قالَ السَماءُ كَئيبَةٌ وَتَجَهَّما

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم يَكفي التَجَهّمُ في السَما

The sky said gloomy and frowning

He said: "The sky is gloomy," and he scowled.

I said smile, frowning is enough in the sky

I said: "Smile! It is enough that the sky frowns."

قالَ الصِبا وَلّى فَقُلتُ لَهُ اِبتَسِم

لَن يُرجِعَ الأَسَفُ الصِبا المُتَصَرِّما

The morning breeze turned away so I told it smile

He said: "Youth has passed away," so I said to him: "Smile!"

Sorrow will not bring back the fleeing morning breeze

"Sorrow will not bring back vanished youth."

قالَ الَّتي كانَت سَمائِيَ في الهَوى

صارَت لِنَفسِيَ في الغَرامِ جَهَنَّما

She who was my sky in love

He said: "She who was my heaven in love,"

Became hell for my soul in passion

"Has become a hell for my soul within my passion."

خانَت عُهودي بَعدَما مَلَّكتُها

قَلبي فَكَيفَ أُطيقُ أَن أَتَبَسَّما

She betrayed my vows after I gave her

"She betrayed my vows after I had granted her"

My heart so how can I bear to smile

"Possession of my heart, so how can I bear to smile?"

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم وَاِطرَب فَلَو قارَنتَها

قَضَّيتَ عُمرَكَ كُلَّهُ مُتَأَلِّما

I said smile and take joy for if you compared her

I said: "Smile and rejoice, for had you analyzed it,"

You'd spend your whole life suffering

"You would have spent your entire life in suffering."

قالَ التِجارَةُ في صِراعٍ هائِلٍ

مِثلُ المُسافِرِ كادَ يَقتُلَهُ الظَما

Commerce said in tremendous conflict

He said: "Trade is in a terrible struggle,"

Like a traveler, it almost killed him thirst

"Like a traveler nearly killed by thirst,"

أَو غادَةٍ مَسلولَةٍ مُحتاجَةٍ

لِدَمٍ وَتَنفُثُ كُلَما لَهَثَت دَما

Or an injured she-camel needing

"Or like a consumptive young woman in need"

Blood and snorting blood whenever she pants

"Of blood, who coughs up blood with every gasp."

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم ما أَنتَ جالِبَ دائِها

وَشِفائِها فَإِذا اِبتَسَمتَ فَرُبَّما

I said smile, you're not the one who caused her affliction

I said: "Smile! You are not the cause of its disease,"

And cure so if you smile maybe

"Nor its cure; yet if you smile, perhaps..."

أَيَكونُ غَيرُكَ مُجرِماً وَتَبيتُ في

وَجَلٍ كَأَنَّكَ أَنتَ صِرتَ المُجرِما

Another is the criminal and you spend the night in

"Shall another be the criminal, while you spend the night"

Dread as if you had become the criminal

"In dread, as though you had become the criminal?"

قالَ العِدى حَولي عَلَت صَيحاتُهُم

أَأُسَرُّ وَالأَعداءُ حَولِيَ الحِمى

The enemies said their screams around me grew

He said: "The shouts of enemies rise around me;"

Shall I be happy and the foes around me ablaze?

"Can I be happy when enemies besiege my sanctuary?"

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم لَم يَطلُبوكَ بِذَمِّهِم

لَو لَم تَكُن مِنهُم أَجَلَّ وَأَعظَما

I said smile, they did not seek you with their blame

I said: "Smile! They would not have sought you out with slander"

If you were not from them loftier and greater

"Had you not been greater and more magnificent than them."

قالَ المَواسِمُ قَد بَدَت أَعلامُها

وَتَعَرَّضَت لي في المَلابِسِ وَالدُمى

The seasons said their signs appeared

He said: "The signs of the festive seasons have appeared,"

And they flaunted themselves to me in clothes and finery

"Displaying themselves to me in garments and toys,"

وَعَلَيَّ لِلأَحبابِ فَرضٌ لازِمٌ

لَكِنَّ كَفّي لَيسَ تَملُكُ دِرهَما

And I have an obligation to friends

"And I have a binding duty toward my loved ones,"

But my hand cannot afford a single coin

"But my hand possesses not a single coin."

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم يَكفيكَ أَنَّكَ لَم تَزَل

حَيّاً وَلَستَ مِنَ الأَحِبَّةِ مُعدَما

I said smile, it's enough you have not yet

I said: "Smile! It suffices that you are still"

Become bereft of loved ones

"Alive, and you are not bereft of loved ones."

قالَ اللَيالي جَرَّعَتني عَلقَماً

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم وَلَئِن جَرَعتَ العَلقَما

The nights made me swallow bitterness

He said: "The nights have forced me to drink bitterness."

I said smile, and if you swallowed bitterness

I said: "Smile! Even if you have swallowed bitterness,"

فَلَعَلَّ غَيرَكَ إِن رَآكَ مُرَنَّماً

طَرَحَ الكَآبَةَ جانِباً وَتَرَنَّما

Perhaps someone else, seeing you singing,

"For perhaps another, seeing you singing,"

Would cast aside gloom and sing

"Will cast gloom aside and sing along."

أَتُراكَ تَغنَمُ بِالتَبَرُّمِ دِرهَماً

أَم أَنتَ تَخسَرُ بِالبَشاشَةِ مَغنَما

Do you think frowning earns a coin

"Do you think you gain a coin by grumbling?"

While smiling results in losing a profit?

"Or do you lose a prize by being cheerful?"

يا صاحِ لا خَطَرٌ عَلى شَفَتَيكَ أَن

تَتَلَثَّما وَالوَجهِ أَن يَتَحَطَّما

O my friend, no harm if your lips

"O friend, there is no danger that your lips"

Mumble and your face crumples

"Will crack, nor that your face will shatter."

فَاِضحَك فَإِنَّ الشُهبَ تَضحَكُ وَالدُجى

مُتَلاطِمٌ وَلِذا نُحِبُّ الأَنجُما

So laugh for the stars laugh and the darkness

"So laugh, for the stars laugh while the darkness"

Is tumbling so we love the stars

"Clashes around them; and for this, we love the stars."

قالَ البَشاشَةُ لَيسَ تُسعِدُ كائِناً

يَأتي إِلى الدُنيا وَيَذهَبُ مُرغَما

Joy said it does not make happy one

He said: "Cheerfulness does not bring happiness to a being"

Who comes to the world and leaves compelled

"Who comes into the world and leaves it against his will."

قُلتُ اِبتَسِم ما دامَ بَينَكَ وَالرَدى

شِبرٌ فَإِنَّكَ بَعدُ لَن تَتَبَسَّما

I said smile, as long as between you and demise

I said: "Smile! As long as between you and death"

Lies a handspan for then you'll smile no more

"There is but a hand's span, for afterwards you will not smile."