عزّ التأسّي وفاض الدمع هتانا

عزّ التأسّي وفاض الدمع هتانا

والصبر أدبر والسلوان أعيانا

والصبر أدبر والسلوان أعيانا

Consolation has grown scarce, and tears have poured in torrents.

Consolation grew elusive, and tears poured down in torrents.

Patience has turned away, and solace has exhausted us.

Patience fled, and solace eluded us.

إن تبك يا طير إلفاً نازحاً ونوى

إن تبك يا طير إلفاً نازحاً ونوى

سهم الفراق الذي أضناك أضنانا

سهم الفراق الذي أضناك أضنانا

If you weep, O bird, for a far-wandering mate and for separation,

If you weep, O bird, for a far-off mate and separation,

the arrow of parting that has worn you down has worn us down as well.

The arrow of parting that wore you down has worn us down.

رحماك ربي ما مرج لنا وطن

رحماك ربي ما مرج لنا وطن

وما مرابعها ترتاد كثبانا

وما مرابعها ترتاد كثبانا

Mercy, my Lord! No meadow is a homeland for us,

Your mercy, my Lord! Marj is no homeland to us,

nor do you roam its spring grounds among the dunes.

Nor do its pastures seek out sand dunes.

لكنما الدهر ألقانا بساحتها

لكنما الدهر ألقانا بساحتها

رغماً علينا فلا كانت ولا كانا

رغماً علينا فلا كانت ولا كانا

It was only Time that cast us upon its ground

But Time cast us into its grounds

against our will—may neither that land nor Time ever have been!

Against our will—would that neither it nor Time had existed!

هذا هو الدهر لاتصفو عواقبه

هذا هو الدهر لاتصفو عواقبه

إن سرّ حيناً فقد يبكيك أحيانا

إن سرّ حيناً فقد يبكيك أحيانا

Such is Time: its outcomes are never serene;

Such is Time: its outcomes are never serene.

though it delights you for a while, at times it makes you weep.

If it gladdens you awhile, it may make you weep at other times.

بالله يا نسمات قد سرت سحراً

بالله يا نسمات قد سرت سحراً

هل تحملين من الملتاع أشجانا

هل تحملين من الملتاع أشجانا

By God, O breezes that journeyed before dawn,

By God, O breezes that have traveled before dawn,

will you carry the sorrows of this anguished lover

Will you carry sorrows from the anguished one

إلى الذين استعضنا بعد فرقتهم

إلى الذين استعضنا بعد فرقتهم

مر الصبابة أشواقاً وأحزانا

مر الصبابة أشواقاً وأحزانا

to those after whose separation we received in exchange

To those after whose parting we received in exchange

the bitterness of yearning—longings and sorrows?

The bitterness of ardent love—longings and sorrows?

وخبّريهم بحال قد غدوت به

وخبّريهم بحال قد غدوت به

مضنًى وحيداً كئيب القلب ولهانا

مضنًى وحيداً كئيب القلب ولهانا

Tell them of the state to which I have come:

And tell them of the state I have come to be in:

wasted, alone, heartsick, and distraught with longing.

Wasted, alone, sorrowful at heart, distraught with longing.

أقضي الليالي وأنّاتي تسامرني

أقضي الليالي وأنّاتي تسامرني

فلا عزاء ولا أهلٌ واخوان

فلا عزاء ولا أهلٌ واخوان

I pass the nights with only my groans to keep me company;

I spend the nights with my groans keeping me company,

there is no consolation, no family, and no brothers.

With no consolation, no family or brothers.

قد كان لي أمل أودى بنضرته

قد كان لي أمل أودى بنضرته

طول الزمان ومرّ السقم أحيانا

طول الزمان ومرّ السقم أحيانا

Once I had a hope whose freshness was destroyed

I once had a hope, whose freshness was destroyed by

by length of time and, at times, the bitterness of illness.

The long passage of time and, at times, the bitterness of illness.

يا نفس هذا قضاء الله فاصطبري

يا نفس هذا قضاء الله فاصطبري

هذي الحياة وما سالوك تبيانا

هذي الحياة وما سالوك تبيانا

O soul, this is God’s decree, so be patient.

