تَصابى وَأَمسى عَلاهُ الكِبَر

تَصابى وَأَمسى عَلاهُ الكِبَر

وَأَمسى لِجمرَةَ حَبلٍ غَرَر

وَأَمسى لِجمرَةَ حَبلٍ غَرَر

He played at youth, though old age had overtaken him,

He grew old and gray besieged him,

and his bond with Jamra had become precarious.

And grew used to the glowing embers.

وَشابَ وَلا مَرحَباً بِالبَيا

وَشابَ وَلا مَرحَباً بِالبَيا

ضِ وَالشَيبِ مِن غائِبٍ يَنتَظِر

ضِ وَالشَيبِ مِن غائِبٍ يَنتَظِر

He went gray—no welcome to white

He grew youthful but no welcome of youth

hair and grayness, that absent visitor he awaits!

In the barren land and gray hair of an absent one he awaits.

فَلَو أَنَّ جَمرَةَ تَدنو لَهُ

فَلَو أَنَّ جَمرَةَ تَدنو لَهُ

وَلَكِنَّ جَمرَةَ مِنهُ سَفَر

وَلَكِنَّ جَمرَةَ مِنهُ سَفَر

If only Jamra would draw near to him—

If only the glowing embers would approach him,

and yet Jamra is far away from him.

But the glowing embers from him traveled.

سَلامُ الإِلَهِ وَرَيحانُهُ

سَلامُ الإِلَهِ وَرَيحانُهُ

وَرَحمَتُهُ وَسَماءٌ دَرَر

وَرَحمَتُهُ وَسَماءٌ دَرَر

God’s peace and His bounty,

The peace of God and His grace,

and His mercy, and a sky pouring rain—

And His mercy and starry heavens.

غَمامُ يُنَزِّلُ رِزقَ العِبادِ

غَمامُ يُنَزِّلُ رِزقَ العِبادِ

فَأَحيا البِلادَ وَطابَ الشَجَر

فَأَحيا البِلادَ وَطابَ الشَجَر

a cloud sending down sustenance for His servants,

A cloud that sends down the sustenance of servants,

so it revived the land, and the trees flourished.

Reviving the countries and the trees thrived.

أَرى الناسَ قَد أَحدَثوا شيمَةً

أَرى الناسَ قَد أَحدَثوا شيمَةً

وَفي كُلِّ حادِثَةٍ يُؤتَمَر

وَفي كُلِّ حادِثَةٍ يُؤتَمَر

I see people have adopted a new habit,

I see the people innovated a flaw,

and in every new affair, counsel is taken:

And in every incident they confer.

يُهينونَ مَن حَقَّروا سَيبَهُ

يُهينونَ مَن حَقَّروا سَيبَهُ

وَإِن كانَ فيهِم يَفي أَو يَبَر

وَإِن كانَ فيهِم يَفي أَو يَبَر

they slight anyone whose bounty they deem meager,

They humiliate those whose lineage they belittled,

even if he keeps faith among them or does good.

Even if among them he shelters or acts virtuously.

وَيُعجِبُهُم مَن رَأَوا عِندَهُ

وَيُعجِبُهُم مَن رَأَوا عِندَهُ

سَواماً وَإِن كانَ فيهِ الغَمَر

سَواماً وَإِن كانَ فيهِ الغَمَر

And they admire anyone they see possessing

And they admire those they saw have,

grazing herds, even if he is ignorant.

Dark-skinned slaves, even if among them lies deceit.

أَلا يا لِذا الناسِ لَو يَعلَمو

أَلا يا لِذا الناسِ لَو يَعلَمو

نَ لِلخَيرِ خَيرٍ وَلِلشَرِّ شَر

نَ لِلخَيرِ خَيرٍ وَلِلشَرِّ شَر

Ah, for these people—if only they knew

Oh people! If only they know,

that good brings good, and evil brings evil!

For good, good, and for evil, evil.

فَيَومٌ عَلَينا وَيَومٌ لَنا

فَيَومٌ عَلَينا وَيَومٌ لَنا

وَيَومٌ نُساءُ وَيَومٌ نُسَر

وَيَومٌ نُساءُ وَيَومٌ نُسَر

So one day is against us, and one day for us,

For upon us is a day, and for us is a day,

and one day we are saddened, and one day gladdened.

And a day women, and a day men.