بِكَ مِن حادِثِ الزَمانِ نَعوذُ

بِكَ مِن حادِثِ الزَمانِ نَعوذُ

وَبِأَبوابِكَ الشِرافِ نَلوذُ

وَبِأَبوابِكَ الشِرافِ نَلوذُ

In you we seek refuge from the calamities of time.

With You we seek refuge from the vicissitudes of time,

And at your noble gates we take shelter.

And in Your noble gates we find sanctuary.

وَلَكَ الأَنعُمُ الَّتي كُلَّ حَدسٍ

وَلَكَ الأَنعُمُ الَّتي كُلَّ حَدسٍ

بَينَنا غَيرَ شُكرِها مَنبوذُ

بَينَنا غَيرَ شُكرِها مَنبوذُ

And yours are favors such that every thought

Yours are the blessings which all thoughts confess

Among us, save gratitude for them, is cast aside.

Save thanklessness for them is cast out amongst us.

يا مَليكاً لِلمالِ مِنهُ نَفادٌ

يا مَليكاً لِلمالِ مِنهُ نَفادٌ

وَلِآرائِهِ الشِرافِ نُفوذُ

وَلِآرائِهِ الشِرافِ نُفوذُ

O king, at whose hands wealth is exhausted,

O King of wealth which fails and thoughts

And whose noble counsels carry force.

Whose nobility penetrates all,

قَد خَلَونا بِمَجلِسٍ كُلُّ ما في

قَد خَلَونا بِمَجلِسٍ كُلُّ ما في

هِ سِوى البُعدُ عَن عُلاكَ لَذيذُ

هِ سِوى البُعدُ عَن عُلاكَ لَذيذُ

We have withdrawn to a gathering; everything in

We are met in a gathering wherein, apart from distance

It is delightful, save the distance from your eminence.

From You, all is delightful.

وَلَدَينا شادٍ وَنَقلٌ وَمَشمو

وَلَدَينا شادٍ وَنَقلٌ وَمَشمو

مُ وَطَيرٌ يُشوى وَخُبزٌ سَميذُ

مُ وَطَيرٌ يُشوى وَخُبزٌ سَميذُ

We have a singer, refreshments, and fragrant

With us are roast meat, desserts and wine -

Flowers, birds roasting, and fine-flour bread.

A bird on the spit, bread well-kneaded, too;

وَغُلامٌ مِنَ النَصارى بِماءِ ال

وَغُلامٌ مِنَ النَصارى بِماءِ ال

حُسنِ قَبلَ اِعتِمادِهِ مَعموذُ

حُسنِ قَبلَ اِعتِمادِهِ مَعموذُ

And a Christian boy, baptized in the water of

And a Christian lad - before baptism -

Beauty before his baptism.

Lovely as water is he.

لَو رَأى لَفظَهُ الرَئيسُ اِبنُ سي

لَو رَأى لَفظَهُ الرَئيسُ اِبنُ سي

نا سَرَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَهُ تِلميذُ

نا سَرَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَهُ تِلميذُ

If the master Ibn Sina saw his words,

The Chief of Sinai's clan, if he saw his speech

He would be delighted to be his pupil.

Would be glad he was his pupil.

قَد أَخَذناهُ مِن ذَويهِ وَلَكِن

قَد أَخَذناهُ مِن ذَويهِ وَلَكِن

كُلُّ قَلبٍ في أَسرِهِ مَأخوذُ

كُلُّ قَلبٍ في أَسرِهِ مَأخوذُ

We have taken him from his kin, yet

We took him from his people, but every heart

Every heart is captured in his thrall.

In its passion is captive.

وَمَسَرّاتُنا تَمامٌ فَما أَع

وَمَسَرّاتُنا تَمامٌ فَما أَع

وَزَ بَينَ الرِفاقِ إِلّا النَبيذُ

وَزَ بَينَ الرِفاقِ إِلّا النَبيذُ

And our pleasures are complete; nothing was

Our pleasures are perfect, so nothing is lacking

Lacking among the companions except wine.

Among comrades save more wine.

أَعوَزَت بَغتَةً فَحالي مَوقو

أَعوَزَت بَغتَةً فَحالي مَوقو

فٌ وَقَلبي لِفَقدِها مَفقوذُ

فٌ وَقَلبي لِفَقدِها مَفقوذُ

It suddenly ran short; my affairs are

That lacked suddenly, so my state is suspended

At a standstill, and my heart is stricken by its loss.

And my heart severed by its absence.

إِن تُساعِد بِها فَكَم مِن أَيادٍ

إِن تُساعِد بِها فَكَم مِن أَيادٍ

لَكَ فِكري لِشُكرِها مَشحوذُ

لَكَ فِكري لِشُكرِها مَشحوذُ

If you help with it—how many are the favors

If you supply it, how many kind acts

Of yours for which my mind is whetted to give thanks!

Will my mind sharpen to thank you!

قَيَّدَت شارِدَ الثَنا لَكَ وَالشُك

قَيَّدَت شارِدَ الثَنا لَكَ وَالشُك

رَ فَما لِلثَناءِ عَنها شُذوذُ

رَ فَما لِلثَناءِ عَنها شُذوذُ

They have tethered to you wandering praise and

It fettered my wandering wits to you, and thanks -

Gratitude; praise cannot stray from them.

So how can praise turn from it?