ياO لائميyou who blame me فيماfor what التمسsought
يا لائمي فيما التمس
تI (ending of ‘sought’) لعيشتيfor my livelihood وعلاجand the remedy for دهريmy times
ت لعيشتي وعلاج دهري
O you who blame me for what I sought
O you who blame me for what I have sought
for my livelihood and to remedy my times,
To make my living and cure my fate
إنيindeed I عنيتI concerned myself بأمرwith the affairs of مصEgypt (first part)
إني عنيت بأمر مص
رcompletion of ‘Egypt’ وأينand where منanyone whom يعنيهconcerns him أمريmy affair
ر وأين من يعنيه أمري
I have indeed concerned myself with Egypt’s affairs;
I truly cared for a difficult matter
but where is anyone concerned with mine?
Where can I find one who cares for my plight
الذنبthe fault ذنبthe fault of الغافليthe heedless (word continues)
الذنب ذنب الغافلي
نplural ending of ‘the heedless’ ذويthose possessing الغنىwealth والعذرand the excuse عذريmy excuse
ن ذوي الغنى والعذر عذري
The fault is the fault of the heedless,
The blame belongs to the heedless ones
those possessing wealth; the excuse is mine.
The wealthy have excuses, and that is my excuse
إنيindeed I شهيدa martyr of العهدthe age مطfolded away (first part)
إني شهيد العهد مط
ويّاًcompletion of ‘folded away’ بقفرin a wasteland أوor بقصرin a palace
ويّاً بقفر أو بقصر
I am indeed a martyr of the age, folded away
I am a martyr of loyalty
in a wasteland or a palace.
Whether in a wasteland or palace
إنif كانis فكرthe thought of الحرthe free man جلbringer (first part)
إن كان فكر الحر جل
لابcompletion of ‘bringer’ الهمومcares عدمتmay I lose فكريmy thought
لاب الهموم عدمت فكري
If a free man’s thought is a bringer
If the thoughts of the free man
of cares, may I lose my thought.
Are concerned with worries, I lost my thoughts
أوor كانthere is فيin شكوىlamenting الأسىsorrow
أو كان في شكوى الأسى
طربdelight الجهولthe ignorant one سددتI would seal ثغريmy mouth
طرب الجهول سددت ثغري
Or if in lamenting sorrow
Or if complaining of sorrow
the ignorant find delight, I would seal my mouth.
Distracts the ignorant, I held my tongue
الظلمinjustice أنthat أشقىI suffer بآbecause of (word continues)
الظلم أن أشقى بآ
دابيmy literary gifts (word ending) وإنand even if خلَّدنthey immortalize ذكريmy memory
دابي وإن خلَّدن ذكري
It is unjust that I suffer for my literary gifts,
It is injustice that I suffer for my morals
even if they immortalize my name.
Even if they immortalize my memory
Sol 6.1