أَمانِيُّ نَفسٍ ما تُناخُ رِكابُها

أَمانِيُّ نَفسٍ ما تُناخُ رِكابُها

وَغَيبَةُ حَظٍّ لا يُرَجّى إِيابُها

وَغَيبَةُ حَظٍّ لا يُرَجّى إِيابُها

A soul's wishes, whose camels are never made to kneel,

The hopes of my soul do not alight their steeds,

and an absent fortune whose return is not hoped for;

And the absence of fortune is not hoped for its return,

وَوَفدُ هُمومٍ ما أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ

وَوَفدُ هُمومٍ ما أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ

وَهُنَّ مَعي إِلّا وَضاقَت رِحابُها

وَهُنَّ مَعي إِلّا وَضاقَت رِحابُها

and a visiting throng of cares: never have I stayed in a town

And the delegation of worries that I did not reside in any abode,

with them beside me without its open spaces growing cramped;

And they are with me, except that its expanses narrowed,

وَآمالُ دَهرٍ إِن حَسِبتُ نَجاحَها

وَآمالُ دَهرٍ إِن حَسِبتُ نَجاحَها

تَراجَعَ مَنقوصاً عَلَيَّ حِسابُها

تَراجَعَ مَنقوصاً عَلَيَّ حِسابُها

and a lifetime's hopes: if I reckon their success,

And the hopes of fate - if I thought of their success -

their tally comes back diminished, to my loss.

Their account turned deficient upon me,

أَهُمُّ وَتَثني بِالمَقاديرِ هِمَّتي

أَهُمُّ وَتَثني بِالمَقاديرِ هِمَّتي

وَلا يَنتَهي دَأبُ اللَيالي وَدابُها

وَلا يَنتَهي دَأبُ اللَيالي وَدابُها

I aspire, but fate's decrees turn my resolve back,

I worry and fold my aspirations due to fate’s decrees,

and the nights' toil and tireless course never end.

And the night’s endeavor does not cease nor its creeping,

فَيا مُهجَةً يَفنى غَليلاً ذَمارُها

فَيا مُهجَةً يَفنى غَليلاً ذَمارُها

وَيا لِمَّةً يَمضي ضَياعاً شَبَبُها

وَيا لِمَّةً يَمضي ضَياعاً شَبَبُها

So, O heart whose honor wastes away in burning anguish!

So goodbye to an era whose ailment perishes,

And O locks whose youthful bloom passes away to waste!

And goodbye to a nation whose youth is lost,

وَعِندي إِلى العَلياءِ طُرقٌ كَثيرَةٌ

وَعِندي إِلى العَلياءِ طُرقٌ كَثيرَةٌ

لَوِ اِنجابَ مِن هَذي الخُطوبِ ضَبابُها

لَوِ اِنجابَ مِن هَذي الخُطوبِ ضَبابُها

I have many roads to the heights,

And I have many paths to ascend,

if the fog of these calamities would clear.

If the clouds of these calamities clear,

عِنادٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ عَكسُ مَطالِبي

عِنادٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ عَكسُ مَطالِبي

إِذا كانَ يوطيني النَجاحَ اِقتِرابُها

إِذا كانَ يوطيني النَجاحَ اِقتِرابُها

The days resist me, reversing my pursuits,

Fate’s defiance opposes my quests,

just when their approach would lay success at my feet.

When success comes near me, its distance grows,

وَحَظِّيَ مِنها صابُها دونَ شَهدِها

وَحَظِّيَ مِنها صابُها دونَ شَهدِها

فَلَو كانَ عِندي شَهدُها ثُمَّ صابُها

فَلَو كانَ عِندي شَهدُها ثُمَّ صابُها

My share of them is bitter sap, not their honey;

My share of it is the drizzle without the downpour,

if only I had their honey, and then their bitter sap!

If only I had its downpour then the drizzle,

تَميلُ بِأَطماعِ الرِجالِ بُروقُها

تَميلُ بِأَطماعِ الرِجالِ بُروقُها

وَتوكى عَلى غِشِّ الأَنامِ عِيابُها

وَتوكى عَلى غِشِّ الأَنامِ عِيابُها

Its lightning flashes sway men's ambitions,

Its lightning bolts lean towards men’s greed,

and its bags are tied shut upon deceit for humankind.

