جسيمةٌ حمّلها جسيمُ

جسيمةٌ حمّلها جسيمُ

على العظيم يصبر العظيمُ

على العظيم يصبر العظيمُ

A grievous calamity laid upon a mighty man.

A monumental calamity that the stalwart

The mighty man patiently bears the mighty trial.

Bore with stalwart patience

مصيبةٌ خفّ بها الحليمُ

مصيبةٌ خفّ بها الحليمُ

مسكنُها من الفتى الصّميمُ

مسكنُها من الفتى الصّميمُ

A calamity that has shaken the forbearing man,

An affliction that saddened the forbearing

Its dwelling is a young man's inmost heart.

Whose heart was most affected

ليس بها غمضٌ ولا تهويمُ

ليس بها غمضٌ ولا تهويمُ

كأنّها بكرعِكِ الخُرطومُ

كأنّها بكرعِكِ الخُرطومُ

With it there is neither sleep nor dozing,

With no delusion or confusion

As though, when you quaff it, it were fine wine.

As if it were your first setback

رامك من دهرك ما ترومُ

رامك من دهرك ما ترومُ

واِرتُجعَ الرِّفْدُ فمنْ تلومُ

واِرتُجعَ الرِّفْدُ فمنْ تلومُ

What you seek from your fate has sought you.

What fate destines you cannot evade

The gift was reclaimed—whom, then, do you blame?

Though the support is withdrawn, whom can you blame?

مضتْ إِفالٌ وثَوَتْ قُرومُ

مضتْ إِفالٌ وثَوَتْ قُرومُ

وَالبدرُ باقٍ فلتَبن نجومُ

وَالبدرُ باقٍ فلتَبن نجومُ

Young camels have passed away, while mighty sires remain.

Eras have passed, dynasties crumbled

And the full moon remains, so let the stars depart.

Yet the moon remains, so let the stars dissolve

فلتسلُ عنه إنّك السَّليمُ

فلتسلُ عنه إنّك السَّليمُ

ساوَى السخيَّ في الرّدى اللّئيمُ

ساوَى السخيَّ في الرّدى اللّئيمُ

So be consoled for his loss; you are the one spared.

Stop complaining, for you are the healthy one

In death, the base man equals the generous man.

The generous and mean perish alike

وذاقه المرزوق والمحروم

وذاقه المرزوق والمحروم

نحن على طرق الرّدى جُثومُ

نحن على طرق الرّدى جُثومُ

Both the well-provided and the deprived have tasted it.

Both the prosperous and destitute have tasted it

We crouch upon the roads of death,

While we sit resigned to our fate

ونحوه الإيجافُ والرّسيمُ

ونحوه الإيجافُ والرّسيمُ

لولا الرّدى وإنّه الهَجومُ

لولا الرّدى وإنّه الهَجومُ

And toward it go both gallop and trot.

And to it blow the winds and gentle breezes

Were it not for death—that sudden assailant—

Without fate's onslaught and fierce attack

ما شمتتْ بناتجٍ عقيمُ

ما شمتتْ بناتجٍ عقيمُ

ولا اِستوى الصّحيحُ والسّقيمُ

ولا اِستوى الصّحيحُ والسّقيمُ

The barren would not gloat over the fruitful,

No barren women would have gloated over our state

Nor would the healthy and the sick be equal.

Nor the healthy equated with the sick

الموتُ داءٌ للورى قديمُ

الموتُ داءٌ للورى قديمُ

سِيطَ به الممدوحُ والمذمومُ

سِيطَ به الممدوحُ والمذمومُ

Death is an age-old disease of humankind.

Death is an ancient malady of mankind

It mingles the praised and the blamed together.

That has equally seized the praised and blamed

ما عنه تعريجٌ ولا تحويمُ

ما عنه تعريجٌ ولا تحويمُ

وليس تأخيرٌ ولا تقديمُ

وليس تأخيرٌ ولا تقديمُ

There is no turning aside from it, no circling around it,

With no twisting or turning against it

And no delaying it or bringing it forward.

Neither postponement nor advancement

لا تَشكُوَنْ وغيرُك المظلومُ

لا تَشكُوَنْ وغيرُك المظلومُ

كلٌّ بما لاقيتَهُ أميمُ

كلٌّ بما لاقيتَهُ أميمُ

Do not complain when another is the one wronged.

Do not complain while others are wronged

All are wounded by what you have suffered.

For what each faces is a test

صبراً وإِنْ أوجعتِ الكُلومُ

صبراً وإِنْ أوجعتِ الكُلومُ

ولْتَنأَ عن جانبك الهمومُ

ولْتَنأَ عن جانبك الهمومُ

Be patient, though the wounds cause pain,

Have patience though the pain splits your bones

And let cares stay far from your side.

And turn your cares away for a time

ففي البلاءِ يُعرفُ الكريمُ

ففي البلاءِ يُعرفُ الكريمُ

خيرٌ من الزّائل ما يدومُ

خيرٌ من الزّائل ما يدومُ

For in adversity the noble man is known.

For crises reveal the noble ones

What endures is better than what passes away.

Better lasting than vanishing bounty

لك النّعيمُ إِنْ يَفُتْ حميمُ

لك النّعيمُ إِنْ يَفُتْ حميمُ

لا كان منك جانبٌ مثلومُ

لا كان منك جانبٌ مثلومُ

May bliss be yours, even if a loved one is lost.

You have bliss if intimacy is missed

May no part of you be broken,

If you've known no injustice or gloom

ولا مشتْ في صدرك الغُمومُ

ولا مشتْ في صدرك الغُمومُ

ولا عراك القَدَرُ الغَشومُ

ولا عراك القَدَرُ الغَشومُ

Nor may sorrows walk within your breast,

Or clouds of worry passed through your heart

Nor may ruthless fate assail you.

Or a hostile fate assailed you

سقى ثراه الهاطلُ السَّجومُ

سقى ثراه الهاطلُ السَّجومُ

وجادَه هَيْدَبُه المركومُ

وجادَه هَيْدَبُه المركومُ

May the pouring, streaming rain water his grave's soil,

Its downpour quenched his soil

And may its massed, trailing fringes drench it,

Its destined bounty amassed

وَاِعتُصِرتْ في قبره الغيومُ

وَاِعتُصِرتْ في قبره الغيومُ

ففيه نجمٌ ثاقبٌ مقيمُ

ففيه نجمٌ ثاقبٌ مقيمُ

And may the clouds be wrung out into his grave,

And clouds wrung out their rain over his grave

For within it dwells a piercingly bright star.

For in it lies an eternal bright star