يا مَن بِهِ يَفتَخِرُ الفَخرُ

يا مَن بِهِ يَفتَخِرُ الفَخرُ

وَمَن بِهِ يَبتَهِجُ الشِعرُ

وَمَن بِهِ يَبتَهِجُ الشِعرُ

O you in whom pride itself takes pride,

O you in whom pride takes pride

and in whom poetry rejoices,

And in whom poetry finds joy

ما طَلَبي لِلإِذنِ أَن شاقَني

ما طَلَبي لِلإِذنِ أَن شاقَني

شَمسٌ مِنَ الإِنسِ وَلا بَدرُ

شَمسٌ مِنَ الإِنسِ وَلا بَدرُ

I ask for leave not because my longing was stirred by

My wish for permission was not to burden me

a sun among mortals or a full moon.

A sun among men, nor a full moon

بَلى كِتابٌ أَخرَسٌ ناطِقٌ

بَلى كِتابٌ أَخرَسٌ ناطِقٌ

أَنطَقَ مِنهُ طَيَّهُ النَشرُ

أَنطَقَ مِنهُ طَيَّهُ النَشرُ

Rather, a letter, mute yet speaking,

Rather a silent book, speaking

whose unfolding gave voice to its folded contents.

Made more eloquent by its cover's publication

فَاِنتَشَرَت حينَ بَدا طَيُّهُ

فَاِنتَشَرَت حينَ بَدا طَيُّهُ

سَرائِرٌ يَكتُمُها الجَهرُ

سَرائِرٌ يَكتُمُها الجَهرُ

Then, when its folded contents appeared, there spread

So its secrets were revealed when its binding appeared

secrets that open speech conceals.

Secrets that loudness conceals

جاءَ نَذيرُ الحُزنِ في بَطنِهِ

جاءَ نَذيرُ الحُزنِ في بَطنِهِ

بِحادِثٍ أَظهَرَهُ الظَهرُ

بِحادِثٍ أَظهَرَهُ الظَهرُ

Within its belly came a herald of sorrow,

The herald of sorrow came in its belly

bearing a calamity its back revealed.

With an event that daybreak revealed

فَاِنهَلَّ في أَسطُرِهِ أَسطُرٌ

فَاِنهَلَّ في أَسطُرِهِ أَسطُرٌ

لِلدَمعِ سَطرٌ فَوقَهُ سَطرُ

لِلدَمعِ سَطرٌ فَوقَهُ سَطرُ

Then amid its lines poured forth lines

So lines streamed in its lines

of tears, one line above another.

For tears, a line above a line

فَمُنَّ بِالإِذنِ عَلى نازِحٍ

فَمُنَّ بِالإِذنِ عَلى نازِحٍ

عَن أَهلِهِ ساعَتُهُ دَهرُ

عَن أَهلِهِ ساعَتُهُ دَهرُ

So graciously grant leave to one far away

So bestow permission on one who complains

from his family, for whom an hour is an age.

Of separation from his family, his time an epoch

فَقَد صَدَقتَ الظَنَّ في كُلِّ ما

فَقَد صَدَقتَ الظَنَّ في كُلِّ ما

رَجَوتُهُ إِذ كَذَبَ القَطرُ

رَجَوتُهُ إِذ كَذَبَ القَطرُ

For you proved my expectations true in all that

For you have proven true what you hoped for

I hoped for, when the rain proved false.

When the rain proved false