هَلاَّwhy did you not رَدَدْتَyou answered back عَلَىto الْعَدُوِّthe enemy الْكاشِحِthe spiteful one
هَلاَّ رَدَدْتَ عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ الْكاشِحِ
وَقَبِلْتَand you accepted مِنَfrom الصَّدِيقِthe friend النَّاصِحِthe sincere adviser
وَقَبِلْتَ مِنَ الصَّدِيقِ النَّاصِحِ
Why did you not answer back to the spiteful foe,
Why did you not respond to the hostile enemy,
and accept counsel from the sincere friend?
And accept the sincere friend's advice?
الآنnow حِينَwhen مَلأتَyou filled قَلْبِيmy heart رَغْبَةًlonging
الآن حِينَ مَلأتَ قَلْبِي رَغْبَةً
أَعْقَبْتهَاyou followed it ظُلْماًunjustly بِيَأْسٍwith despair قادِحِsearing
أَعْقَبْتهَا ظُلْماً بِيَأْسٍ قادِحِ
Now that you have filled my heart with longing,
Now when you've filled my heart with yearning,
you have unjustly followed it with searing despair.
You followed it with injustice and despair.
وتَكَلَّفَتْand strained نَفْسِيmy soul إلَيْكَtoward you بِمُنْيَةٍwith a wish
وتَكَلَّفَتْ نَفْسِي إلَيْكَ بِمُنْيَةٍ
أَلْتَذُّهاI savor it مِثْلَlike الزُّلالِthe clear water التَّايِحِthe flowing one
أَلْتَذُّها مِثْلَ الزُّلالِ التَّايِحِ
And my soul strained toward you with a wish
And my soul longed for you with affection,
that I savor like clear, flowing water.
I savored it like gushing fresh water.
أَبْعَدْتَyou pushed away ظَنّيmy hope بَعْدَafter مَاthat قَرَّبْتَهُyou brought it near
أَبْعَدْتَ ظَنّي بَعْدَ مَا قَرَّبْتَهُ
وَلَسَوْفَand surely will تَذْكُرُyou recall فِيin فَسَادِيmy wrongdoing صالِحِيmy goodness
وَلَسَوْفَ تَذْكُرُ فِي فَسَادِي صالِحِي
You pushed my hope away after drawing it near,
You dismissed my hopes after you brought them near,
and you will surely recall my goodness amid my wrongdoing.
And you will recall my righteousness when I'm corrupt.
ماwhat للإِمامِwith the imam تَنَكَّرَتْhave changed أَخْلاَقُهُhis ways
ما للإِمامِ تَنَكَّرَتْ أَخْلاَقُهُ
مِنْbecause of قَوْلِthe words of هاجٍa satirist فِيin مَكانِthe place of مدَائحِيmy praises
مِنْ قَوْلِ هاجٍ فِي مَكانِ مدَائحِي
What ails the imam, that his ways have changed
How could the imam's morals change
because of a satirist's words in place of my praises?
From the words of one raging instead of my praises?
فِيin كُلِّevery يَوْمٍday أَرْتَجيI hope for إِنْصافَfairness مَنْone who
فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ أَرْتَجي إِنْصافَ مَنْ
يَجْرِيhastens إلَىtoward ظُلْمِيwronging me بِقَوْلat the word of الْكاشِحِthe spiteful foe
يَجْرِي إلَى ظُلْمِي بِقَوْل الْكاشِحِ
Each day I hope for fairness from one
Each day I hope for justice from one
who hastens to wrong me at the spiteful foe's word.
Who rushes to do me wrong with harsh words.
جَمْرِيmy embers إذَاif ماan emphatic particle شِئْتَyou wish طافٍquenched خامِدٌdormant
جَمْرِي إذَا ما شِئْتَ طافٍ خامِدٌ
وَإذاand if تَشاءُyou wish فَكَالشِّهابِthen like the flame الَّلائِحِthe gleaming one
وَإذا تَشاءُ فَكَالشِّهابِ الَّلائِحِ
My embers, if you wish, lie quenched and dormant,
My embers, when you wish, lie dormant,
and if you wish, they are like a gleaming flame.
And when you want, flare up like leaping flames.
وَالنَّارُand the fire قَدْmay يَخْفَىbe hidden عَلَيْكَfrom you ضِياؤُهاits light
وَالنَّارُ قَدْ يَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ ضِياؤُها
حَتَّىuntil تُحَرِّكهاstir it بَنانُthe fingertips of القادِحِthe fire-striker
حَتَّى تُحَرِّكها بَنانُ القادِحِ
And the fire's light may be hidden from you
The fire's glow can be hidden from you
until the fire-striker's fingertips stir it.
Until you stir it with fiery brands.
Sol 6.1