عَذيري مِنَ الدُنيا عَرَتني بِظُلمِها

عَذيري مِنَ الدُنيا عَرَتني بِظُلمِها

فَتَمنَحَني قُوَّتي لِتَأخُذَ قُوَّتي

فَتَمنَحَني قُوَّتي لِتَأخُذَ قُوَّتي

Who will defend me against the world, which assailed me with its injustice?

My excuse from this worldly life is that it has stripped me of my virtues with its injustice,

It grants me my sustenance only to take my strength away.

Then granted me my strength only to take away my strength,

وَجَدتُ بِها ديني دَنِيّاً فَضَرَّني

وَجَدتُ بِها ديني دَنِيّاً فَضَرَّني

وَأَضلَلتُ مِنها في مُروتٍ مُرُوَّتي

وَأَضلَلتُ مِنها في مُروتٍ مُرُوَّتي

I found my faith debased within it, and so it harmed me.

I found through it my religion debased, so it has harmed me,

And because of it I lost my honor in barren wastes.

And I went astray from it into deadly marshes my manliness.

أَخوتُ كَما خاتَت عُقابٌ لَو اِنَّني

أَخوتُ كَما خاتَت عُقابٌ لَو اِنَّني

قَدَرتُ عَلى أَمرٍ فَعُدِّ أُخُوَّتي

قَدَرتُ عَلى أَمرٍ فَعُدِّ أُخُوَّتي

I swoop as an eagle swoops; if I

Oh my brothers, how misfortune has concluded, if only I

Had power over anything, then count on my brotherhood.

Had power over a matter, then count my brotherliness.

وَأَصبَحتُ في تيهِ الحَياةِ مُنادِياً

وَأَصبَحتُ في تيهِ الحَياةِ مُنادِياً

بِأَرفَعَ صَوتي أَينَ أَطلُبُ صُوَّتي

بِأَرفَعَ صَوتي أَينَ أَطلُبُ صُوَّتي

And I came to be calling out in life's wilderness,

And I became lost in the wilderness of life, crying out

At the top of my voice: where shall I seek my landmark?

At the top of my voice, where can I seek my voice?

وَما زالَ حُوتي راصِدي وَهوَ آخِذي

وَما زالَ حُوتي راصِدي وَهوَ آخِذي

فَما لِمَتابي لَيسَ يَغسِلُ حُوَّتي

فَما لِمَتابي لَيسَ يَغسِلُ حُوَّتي

And my whale still lies in wait for me, and it will seize me.

And my whale keeps an eye on me while it takes me,

Why does my repentance not wash away my darkness?

So why does the tide not come to wash away my whale?

رَآنِيَ رَبُّ الناسِ فيها مُتابِعاً

رَآنِيَ رَبُّ الناسِ فيها مُتابِعاً

هَوايَ فَوَيحي يَومَ أَسكُنُ هُوَّتي

هَوايَ فَوَيحي يَومَ أَسكُنُ هُوَّتي

The Lord of humankind saw me in it following

The Lord of mankind saw me in it, following

My desire—woe to me the day I inhabit my abyss!

My desires, so alas the day I inhabit my essence!

وَما بَرِحَت لي أَلوَّةٌ حَرَجِيَّةٌ

وَما بَرِحَت لي أَلوَّةٌ حَرَجِيَّةٌ

تُصَيِّرُ مِن رَطبِ العِضاهِ أَلُوَّتي

تُصَيِّرُ مِن رَطبِ العِضاهِ أَلُوَّتي

And I have always had a stringent vow,

And there remained for me no comfort in difficulties

Which makes my aloes-incense from fresh thorn-tree wood.

That turn the juicy fresh dates into dried dates.

أَبوَتُكَ يا إِثمي وَمَن لي بِأَنَّني

أَبوَتُكَ يا إِثمي وَمَن لي بِأَنَّني

أَتَيتُكَ فَاِشكُر لا شَكَرتَ أُبُوَّتي

أَتَيتُكَ فَاِشكُر لا شَكَرتَ أُبُوَّتي

I fathered you, O my sin—and who can assure me that I

I disowned you, oh my sin! And who can help me, since I

Came to you? Thank my fatherhood—may you never give thanks!

Came to you, so give thanks, do not thank my fatherliness!