سَباكِ اللَهُ يا دُنيا عَروساً

سَباكِ اللَهُ يا دُنيا عَروساً

فَكَم أَوفَدتِ لي شَمعاً بِشَمعِ

فَكَم أَوفَدتِ لي شَمعاً بِشَمعِ

May God take you captive, O world, as a bride!

God keep you, O world, my bride

For how often you have sent me merriment with candles!

How many candles have you lit for me, candle after candle

وَما يَنفَكُّ في يَمَنٍ وَشامِ

وَما يَنفَكُّ في يَمَنٍ وَشامِ

غُرورُكِ شائِماً بِخِفَّي لَمعِ

غُرورُكِ شائِماً بِخِفَّي لَمعِ

And never does it cease, in Yemen and Sham—

Your deceit does not cease in Yemen or Syria

Your deceit, watching for lightning’s faint gleam.

Dazzling with your hidden gleam

وَما أَبهَجتِني مُنذُ اِلتَقَينا

وَما أَبهَجتِني مُنذُ اِلتَقَينا

وَإِن نَوَّهتِ بي وَرَفَعتِ سِمعي

وَإِن نَوَّهتِ بي وَرَفَعتِ سِمعي

You have never gladdened me since we met,

You have not delighted me since we met

Though you praised me and raised my renown.

Though you lauded me and raised my name

إِذا ما أَعظُمي كانَت هَباءً

إِذا ما أَعظُمي كانَت هَباءً

فَإِنَّ اللَهَ لا يُعيِيهِ جَمعي

فَإِنَّ اللَهَ لا يُعيِيهِ جَمعي

When my bones have become scattered dust,

When my greatness was but vanity

Then surely gathering me together will not weary God.

For God is not wearied by my striving

وَلَم أَستَغلِ مِنكَ فِداءَ نَفسي

وَلَم أَستَغلِ مِنكَ فِداءَ نَفسي

بِشَيءٍ فَاِعجِبي لِرَقوءِ دَمَعي

بِشَيءٍ فَاِعجِبي لِرَقوءِ دَمَعي

Nor have I deemed ransoming myself from you too costly

And I did not ransom my soul with anything

At any price; so marvel that my tears have ceased

So wonder at my flowing tears

بِفَقدِ غَرائِزي شَمّي وَذَوقي

بِفَقدِ غَرائِزي شَمّي وَذَوقي

وَلَمسي تابِعاً بَصَري وَسَمَعي

وَلَمسي تابِعاً بَصَري وَسَمَعي

At losing my innate faculties—my smell and taste,

At the loss of my senses—smell, taste,

And my touch, following my sight and hearing.

Touch following my sight and hearing

أَرى الدَولاتِ فيكِ وَإِن تَمادَت

أَرى الدَولاتِ فيكِ وَإِن تَمادَت

غَمائِمَ أَثجَمَت بِوَشيكِ هَمعِ

غَمائِمَ أَثجَمَت بِوَشيكِ هَمعِ

I see the reigns of power in you, however long they last,

I see realms in you though you persist

As clouds massed for an imminent downpour.

Clouds loomed, soon to pour down destruction