وإذاand when ضَمَّتِgathered الكِفايَةُcompetence قَوماًpeople
وإذا ضَمَّتِ الكِفايَةُ قَوماً
فيin مَضَمِّassembly البَيانِeloquence لمdid not يَلحَقواthey catch up بيwith me
في مَضَمِّ البَيانِ لم يَلحَقوا بي
And when competence gathers people
in eloquence's assembly, they cannot match me.
فَلِماذاwhy, then حُرِمْتُI was deprived منfrom غَيرِother than عَجزٍincapacity
فَلِماذا حُرِمْتُ من غَيرِ عَجزٍ
ولماذاand why عُوقِبْتُI was punished منfrom غَيرِother than حُوبِsin
ولماذا عُوقِبْتُ من غَيرِ حُوبِ
Why, then, was I deprived, though not incapable?
And why was I punished, though guilty of no sin?
ولماذاand why أُخِّرتُI was held back منfrom غَيِرِother than نقصdeficiency
ولماذا أُخِّرتُ من غَيِرِ نقص
عنbehind أُناسٍpeople هُمُthey عِيَابُbags العُيُوبِof faults
عن أُناسٍ هُمُ عِيَابُ العُيُوبِ
And why was I held back, though free of shortcomings,
behind people who are bags of faults?
صادِقُtrue to الوَعدِthe promise والوعيدِand the threat جَميعاًboth
صادِقُ الوَعدِ والوعيدِ جَميعاً
ولِسانُand the tongue الحَكيمِof the sage غَيرُnot كَذُوبِgiven to lying
ولِسانُ الحَكيمِ غَيرُ كَذُوبِ
I am true to promise and threat alike,
and the sage's tongue does not lie.