ياO غائباًabsent one لمdid not تغبbe absent عنيfrom me مكارمهhis noble deeds
يا غائباً لم تغب عني مكارمه
فالجودfor generosity مفترةٌparted in smiles عنديin my presence مباسمهُits smiling lips
فالجود مفترةٌ عندي مباسمهُ
O absent one, whose noble deeds have not been absent from me,
O you who were never absent from me, your virtues
for generosity's smiling lips are parted in my presence.
Generosity is a habit for me, its smiles
يكفيكit suffices you أنيthat I am سقيمsick القلبthe heart مدنفهُgravely afflicted in it
يكفيك أني سقيم القلب مدنفهُ
شوقاًout of longing وأنيand that I am صحيحsound الجسمthe body سالمهُhealthy in it
شوقاً وأني صحيح الجسم سالمهُ
It is enough for you that I am sick at heart, sorely afflicted
It is enough that my heart is lovesick, longing
with longing, yet sound and healthy in body.
My body is healthy and well, though my heart aches
عادتreturned لوائمُfemale reproachers وجديmy ardent love فيكfor you خائبةًdisappointed
عادت لوائمُ وجدي فيك خائبةً
عنيfrom me وكلُّand every وجدٍpassion خابfailed لائمهُits reproacher
عني وكلُّ وجدٍ خاب لائمهُ
The women who chide my love for you have returned disappointed
My love for you returns disappointed
from me; and every passion's reproacher meets with failure.
And all love that disappoints is blamable
فياso O بنيsons of الجودgenerosity هبُّواrouse yourselves منfrom منامكمُyour sleep
فيا بني الجود هبُّوا من منامكمُ
سعياًhastening فذاfor this is كعبهُits Ka'b حيّاًalive وحاتمهand its Hatim
سعياً فذا كعبهُ حيّاً وحاتمه
So, sons of generosity, rouse yourselves from your sleep,
So arise, o generous ones, from your slumber
in haste—for here is its Ka'b alive, and its Hatim.
Be lively like Ka'b and Hatem
فلاso may not خلتbe bereft منكof you دنياa world أنتyou مالكهاits master
فلا خلت منك دنيا أنت مالكها
فإنماfor it is only الملكsovereignty عقدٌa necklace أنتyou ناظمهُthe one who strings it
فإنما الملك عقدٌ أنت ناظمهُ
So may the world, whose master you are, never be bereft of you,
No world remains without you, you who own it
for sovereignty is but a necklace, and you are the one who strings it.
For kingship is a knot, and you who tie it
لقدindeed نجاescaped منfrom حبالsnares الخوفfear آمنهُone secure within it
لقد نجا من حبال الخوف آمنهُ
وباتand spent the night لاnot يعرفknow التسهيدsleeplessness نائمهُone sleeping within it
وبات لا يعرف التسهيد نائمهُ
Indeed, the one secure within it has escaped the snares of fear,
You have escaped the fetters of fear, living secure
and whoever sleeps there passes the night knowing no sleeplessness.
Sleeping, knowing no restless turning in bed
وقمتَand you took charge بالأمرof affairs فالأحداثso calamities قاعدةٌsitting idle
وقمتَ بالأمر فالأحداث قاعدةٌ
فأنتَso you are مهدُّيهُits Mahdi (rightly guided one) حقاtruly وقائمهُand its upholder
فأنتَ مهدُّيهُ حقا وقائمهُ
And you rose to take charge of affairs, so calamities sit idle;
You took charge of affairs, so events obey you
so you are truly its Mahdi and its upholder.
You truly prepare and establish them
لاnot يعرفُknow الفقرpoverty عافٍa seeker of bounty أنتyou رازقهُhis provider
لا يعرفُ الفقر عافٍ أنت رازقهُ
ولاand not لذيذsweetness الغنىwealth منwhoever أنتyou حازمهhis restrainer
ولا لذيذ الغنى من أنت حازمه
No seeker of bounty whom you provide for knows poverty,
Who knows no poverty, protected by you who grant him plenty
nor does anyone you hold in check know the sweetness of wealth.
Nor the sweetness of wealth, except by your wisdom