عَلِّل فؤّاداً عندَ وَقعِ الأَسَى

عَلِّل فؤّاداً عندَ وَقعِ الأَسَى

بعَلَّ مع سوفَ وحتَّى عَسَى

بعَلَّ مع سوفَ وحتَّى عَسَى

Console the heart when sorrow strikes,

Soothe a heart when sorrow strikes,

with consoling “somedays,” “untils,” and “perhapses.”

with 'perhaps,' with 'will,' and even 'may it be.'

واصبِر لصَرفِ الدهرِ في حُكمهِ

واصبِر لصَرفِ الدهرِ في حُكمهِ

إِن لانَ في احكامهِ او قسا

إِن لانَ في احكامهِ او قسا

Bear patiently the vicissitudes of time beneath its rule,

And bear time's vicissitudes as it rules,

whether its decrees grow gentle or grow harsh.

whether it is gentle in its decrees or harsh.

وادرِك غُروسَ الصبر ثم اسقِها

وادرِك غُروسَ الصبر ثم اسقِها

من ماءِ حمدٍ قبل ان تَيبَسا

من ماءِ حمدٍ قبل ان تَيبَسا

Tend patience’s saplings, then give them drink

And rescue patience's saplings, then water them

of the water of forbearance before they wither.

with the water of praise before they wither.

فكم ثِمارٍ قد حلا طَعمُها

فكم ثِمارٍ قد حلا طَعمُها

لما زكت اغصانُها مَغرَسا

لما زكت اغصانُها مَغرَسا

How many fruits have grown sweet to the taste

For many fruits have grown sweet to taste

when their branches throve where they were planted.

when their branches flourished where planted.

وخمرةٍ اذ ساءَ راووقُها

وخمرةٍ اذ ساءَ راووقُها

مرَّت مَذاقاً فَهيَ لن تُحتَسى

مرَّت مَذاقاً فَهيَ لن تُحتَسى

And many a wine, when its filter proved poor,

And many a wine, when its strainer was faulty,

turned bitter to the taste, never to be drunk.

turned bitter to the taste, so it will not be sipped.

وصابرٍ في ضيقهِ شاكرٍ

وصابرٍ في ضيقهِ شاكرٍ

من سُندُس الفوزِ السنيّ اكتسَى

من سُندُس الفوزِ السنيّ اكتسَى

And many a patient soul, thankful in distress,

And many a patient man, thankful in his distress,

has donned the fine silk of radiant victory.

has clothed himself in the fine silk of splendid triumph.

وضِيقةٍ حلت بنا غُدوةً

وضِيقةٍ حلت بنا غُدوةً

فرَّجها الرحمنُ قبلَ المسا

فرَّجها الرحمنُ قبلَ المسا

And many a hardship befell us at dawn;

And many a hardship that befell us in the morning,

the All-Merciful dispelled it before evening.

the All-Merciful dispelled before evening.

وكم عَدُوّ نِلتَ خيراً بهِ

وكم عَدُوّ نِلتَ خيراً بهِ

وكم صديقٍ حُزتَ منهُ الأَسى

وكم صديقٍ حُزتَ منهُ الأَسى

How many an enemy has brought you some good,

And through many an enemy you have gained good,

and how many a friend from whom you reaped grief.

and from many a friend you have gained sorrow.

فاحذَر أَيا ذا الحزم ثم النُهَى

فاحذَر أَيا ذا الحزم ثم النُهَى

من روح ذي الأحكام ان تَيأَسا

من روح ذي الأحكام ان تَيأَسا

So take heed, O you endowed with prudence and sound judgment,

So beware, O you of resolve and reason,

lest you despair of relief from the Lord of all decrees.

lest you despair of relief from the One who decrees.