إلى كم أقود قوماً

إلى كم أقود قوماً

بطاءً إلى ودادي

بطاءً إلى ودادي

How long shall I lead people

To where do I lead a people

who are slow to return my affection?

Slow to my affection?

وأهوى لهمْ دُنوّاً

وأهوى لهمْ دُنوّاً

ويهوَوْنَ لِي بعادِي

ويهوَوْنَ لِي بعادِي

And I long for them to draw near,

Yet I yearn to draw near to them

while they long for me to be far away.

While they shy from my approach.

وأُضحِي لهمْ صديقاً

وأُضحِي لهمْ صديقاً

وما همْ سوى أعادِ

وما همْ سوى أعادِ

And I become their friend,

I make myself their boon companion,

yet they are nothing but enemies.

Yet they are naught but foes.

وأبغِي صلاحَ شأنِي

وأبغِي صلاحَ شأنِي

بمنْ همُّه فسادِي

بمنْ همُّه فسادِي

And I seek to put my affairs right

I seek to mend my ways,

through one whose concern is my ruin.

With those who wish my ruin.

وكم ذا أجود دهرِي

وكم ذا أجود دهرِي

لمن ليس بالجوادِ

لمن ليس بالجوادِ

And how long, through all my days, shall I give

How oft have I spent freely

to one who is not generous?

On those who scarcely give!

أرى معشراً غضاباً

أرى معشراً غضاباً

لأن كنتُ ذا تِلادِ

لأن كنتُ ذا تِلادِ

I see a people angry

I see a sullen people

because I possessed inherited wealth,

Because I have noble birth,

وأنْ كنتُ في الثُريّا

وأنْ كنتُ في الثُريّا

وكانوا ثَرى الوِهادِ

وكانوا ثَرى الوِهادِ

and because I was among the Pleiades,

And I in wealth exulting

while they were the dust of the lowlands.

While they are dust and shards.

ألا طالما رأيتمْ

ألا طالما رأيتمْ

جثومِي على الوِسادِ

جثومِي على الوِسادِ

Indeed, how often you have seen

Have you not seen me oft

me settled upon the cushion.

Reclining on cushions soft,

أنال الهوى ويُلقى

أنال الهوى ويُلقى

إلى راحتِي مُرادِي

إلى راحتِي مُرادِي

I attain my desire, and there is placed

Pursuing passion’s wantonness,

in my palm what I wish for.

My whims demanding,

وأعطي مقادَ قَرْمٍ

وأعطي مقادَ قَرْمٍ

أبيٍّ على القيادِ

أبيٍّ على القيادِ

And I am given the reins of a mighty chief,

Giving the horse his head to run

too proud to be led.

Where craven fear’s forbidden,

وتجرِي إلى الأمانِي

وتجرِي إلى الأمانِي

فلا تلتوِي جِيادي

فلا تلتوِي جِيادي

And they run toward my wishes,

Letting fancies flow uncurbed

so my steeds never turn aside.

No matter how wild the odds,

ولِي منزلٌ حصينٌ

ولِي منزلٌ حصينٌ

مكينٌ من الفؤادِ

مكينٌ من الفؤادِ

And I have an impregnable dwelling,

Taking in a haven secure

secure within the heart.

When fate is prone to chasten-

إذا همّ لِي بلاءٌ

إذا همّ لِي بلاءٌ

فلِي منه ألفُ فادِ

فلِي منه ألفُ فادِ

If an affliction threatens me,

You are a storm-flood’s sweeping waves

then I have a thousand to ransom me from it.

Billowing with pique and envy.

وأنتمْ جُفاءُ سيلٍ

وأنتمْ جُفاءُ سيلٍ

مُطارٍ بخَبْتِ وادِ

مُطارٍ بخَبْتِ وادِ

And you are the scum of a torrent,

Else you are a journey far,

driven across a valley's lowlands.

Endless, with no supplies,

وَإِلّا فَسفرُ دوٍّ

وَإِلّا فَسفرُ دوٍّ

بعيدٍ بغير زادِ

بعيدٍ بغير زادِ

Or else you are travelers in a wilderness,

You roamed at dawn, thirst-stricken,

far away, without provisions.

With no provisions,

سرَوْا في القَواءِ صُبحاً

سرَوْا في القَواءِ صُبحاً

عَطاشى بلا مَزادِ

عَطاشى بلا مَزادِ

They journeyed through the wasteland at dawn,

And wandered the waste by night,

thirsty, without waterskins,

Astray, with no guide!

وجابوا الفَلاةَ ليلاً

وجابوا الفَلاةَ ليلاً

ضلالاً بغير هادِ

ضلالاً بغير هادِ

and crossed the desert by night,

lost, without a guide.