تَحَيَّفَhas diminished حالَتِيmy condition حَيفُthe injustice of الزَّمانِtime
تَحَيَّفَ حالَتِي حَيفُ الزَّمانِ
وَصِدْقُand the truth of اليَاسِdespair مِنfrom كذِبِthe falsehood of الأَمانِيhopes
وَصِدْقُ اليَاسِ مِن كذِبِ الأَمانِي
Time's injustice has diminished my lot,
My state has been distorted by the injustice of time,
And despair proves true because hopes lie.
And the truth of despair from the lies of wishes.
وَبَرتand kept faith فِيin أَلِيَّتِهَاtheir oath الليالِيthe nights
وَبَرت فِي أَلِيَّتِهَا الليالِي
بِتَرْويعِيby terrifying me فَأَنَّىso how بِالأَمانِwith safety
بِتَرْويعِي فَأَنَّى بِالأَمانِ
And the nights have kept their oath,
The nights have excelled in frightening me,
By terrifying me—so where is safety?
So where can I find safety?
أَمَاhave ... not? قنعتbeen satisfied وَقَدْand already كَلِفَتgrown enamored بِهَضْمِيof wronging me
أَمَا قنعت وَقَدْ كَلِفَت بِهَضْمِي
وَضَيْمِيand oppressing me دُونَto the exclusion of أَبناءِthe sons of البَيانِeloquence
وَضَيْمِي دُونَ أَبناءِ البَيانِ
Have they not had enough, so enamored of wronging me,
Have I not been content while burdened with my grief,
And oppressing me alone among the sons of eloquence?
And my distress among the eloquent?
أُحاوِلُI try أَنthat أَقومَI rise لِمَاto whatever يُوَاتِيproves favorable
أُحاوِلُ أَن أَقومَ لِمَا يُوَاتِي
فَتُقْعِدُنِيthen force me down الخُطُوبُcalamities بِلاwithout تَوانِيdelay
فَتُقْعِدُنِي الخُطُوبُ بِلا تَوانِي
I try to rise to whatever proves favorable,
I try to stand up to what comes my way,
But calamities force me down without delay.
But calamities make me sit without haste.
وَأَطْباقُand layers الثرَىof earth بِالحُرِّfor the noble man أَحْرَىmore fitting
وَأَطْباقُ الثرَى بِالحُرِّ أَحْرَى
إِذاif أَلْفَىhe finds الثراءَwealth مِنَfrom الهَوانِhumiliation
إِذا أَلْفَى الثراءَ مِنَ الهَوانِ
And layers of earth better befit a noble man,
And the darkness of soil is more burning
If he finds that wealth comes through humiliation.
When it finds ease from disgrace.
فَهَلْso is there مِنْany آخِذٍone who takes بِيَديby the two hands of أخيذٍa captive
فَهَلْ مِنْ آخِذٍ بِيَدي أخيذٍ
بِعَينِunder the eye of اللَّهِGod شدّةُthe severity of ماwhat يُعانِيhe endures
بِعَينِ اللَّهِ شدّةُ ما يُعانِي
So is there anyone to take a captive by the hands?
Is there anyone who will take me by the hand?
Under God's eye lies the severity of what he endures.
By God, the intensity of what I suffer!
أَياO مَاwhat أَشتَكِيهِI complain of it منof أَيامِيmy days
أَيا مَا أَشتَكِيهِ من أَيامِي
عوَارٍnaked ones فِيin يَدِthe hand of البَلوَىaffliction عَوانِيcaptives
عوَارٍ فِي يَدِ البَلوَى عَوانِي
O those days of mine that I lament—
Whatever I complain of from my days,
Naked, captives in affliction's hand.
Faulty in the hands of afflictions, hurting me.
وَمَاand not أَبغِيI seek عَلَىof تَلَفِيmy ruin دَلِيلاًproof
وَمَا أَبغِي عَلَى تَلَفِي دَلِيلاً
كَفانِيit suffices me أَننِيthat I حَيٌّalive كَفانِيit suffices me
كَفانِي أَننِي حَيٌّ كَفانِي
And I seek no proof of my ruin:
And I do not want a guide to my demise,
It is enough for me that I am alive—enough.
It is enough that I live, it is enough.
Sol 6.1