لو أنصف النّاس قالوا أنتُمُ جبلٌ

لو أنصف النّاس قالوا أنتُمُ جبلٌ

يأوِي إليه بنو الإشفاقِ والحَذَرِ

يأوِي إليه بنو الإشفاقِ والحَذَرِ

If people were fair, they would say: You are a mountain

If people were fair they would say, you are a mountain

If people were just, they would say you are a mountain,

where the fearful and wary seek refuge.

To which the gentle and cautious flock.

Where the fearful and the cautious seek refuge.

لولاكُمُ سنداً لي والعدا أَثَري

لولاكُمُ سنداً لي والعدا أَثَري

ما كُنتُ مِن مَكرِهمْ إلّا عَلى غَرَرِ

ما كُنتُ مِن مَكرِهمْ إلّا عَلى غَرَرِ

Were it not for you as my support, with enemies on my trail,

If not for your support, and my foes as game

Had you not been my support while enemies tracked me,

I would have faced nothing but peril from their schemes.

I would be, for their plots, unwary prey.

I would have stood exposed to their deceit.

قَد كُنتُمُ نِلتُمُ ما يَبتَغيهِ لكمْ

قَد كُنتُمُ نِلتُمُ ما يَبتَغيهِ لكمْ

ذَوو المَودّةٍ لولا عائقُ القدرِ

ذَوو المَودّةٍ لولا عائقُ القدرِ

You would indeed have attained what is desired for you

You had what your loving allies hoped for you

You would have attained all that was desired for you

by those who love you, but for the hindrance of fate.

If not for fate blocking the way.

By those of deep affection, were it not for the obstacle of fate.

سَطا عَلى شَملِكُمْ يَوماً فمزّقهُ

سَطا عَلى شَملِكُمْ يَوماً فمزّقهُ

كلَّ التمزّقِ نَبْواتٌ من الغِيَرِ

كلَّ التمزّقِ نَبْواتٌ من الغِيَرِ

One day your unity was assailed and torn apart,

One day it gathered your band then tore it

It struck your union one day, tearing it asunder,

utterly, by blows from the vicissitudes of fortune.

Asunder utterly, unexpected blows.

With utter fragmentation, through the blows of time's vicissitudes.

فَمَن يَكُن عندهُ يا قومُ مُصطَبَرٌ

فَمَن يَكُن عندهُ يا قومُ مُصطَبَرٌ

فإنّني طولَ عمري غيرُ مصطبرِ

فإنّني طولَ عمري غيرُ مصطبرِ

So whoever has patience, O people—

So let whoever among you, my folk, is steadfast

So whoever among you, O people, can find patience,

I, for all my life, am not one to endure.

Know I have never been steadfast, not a day.

I shall remain, for all my life, unable to endure.