بَكِّ عَلى الناسِ بِالمَزمومِ وَالرَملِ

بَكِّ عَلى الناسِ بِالمَزمومِ وَالرَملِ

فَإِنَّ أَعمالَ دُنياهُم كَلا عَمَلِ

فَإِنَّ أَعمالَ دُنياهُم كَلا عَمَلِ

Lament mankind in the Mazmum and Ramal modes,

Lament for the people with grief and sorrow

for their worldly deeds amount to no deed at all.

For their worldly deeds are all in vain

وَالحُكمُ مِن عالَمٍ عالٍ تَنَزُّلُهُ

وَالحُكمُ مِن عالَمٍ عالٍ تَنَزُّلُهُ

فَما لِسُكّانِ هَذي الأَرضِ كَالهَمَلِ

فَما لِسُكّانِ هَذي الأَرضِ كَالهَمَلِ

And judgment descends from a world on high;

And the decree from the Most High descends

so why are this earth's dwellers like untended herds?

So what can the dwellers of this earth do but surrender

عاشوا بِها وَاِستَجاشوا ثُمَّ ما حَصَلوا

عاشوا بِها وَاِستَجاشوا ثُمَّ ما حَصَلوا

إِلّا عَلى المَوتِ في التَفصيلِ وَالجُمَلِ

إِلّا عَلى المَوتِ في التَفصيلِ وَالجُمَلِ

They lived upon it and raised armies, then gained nothing

They lived in it, rejoiced, yet all they got

but death, in detail and in sum.

Was death, in parts or whole, their final lot

لا أَحمِلُ الهَمَّ لي يَومٌ يُغَيِّبُني

لا أَحمِلُ الهَمَّ لي يَومٌ يُغَيِّبُني

وَلَو حَلَلتُ مَعَ الجَوزاءِ وَالحَمَلِ

وَلَو حَلَلتُ مَعَ الجَوزاءِ وَالحَمَلِ

I bear no worry: a day awaits me that will hide me away,

I carry no worries for a day that will hide me away

even if I dwelt with Gemini and Aries.

Even if I lingered with Gemini or Aries

وَيبَ الحَوادِثِ كَم أَخرَجنَ مِن مَلِكٍ

وَيبَ الحَوادِثِ كَم أَخرَجنَ مِن مَلِكٍ

عَنِ الدِيارِ وَكَم قَصَّرنَ مِن أَمَلِ

عَنِ الدِيارِ وَكَم قَصَّرنَ مِن أَمَلِ

Woe to calamities! How many kings they have driven

Oh fate, how many you drove out of their kingdom

from their homes, and how many hopes they have cut short!

And how many hopes you cut short and made nil

يَسعى الفَتى لِاِبتِغاءِ الرِزقِ مُجتَهِداً

يَسعى الفَتى لِاِبتِغاءِ الرِزقِ مُجتَهِداً

بِالسَيفِ وَالرُمحِ فَوقَ الطَرفِ وَالجَمَلِ

بِالسَيفِ وَالرُمحِ فَوقَ الطَرفِ وَالجَمَلِ

The young man strives diligently in search of sustenance,

The youth strives to make a living, exerting effort

with sword and spear, astride steed and camel.

With sword and spear, atop horse and camel

وَلَو أَقامَ لَوافاهُ الَّذي سَمَحَت

وَلَو أَقامَ لَوافاهُ الَّذي سَمَحَت

بِهِ المَقاديرُ مِن نَقصٍ وَمِن كَمَلِ

بِهِ المَقاديرُ مِن نَقصٍ وَمِن كَمَلِ

And had he stayed, he would have received what was granted

Had he waited, what was destined would have come to him

by fate's decrees, whether scant or full.

Of loss or gain, by the divine will

جَمعاً لِمَحبوبِ قُربى أَو بَغيضِ عِدىً

جَمعاً لِمَحبوبِ قُربى أَو بَغيضِ عِدىً

كَأَنَّهُ عَن ذَراهُ غَيرُ مُحتَمِلِ

كَأَنَّهُ عَن ذَراهُ غَيرُ مُحتَمِلِ

Amassing it for beloved kin or hated foes,

Gathering loved ones or fending off hated foes

as though he were not to depart from his shelter.

As if unable to bear their sight

إِذا مَلَكتَ فَاِسحَج غَيرَ مُهتَضَمٍ

إِذا مَلَكتَ فَاِسحَج غَيرَ مُهتَضَمٍ

وَإِن حَكَمتَ عَلى قَومٍ فَلا تَمِلِ

وَإِن حَكَمتَ عَلى قَومٍ فَلا تَمِلِ

If you hold power, be lenient without being wronged;

When you have power, rule justly without being overbearing

and if you judge a people, do not be partial.

And if you judge people, never grow weary