سائليyou who ask me اليومtoday كيفhow حالِيَmy condition فيin القسthe divi- (word continues)
سائلي اليوم كيف حالِيَ في القس
مِ-sion (completes ‘division’) ونظارةand the oversight القضاةof the judges السراةthe eminent ones
مِ ونظارة القضاة السراة
You who ask me today how I fare in the divi-
My questioner today, how fare I in prison
-sion and under the oversight of the eminent judges:
And the examining eyes of judges swift
كلُّevery قاضٍjudge يرىis regarded as أسيرَa captive of شهودٍwitnesses
كلُّ قاضٍ يرى أسيرَ شهودٍ
وأناand I شاهدٌa witness أسيرa captive of القضاةthe judges
وأنا شاهدٌ أسير القضاة
Every judge is regarded as a captive of witnesses,
Each judge sees a prisoner of desires
And I, a witness, am the judges’ captive.
While I, a witness, am the judges' captive