صَحِبنا في بَطالَتِهِ سَعيداً

صَحِبنا في بَطالَتِهِ سَعيداً

وَأَخلَصنا المَوَدَّةَ وَاِجتَهَدنا

وَأَخلَصنا المَوَدَّةَ وَاِجتَهَدنا

We kept Sa'id company while he held no post,

Our companion was happy in his leisure

and were sincere in our affection and did our utmost.

And we were sincere in affection and exerted ourselves

وَقُلنا نَرتَجيكَ إِذا اِرتَضاهُ ال

وَقُلنا نَرتَجيكَ إِذا اِرتَضاهُ ال

خَليفَةُ لِلعُلى سَكَناً وَخِدنا

خَليفَةُ لِلعُلى سَكَناً وَخِدنا

And we said, 'We place our hopes in you,' when the

And we said we hope for you, when approved by the Caliph

caliph chose him as an abode and companion for glory.

As an abode and refuge sublime

وَكَم أَمَلٍ بِخِدمَتِهِ عَدَقنا

وَكَم أَمَلٍ بِخِدمَتِهِ عَدَقنا

وَعَقدٍ بِالوَلاءِ لَهُ عَقَدنا

وَعَقدٍ بِالوَلاءِ لَهُ عَقَدنا

And how many a hope we pinned on serving him,

And how much hope we had in serving him

and how many a bond of loyalty to him we tied!

And covenants of loyalty to him we made

وَكانَ لَنا دُنوٌّ وَاِقتِرابٌ

وَكانَ لَنا دُنوٌّ وَاِقتِرابٌ

لَديهِ فَمُنذُ قَدَّمَهُ بَعُدنا

لَديهِ فَمُنذُ قَدَّمَهُ بَعُدنا

And we had nearness and closeness

And we had closeness and approach to him

to him; but since the caliph promoted him, we have grown distant.

But since he was promoted, he distanced us

تَجَهَّمَ ما عَهِدنا مِنهُ طَلقاً

تَجَهَّمَ ما عَهِدنا مِنهُ طَلقاً

وَأَصبَحَ عابِساً ما كانَ لَدنا

وَأَصبَحَ عابِساً ما كانَ لَدنا

What we had known as cheerful in him turned grim,

The amiability we knew in him vanished

and what had been gentle became scowling.

And he became frowning, not as he was with us before

وَصِرنا إِن أَرَدناهُ لِأَمرٍ

وَصِرنا إِن أَرَدناهُ لِأَمرٍ

وَوافَيناهُ خالَفَ ما أَرَدنا

وَوافَيناهُ خالَفَ ما أَرَدنا

And it came to this: if we sought him for some matter

And we, if we wanted him for something

and came to see him, he opposed what we wanted.

And came to him, he opposed what we wanted

فَيَمنَعُنا العَطاءَ إِذا سَأَلنا

فَيَمنَعُنا العَطاءَ إِذا سَأَلنا

وَيَنقُصُنا إِذا نَحنُ اِستَزَدنا

وَيَنقُصُنا إِذا نَحنُ اِستَزَدنا

So he denies us gifts when we ask,

So he prevents us gifts when we ask

and gives us less when we ask for more.

And diminishes us when we seek increase

رُمينا مِن سَعادَتِهِ بِنَحسٍ

رُمينا مِن سَعادَتِهِ بِنَحسٍ

فَلو قُضِيَ النَحوسُ لَهُ سَعِدنا

فَلو قُضِيَ النَحوسُ لَهُ سَعِدنا

We were struck with ill luck through his good fortune;

We were cast from his good fortune with ill luck

so, had misfortune been decreed for him, we would have prospered.

If only his ill luck were gone, we'd be fortunate

فَكَيفَ لَنا بِصَرفٍ وَاِنقِطاعٍ

فَكَيفَ لَنا بِصَرفٍ وَاِنقِطاعٍ

فَنَصدُرَ مُدبِرينَ كَما وَرَدنا

فَنَصدُرَ مُدبِرينَ كَما وَرَدنا

So how can we obtain release and a severing of ties,

How can we politely withdraw and break away

and depart, turning our backs, just as we came?

And leave declining as we came

وَلا عادَ الزَمانُ لَنا بِعَطفٍ

وَلا عادَ الزَمانُ لَنا بِعَطفٍ

مَتى صَحَّ الخِلافُ لَنا فَعُدنا

مَتى صَحَّ الخِلافُ لَنا فَعُدنا

And may time never again turn kindly toward us

And time will not turn to us in kindness

if, once his opposition to us is clear, we return.

When disagreement with us becomes clear, we'll return