يا مَددي حين خانني مددي

يا مَددي حين خانني مددي

وعُدَّتي إذ تعذَّرت عُددي

وعُدَّتي إذ تعذَّرت عُددي

O my aid when my aid betrayed me,

O my supporter when my supporter failed me

and my resource when my resources failed.

And my preparations when my preparations were frustrated

ناشدتك اللّه والحفاظَ وإحْ

ناشدتك اللّه والحفاظَ وإحْ

سانك بي أن تَفُتَّ في عَضُدي

سانك بي أن تَفُتَّ في عَضُدي

I adjure you by God, by loyalty, and by the kind-

I beseeched you by God, the Preserver, and your kindness to me

ness you have shown me, not to sap my arm's strength.

That you support my shoulder when it weakens

أنت الشراب الذي أسَغْتُ به الْ

أنت الشراب الذي أسَغْتُ به الْ

غُصَّةَ يا سيدي ويا سندي

غُصَّةَ يا سيدي ويا سندي

You are the drink with which I washed down the

You are the drink with which I swallowed bitterness, my master and my pillar

choking lump, O my master and O my support.

And I did not fear that you would be a hardship for me, never

ولم أخف أن تكون لي شَرَقاً

ولم أخف أن تكون لي شَرَقاً

كلّا ولا غُلَّة على كبدي

كلّا ولا غُلَّة على كبدي

Nor did I fear you would be a choking draught for me—

So do not let slander prevent you from strengthening my purpose, my favor, and my hand

no, nor a burning thirst upon my liver.

And persist in all that you have begun, confirming what you have tightened of my knots

فلا تصدَّنَّكَ الوِشاية عن

فلا تصدَّنَّكَ الوِشاية عن

شدِّكَ أزْري ومُنَّتي ويَدي

شدِّكَ أزْري ومُنَّتي ويَدي

So let no slander turn you away from

For I am between two plans which are the honor or disgrace of my lifetime

strengthening my back, my might, and my hand.

If you strengthen me I will be strengthened, and if you deliver me to the enemies my pillars will collapse

ودُمْ على كل ما ابتدأتَ به

ودُمْ على كل ما ابتدأتَ به

مُؤكِّدا ما شدَدْتَ من عُقَدي

مُؤكِّدا ما شدَدْتَ من عُقَدي

And continue in all that you have begun,

How and from where would I have compensation when you are my back and you are my reliance

reinforcing the knots of mine you have tightened.

Give me - I have no right but my hatred of you, it suffices me, that is my sanity

فإنَّني بين خُطَّتيْن هما

فإنَّني بين خُطَّتيْن هما

عزِّيَ دهري أوْ ذِلّتي أبدي

عزِّيَ دهري أوْ ذِلّتي أبدي

For I stand between two alternatives, which are:

You whom love of you has taken the place of life in my body

my honor throughout my life, or my humiliation forever.

And do not blame me for my anguish, for besides what is in me, it has come upon my skin

إن أنت أعززتني عَزَزْتُ وإنْ

إن أنت أعززتني عَزَزْتُ وإنْ

أَسلمتني للعِدى وهَتْ عَمَدي

أَسلمتني للعِدى وهَتْ عَمَدي

If you honor me, I gain honor; and if

If a lion had gotten me with his claw, he would not have gotten me what you see from my hidden agony

you surrender me to the foes, my pillars give way.

But he is a fox, I was deceived by him, so he got from me, and it was enough for him that I thought him a lion

أنَّى ومِنْ أين منك لي عِوَضٌ

أنَّى ومِنْ أين منك لي عِوَضٌ

وأنت ظهري وأنت معتمدي

وأنت ظهري وأنت معتمدي

How, and from where, could I find a replacement for you?

The envy of your supporting me has frustrated the envious one from the beginning, so do not let him gloat over my envy

And you are my back, and you are my mainstay.

هَبْنيَ لا حقَّ لي سوى مِقَتي

هَبْنيَ لا حقَّ لي سوى مِقَتي

إياك حسبي بذاك من رَشدي

إياك حسبي بذاك من رَشدي

Suppose I have no claim except my love

for you—that is proof enough of my good judgment.

أنت الذي أصْبَحَتْ محبتُه

أنت الذي أصْبَحَتْ محبتُه

حلَّتْ محل الحياة من جسدي

حلَّتْ محل الحياة من جسدي

You are the one whose love has come

to take the place of life within my body.

ولا تلُومَنَّني على جَزَعي

ولا تلُومَنَّني على جَزَعي

فَدُون ما بي أتى على جلدي

فَدُون ما بي أتى على جلدي

And do not blame me for my anguish,

for less than what I suffer has exhausted my endurance.

لَوْ أَسَدٌ نالني بمخلَبه

لَوْ أَسَدٌ نالني بمخلَبه

ما نالني ما تراه من كمدي

ما نالني ما تراه من كمدي

Had a lion struck me with its claw,

I would not have suffered the deep grief you see in me.

لكنَّه ثعلبٌ أُسِرْتُ لَهُ

لكنَّه ثعلبٌ أُسِرْتُ لَهُ

فنال منِّي وحسبهُ أَسَدي

فنال منِّي وحسبهُ أَسَدي

But he is a fox to whom I was taken captive,

so he got the better of me—and my lion is enough for him.

قد كَبَتَ الحاسدَ انتصارُك لي

قد كَبَتَ الحاسدَ انتصارُك لي

بدْءاً فلا تُشْمتنَّ ذا حسدي

بدْءاً فلا تُشْمتنَّ ذا حسدي

Your championing me has already humbled the envious man

at the outset; so do not let the one who envies me gloat.