رعىmay preserve اللَهGod حاليناour two states حديثاًpresent وماضيناand our past
رعى اللَه حالينا حديثاً وماضينا
وإنand though كنتI have been قدalready جردتI unsheathed عزميmy resolve ماضيناour past (unclear here)
وإن كنت قد جردت عزمي ماضينا
May God preserve our two states, present and past.
May Allah preserve our present and past
And though I have already unsheathed my resolve—[“our past”: unclear wording],
Even if my determination stripped our past bare
فماwhat, then للياليwith the nights لاnot تزالcease ترومنيthey seek me out
فما لليالي لا تزال ترومني
ويرمينand they shoot منيfrom me صائبunerring السهمthe arrow قاضياdeadly
ويرمين مني صائب السهم قاضيا
why do the nights still seek me out
Yet still the nights persist in plotting against me
and shoot at me an unerring, deadly arrow,
And shoot arrows of blame piercing me
وقدand indeed علمتthey have known أنthat الخطوبcalamities تطوعنيyield to me
وقد علمت أن الخطوب تطوعني
وماand not زلتI have ceased منfrom لبسwearing الدنياتbase deeds عارياbare
وما زلت من لبس الدنيات عاريا
although they know that calamities yield to me,
I know hardships make me more generous
and I have always remained bare of the garb of baseness?
Yet still I remain unclothed by worldly riches
أجددتI donned anew فيin الدنياthe world ثياباًgarments جديدةًnew
أجددت في الدنيا ثياباً جديدةً
يجددrenews منهاof them الجودgenerosity ماwhatever كانwas بالياworn out
يجدد منها الجود ما كان باليا
I have donned new garments in this world;
I donned new clothes in this life
generosity renews whatever of them was worn out.
So generosity may renew what had worn out
فماso not مرpassed بيthrough me بخلٌstinginess بخاطرin the thoughts of مهجتيmy heart
فما مر بي بخلٌ بخاطر مهجتي
ولاand not مرpassed بخلstinginess الناسthe people قطever ببالياthrough my mind
ولا مر بخل الناس قط بباليا
So no stinginess has ever crossed the thoughts of my heart,
No miserliness has ever crossed my mind
nor has people's stinginess ever crossed my mind.
Nor people's stinginess ever crossed my thoughts
ألاah حبذاhow splendid فيfor المجدglory إتلافsquandering طارفيmy newly acquired wealth
ألا حبذا في المجد إتلاف طارفي
وبذليand my giving عندat the time of الحمدpraise نفسيmy life ومالياand my wealth
وبذلي عند الحمد نفسي وماليا
Ah, how splendid to squander my newly acquired wealth for glory,
Oh how excellent to spend my life in glory
and to offer my life and my wealth for praise!
And sacrifice myself, my soul and wealth when praised