ياO صاحبmaster of الأقلامthe pens والسيفand the sword قدhas
يا صاحب الأقلام والسيف قد
أتقنَhe perfected فيin التَّدبيرgovernance ماwhat قرَّرهhe decreed it
أتقنَ في التَّدبير ما قرَّره
O master of the pens and the sword, who has
O owner of pens and sword, you have
perfected in governance what he decreed:
Mastered in governance what fate decreed
نحنُwe المساكينُthe poor لأرزاقناfor our sustenance
نحنُ المساكينُ لأرزاقنا
بابٌa door طواهُclosed it الدَّهرTime أوor عسرهmade it difficult
بابٌ طواهُ الدَّهر أو عسره
we, the poor, have for our sustenance
We poor people, for our livelihood
a door that Time has closed or made hard to open.
A door, time has locked or made difficult
فاجْعلso fashion بإحسانكَthrough your kindness مفتاحهits key
فاجْعل بإحسانكَ مفتاحه
وإنْand if تعاصىit resists فاقْلعthen pull out السكّرَهthe bolt
وإنْ تعاصى فاقْلع السكّرَه
So fashion its key through your kindness,
So make your kindness its key
and if it resists, pull out the bolt.
And if it resists, break open its bolt
Sol 6.1