يا مَن صَدَفتَ عَنِ الدُنيا وَزينَتِها

يا مَن صَدَفتَ عَنِ الدُنيا وَزينَتِها

فَلَم يَغُرَّكَ مِن دُنياكَ مُغريها

فَلَم يَغُرَّكَ مِن دُنياكَ مُغريها

O you who turned away from the world and its adornment,

O you who turned away from this world and its adornments

and were not beguiled by the allure of your world,

So its allurements did not seduce you

ماذا رَأَيتَ بِبابِ الشامِ حينَ رَأَوا

ماذا رَأَيتَ بِبابِ الشامِ حينَ رَأَوا

أَن يُلبِسوكَ مِنَ الأَثوابِ زاهيها

أَن يُلبِسوكَ مِنَ الأَثوابِ زاهيها

what did you see at the gate of al-Sham, when they saw fit

What did you see at the gate of Damascus when they wanted

to dress you in splendid garments,

To dress you in splendid garments

وَيُركِبوكَ عَلى البِرذَونِ تَقدُمُهُ

وَيُركِبوكَ عَلى البِرذَونِ تَقدُمُهُ

خَيلٌ مُطَهَّمَةٌ تَحلو مَرائيها

خَيلٌ مُطَهَّمَةٌ تَحلو مَرائيها

and mount you on the riding horse, preceded

And mount you on the litter preceded by

by finely built steeds, lovely to behold?

Horses caparisoned that enchant the onlooker

مَشى فَهَملَجَ مُختالاً بِراكِبِهِ

مَشى فَهَملَجَ مُختالاً بِراكِبِهِ

وَفي البَراذينِ ما تُزهى بِعاليها

وَفي البَراذينِ ما تُزهى بِعاليها

It walked, then ambled, proud of its rider;

It walked proudly with its rider

and among riding horses are some that take pride in their riders.

While litters do not boast their height

فَصِحتَ يا قَومُ كادَ الزَهوُ يَقتُلُني

فَصِحتَ يا قَومُ كادَ الزَهوُ يَقتُلُني

وَداخَلَتنِيَ حالٌ لَستُ أَدريها

وَداخَلَتنِيَ حالٌ لَستُ أَدريها

Then you cried: O people, pride nearly killed me,

You cried out, "O people, vanity nearly killed me

and a feeling came over me that I do not understand.

And I was in a state I cannot describe"

وَكادَ يَصبو إِلى دُنياكُمُ عُمَرٌ

وَكادَ يَصبو إِلى دُنياكُمُ عُمَرٌ

وَيَرتَضي بَيعَ باقيهِ بِفانيها

وَيَرتَضي بَيعَ باقيهِ بِفانيها

And Umar almost came to yearn for your world,

My life was nearly poured into your world

and agree to trade what endures for him for what perishes in it.

Pleased to sell the rest for the transient

رُدّوا رِكابي فَلا أَبغي بِهِ بَدَلاً

رُدّوا رِكابي فَلا أَبغي بِهِ بَدَلاً

رُدّوا ثِيابي فَحَسبي اليَومَ باليها

رُدّوا ثِيابي فَحَسبي اليَومَ باليها

Bring back my camel mount, for I seek no replacement for it.

Return my mount for I do not seek a substitute

Bring back my clothes; their threadbare ones suffice me today.

Return my clothes for today my old ones suffice