خانه الحظ بأهل وحمى
فانبرى يسعى فقيراً معدما
The house of fortune shelters those with kin and hearth
So the destitute poor arose seeking, with nothing to his name
بائسٌ لكنه ذو شمم
رب بؤسٍ لا ينافي الشمما
Wretched yet possessing dignity
Lord of misery yet his dignity intact
راحَ يشقى عاملاً لا سائلاً
غير باريه يليه كرما
He toiled not begging, only working
With none but his Creator to turn to
كد في الدنيا ولم يبرح به
كده حتى رماه فارتمى
He struggled in life and did not stop
Struggling until he collapsed and fell
اجهد الجسم ولما ضاره
نشب السل به مستحكما
He exhausted his body and when harm befell him
Consumption took hold, established within
عائثاً في صدره يأكل من
رئتيه شرها ملتهما
Ravaging his chest, consuming his lungs
Voraciously devouring them
دق كالطيف هزالاً فإذا
مرت الريح عليه جثما
Emaciated like a specter, the slightest wind
Made him crouch down limp
وذوي ورد محياهُ فصا
رً بهاراً ما علاه عندما
And death visited his life so he became
A lifeless body, though once exalted when living
واستقرت روحه في مقلتيه
فلاحت قبساً مضطرما
And his soul settled into the hollows of his eyes
Shining like an inflamed ember
قبسٌ في ناظريه وهو لا
يبصر الأيام إلا ظلما
An ember in his eyes though he could not
See anything but darkness
ووهت اعصابه حتى بدا
وهو في العشرين شيخاً هرما
His nerves were addled until he seemed
An old decrepit man in his twenties
خائراً إِن همَّ بالأمر خطا
خطوةً ثم يهي محرنحيما
Faltering when he tried to walk
Stumbling at every step
لا تراه هائجاً مشتكياً
بل تراه هادئاً مكتتما
You would not see him raging and complaining
But calm and restrained
يتلاشى نفساً في نفسٍ
طاوياً في كل عضو الما
His soul withering within his body
Bearing anguish in every limb
راثياً عهد صباه منشداً
جادك الغيث إذا الغيث همى
Grieving for his youth, singing
Your rain clouds promised rain when they gathered
والصبا محتضرٌ ينشده
لم يبكي وصلك لا حلما
His youth on its deathbed, he sings to it
He did not cry for your union, not even in a dream
كلما نحنح عن اوجاعه
ارسل الانات من فيه ذمما
Whenever he moaned from his pains
He would choke back his groans
حائراً يبحث عن اماله
فيرى النفس استحالت سأما
Lost, searching for his hopes
He sees his soul has turned to loathing
وهو لولا النفس الباقي لما
طه الرائي سوى احدى الدمى
And were it not for the soul within him
The beholder would see just an inanimate body
اطبق الداء عليه فهوى
طالباً في قبره معتصما
The disease overwhelmed him and he fell
Seeking refuge in his grave, sheltered
ينكر الساجع ان يسجع في
ايكه والفجر ان يبتسما
He refuses to weep in his misery
And dawn refuses to smile
ينكر الليل إذا الليل جلا
قمراً في جوه او انجما
He denies the night when night falls
The moon in its expanse or any stars
ينكر الدنيا كما انكره
اهلها واعتزلوه مسقما
He denies the world as it denied him
His people shunned him, sickened
منعوا عنه الحمى حتى غدت
ساحة الدار عليه حرما
They denied him shelter until
His home became forbidden to him
ويحه اين يداني مضجعاً
ويحه اين يلاقي مطعما
Woe! Where can he find a place to rest?
Woe! Where can he find a meal?
ليته طيرٌ فيأوي وكنةً
ليته عير يسف الحمحما
If only he were a bird that inhabited a nest
If only he were a wild donkey that brays
ليته ما كان فالكائن فيذ
حاله خيرٌ له لو عدما
If only he did not exist, for existing
In this state is better for him than nothingness
ايها الناس اخاكم فابوه
ابوكم لو سألتم أدما
O people! He is your brother and his father
Is your father, if you consider Adam
إن من يرحم في الأرض اخاً
بائساً يرحمه من في السما
Whoever shows mercy on earth to a
Wretched brother will find mercy in heaven
لكم الدنيا مشاعٌ وله
فاتركوا منها له مقتسما
The world is shared among you all
So leave him some small portion
راثياً عهد صباه منشداً
جادك الغيث إذا الغيث همى
Grieving for his youth, singing
Your rain clouds promised rain when they gathered
والصبا محتضرٌ ينشده
لم يبكي وصلك لا حلما
His youth on its deathbed, he sings to it
He did not cry for your union, not even in a dream
كلما نحنح عن اوجاعه
ارسل الانات من فيه ذمما
Whenever he moaned from his pains
He would choke back his groans
حائراً يبحث عن اماله
فيرى النفس استحالت سأما
Lost, searching for his hopes
He sees his soul has turned to loathing
وهو لولا النفس الباقي لما
طه الرائي سوى احدى الدمى
And were it not for the soul within him
The beholder would see just an inanimate body
اطبق الداء عليه فهوى
طالباً في قبره معتصما
The disease overwhelmed him and he fell
Seeking refuge in his grave, sheltered
ينكر الساجع ان يسجع في
ايكه والفجر ان يبتسما
He refuses to weep in his misery
And dawn refuses to smile
ينكر الليل إذا الليل جلا
قمراً في جوه او انجما
He denies the night when night falls
The moon in its expanse or any stars
ينكر الدنيا كما انكره
اهلها واعتزلوه مسقما
He denies the world as it denied him
His people shunned him, sickened
منعوا عنه الحمى حتى غدت
ساحة الدار عليه حرما
They denied him shelter until
His home became forbidden to him
ويحه اين يداني مضجعاً
ويحه اين يلاقي مطعما
Woe! Where can he find a place to rest?
Woe! Where can he find a meal?
ليته طيرٌ فيأوي وكنةً
ليته عير يسف الحمحما
If only he were a bird that inhabited a nest
If only he were a wild donkey that brays
ليته ما كان فالكائن فيذ
حاله خيرٌ له لو عدما
If only he did not exist, for existing
In this state is better for him than nothingness
ايها الناس اخاكم فابوه
ابوكم لو سألتم أدما
O people! He is your brother and his father
Is your father, if you consider Adam
إن من يرحم في الأرض اخاً
بائساً يرحمه من في السما
Whoever shows mercy on earth to a
Wretched brother will find mercy in heaven
لكم الدنيا مشاعٌ وله
فاتركوا منها له مقتسما
The world is shared among you all
So leave him some small portion
