أَلاَ يا رُبَّمَا عَزَّ

أَلاَ يا رُبَّمَا عَزَّ

خَليلي فَتَهاونتُ

خَليلي فَتَهاونتُ

Lo—how often he grew overbearing—

Ah, many a time he grew proud—

a close friend of mine—and I let it pass.

my friend—so I took it lightly.

ولَو شِئتُ عَلَى مَق

ولَو شِئتُ عَلَى مَق

دِرةٍ مِنَّي لَعاقبَتُ

دِرةٍ مِنَّي لَعاقبَتُ

And had I wished, though fully able

And had I wished, with power

on my own, I would have punished him.

at my command, I would indeed have punished.

ولَكِن سَرَّني أَن يَع

ولَكِن سَرَّني أَن يَع

لَمُوا قَدري فأَقلَعتُ

لَمُوا قَدري فأَقلَعتُ

But it pleased me that they should—

But it pleased me that they should

know my worth, and so I held back.

know my worth, so I desisted.

أَلاَ لا فاسأَلوُا الفِت

أَلاَ لا فاسأَلوُا الفِت

يَةَ ما قالُوا وقَد قُمتُ

يَةَ ما قالُوا وقَد قُمتُ

Now then, ask the young—

Ah, no! Then ask the young

men what they said when I rose.

men what they said when I had risen.

ولَكِنَّ حَبيبي جَلَّ

ولَكِنَّ حَبيبي جَلَّ

عِندي فَتغَافَلتُ

عِندي فَتغَافَلتُ

But my beloved was too precious

But my beloved was greatly esteemed

in my eyes, so I pretended not to notice.

by me, so I pretended not to notice.