أنا في أهل دمشق وهم

أنا في أهل دمشق وهم

عدد الرمل وحيد ذو انفراد

عدد الرمل وحيد ذو انفراد

I, among the people of Damascus—though they

I am among the people of Damascus, yet

are as numerous as grains of sand—am alone and solitary.

As numerous as they are, I stand alone

ليس لي منهم أليف وشجت

ليس لي منهم أليف وشجت

بيننا الألفة أسباب الوداد

بيننا الألفة أسباب الوداد

I have no friend among them with whom have been woven

I have no friends among them, though I wish

bonds of affection through familiarity between us.

That friendship's causes bond affection would have sown

يحسبوني إذ رأوني وافداً

يحسبوني إذ رأوني وافداً

قد أتاهم من بقايا قوم عاد

قد أتاهم من بقايا قوم عاد

They take me, having seen me arrive as a newcomer,

When they see me, they think that I'm a stranger

for one who has come to them from the remnants of the people of ʿAd.

Come to them from 'Aad's remnants, ages flown

وانفرادي رشد لي والهوى

وانفرادي رشد لي والهوى

أبدا يصرف عن سبل الرشادِ

أبدا يصرف عن سبل الرشادِ

And my solitude is the right course for me, while desire

My solitude is wisdom, and desire

always turns one away from the paths of right guidance.

Keeps me always from the path of guidance prone