قد بعثنا الراحَ عن عَجَلِ

قد بعثنا الراحَ عن عَجَلِ

وحَسَمنا أَحْبُل العِلل

وحَسَمنا أَحْبُل العِلل

We have sent the wine in haste,

We have sent relief from haste

and severed the cords of excuses.

And severed the ropes of worries

وتفاءلنا ببعثتها

وتفاءلنا ببعثتها

لك بَعْثَ الخيل والخول

لك بَعْثَ الخيل والخول

And we took its dispatch as a good omen

And looked forward hopefully to its mission

for sending you horses and retainers.

To you, the sending of steeds and boys

وجعلناها مقدِّمة

وجعلناها مقدِّمة

تقتضي الباقي من الأملِ

تقتضي الباقي من الأملِ

And we made it a prelude,

And we have made it go first

calling for the rest of what is hoped for.

To bring the rest of hope

ولأنت المستحِقُّ لها

ولأنت المستحِقُّ لها

دون أبناءِ الرجاءِ ولِي

دون أبناءِ الرجاءِ ولِي

And you indeed have a claim to it,

And you alone deserve it

above the sons of hope—and to me as well.

Unlike the sons of hope and morning drizzle

ويَدي رَهْنٌ بنافلةٍ

ويَدي رَهْنٌ بنافلةٍ

بعدها تُوفِي على النُّفَلِ

بعدها تُوفِي على النُّفَلِ

And my hand is pledged to a further gift,

And my hand is detained by supererogation

to follow it, surpassing other gifts.

After which it fulfills upon benevolence

تَتَخَطّى من مراتبها

تَتَخَطّى من مراتبها

فوقَ قَرْنِ الشمس أَو زُحَلِ

فوقَ قَرْنِ الشمس أَو زُحَلِ

It leaps from its ranks

It goes beyond its ranks

above the sun's horn or Saturn.

Above the horns of the sun or Saturn

وقليلٌ ذا لمِثلك يا

وقليلٌ ذا لمِثلك يا

جاعلي مولاه مِن مَثَلَ

جاعلي مولاه مِن مَثَلَ

Yet this is little for one like you, O

And few are like you, O one

you who make me your lord by example [wording unclear].

Who has made his Master an example

فاصطبرْ يشْمَلْك مِن جُمَلي

فاصطبرْ يشْمَلْك مِن جُمَلي

عَجَلٌ في صُورِة المهَلِ

عَجَلٌ في صُورِة المهَلِ

So be patient: from my bounty you will be enfolded

So be patient - my whole will encompass you

by haste in the guise of leisure.

Haste in the form of delay

واسترِح فيهِ لقولك هل

واسترِح فيهِ لقولك هل

تُنْسَبُ الأَفلاكُ للثّقلِ

تُنْسَبُ الأَفلاكُ للثّقلِ

And rest easy in it, for you say: ‘Are

And relax in it, by your words, does

the celestial spheres subject to heaviness?’

Gravity make the planets revolve?

إنّ حُبّي ليس يحمله

إنّ حُبّي ليس يحمله

غَيرُ حُرِّ النفسِ والعملِ

غَيرُ حُرِّ النفسِ والعملِ

Indeed, my love is borne by none

Indeed, my love is carried by none

but one noble in soul and deed.

Other than the free soul and deed

ووِدادِي ليس يسكن في

ووِدادِي ليس يسكن في

مهجةِ الهيّابة الوكِلِ

مهجةِ الهيّابة الوكِلِ

And my affection does not dwell in

And my affection resides in the heart of

the heart of a timid, helpless person.

No fearful guard or deputy

فجزاك اللهُ صالحةً

فجزاك اللهُ صالحةً

من مُحِبٍّ مُخْلِصٍ وَولِي

من مُحِبٍّ مُخْلِصٍ وَولِي

So may God reward you with goodness,

So may God reward you with righteousness

on behalf of a sincere lover and ally,

From a loving, loyal friend

وأراني ما أُؤمله

وأراني ما أُؤمله

لك من نَهْلٍ ومِن عَلل

لك من نَهْلٍ ومِن عَلل

and may He show me what I desire

And show me what I hope for you

for you—a first draught and a second—

Of drink and tender branches

بِيدٍ مني إذا انْبَجَست

بِيدٍ مني إذا انْبَجَست

عبثتْ بالعارِضٍ الْهَطِلِ

عبثتْ بالعارِضٍ الْهَطِلِ

through a hand of mine that, when it gushes,

With a hand of mine, when it shakes off

makes sport of the pouring raincloud;

It tampers with the falling rain

وبعزمٍ حين أبعثه

وبعزمٍ حين أبعثه

كَشَبا الخَطِّيَّةِ الذُّبُلِ

كَشَبا الخَطِّيَّةِ الذُّبُلِ

and through resolve that, when I send it forth,

And with resolve, when I send it

is like the points of slender Khatti spears.

Like the staff of the worn-out palm branch

وكذا استمليت من سَلَفي

وكذا استمليت من سَلَفي

والألى آبائي الرّسُل

والألى آبائي الرّسُل

And thus I took instruction from my forebears

And thus I have inherited from my ancestors

and those who are my fathers—the messengers.

And forefathers, the messengers

أنا لولا مَنْ يُؤَمّلني

أنا لولا مَنْ يُؤَمّلني

لم أرِد مُسْتأْخِرَ الأَجل

لم أرِد مُسْتأْخِرَ الأَجل

I, were it not for those who place their hopes in me,

I, had I no one to hope for me

would not wish my appointed end delayed.

Would not want delayed death