رَأَت رَجُلاً لاقى مِنَ العَيشِ غِبطَةً

رَأَت رَجُلاً لاقى مِنَ العَيشِ غِبطَةً

وَأَخطَأَهُ فيها الأُمورُ العَظائِمُ

وَأَخطَأَهُ فيها الأُمورُ العَظائِمُ

She saw a man who had found good fortune in life,

She saw a man who found happiness in life

And in it, great calamities had passed him by.

Yet great matters evaded him

وَشَبَّ لَهُ فيها بَنونَ وَتوبِعَت

وَشَبَّ لَهُ فيها بَنونَ وَتوبِعَت

سَلامَةُ أَعوامٍ لَهُ وَغَنائِمُ

سَلامَةُ أَعوامٍ لَهُ وَغَنائِمُ

And sons grew up for him in it, and there came in succession

Youth flourished for him and he followed it

Years of safety for him, and spoils.

Years of safety and spoils were for him

فَأَصبَحَ مَحبوراً يُنَظِّرُ حَولَهُ

فَأَصبَحَ مَحبوراً يُنَظِّرُ حَولَهُ

بِمَغبَطَةٍ لَو أَنَّ ذالِكَ دائِمُ

بِمَغبَطَةٍ لَو أَنَّ ذالِكَ دائِمُ

So he became joyful, looking around him,

So he became enraptured, looking around

In enviable happiness—if only that would last.

If only such bliss would last forever

وَعِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لَيسَ عِندَهُ

وَعِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لَيسَ عِندَهُ

فَقُلتُ تَعَلَّم أَنَّما أَنتَ حالِمُ

فَقُلتُ تَعَلَّم أَنَّما أَنتَ حالِمُ

Yet I know of the days what he does not,

And I have from days what he does not have

So I said: know that you are only a dreamer.

So I said, learn that you are but a dreamer

لَعَلَّكِ يَوماً أَن تُراعي بِفاجِعٍ

لَعَلَّكِ يَوماً أَن تُراعي بِفاجِعٍ

كَما راعَني يَومَ النُتاءَةِ سالِمُ

كَما راعَني يَومَ النُتاءَةِ سالِمُ

Perhaps one day you will be stricken by a grievous loss,

Perhaps one day you will be struck with grief

As Salim struck me with grief on the day of al-Nuta'ah.

As I was struck on the day of parting, Salim

يُديرونَني عَن سالِمٍ وَأُديرُهُم

يُديرونَني عَن سالِمٍ وَأُديرُهُم

وَجِلدَةُ بَينَ العَينِ وَالأَنفِ سالِمُ

وَجِلدَةُ بَينَ العَينِ وَالأَنفِ سالِمُ

They turn me away from Salim, and I turn them back,

They turn me from Salim and I turn them

And Salim is the skin between the eye and the nose.

While the skin between the eye and the nose is safe