أسودُ عَلى ما تَدعيهِ نُفوسَهُم

أسودُ عَلى ما تَدعيهِ نُفوسَهُم

تمال إِذا عَدوا لِيَوم رِهانِ

تمال إِذا عَدوا لِيَوم رِهانِ

They are lions, according to what their souls claim—

They are ungrateful for what their souls claim,

[Unclear; possibly ants] when they run on a day of contest.

As if when they count the day of reckoning,

يَسيئون بي في القَول غَيباً وَإِنَّني

يَسيئون بي في القَول غَيباً وَإِنَّني

لتسدي لَهُم نَعمايَ طُول زَماني

لتسدي لَهُم نَعمايَ طُول زَماني

They speak ill of me in my absence, though I

They speak ill of me in private, yet I

bestow my favors upon them throughout my life.

Have provided them with my bounty for ages,

وَأَمسي مُروعاً مِن مَخافة عَتبهم

وَأَمسي مُروعاً مِن مَخافة عَتبهم

وَهُم تَحتَ ظِلي رَأفَتي وَأَماني

وَهُم تَحتَ ظِلي رَأفَتي وَأَماني

And I spend the evening terrified, fearing their reproach,

And I fear their reproach in the evening,

while they shelter beneath my shade, in my compassion and protection.

While they are under the shade of my kindness and safety,

وَلَم أَنسَ ما قَد قالَ والِدي الَّذي

وَلَم أَنسَ ما قَد قالَ والِدي الَّذي

تَعوض عَن دُنياهُم بِجِنانِ

تَعوض عَن دُنياهُم بِجِنانِ

Nor have I forgotten what my father said, he who

I have not forgotten what my father said, he who

exchanged their earthly world for gardens of Paradise:

Compensated for their world with heavens,

أَبَت هِمة العَلياء عَن أَنَّها تَرى

أَبَت هِمة العَلياء عَن أَنَّها تَرى

رِجالاً مَكاني لا تَسد مَكاني

رِجالاً مَكاني لا تَسد مَكاني

“Lofty ambition would not bear to see

The pride of the glorious refused that it would see

men in my place who could not fill my place.”

Men in my place, unable to fill my place