لَعَمرِيَby my life لَوif أَضَعتُI squandered فيin مَنهَجِthe path of التُقىpiety
لَعَمرِيَ لَو أَضَعتُ في مَنهَجِ التُقى
لَكانَthen there would be لَناfor us فيin كُلِّevery صالِحَةٍvirtuous deed نَهجُa path
لَكانَ لَنا في كُلِّ صالِحَةٍ نَهجُ
By my life, if I squandered [something] on the path of piety,
By my life, if I set an upright way,
We would have a path in every virtuous deed.
We would have a path in every righteous case.
فَماfor ... not يَستَقيمُis set right الأَمرُaffairs وَالمَلكُwhile the king جائِرٌunjust
فَما يَستَقيمُ الأَمرُ وَالمَلكُ جائِرٌ
وَهَلand can ...? يَستَقيمُbe straight الظِلُّthe shadow وَالعودُwhile the stick مُعوَجُّcrooked
وَهَل يَستَقيمُ الظِلُّ وَالعودُ مُعوَجُّ
For affairs cannot be set right while the king is unjust.
But the matter cannot go straight when the ruler is unjust,
And can the shadow be straight while the stick is crooked?
Nor can the shade be straight when the branch is crooked.
Sol 6.1