَنَّ الرِماحَ لِغارَةٍ

وَلا تَستَطيلَنَّ الرِماحَ لِغارَةٍ

وَلا تَستَجيدَنَّ العِتاقَ المَذاكِيا

وَلا تَستَجيدَنَّ العِتاقَ المَذاكِيا

nor seek long spears for a raid,

Nor make long the lances for an onslaught,

I know that separation makes you grieve for him; / Yet you are not my heart if I see you complain.

nor seek the finest mature thoroughbred steeds.

Nor train the spirited steeds.

For tears that flow are traitors to their lord, / If they run in the wake of those who break their vow.

فَما يَنفَعُ الأُسدَ الحَياءُ مِنَ الطَوى

فَما يَنفَعُ الأُسدَ الحَياءُ مِنَ الطَوى

وَلا تُتَّقى حَتّى تَكونَ ضَوارِيا

وَلا تُتَّقى حَتّى تَكونَ ضَوارِيا

For modesty does lions no good against hunger,

For shyness does not benefit the lion from attacking prey,

If bounty finds no safety from offense, / No praise is won, nor does the wealth remain.

nor are they feared until they become fierce predators.

Nor is it to be feared unless it becomes ferocious.

The soul displays the nature of the man: / Was it true giving, or a feigned display?

حَبَبتُكَ قَلبي قَبلَ حُبِّكَ مَن نَأى

حَبَبتُكَ قَلبي قَبلَ حُبِّكَ مَن نَأى

وَقَد كانَ غَدّاراً فَكُن أَنتَ وافِيا

وَقَد كانَ غَدّاراً فَكُن أَنتَ وافِيا

I loved you, my heart, before you loved the one who went away;

I loved you, my heart, before your love for one who is remote,

Curb your desire, O Heart! For often times, / I see you purge your love for one who pays no due.

he was treacherous, so be faithful yourself.

And he was a traitor, so you be faithful.

I was made for friendship; were I to journey back to youth, / I’d leave my grey age weeping, heart in pain.

وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ البَينَ يُشكيكَ بَعدَهُ

وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ البَينَ يُشكيكَ بَعدَهُ

فَلَستَ فُؤادي إِن رَأَيتُكَ شاكِيا

فَلَستَ فُؤادي إِن رَأَيتُكَ شاكِيا

I know that separation makes you lament after him;

And I know that separation makes you doubtful after it,

Yet in Fustat there lies a Sea I sought, / With life, and counsel, love, and rhyming verse.

but you are not my heart if I see you complaining.

So you are not my heart if I see you doubtful.

And lean steeds, 'twixt whose ears we held the spears, / That galloped light, pursuing the lance's height.

فَإِنَّ دُموعَ العَينِ غُدرٌ بِرَبِّها

فَإِنَّ دُموعَ العَينِ غُدرٌ بِرَبِّها

إِذا كُنَّ إِثرَ الغادِرينَ جَوارِيا

إِذا كُنَّ إِثرَ الغادِرينَ جَوارِيا

For the eye's tears are treachery against their master

For tears of the eye are a betrayal of their Lord

With hooves they pace; and when they strike the stone, / They carve upon it falcons' breasts, bare-hoofed.

when they flow in the wake of the treacherous.

If they follow the treacherous.

Gazing from dark and truthful eyes at night, / They see the distant shapes as clear as day.

إِذا الجودُ لَم يُرزَق خَلاصاً مِنَ الأَذى

إِذا الجودُ لَم يُرزَق خَلاصاً مِنَ الأَذى

فَلا الحَمدُ مَكسوباً وَلا المالُ باقِيا

فَلا الحَمدُ مَكسوباً وَلا المالُ باقِيا

If generosity is not granted freedom from hurtful treatment,

If generosity is not granted deliverance from harm,

Pricking their ears to catch the faintest sound, / Deeming the conscience's whisper a loud call.

then neither is praise gained nor wealth retained.

Then neither earned thanks, nor lasting wealth.

They tug the reins against the morning knights, / As though upon their necks great serpents coiled.

