عَاهَدُونَاthey made a pact with us عَلَىon الْوَفَاءِfaithfulness فَخَانُواthen they betrayed
عَاهَدُونَا عَلَى الْوَفَاءِ فَخَانُوا
فَكَأنَّاso it was as though we عَلَىon الْخِلاَفِdiscord اصْطَحَبْنَاwe became companions
فَكَأنَّا عَلَى الْخِلاَفِ اصْطَحَبْنَا
They pledged faithfulness to us, then betrayed us.
They promised us loyalty, but betrayed us
They pledged us loyalty, only to betray,
So it was as though we had become companions on terms of discord.
As if from the start, we were at odds
As if our companionship were forged upon opposition.
لَوْif عَلِمْنَاwe had known اطِّرَادَthe consistent recurrence of نَقْضِthe thwarting of الأَمَانِيhopes
لَوْ عَلِمْنَا اطِّرَادَ نَقْضِ الأَمَانِي
لاَعْتَمَدْنَاwe would have adopted عَكْسَthe opposite of الْمُرَادِwhat was desired فَفُزْنَاand so we would have succeeded
لاَعْتَمَدْنَا عَكْسَ الْمُرَادِ فَفُزْنَا
Had we known that hopes are unfailingly thwarted,
Had we known their consistent breaking of vows
Had we known the constant unraveling of hopes,
We would have chosen the opposite of what we desired, and so succeeded.
We'd have gone against their will, and prevailed
We would have pursued the reverse of our desires, and thus triumphed.
Sol 6.1