همام رَأى الدُنيا سواماً فَحاطَها

همام رَأى الدُنيا سواماً فَحاطَها

لَياليَ في غيرِ الزَمانِ وقورُ

لَياليَ في غيرِ الزَمانِ وقورُ

A magnanimous man saw the world as a grazing herd and guarded it

Hammam saw the world as vain, so he shunned it,

for nights, dignified amid time’s vicissitudes.

Spending his nights aloof from the era's bustle.

وَلم يخطب الدُنيا اِحتِفالاً بِقَدرِها

وَلم يخطب الدُنيا اِحتِفالاً بِقَدرِها

فَموقِعُها من راحَتَيهِ يَسيرُ

فَموقِعُها من راحَتَيهِ يَسيرُ

And he did not court the world out of regard for its worth,

He did not woo the world to revel in its riches;

for its place in his two palms is slight.

Casting it aside was for him an easy matter.

وَلكِن لَه طَبعٌ الى الخَيرِ سابِقٌ

وَلكِن لَه طَبعٌ الى الخَيرِ سابِقٌ

وَرَأي بِأَبناءِ الرِجال بَصيرُ

وَرَأي بِأَبناءِ الرِجال بَصيرُ

But he has a nature that hastens toward goodness,

Yet he had a nature inclined towards good,

and judgment discerning the sons of men.

And an insight into the hearts of noble men.

وَاِن لَم يُلاحِظهُم بِعَينٍ حميَّةٍ

وَاِن لَم يُلاحِظهُم بِعَينٍ حميَّةٍ

فَتِلكَ امورٌ لا تَزالُ تَمورُ

فَتِلكَ امورٌ لا تَزالُ تَمورُ

And if he does not watch them with a zealous eye,

If he did not eye them with a partial gaze,

then those are matters that never cease to churn.

That was the way such things would always be.