مِن أين لِي مُعْدٍ على الأيّامِ

مِن أين لِي مُعْدٍ على الأيّامِ

ومعالجٌ فيهنَ طولَ سقامي

ومعالجٌ فيهنَ طولَ سقامي

Where can I find a helper against the days,

From where can I find a cure for my days,

and a healer for my prolonged sickness within them?

And a remedy for my lingering illness?

أو ضامنٌ لِي أن أُعمّر ساعةً

أو ضامنٌ لِي أن أُعمّر ساعةً

والموتُ من خلفي ومن قُدّامي

والموتُ من خلفي ومن قُدّامي

Or someone to guarantee me an hour of life,

Or one to guarantee I will live an hour,

with death behind me and before me?

While death is behind me and before me.

ما لي بما تقضي اللّيالِي طاقةٌ

ما لي بما تقضي اللّيالِي طاقةٌ

يا صاحِ في نَقْضٍ ولا إِبرامِ

يا صاحِ في نَقْضٍ ولا إِبرامِ

I have no power over what the nights decree,

My will has no power over what nights decree,

my friend, either to undo or to make firm.

O companion given neither to binding nor loosing!

عصف الرّدى بأقاربي وأصاحبِي

عصف الرّدى بأقاربي وأصاحبِي

وَاِلتَفّ بالآباءِ والأعمامِ

وَاِلتَفّ بالآباءِ والأعمامِ

Death swept through my kin and my companions,

Calamity swept away my kin and friends.

and wrapped itself around fathers and uncles.

It clung to fathers and uncles,

وَاِجتَثَّ إِخواني مَعاً وقبائلي

وَاِجتَثَّ إِخواني مَعاً وقبائلي

وَاِجتذّ نَبْعي تارةً وثُمامي

وَاِجتذّ نَبْعي تارةً وثُمامي

It uprooted my brothers together with my tribes,

And uprooted my brothers and tribesmen together,

and cut down, in turn, my nabʿ trees and my thumam grass.

And dried up my spring at times and sources at others.

وأَباتَنِي صِفْرَ الأناملِ من أخٍ

وأَباتَنِي صِفْرَ الأناملِ من أخٍ

آوي إليهِ أوْ أبلُّ أُوامي

آوي إليهِ أوْ أبلُّ أُوامي

It left me empty-handed, without a brother

It made my fingers yellow with grief for a brother,

with whom to seek shelter or slake my burning thirst.

Whose abode I could seek or to whom I could complain.

وأرى من الأقوام لمّا أنْ مُحُوا

وأرى من الأقوام لمّا أنْ مُحُوا

بيد الرّدى ما حلّ في أقوامي

بيد الرّدى ما حلّ في أقوامي

And I see among peoples, once they are erased

And I see that when people vanish, erased

by death's hand, what befell my own people.

By the hand of fate, the like befell my people.

كم ضلّ عنّي ما أحاول واِهتدى

كم ضلّ عنّي ما أحاول واِهتدى

داري الّذي لم يجر في أوْهامي

داري الّذي لم يجر في أوْهامي

How often what I seek strays from me, while there comes to

How much that I sought went astray from me,

my home what had never crossed my thoughts.

While my abode, which I never imagined, came about!

وأتى النّجاحُ فتىً وما أنْ سامَهُ

وأتى النّجاحُ فتىً وما أنْ سامَهُ

وَمضتْ بخيبتِها يدُ المُستامِ

وَمضتْ بخيبتِها يدُ المُستامِ

Success came to a youth who had never sought it,

Success came to a lad though I did not hope for it,

while the seeker's hand departed with its disappointment.

And the hand of disappointment vanished with him.

هَل نَحنُ في الأيّام إِلّا معشرٌ

هَل نَحنُ في الأيّام إِلّا معشرٌ

صُمٌّ بلا فهمٍ ولا إِفهامِ

صُمٌّ بلا فهمٍ ولا إِفهامِ

Are we, within the days, anything but a company

Are we in our days anything but a folk—

deaf, neither comprehending nor making others comprehend?

Deaf, without understanding or clarity?

وكأنّنا فيها نَحُزُّ جلودَنا

وكأنّنا فيها نَحُزُّ جلودَنا

حَزَّ المُدى لحماً على أوضامِ

حَزَّ المُدى لحماً على أوضامِ

It is as though, within them, we slice our own skins,

It is as though we merely shed our skins in them,

as knives slice flesh upon chopping blocks.

As lifetime sheds on our bones its flesh.