وَلِلنَفسِ أَخلاقٌ تَدُلُّ عَلى الفَتى

وَلِلنَفسِ أَخلاقٌ تَدُلُّ عَلى الفَتى

أَكانَ سَخاءً ما أَتى أَم تَساخِيا

أَكانَ سَخاءً ما أَتى أَم تَساخِيا

The soul has traits that reveal of a man

And the soul has traits that show if the youth

By will the body rides within the saddle, / While in the body walks the steadfast heart.

whether what he did was generosity or its pretense.

Was generous in what he did or pretending.

Seeking Kafur, abandoning all else; / Who seeks the Sea must scorn the trickling streams.

أَقِلَّ اِشتِياقاً أَيُّها القَلبُ رُبَّما

أَقِلَّ اِشتِياقاً أَيُّها القَلبُ رُبَّما

رَأَيتُكَ تُصفي الوُدَّ مَن لَيسَ جازِيا

رَأَيتُكَ تُصفي الوُدَّ مَن لَيسَ جازِيا

Lessen your longing, O heart; often

Lessen your longing, O heart, perhaps

They brought us to the Apple of the Age, / Leaving behind the eye-white and the tear.

I have seen you give pure affection to one who does not repay it.

You will clarify affection for one who is unrewarding.

We passed the benefactors to find him / In whom we see the source of every grace.

خُلِقتُ أَلوفاً لَو رَحَلتُ إِلى الصِبا

خُلِقتُ أَلوفاً لَو رَحَلتُ إِلى الصِبا

لَفارَقتُ شَيبي موجَعَ القَلبِ باكِيا

لَفارَقتُ شَيبي موجَعَ القَلبِ باكِيا

I was made affectionate: were I to journey back to youth,

I was created for friendship - if I turned to my youth

A youth for whom, within our fathers' loins, / We traveled through the ages hoping to meet.

I would part from my gray hair weeping, with an aching heart.

I would leave my grey hair grieving.

His rank transcends the aid of noble traits; / He performs deeds as virgins, fresh and new.

وَلَكِنَّ بِالفُسطاطِ بَحراً أَزَرتُهُ

وَلَكِنَّ بِالفُسطاطِ بَحراً أَزَرتُهُ

حَياتي وَنُصحي وَالهَوى وَالقَوافِيا

حَياتي وَنُصحي وَالهَوى وَالقَوافِيا

But in al-Fustat there is a sea to whom I brought

But in Fustat I roamed a sea

He kills the tyrants' malice with his grace; / Or, failing that, destroys the tyrants too.

my life, my sincere counsel, my love, and my rhymes,

Of my life, advice, love and poetry.

O Abu al-Misk! This is the face I yearned for, / And this the moment I have long desired.

وَجُرداً مَدَدنا بَينَ آذانِها القَنا

وَجُرداً مَدَدنا بَينَ آذانِها القَنا

فَبِتنَ خِفافاً يَتَّبِعنَ العَوالِيا

فَبِتنَ خِفافاً يَتَّبِعنَ العَوالِيا

and sleek steeds, between whose ears we stretched our lances;

Barefoot we lingered between its minarets

Before you, I faced wastes and mountain peaks, / And crossed a heat that leaves the water parched.

they spent the night light-footed, following the spearheads.

Spending nights pursuing the heights.

Sire of all Scents, not Musk alone, you are; / And of all Clouds, not just the morning rain.

تَماشى بِأَيدٍ كُلَّما وافَتِ الصَفا

تَماشى بِأَيدٍ كُلَّما وافَتِ الصَفا

نَقَشنَ بِهِ صَدرَ البُزاةِ حَوافِيا

نَقَشنَ بِهِ صَدرَ البُزاةِ حَوافِيا

They stride on forelegs which, whenever they meet hard rock,

With hands, whenever they met sobriety,

Each boaster proves his worth by single trait, / But God combined all virtues within you.

carve a falcon's breast upon it, though unshod.

They carved on the breasts of the devout.

If men win greatness through their gifts of dew, / You grant the very greatness in your gift.

وَتَنظُرُ مِن سودٍ صَوادِقَ في الدُجى

وَتَنظُرُ مِن سودٍ صَوادِقَ في الدُجى

يَرَينَ بَعيداتِ الشُخوصِ كَما هِيَ

يَرَينَ بَعيداتِ الشُخوصِ كَما هِيَ

They look through black eyes, unerring in the gloom,

And they looked from truthful, dark eyes in the gloom

It is no wonder if a walker comes, / And leaves a King, the Iraqs' governor.

which see distant figures just as they are.