And it entrusts to the people’s deceit its disappearance,

وَلَكِنَّها الدُنيا الَّتي لا مَجيئُها

وَلَكِنَّها الدُنيا الَّتي لا مَجيئُها

عَلى المَرءِ مَأمونٌ فَيَخشى ذَهابُها

عَلى المَرءِ مَأمونٌ فَيَخشى ذَهابُها

Yet this is the world, whose coming

Yet it is the life whose coming to a person

is not safe for man—why, then, fear its going?

Is not secured, so he fears its departure,

تَفوهُ إِلَينا بِالخُطوبِ فِجاجُها

تَفوهُ إِلَينا بِالخُطوبِ فِجاجُها

وَتَجري إِلَينا بِالرَزايا شِعابُها

وَتَجري إِلَينا بِالرَزايا شِعابُها

Its broad passes speak to us of calamities,

It snarls calamities at us with its howling,

and its ravines flow toward us bearing afflictions.

And tribulations flow towards us through its valleys,

أَلا أَبلِغا عَنّي المُوَفَّقَ قَولَةً

أَلا أَبلِغا عَنّي المُوَفَّقَ قَولَةً

وَظَنِّيَ أَنَّ الطولَ مِنهُ جَوابُها

وَظَنِّيَ أَنَّ الطولَ مِنهُ جَوابُها

Take heed, you two: convey a word from me to al-Muwaffaq;

Will you not convey from me to the supported ruler a saying,

I believe his bounty will be its answer.

And I expect a long response from him,

أَتَرضى بِأَن أَرمي إِلَيكَ بِهِمَّتي

أَتَرضى بِأَن أَرمي إِلَيكَ بِهِمَّتي

فَأَحجُبَ عَن لُقيا عُلىً أَنتَ بابُها

فَأَحجُبَ عَن لُقيا عُلىً أَنتَ بابُها

Would you be content that I cast my aspiration toward you,

Would you accept that I aim my determination at you,

only to be barred from heights whose gate you are?

So you veil the reaching of heights that you are its door,

وَأَظما إِلى دَرِّ الأَماني فَتَنثَني

وَأَظما إِلى دَرِّ الأَماني فَتَنثَني

بِأَخلافِها عَنّي وَمِنكَ مَصابُها

بِأَخلافِها عَنّي وَمِنكَ مَصابُها

And that I thirst for the milk of hopes, while they turn

And I suppress into the abode of hopes so it turns me away

their teats away from me, though their flow comes from you?

With its successors from me while the attainment is from you,

وَلَيسَ مِنَ الإِنصافِ أَن حَلَّقَت بِكُم

وَلَيسَ مِنَ الإِنصافِ أَن حَلَّقَت بِكُم

قَوادِمُ عِزٍّ طاحَ في الجَوِّ قابُها

قَوادِمُ عِزٍّ طاحَ في الجَوِّ قابُها

It is not fair that you should be borne aloft by

And it is not just that the arrivals of honor circled you

glory's primary feathers, whose fledgling soars through the sky,

While its clouds fell in the air and its rain poured,

وَأَصبَحتُ مَحصوصَ الجَناحِ مُهَضَّماً

وَأَصبَحتُ مَحصوصَ الجَناحِ مُهَضَّماً

عَلَيَّ غَواشي ذِلَّةٍ وَثِيابُها

عَلَيَّ غَواشي ذِلَّةٍ وَثِيابُها

while I am left with plucked wings, oppressed,

And I became clipped of wing, humbled,

covered in abasement's shrouds and robes.

Upon me the mantles of disgrace and its clothes,

تَعُدُّ الأَعادي لي مَرامي قِذافِها

تَعُدُّ الأَعادي لي مَرامي قِذافِها

وَتَنبَحُني أَنّى مَرَرتُ كِلابُها

وَتَنبَحُني أَنّى مَرَرتُ كِلابُها

My enemies ready their catapults' missiles for me,

The enemies count me as target for their pelting,

and their dogs bark at me wherever I pass.

And their dogs bark at me wherever I passed,

مُقامِيَ في أَسرِ الخُطوبِ تُهَزُّ لي

مُقامِيَ في أَسرِ الخُطوبِ تُهَزُّ لي

قَواضِبُها مَطرورَةً وَحِرابُها

قَواضِبُها مَطرورَةً وَحِرابُها

I dwell captive to calamities; against me are brandished

My stance in the shackles of tribulations -

their sharpened, cutting swords and their spears.