نهوى وِصالَ مَلولَةٍ قطّاعةٍ

نهوى وِصالَ مَلولَةٍ قطّاعةٍ

ونريد مثوى غير ذاتِ مقامِ

ونريد مثوى غير ذاتِ مقامِ

We yearn for union with one soon weary, ever severing ties,

We crave joining with a lethal robber,

and seek a dwelling with one who never stays.

Yet long for an abode unlike one of dwellings.

وَأُريد لِي فيها دواماً كاذباً

وَأُريد لِي فيها دواماً كاذباً

ما تمَّ في أحدٍ وأين دوامي

ما تمَّ في أحدٍ وأين دوامي

And I seek for myself within them a false permanence,

I wish an endless continuance in them, falsely,

which none has attained—and where is my permanence?

Though none attained it—where is my continuance?

والمرءُ في هذي الحياةِ مُحكِّماً

والمرءُ في هذي الحياةِ مُحكِّماً

يُمناهُ بين تصامُمٍ وتَعامِ

يُمناهُ بين تصامُمٍ وتَعامِ

And man in this life, making an arbiter

Man in this life passes judgment, while fettered

of his right hand, between feigned deafness and blindness,

Between resolve and temptation.

في أسرِ تقتيرٍ مكانَ تكرُّمٍ

في أسرِ تقتيرٍ مكانَ تكرُّمٍ

أو قهرِ إقدامٍ مكانَ تحامِ

أو قهرِ إقدامٍ مكانَ تحامِ

is captive to stinginess in place of generosity,

In the grip of humiliation, instead of magnanimity,

or compelled to bold advance in place of cautious restraint.

Or defeat, instead of heroic determination.

وَتَقودُه ذُلّاً وصَغراً مَذقَةٌ

وَتَقودُه ذُلّاً وصَغراً مَذقَةٌ

من خائلٍ أوْ وَدْقَةٌ لجهَامِ

من خائلٍ أوْ وَدْقَةٌ لجهَامِ

And he is led, humbled and abased, by a diluted draught

And meekness and disgrace lead him, controlled

from a boaster, or a raindrop from a rainless cloud.

By a poltroon, or prodded on by a tyrant.

وَلَنا النّهى وكأنّنا في غَفلةٍ

وَلَنا النّهى وكأنّنا في غَفلةٍ

في هذه الدّنيا من الأنعامِ

في هذه الدّنيا من الأنعامِ

Reason is ours, yet in our heedlessness we seem,

We are forbidden, as though oblivious in this world

in this world, to be among the livestock.

From beasts.

نَبكي عَلى الدنيا وَمِنها دَهرنا

نَبكي عَلى الدنيا وَمِنها دَهرنا

فالجَفْنُ منها أو عليها هامِ

فالجَفْنُ منها أو عليها هامِ

We weep over the world and because of it all our lives;

We mourn for this world, though our lifetimes pass in it,

so the eyelid streams because of it or over it.

So that whether delighted by it or grieving over it, our eyelids slumber.

ورضاعُها لا دَرّ دَرُّ رضاعها

ورضاعُها لا دَرّ دَرُّ رضاعها

فهو البليّةُ في جوار فطامِ

فهو البليّةُ في جوار فطامِ

And its suckling—may that suckling yield no milk!—

Its nursing is not wholesome—its nursing

is calamity, with weaning close at hand.

Is ruin next to weaning!

وَكأنّما العمرُ الطّويلُ إِذا اِنقضى

وَكأنّما العمرُ الطّويلُ إِذا اِنقضى

طيفٌ رأَتْه مُقلةٌ بمنامِ

طيفٌ رأَتْه مُقلةٌ بمنامِ

And a long life, when it is over, seems

Long life, when done with, is like a specter

a phantom an eye beheld in a dream.

That a sleepy eye saw in a dream.

ويغرّني فأظنّ أنّي خالدٌ

ويغرّني فأظنّ أنّي خالدٌ

ما طالَ أَو ما اِمتدّ من أعوامي

ما طالَ أَو ما اِمتدّ من أعوامي

I am deceived into thinking myself immortal

It deludes me so I fancy myself immortal—

by the length or extent of my years.

However much extended, my years!

وإذا وعظتُ بمن أُصِبتُ من الورى

وإذا وعظتُ بمن أُصِبتُ من الورى

فحِمامُ كلِّ العالمين حِمامي

فحِمامُ كلِّ العالمين حِمامي

And when I take warning from the people I have lost,

If I am admonished about those who went before me in the land,

the death of all humankind is my own death.

