ما لي وللحاسدينَ لا بَرِحَتْ

ما لي وللحاسدينَ لا بَرِحَتْ

تذوبُ أكبادُهمْ وتنفَطِرُ

تذوبُ أكبادُهمْ وتنفَطِرُ

What have I to do with the envious? May there be no end

I care not for the envious, whose livers

To their livers melting and splitting apart.

Melt and whose hearts break with envy unabated,

يغتابُنِي عند غيبتي نَفَرٌ

يغتابُنِي عند غيبتي نَفَرٌ

جباهُهم إنْ حضرتُ تنعَفِرُ

جباهُهم إنْ حضرتُ تنعَفِرُ

A few men backbite me in my absence;

A group backbites me in my absence,

Their foreheads are covered in dust when I am present.

Their brows wrinkle in antipathy if I attend,

ألسنةٌ في مَساءَتِي ذُلُقٌ

ألسنةٌ في مَساءَتِي ذُلُقٌ

يعتادها من مَهابتي حَصَرُ

يعتادها من مَهابتي حَصَرُ

Tongues fluent in speaking ill of me

Their sharp tongues spare no effort to find fault with me,

Are repeatedly struck speechless through awe of me.

Having grown accustomed through fear of my prestige,

أنامُ عنهم مِلءَ الجفونِ إِذا

أنامُ عنهم مِلءَ الجفونِ إِذا

أسهرهمْ في المضاجِعِ الأِبَرُ

أسهرهمْ في المضاجِعِ الأِبَرُ

I sleep, heedless of them, my eyelids full of slumber, while

I sleep with eyes sealed, while

The needles keep them awake in their beds.

They lie awake resentful on their beds,

يكفيهمُ ما بهم إِذا نظروا

يكفيهمُ ما بهم إِذا نظروا

إِلَيَّ مِلءَ العيونِ لا نظروا

إِلَيَّ مِلءَ العيونِ لا نظروا

Their own affliction is enough for them when they gaze

When they look at me, their eyes filled, it suffices them,

At me with eyes wide open—may they never look!

Though they do not look at all,

تغيظُهمْ رتبِتي وَيكْمَدُهُمْ

تغيظُهمْ رتبِتي وَيكْمَدُهُمْ

جاهي فصفوي عليهمُ كَدَرُ

جاهي فصفوي عليهمُ كَدَرُ

My rank enrages them, and they are grieved by

My status enrages them, and my glory burns them,

My prestige; my serenity is distress to them.

My eminence above them is disturbing,

فنعمةُ اللّهِ وهيَ سابغَةٌ

فنعمةُ اللّهِ وهيَ سابغَةٌ

عندي من الحاسدينَ تنتصرُ

عندي من الحاسدينَ تنتصرُ

Thus God's blessing, so lavish

For God’s bounty is perfect towards me,

Upon me, takes vengeance on the envious.

And through it I prevail over the envious,

يُعجِبُنِي أنهمْ إِذا كَثُروا

يُعجِبُنِي أنهمْ إِذا كَثُروا

قَلُّوا غَناءً وإِنْ هم كَثروا

قَلُّوا غَناءً وإِنْ هم كَثروا

It pleases me that, when they grow numerous,

It pleases me, the more numerous they are,

Their effectiveness dwindles, though their numbers grow.

The less they avail, however numerous.