وَعَاذِلَةٍ وَالفَجْرُ في حِجْرِ أُمِهِ

وَعَاذِلَةٍ وَالفَجْرُ في حِجْرِ أُمِهِ

تَلُوُمُ وَمَا أَدْري عَلامَ تَلومُ

تَلُوُمُ وَمَا أَدْري عَلامَ تَلومُ

And many a reproving woman, while dawn lies in its mother's lap,

While blaming at dawn, and dawn in its mother's lap,

Reproaches me, and I do not know why she reproaches me.

You blame me, yet I know not for what you blame,

تُعَيّرُني أَنْ يَرْضَعَ الحَمْدُ نَائِلي

تُعَيّرُني أَنْ يَرْضَعَ الحَمْدُ نَائِلي

وَتَعْلَمُ مَا أَسْعَى لَهُ وَأَرُومُ

وَتَعْلَمُ مَا أَسْعَى لَهُ وَأَرُومُ

She taunts me because praise suckles at my bounty,

You reproach me that glory should suckle my hopes,

And she knows what I strive for and seek.

Yet you know what I strive for and scheme,

وَلَي هِممُ لا يُنكِرُ المَجْدُ أَنَّها

وَلَي هِممُ لا يُنكِرُ المَجْدُ أَنَّها

بِأَطْرارِ آفَاقِ السَّماءِ نُجُومُ

بِأَطْرارِ آفَاقِ السَّماءِ نُجُومُ

And I have aspirations—glory does not deny that they

My ambitions which glory acknowledges not to be

Are stars at the edges of heaven's horizons.

Like the stars adorning the horizons of the sky,

وَفِيها سُرُورُ النَّفْسِ وَاليُسْرُ جَاذِبٌ

وَفِيها سُرُورُ النَّفْسِ وَاليُسْرُ جَاذِبٌ

بِضَبْعِي وَإِنْ أَعْسَرْتُ فَهْيَ هُمومُ

بِضَبْعِي وَإِنْ أَعْسَرْتُ فَهْيَ هُمومُ

And in them is the soul's delight, while prosperity draws

In it is the soul's joy, and ease that lures

Me by the upper arm; but if I grow poor, they are cares.

My energy, and if I weary, it is anxieties,

وَدُونَ المَعالي مُنْيَةٌ أَوْ مَنِيَّةٌ

وَدُونَ المَعالي مُنْيَةٌ أَوْ مَنِيَّةٌ

وَكُلٌّ عَلى وِرْدِ المَنُونِ يَحُومُ

وَكُلٌّ عَلى وِرْدِ المَنُونِ يَحُومُ

And on the way to high honors lies hope—or death,

And below ambitions, death or perishing,

And everyone circles about death's watering place.

And all hover around the frequented abode of death,

سَأَطْلُبُها وَالنَّقْعُ يَضْفُو رِداؤُهُ

سَأَطْلُبُها وَالنَّقْعُ يَضْفُو رِداؤُهُ

وَجُرْدُ المَذاكي في الدِّماءِ تَعومُ

وَجُرْدُ المَذاكي في الدِّماءِ تَعومُ

I shall seek them while the battle-dust's cloak spreads wide,

I will seek it while extermination dons its robe,

And sleek, full-grown steeds swim in blood.

And naked swords in blood are swimming,

فَما أَرَبي إِلَّا سَريرٌ وَمِنْبَرٌ

فَما أَرَبي إِلَّا سَريرٌ وَمِنْبَرٌ

وَذِكْرٌ عَلى مَرِّ الزَّمانِ يَدومُ

وَذِكْرٌ عَلى مَرِّ الزَّمانِ يَدومُ

For my desire is nothing but a throne and a pulpit,

So I wish for nothing but a throne and a pulpit,

And renown that endures through the passage of time.

And a remembrance lasting over the ages.