Then the death of all creatures is my demise.

كم ذا فرجتُ شدائداً ودفعتُها

كم ذا فرجتُ شدائداً ودفعتُها

بالرّمحِ آونةً وبالصّمصامِ

بالرّمحِ آونةً وبالصّمصامِ

How often have I relieved hardships and repelled them

How many woes I endured and warded off

at times with the spear, and with the keen sword!

Now with a spear, now with preparedness!

ورقيتُ في الآدابِ كل ثنيّةٍ

ورقيتُ في الآدابِ كل ثنيّةٍ

وعلَوْتُ في الأطلاب كلَّ سَنامِ

وعلَوْتُ في الأطلاب كلَّ سَنامِ

I climbed every mountain pass of learning,

I ascended every steep pass in manners

and rose to every summit in my pursuits,

And towered over every high ridge in noble deeds.

حتّى إذا أمّ الحِمامُ زيارتي

حتّى إذا أمّ الحِمامُ زيارتي

لم يُنجِ إسراجي ولا إِلْجامي

لم يُنجِ إسراجي ولا إِلْجامي

until, when death set out to visit me,

Until when the doves began to visit me,

neither my saddling nor my bridling saved me.

Neither my capacity to ride nor my reins saved me.

لا بدّ للسّاري دُجىً من وقفةٍ

لا بدّ للسّاري دُجىً من وقفةٍ

والنّاطقين بنا من الإرْمامِ

والنّاطقين بنا من الإرْمامِ

The traveler through darkness must surely halt,

The traveler needs a pause in his journey,

and those who speak among us must fall silent;

And the speakers among us, some hesitation.

والصّاعدين على الورى فوق الرُّبى

والصّاعدين على الورى فوق الرُّبى

من أن يُحَطّوا عن ذُرا الأعلامِ

من أن يُحَطّوا عن ذُرا الأعلامِ

and those who rise above mankind upon the hills

Those rising above people, above tombs,

must be brought down from the peaks of mountains.

Must be lowered from the highest standards.

وَمُصيبةٍ غطّتْ عليَّ بَصيرَتي

وَمُصيبةٍ غطّتْ عليَّ بَصيرَتي

ورمتْ ضياءَ جوانحي بظلامِ

ورمتْ ضياءَ جوانحي بظلامِ

And a calamity veiled my inward sight

A catastrophe befell me, obscuring my insight,

and cast darkness over the light within my breast.

And casting the light from my wings into darkness.

وغفلتُ عنها والرّزايا زُوَّرٌ

وغفلتُ عنها والرّزايا زُوَّرٌ

ساحاتِ أيقاظٍ ورَبْعَ نيامِ

ساحاتِ أيقاظٍ ورَبْعَ نيامِ

I was heedless of it, though calamities are visitors

I was heedless of it, though disasters are false

to the courtyards of the wakeful and the dwelling of sleepers.

Coins—waking is far from sleep!

وتسلَّمتْ وَسَنَ الكَرى من مُقْلَتِي

وتسلَّمتْ وَسَنَ الكَرى من مُقْلَتِي

وتناولتْ خَفْضِي من الأيّامِ

وتناولتْ خَفْضِي من الأيّامِ

It took the drowsiness of slumber from my eye

It made off safely with the bridle of my determination,

and plucked my ease from out of my days.

And time’s changes grasped my decline,

وتقطّعتْ عِصَمِي وكان حلولُها الس

وتقطّعتْ عِصَمِي وكان حلولُها الس

سَبَبَ القويَّ إلى اِنحلالِ نظامي

سَبَبَ القويَّ إلى اِنحلالِ نظامي

My bonds were severed; its arrival was the

Breaking my resolve, its arrival being the cause

strong cause of the unraveling of my life's order.

Of the collapse of my order’s framework.

ولقد هفا قلبي بها وَلَعثرَةٌ

ولقد هفا قلبي بها وَلَعثرَةٌ

بِالقَلبِ تُنسي عَثْرةَ الأقدامِ

بِالقَلبِ تُنسي عَثْرةَ الأقدامِ

My heart indeed faltered beneath it, and a stumble

My heart pounded with it—and a stumble

of the heart makes one forget a stumble of the feet.

Of the heart makes the legs forget their steps.

