أَنضَيتِ أَحرُفَ لا مِمّا لَهَجتُ بِها

أَنضَيتِ أَحرُفَ لا مِمّا لَهَجتُ بِها

فَحُقَّ لي رِحلَةٌ مِنها إِلى نَعَمِ

فَحُقَّ لي رِحلَةٌ مِنها إِلى نَعَمِ

You have worn out the letters of lā ('no') through my constant repetition of it.

I uttered letters not of what my tongue has spoken

You have worn out the letters of 'No' through my constant repetition,

So a journey from it to naʿam ('yes') is my due.

So I have the right to depart from it to bounty

So it is my right to make a journey from that word to 'Yes'.

أَو حَوِّليها إِلى ما فَهيَ تَعدُلُها

أَو حَوِّليها إِلى ما فَهيَ تَعدُلُها

إِن كُنتِ حاوَلتِ في لا قِلَّةِ الكَلِمِ

إِن كُنتِ حاوَلتِ في لا قِلَّةِ الكَلِمِ

Or change it to mā ('not'), for it is its equal,

Or make it into what it equals

Or change it into 'Ma', for it is its equal in the balance,

if in lā ('no') you sought brevity of speech.

If you have tried in brief speech

If, by choosing 'No', you merely sought the brevity of speech.

قِستُم عَلَينا فَعارَضنا قِياسَكُمُ

قِستُم عَلَينا فَعارَضنا قِياسَكُمُ

يا مَن تَباعَدَ عَن جودٍ وَعَن كَرَمِ

يا مَن تَباعَدَ عَن جودٍ وَعَن كَرَمِ

You reasoned by analogy against us, so we countered your analogy,

You judged us so we opposed your judgement

You judged us by a measure, and we challenged your analogy,

O you who have kept far from bounty and generosity.

O you who are far from generosity and nobility

O you who have distanced yourself from bounty and from grace.

وَلَستُ تَفديكُمُ نَفسي أُحَمِّلُكُم

وَلَستُ تَفديكُمُ نَفسي أُحَمِّلُكُم

ثِقلي بِعَينٍ وَلا كَفٍّ وَلا قَدَمِ

ثِقلي بِعَينٍ وَلا كَفٍّ وَلا قَدَمِ

And I do not—may my soul ransom you—make you bear

And my soul will not ransom you, I carry you

And I do not—may my own soul be a ransom for your sake—

my weight with an eye, a palm, or a foot.

No burden on my eye or palm or foot

Place my burden on your eye, nor on a hand, nor on a foot.