روحٌ تَعَدَّنَ قَضّي اليَومَ وَاِنتَظِري

روحٌ تَعَدَّنَ قَضّي اليَومَ وَاِنتَظِري

غَداً لَعَلِّيَ فيهِ أُدرِكُ العَدَنا

غَداً لَعَلِّيَ فيهِ أُدرِكُ العَدَنا

Soul that has settled, pass today and await

A soul that has spent the day waiting,

Tomorrow—perhaps then I shall reach the lasting abode.

Keep waiting, perhaps tomorrow I will find bliss.

وَديدَنُ الجَدِّ مَملوكٌ تُنافِرُهُ

وَديدَنُ الجَدِّ مَملوكٌ تُنافِرُهُ

كُلُّ النُفوسِ وَتَهوى اللَهوَ وَالدَدَنا

كُلُّ النُفوسِ وَتَهوى اللَهوَ وَالدَدَنا

And the habit of earnestness is a slave whom

The seriousness of life is a slave we all abhor,

All souls shun, while loving amusement and play.

Yet lust and frivolity attract all souls.

فِدىً لِنَفسِكَ نَفسي آوِني جَدَثاً

فِدىً لِنَفسِكَ نَفسي آوِني جَدَثاً

مِنَ الخَفِيّاتِ لا قَصراً وَلا فَدَنا

مِنَ الخَفِيّاتِ لا قَصراً وَلا فَدَنا

My soul be ransom for yours! Shelter me in a grave,

Sacrifice yourself for me, shelter me,

Among the hidden ones—not a castle or a palace.

With something unpretentious, not a palace or lodge.

وَاِبدَأ بِبُدنِكَ فَاِهضُم مِنهُ طائِفَةً

وَاِبدَأ بِبُدنِكَ فَاِهضُم مِنهُ طائِفَةً

مِن قَبلِ سَوقِكَ في أَصحابِكَ البَدَنا

مِن قَبلِ سَوقِكَ في أَصحابِكَ البَدَنا

And begin with your body: diminish a portion of it

Start with your body, deprive it of some,

Before you drive sacrificial camels among your companions.

Before your passions, among your friends the gluttons.

فَإِنَّ جَنَّةَ عَدنٍ لا يُجادُ بِها

فَإِنَّ جَنَّةَ عَدنٍ لا يُجادُ بِها

إِلّا لِصاحِبِ دينٍ في أَذىً عُدِنا

إِلّا لِصاحِبِ دينٍ في أَذىً عُدِنا

For the Garden of Eden is not bestowed

For the bliss of Eden cannot be found,

Except on one of faith made to dwell in suffering.

Except by the religious amidst harm.

لَيثٌ كَفادِرِ فِرزٍ لُبسُهُ شَعَرٌ

لَيثٌ كَفادِرِ فِرزٍ لُبسُهُ شَعَرٌ

وَكَالرُدَينِيُّ آلى يَلبَسُ الرَدَنا

وَكَالرُدَينِيُّ آلى يَلبَسُ الرَدَنا

A lion, like a solitary old ibex, clothed in hair,

A lion with mighty paws dressed in hair,

And, like a Rudaynian spear, he has sworn never to wear silk.

Like a shaggy goat dressed in shag.

وَالعَيشُ يُلقى بِصَخرٍ مَن يُمارِسُهُ

وَالعَيشُ يُلقى بِصَخرٍ مَن يُمارِسُهُ

وَلَن يَدومَ عَلى حالٍ إِذا لَدُنا

وَلَن يَدومَ عَلى حالٍ إِذا لَدُنا

And life—whoever grapples with it is met with stones,

Life is discarded like a boulder by one who lives it,

Nor will it remain in one state when it grows gentle.

It will not last in one state if it softens.

تَحَسَّمَت مِنهُ أَيّامٌ مُنَغِّصَةٌ

تَحَسَّمَت مِنهُ أَيّامٌ مُنَغِّصَةٌ

مِن بَعدِ ما وَدَّ في وَدّانَ أَو وَدَنا

مِن بَعدِ ما وَدَّ في وَدّانَ أَو وَدَنا

Days of vexation have been cut away from it,

After pleasure in valleys or coves,

After he loved in Waddan or settled down.

It soured with anguished days.

وَالغَيُّ ثَوبٌ إِذا لَم يَستَلِب رَجُلاً

وَالغَيُّ ثَوبٌ إِذا لَم يَستَلِب رَجُلاً

بِالرَغمِ لَم تَحسُرِ التَقوى لَهُ رَدَنا

بِالرَغمِ لَم تَحسُرِ التَقوى لَهُ رَدَنا

And waywardness is a garment: unless a man is stripped of it

Passion is a garment which if it does not

By force, piety will not strip off a sleeve for him.

Take a man by force, piety will not roll for him its sleeve.

كَالدُرِّ يُمنَعُ مِنهُ الطِفلُ مُقتَسَراً

كَالدُرِّ يُمنَعُ مِنهُ الطِفلُ مُقتَسَراً

وَلَم يُجانِبهُ مِن زُهدٍ وَقَد شَدَنا

وَلَم يُجانِبهُ مِن زُهدٍ وَقَد شَدَنا

Like milk, from which a child is kept by force,

Like a pearl denied to the child without means

Nor did he shun it out of abstinence, though he had grown strong.

Who did not refrain from it out of asceticism, though we tightened.

أَمّا الشُرورُ فَلَن تُلفى بِمُقفِرَةٍ

أَمّا الشُرورُ فَلَن تُلفى بِمُقفِرَةٍ

إِلّا قَليلاً وَلَكِن تَألَفُ المُدُنا

إِلّا قَليلاً وَلَكِن تَألَفُ المُدُنا

As for evils, they will not be found in a wilderness

As for evils, they are not avoided with self-denial

Except in small measure; and yet they frequent cities.

Except a little, but they befriend cities.

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ ما أَرجو لِعالَمِنا

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ ما أَرجو لِعالَمِنا

هُدىً يُثَبِّتُ في أَفنائِنا الهُدَنا

هُدىً يُثَبِّتُ في أَفنائِنا الهُدَنا

Indeed, by your life, I have no hope for our world

By your life, I do not hope for guidance

Of guidance that would secure truces in our midst.

In our world to steady among us faith.

وَالحَظُّ أَغلَبُ كَم بَيتٍ لِمَكرُمَةٍ

وَالحَظُّ أَغلَبُ كَم بَيتٍ لِمَكرُمَةٍ

سُدىً يَظَلُّ وَبَيتٌ لِلخَنى سُدِنا

سُدىً يَظَلُّ وَبَيتٌ لِلخَنى سُدِنا

And fortune prevails: how many a house devoted to virtue

Fate is stronger, how many homes of honor

Remains neglected, while a house of lewdness is tended!

Lie deserted, while homes of disgrace are inhabited.