أَلا مَن لِمَسجونٍ بِغَيرِ جِنايَةٍ

أَلا مَن لِمَسجونٍ بِغَيرِ جِنايَةٍ

يُعَدُّ مِنَ المَوتى وَما حانَ يَومُهُ

يُعَدُّ مِنَ المَوتى وَما حانَ يَومُهُ

Is there no one for a prisoner, guilty of no crime—

Ah, who will help a prisoner held for no crime,

from whom Death takes its toll though his appointed day has not come?

counted among the dead, though his day has not yet come?

يُرَوِّعُهُ عِندَ الصَباحِ اِنتِباهُهُ

يُرَوِّعُهُ عِندَ الصَباحِ اِنتِباهُهُ

وَطوبى لَهُ طالَ وَاِمتَدَّ نَومُهُ

وَطوبى لَهُ طالَ وَاِمتَدَّ نَومُهُ

At morning, his awakening fills him with terror,

His awakening at dawn fills him with dread,

and blessed is he when his sleep is long and stretches on.

and happy is he when his sleep lasts long and lingers.

جَفاهُ بِلا ذَنبٍ أَتاهُ صَديقُهُ

جَفاهُ بِلا ذَنبٍ أَتاهُ صَديقُهُ

وَأَسلَمَهُ لِلهَمِّ وَالحُزنِ قَومُهُ

وَأَسلَمَهُ لِلهَمِّ وَالحُزنِ قَومُهُ

His friend has shunned him for no offense he committed,

His friend shunned him though he had done no wrong,

and his people abandoned him to care and sorrow.

and his people abandoned him to anxiety and sorrow.

وَأَرخَصَ مِنهُ الدَهرُ ما كانَ غالِياً

وَأَرخَصَ مِنهُ الدَهرُ ما كانَ غالِياً

عَلى مُشتَري الأَحزانِ في الناسِ سَومُهُ

عَلى مُشتَري الأَحزانِ في الناسِ سَومُهُ

And Time has cheapened all in him that once was precious;

And time has cheapened what in him was once dear

among men, his value is set for one who would purchase sorrows.

in price to the buyer of sorrows among men.

فَيا اِبنَ الدَوامِيِّ الَّذي جودُ كَفِّهِ

فَيا اِبنَ الدَوامِيِّ الَّذي جودُ كَفِّهِ

عَميمٌ وَفي بَحرِ المَكارِمِ عَومُهُ

عَميمٌ وَفي بَحرِ المَكارِمِ عَومُهُ

So, O son of al-Dawām, whose hand’s generosity

So, O Ibn al-Dawāmī, whose hand’s generosity

is all-embracing, and whose course is through the sea of noble deeds:

is all-embracing, and who swims in the sea of noble deeds:

وَلِيُّكَ ضامَتهُ اللَيالي وَقَد يُرى

وَلِيُّكَ ضامَتهُ اللَيالي وَقَد يُرى

حَراماً عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرِ ضَيمُهُ

حَراماً عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرِ ضَيمُهُ

The nights have wronged his renown, though it may well be deemed

Your friend has been wronged by the nights, though it may be deemed

forbidden for days and Time to do him wrong.

unlawful for the days and time to wrong him.

فَزُر عائِداً مِن يَومُ لُقياكَ عيدُهُ

فَزُر عائِداً مِن يَومُ لُقياكَ عيدُهُ

فَقَد طالَ عَن تِلكَ الوَظيفَةِ صَومُهُ

فَقَد طالَ عَن تِلكَ الوَظيفَةِ صَومُهُ

So visit, as one tending the sick, him whose day of meeting you is his feast;

So visit him as you would the sick—the day he meets you is his feast day;

for his fast from that appointed observance has lasted long.

for his fast from that customary duty has lasted long.

وَقَد كُنتَ قِدماً مُشفِقاً مِن مَلامَةٍ

وَقَد كُنتَ قِدماً مُشفِقاً مِن مَلامَةٍ

فَما بالُهُ قَد هانَ عِندَكَ لَومُهُ

فَما بالُهُ قَد هانَ عِندَكَ لَومُهُ

Of old, you were apprehensive of reproach—

And formerly you were fearful of reproach;

how, then, has his reproach come to weigh so lightly with you?

so how is it that his reproach has become so slight in your eyes?