ياO لِلرِجالِmen, to the rescue لِهَمٍّagainst a sorrow باتَspent the night يَعرونيassailing me
يا لِلرِجالِ لِهَمٍّ باتَ يَعروني
مُستَطرِفٍnewly arisen وَقَديمٍand old كادَnearly يُبلينيwears me away
مُستَطرِفٍ وَقَديمٍ كادَ يُبليني
O men, help me against a sorrow that has assailed me all night,
O men whose troubles torment me night and day
New and old, nearly wearing me away.
An old friend almost worn me away
مَنwho عاذِريmy vindicator مِنagainst غَريمٍa debtor غَيرَnot ذيpossessed of عُسُرٍfinancial hardship
مَن عاذِري مِن غَريمٍ غَيرَ ذي عُسُرٍ
يَأَبىhe refuses فَيَمطُلُنيso he delays paying me دَينيmy debt وَيَلوينيand puts me off
يَأَبى فَيَمطُلُني دَيني وَيَلويني
Who will vindicate me against a debtor who is in no hardship,
Who will excuse me from an unforgiving foe
Who refuses, delays paying the debt owed me, and puts me off?
Who refuses and delays my due while twisting me
لاnot يُبعِدُrules out النَقدَcash payment مِنof حَقّيmy due فَيُنكِرَهُand so denies it
لا يُبعِدُ النَقدَ مِن حَقّي فَيُنكِرَهُ
وَلاnor يُحَدِّثُنيhe tells me أَنthat سَوفَwill يَقضينيrepay me
وَلا يُحَدِّثُني أَن سَوفَ يَقضيني
He does not rule out cash payment of my due and so deny it,
He won't deny me what's owed lest it be lost
Nor does he tell me that he will repay me.
Nor tell me he will pay me back at last
وَماand no كَشُكرِيَlike my gratitude شُكرٌgratitude لَوif only يُوافِقَنيhe agrees with me
وَما كَشُكرِيَ شُكرٌ لَو يُوافِقَني
وَلاand no مُنايَmy wishes سِواهُother than him لَوif only يُوافينيhe comes to me
وَلا مُنايَ سِواهُ لَو يُوافيني
And no gratitude would match mine, if only he would agree with me,
My thanks is no thanks if he's uninclined
And I have no wish but him, if only he would come to me.
Nor will I be saved but by his grace benign
أَطَعتُهُI obeyed him وَعَصَيتُand disobeyed الناسَthe people كُلَّهُمُall of them
أَطَعتُهُ وَعَصَيتُ الناسَ كُلَّهُمُ
فيin أَمرِهِhis command وَهَواهُand his desires وَهوَwhile he يَعصينيdisobeys me
في أَمرِهِ وَهَواهُ وَهوَ يَعصيني
I obeyed him and disobeyed all the people,
I obeyed him and disobeyed all other men
In his bidding and his desires, while he disobeys me.
In his affairs, wants, even as he disobeys me
خَيريmy kindness لِمَنfor whoever يَبتَغيseeks خَيريmy kindness وَيَأمُلهُand hopes for it
خَيري لِمَن يَبتَغي خَيري وَيَأمُلهُ
مِنfrom دونِapart شَرّيmy harm وَشَرّيand my harm غَيرُnot مَأمونِto be trusted
مِن دونِ شَرّي وَشَرّي غَيرُ مَأمونِ
My kindness is for whoever seeks my kindness and hopes for it,
My good is for those who seek the good in me
Apart from my harm—and my harm is not to be trusted.
Without the bad, and the bad's always suspect
وَماand not أُشارِكُI share فيin رَأيِيmy counsel أَخاa man of ضَعَفٍweakness
وَما أُشارِكُ في رَأيِي أَخا ضَعَفٍ
وَلاnor أَقولُI call أَخيmy brother مَنwhoever لاnot يُواتينيstands with me
وَلا أَقولُ أَخي مَن لا يُواتيني
And I do not share my counsel with a weak man,
Nor do I share my views with the weak
Nor do I call anyone my brother who does not stand with me.
Nor call my brother one who won't join with me
Sol 6.1