مَلَأتُ بِمَدحي عدةَ مِن مَصاحفِ

مَلَأتُ بِمَدحي عدةَ مِن مَصاحفِ

بِها سوّد البُهتان بيض الصَحائفِ

بِها سوّد البُهتان بيض الصَحائفِ

I filled several volumes with my praises;

I have filled many pages with my praises,

In them, falsehood blackened the white pages.

With which falsehood has blackened the pages white.

وَكُل ثَناء فيهِ كانَت جَوائِزي

وَكُل ثَناء فيهِ كانَت جَوائِزي

خلوُّيَ عَما في يَدي مِن وَظائف

خلوُّيَ عَما في يَدي مِن وَظائف

And for every tribute to him, my rewards were

And every eulogy in them was my reward

The loss of the posts I held.

When I was free from the duties I held.

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا مِن نحوس طَوالع

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا مِن نحوس طَوالع

قَد اِقترنت بي في تَليد وَطارف

قَد اِقترنت بي في تَليد وَطارف

And that was only from the ill luck of rising stars

And that was only due to my ill-omened stars

That have accompanied me in possessions inherited and newly acquired.

That have clung to me through twists and turns.

فَما حيلَتي وَالدَهر أَشهر سَيفَه

فَما حيلَتي وَالدَهر أَشهر سَيفَه

وَحَث عَلى حَربي جَمع الطَوائف

وَحَث عَلى حَربي جَمع الطَوائف

So what recourse have I, when Time has drawn his sword

So what can I do, and time has unsheathed its sword,

And urged the host of factions to wage war on me?

And incited all factions to war against me?

وَفي كُل يَوم أَصطلي جَمرة الوَغى

وَفي كُل يَوم أَصطلي جَمرة الوَغى

بِقَلب جريء آمن غَير خائف

بِقَلب جريء آمن غَير خائف

And every day I am scorched by battle's glowing coal,

And every day I kindle the embers of turmoil

With a bold heart, secure and unafraid.

With a bold heart, fearless and unafraid.

وَنَفسيَ تَأبى أَن تفرّ مِن اللقا

وَنَفسيَ تَأبى أَن تفرّ مِن اللقا

وَلَو جرّعت كاس الرَدى في المَواقف

وَلَو جرّعت كاس الرَدى في المَواقف

And my soul refuses to flee the fray,

And my soul refuses to flee from the encounter,

Even if forced to drink the cup of death on the battlefield.

Even if I drink the cup of misery in trials.

وَلي الآن مَعهُ في الجِهاد ثَلاثة

وَلي الآن مَعهُ في الجِهاد ثَلاثة

وَعشرون عاماً وَالثَبات محالفي

وَعشرون عاماً وَالثَبات محالفي

And now my struggle with him has lasted three

And now with it in jihad are twenty-three

And twenty years, with steadfastness my ally.

Years, and steadfastness is my ally.

وَلما رَآني لا تَلين شَكيمتي

وَلما رَآني لا تَلين شَكيمتي

وَلا أَنثنى عَن خَوض بَحر المَخاوف

وَلا أَنثنى عَن خَوض بَحر المَخاوف

And when he saw that my resolve would not yield,

And when it saw my will unbending,

Nor would I turn back from plunging into the sea of terrors,

And I do not bend from plunging into the sea of fears,

تَبسم عَن غَيظ وَأَظهر حبه

تَبسم عَن غَيظ وَأَظهر حبه

وَأَضمر لي بغضاً وَوالى مخالفي

وَأَضمر لي بغضاً وَوالى مخالفي

He smiled out of rage and displayed his love,

It smiled in anger and feigned its love,

And hid hatred for me, siding with those who opposed me.

And inwardly harbored hatred and opposed me.

وَآلى عَلى أَن لا يَخون وَأَنَّهُ

وَآلى عَلى أَن لا يَخون وَأَنَّهُ

يَكون أَميناً وَهوَ أَكذَب حالف

يَكون أَميناً وَهوَ أَكذَب حالف

And swore that he would not betray, and that he

And it vowed not to betray me and that

Would be trustworthy, though he is the most dishonest of oath-takers.

It would be faithful, while it is the most treacherous ally.

وَكَيفَ وَقَد عاينت للغَدر شاهِداً

وَكَيفَ وَقَد عاينت للغَدر شاهِداً

بِعَينيه لا يَخفى عَلى كُل عارف

بِعَينيه لا يَخفى عَلى كُل عارف

And how could that be, when I have seen a sign of treachery

And how could it not, when I witnessed evidence

In his eyes, plain to every discerning person?

Of its betrayal with my own eyes, clear to every knowing person?

وَمدّ لي الأَشراك حَتّى يَصيدني

وَمدّ لي الأَشراك حَتّى يَصيدني

وَيَغتال مِني مُهجَتي وَمَعارفي

وَيَغتال مِني مُهجَتي وَمَعارفي

And he laid snares for me, so he might catch me

It laid snares for me until it traps me

And treacherously rob me of my lifeblood and my knowledge.

And undermines my passions and knowledge.

وَإِنيَ لا أَخشاه ما دامَ خالِقي

وَإِنيَ لا أَخشاه ما دامَ خالِقي

عَلى رغمه قَد حَفَّني بِاللَطائف

عَلى رغمه قَد حَفَّني بِاللَطائف

And I do not fear him, so long as my Creator

But I do not fear it as long as my Creator

Has, despite him, surrounded me with gracious favors.

Protects me against it with kindnesses.