رَأَيتكَ لا تَرعى حُقوقي ولم تُصخْ

رَأَيتكَ لا تَرعى حُقوقي ولم تُصخْ

إلى القول منّي حيثما أنا ناصحُ

إلى القول منّي حيثما أنا ناصحُ

I saw you neglect my rights, and you did not listen

I saw you disregard my rights and refused

to my words whenever I offered sincere counsel.

To heed my advice wherever I counsel

فجهرُك لي مُرْضٍ وسرُّك مُسخِطٌ

فجهرُك لي مُرْضٍ وسرُّك مُسخِطٌ

ووجهك بسّامٌ وقلبك كالحُ

ووجهك بسّامٌ وقلبك كالحُ

So your outward manner pleases me, but your hidden self angers me;

So your openness pains me and your secrets vex me

and your face beams, while your heart scowls.

Your face may smile but your heart is a pigsty

ووُدُّكَ لي إمّا سرابٌ بِقِيعَةٍ

ووُدُّكَ لي إمّا سرابٌ بِقِيعَةٍ

وإلّا فبرقٌ خُلَّبُ الوَمْضِ لائحُ

وإلّا فبرقٌ خُلَّبُ الوَمْضِ لائحُ

And your affection for me is either a mirage on a level plain,

Your love to me is either a mirage in the desert

or else lightning, gleaming but bringing no rain,

Or lightning whose flash is bright but brief

وإلّا هشيمٌ في فضاءٍ تكدُّهُ

وإلّا هشيمٌ في فضاءٍ تكدُّهُ

محكّمَةٌ فيه الرّياحُ البوارحُ

محكّمَةٌ فيه الرّياحُ البوارحُ

or else dry stubble in an open expanse, worn down by

Or chaff blowing about with no shelter

the fierce winds, given free rein over it.

In a firmament where winds are thieves

وَما ليَ منكَ اليومَ إلّا أَظافرٌ

وَما ليَ منكَ اليومَ إلّا أَظافرٌ

حِدادٌ وأنيابٌ بجلدِي جوارحُ

حِدادٌ وأنيابٌ بجلدِي جوارحُ

And today I have nothing from you but nails,

You now offer me only claws and fangs

sharp, and fangs that wound my skin.

That tear my skin as executioners

تُمزّقني عَمْداً كأنّكَ مخطئ

تُمزّقني عَمْداً كأنّكَ مخطئ

وَتَقذِفني جِدّاً كأنّكَ مازحُ

وَتَقذِفني جِدّاً كأنّكَ مازحُ

You tear me apart deliberately, as though you did it by mistake,

You shred me intentionally as if in error

and you revile me in earnest, as though you were joking.

And toss me violently as if in jest