وَكَم ظاعِنٍ قَد ظَنَّ أَن لَيسَ آيِباً

وَكَم ظاعِنٍ قَد ظَنَّ أَن لَيسَ آيِباً

فَآبَ وَأَودى حاضِرونَ كَثيرُ

فَآبَ وَأَودى حاضِرونَ كَثيرُ

And many a traveler had thought he would not return,

How many a complacent one thought he'd never leave

yet returned, while many who stayed at home perished.

Yet he left, diminishing many of those present

وَإِنَّ الَّذي أَعظَمتِهِ مِن تَغَرُّبي

وَإِنَّ الَّذي أَعظَمتِهِ مِن تَغَرُّبي

عَلَيَّ وَإِن أَعظَمتِ ذاكَ يَسيرُ

عَلَيَّ وَإِن أَعظَمتِ ذاكَ يَسيرُ

And what you deemed so grave in my sojourn abroad

And that which you magnified in my exile from you

is easy for me, however grave you deemed it.

Though you magnified it, was but a small thing

رَأَيتُ المَنايا يُدرِكُ العُصمَ عَدوُها

رَأَيتُ المَنايا يُدرِكُ العُصمَ عَدوُها

فَيُنزِلُها وَالطَيرُ مِنهُ تَطيرُ

فَيُنزِلُها وَالطَيرُ مِنهُ تَطيرُ

I have seen death's pursuit overtake the mountain goats,

I've seen death overtake those it pursues as enemies

bringing them down, while birds fly away from it.

Casting them down while birds take flight from them

وَعَلَيَّ أَمضي ثُمَّ أَرجِعُ سالِماً

وَعَلَيَّ أَمضي ثُمَّ أَرجِعُ سالِماً

وَيَهلِكُ بَعدي آمِنونَ حُضورُ

وَيَهلِكُ بَعدي آمِنونَ حُضورُ

And I must set out, then return unharmed,

I must proceed, then return safely

while those safe at home perish after I depart.

While those feeling secure after me perish

جَعلتُ أُرَجّيها إِيابي وَمَن غَدا

جَعلتُ أُرَجّيها إِيابي وَمَن غَدا

عَلى مِثلِ حالي لا يَكادُ يَحورُ

عَلى مِثلِ حالي لا يَكادُ يَحورُ

I began giving her hope of my return; yet whoever sets out

I hoped it would bring me back though whoever

in circumstances like mine can scarcely return.

Is in my state tomorrow will barely endure

وَكَيفَ أُبالي وَالزَمانُ قَد اِنقَضى

وَكَيفَ أُبالي وَالزَمانُ قَد اِنقَضى

وَعَظمي مُهيضٌ وَالمَكانُ شَطيرُ

وَعَظمي مُهيضٌ وَالمَكانُ شَطيرُ

And how can I care, when time has already run its course,

Why should I care when time has elapsed

and my bone is broken, and the place is far away?

My body weakened and the place abandoned

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَظهَرتُ مِنّي تَجَلُّداً

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَظهَرتُ مِنّي تَجَلُّداً

لَذو كَبِدٍ حَرّى عَلَيكَ حَسيرُ

لَذو كَبِدٍ حَرّى عَلَيكَ حَسيرُ

And I, though I have shown myself steadfast,

Though I feigned composure about myself

have indeed a liver burning for you, and am worn out.

My burning liver still bears hatred for you