عَتَبَت سَلمى عَلَينا سَفاها

عَتَبَت سَلمى عَلَينا سَفاها

أَن سَبَبتُ اليَومَ فيها أَباها

أَن سَبَبتُ اليَومَ فيها أَباها

Salma foolishly reproached us

Salma reproached me foolishly today

because today I insulted her father on her account.

For causing distress to her father this day

كانَ حَقُّ العَتبِ يا قَومُ مِنّي

كانَ حَقُّ العَتبِ يا قَومُ مِنّي

لَيسَ مِنها كانَ قَلبي فِداها

لَيسَ مِنها كانَ قَلبي فِداها

The right to reproach, O people, was mine,

The blame was rightfully mine, O people

not hers—may my heart be her ransom.

It was not her - my heart was her ransom

فَلَئِن كُنتُ أَرَدتُ بِقَلبي

فَلَئِن كُنتُ أَرَدتُ بِقَلبي

لِأَبي سَلمى خِلافَ هَواها

لِأَبي سَلمى خِلافَ هَواها

So if I truly intended in my heart

And if my heart intended

anything for Salma's father contrary to her wishes,

Anything against her father's desire

فَثَكِلتُ اليَومَ سَلمى فَسَلمى

فَثَكِلتُ اليَومَ سَلمى فَسَلمى

مَلَأَت أَرضي مَعاً وَسَماها

مَلَأَت أَرضي مَعاً وَسَماها

then may I be bereaved of Salma today—for Salma

Then may I lose Salma - Salma filled

has filled both my earth and its sky.

My land and sky altogether

غَيرَ أَنّي لا أَظُنُّ عَدُوّاً

غَيرَ أَنّي لا أَظُنُّ عَدُوّاً

قَد أَتاها كاشِحاً بِأَذاها

قَد أَتاها كاشِحاً بِأَذاها

Yet I do not think that an enemy

Except I don't think any enemy

has come to her harboring malice, bringing her harm.

Came to her, harming her

فَلَها العُتبى لَدَينا وَقَلَّت

فَلَها العُتبى لَدَينا وَقَلَّت

أَبَداً حَتّى أَنالَ رِضاها

أَبَداً حَتّى أَنالَ رِضاها

So she shall have amends from us, slight though they are,

So she deserves my apology until

always, until I win her approval.

I earn her satisfaction forevermore