فداؤك نفسي من الحادثات

فداؤك نفسي من الحادثات

وريب الردى وحلول الحذر

وريب الردى وحلول الحذر

My soul would ransom you from calamities,

May my life be your ransom from calamities,

from death’s uncertainties and the descent of peril.

and death's perils, and the coming of what is feared.

فعالك تكبر عن موعد

فعالك تكبر عن موعد

ووعدك يسبق أن ينتظر

ووعدك يسبق أن ينتظر

Your deeds are too great for an appointed time,

Your deeds are greater than a promise,

and your promise arrives before it can be awaited.

and your promise is fulfilled before it is awaited.

وكفك تهمي على المعتفين

وكفك تهمي على المعتفين

بفيض عفا وصفا من كدر

بفيض عفا وصفا من كدر

Your hand rains bounty upon those who seek your favor,

And your hand rains down upon petitioners

in a flood abundant, limpid, and free of taint.

with a flood grown abundant and clear of murk.

إذا عاقك الشغل عني ولم

إذا عاقك الشغل عني ولم

أذكرك نفسي خوف الضجر

أذكرك نفسي خوف الضجر

If pressing business has kept you from me, and I

When work keeps you from me, and I do not

have not recalled myself to you, it was for fear of wearying you.

remind you of myself for fear of annoying you,

تسكعت في حيرة إلا أجو

تسكعت في حيرة إلا أجو

زمنها إلى عضد أو وزرز

زمنها إلى عضد أو وزرز

I have stumbled in bewilderment, unable to pass be—

I wander in bewilderment, unless I can pass

—yond it to a sustaining arm or refuge.

from it to a supporter or a refuge.

رهنت ثيابي وحال القضا

رهنت ثيابي وحال القضا

ء دون القضاء وصد القدر

ء دون القضاء وصد القدر

I pawned my clothes, but heaven’s decre—

I pawned my clothes, and fate stood

—e barred repayment, and fate blocked the way.

in the way of repayment, and destiny barred the way.

وهذا الشتاء عسوف علي

وهذا الشتاء عسوف علي

كما قد تراه قبيح الأثر

كما قد تراه قبيح الأثر

And this winter bears cruelly down on me,

And this winter is cruel to me,

as you can see from its grievous effects.

as you may see, ugly in its effects.

يغادي بصر من العاصفا

يغادي بصر من العاصفا

ت أو دمق مثل وخز الإبر

ت أو دمق مثل وخز الإبر

Each morning it assails me with biting storm—

It assails me at dawn with bitter cold from the stormwinds,

—winds, or piercing cold like needle-pricks.

or wind-driven snow like the pricking of needles.

وسكان دارك ممن أعو

وسكان دارك ممن أعو

ل يلقين من برده كل شر

ل يلقين من برده كل شر

And the women of your household, whom I sup—

And those dwelling in your house, among those I support,

—port, suffer every misery from its cold.

suffer every misery from its cold.

فهذي تحن وهذي تئن

فهذي تحن وهذي تئن

وأدمع هاتيك تجري درر

وأدمع هاتيك تجري درر

This one moans, and that one groans,

So this one whimpers, and this one groans,

while another’s tears stream like pearls.

and that one's tears flow like pearls.

إذا ما تململن تحت الظلام

إذا ما تململن تحت الظلام

يعللن منك بحسن النظر

يعللن منك بحسن النظر

When they toss restlessly beneath the darkness,

Whenever they toss restlessly beneath the darkness,

they console themselves with hopes of your gracious regard.

they are consoled with hopes of your kindly regard.

ولا حظن ريعك كالمحلي

ولا حظن ريعك كالمحلي

ن شاموا البروق رجاء المطر

ن شاموا البروق رجاء المطر

They watch your bounty like drought-strick—

And they look to your bounty, like the drought-stricken

—en folk scanning lightning in hope of rain.

who scan the lightning in hope of rain.

يؤملن عودى بما ينتظرن

يؤملن عودى بما ينتظرن

كما يرتجى آئب من سفر

كما يرتجى آئب من سفر

They hope I shall return with what they await,

They hope I will return with what they await,

as a traveler’s return is eagerly awaited.

as a traveler returning from a journey is awaited.

فأنعم بانجاز ما قد وعدت

فأنعم بانجاز ما قد وعدت

فما غيرك اليوم من ينتظر

فما غيرك اليوم من ينتظر

So graciously fulfill what you have promised,

So kindly fulfill what you have promised,

for today none but you is awaited.

for no one but you is awaited today.

وعش لي وبعدي فأنت الحيا

وعش لي وبعدي فأنت الحيا

ة والسمع من جسدي والبصر

ة والسمع من جسدي والبصر

Live for me, and after me—for you are li—

And live for me, and after me—for you are life,

—fe itself, and my body’s hearing and sight.

and my body's hearing and sight.