ضَمّك قَبرٌ سَقاهُ دَمعي

ضَمّك قَبرٌ سَقاهُ دَمعي

وَلَيتَهُ ضَمَّنا جَميعا

وَلَيتَهُ ضَمَّنا جَميعا

A grave enfolds you—may my tears give it drink.

A grave has enfolded you, watered by my tears;

The grave embraced you, watered by my tears,

A grave has embraced you, watered by my tears,

Would that it had enfolded us together.

And would that it had enfolded us together.

If only it had embraced us both together!

And would that it had embraced us all together.

عِشتُ وَلَو متُّ يَومَ وَلّى

عِشتُ وَلَو متُّ يَومَ وَلّى

لَأَحسَنَ الصَبرُ بي صَنيعا

لَأَحسَنَ الصَبرُ بي صَنيعا

I lived on; yet had I died the day he departed,

I lived on; had I died the day he departed,

I lived even if I were to die the day you turned away,

I lived on, yet had I died the day he departed,

patience would have dealt more kindly with me.

Patience would have done me a kindness.

So I could be more patient in my affliction.

Patience would have dealt more kindly with me.

عُمرِيَ لابُدَّ مِن مداهُ

عُمرِيَ لابُدَّ مِن مداهُ

فَلَستُ قَبلَ المَدى صَريعا

فَلَستُ قَبلَ المَدى صَريعا

My life must reach its appointed end;

My life must run its full span;

My lifetime was bound to continue,

My life must inevitably run its full course,

before that end, I cannot lie slain.

So I shall not fall before its end.

So I was not laid low before my time.

So I shall not fall slain before the appointed end.

عَجِبتُ في ذا المُصابِ مِمَّن

عَجِبتُ في ذا المُصابِ مِمَّن

أُصيبَ في نَفسِهِ فَريعا

أُصيبَ في نَفسِهِ فَريعا

In this calamity, I marveled at anyone

Amid this calamity, I marvel at one

I wondered, in this blow, at those

I marveled, in this calamity, at one who,

struck in his very soul and left terrified.

Who is stricken in his own person and takes fright.

Who were wounded in their souls, laid waste.

Struck in his very soul, stood terrified yet alive.

عَظائِمُ الدَهرِ هَيِّناتٌ

عَظائِمُ الدَهرِ هَيِّناتٌ

إِلّا نَوى الحبِّ وَالخُضوعا

إِلّا نَوى الحبِّ وَالخُضوعا

The gravest blows of fate seem light—

Time's great calamities are easy to bear,

The great blows of fate are trivial

The great disasters of Fate are trivial matters,

except love's sundering and abasement.

Except separation from the beloved and abasement.

Except the vows of love and submission.

Save for the separation of love and the submission it demands.

عِندي مِنَ الدَهرِ ما كَفاني

عِندي مِنَ الدَهرِ ما كَفاني

وَما أَرى صَرفَهُ قَنوعا

وَما أَرى صَرفَهُ قَنوعا

I have suffered from fate enough,

I have had enough at the hands of time,

I have enough of fate to content me,

I have had my fill of what Time deals out,

yet I do not see its assaults content.

Yet I do not see its vicissitudes content.

And I do not see it turning me aside.

Yet I see its shifting tides are never satisfied.

عَبد الغَنِيِّ اِبنِيَ المُفَدّى

عَبد الغَنِيِّ اِبنِيَ المُفَدّى

بِالنَفسِ لَو كُنتُ مُستَطيعا

بِالنَفسِ لَو كُنتُ مُستَطيعا

ʿAbd al-Ghanī, my son, whom I would ransom

Abd al-Ghani, my son, whom I would ransom

Servant of the Wealthy One, offer my ransom

Abd al-Ghani, my son for whom I would give my life,

with my own life, if only I could—

With my own life, if I could—

With my soul, if I were able.

Ransom you with my own soul, had I the power to do so.

عَلَّمتني اليَومَ كَيفَ أَبكي

عَلَّمتني اليَومَ كَيفَ أَبكي

وَكُنتُ لا أَبذُلُ الدُموعا

وَكُنتُ لا أَبذُلُ الدُموعا

today you taught me how to weep,

You have taught me today how to weep,

This day taught me how to weep

Today you have taught me how to weep,

when once I would not shed my tears.

