لِي في دَهِستانَ لا جادَ الغَمام لَها

لِي في دَهِستانَ لا جادَ الغَمام لَها

اِلّا صَواعِقَ تَرمي النارَ وَالشُهُبا

اِلّا صَواعِقَ تَرمي النارَ وَالشُهُبا

I have in Dehistan—may the clouds never water it

In my country, no clouds bring rain,

save with thunderbolts hurling fire and shooting stars—

Only lightning that casts fire and meteors.

ثاوٍ ثَوى مِنهُ في قَلبي جَوى ضَرم

ثاوٍ ثَوى مِنهُ في قَلبي جَوى ضَرم

يَشبُّ كَالسَيفِ حَداً وَالسِنان شَبا

يَشبُّ كَالسَيفِ حَداً وَالسِنان شَبا

one laid to rest, whose loss lodged blazing anguish in my heart,

Passion kindled in my heart a blazing fire,

flaring, sharp as a sword's edge and a spearhead's point.

Sharp like a sword, with biting flames.

دَعاهُ داعي المَنايا غَير مُحتَسِبٍ

دَعاهُ داعي المَنايا غَير مُحتَسِبٍ

فَراحَ يَرفَلُ عِندَ اللَهِ مُحتَسِبا

فَراحَ يَرفَلُ عِندَ اللَهِ مُحتَسِبا

The herald of death called him, all unsuspecting;

Death called him though he was not ready,

so he went, walking in splendor before God, hoping for His reward.

So he went to meet God, prepared.

هِلالُ حُسنٍ بَدا في خوطِ أَسحلَةٍ

هِلالُ حُسنٍ بَدا في خوطِ أَسحلَةٍ

قَد كادَ يَقمرُ لَولا أَنهُ غَربا

قَد كادَ يَقمرُ لَولا أَنهُ غَربا

A crescent of beauty appeared upon a tender asḥalah shoot;

A crescent of beauty shone in smooth cheeks,

he would soon have become a full moon, had he not set.

He almost glowed like the moon before setting.

لَو يَقبلُ المَوتُ عَنهُ فِديَةً سَمَحَت

لَو يَقبلُ المَوتُ عَنهُ فِديَةً سَمَحَت

نَفسي بِأَنفسِ ذُخرٍ دونَ ما سَلَبا

نَفسي بِأَنفسِ ذُخرٍ دونَ ما سَلَبا

Had death accepted a ransom for him, gladly would

If death would accept a ransom,

my soul have given its dearest treasure in place of what it stole.

I would ransom him with my dearest possession.

لَكِن أَبى الدَهرُ أَن تَرزا فَجائِعُهُ

لَكِن أَبى الدَهرُ أَن تَرزا فَجائِعُهُ

إِلّا عَقائِلُ ما نَحويهِ وَالنُخُبا

إِلّا عَقائِلُ ما نَحويهِ وَالنُخُبا

But Time will not let its calamities seize

But fate refused to be appeased,

anything but our most prized possessions and our choicest treasures.

Except with the best, the finest offerings.

تَراهُ قَد نَشَبَت فينا مَخالِبُهُ

تَراهُ قَد نَشَبَت فينا مَخالِبُهُ

فَلَيسَ يَبقى لَنا عَلقاً وَلا نَشَبا

فَلَيسَ يَبقى لَنا عَلقاً وَلا نَشَبا

You see how its claws have sunk into us;

Its claws sank into us,

so neither prized possessions nor property remain to us.

Leaving nothing intact or unharmed.

لَئِن أَناخَ عَلى وَفري بِنَكبَتِهِ

لَئِن أَناخَ عَلى وَفري بِنَكبَتِهِ

فَالدينُ وَالعِرضُ مَوفُوران ما نَكَبا

فَالدينُ وَالعِرضُ مَوفُوران ما نَكَبا

Though it has encamped upon my wealth with its calamity,

If it rests on my ample fortune,

yet my faith and honor remain intact; it has not harmed them.

Faith and honor will remain intact.

أُقابلُ المُرَّ مِن أَحكامِهِ جَلِداً

أُقابلُ المُرَّ مِن أَحكامِهِ جَلِداً

بِالحِلمِ وَالصَبرِ حَتّى يَقضِيَ العَجَبا

بِالحِلمِ وَالصَبرِ حَتّى يَقضِيَ العَجَبا

I meet the bitterness of its decrees with fortitude,

I meet its bitter decrees

with forbearance and patience, until it has had its fill of wonder.

With patience and restraint until the wonder passes.