أَعِندَ الحُرّ للأَيام ثارُ

أَعِندَ الحُرّ للأَيام ثارُ

يُطالِبهُ بِهِ الفلك المُدارُ

يُطالِبهُ بِهِ الفلك المُدارُ

Does the noble man owe the days a blood-debt

The free man keeps grudges against time,

which the revolving heavens demand of him?

With which the cycles of planets reproach him.

رُوَيداً يا زَمان أَرفق قَليلاً

رُوَيداً يا زَمان أَرفق قَليلاً

أَما لِلسُكر صَحو أَو خِمار

أَما لِلسُكر صَحو أَو خِمار

Slowly, O Time; be a little gentler.

Go easy, O time! Be more gentle!

Has drunkenness no sobriety, or hangover?

Is there no end to drunkenness or wine?

أَما في ذلة الأَمجاد عَيب

أَما في ذلة الأَمجاد عَيب

عَلَيكَ وَلا بِهَون الحُرّ عار

عَلَيكَ وَلا بِهَون الحُرّ عار

Is there no reproach in the humiliation of the illustrious

It is disgraceful that glories should be humiliated,

against you, nor shame in the noble man's abasement?

A disgrace to you, though no dishonor stains the free man.

يَعزُّ عَلَيَّ أَن يَكبو جَواد

يَعزُّ عَلَيَّ أَن يَكبو جَواد

لَدَيكَ وَلا يُقال لَهُ عثار

لَدَيكَ وَلا يُقال لَهُ عثار

It grieves me that a noble steed should stumble

It grieves me that a steed should stumble before you

before you, and his fall not be set right.

And no excuse be made for him.

أَساءَت إِلى كَريم لا تُباري

أَساءَت إِلى كَريم لا تُباري

بِزخرتها أَناملَهُ البِحار

بِزخرتها أَناملَهُ البِحار

It has wronged a generous man: no match

It has done wrong to a generous man whose fingers

for his fingertips are the seas in all their abundance.

Cannot match its pearls, even were he to fill the seas.

أَقل هِباتِهِ في كُلِ أَرض

أَقل هِباتِهِ في كُلِ أَرض

كِرام الخَيل أَثقَلُها النضار

كِرام الخَيل أَثقَلُها النضار

The least of his gifts in every land

The least of his gifts in every land

are noble steeds weighed down with gold.

Are the finest horses, though laden with pure blood.

فَتي يَهب الحَياة وَلا يُبالي

فَتي يَهب الحَياة وَلا يُبالي

إِذا ما عَزَّ مال أَو عَقار

إِذا ما عَزَّ مال أَو عَقار

A young man who gives life itself and does not care

A youth who grants life without a care,

if wealth or landed property becomes scarce.

If wealth declines or buildings crumble.

تَسيل هِباتُهُ مُتَتابِعات

تَسيل هِباتُهُ مُتَتابِعات

وَيَتبَع رَفدُهُ مِنهُ اِعتِذار

وَيَتبَع رَفدُهُ مِنهُ اِعتِذار

His gifts flow one after another,

His gifts pour constantly,

and his bounty is followed by an apology from him.

And his apology follows after his generosity.

وَيبسم وَالسَلاهب ساهِمات

وَيبسم وَالسَلاهب ساهِمات

عَبوس وَالكَماة لَها اَزورار

عَبوس وَالكَماة لَها اَزورار

He smiles while the tall steeds are haggard

He smiles while spears strike,

and grim-faced, and armored warriors recoil from them.

Frowning while the arrows have buttons.

بِنَفسي مِن أَودَعَهُ وَصَبري

بِنَفسي مِن أَودَعَهُ وَصَبري

يُصاحِبهُ وَقَلبي مُستَطار

يُصاحِبهُ وَقَلبي مُستَطار

My life be ransom for the one I bid farewell; my patience

I pledge myself, who has lodged it, and my patience

goes with him, while my heart is distraught.

