لَما رَأَيتك وَالوابور مُجتَهدُ

لَما رَأَيتك وَالوابور مُجتَهدُ

في سَيره بِجُنود ما لَها عَددُ

في سَيره بِجُنود ما لَها عَددُ

When I saw you, the steam engine was laboring

When I saw you and the steamer striving

on its way, with troops beyond number.

On its course with legions beyond count,

وَلي أَشَرتَ عَلى بُعد بِيُمنِ يَدٍ

وَلي أَشَرتَ عَلى بُعد بِيُمنِ يَدٍ

مُسلّماً وَلِواء النَصر مُنعَقد

مُسلّماً وَلِواء النَصر مُنعَقد

And from afar you gestured to me with a blessed hand,

And you waved from afar with your right hand

saluting, while victory's banner was bound fast.

Surrendering, your banner of victory furled,

قَنعت مِنكَ بِتَسليم عَلى عَجَلٍ

قَنعت مِنكَ بِتَسليم عَلى عَجَلٍ

وَفي ركابك سارَ اللب وَالخَلَد

وَفي ركابك سارَ اللب وَالخَلَد

I was content with a hurried greeting from you,

I was content with your hurried salutation,

and in your retinue my mind and heart traveled.

While my heart and soul sailed in your train.

فَاِبعَث إِليّ بِمَنشور يَعيش بِهِ

فَاِبعَث إِليّ بِمَنشور يَعيش بِهِ

مني وَمن صُحف مَطوية جَسَد

مني وَمن صُحف مَطوية جَسَد

So send me a decree to sustain

Send me then a scroll on which to live

a body of mine and of folded pages.

By me and by the folded leaves of my form.

وَلا تُضِع يا أَميري فُرصةً عَرضت

وَلا تُضِع يا أَميري فُرصةً عَرضت

لِمَن عَلى الوَعد بَعد اللَه يَعتَمد

لِمَن عَلى الوَعد بَعد اللَه يَعتَمد

And do not squander, my prince, an opportunity that has arisen

And O my prince, let no chance escape

for one who, after God, relies upon the promise.

When it comes to one whose hope after God rests on his word.

وَاِنهَض إِلى جبر كسرٍ لَيسَ يجبره

وَاِنهَض إِلى جبر كسرٍ لَيسَ يجبره

إِلّا سُرور عَلَيهِ يَكثر الحَسَد

إِلّا سُرور عَلَيهِ يَكثر الحَسَد

And rise to mend a break that nothing can mend

Arise and bind up the break of one whose break

save a joy that arouses great envy.

None can bind but the joy in him that breeds much envy.

لا سِيَما وَشُهور المَوعد اِقتَرَبت

لا سِيَما وَشُهور المَوعد اِقتَرَبت

وَالرفت لَيسَ لَهُ مِن بَعدِهِ أَمَد

وَالرفت لَيسَ لَهُ مِن بَعدِهِ أَمَد

Especially now that the months of the appointed time draw near,

Especially as the months of the tryst draw near,

and dismissal thereafter admits of no delay.

And grace whose course thereafter has no term.

وَكاتب الشَطب في أَمري تَمدّ لَه

وَكاتب الشَطب في أَمري تَمدّ لَه

عَمّا قَليل إِلى قَطع المَعاش يَد

عَمّا قَليل إِلى قَطع المَعاش يَد

And the clerk who strikes names off will, in my case,

And the clerk of erasure, in my affair, stretches out to him

soon stretch out his hand to cut off my livelihood.

Ere long his hand to cut off the means of livelihood.

وَلَيسَ لِلملِك المَسعود طالعُهُ

وَلَيسَ لِلملِك المَسعود طالعُهُ

علمٌ بِحال غُلامٍ ما لَهُ مَدَد

علمٌ بِحال غُلامٍ ما لَهُ مَدَد

And the king, whose star is fortunate, has no

The fortunate king has no knowledge

knowledge of the plight of a servant who has no support.

Of the state of a page who has no recourse.

وَهَل سَوى يُوسف الصَديق يذكرني

وَهَل سَوى يُوسف الصَديق يذكرني

إِذا نُسيتُ وَعَني لَم يَسَل أَحَد

إِذا نُسيتُ وَعَني لَم يَسَل أَحَد

And who but Yusuf the friend will remember me

Does any but Joseph the Truthful remember me

when I am forgotten and no one asks after me?

When I am forgotten and none asks after me?