كَم ذَا التَّجَنِّي وكثرةُ العِلَلِ

كَم ذَا التَّجَنِّي وكثرةُ العِلَلِ

لا تأمنُوا من حَوادِث المَلَلِ

لا تأمنُوا من حَوادِث المَلَلِ

How long this unjust blame and all these excuses?

How much pleading and how many ailments,

Do not feel secure against the vagaries of weariness.

Do not feel too safe from the strikes of time,

ولا تقُولوا صَبٌّ بنا كَلِفٌ

ولا تقُولوا صَبٌّ بنا كَلِفٌ

فأوَّلُ اليأسِ آخِرُ الأَملِ

فأوَّلُ اليأسِ آخِرُ الأَملِ

And do not say, "He is lovesick, infatuated with us."

And do not say hardships have overwhelmed us,

For the beginning of despair is the end of hope.

For despair is the end of all hope.

ولستُ ممن يُريد شَقَّ عَصاً

ولستُ ممن يُريد شَقَّ عَصاً

الذّنبُ ذَنبي والحبُّ يَشفعُ لِي

الذّنبُ ذَنبي والحبُّ يَشفعُ لِي

Nor am I one who seeks to split the staff of unity.

And I am not one who wishes to split a rod in two,

The fault is mine, and love intercedes for me.

The sin is my sin, and love intercedes for me,

هبُونِيَ اخطَأتُ عَامِداً فهَبُوا

هبُونِيَ اخطَأتُ عَامِداً فهَبُوا

خَجْلَةَ عُذْري مَا كَان مِن زَلَلِي

خَجْلَةَ عُذْري مَا كَان مِن زَلَلِي

Suppose I erred deliberately; then pardon,

Excuse me, I have erred intentionally, so excuse

for my shamefaced apology's sake, whatever lapses were mine.

The embarrassment of my apology for my missteps.

واغتَنِمُوا القربَ قبلَ يفَجؤُنَا ال

واغتَنِمُوا القربَ قبلَ يفَجؤُنَا ال

بينُ فكُلٌّ مِنهُ علَى وَجَلِ

بينُ فكُلٌّ مِنهُ علَى وَجَلِ

And make the most of closeness before we are surprised by the

And seize the chance before the appointed time surprises us,

parting—for everyone is in dread of it.

For each of us lives in fear and apprehension.