أَهوِن بِطولِ الثَواءِ وَالتَلَفِ

أَهوِن بِطولِ الثَواءِ وَالتَلَفِ

وَالسِجنِ وَالقَيدِ يا أَبا دُلَفِ

وَالسِجنِ وَالقَيدِ يا أَبا دُلَفِ

How trifling are a long stay and death,

I care not for captivity’s pains, my friend,

Make light of long confinement and of ruin, / Of prison cells and fetters, Abu Dulaf!

and prison and fetters, O Abu Dulaf!

Nor prison’s bars, nor hunger’s griping pains.

Not by my choice did I accept your favor, / For hunger makes the lions content with carrion.

غَيرَ اِختِيارٍ قَبِلتُ بِرَّكَ بي

غَيرَ اِختِيارٍ قَبِلتُ بِرَّكَ بي

وَالجوعُ يُرضي الأُسودَ بِالجِيَفِ

وَالجوعُ يُرضي الأُسودَ بِالجِيَفِ

Against my will, I accepted your kindness to me;

I chose not this, but bow to what God decreed,

Be as you will, O Prison, harsh or mild, / For I have tamed my soul to welcome death.

and hunger makes lions content with carrion.

As hunger tames the courage of the lion.

If dwelling here within you were a shame, / The pearl would not reside within the shell.

كُن أَيُّها السِجنُ كَيفَ شِئتَ فَقَد

كُن أَيُّها السِجنُ كَيفَ شِئتَ فَقَد

وَطَّنتُ لِلمَوتِ نَفسَ مُعتَرِفِ

وَطَّنتُ لِلمَوتِ نَفسَ مُعتَرِفِ

Be, O prison, however you wish, for I have

Prison, do what you will, for I have steeled

readied for death the soul of one who accepts it.

My soul for death - my conscience is serene.

لَو كانَ سُكنايَ فيكَ مَنقَصَةً

لَو كانَ سُكنايَ فيكَ مَنقَصَةً

لَم يَكُنِ الدُرُّ ساكِنَ الصَدَفِ

لَم يَكُنِ الدُرُّ ساكِنَ الصَدَفِ

If my dwelling in you were a disgrace,

If living here has caused me any loss,

pearls would not dwell in shells.

No pearl would dwell content in its own shell.