Seeing distant forms as they are.

You might bestow the invading army's might / Upon a single suppliant at your door.

وَتَنصِبُ لِلجَرسِ الخَفيِّ سَوامِعاً

وَتَنصِبُ لِلجَرسِ الخَفيِّ سَوامِعاً

يَخَلنَ مُناجاةَ الضَميرِ تَنادِيا

يَخَلنَ مُناجاةَ الضَميرِ تَنادِيا

They prick up, for the faintest sound, ears

And they set up ears for the secret bell

You scorn the world with one who knows it well, / And sees all things, save you, must pass away.

that take the mind's secret whispers for calls aloud.

That leave conversing with conscience calling.

You did not gain the realm by idle wish, / But by grim days that turned the forelocks grey.

تُجاذِبُ فُرسانَ الصَباحِ أَعِنَّةً

تُجاذِبُ فُرسانَ الصَباحِ أَعِنَّةً

كَأَنَّ عَلى الأَعناقِ مِنها أَفاعِيا

كَأَنَّ عَلى الأَعناقِ مِنها أَفاعِيا

They tug at the reins against the riders of the dawn raid,

They provoke the horsemen of dawn, restless,

Your foes behold these battles on the earth; / You see them as a stairway to the sky.

as though the reins upon their necks were snakes.

As if there were snakes on their necks.

You donned the dusty murk of war, as if / You saw the clear air foul, the dusty pure.

بِعَزمٍ يَسيرُ الجِسمُ في السَرجِ راكِباً

بِعَزمٍ يَسيرُ الجِسمُ في السَرجِ راكِباً

بِهِ وَيَسيرُ القَلبُ في الجِسمِ ماشِيا

بِهِ وَيَسيرُ القَلبُ في الجِسمِ ماشِيا

With resolve, the body travels mounted in the saddle,

With resolve the body rides in the saddle

You drove the sleek and swimming steeds to war, / That bear you angry, bring you back appeased.

carried by it, while the heart travels on foot within the body.

While the heart walks in the body.

And drawn swords that obey your command to strike, / Yet disobey, should you command a halt.

قَواصِدَ كافورٍ تَوارِكَ غَيرِهِ

قَواصِدَ كافورٍ تَوارِكَ غَيرِهِ

وَمَن قَصَدَ البَحرَ اِستَقَلُّ السَواقِيا

وَمَن قَصَدَ البَحرَ اِستَقَلُّ السَواقِيا

Bound for Kafur, leaving all others behind;

Seeking camphor, leaving other perfumes,

And tawny lance, full twenty measures long, / Glad of your grip as you quench it in the foe.

whoever seeks the sea thinks little of watercourses.

And whoever sought the sea belittled streams.

Battalions that tread down the tribes of men, / Having already trodden down the wilds.

فَجاءَت بِنا إِنسانَ عَينِ زَمانِهِ

فَجاءَت بِنا إِنسانَ عَينِ زَمانِهِ

وَخَلَّت بَياضاً خَلفَها وَمَآقِيا

وَخَلَّت بَياضاً خَلفَها وَمَآقِيا

They brought us to the pupil of his age's eye,

So we came upon the man of the age,

With them you raided royal palaces; / Their hooves struck kings' heads and their dwellings down.

and left the eye's white and corners behind them.

And they left whiteness behind them and watersheds.

You are the first to meet the charging spear; / You would disdain to be the second man.

نَجوزَ عَلَيها المُحسِنينَ إِلى الَّذي

نَجوزَ عَلَيها المُحسِنينَ إِلى الَّذي

نَرى عِندَهُم إِحسانَهُ وَالأَيادِيا

نَرى عِندَهُم إِحسانَهُ وَالأَيادِيا

On them we pass the benefactors to reach the one

We wished the benefactors well for one

If India forged two battle-blades alike, / Your sword, held in your hand, proves superior.

whose bounty and favors we see among them.

Whose kindness and generosity we see in them.

Were Shem to see you, he would tell his kin: / 'For my brother's son, I give my life and gold.'

