التام جرح والاساة غيب

التام جرح والاساة غيب

وعاش طفل ما يربيه أب

وعاش طفل ما يربيه أب

A wound healed while the healers were away;

A wound has healed while the healers were absent,

and a child lived with no father to rear him.

and a child has lived with no father to rear him.

لولا تأتي الأمر لا تظنه

لولا تأتي الأمر لا تظنه

ما كان في هذا الزمان عجب

ما كان في هذا الزمان عجب

Had the thing not actually come to pass, you would never believe it;

Were it not for the unexpected coming to pass,

yet in this age, nothing would be strange.

there would be no marvel in this age.

كم صادق في الود لو قطعته

كم صادق في الود لو قطعته

ما صدر وهو بالجفا يعذب

ما صدر وهو بالجفا يعذب

How many a man stays true in love—even if you cut him off,

Many a man sincere in love, were you to cut him off,

he would not turn away, though estrangement torments him.

would not leave, though tormented by estrangement.

وبايع صاعا بصاع وده

وبايع صاعا بصاع وده

بقدر ما جذبته ينجذب

بقدر ما جذبته ينجذب

And another trades measure for measure in his affection:

And one who barters his affection, measure for measure,

he responds only in proportion to how much you draw him close.

is drawn only as far as you draw him.

ولو رأى أدنى صدود لأتى

ولو رأى أدنى صدود لأتى

منه وعيد بالفراق مرعب

منه وعيد بالفراق مرعب

Were he to see the slightest turning away, there would come

And if he saw the slightest turning away, there would come

from him a terrifying threat of separation.

from him a terrifying threat of separation.

والحظ يكسو المرء ثوب غيره

والحظ يكسو المرء ثوب غيره

ويوجب الأمر الذي لا يجب

ويوجب الأمر الذي لا يجب

Fortune clothes a man in another’s robe,

And fortune clothes a man in another's robe,

and brings about what ought not to be.

and makes inevitable what need not be.

لو حاول المحظوظ خرق عادة

لو حاول المحظوظ خرق عادة

شد على ظهر البعوض القتب

شد على ظهر البعوض القتب

If the fortunate man tried to break the natural order,

If the fortunate man tried to defy the usual order,

he would fasten a camel-saddle upon a mosquito’s back.

he would fasten a pack-saddle upon a mosquito's back.

أو ركض المحروم طرقا طالبا

أو ركض المحروم طرقا طالبا

رد مكان الرأس منه الذنب

رد مكان الرأس منه الذنب

But if the luckless man galloped down roads in pursuit,

Or if the luckless man spurred a bull camel in pursuit,

his tail would be set where his head should be.

its tail would be set in place of its head.

فيستحيل أن ينال ما رجى

فيستحيل أن ينال ما رجى

والطلب المدني إليه هرب

والطلب المدني إليه هرب

Then attaining what he hoped for becomes impossible,

So it becomes impossible for him to attain what he hoped for,

and the sought-for thing, though brought near him, flees.

and pursuit meant to bring him nearer to it becomes flight.

استغفر الله لكم مطعم

استغفر الله لكم مطعم

لا بد ان يناله ومشرب

لا بد ان يناله ومشرب

Ask God’s forgiveness: there is food for you

I ask God's forgiveness: many a meal

that one must inevitably receive—and drink as well.

he is bound to receive, and many a drink.

فلا تضق ذرعا فرب آئس

فلا تضق ذرعا فرب آئس

نال المنى من حيث لا يحتسب

نال المنى من حيث لا يحتسب

So do not lose heart; many a wretched soul

So do not lose heart, for many a despairing man

has won its desires from where it never expected.

has attained his wishes from an unexpected quarter.

فالسحب قد تقلع حيث ترتجي

فالسحب قد تقلع حيث ترتجي

ثم يكون الخير فيما يعقب

ثم يكون الخير فيما يعقب

Clouds may clear from where you hope for rain;

For clouds may clear where you hope for rain,

then good may lie in what follows.

then good lies in what follows.

والحمد لله رضاً بما قضا

والحمد لله رضاً بما قضا

ما أحد يأخذ ما لا يكتب

ما أحد يأخذ ما لا يكتب

And praise be to God, content with what He has decreed:

And praise be to God, in contentment with what He decreed;

no one receives what has not been written.

no one receives what is not written for him.