حَسِبتُI thought الخَيرَgood يَكثُرُincreases فيin التَنائيbeing far apart
حَسِبتُ الخَيرَ يَكثُرُ في التَنائي
فَكانَyet it was الخَيرُgood أَكثَرَgreater فيin التَدانيdrawing near
فَكانَ الخَيرُ أَكثَرَ في التَداني
I thought good increased in being far apart,
yet good was greater in drawing near.
ذَكَرتُI remembered مُقامَناour stay بِسُراةِon the heights of حُزوىHuzwa
ذَكَرتُ مُقامَنا بِسُراةِ حُزوى
فَسِرتُso I journeyed مَعَwith الوَساوِسِtroubled thoughts فيin عَنانِthe clouds
فَسِرتُ مَعَ الوَساوِسِ في عَنانِ
I remembered our stay on the heights of Huzwa,
so I journeyed with troubled thoughts among the clouds.
أَلاah! لِلَّهِto God حَزمٌresolve وَاِصطِبارٌand patient endurance
أَلا لِلَّهِ حَزمٌ وَاِصطِبارٌ
تَقاسَمَهُdivided it among themselves بِنِيّاتِthe little daughters of الزَمانِTime
تَقاسَمَهُ بِنِيّاتِ الزَمانِ
Ah, God bless that resolve and patient endurance,
which Time’s little daughters divided among themselves.
عَزيزٌan honored man أَضمَرَتهُmade him gaunt نَوىseparation شُطونِfar-distant
عَزيزٌ أَضمَرَتهُ نَوى شُطونِ
وَظَلَّand he remained مِنَfrom المَهانَةِhumiliation فيin ضَمانِsurety
وَظَلَّ مِنَ المَهانَةِ في ضَمانِ
An honored man was made gaunt by far-distant separation,
and remained in humiliation’s sure keeping.
يُناطُis fastened إِلىto العَزيزِthe honored man إِذاwhen تَبَوّىhe settles
يُناطُ إِلى العَزيزِ إِذا تَبَوّى
بِمَنزِلِin an abode of غُربَةٍexile طَرفُthe gaze الهَوانِhumiliation
بِمَنزِلِ غُربَةٍ طَرفُ الهَوانِ
Fixed upon the honored man, whenever he settles
in an abode of exile, is humiliation’s gaze.