إذاif عاقبتyou punish شرّيراan evildoer فكحلاthen by blinding through cautery
إذا عاقبت شرّيرا فكحلا
فقدfor indeed, perhaps يستوجبdeserves الكحلblinding through cautery الظلومthe grievous oppressor
فقد يستوجب الكحل الظلوم
If you punish an evildoer, let it be by searing his eyes;
If you punish the wicked, then how wise!
for the oppressor may well deserve such blinding.
For cruelty may warrant such cruel demise.
ألمhave ... not? ترَyou seen كيفhow أعمىblinded اللهGod قوماa people
ألم ترَ كيف أعمى الله قوما
منfrom among الأشرارthe wicked وهوand He بهمof them عليمfully aware
من الأشرار وهو بهم عليم
Have you not seen how God blinded a people
Did you not see how God blinded a folk
from among the wicked, while He knows them well,
Of evildoers, though their acts He could invoke?
وعاملَهُمand He dealt with them بماaccording to what استوجبوهthey deserved it
وعاملَهُم بما استوجبوه
بعلمwith knowledge منهfrom Him والأعلمىand the blind man (reading uncertain) مشومill-omened
بعلم منه والأعلمى مشوم
and dealt with them as they deserved,
And treated them as they did merit-
with knowledge of His own—and the blind man is ill-omened.
With knowledge supreme and vision to ferret.
يحدّis given a prescribed punishment الفاسقthe sinful man الجانيthe offending فيبراthen he recovers
يحدّ الفاسق الجاني فيبرا
وحدّand the punishment اللهof God فيin الأعمىthe blind man مقيمabiding
وحدّ الله في الأعمى مقيم
The sinful offender is punished, then recovers;
The sinner may wander and guiltily grieve,
yet God's punishment abides in the blind man.
But God's sentence on the blind shall not leave.
وكانتand was عكبراUkbara لهمfor them محّلاa dwelling place
وكانت عكبرا لهم محّلا
فكلّهُمُso all of them بظاهرِهاon its outskirts اللزومthose who remain
فكلّهُمُ بظاهرِها اللزوم
And Ukbara was their dwelling place,
Their refuge was ‘Akabah, which then failed
so all of them keep to its outskirts.
And all who dwelled in its shelter then wailed.
أتطمعdo you hope? أنto تطرّفyou go to the outskirts بالمصّليat the prayer ground
أتطمع أن تطرّف بالمصّلي
كماas كانتit used to be وهلand can ...? تلدgive birth العقيمthe barren woman
كما كانت وهل تلد العقيم
Do you hope to go out to the prayer ground
Do you hope to lure the pious therein,
as before? And can a barren woman give birth?
As it was before? Barren women don’t birth again!
حطاماrubble ياO بنيsons of شيبانShayban فابكواso weep, all of you
حطاما يا بني شيبان فابكوا
كماas يبكيweeps لدرّتهfor his milk supply الفطيمthe weaned child
كما يبكي لدرّته الفطيم
Rubble, O sons of Shayban—so weep,
It's rubble, O Bani Shayban, so mourn-
as the weaned child weeps for his milk.
Like a bereft mother who's suckling was shorn.
فهذاso this عاجلimmediate لكمfor you all جزاءrecompense
فهذا عاجل لكم جزاء
وعندand before اللهGod تجتمعgather together الخصومthe disputants
وعند الله تجتمع الخصوم
This, then, is an immediate recompense for you;
This is the fate you promptly were served,
and before God the disputants gather.
While with God, all plaintiffs shall be heard.
Sol 6.1