ما بِاِختِياري ميلادي وَلا هَرَمي

ما بِاِختِياري ميلادي وَلا هَرَمي

وَلا حَياتي فَهَل لي بَعدُ تَخييرُ

وَلا حَياتي فَهَل لي بَعدُ تَخييرُ

My birth is not of my choosing, nor is my old age;

My birth and aging were not my choice

Nor is my life—so do I have any choice left?

Nor was my life, so do I have any options left?

وَلا إِقامَةَ إِلّا عَن يَدَي قَدَرٍ

وَلا إِقامَةَ إِلّا عَن يَدَي قَدَرٍ

وَلا مَسيرَ إِذا لَم يُقضَ تَسييرُ

وَلا مَسيرَ إِذا لَم يُقضَ تَسييرُ

Nor is there any staying except through the hands of fate;

No stay but by the hands of fate

Nor any journey unless one's going is decreed.

No travel unless it has been predetermined

زَعَمتَ أَنَّكَ تَهديني لِواضِحَةٍ

زَعَمتَ أَنَّكَ تَهديني لِواضِحَةٍ

كَذَبتَ هَذا الَّذي تَحكيهِ تَحَييرُ

كَذَبتَ هَذا الَّذي تَحكيهِ تَحَييرُ

You claimed to guide me to a clear path;

You claimed you would guide me to clarity

You lied: what you recount causes bewilderment.

But that is a lie you tell, only leading to confusion

عَيَّرتَ أَمراً فَهَل غَيَّرتَ مُنكَرَهُ

عَيَّرتَ أَمراً فَهَل غَيَّرتَ مُنكَرَهُ

أَم لَيسَ عِندَكَ لِلنَكراءِ تَغييرُ

أَم لَيسَ عِندَكَ لِلنَكراءِ تَغييرُ

You censured a matter—have you then changed its evil?

You rebuked a matter, but did you change its wrong?

Or have you no power to change what is abhorrent?

Or have you no means to transform the condemned