غشي الليل أم جلا؟

لست أدري بما تلا

Has the night overwhelmed, or has it cleared away?

I know not what has followed in its wake.

قد مضى العام مدبرا

وأتى العام مقبلا

The year has passed, turning its back to flee,

And the new year has come, approaching steadily.

وهوى العام كوكبا

بشرار مذيلا

The year has plummeted like a falling star,

Trailing a tail of scattered sparks.

ساء مساء في الأخيـ

ـر، وأن سر أولا

It brought misery in its final days,

Though it brought joy when it first began.

جد كالثوب واعترا

هـ على اللابس البلى

It was new like a fresh garment, then decay

Seized it upon the wearer, tearing it to shreds.

وسقى الناس غب حلـ

ـواه سما فجدلا

And it gave the people, after its initial sweetness,

A poison that struck them dead to the ground.

مجمل القول أنه

كان حولا محولا

The sum of the matter is that it was

A year of barren desolation.

أيها العام سؤت فيـ

ـنا مقاما ومرحلا

O year, you were wretched in your stay among us,

Both in your residence and in your departure.

لم تكن مجملا فخذ

عني العتب مجملا

You were not gracious, so receive from me now

This blame, delivered in its entirety.

أنا بالرغم منك لم

أنو إلا التحملا

I, despite your malice, did not intend

Anything other than steadfast endurance.

عل في عامنا الجد

يد مفازا مؤملا

Perhaps in this, our new year, there lies

A hoped-for triumph and escape.

جل من ركب ابن آ

دم جسما وعدلا

Exalted is He who composed the son of Adam,

Fashioning his body and balancing his form.

برأ العقل جوهرا

بالمعاني موكلا

He created the intellect as a pure essence,

Entrusted with the grasp of deep meanings.

وطوى الغيب دونه

فتقفى وأولا

Yet He veiled the Unseen from his sight,

So man tracks traces and interprets signs.

غم تدبيره على

كل عبد وأشكلا

His divine planning remains obscured from

Every servant, appearing ambiguous and dark.

أيها الزائر الذي

لا أرى عنه معدلا

O visitor, from whom I see

No path of avoidance or escape,

إن تصنا فمرحبا

أو تنكل بنافلا

If you protect us, then you are welcome,

But if you bring torment, then begone!