فيin كلّevery يومِday ليfor me ببابكَat your door وَقْفَةٌa wait
في كلّ يومِ لي ببابكَ وَقْفَةٌ
أطويI bypass إليهاto it سائرَall the other الأبوابِdoors
أطوي إليها سائرَ الأبوابِ
Every day I stand awhile at your door,
Each day I pause at your door,
bypassing all other doors to reach it.
Turning to it from all other doors.
فإذاso when لقيتُكَI met you رُحْتُI departed قدalready رَوَّحْتُI dispelled عنfrom
فإذا لقيتُكَ رُحْتُ قد رَوَّحْتُ عن
قلبيmy heart الهمومthe cares وأُبْتُand I returned غيرwithout مآبِa return
قلبي الهموم وأُبْتُ غير مآبِ
So when I meet you, I depart, having lifted from
When I meet with you, I'm relieved of
my heart its cares, and return—yet not return.
The sorrows in my heart, and seek no other place.
وإذاand when حَضَرْتُI arrived وغبتُand I was absent عنكfrom you فإنَّهُthen indeed it is
وإذا حَضَرْتُ وغبتُ عنك فإنَّهُ
ذنبٌa fault عُقوبَتُهُits punishment علىupon البوَابِthe gatekeeper
ذنبٌ عُقوبَتُهُ على البوَابِ
And when I arrive but am absent from your presence, it is
If I come or stay away from you it's a sin,
a fault whose punishment falls upon the gatekeeper.
Whose punishment is upon the doorkeeper.
أعليٌّO Ali أنكthat you قدalready شَغَلْتُI occupied بنعمةٍthrough a favor
أعليٌّ أنك قد شَغَلْتُ بنعمةٍ
قَدَّمْتَهاyou bestowed it شكريmy gratitude وحُسْنَand the excellence of ثوابيmy requital
قَدَّمْتَها شكري وحُسْنَ ثوابي
O Ali, you have occupied [vocalization unclear], through a favor
Exalted One, I was preoccupied with a blessing
you bestowed, my gratitude and my worthy requital.
You gave me, my thanks and good reward.
لكنbut رأيتُكَI saw you قدalready خصصتَyou singled out عصابةًa group
لكن رأيتُكَ قد خصصتَ عصابةً
وعَمَمْتَنيand you included me لستI am not لهمfor them أسبابيmy ties
وعَمَمْتَني لست لهم أسبابي
But I saw you single out a group
But I saw you had singled out a group,
and include me, though my ties are not theirs [wording unclear].
Making me one not qualified to join them.
فإذاso when انفردتI was alone رأيتُI considered شكركًَthanking you واجباًobligatory
فإذا انفردت رأيتُ شكركًَ واجباً
وإذاand when اجتمعناwe gathered كنتُI was كالمرتابِlike one in doubt
وإذا اجتمعنا كنتُ كالمرتابِ
So when I am alone, I deem thanking you a duty;
When alone I saw thanking you a duty,
and when we gather, I am like one in doubt.
When we gathered I was like one uncertain.