مَن مُجيري مِن ظالِم مُستَطيلِ

مَن مُجيري مِن ظالِم مُستَطيلِ

وَمُعيني عَلى اِقتِضاءِ المُطولِ

وَمُعيني عَلى اِقتِضاءِ المُطولِ

Who will protect me from an overbearing oppressor,

Who will protect me from an oppressor of towering height,

and help me exact payment from the stalling debtor?

And aid me in exacting lengthy retribution?

حَسَنٌ لَيسَ مُحسِناً بِمُحبٍ

حَسَنٌ لَيسَ مُحسِناً بِمُحبٍ

وَجَميلٌ ما عِندَهُ مِن جَميلِ

وَجَميلٌ ما عِندَهُ مِن جَميلِ

He is handsome, but shows no kindness to a lover,

One whose beauty is flawless though he shows no kindness,

and beautiful, yet has no kindness to give.

And whose charm is peerless though it brings no joy.

لجَ قَلبي بِه وَقَد لَجَّ في الإعراضِ

لجَ قَلبي بِه وَقَد لَجَّ في الإعراضِ

عَنّي وَلَجَّ فيهِ عَذولي

عَنّي وَلَجَّ فيهِ عَذولي

My heart clung stubbornly to him, while he persisted in turning away

My heart clings to him though he turns away,

from me, and my reprover persisted in reproaching me over him.

Spurning me, and turns instead to his own fickleness.

أَبَداً ظامىء إِلى خمر ثَغرٍ

أَبَداً ظامىء إِلى خمر ثَغرٍ

ما إِلى سَلسَبيله مِن سَبيلِ

ما إِلى سَلسَبيله مِن سَبيلِ

Forever thirsty for the wine of lips,

I thirst forever for the wine of his lips

with no path to their Salsabil.

With no path leading me to his sweet spring.

أَبَداً يَرجِعُ الرَسولُ اليهِ

أَبَداً يَرجِعُ الرَسولُ اليهِ

مثل ما عادَ مِن دِمَشقَ رَسولي

مثل ما عادَ مِن دِمَشقَ رَسولي

The messenger to him always returns

The messenger will never return to him

just as my messenger returned from Damascus.

As my envoy returned from Damascus.

مَنعوده الَّذي تَطوَّلت يا مَولاي

مَنعوده الَّذي تَطوَّلت يا مَولاي

بعد المطالِ وَالتَطويل

بعد المطالِ وَالتَطويل

His [unclear word], concerning which you showed favor, my lord,

My delegate whom I sent after long delay -

after stalling and prolonged delay:

Oh my Master - and prolonged negotiation

لَم يَكُن عِندَهُ قَبولٌ لتوقيعك

لَم يَكُن عِندَهُ قَبولٌ لتوقيعك

غير التَعظيمِ وَالتَقبيلِ

غير التَعظيمِ وَالتَقبيلِ

your signed order found no acceptance with him

Found no acceptance from him for your missive

beyond reverence and kissing.

Save reverence and a kiss.

يَعِدونا الوَفاءَ لا بِكَثير

يَعِدونا الوَفاءَ لا بِكَثير

يُسعِدونا منه وَلا بِقَليلِ

يُسعِدونا منه وَلا بِقَليلِ

They promise us fulfillment; neither with much

They promise us much loyalty but grant us little

of it do they gladden us, nor with little.

To bring us happiness, and nothing at all.

يا كَريمَ الزَمان يا واحدَ

يا كَريمَ الزَمان يا واحدَ

العَصرِ وَخيرَ الوَرى وأَوفى مُسيل

العَصرِ وَخيرَ الوَرى وأَوفى مُسيل

O generous one of the times, O peerless one

Oh most generous of the age, unique one

of the age, best of mankind, most generous pourer of bounty!

Of the time, best of all and most faithful ally,

قَد أَرى الدَهر وَالتنَزُّه وَالجو

قَد أَرى الدَهر وَالتنَزُّه وَالجو

سَق عافي الرَسوم خاوي الطُلول

سَق عافي الرَسوم خاوي الطُلول

Indeed I see time, recreation, and the pavilion—

I see Time and the Fates and the days

its traces effaced, its ruins empty.

Have abandoned my dreams, left bare and empty.

وَتَحَيَّزَتُ في الثَناءِ وَقَد كانَ

وَتَحَيَّزَتُ في الثَناءِ وَقَد كانَ

عَلى ما تَجودُه تَعويلي

عَلى ما تَجودُه تَعويلي

And I have withdrawn into praise, though

And though I sing your praises as I always have,

my reliance had been upon what you generously bestow.

I depend on your bounty as I always will.