أُعَاتِبُI reproach دَهْراًTime لاَnot يُصيخُlistens attentively إلَىto عَتْبِreproach
أُعَاتِبُ دَهْراً لاَ يُصيخُ إلَى عَتْبِ
وَأَسْأَلُهُand I ask it صَفْحاًpardon وَمَالَيthough I have no مِنْany (emphatic) ذَنْبِfault
وَأَسْأَلُهُ صَفْحاً وَمَالَي مِنْ ذَنْبِ
I reproach Time, which heeds no reproach,
I reproach a fate that lends no ear to blame,
and ask it for pardon, though I have done no wrong.
And from whom I ask pardon, though no crime I claim.
وَأُعْلِنُand I speak openly بِالشَّكْوَىin complaint إِلَىto غَيْرَother than رَاحِمٍone who shows mercy
وَأُعْلِنُ بِالشَّكْوَى إِلَى غَيْرَ رَاحِمٍ
فَأَشْكُوso I complain وَقَدْwhile indeed عَزَّhas grown scarce الْعَزَاءُconsolation إِلَىto رَبِّيmy Lord
فَأَشْكُو وَقَدْ عَزَّ الْعَزَاءُ إِلَى رَبِّي
And I voice my complaint to one who shows no mercy;
I give my plaint to one who has no pity for my pain.
so I complain to my Lord, now that consolation is hard to find.
So I complain, but finding no comforter but God again.
أَبَاO father of حَسَنٍHasan مَاwhat لِلزَّمَانِis with Time يَنُوشُنِيit assails me
أَبَا حَسَنٍ مَا لِلزَّمَانِ يَنُوشُنِي
كَأَنَّكَas though you لَمْdid not تَعْلَمْknow بِوُدَّيof my affection وَلاnor حُبِّيmy love
كَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ بِوُدَّي وَلا حُبِّي
O Abu Hasan, why does Time assail me,
O Abu Hasan, why does time treat me so?
as though you knew neither my affection nor my love?
As though my love and longing you didn’t know!
وَمَنْand who لِيfor me بِأَقْوَامٍagainst people عَلَيَّagainst me تَأَلَّبُواthey have banded together
وَمَنْ لِي بِأَقْوَامٍ عَلَيَّ تَأَلَّبُوا
أُسَالِمُهُمْI keep peace with them دَهْرِيall my life وَيَسْعَوْنَwhile they strive فِيin حَرْبِيwar against me
أُسَالِمُهُمْ دَهْرِي وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي حَرْبِي
And who will aid me against people who have banded against me?
Who will help me against the hordes that attack?
I keep peace with them all my life, while they strive to wage war on me.
I face them through my days and they hound me without slack.
وَأَنْتَand you عَلِيٌّAli قَدْindeed عَلِمْتَyou know تَشَيُّعِيmy allegiance
وَأَنْتَ عَلِيٌّ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ تَشَيُّعِي
فكُنْso be نَاصِريِmy champion وَأدْرَأَand repel جُمْوعَthe hosts بَنِيthe sons of حَرْبِHarb
فكُنْ نَاصِريِ وَأدْرَأَ جُمْوعَ بَنِي حَرْبِ
And you are Ali; you know full well my allegiance.
You know my adherence, O Ali, to your crew,
So be my champion, and repel the hosts of Banu Harb.
So be my helper and drive back that warring crew!
Sol 6.1