مَنْone who ليسَdoes not يَدْريhe knows ماwhat يريدُhe wants
مَنْ ليسَ يَدْري ما يريدُ
فكيفَso how يدْريhe knows ماwhat تريدْyou want
فكيفَ يدْري ما تريدْ
He who does not know what he wants—
Who does not know what he wants
how, then, does he know what you want?
How can he know what you want
ياO ابنson of الربيعِal-Rabiʿ أبنْmake clear لناto us
يا ابن الربيعِ أبنْ لنا
إنَّindeed البيانَclear expression لهُit has حدودْlimits
إنَّ البيانَ لهُ حدودْ
O Ibn al-Rabiʿ, make it clear to us:
O son of spring, tell us
Indeed, clear expression has its limits.
That eloquence has limits
ماwhat ليis with me أراكَI see you
ما لي أراكَ
السلاسلthe chains والقيودْand the shackles
السلاسل والقيودْ
Why do I see you
What is it with me seeing you
The chains and shackles
In chains and shackles
أعلاhas it risen? الحديدُthe iron بأمto the crown of رأسكyour head
أعلا الحديدُ بأم رأسك
أمor ليسdoes not يضبطكrestrain you الحديدthe iron
أم ليس يضبطك الحديد
Has the iron risen to the crown of your head,
Is it the iron that is high or your head
or does the iron not restrain you?
Or does not the iron control you
Sol 6.1