سلاماً على الإخوان حلّوا بقريتي

سلاماً على الإخوان حلّوا بقريتي

وفوداً بأوفى ذمة ويمينِ

وفوداً بأوفى ذمة ويمينِ

Greetings of peace to the brothers who came to stay in my village,

Greetings to the brethren who came to my village,

arriving as delegations under the truest covenant and oath.

as delegations, with the truest pledge and oath.

وسقياً لساعات هي الدهر كله

وسقياً لساعات هي الدهر كله

وأحسن أحلامي وخير ديوني

وأحسن أحلامي وخير ديوني

May those hours be watered with blessing—they were all of eternity,

And may rain bless those hours—they are all of time,

the loveliest of my dreams and the best of my debts.

and the finest of my dreams and the best of my debts.

أيجمع حيّي كلَّ أهلي وجيرتي

أيجمع حيّي كلَّ أهلي وجيرتي

وسائر أحبابي ولم يجدوني

وسائر أحبابي ولم يجدوني

Does my neighborhood gather all my family and neighbors,

Does my neighborhood gather all my kin and neighbors,

and all my other loved ones, yet fail to find me?

and the rest of my loved ones, though they have not found me?

وهل ذكروني عند شملٍ مؤلفٍ

وهل ذكروني عند شملٍ مؤلفٍ

وهل سألوا عن علتي وشجوني

وهل سألوا عن علتي وشجوني

Did they remember me when the scattered company was reunited?

And did they remember me when their company was reunited?

Did they ask about my illness and my sorrows?

And did they ask about my illness and my sorrows?

وإني موفِّي كلَّ خلٍّ نصيبَهُ

وإني موفِّي كلَّ خلٍّ نصيبَهُ

وإن يَسْلُ عَنّي من هوى وحنين

وإن يَسْلُ عَنّي من هوى وحنين

I shall give every friend his full share,

And I indeed give every friend his full share,

even if he forgets me, of love and longing.

of love and longing, even if he forgets me.

وكان شفائي أن أراهم مسلماً

وكان شفائي أن أراهم مسلماً

سلام التلاقي والوادع لحين

سلام التلاقي والوادع لحين

My cure was to see them, offering them

And my cure was to see them, offering

the greeting of reunion—and of one taking leave for a while.

the greeting of reunion and farewell for a time.

ولو أنني كنت السجين لكان لي

ولو أنني كنت السجين لكان لي

إليهم من الأيام عذر سجين

إليهم من الأيام عذر سجين

Had I been a prisoner, I would have had,

And had I been a prisoner, I would have had

in their eyes, from fate, a prisoner's excuse.

a prisoner's excuse to offer them, given by fate.

ولو أنهم في نأيهم هان أمرهم

ولو أنهم في نأيهم هان أمرهم

ولكنهم كانوا أمام عيوني

ولكنهم كانوا أمام عيوني

Had their distance made their concern weigh lightly upon me—

And had they been far away, their conduct would have been easier to bear,

but they were always before my eyes.

but they were before my eyes.

وما افتقد الداعي ضحى اليوم جاره

وما افتقد الداعي ضحى اليوم جاره

ولا سأل المدعوُّ أين قريني

ولا سأل المدعوُّ أين قريني

The host did not miss his neighbor this morning,

And the host did not miss his neighbor this morning,

nor did the invited guest ask, “Where is my companion?”

nor did the guest ask, 'Where is my companion?'

وهل سره تكريمه في محافل

وهل سره تكريمه في محافل

خلت من رسالاتي وطيب فنوني

خلت من رسالاتي وطيب فنوني

Did being honored at gatherings delight him

And did it please him to be honored at gatherings

when they were empty of my messages and the sweetness of my art?

empty of my messages and the sweetness of my arts?

إذا ضاع قدري عند جاري وصاحبي

إذا ضاع قدري عند جاري وصاحبي

فهل أنا في هند أراه وصين

فهل أنا في هند أراه وصين

If my worth goes unrecognized by my neighbor and my friend,

If my worth is lost on my neighbor and my friend,

shall I see it recognized in India and China?

then can I find it in India and China?