يا أَيُّها الثِّقَةُ الذي وَثِقَتْ بِهِ

يا أَيُّها الثِّقَةُ الذي وَثِقَتْ بِهِ

هِمَمِي وخُلْقُ الدهر خُلْقُ مُخَادِعِ

هِمَمِي وخُلْقُ الدهر خُلْقُ مُخَادِعِ

O trusted one, in whom trust has been placed

O you in whom I placed my trust

by my aspirations, while Time has a deceiver's nature.

While fate's ways are ever so deceitful

ما بالُ ليثِ الدّولةِ القَرْمِ اغتدى

ما بالُ ليثِ الدّولةِ القَرْمِ اغتدى

عني على استيقاظهِ كالهاجعِ

عني على استيقاظهِ كالهاجعِ

What ails the noble Lion of the State, that he has become

Why has the lion of power turned vicious

heedless of me, though awake, like one asleep?

Rousing against me as if from slumber

هذا ولي وَعْدٌ عليه مُقَدَّمٌ

هذا ولي وَعْدٌ عليه مُقَدَّمٌ

يقضي النَّدَى أَنْ ليسَ منه بِراجع

يقضي النَّدَى أَنْ ليسَ منه بِراجع

This, though I have an earlier promise binding upon him,

This was a pledge made to me

which generosity decrees he must not go back on.

To fulfill without going back on his word

والوعدُ مِثْلُ البرقِ يُدْعَى خُلَّباً

والوعدُ مِثْلُ البرقِ يُدْعَى خُلَّباً

ما لم يتابعْ بالسَّحابِ الهامِعِ

ما لم يتابعْ بالسَّحابِ الهامِعِ

And a promise, like lightning, is called deceptive

A pledge is like lightning men call fickle

unless it is followed by rain-pouring clouds.

Unless followed by heavy rains

وطمِعْتُ يَوْمَ الأَربعاءِ بقَبْضِهِ

وطمِعْتُ يَوْمَ الأَربعاءِ بقَبْضِهِ

فَصَبَرْتُ بعد الأَربعاءِ الرابع

فَصَبَرْتُ بعد الأَربعاءِ الرابع

And I hoped to receive it on a Wednesday,

I hoped to receive it on Wednesday

yet I waited beyond the fourth Wednesday.

But after Wednesday came a fourth

ومَتَى تباعَدَ مُسْتَقىً في مورِدٍ

ومَتَى تباعَدَ مُسْتَقىً في مورِدٍ

طَلَبَ الرِّشاءَ إِليه كَفُّ النَّازعِ

طَلَبَ الرِّشاءَ إِليه كَفُّ النَّازعِ

And whenever the water to be drawn lies far off at a watering-place,

When the water source is far in a valley

the water-drawer's hand seeks a rope to reach it.

The palm of the desperate reaches for a drink

وإِذا امُرُؤٌ أّسْدَى إِليكَ بشافِعٍ

وإِذا امُرُؤٌ أّسْدَى إِليكَ بشافِعٍ

خيراً فذاكَ الخَيْرُ خَيْرُ الشَّافِع

خيراً فذاكَ الخَيْرُ خَيْرُ الشَّافِع

And if a man bestows on you, through an intercessor,

And if a man makes you a promise through a mediator

a favor, then that favor is the intercessor's favor.

That promised good is the best of mediators

فَاهزُزْهُ إِنَّ الْهَزَّ فيه سريرةٌ

فَاهزُزْهُ إِنَّ الْهَزَّ فيه سريرةٌ

هَزُّوا لها مَتْنَ الحُسَامِ القاطِعِ

هَزُّوا لها مَتْنَ الحُسَامِ القاطِعِ

So stir him: in stirring lies a secret

So insist, for insistence is key here

for which they brandished the blade of the keen-edged sword.

As swords insistently shook the swordsman's wrist

واسعَدْ وأَسعَدْ صاحباً لم تُخْلِهِ

واسعَدْ وأَسعَدْ صاحباً لم تُخْلِهِ

والدَّهر أَخْرَقُ من صَنيعَةِ صانِعِ

والدَّهر أَخْرَقُ من صَنيعَةِ صانِعِ

And be happy, and gladden a companion you have not forsaken,

Rejoice and make happy those who never let you down

while Time is clumsier than a benefactor's protégé.

While fate is more insidious than any maker

يا طائِرَ النِّسْرَيْنِ هل من عَطْفَةٍ

يا طائِرَ النِّسْرَيْنِ هل من عَطْفَةٍ

تبدو على عِطْفَيْ أَخيكِ الواقع

تبدو على عِطْفَيْ أَخيكِ الواقع

O flying one of the two eagles, is there a turn of kindness

O twin-winged bird, is there no kindness

that might appear upon both sides of your fallen brother?

You can show to a fallen brother?