مَن مُجيري مِن ظالِم مُستَطيلِ

وَمُعيني عَلى اِقتِضاءِ المُطولِ

Who will protect me from an oppressor of towering height,

And aid me in exacting lengthy retribution?

حَسَنٌ لَيسَ مُحسِناً بِمُحبٍ

وَجَميلٌ ما عِندَهُ مِن جَميلِ

One whose beauty is flawless though he shows no kindness,

And whose charm is peerless though it brings no joy.

لجَ قَلبي بِه وَقَد لَجَّ في الإعراضِ

عَنّي وَلَجَّ فيهِ عَذولي

My heart clings to him though he turns away,

Spurning me, and turns instead to his own fickleness.

أَبَداً ظامىء إِلى خمر ثَغرٍ

ما إِلى سَلسَبيله مِن سَبيلِ

I thirst forever for the wine of his lips

With no path leading me to his sweet spring.

أَبَداً يَرجِعُ الرَسولُ اليهِ

مثل ما عادَ مِن دِمَشقَ رَسولي

The messenger will never return to him

As my envoy returned from Damascus.

مَنعوده الَّذي تَطوَّلت يا مَولاي

بعد المطالِ وَالتَطويل

My delegate whom I sent after long delay -

Oh my Master - and prolonged negotiation

لَم يَكُن عِندَهُ قَبولٌ لتوقيعك

غير التَعظيمِ وَالتَقبيلِ

Found no acceptance from him for your missive

Save reverence and a kiss.

يَعِدونا الوَفاءَ لا بِكَثير

يُسعِدونا منه وَلا بِقَليلِ

They promise us much loyalty but grant us little

To bring us happiness, and nothing at all.

يا كَريمَ الزَمان يا واحدَ

العَصرِ وَخيرَ الوَرى وأَوفى مُسيل

Oh most generous of the age, unique one

Of the time, best of all and most faithful ally,

قَد أَرى الدَهر وَالتنَزُّه وَالجو

سَق عافي الرَسوم خاوي الطُلول

I see Time and the Fates and the days

Have abandoned my dreams, left bare and empty.

وَتَحَيَّزَتُ في الثَناءِ وَقَد كانَ

عَلى ما تَجودُه تَعويلي

And though I sing your praises as I always have,

I depend on your bounty as I always will.