قالواthey said فلانٌso-and-so قدْalready تولىhe assumed القضاthe judgeship
قالوا فلانٌ قدْ تولى القضا
فيin البرِّthe countryside قلتُI said ادرعواarmor yourselves with الصبراpatience
في البرِّ قلتُ ادرعوا الصبرا
They said, “So-and-so has assumed the judgeship
They said so-and-so has assumed authority over justice
in the countryside.” I said, “Don patience as armor!”
So I said in righteousness, arm yourselves with patience
ياO ويحَalas for برٍّa righteous man مِنْfrom أذىthe harm of فاجرٍa wicked man
يا ويحَ برٍّ مِنْ أذى فاجرٍ
إذاwhen تولىtakes charge of الفاجرُthe wicked man البرَّاthe righteous man
إذا تولى الفاجرُ البرَّا
Alas for a righteous man suffering a wicked man’s harm,
Oh woe to righteousness from the harm of an evildoer
when the wicked man takes charge of the righteous!
When an evildoer assumes authority over the righteous
Sol 6.1