قُلْ لِلوزيرِ وَقَد حسا مِن حَرّها

قُلْ لِلوزيرِ وَقَد حسا مِن حَرّها

لمّا أتَتهُ غَير كَأسِ مُدامِ

لمّا أتَتهُ غَير كَأسِ مُدامِ

Say to the minister, who has sipped of its burning heat,

Say to the minister—who has tasted something of its heat

when it came to him—not a cup of wine:

When, unlike a wine cup, it came to him:

حوشيتَ من حزنٍ عقيبَ مسرَّةٍ

حوشيتَ من حزنٍ عقيبَ مسرَّةٍ

فينا ومن نقصٍ بُعَيدَ تمامِ

فينا ومن نقصٍ بُعَيدَ تمامِ

May you be spared sorrow after joy

You were saddened by grief after joy with us

among us, and loss shortly after completion.

And by loss after attainment.

وَإِذا خَطاك الدّهرُ لم يجتزْ بما

وَإِذا خَطاك الدّهرُ لم يجتزْ بما

لا نرتضيه فما عليه ملامي

لا نرتضيه فما عليه ملامي

And if time passes you by, it has not crossed into

If fate assails you with what we do not approve,

what displeases us; I have no blame for it.

Then I have no blame for it.

وَإِذا اِلتَوَتْ عن ساحتيك صُروفُهُ

وَإِذا اِلتَوَتْ عن ساحتيك صُروفُهُ

عفواً فقد فُزنا بكلّ مَرامِ

عفواً فقد فُزنا بكلّ مَرامِ

And if its vicissitudes turn away from your two courtyards

And if its cycles turn aside from your field,

without effort, we have attained every aim.

We are content with any outcome.

وإذا بقيتَ مُسلّماً فَلَهيِّنٌ

وإذا بقيتَ مُسلّماً فَلَهيِّنٌ

مَن بات حَشْوَ جنادلٍ وسِلامِ

مَن بات حَشْوَ جنادلٍ وسِلامِ

And if you remain unharmed, of little account is

Remaining submissive is easy for one who spends the night

whoever lies enclosed in boulders and stones.

Between snarling lions and serenity.

وإذا صححتَ من الكُلومِ فدع بنا

وإذا صححتَ من الكُلومِ فدع بنا

مَن شئتَ مجروحاً بكلّ كِلامِ

مَن شئتَ مجروحاً بكلّ كِلامِ

And if you are free of wounds, let, among us,

And if you are valid from false accusation, then leave us

whomever you wish be wounded with every wound.

Wounded by any word you wish.

وإذا السَّراةُ تَخصَّصَتْ وتمنّعَتْ

وإذا السَّراةُ تَخصَّصَتْ وتمنّعَتْ

فدعِ الشّوى تُرمى بأيّ سِهامِ

فدعِ الشّوى تُرمى بأيّ سِهامِ

And if the nobles are singled out and protected,

Let it pass, if the noble scorn familiarity,

let the extremities be struck with any arrows.

And cease to censure if they shun you.

فَاِصبِرْ لَها وإنِ اِرتَمَت فطالما

فَاِصبِرْ لَها وإنِ اِرتَمَت فطالما

يَزداد في اللّأواء صبرُ كِرامِ

يَزداد في اللّأواء صبرُ كِرامِ

So bear it patiently, even if it strikes, for often

Show patience with it, though it recoils,

the patience of noble men grows amid hardship.

For patience in tribulation grows for the noble.

وإِذا جزعتَ فكيف يصبر معشرٌ

وإِذا جزعتَ فكيف يصبر معشرٌ

ما فيك ليس بهمْ من الأحلامِ

ما فيك ليس بهمْ من الأحلامِ

And if you despair, how can a people endure

If you show distress, how can a people be patient

who do not possess your sound judgment?

Who lack your visions and dreams?

ولَربّما أثِمَ الحزينُ ولم تزلْ

ولَربّما أثِمَ الحزينُ ولم تزلْ

فينا عَرِيَّ الكفِّ من آثامِ

فينا عَرِيَّ الكفِّ من آثامِ

Often the grieving man sins, while you have ever been

Perhaps the grieving soul may sin, though

among us with your hand free of sins.

Our hands remain untainted by crimes.

أَنتَ الّذي لمَّا نزلنا شِعْبَه

أَنتَ الّذي لمَّا نزلنا شِعْبَه

لُذنا بهَضبَي يَذْبلٍ وشَمامِ

لُذنا بهَضبَي يَذْبلٍ وشَمامِ

You are the one: when we descended into your ravine,

You who, when we alighted at his valley,

we sheltered by the two heights of Yadhbul and Shamam.

Sought joy in slopes of withering plants and wild lavender.

