لَو كانَ حَبل رَجائي غَيرَ مُتَصلٍ

لَو كانَ حَبل رَجائي غَيرَ مُتَصلٍ

بِغَير حلمك بيَن الترك وَالعربِ

بِغَير حلمك بيَن الترك وَالعربِ

If the cord of my hope were not connected

If my rope of hope were not connected

to anything but your forbearance among Turks and Arabs,

To your dream between East and West,

لَما ترقبت مِن دَهري مراجعة

لَما ترقبت مِن دَهري مراجعة

وَلا صَبرت عَلى ما كانَ مِن وَصَب

وَلا صَبرت عَلى ما كانَ مِن وَصَب

I would not have awaited a turn in my fortunes,

I would not have awaited the reversal of my fate,

nor endured the suffering that befell me.

Nor been patient with past tribulations.

بَل كُنت أَقتل نَفسي كَي بقتلتها

بَل كُنت أَقتل نَفسي كَي بقتلتها

أَرتاح مِن أَسَف يَنمو وَمِن نصب

أَرتاح مِن أَسَف يَنمو وَمِن نصب

Rather, I would have killed myself, so that through my death

Rather, I would have killed myself to kill it,

I might find relief from growing sorrow and weariness.

And found rest from ever-growing misery and adversity.

لَكن أَخاف إِذا ما مت مِن حنق

لَكن أَخاف إِذا ما مت مِن حنق

قالوا فُلان مَضى جَهلاً بِلا سَبب

قالوا فُلان مَضى جَهلاً بِلا سَبب

But I fear that, if ever I died of rage,

But I fear that if I die of frustration,

they would say: “So-and-so died foolishly, for no reason.

They will say so-and-so died ignorantly without cause.

هَذا نَزيلُ أَبَرٍّ جودُ راحتِه

هَذا نَزيلُ أَبَرٍّ جودُ راحتِه

مسطَّر لِجَميع الناس في الكُتب

مسطَّر لِجَميع الناس في الكُتب

This man is the guest of a most benevolent man, whose palm's bounty

This is the lodging of the generous whose comfort

is recorded for all people in books.”

Is prescribed for all people in books.

مَولاي ما هَكَذا عَودتني فَكَفى

مَولاي ما هَكَذا عَودتني فَكَفى

ما قَد لَقيت مِن الأَهوال وَالتَعَب

ما قَد لَقيت مِن الأَهوال وَالتَعَب

My lord, this is not what you have accustomed me to; enough

My Lord, You did not accustom me to this, enough

of the terrors and exhaustion I have already endured.

Of what I have encountered of horrors and fatigue.

فَكُل شَخص غَدا في نعمة وَهَنا

فَكُل شَخص غَدا في نعمة وَهَنا

وَزالَ عَنهُ العَنا بل زادَ في الرُتب

وَزالَ عَنهُ العَنا بل زادَ في الرُتب

For everyone now enjoys prosperity and ease,

So every person tomorrow is in prosperity and eminence

and hardship has left him; indeed, he has risen in rank.

And adversity has departed from him, even excelling in rank.

وَها إليك كِتابي جاءَ مُرتَجياً

وَها إليك كِتابي جاءَ مُرتَجياً

يا صاحب الجاه كَشف الضر وَالكرب

يا صاحب الجاه كَشف الضر وَالكرب

And here comes my letter to you, hoping,

And here is my letter coming hopeful

O man of influence, for the lifting of affliction and anguish.

O owner of glory, relieve affliction and distress

فَلا تردَّنَّه يَبكي لخيبته

فَلا تردَّنَّه يَبكي لخيبته

لا زلت لِلخَير تَسعى سَعي مُحتسب

لا زلت لِلخَير تَسعى سَعي مُحتسب

So do not send it back, weeping over its disappointment.

Do not reject it crying for its disappointment

May you ever strive for good as one seeking God's reward.

You still strive to do good as one who is rewarded.

فَأَنتَ خَير أَمير طابَ عنصره

فَأَنتَ خَير أَمير طابَ عنصره

وَحازَ ما رام مِن علم وَمِن أَدَب

وَحازَ ما رام مِن علم وَمِن أَدَب

For you are the finest emir, whose stock is noble,

For you are the best prince of noble descent

and who has attained all he sought of knowledge and refinement.

And have attained the knowledge and manners you sought.