ما كُنْتُ أَحْسَبُ والأيَّامُ مولَعَةٌ

ما كُنْتُ أَحْسَبُ والأيَّامُ مولَعَةٌ

بِخَفْضِ شَأنِ أخِي العَلْيَاءِ والحَسَبِ

بِخَفْضِ شَأنِ أخِي العَلْيَاءِ والحَسَبِ

I had not imagined—though the days are bent

I did not expect, while the days were alluring

on lowering the standing of a man of eminence and noble lineage—

To humble the esteem of my noble brother and lineage,

أنِّي أَمُدُّ لأَنْدَى العَالمينَ يَداً

أنِّي أَمُدُّ لأَنْدَى العَالمينَ يَداً

يَدي لأعْلَقَ ما أُوتِيهِ من نَشَبِ

يَدي لأعْلَقَ ما أُوتِيهِ من نَشَبِ

that I would stretch out to the most open-handed of mankind

That I would extend a hand to the most tender of both worlds

my hand, to grasp whatever wealth I might be given,

My hand to attach whatever ability I was granted.

ولو غَدَا وهوَ أعْلَى من أبِي كَرِبٍ

ولو غَدَا وهوَ أعْلَى من أبِي كَرِبٍ

شأْناً وأصبَحتُ من فَقْرٍ أخَا كُرَبِ

شأْناً وأصبَحتُ من فَقْرٍ أخَا كُرَبِ

even if he stood higher than Abu Karib

And if he rose above my father in

in rank, and poverty made me a brother to woes,

Status and I became an impoverished brother,

حتَّى سَأَلتُكَ يا أحْنَى الأنَامِ علَى

حتَّى سَأَلتُكَ يا أحْنَى الأنَامِ علَى

ضَعْفِي قَوِيتَ ويا أَحْفَى البَرِيَّةِ بِي

ضَعْفِي قَوِيتَ ويا أَحْفَى البَرِيَّةِ بِي

until I asked you, O most compassionate of mankind toward

Until I asked you, O most compassionate of men, for

my weakness—may you be strong!—and O most solicitous of all creation for me.

My weakness you strengthened me, and O gentlest of creations, you supported me.

فَظَلْتَ تُوسِعُني مَطْلاً يَضيقُ بِهِ

فَظَلْتَ تُوسِعُني مَطْلاً يَضيقُ بِهِ

صَدْرِي ويَضطَرُّنِي كُرْهاً إلى الغَضَبِ

صَدْرِي ويَضطَرُّنِي كُرْهاً إلى الغَضَبِ

Then you kept lavishing delay on me, which constricts

Yet you continued to indulge me with expectations that

my breast and drives me against my will to anger.

Strain my chest and force me reluctantly to anger.

حَاشَا وُجُوهَ وُعُودٍ مِنْكَ صَادِقةً

حَاشَا وُجُوهَ وُعُودٍ مِنْكَ صَادِقةً

أن يُحدِثَ المطْلُ فيها كِلْفَةَ الكَذِبِ

أن يُحدِثَ المطْلُ فيها كِلْفَةَ الكَذِبِ

May the faces of your truthful promises be spared

Far be it from the integrity of promises made by you

the blemish of falsehood that delay might leave upon them.

That indulgence would instill in them any falsehood.

إنِّي لأَعجَبُ والأيَّامُ ما خُلِقَتْ

إنِّي لأَعجَبُ والأيَّامُ ما خُلِقَتْ

إلاّ لِتُحْدِثَ أَطواراً من العَجَبِ

إلاّ لِتُحْدِثَ أَطواراً من العَجَبِ

I do indeed marvel—though the days were not created

I indeed wonder, while days were not created

except to bring forth all manner of wonders.

Except to introduce phases of wonder,

مَنْ ضَامِنٌ ليَ أَنْ لو غِبْتُ عَن وَطَنِي

مَنْ ضَامِنٌ ليَ أَنْ لو غِبْتُ عَن وَطَنِي

أَو مِتُّ أعقَبنِي بالخَيرِ في عَقِبي

أَو مِتُّ أعقَبنِي بالخَيرِ في عَقِبي

Who can guarantee me that, if I were absent from my homeland

Who can guarantee me that if I left my homeland

or died, he would treat my descendants kindly after me?

Or died, he would do good for me after me?

وها أنَا في مَجَالِ العُمْرِ أسأَلُهُ

وها أنَا في مَجَالِ العُمْرِ أسأَلُهُ

ما لاَ يُقَالُ لَهُ شيئاً فلَمْ يَهَبِ

ما لاَ يُقَالُ لَهُ شيئاً فلَمْ يَهَبِ

And here I am, within life's span, asking him

Yet here I am in the course of life asking him

for something scarcely worth calling a thing—yet he gave nothing.

For what cannot be asked without response.

أَمَّا الوفَاءُ فَشَيءٌ قد سَمِعتَ بِهِ

أَمَّا الوفَاءُ فَشَيءٌ قد سَمِعتَ بِهِ

ولَنْ تَراهُ ولَو أمعَنْتَ في الطَّلَبِ

ولَنْ تَراهُ ولَو أمعَنْتَ في الطَّلَبِ

As for keeping faith, it is something you have heard of,

As for loyalty, it is something you have heard of

and you will never see it, however hard you search.

But will not see even if you strive to seek it.