وإِذا تقاسمتِ الرّجالُ وكان في

وإِذا تقاسمتِ الرّجالُ وكان في

قسمٍ فذلك أوْفرُ الأقسامِ

قسمٍ فذلك أوْفرُ الأقسامِ

And when men divide into shares and he is in

Share out, and if one portion is yours, that is best

one share, that is the richest of shares.

Of all portions.

وَإِذا اِحتبى فَعلى السّكينةِ والنُّهى

وَإِذا اِحتبى فَعلى السّكينةِ والنُّهى

وَإِذا اِختَطى فإِلى المحلِّ السامي

وَإِذا اِختَطى فإِلى المحلِّ السامي

When he sits clasping his knees, he rests on composure and reason;

If there is estrangement, then be calm and composed;

and when he strides, it is toward the lofty station.

If intimacy, then seek the highest place.

وَمكارمٌ مَشكورةٌ حينَ اِفتَدتْ

وَمكارمٌ مَشكورةٌ حينَ اِفتَدتْ

فينا طويلَ لِزامها بِلمامِ

فينا طويلَ لِزامها بِلمامِ

And noble virtues deserve thanks, when they ransom

Your generous acts are thanked that ransomed

its long torment among us with a fleeting visitation.

Long-term captivity with obligation.

وليُسلَ عنه إنّ آخذَه الّذي

وليُسلَ عنه إنّ آخذَه الّذي

أَخَذَ الشُّبُولَ ردىً من الضِّرغامِ

أَخَذَ الشُّبُولَ ردىً من الضِّرغامِ

Let grief for him be eased: his taker, who

Let the rancor pass that seized its partisan

took the cubs from the lion, is death.

Who plucked a swift ostrich of the desert.

أَنَا مُقتدٍ بك في الأمور وضاربٌ

أَنَا مُقتدٍ بك في الأمور وضاربٌ

أنّى حللتَ من البلادِ خيامي

أنّى حللتَ من البلادِ خيامي

I follow your lead in affairs, and pitch

I emulate you in matters and pitch my tents

my tents wherever in the lands you settle.

Wherever you lodged your tents in the lands.

وإذا حللتَ أسىً حَلَلْتُ وإن تُرِدْ

وإذا حللتَ أسىً حَلَلْتُ وإن تُرِدْ

صبراً صبرتُ وفي يديك زِمامي

صبراً صبرتُ وفي يديك زِمامي

And if you settle in grief, I settle there; if you wish

If you settle in grief, I too settle there.

for patience, I am patient: my reins are in your hands.

If you intend patience, I am patient.

وبحسبِ ما ترجو قعودِيَ وادعاً

وبحسبِ ما ترجو قعودِيَ وادعاً

وبحسب ما تخشى يكون قيامي

وبحسب ما تخشى يكون قيامي

My sitting at ease accords with what you hope for,

My rising and sitting await your desire;

and my rising accords with what you fear.

My standing and sitting, your fear.

وضربتُ منك بحدّ عَضْبٍ قاطعٍ

وضربتُ منك بحدّ عَضْبٍ قاطعٍ

لمّا ضربتُ من الورى بكَهامِ

لمّا ضربتُ من الورى بكَهامِ

And through you I struck with the edge of a keen, cutting sword,

I learned from you noble forbearance

when through other men I struck with a blunt blade.

When I displayed it to the lands with pride.

لا تُنكِرَنْ مَيْلِي إذا ما مِلْتُ في

لا تُنكِرَنْ مَيْلِي إذا ما مِلْتُ في

صَعْبٍ يلمُّ وأنتَ فيه دِعامي

صَعْبٍ يلمُّ وأنتَ فيه دِعامي

Never disapprove of my leaning, if ever I lean amid

Do not deny me if I incline in ordeal,

a hardship that befalls me: you are my support within it.

For you are the pillar propping me.

فَجميعُ أَعضاءِ الرّجالِ تصرُّفاً

فَجميعُ أَعضاءِ الرّجالِ تصرُّفاً

طولَ الزّمانِ توابعٌ للهامِ

طولَ الزّمانِ توابعٌ للهامِ

For all the limbs of men, in their movements,

The limbs of men all shift throughout time,

throughout time, follow their heads.

Swayed by inner thoughts and fancies.

كلُّ الوصائِلِ يُقتَطعنَ على الفتى

كلُّ الوصائِلِ يُقتَطعنَ على الفتى

إلّا وِصالَ محبّةٍ وغرامِ

إلّا وِصالَ محبّةٍ وغرامِ

All bonds are severed from a man,

Of all bonds, only love’s bondage

except the bond of love and ardent devotion.