And once I did not shed tears.

When once I did not shed tears.

Though I was one who never freely shed tears.

عَذَرتُ مَن لُمتُ في البُكا مُذ

عَذَرتُ مَن لُمتُ في البُكا مُذ

أَبكَيتَني الدَمع وَالنَجيعا

أَبكَيتَني الدَمع وَالنَجيعا

I forgive those whom I blamed for weeping, since

I have excused those I blamed for weeping, since

I excused those I blamed for weeping

I have excused those I once blamed for weeping,

you made me weep both tears and blood.

You made me weep tears and blood.

Since you made me weep tears and cry aloud.

Ever since you made me shed both tears and blood.

عَزّانِيَ الناسُ ثُمَّ قالوا

عَزّانِيَ الناسُ ثُمَّ قالوا

لَيثُ الشَرى ما لَهُ جزوعا

لَيثُ الشَرى ما لَهُ جزوعا

The people consoled me, then they said:

People consoled me, then said:

People consoled me, then said:

People offered me condolences, then they remarked:

“The lion of al-Sharā—why is he so grief-stricken?”

The lion of al-Shara—why is he so distraught?

The lion of valor - what made him so stricken with grief?

"The Lion of the Thicket—why is he so distraught?"

عَفَّت رُبوعي وَكُنت أنسي

عَفَّت رُبوعي وَكُنت أنسي

فيها فَما أَوحَشَ الرُبوعا

فيها فَما أَوحَشَ الرُبوعا

My dwelling places lie desolate, though you were my joy

My dwellings have been effaced, and you were my solace

My meadows have become desolate, and I used to feel

My dwelling places are desolate, though my joy was once

within them—how forlorn those dwellings are!

Within them—how desolate the dwellings are!

At home in them - how lonesome the meadows have become!

Within them; oh, how lonely these ruins have become!

عَطَّلَها الدَهرُ حينَ حَلّى

عَطَّلَها الدَهرُ حينَ حَلّى

فَأَصبَحَت تَندُبُ الرَبيعا

فَأَصبَحَت تَندُبُ الرَبيعا

Fate stripped them bare just when it had adorned them,

Time stripped them bare just as it adorned them;

Fate has disrupted them since it adorned itself,

Fate despoiled them at the very moment it adorned,

and now they mourn their spring.

So they came to mourn the spring.

And they began lamenting the springtide.

So they have begun to lament the lost Spring.

عَسى الرَؤوفُ الرَحيمُ يَعفو

عَسى الرَؤوفُ الرَحيمُ يَعفو

عَنّي إِذا كُنت لي شَفيعا

عَنّي إِذا كُنت لي شَفيعا

May the Compassionate, the Merciful, pardon me

May the Compassionate, the Merciful pardon

Perhaps the Clement Merciful will pardon me

Perhaps the Compassionate, the Merciful, will forgive

if you will intercede for me.

Me, when you are my intercessor.

When you have spoken for me.

Me, if you are there to intercede on my behalf.

عَلَيكَ مِنّي السَلامُ كَم ذا ال

عَلَيكَ مِنّي السَلامُ كَم ذا ال

مَغيبُ هَل تَذكُرُ الرُجوعا

مَغيبُ هَل تَذكُرُ الرُجوعا

Peace from me be upon you—how long this

Peace be upon you from me. How long is this

My salutations to you - how often does this

Peace be upon you from me; how long is this

absence! Do you remember returning?

Absence? Do you think of returning?

Absent one remember to return?

Absence to last? Do you recall the way to return?

عُد وَاِسأَل اللَهَ قَبضَ روحي

عُد وَاِسأَل اللَهَ قَبضَ روحي

لِيَجعَلَ المُلتَقى سَريعا

لِيَجعَلَ المُلتَقى سَريعا

Return, and ask God to take my soul,

Return, and ask God to take my soul,

Come back, and ask God to take my soul

Return and beseech God to take my soul,

that He may hasten our reunion.

So that He may hasten our reunion.

And bring about our reunion swiftly!

That He may hasten our reunion.