رَأَيتُكَ تَبني جاهِداً في قَطيعَتي

رَأَيتُكَ تَبني جاهِداً في قَطيعَتي

فَلَو كُنتَ ذا إِربٍ لَهَدَّمتَ ما تَبني

فَلَو كُنتَ ذا إِربٍ لَهَدَّمتَ ما تَبني

I saw you striving to build a breach between us.

I saw you building obstinately upon my estrangement

For had you possessed good sense, you would have torn down what you build.

If you had any dignity, you would have demolished what you built

نُثيرُ عَلى الباقينَ مَجنى ضَغينَةٍ

نُثيرُ عَلى الباقينَ مَجنى ضَغينَةٍ

فَوَيلٌ لَهُم إِن مِتَّ مِن شَرِّ ما تَجني

فَوَيلٌ لَهُم إِن مِتَّ مِن شَرِّ ما تَجني

We stir up a harvest of rancor against those who remain.

We rouse against the rest, the agony of resentment

So woe to them, if you die, from the evil of what you reap!

Woe to them, if I die, because of the evil of what you harvested

كَأَنّي بِهِم وَاللَيتُ أَفضَلُ قَولِهِم

كَأَنّي بِهِم وَاللَيتُ أَفضَلُ قَولِهِم

ألا لَيتَنا وَاللَيتُ إِذ ذاكَ لا يُغني

ألا لَيتَنا وَاللَيتُ إِذ ذاكَ لا يُغني

I can almost see them, with 'if only' the best they can say:

It is as if I see them, and if only the best of their words was

'Ah, if only we...'—but 'if only' will avail nothing then.

"If only we, and if only when that happens, it will not avail"

كَفَرتَ يَداً مِن مُنعِمٍ لَو شَكَرتَها

كَفَرتَ يَداً مِن مُنعِمٍ لَو شَكَرتَها

جَزاكَ بِها الرَحمنُ ذو الفَضلِ وَالمَنِّ

جَزاكَ بِها الرَحمنُ ذو الفَضلِ وَالمَنِّ

You were ungrateful for a benefactor's helping hand; had you been grateful for it,

You disbelieved a blessing hand, if you had thanked it

The All-Merciful, Lord of grace and bounty, would have rewarded you for it.

The Merciful, The Bountiful, would have rewarded you for it