Binds fast the hearts of men.

يا آلَ عبّاسٍ ومَن لولاهُمُ

يا آلَ عبّاسٍ ومَن لولاهُمُ

كنّا بلا سُرُجٍ على الإظْلامِ

كنّا بلا سُرُجٍ على الإظْلامِ

O house of Abbas, and those without whom

O house of Abbas, but for whom

we would be without lamps amid darkness!

We would be in darkness without lanterns!

إنْ يمضِ منكمْ شيخُكمْ فلَفَحلكم

إنْ يمضِ منكمْ شيخُكمْ فلَفَحلكم

باقٍ لكمْ ولنا على الأعوامِ

باقٍ لكمْ ولنا على الأعوامِ

If your elder departs from among you, then surely your stallion

If your elder departs, your stallion remains,

remains for you and us throughout the years.

A stallion for you and for us through the years.

وَلْيُلْهَ عن ماضٍ مضى ثاوٍ ثوى

وَلْيُلْهَ عن ماضٍ مضى ثاوٍ ثوى

وليُسْلَ عن نهرٍ ببحرٍ طامِ

وليُسْلَ عن نهرٍ ببحرٍ طامِ

Let one turn from the departed who has gone, the buried who lies buried,

Let sorrow for the departed cease, may he rest!

and be consoled for a river by an overflowing sea.

Let it flow into a sea brimming over!

وإذا ذوى غصنٌ فلا جزعٌ وقدْ

وإذا ذوى غصنٌ فلا جزعٌ وقدْ

أبقى لنا الأصلَ الأشمَّ السّامي

أبقى لنا الأصلَ الأشمَّ السّامي

And if a branch withers, let there be no anguish, for it has

If one branch withers, feel no distress, for

left us the proud, lofty root.

The mother trunk remains, lofty and erect.

لم يمضِ عنّا من مضى وظلامُهُ

لم يمضِ عنّا من مضى وظلامُهُ

لِتَهجُّدٍ ونهارُهُ لصيامِ

لِتَهجُّدٍ ونهارُهُ لصيامِ

He who has gone has not gone from us; his nights

None who passed on is gone, his darkness is

were for night prayer, and his days for fasting.

For vigil, his day for fasting.

صلّى الإلهُ على الّذي قَنَصَ الرّدى

صلّى الإلهُ على الّذي قَنَصَ الرّدى

وعلى ثراه تحيّتِي وسلامي

وعلى ثراه تحيّتِي وسلامي

May God bless the one whom death hunted down,

God bless the one who thwarted destiny,

and upon his grave's earth be my greeting and peace.

And greetings and peace be upon his tomb!

ولْتَبْكِ فيه غُدْوَةً وعشيّةً

ولْتَبْكِ فيه غُدْوَةً وعشيّةً

في كلِّ يومٍ عينُ كلِّ غمامِ

في كلِّ يومٍ عينُ كلِّ غمامِ

And let there weep for him, morning and evening,

Let every cloud, morn and eve, weep for him;

each day, the eye of every cloud.

Let the eye of every mist weep for him daily!

فلقد مضى صِفْرَ الحقيبةِ من قذىً

فلقد مضى صِفْرَ الحقيبةِ من قذىً

عُرْيانَ من دَنَسٍ وثوبِ حَرامِ

عُرْيانَ من دَنَسٍ وثوبِ حَرامِ

For he departed with his saddlebag empty of impurity,

He who left yellow, departed untouched

bare of stain and of any forbidden garment.

By filth or unlawful raiment.

أرضى بطاعتِهِ الصّباحَ ولم يكن

أرضى بطاعتِهِ الصّباحَ ولم يكن

يوماً عليه ملامةٌ لظلامِ

يوماً عليه ملامةٌ لظلامِ

He pleased the morning with his obedience, and never

He performed the dawn prayer to God’s satisfaction,

on any day did darkness have a reproach against him.

No day blamed him of darkness.

فَلَقَلَّ فيه رعايةً لحقوقِهِ

فَلَقَلَّ فيه رعايةً لحقوقِهِ

ما سيّرتْ أو سطّرَتْ أقْلامِي

ما سيّرتْ أو سطّرَتْ أقْلامِي

So scant, in honoring what is due to him,

He curbed passion to fulfill his duties—

is what my pens have sent forth or inscribed!

However my pen hastened or advanced.