نَبَّهتَ عَن سِنَةٍ عَينَيكَ فَاِصطَبِرِ

نَبَّهتَ عَن سِنَةٍ عَينَيكَ فَاِصطَبِرِ

وَاِسحَب بِذَيلِكَ هَل تَقفو عَلى أَثري

وَاِسحَب بِذَيلِكَ هَل تَقفو عَلى أَثري

You have roused your eyes from a doze; so be patient.

Your eyes have warned of a tradition, so be patient

And drag your robe's hem—will you follow in my tracks?

And draw your tail, will you follow my tracks?

إِن يُرخِصِ اللَهُ عَنّي عارَ مَطلَبَتي

إِن يُرخِصِ اللَهُ عَنّي عارَ مَطلَبَتي

إِلَيكَ رَفداً أَلا فَاِنجِد بِهِ وَغَرِ

إِلَيكَ رَفداً أَلا فَاِنجِد بِهِ وَغَرِ

If God lessens for me the shame of my asking

If Allah permits me the shame of my request to you

you for aid—well then, take it to the uplands and lowlands!

As aid sent to you, oh come to my rescue!

إِنّي وَدَعواكَ أَن تَأتي بِمَكرُمَةٍ

إِنّي وَدَعواكَ أَن تَأتي بِمَكرُمَةٍ

كَمُنبِضِ القَوسِ عَن سَهمٍ بِلا وَتَرِ

كَمُنبِضِ القَوسِ عَن سَهمٍ بِلا وَتَرِ

I, in asking you to perform a noble deed,

I called you to bring a generous deed

am like one twanging an unstrung bow to shoot an arrow.

Like the recoil of a bow without a bowstring

فَاِردُد جُفونَكَ حَسرى عَن أَبي دُلَفٍ

فَاِردُد جُفونَكَ حَسرى عَن أَبي دُلَفٍ

وَلا مَلامَةَ أَن تَعشى عَن القَمَرِ

وَلا مَلامَةَ أَن تَعشى عَن القَمَرِ

So turn your weary eyes away from Abu Dulaf;

Turn your eyelids in sorrow away from Abu Dulaf

and there is no blame in being dazzled by the moon.

No blame in spending the night away from the moon

لا يَسخَطَنَّ اِمرُؤٌ إِن ذَلَّ مِن حَسَبٍ

لا يَسخَطَنَّ اِمرُؤٌ إِن ذَلَّ مِن حَسَبٍ

فَاللَهُ أَنزَلَهُ في مُحكَمِ السُوَرِ

فَاللَهُ أَنزَلَهُ في مُحكَمِ السُوَرِ

Let no man be angry if his ancestral honor is humbled;

A man must not be angry if he is of noble lineage

for God has brought him low in the chapters' definitive text.

For Allah has placed him in the strong chapters

لَم آتِ سوءً وَلَم أَسخَط عَلى أَحَدٍ

لَم آتِ سوءً وَلَم أَسخَط عَلى أَحَدٍ

إِلّا عَلى طَلَبي في مَجتَدىً عَسِرِ

إِلّا عَلى طَلَبي في مَجتَدىً عَسِرِ

I have done no wrong, nor been angry with anyone,

I did no wrong and was not angry with anyone

except at my seeking bounty from a grudging source.

Except for my difficult quest in the barren land

أَقصِر أَبا جَعفَرٍ عَن سَطوَةٍ جَمَحَت

أَقصِر أَبا جَعفَرٍ عَن سَطوَةٍ جَمَحَت

إِن لا تَقَصِّرِ بِها مالَت إِلى القَصَرِ

إِن لا تَقَصِّرِ بِها مالَت إِلى القَصَرِ

Desist, Abu Ja'far, from an onslaught that has run wild;

Spare Abu Ja'far from the tyranny that confused him

if you do not rein it in, it will turn against your neck.

If you do not spare him, it will incline towards the palace