إِلى كَم أَرى سَعداً مُقيماً مَكانَهُ

إِلى كَم أَرى سَعداً مُقيماً مَكانَهُ

وَيَمضي وَزيرٌ عَنهُ ثُمَّ وَزيرُ

وَيَمضي وَزيرٌ عَنهُ ثُمَّ وَزيرُ

How long shall I see Saʿd remaining in his place,

For how long do I see Saad settled in his place

while one vizier departs from him, then another?

While ministers pass by him, minister after minister

يَزولونَ صَرفاً أَوحِمامَ مَنِيَّةٍ

يَزولونَ صَرفاً أَوحِمامَ مَنِيَّةٍ

وَأَرسى فَما يَنوي الزَوالَ ثَبيرُ

وَأَرسى فَما يَنوي الزَوالَ ثَبيرُ

They depart through dismissal or death’s decree,

They fade away soon or die a sudden death

while Thabīr stands firm, with no thought of departing.

Yet he remains firm, unchanging, steadfast

فَلَو نَفسُهُ يُغري بِها شُؤمَ نَفسِهِ

فَلَو نَفسُهُ يُغري بِها شُؤمَ نَفسِهِ

لَأَقشَعَ إِظلامٌ وَأَعقَبَ نورُ

لَأَقشَعَ إِظلامٌ وَأَعقَبَ نورُ

If only he would turn his own ill fortune against himself,

If he allures his soul with its ill omens

darkness would lift, and light would follow.

Darkness will vanish and light will follow

إِذا ما طَلَعنا مِن فَمِ الصِلحِ شَرَّقَ ال

إِذا ما طَلَعنا مِن فَمِ الصِلحِ شَرَّقَ ال

غُرابُ وَغارَ النَحسُ حَيثُ يَغورُ

غُرابُ وَغارَ النَحسُ حَيثُ يَغورُ

When we emerged from Fam al-Ṣilḥ, eastward went the

When we emerge from the mouth of peace the dawn rises

crow, and ill fortune sank where it sinks.

Misfortune hides where it descends

وَكانَ اِبنُ سَوداءٍ كَرِهتُ خِلاطَهُ

وَكانَ اِبنُ سَوداءٍ كَرِهتُ خِلاطَهُ

فَأَنأى رَواحٌ دارَهُ وَبُكورُ

فَأَنأى رَواحٌ دارَهُ وَبُكورُ

And he was a black woman’s son; I loathed his company,

Ibn Sawda’s company I hated

so an evening departure and an early start put his house far behind.

So the dawns and their first lights avoided his house