مَتى عَدَّدَ الأَقوامُ لُبّاً وَفِطنَةً

مَتى عَدَّدَ الأَقوامُ لُبّاً وَفِطنَةً

فَلا تَسأَليني عَنهُما وَسَليبي

فَلا تَسأَليني عَنهُما وَسَليبي

Whenever people take stock of intellect and discernment,

When have the people counted insight and wisdom?

then do not ask me about them; ask about me.

Ask me not of them, nor reproach me.

أَرى عالَماً يَرجونَ عَفوَ مَليكِهِم

أَرى عالَماً يَرجونَ عَفوَ مَليكِهِم

بِتَقبيلِ رُكنٍ وَاِتِّخاذِ صَليبِ

بِتَقبيلِ رُكنٍ وَاِتِّخاذِ صَليبِ

I see a world of people hoping for their King's pardon

I see a world pleading their king for mercy

by kissing a corner and adopting a cross.

By kissing a corner and grasping a cross.

فَغُفرانَكَ اللَهُمَّ هَل أَنا طارِحٌ

فَغُفرانَكَ اللَهُمَّ هَل أَنا طارِحٌ

بِمَكَّةَ في وَفدٍ ثِيابَ سَليبي

بِمَكَّةَ في وَفدٍ ثِيابَ سَليبي

So grant Your pardon, O God! Am I to cast off

Is Your forgiveness, O Lord, if I cast off

in Mecca, among a pilgrim band, the garments of one I have despoiled?

In Mecca my robes amidst a pilgrim throng?

وَهَل أَرِدُ الغُدرانَ بَينَ صَحابَةٍ

وَهَل أَرِدُ الغُدرانَ بَينَ صَحابَةٍ

يَمانينَ لَم يَبغوا اِحتِفارَ قَليبِ

يَمانينَ لَم يَبغوا اِحتِفارَ قَليبِ

And shall I go to drink at the pools among companions,

Would I betray a folk of Yemen, they

Yemenis who have not sought to dig a well?

Who sought not to bare secrets of my heart?

أُفارِقُهُم ما العِرضُ مِنِّيَ عِندَهُم

أُفارِقُهُم ما العِرضُ مِنِّيَ عِندَهُم

ثَليباً وَلا عِرضٌ لَهُم بِثَليبِ

ثَليباً وَلا عِرضٌ لَهُم بِثَليبِ

I part from them, my honor in their eyes

I leave them though they think me not of high repute,

unblemished, and their honor unblemished too.

Nor they so of me, not for robes or gold.

وَلَستُ بِلاحٍ مَن أَراحَِ سَوامَهُ

وَلَستُ بِلاحٍ مَن أَراحَِ سَوامَهُ

إِذا لَم يَجِئني مَوهِناً بِحَليبِ

إِذا لَم يَجِئني مَوهِناً بِحَليبِ

And I do not blame one who brings his grazing herd home

I that eased his mount am no boaster

if he does not come to me late at night with fresh milk.

If he came not with milk to make me bold.

وَهانَ عَلى سَمَعي إِذا القَبرُ ضَمَّني

وَهانَ عَلى سَمَعي إِذا القَبرُ ضَمَّني

هَريرُ ضِباعٍ حَولَهُ وَكَليبِ

هَريرُ ضِباعٍ حَولَهُ وَكَليبِ

And little will it trouble my hearing, when the grave enfolds me:

And to my ears it would be lowly, once the grave claims me,

the growling of hyenas around it, and of dogs.

The howl of hyenas around it, and even a dog.

عَبيدُكَ جَمٌّ رَبَّنا وَلَكَ الغِنى

عَبيدُكَ جَمٌّ رَبَّنا وَلَكَ الغِنى

وَلَم تَكُ مَعروفاً بِرِقِّ جَليبِ

وَلَم تَكُ مَعروفاً بِرِقِّ جَليبِ

Your servants are many, our Lord, and Yours is self-sufficiency;

Your servants a multitude, Lord, and Yours the riches,

and You have never been known for holding a slave brought from afar in bondage.

Yet You were not known to favor coats of mail.