O soul, this is God's decree, so endure patiently.

Such is life; those who trod your path—we followed in their wake.

This is life, and they asked you for no explanation.

ما لي وللدهر كم أضنت نوائبه

ما لي وللدهر كم أضنت نوائبه

قلبي ومن عجب ألقاه جذلانا

قلبي ومن عجب ألقاه جذلانا

What have I to do with Time? How many of its calamities have worn down

What have I to do with Time? How often its calamities wore down

my heart—yet, wonder of wonders, I find it exultant.

My heart; yet, strangely, I find it joyful.

هذا أنا إن تكن يا دهر تجهلني

هذا أنا إن تكن يا دهر تجهلني

أرى المصائب والأفراح سيانا

أرى المصائب والأفراح سيانا

Here I am, O Time, if you do not know me:

This is who I am, if you do not know me, O Time:

I regard calamities and joys as equal.

I see misfortunes and joys as equal.

نفسي ترى الخطب سهلاً من سجيتها

نفسي ترى الخطب سهلاً من سجيتها

أهوى وأهون شيء عندها كانا

أهوى وأهون شيء عندها كانا

By its very nature, my soul sees catastrophe as easy;

My soul, by its nature, sees calamity as easy to bear;

to it, catastrophe has always been the least and lightest thing.

To my soul it was the dearest and easiest thing.

لو كابد الصخر ما كابدت من كمدٍ

لو كابد الصخر ما كابدت من كمدٍ

لدك من ثقله رضوى وثهلانا

لدك من ثقله رضوى وثهلانا

Had stone endured the anguish I have endured,

If rock endured the anguish I have endured,

its weight would have crushed Radwa and Thahlan.

Its weight would have shattered Radwa and Thahlan.

لو صادف الماء من همّي ومن هممي

لو صادف الماء من همّي ومن هممي

شيّاً لأشعل وسط الماء نيرانا

شيّاً لأشعل وسط الماء نيرانا

If water encountered even a trace of my grief and my high resolve,

If water encountered, of my anguish and aspirations,

that trace would kindle fires in the very midst of water.

Anything at all, it would kindle fires amid the water.

مهما فعلت من التبريح يا زمني

مهما فعلت من التبريح يا زمني

أعلى وأشرف أن أرضاك معوانا

أعلى وأشرف أن أرضاك معوانا

Whatever torment you inflict, O Time,

Whatever torment you inflict, O my Time,

I am too lofty and noble to accept you as an ally.

I am too lofty and noble to accept you as a helper.

يكفي زماني بأني فقته جلداً

يكفي زماني بأني فقته جلداً

وصلته بجميل الصبر ألوانا

وصلته بجميل الصبر ألوانا

It is enough for my lifetime that I have surpassed it in fortitude

Enough for my Time that I surpassed it in fortitude

and answered it with every kind of noble patience.

And assailed it with noble patience in many forms.

إن الذي عارك الأيام في ثقة

إن الذي عارك الأيام في ثقة

ذاك الفتى لا الذي أولته اذعانا

ذاك الفتى لا الذي أولته اذعانا

The one who grapples confidently with the days—

Indeed, whoever has battled the days with confidence—

that is the valiant youth, not one who offers them submission.

That is the true young man, not one they have made submissive.

كنز تركنا وعين الله تحرسه

كنز تركنا وعين الله تحرسه

إن ساعد الحظ نلقاه ويلقانا

إن ساعد الحظ نلقاه ويلقانا

A treasure we left behind, watched over by the eye of God—

We left a treasure behind, and God's eye guards it.

if fortune helps us, we shall meet it, and it shall meet us.

If fortune favors us, we shall meet it, and it will meet us.

كان العزاء لنا والصبر إن عبثت

كان العزاء لنا والصبر إن عبثت

حوادث الدهر عزّانا وسلانا

حوادث الدهر عزّانا وسلانا

Consolation and patience—and solace—were ours whenever

It was our solace and patience; whenever we were toyed with

the vicissitudes of Time played their games around us.

By Time's calamities, it consoled us and soothed us.