أَرى بَصرِي قَد قلَّ إِذ صِرتُ مُبتَلىً

أَرى بَصرِي قَد قلَّ إِذ صِرتُ مُبتَلىً

بِدائِرَةٍ مِنها لِوَجهي بَراقِعُ

بِدائِرَةٍ مِنها لِوَجهي بَراقِعُ

I see my sight has diminished since I became afflicted

My sight has weakened since I fell ill

with a misfortune whose veils cover my face:

With a veil over my face of three colors

ثَلاثَةُ أَلوانٍ فَأَبيضُ أَمهَقٌ

ثَلاثَةُ أَلوانٍ فَأَبيضُ أَمهَقٌ

وَأَسودُ غِربيبٌ وَأَصفَرُ فاقِعُ

وَأَسودُ غِربيبٌ وَأَصفَرُ فاقِعُ

three colors—a chalky white,

One white and faded, another black like a raven

and jet black, and a brilliant yellow.

And yellow like jaundice over my visage

وَكُنتُ أَرى الخَطَّ الدَقيقَ إِذا بَدا

وَكُنتُ أَرى الخَطَّ الدَقيقَ إِذا بَدا

ظَلامٌ وَلَحظي باهِرُ النورِ باقِعُ

ظَلامٌ وَلَحظي باهِرُ النورِ باقِعُ

I used to see fine script whenever there appeared

Once I could see the finest of lines whenever

darkness; my gaze was radiant with light and keen.

They appeared, though now my bright gaze is veiled

فَصِرتُ أَرى مالا أَنيسَ لِمُقلَتي

فَصِرتُ أَرى مالا أَنيسَ لِمُقلَتي

كَأَنَّ الدِيارَ الآهلاتِ بلاقِعُ

كَأَنَّ الدِيارَ الآهلاتِ بلاقِعُ

So now I see what offers my eye no comfort,

So I see nothing pleasant to delight my eye

as though inhabited dwellings were desolate wastes.

As if the lived-in homes are abandoned and vacant

وَجرِّعتُ شَهداً يَومَ لا لي لَذةً

وَجرِّعتُ شَهداً يَومَ لا لي لَذةً

وَقِدماً سُقيتُ السمَ وَالسمُّ ناقِعُ

وَقِدماً سُقيتُ السمَ وَالسمُّ ناقِعُ

And I was made to swallow honey on a day when I had no pleasure,

I tasted bitterness on a day of no pleasure for me

and long ago I was given poison—and the poison was deadly.

And was made to drink poison, yes, poison most bitter

سَأَصبِرُ للأَمرِ الَّذي جاءَ ناظِري

سَأَصبِرُ للأَمرِ الَّذي جاءَ ناظِري

وَأَعلمُ أَن ما قَدَّرَ اللَهُ واقِعُ

وَأَعلمُ أَن ما قَدَّرَ اللَهُ واقِعُ

I shall patiently bear the ordeal that has befallen my eye,

I will be patient with what has befallen my sight

and I know that what God has decreed will come to pass.

And know that what God decrees shall come to pass

وَمَن مَزَقت أَيدي النَوائبِ حالَهُ

وَمَن مَزَقت أَيدي النَوائبِ حالَهُ

يَكونُ لَهُ مِن رَحمَةِ اللَهِ واقِعُ

يَكونُ لَهُ مِن رَحمَةِ اللَهِ واقِعُ

And whoever has had his condition torn apart by calamities' hands

Whoever's state is torn by the hands of misfortune

will have a share of God's mercy fall to his lot.

Will find mercy from God awaiting him still

وَمَن كانَ مَسروراً بِمَوقِعِ زلةٍ

وَمَن كانَ مَسروراً بِمَوقِعِ زلةٍ

تَكونُ لَهُ بِالسَوءِ مِنها مَواقِعُ

تَكونُ لَهُ بِالسَوءِ مِنها مَواقِعُ

And whoever rejoices at the occurrence of a misstep

Whoever rejoices at another's stumble

will suffer harmful blows from it.

Will stumble himself into misfortune and ill

وَمَن لَم يُرَع يَوماً لِخَطبٍ أَصابَهُ

وَمَن لَم يُرَع يَوماً لِخَطبٍ أَصابَهُ

تُصِبهُ عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ مَواقِعُ

تُصِبهُ عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ مَواقِعُ

And whoever has never been frightened by a calamity that befell him

Whoever does not heed the disasters he faces

will be struck by blows as time passes.

Will be struck down repeatedly over time's expanse

وَكُلّ خَطيب في النَوائِبِ مُفحِمٍ

وَكُلّ خَطيب في النَوائِبِ مُفحِمٍ

وَهُم في رَخاءِ العَيشِ فُصحٌ مَساقِعُ

وَهُم في رَخاءِ العَيشِ فُصحٌ مَساقِعُ

And every orator is silenced amid calamities,

For every skillful speaker made mute by calamity

though in life's ease they are eloquent, powerful speakers.

Babbles freely when fortune grants him advance

وَعِشرةُ هَذا الناسِ تَقضِي اِحتِمالَهُم

وَعِشرةُ هَذا الناسِ تَقضِي اِحتِمالَهُم

عَلى الغُبنِ أَو تَجري لَدَيهم فَراقِعُ

عَلى الغُبنِ أَو تَجري لَدَيهم فَراقِعُ

And keeping company with these people requires bearing with them

Long association with people will test their patience

despite unfair treatment—or loud outbursts will erupt among them.

For wrongs suffered, or part them through separation