فَتىً ما سَرَينا في ظُهورِ جُدودِنا

فَتىً ما سَرَينا في ظُهورِ جُدودِنا

إِلى عَصرِهِ إِلّا نُرَجّي التَلاقِيا

إِلى عَصرِهِ إِلّا نُرَجّي التَلاقِيا

A man—we did not journey through our forefathers' loins

A man we never hoped in our ancestors' days

A limit which the Master's Lord has reached; / A soul content with nothing but the peak.

to his age except in hope of meeting him.

To meet in his time except hopefully.

It called him to the heights; he answered, 'Yes,' / While others shunned the call of high desire.

تَرَفَّعَ عَن عَونِ المَكارِمِ قَدرُهُ

تَرَفَّعَ عَن عَونِ المَكارِمِ قَدرُهُ

فَما يَفعَلُ الفَعلاتِ إِلّا عَذارِيا

فَما يَفعَلُ الفَعلاتِ إِلّا عَذارِيا

His stature has risen beyond needing noble deeds' support,

His worth transcended the aid of virtues

He stands above the world, in open sight; / Near in his grace, yet distant in his fire.

so he performs no deeds but virgin ones.

So he only does deeds competitively.

يُبيدُ عَداواتِ البُغاةِ بِلُطفِهِ

يُبيدُ عَداواتِ البُغاةِ بِلُطفِهِ

فَإِن لَم تَبِد مِنهُم أَبادَ الأَعادِيا

فَإِن لَم تَبِد مِنهُم أَبادَ الأَعادِيا

He extinguishes the rebels' enmities with his gentleness;

He destroys the enmities of rebels with his gentleness,

if those enmities do not die in them, he destroys the enemies.

And if they do not perish he destroys the enemies.

أَبا المِسكِ ذا الوَجهُ الَّذي كُنتُ تائِقاً

أَبا المِسكِ ذا الوَجهُ الَّذي كُنتُ تائِقاً

إِلَيهِ وَذا الوَقتُ الَّذي كُنتُ راجِيا

إِلَيهِ وَذا الوَقتُ الَّذي كُنتُ راجِيا

Abu al-Misk, this is the face I yearned

O father of musk, whose face I longed for

for, and this is the moment I hoped for.

And whose time I hoped for.

لَقيتُ المَرَورى وَالشَناخيبَ دونَهُ

لَقيتُ المَرَورى وَالشَناخيبَ دونَهُ

وَجُبتُ هَجيراً يَترُكُ الماءَ صادِيا

وَجُبتُ هَجيراً يَترُكُ الماءَ صادِيا

Before reaching him, I encountered deserts and lofty peaks,

I met those who pass by and the night clouds instead of you

and traversed a noonday heat that leaves water itself thirsting.

And I became disconsolate, leaving the water raging.

أَبا كُلِّ طيبٍ لا أَبا المِسكِ وَحدَهُ

أَبا كُلِّ طيبٍ لا أَبا المِسكِ وَحدَهُ

وَكُلَّ سَحابٍ لا أَخَصُّ الغَوادِيا

وَكُلَّ سَحابٍ لا أَخَصُّ الغَوادِيا

Father of every fragrance, not of musk alone,

O father of all that is good, not just musk,

and of every cloud—I do not single out the morning clouds.

And every cloud, not only the rain-giver.

يَدِلُّ بِمَعنىً واحِدٍ كُلَّ فاخِرٍ

يَدِلُّ بِمَعنىً واحِدٍ كُلَّ فاخِرٍ

وَقَد جَمَعَ الرَحمَنُ فيكَ المَعانِيا

وَقَد جَمَعَ الرَحمَنُ فيكَ المَعانِيا

Every proud man boasts of a single quality,

Every magnificent one indicates one meaning,

but the All-Merciful has gathered all qualities in you.

And the Merciful united meanings in you.

إِذا كَسَبَ الناسُ المَعالِيَ بِالنَدى

إِذا كَسَبَ الناسُ المَعالِيَ بِالنَدى

فَإِنَّكَ تُعطي في نَداكَ المَعالِيا

فَإِنَّكَ تُعطي في نَداكَ المَعالِيا

When people gain lofty honors through generosity,

When people gain heights through gifts,

you bestow lofty honors in your generosity.

You give heights in your generosity.