Accompanies it, while my heart is afire,

أَشيعهُ بِأَنفاس مِداد

أَشيعهُ بِأَنفاس مِداد

تَرددهنَّ أَحشاءٌ حِرار

تَرددهنَّ أَحشاءٌ حِرار

I see him off with long-drawn sighs

I bid it farewell with breaths

that burning entrails echo.

Repeated by burning entrails.

أَحَقاً أَنتَ يا مَولايَ غادٍ

أَحَقاً أَنتَ يا مَولايَ غادٍ

وَبَعدَك لي سُكون أَو قَرار

وَبَعدَك لي سُكون أَو قَرار

Are you truly departing, O my lord,

Indeed, my Master, are you leaving

and can there be calm or repose for me after you?

When after you I have no peace or rest?

مَقامي بَعد نَأيك بَل حَياتي

مَقامي بَعد نَأيك بَل حَياتي

أَرى عاراً بِها وَالعار نار

أَرى عاراً بِها وَالعار نار

My remaining after your departure—indeed, my very life—

My place, after your departure, even my life,

I see disgrace in it, and disgrace is fire.

I see as disgraceful, and disgrace is fire.

وَلَكن لَيسَ لِلمَرء اِحتِيال

وَلَكن لَيسَ لِلمَرء اِحتِيال

مَع القَدر المُناح وَلا اِختِيار

مَع القَدر المُناح وَلا اِختِيار

But a man has no recourse

But man has no stratagem

in the face of allotted fate, nor any choice.

Against fate's bending, no choice.

فسر في ذمة الرَحمَن وَأَبشر

فسر في ذمة الرَحمَن وَأَبشر

بِعز بِعدَهُ نعم غزار

بِعز بِعدَهُ نعم غزار

So go under the protection of the Merciful, and rejoice

Travel safely under God's protection and receive good news

in honor, followed by abundant blessings.

Of might after it! Yes, abundant favours!

فَمثلك كُل ذي كَرَم وَمَجد

فَمثلك كُل ذي كَرَم وَمَجد

لَهُ خَل وَكُلُ الأَرض دار

لَهُ خَل وَكُلُ الأَرض دار

For one like you, every man of generosity and glory

The like of you, every man of bounty and glory,

is a friend, and all the earth is home.

Has a departure, while all the earth is his abode,

فَلا نابتكَ نائِبة اللَيالي

فَلا نابتكَ نائِبة اللَيالي

فَإِنَّ بَقاكَ لِلدُنيا فَخار

فَإِنَّ بَقاكَ لِلدُنيا فَخار

So may no calamity of the nights befall you,

Your plants will not be blighted by the nights,

for your survival is a glory to the world.

For your survival is the pride of the world,

وَدونكها فَواف رائِعات

وَدونكها فَواف رائِعات

بِدار عَلى الزَمان بِها عَقار

بِدار عَلى الزَمان بِها عَقار

And take these wondrous rhymes,

And apart from it are lofty dwellings

through which wine is passed round to Time.

In an abode towering over time.

وَلَم أَمدَحكَ لاستجداءِ نَعمى

وَلَم أَمدَحكَ لاستجداءِ نَعمى

وَلا بِعُلاكَ لِلمَدح اِفتِقار

وَلا بِعُلاكَ لِلمَدح اِفتِقار

And I did not praise you to beg a favor,

I have not praised you seeking favour,

nor does your eminence have any need of praise.

Nor needing praise for your elevation.

وَلَكن ذاكَ مِن قَلبٍ كَريم

وَلَكن ذاكَ مِن قَلبٍ كَريم

لَهُ شَغف بِمثلِكَ وَاِفتِخار

لَهُ شَغف بِمثلِكَ وَاِفتِخار

But that comes from a noble heart

But that flows from a generous heart

filled with ardent love for one like you, and pride.

That loves the like of you and takes pride in you.