ما زِلتُ مُرتَقِياً إِلى العَلياءِ

ما زِلتُ مُرتَقِياً إِلى العَلياءِ

حَتّى بَلَغتُ إِلى ذُرى الجَوزاءِ

حَتّى بَلَغتُ إِلى ذُرى الجَوزاءِ

I have kept ascending toward the heights of glory,

I continued to ascend to the heights

Until I reached the summits of al-Jawzāʾ.

Until I reached the stars of Capricornus

فَهُناكَ لا أَلوي عَلى مَن لامَني

فَهُناكَ لا أَلوي عَلى مَن لامَني

خَوفَ المَماتِ وَفُرقَةِ الأَحياءِ

خَوفَ المَماتِ وَفُرقَةِ الأَحياءِ

There I pay no heed to whoever reproaches me

There, I do not blame those who blamed me

For fear of death and separation from the living.

Fearing death and separation from the living

فَلَأُغضِبَنَّ عَواذِلي وَحَواسِدي

فَلَأُغضِبَنَّ عَواذِلي وَحَواسِدي

وَلِأَصبِرَنَّ عَلى قِلىً وَجَواءِ

وَلِأَصبِرَنَّ عَلى قِلىً وَجَواءِ

So I shall surely anger my reproachers and those who envy me,

So I will provoke those who envy and hate me

And I shall surely endure hatred and burning sorrow.

And be patient with scarcity and barrenness

وَلَأَجهَدَنَّ عَلى اللِقاءِ لِكَي أَرى

وَلَأَجهَدَنَّ عَلى اللِقاءِ لِكَي أَرى

ما أَرتَجيهِ أَو يَحينَ قَضائي

ما أَرتَجيهِ أَو يَحينَ قَضائي

And I shall surely strive in battle to behold

And I will strive for the meeting so I can see

What I hope for—or until my appointed end arrives.

What I hope for or what is my destiny

وَلَأَحمِيَنَّ النَفسَ عَن شَهَواتِها

وَلَأَحمِيَنَّ النَفسَ عَن شَهَواتِها

حَتّى أَرى ذا ذِمَّةٍ وَوَفاءِ

حَتّى أَرى ذا ذِمَّةٍ وَوَفاءِ

And I shall surely guard my soul against its desires,

And I will protect my soul from its desires

Until I find one who keeps his pledge and is faithful.

Until I see one of conscience and loyalty

مَن كانَ يَجحَدُني فَقَد بَرَحَ الخَفا

مَن كانَ يَجحَدُني فَقَد بَرَحَ الخَفا

ما كُنتُ أَكتُمُهُ عَنِ الرُقَباءِ

ما كُنتُ أَكتُمُهُ عَنِ الرُقَباءِ

To whoever denied my worth: now revealed is

Whoever denied me has slipped away in secret

What I used to conceal from the watchers.

What I was hiding from the supervisors

ما ساءَني لَوني وَإِسمُ زَبيبَةٍ

ما ساءَني لَوني وَإِسمُ زَبيبَةٍ

إِذ قَصَّرَت عَن هِمَّتي أَعدائي

إِذ قَصَّرَت عَن هِمَّتي أَعدائي

Neither my color nor Zabība’s name has troubled me,

I am not saddened by my color or the name Zubaybah

Since my enemies fell short of my ambition.

When my enemies fell short of my ambition

فَلَئِن بَقيتُ لَأَصنَعَنَّ عَجائِباً

فَلَئِن بَقيتُ لَأَصنَعَنَّ عَجائِباً

وَلَأُبكِمَنَّ بَلاغَةَ الفُصَحاءِ

وَلَأُبكِمَنَّ بَلاغَةَ الفُصَحاءِ

So if I live on, I shall surely work wonders,

So if I live, I will surely perform wonders

And I shall surely silence the eloquence of the eloquent.

And silence the eloquence of the eloquent