وَغَيرُ كَثيرٍ أَن يَزورَكَ راجِلٌ

وَغَيرُ كَثيرٍ أَن يَزورَكَ راجِلٌ

فَيَرجِعَ مَلكاً لِلعِراقَينِ والِيا

فَيَرجِعَ مَلكاً لِلعِراقَينِ والِيا

It is no great thing for a man to visit you on foot

It is unlike many that a man visits you on foot

and return a king, ruling the two Iraqs.

And returns governor of both Iraqs.

فَقَد تَهَبَ الجَيشَ الَّذي جاءَ غازِياً

فَقَد تَهَبَ الجَيشَ الَّذي جاءَ غازِياً

لِسائِلِكَ الفَردِ الَّذي جاءَ عافِيا

لِسائِلِكَ الفَردِ الَّذي جاءَ عافِيا

For you may give the army that came to wage war

You have granted the army that came as invaders

to your lone petitioner who came seeking a gift.

To your individual asker who came in good health.

وَتَحتَقِرُ الدُنيا اِحتِقارَ مُجَرِّبٍ

وَتَحتَقِرُ الدُنيا اِحتِقارَ مُجَرِّبٍ

يَرى كُلَّ ما فيها وَحاشاكَ فانِيا

يَرى كُلَّ ما فيها وَحاشاكَ فانِيا

You scorn the world with an experienced man's scorn,

And you disdain the world with the disdain of the experienced

who sees everything in it—save you—as doomed to perish.

Who sees all in it, except you, as fleeting.

وَما كُنتَ مِمَّن أَدرَكَ المُلكَ بِالمُنى

وَما كُنتَ مِمَّن أَدرَكَ المُلكَ بِالمُنى

وَلَكِن بِأَيّامٍ أَشَبنَ النَواصِيا

وَلَكِن بِأَيّامٍ أَشَبنَ النَواصِيا

You were not one who gained dominion through wishes,

You were not one who attained rule through wishes,

but through days that turned forelocks gray.

But in days that resembled achievements.

عِداكَ تَراها في البِلادِ مَساعِياً

عِداكَ تَراها في البِلادِ مَساعِياً

وَأَنتَ تَراها في السَماءِ مَراقِيا

وَأَنتَ تَراها في السَماءِ مَراقِيا

Your foes see those days as exertions throughout the lands,

Except you, it sees ambitions in the country,

while you see them as steps ascending into heaven.

While you see it in the heavens as a path.

لَبِستَ لَها كُدرَ العَجاجِ كَأَنَّما

لَبِستَ لَها كُدرَ العَجاجِ كَأَنَّما

تَرى غَيرَ صافٍ أَن تَرى الجَوَّ صافِيا

تَرى غَيرَ صافٍ أَن تَرى الجَوَّ صافِيا

You wore for them the murk of battle-dust, as though

You wore its turbidity as if

you found it disagreeable to see the air clear.

You saw only the unclear sky as clear.

وَقُدتَ إِلَيها كُلَّ أَجرَدَ سابِحٍ

وَقُدتَ إِلَيها كُلَّ أَجرَدَ سابِحٍ

يُؤَدّيكَ غَضباناً وَيَثنِكَ راضِيا

يُؤَدّيكَ غَضباناً وَيَثنِكَ راضِيا

You led toward them every sleek steed with a swimmer's gait,

And you led to it every bare swimmer

which bears you there angry and brings you back content,

Who carries you angry and pleases you satisfied.

وَمُختَرَطٍ ماضٍ يُطيعُكَ آمِراً

وَمُختَرَطٍ ماضٍ يُطيعُكَ آمِراً

وَيَعصي إِذا اِستَثنَيتَ لَو كُنتَ ناهِيا

وَيَعصي إِذا اِستَثنَيتَ لَو كُنتَ ناهِيا

and a drawn, keen sword that obeys you when you command,

And an outstretched walker obeying your command,

but disobeys when you make an exception, even if you forbid it,

And disobeying if you made an exception or prohibited.

وَأَسمَرَ ذي عِشرينَ تَرضاهُ وارِداً

وَأَسمَرَ ذي عِشرينَ تَرضاهُ وارِداً

وَيَرضاكَ في إيرادِهِ الخَيلَ ساقِيا

وَيَرضاكَ في إيرادِهِ الخَيلَ ساقِيا

and a brown lance of twenty cubits, which pleases you when it goes to drink,

And a dark twenty year old you accept when he arrives

and which approves of you as its waterer when you bring it to the horses.

