لَانْتقامُindeed, the vengeance المظلومِof the wronged أرْبىmore grievous علىupon الظَّاthe oppres-
لَانْتقامُ المظلومِ أرْبى على الظَّا
لمِ-sor منthan ظُلمهhis wrongdoing علىupon المظلومِthe wronged
لمِ من ظُلمه على المظلومِ
Indeed, the wronged one's vengeance is harsher on the oppres-
The vengeance of the oppressed is more satisfying to the oppressor than his oppression of the oppressed.
sor than his wrongdoing is on the wronged.
If the oppressor contemplates, he is like a shepherd in a miserable, ruinous pasture.
صاحبُthe perpetrator of الظلمwrongdoing إنif تأمَّلتَyou reflect كالرَّاlike the graz-
صاحبُ الظلم إن تأمَّلتَ كالرَّا
تِع-er فيin المرتعِthe pasture الوبيلbaneful الوخيمِunwholesome
تِع في المرتعِ الوبيل الوخيمِ
The wrongdoer, if you reflect, is like a graz-
His affair becomes clear and he knows he has traded the night of dignity for the night of safety.
er in a baneful, unwholesome pasture.
So he blames himself when alone, in passion and in painful torment.
يُجتلَىis laid bare أمرُهُhis state فيعلمand so he knows أنْthat قدindeed
يُجتلَى أمرُهُ فيعلم أنْ قد
باعhe sold ليلَthe night of الكرىslumber بليلfor the night of السليمِthe snake-bitten man
باع ليلَ الكرى بليل السليمِ
His state is laid bare, and he realizes that he has
His life and vigor were commanded by the comforts of regret and remorse.
sold a night of slumber for a snake-bitten man's night.
If his adversary kept away from him and ignored him, his own self would suffice as an adversary against him.
فهوso he is منbecause of لومreproaching نفسهِhimself حينwhen يخلوhe is alone
فهو من لوم نفسهِ حين يخلو
فيin غرامlasting misery وفيand in عذابtorment أليمِpainful
في غرام وفي عذاب أليمِ
So, when alone, his self-reproach leaves him
And the brother of vengeance is a gentle, splendid man, who takes pleasure in every fleeting vengeance.
in lasting misery and in painful torment.
He did not find himself except in pain, and did not turn away with an unblemished cheek.
قدindeed أُمِرَّتْhas been embittered حياتُهhis life وشجتهand has grieved him
قد أُمِرَّتْ حياتُه وشجته
بُرَحاءُsearing anguish النَّدامof remorse والتنديمِand remorse-inducing reproach
بُرَحاءُ النَّدام والتنديمِ
His life has indeed been embittered, and he is grieved
by the searing anguish of remorse and reproach.
لوeven if تجافىkept away الخصيمُthe adversary عنهfrom him وأغضىand turned a blind eye
لو تجافى الخصيمُ عنه وأغضى
لكفاهُwould suffice him بنفسهin his own self منas خصيمِan adversary
لكفاهُ بنفسه من خصيمِ
Even if his adversary kept away from him and turned a blind eye,
his own self would suffice him as an adversary.
وأخوand the man of الانتقامvengeance ناعمُat ease بالٍof mind
وأخو الانتقام ناعمُ بالٍ
يتشفَّىhe finds relief بكلِّin every ثأرٍact of vengeance مُنيمِsleep-bringing
يتشفَّى بكلِّ ثأرٍ مُنيمِ
And the avenger is at ease of mind,
finding relief in every sleep-bringing act of vengeance.
لمdid not يجدْfind نفسهhis soul ألامتْhad incurred blame فيلحاso he would reproach
لم يجدْ نفسه ألامتْ فيلحا
هاit (his soul) ولمand did not ينصرفdepart بخدٍّwith a cheek لطيمِslapped
ها ولم ينصرف بخدٍّ لطيمِ
He found no fault in his soul for which to reproach
it, nor did he depart with a slap-marked cheek.
Partial English translation: 8 of 16 Arabic lines translated.