وَكانَ أَخاكَ يَرى ما رَأَي

وَكانَ أَخاكَ يَرى ما رَأَي

تَ وَمَهما دَعَوت إِلَيهِ أَجابا

تَ وَمَهما دَعَوت إِلَيهِ أَجابا

And your brother used to see what you

Your brother saw what you saw

saw; and whatever you called him to, he answered.

And whatever you called him to, he responded

فَلَمَّا أَسَأتَ وَكُنتَ اِمرءاً

فَلَمَّا أَسَأتَ وَكُنتَ اِمرءاً

إِذا ما اِقتَرَضتَ نَسيتَ الحِسابا

إِذا ما اِقتَرَضتَ نَسيتَ الحِسابا

But when you did wrong—and you were a man

But when you did wrong and were a man

who, whenever you borrowed, forgot the reckoning—

Who when he borrowed, forgot the account

ثَنى قَدَما صاعِداً وَاِطمَأَنْ

ثَنى قَدَما صاعِداً وَاِطمَأَنْ

نَ بِأُخرى وَقالَ لَعَلَّ العِتابا

نَ بِأُخرى وَقالَ لَعَلَّ العِتابا

he drew up one foot, ascending, and steadied himself

He turned away one leg, climbing

on the other, and said, “Perhaps reproach...”

And settled on the other, and said perhaps this is a rebuke

فَلَمّا أَبيتَ إِباءَ الحرونِ

فَلَمّا أَبيتَ إِباءَ الحرونِ

ثَنى أُختَها فَتبوا السَّحابا

ثَنى أُختَها فَتبوا السَّحابا

But when you refused with a balking horse’s obstinacy,

But when you refused the refusal of the free

he drew up its sister and made the clouds his home.

He turned away its sister, so bid farewell to the clouds

فَكَيفَ رَأَيتَ أَخاكَ الَّذي

فَكَيفَ رَأَيتَ أَخاكَ الَّذي

أَسَأتَ بِهِ وَوَجدتَ الثَّوابا

أَسَأتَ بِهِ وَوَجدتَ الثَّوابا

So how did you find your brother, whom

So how did you see your brother whom

you wronged, and the recompense you received?

You did wrong with, yet found reward