And he accepts you in bringing the horses watered.

كَتائِبَ ما اِنفَكَّت تَجوسُ عَمائِراً

كَتائِبَ ما اِنفَكَّت تَجوسُ عَمائِراً

مِنَ الأَرضِ قَد جاسَت إِلَيها فَيافِيا

مِنَ الأَرضِ قَد جاسَت إِلَيها فَيافِيا

Battalions that have never ceased ranging through settled regions,

Columns that did not cease to scout buildings

having crossed wastelands to reach them.

Traveling to them from the land they traversed.

غَزَوتَ بِها دورَ المُلوكِ فَباشَرَت

غَزَوتَ بِها دورَ المُلوكِ فَباشَرَت

سَنابِكُها هاماتِهِم وَالمَغانِيا

سَنابِكُها هاماتِهِم وَالمَغانِيا

With them you raided kings' abodes, and then

You attacked with them the abodes of kings so

their hooves struck the kings' heads and dwellings.

Their lattices conversed with their anxieties and pleasures.

وَأَنتَ الَّذي تَغشى الأَسِنَّةَ أَوَّلاً

وَأَنتَ الَّذي تَغشى الأَسِنَّةَ أَوَّلاً

وَتَأنَفَ أَن تَغشى الأَسِنَّةَ ثانِيا

وَتَأنَفَ أَن تَغشى الأَسِنَّةَ ثانِيا

You are the one who meets spearheads first,

You are the one who overcomes tongues first

and disdains to meet spearheads second.

And disdain to overcome tongues secondly.

إِذا الهِندُ سَوَّت بَينَ سَيفَي كَريهَةٍ

إِذا الهِندُ سَوَّت بَينَ سَيفَي كَريهَةٍ

فَسَيفُكَ في كَفٍّ تُزيلُ التَساوِيا

فَسَيفُكَ في كَفٍّ تُزيلُ التَساوِيا

If India makes two battle-swords equal,

If India levels between the two blades of Karīha,

your sword is in a hand that abolishes equality.

Your blade in a grip that removes the leveling.

وَمِن قَولِ سامٍ لَو رَآكَ لِنَسلِهِ

وَمِن قَولِ سامٍ لَو رَآكَ لِنَسلِهِ

فِدى اِبنِ أَخي نَسلي وَنَفسي وَمالِيا

فِدى اِبنِ أَخي نَسلي وَنَفسي وَمالِيا

Had Shem seen you, he would have said to his descendants:

And from the words of Sām, if he saw you to his progeny,

'May my descendants, my soul, and my wealth ransom my brother's son.'

My son is ransom for the progeny, self and money.

مَدىً بَلَّغَ الأُستاذَ أَقصاهُ رَبُّهُ

مَدىً بَلَّغَ الأُستاذَ أَقصاهُ رَبُّهُ

وَنَفسٌ لَهُ لَم تَرضَ إِلّا التَناهِيا

وَنَفسٌ لَهُ لَم تَرضَ إِلّا التَناهِيا

A reach whose utmost his Lord enabled the Master to attain,

The distance the Master reached is the utmost his Lord granted,

and a soul of his that would accept nothing but the utmost.

And he has a soul that would not be content except with the farthest reaches.

دَعَتهُ فَلَبّاها إِلى المَجدِ وَالعُلا

دَعَتهُ فَلَبّاها إِلى المَجدِ وَالعُلا

وَقَد خالَفَ الناسُ النُفوسَ الدَواعِيا

وَقَد خالَفَ الناسُ النُفوسَ الدَواعِيا

It called him to glory and exaltation, and he answered it,

It called him so he answered its call to glory and highness,

though people have disobeyed the souls that called them.

While people opposed the inclinations of souls.

فَأَصبَحَ فَوقَ العالَمينَ يَرَونَهُ

فَأَصبَحَ فَوقَ العالَمينَ يَرَونَهُ

وَإِن كانَ يُدنيهِ التَكَرُّمُ نائِيا

وَإِن كانَ يُدنيهِ التَكَرُّمُ نائِيا

So he rose above all mankind, who see him

So he came above both worlds who see him,

far off, though his generosity brings him near.

Even if intimacy makes him come closer.