كَفىit is enough حُزناًas sorrow أَنthat لاnot أَزورَI visit أَحبَّتيmy loved ones
كَفى حُزناً أَن لا أَزورَ أَحبَّتي
مِنfrom القربnearness إِلّاexcept بالتكلّفِwith exertion وَالجَهدِand toil
مِن القرب إِلّا بالتكلّفِ وَالجَهدِ
It is sorrow enough that I cannot visit my loved ones
Enough of sorrow that I cannot visit my loved ones
It is sorrow enough that I do not visit my loved ones,
Though they are near, except with effort and toil.
Except with effort and imposition
Though near, save through struggle and great strain.
وَإِنّيand indeed I إِذاwhen حُييتُI am greeted ناجَيتُI whisper to قائِديmy guide
وَإِنّي إِذا حُييتُ ناجَيتُ قائِدي
ليَعدِلنيso he may turn me aright قَبلَbefore الإِجابَةِanswering فيin الرَدِّthe reply
ليَعدِلني قَبلَ الإِجابَةِ في الرَدِّ
And when I am greeted, I whisper to my guide
And if I am greeted, I whisper to my guide
And were I greeted, I must whisper to my guide,
To turn me aright before I give my reply.
To correct me before responding
To steady me before I can offer a reply.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَفاضواthey speak at length فيin الحَديثconversation تَقاصَرتshrinks
إِذا ما أَفاضوا في الحَديث تَقاصَرت
بيَwithin me النَفسُthe spirit حَتّىuntil ماnot أُحيرI reply وَماand not أُبديI speak out
بيَ النَفسُ حَتّى ما أُحير وَما أُبدي
Whenever they speak at length, it shrinks—
When they converse at length, my soul shrinks
When they flow freely in talk, my breath grows short,
My spirit within me—until I neither answer nor speak.
Until I am confused and cannot express
Until I am powerless to answer or reveal my heart.
كَأَنّيas though I were غَريبٌa stranger بَينَهُمamong them لستI am not منهمُone of them
كَأَنّي غَريبٌ بَينَهُم لست منهمُ
فَإِنfor even if لَمhave not يَحولواthey turn away عَنfrom وَفاءloyalty وَلاnor عهدa pledge
فَإِن لَم يَحولوا عَن وَفاء وَلا عهد
As though I were a stranger among them, not one of them.
As if I am a stranger among them, not one of them
As if I were a stranger among them, not of their kin,
For even if they have not forsaken loyalty or a pledge,
Yet if they do not turn from loyalty or covenant
Though they have not turned from loyalty nor broken a vow.
أُقاسيI endure خُطوباًcalamities لاnot يَقومcan stand بثِقلِهاunder their weight
أُقاسي خُطوباً لا يَقوم بثِقلِها
مِنamong الناسpeople إِلّاexcept كُلُّevery ذيone endowed with مِرَّةَstrength جلدsteadfast
مِن الناس إِلّا كُلُّ ذي مِرَّةَ جلد
I endure calamities beneath whose weight none can stand
I endure tribulations too heavy to bear
I endure calamities whose crushing weight could be borne
Among men, save those who are strong and steadfast.
For any but the most steadfast of men
By none among men, save the resolute and enduring.
Sol 6.1