وغائب كنت مهموما بغيبته

وغائب كنت مهموما بغيبته

شوقا إليه ومشتاقا إلى خبره

شوقا إليه ومشتاقا إلى خبره

And one who was absent—I was troubled by his absence,

Absent you were, I pined for you

longing for him and eager for news of him,

Yearning for you, longing for news of you

حتى إذا جاء أدنى الناس كلهم

حتى إذا جاء أدنى الناس كلهم

غيري وأني ما أصبحت من وطره

غيري وأني ما أصبحت من وطره

until, when he came, he drew everyone close

Until when people came, all but me

except me; I had no place in his desire.

Were welcomed, while I was no longer wanted

أغفيته من وصالي وهو يكرهه

أغفيته من وصالي وهو يكرهه

صبرا وفي الصبر ضرّ عند مصطبره

صبرا وفي الصبر ضرّ عند مصطبره

I lulled him to rest from intimacy with me, which he disliked,

I ignored you though we met, which displeased you

patiently—though patience holds harm for one who endures it.

With patience, though patience hurts the patient one

وقلت للنفس كوني عند مقدمه

وقلت للنفس كوني عند مقدمه

بحيث ما كنت منه وهو في سفره

بحيث ما كنت منه وهو في سفره

And I told my soul: “At his arrival, be

And I said to myself, be as you were

just as you were toward him while he was on his journey.”

When he was away, on his journey

لله در الليالي أي معتبر

لله در الليالي أي معتبر

فيها لمن هو محظوظ بمعتبره

فيها لمن هو محظوظ بمعتبره

God bless the nights! What a lesson

Praise God for the nights, O wise one

they hold for one fortunate in the lesson he draws!

fortunate is he who learns from them

وخير ما يصنع المسكين بعد تقى

وخير ما يصنع المسكين بعد تقى

لله والصون إقبال على كسره

لله والصون إقبال على كسره

And the best a poor man can do, after piety

The best a poor man can do, after piety

toward God and self-restraint, is attend to his crust of bread.

To God, and chastity, is tend to his ruin