لقد بت فى وجد من القرب والبعد

لقد بت فى وجد من القرب والبعد

لقربى من شام وبعدى عن نجد

لقربى من شام وبعدى عن نجد

Indeed, I spent the night in longing born of nearness and distance,

I have indeed spent the night in anguish over nearness and distance,

because I am near Syria, yet far from Najd.

because of my nearness to Sham and my distance from Najd.

فيومى عصيب والدجى فيه شقوتى

فيومى عصيب والدجى فيه شقوتى

وها حالتى يا صاح وجد على وجد

وها حالتى يا صاح وجد على وجد

My day is grievous, and the tears within it are my misery;

So my day is grievous, and in the night-darkness lies my misery.

this is my state, my friend: longing upon longing.

And here is my state, O friend: anguish upon anguish.

يعاملنى بالسوء من أنا محسن

يعاملنى بالسوء من أنا محسن

اليه بمحض الود في القرب والبعد

اليه بمحض الود في القرب والبعد

He whom I treat with kindness deals wickedly with me,

He treats me ill, though I am kind

though I offer him pure affection, near and far.

to him with pure affection, in nearness and distance.

وينكر فضلى بعدما كان شاهدا

وينكر فضلى بعدما كان شاهدا

به لى على الحالين فى الهزل والجد

به لى على الحالين فى الهزل والجد

He denies my merit after having borne witness

And he denies my merit, after once bearing witness

to it in my favor in both states, in jest and earnest alike.

to it in my favor, in both states—in jest and earnest.

كما أنكر الأحبار فضل محمد

كما أنكر الأحبار فضل محمد

وهم سابقا منه على العهد والوعد

وهم سابقا منه على العهد والوعد

Just as the rabbis denied Muhammad’s merit,

Just as the rabbis denied Muhammad's merit,

though formerly, concerning him, they upheld covenant and promise.

though earlier they were bound by a covenant and promise from him.

رمونى بأحجار الاذى مثل ما رمت

رمونى بأحجار الاذى مثل ما رمت

أخاهم بنو يعقوب يوسف بالايدى

أخاهم بنو يعقوب يوسف بالايدى

They pelted me with stones of hurt, just as

They pelted me with stones of harm, just as

Jacob’s sons cast down their brother Joseph with their own hands.

Jacob's sons pelted their brother Joseph with their hands.

دعانى لجمع الشمل بينى وبينهم

دعانى لجمع الشمل بينى وبينهم

قضاء به أهلكت نفسى على عمد

قضاء به أهلكت نفسى على عمد

A decree summoned me to reunite what lay sundered between us—

I was called to reunite with them

a decree by which I deliberately brought myself to ruin.

by fate, through which I deliberately ruined myself.

أتيت اليهم رغبة في صلاحهم

أتيت اليهم رغبة في صلاحهم

وقلت لنفسى فى منافعهم جدى

وقلت لنفسى فى منافعهم جدى

I came to them, desiring their welfare,

I came to them desiring their betterment,

and told myself: strive earnestly for their benefit.

and told myself, 'Strive for their benefit.'

فلما بذلت الجهد منى وعاينت

فلما بذلت الجهد منى وعاينت

عيونى صباح النجح فى مطلع القصد

عيونى صباح النجح فى مطلع القصد

But when I had spent every effort I possessed, and my eyes

And when I had poured out my effort and beheld

beheld success’s morning break at the dawning of my aim,

with my eyes the dawn of success at the rising of my aim,

رأوا أننى أستوجب الشكر منهمو

رأوا أننى أستوجب الشكر منهمو

بناء على شكر الصنيعة بالحمد

بناء على شكر الصنيعة بالحمد

they saw that I deserved their thanks,

they saw that I deserved thanks from them,

since a kindness is repaid with grateful praise.

on the grounds that a kindness is thanked with praise.

فجازوا ولكن بالاساءة والاذى

فجازوا ولكن بالاساءة والاذى

وجادوا ولكن بالعداوة والحقد

وجادوا ولكن بالعداوة والحقد

So they requited me—but with mistreatment and hurt;

So they repaid me, but with mistreatment and harm,

they gave lavishly—but only hostility and spite.

and gave generously, but with enmity and rancor.

لعمرى ما راعوا حقوق جوارهم

لعمرى ما راعوا حقوق جوارهم

فقبحا لهم فيما أسر وما أبدى

فقبحا لهم فيما أسر وما أبدى

By my life, they honored none of the rights of neighborliness;

By my life, they did not honor their neighbors' rights;

how vile of them, in all that I conceal and reveal.

so shame upon them, in what I conceal and what I reveal!

وانى وان ألحقتهم بملامة

وانى وان ألحقتهم بملامة

لاعذرهم من حيث انهمو ضدى

لاعذرهم من حيث انهمو ضدى

And although I have laden them with reproach,

And I, though I have laid blame upon them,

I surely excuse them, since they stand against me.

do excuse them, since they are my opposites.

أقمت لديهم لست راض بقربهم

أقمت لديهم لست راض بقربهم

ولكن حكم الرب جار على العبد

ولكن حكم الرب جار على العبد

I stayed among them, though not content to be near them;

I stayed among them, not content with their nearness,

but the Lord’s decree holds sway over the servant.

but the Lord's decree is binding upon the servant.

وها أنا عنهم راحل لست آسفا

وها أنا عنهم راحل لست آسفا

على قربهم بل شاكرا للنوى جهدى

على قربهم بل شاكرا للنوى جهدى

And here I am, departing from them, with no regret

And here I am, departing from them, with no regret

for their nearness; rather, I thank separation as best I can.

at losing their nearness, but thanking separation with all my strength.

وأرحل فى اثر المكارم والعلى

وأرحل فى اثر المكارم والعلى

ونور التقى والعلم والحلم والرشد

ونور التقى والعلم والحلم والرشد

I depart in pursuit of noble virtues and the heights,

And I journey in the footsteps of noble virtues and lofty honor,

and of the light of piety, knowledge, forbearance, and right guidance.

and the light of piety, knowledge, forbearance, and right guidance.

ويمسون بعدى فى غياهب غفلة

ويمسون بعدى فى غياهب غفلة

وأضداد أبناء الكرام همو بعدى

وأضداد أبناء الكرام همو بعدى

After me they will remain in the dark depths of heedlessness,

And after me they will spend their evenings in the dark depths of heedlessness,

and after I leave, they are the antithesis of noble men’s sons.

and after me they will be the opposites of noble men's sons.

خليلى قد حان الرحيل فابشرا

خليلى قد حان الرحيل فابشرا

ففى السير آيات السيادة والمجد

ففى السير آيات السيادة والمجد

My two companions, departure’s hour has come—rejoice!

My two friends, the time to depart has come—rejoice!

For in journeying are signs of mastery and glory.

For in journeying lie signs of preeminence and glory.

علينا نحث العيس فى طلب العلى

علينا نحث العيس فى طلب العلى

الى أن يحل الجد فى مطلع السعد

الى أن يحل الجد فى مطلع السعد

We must urge the camels onward in quest of the heights

We must urge the pale camels onward in pursuit of lofty honor,

until earnest endeavor alights at the dawning of good fortune.

until fortune alights where felicity rises.