صَفا دَهري لِأَرباب المَلاهي

صَفا دَهري لِأَرباب المَلاهي

فَقدّمهم وَهُم مثلُ الشِياهِ

فَقدّمهم وَهُم مثلُ الشِياهِ

My fortune favored the lords of pleasure,

My youth was for the pleasure seekers

So it advanced them, though they were like sheep,

So they took the prime of life and went ahead

وَأَخَّرنا وَنَحنُ أُسودُ غابٍ

وَأَخَّرنا وَنَحنُ أُسودُ غابٍ

نَجول وَلا نُبالي بِالدَواهي

نَجول وَلا نُبالي بِالدَواهي

And held us back, though we are lions of the forest.

While we were left behind, obscure as the wolves of the forest

We roam, undaunted by calamities.

We roam uncaring for the homes of settled folk

وَحَسبي أَنَّهُ لَما قَلاني

وَحَسبي أَنَّهُ لَما قَلاني

وَعانَدَني توشح بِالسفاه

وَعانَدَني توشح بِالسفاه

And it suffices me that, when it spurned me

It’s enough for me that when he insulted me

And opposed me, it clothed itself in folly,

And was stubbornly confrontational

وَرامَ بِغدره بُعدي وَيَأبى

وَرامَ بِغدره بُعدي وَيَأبى

سِوى قُربي مِن الأَحيا إلهي

سِوى قُربي مِن الأَحيا إلهي

And treacherously sought to send me far away, yet

He intended my absence through his treachery

My God wills only my nearness to the living.

And refused anything but my proximity, my God

وَزادَ بي السُرور فَقُلت أَرخ

وَزادَ بي السُرور فَقُلت أَرخ

نَجَوت مِن العَريش فَزادَ جاهي

نَجَوت مِن العَريش فَزادَ جاهي

And joy grew within me, so I said, 'Record the date:

And it increased my happiness, so I said, let go,

I escaped from al-Arish, and my standing rose.'

I escaped from the throne, and my status increased