Its ships toss me while its swords stab me,

لَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن تَكونوا ذَرائِعي

لَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو أَن تَكونوا ذَرائِعي

إِلى غَيرِكُم حَيثُ العُلى وَاِكتِسابُها

إِلى غَيرِكُم حَيثُ العُلى وَاِكتِسابُها

I had hoped that you would be my means

I used to hope that you would be my means

of reaching others, where eminence lies and may be won.

To others where there is highness and its attainment,

فَهَذي المَعالي الآنَ طَوعى لِأَمرِكُم

فَهَذي المَعالي الآنَ طَوعى لِأَمرِكُم

وَفي يَدِكُم أَرسانُها وَرِقابُها

وَفي يَدِكُم أَرسانُها وَرِقابُها

These heights now obey your command;

So these heights are now obedient to your command,

their halters and necks are in your hands.

And in your hands are its reins and necks,

إِذا لَم أُرِد في عِزِّكُم طَلَبَ العُلى

إِذا لَم أُرِد في عِزِّكُم طَلَبَ العُلى

فَفي عِزِّ مَن يُجدي عَلَيَّ طِلابُها

فَفي عِزِّ مَن يُجدي عَلَيَّ طِلابُها

If I do not seek eminence in your might,

If I do not want in your glory to seek highness,

in whose might could its pursuit avail me?

Then whose glory benefits me in its pursuit?

وَلَولاكُمُ ما كُنتُ إِلّا بِباحَةٍ

وَلَولاكُمُ ما كُنتُ إِلّا بِباحَةٍ

مِنَ العِزِّ مَضروباً عَلَيَّ قِبابُها

مِنَ العِزِّ مَضروباً عَلَيَّ قِبابُها

But for you, I would dwell only in a court

And were it not for you I would not be except in a courtyard

of glory, its pavilions pitched above me,

Of honor, its dome collapsed upon me,

أَجوبُ بِلادَ اللَهِ أَو أَبلُغَ الَّتي

أَجوبُ بِلادَ اللَهِ أَو أَبلُغَ الَّتي

يَسوءُ الأَعادي أَن يَعُبَّ عُبابُها

يَسوءُ الأَعادي أَن يَعُبَّ عُبابُها

roaming God's lands until I reached that glory

I roam God’s lands or reach those

whose surging tide would distress my enemies.

Whose enemies dislike that its knights travel,

وَكانَ مُقامي أَن أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ

وَكانَ مُقامي أَن أَقَمتُ بِبَلدَةٍ

مَقامَ الضَواري الغُلبِ يُحذَرُ غابُها

مَقامَ الضَواري الغُلبِ يُحذَرُ غابُها

And, were I to settle in a town, my dwelling would be

And my stance was - whenever I resided in an abode -

that of thick-necked beasts of prey whose forest lair is feared.

The stance of outcasts, fearing the absence of its forest,

وَإِنّي لَتَرّاكُ المَطالِبِ إِن نَأى

وَإِنّي لَتَرّاكُ المَطالِبِ إِن نَأى

بِها قَدَرٌ أَو لُطَّ دوني حِجابُها

بِها قَدَرٌ أَو لُطَّ دوني حِجابُها

And I readily abandon pursuits if they are carried far away

And I surely see the quests - if fate distanced

by fate, or their veil is drawn shut against me.

Or a veil fell between me and it -

وَأَعزِلُ مِن دونِ الَّتي لا أَنالُها

وَأَعزِلُ مِن دونِ الَّتي لا أَنالُها

نَوازِعَ نَفسي أَو تَذِلَّ صِعابُها

نَوازِعَ نَفسي أَو تَذِلَّ صِعابُها

From what I cannot attain, I hold back

And I refrain from what I cannot attain,

my soul's impulses, until its difficulties yield.

The dissuasions of my soul or its difficulties weaken,

وَأَقرَبُ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ حُرمَةً

وَأَقرَبُ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ حُرمَةً

تَداني نُفوسٍ وُدُّها وَحِبابُها

تَداني نُفوسٍ وُدُّها وَحِبابُها

The closest sacred bond between you and me

And the closest between me and you in sanctity

is the nearness of souls, their affection and love:

Is the intimacy of souls, their love and yearning,

شَواجِرُ أَرحامٍ إِذا ما وَصَلتَها

شَواجِرُ أَرحامٍ إِذا ما وَصَلتَها

فَعِندَ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ ثَوابُها

فَعِندَ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ ثَوابُها

interwoven ties of kinship which, if you uphold them,

Branches of kinship - if connected -

have their reward with the Commander of the Faithful.

