أَلَم تَرَ قَيسَ الأَكمَهَ اِبنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَلَم تَرَ قَيسَ الأَكمَهَ اِبنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

يَقولُ وَلا تَلقاهُ لِلخَيرِ يَفعَلُ

يَقولُ وَلا تَلقاهُ لِلخَيرِ يَفعَلُ

Have you not seen Qays the blind-born, son of Muhammad?

Have you not seen Qays, blind from birth, son of Muhammad,

He talks, yet never do you find him acting for good.

Who speaks, yet you never find him doing good?

رَأَيتُكَ أَعمى العَينِ وَالقَلبِ مُمسِكاً

رَأَيتُكَ أَعمى العَينِ وَالقَلبِ مُمسِكاً

وَما خَيرُ أَعمى القَلبِ وَالعَينِ يَبخَلُ

وَما خَيرُ أَعمى القَلبِ وَالعَينِ يَبخَلُ

I have seen you blind in eye and heart, a miser;

I saw you blind in eye and heart, tightfisted;

what good is one blind in heart and eye, who withholds?

And what good is one blind in heart and eye who is miserly?

فَلَو صُمَّ تَمَّت لَعنَةُ اللَهِ كُلُّها

فَلَو صُمَّ تَمَّت لَعنَةُ اللَهِ كُلُّها

عَلَيهِ وَما فيهِ مِنَ الشَرِّ أَفضَلُ

عَلَيهِ وَما فيهِ مِنَ الشَرِّ أَفضَلُ

If only he were deaf, God’s curse would be complete—all of it—

For if he were deafened, God's entire curse would be complete

upon him; and the evil within him is unsurpassed.

Upon him—and the evil within him is greater still.