تردَّيْتُ في دَرْكٍ رهيبٍ مُعَسْعِسٍ
فلم يَلقَني فيه سوى الشَّنآنِ!
I wandered in a terrible, gloomy prison
Where I was met with nothing but hostility!
سوى زُمُرَةٍ تَطْوي على الشَّرِّ أضْلُعاً
بكلَّ مكانِ في الدُّنَّى.. وزمانِ!
Except for a group twisting their ribs toward evil
In every place in this world.. and time!
ويبدو بها الشيطان جذلان راضياً
فقد كَسِبَ الشَّيطانُ كل رَهَانِ!
And through them Satan appears happy and content
For Satan has won every bet!
فقُلْتُ لِنَفْسي بعد أن ساءَ مَنْزِلي
لِيَ الوَيْلُ مِمَّا يكَتُبُ المَلَكانِ!
So I said to myself after my dwelling worsened
Woe to me from what the two angels record!
لي الوَيْلُ بالرَّهطِ الذين تَسَرْبَلوا
بآثامِهمْ من شَهْوَةٍ ودِنانِ!
Woe to me for the company who dressed
In their sins of desire and greed!
أأَمْكُثُ في الدَّرْكِ المَهيَنِ مُجَلَّلاً
بعاري . وفِكْري مُوثَقٌ وجِناني؟!
Shall I remain in this disgraceful prison shackled
In shame? While my thoughts and madness bind me?!
وناَديتُ باسْم الله أُرْسلُ مَدمَعي..
شفيعاً إليه من قَذًى وهَوانِ!
And I called in the name of God, I send forth my tears..
Pleading to Him from anguish and humiliation!
فأبْصرْتُ نُوراً أشَعَّ بَيْن دُجُنَّةٍ
ومن خَلْفِهِ أَبْصَرْتُ طَيْفَ حَنانِ!
Then I saw a light shine through the darkness
And behind it I saw the specter of tenderness!
يقول : ألا أصْعَدْ مِن هنا غَيْرَ خائِفٍ
فأنْتَ بِمَنْأىّ عن أَذًى ولعانِ!
Saying: Shall I not ascend from here without fear
For you are safe from harm and curses!
نجَوْتَ بأيمانٍ رَكينٍ.. فلا تَعُدْ
بِقَلْبٍ غَوِيٍّ للِهوى. ولِسانِ!
You were saved by confident faith.. so do not return
With a misguided heart to passion. And the tongue!
وإلاَّ فما للرُّوحِ سوى اللَّظى
سوى كلًّ سْيفٍ صارمٍ. وسِنانِ!
Otherwise the soul has nothing but agony
Nothing but each unsheathed, sharpened sword. And fang!
فقُلْتُ معاذَ الله أَنْ أَدعَ الهوى
يَقُودُ رِكابي في السُّرى . وعِناني!
So I said, I seek refuge in God that I leave desire
To lead my mount in the pathways. And my reigns!
فَحَسْبي مِن البأْساءِ ما قد لَقِيتُهُ..
وحَسْبي الذي أَشْقى مِن النَّزَوانِ
I have had my fill of tribulations from what I have faced..
And I have had my fill of what makes me more miserable than punishment
لقِيتُ من الشَّيطانِ كُلَّ غِواَيةٍ
ولاقَيْتُ رُشْدي الصَّفْو من بارئي الحاني!
I have faced from Satan every temptation
And I have faced my pure, rightful guidance from my Kind Maker!
فهذا ضَميري لاهِجٌ بِهِباتِهِ
كَشَدْوِ يَراعي مُخْيِتاً.. وبَناني!
So this is my conscience fervently roaring
Like a lover engrossed in song.. and flutes!
دِنانٌ وما أَهفو لِشُرْبِ رَحِيقِها
وقد شِبْتُ . أو أهفو لِحُسْن غَواني!
Passions and how I yearn to drink its wine
When I have grown old! Or yearn for the beauty of youth!
عقَقْتُ الغَواني والحِسانَ. ورَدَّني
عن الَّلهْوِ أنَّ الجِدَّ منه ثناني!
I have severed ties with passions and flirts. And turned me
Away from vanity that seriousness has scolded me!
شَجاني ضَلالي في الشَّبابِ فَساءَني
وسَرَّ مَشِيبي الرُّشْدُ حِين شَجاني!
My misguidance in youth was injurious so it saddened me
And my elder prudence made me happy when it hurt me!