Then with the Prince of Believers is its reward,

وَما بَعدَ ذا مِن آصِراتٍ إِذا اِنتَهَت

وَما بَعدَ ذا مِن آصِراتٍ إِذا اِنتَهَت

يَكونُ إِلى آلِ النَبيِّ اِنتِسابُها

يَكونُ إِلى آلِ النَبيِّ اِنتِسابُها

And what bonds could go beyond this, when, traced to their end,

And after this from lineages - if they end -

their lineage reaches the family of the Prophet?

Is the association to the Prophet’s family,

وَهَل تُطلَبُ العَلياءُ إِلّا لِأَن يُرى

وَهَل تُطلَبُ العَلياءُ إِلّا لِأَن يُرى

وَليٌّ يُرَجّيها وَضِدٌّ يَهابُها

وَليٌّ يُرَجّيها وَضِدٌّ يَهابُها

Is eminence sought for anything but to see

And is highness sought except so it appears

an ally hoping in it and an enemy fearing it?

A loyal ally whose aid is hoped and a foe who is feared?

فَجَرِّد لِأَمري عَزمَةً مِنكَ صَدقَةً

فَجَرِّد لِأَمري عَزمَةً مِنكَ صَدقَةً

كَمَطرورَةِ الغَربَينِ يَمضي ذُبابُها

كَمَطرورَةِ الغَربَينِ يَمضي ذُبابُها

So unsheathe for my cause a steadfast resolve of yours,

So prepare for my matter a sincere determination,

like a blade sharpened on both edges, its point piercing through.

Like the pouring rain whose drizzle flows,

وَلا تَترُكَنّي قاعِداً أَرقُبُ المُنى

وَلا تَترُكَنّي قاعِداً أَرقُبُ المُنى

وَأَرعى بُروقاً لا يَجودُ سَحابُها

وَأَرعى بُروقاً لا يَجودُ سَحابُها

Do not leave me sitting, watching for wishes,

And do not leave me sitting hoping for favor

watching lightning whose clouds yield no rain.

And watching for lightning whose clouds do not rain,

وَغَيرُكِ يَقري النازِلينَ بِبابِهِ

وَغَيرُكِ يَقري النازِلينَ بِبابِهِ

عَداتٍ كَأَرضِ القاعِ يَجري سَرابُها

عَداتٍ كَأَرضِ القاعِ يَجري سَرابُها

Another than you feeds those who alight at his door

While others feed the visitors at his door

promises like a level plain whose mirage flows.

Provisions like a mirage’s land where its illusion flows,

بِكَفَّيكَ عَقدُ المَكرُماتِ وَحَلُّها

بِكَفَّيكَ عَقدُ المَكرُماتِ وَحَلُّها

وَعِندَكَ إِشراقُ العُلى وَغِيابُها

وَعِندَكَ إِشراقُ العُلى وَغِيابُها

In your two palms lie the binding and unbinding of noble favors,

In your hands is the knot of honors and its solutions,

and with you lie glory's dawning and its setting.

And with you is the rise of ascendance and its setting,

وَعِندي لَكَ الغُرُّ الَّتي لا نِظامُها

وَعِندي لَكَ الغُرُّ الَّتي لا نِظامُها

يَهي أَبَداً أَو لا يَبوخُ شِهابُها

يَهي أَبَداً أَو لا يَبوخُ شِهابُها

I have for you radiant verses whose string

And I have for you the love that has no system,

never frays, nor does their blazing star ever fade.

Its ardor never calms or its flame is not extinguished,

وَعِندِيَ لِلأَعداءِ فيكَ أَوابِدٌ

وَعِندِيَ لِلأَعداءِ فيكَ أَوابِدٌ

لُعابُ الأَفاعي القاتِلاتِ لُعابُها

لُعابُ الأَفاعي القاتِلاتِ لُعابُها

And for enemies, in your cause, I have far-ranging verses:

And I have for the enemies in you ruins

their spittle is the spittle of deadly vipers.

Like the lethal vipers’ venom is their venom.