ياO ابنson of سعدٍSa'd أنَّthat العقوبةَpunishment لاnot تلbeginning of 'is binding'
يا ابن سعدٍ أنَّ العقوبةَ لا تل
زَمcompletion of 'is binding' إلاّexcept منone who نالهreached him الأعذارُdue warning
زَم إلاّ من ناله الأعذارُ
O son of Sa'd, punishment is not due
except to one who has received due warning.
وابنand the son of داودDawud مستخفٌheedless وقدand already واbeginning of 'have reached'
وابن داود مستخفٌ وقد وا
فَتْهcompletion of 'have reached him' مشحوذةًsharpened عليهagainst him الشفارthe blades
فَتْه مشحوذةً عليه الشفار
And Ibn Dawud is heedless, though already
blades have reached him, sharpened against him.
فاهدهِso guide him للتيto that which يكونwill be لهfor him منfrom
فاهدهِ للتي يكون له من
هاit مَفرٌa way out ماwhile دامَcontinues يُنجيsaves الفِرارflight
ها مَفرٌ ما دامَ يُنجي الفِرار
So guide him to a course from which he will have
a way out, as long as flight can still save him.
ساقنيhas driven me أحمدAhmad بنson of داودDawud أمراًa situation
ساقني أحمد بن داود أمراً
ماnot علىin the face of مثلهits like لديَّwith me اصطبارpatient endurance
ما على مثله لديَّ اصطبار
Ahmad ibn Dawud has driven me to a plight
the like of which I have no patience to endure.
ليfor me إليهto him فيon كلّevery يومٍday جديدٍnew
لي إليه في كلّ يومٍ جديدٍ
رَوحةٌan afternoon visit ماnot أُغبُّهاI make it intermittent وابتكارand an early-morning visit
رَوحةٌ ما أُغبُّها وابتكار
Every new day I make my way to him:
an afternoon visit I never skip, and an early-morning call.
ووقوفٌand standing ببابهat his door أُمنَعI am denied الأذbeginning of 'permission'
ووقوفٌ ببابه أُمنَع الأذ
نَcompletion of 'permission' عليهto see him ويَدخلand enter الزُوَّارthe visitors
نَ عليه ويَدخل الزُوَّار
And I stand at his door, denied permission
to see him, while visitors enter.
خُطةa course of conduct منwhoever يُقمpersists عليهاin it منamong الناbeginning of 'the people'
خُطة من يُقم عليها من النا
سcompletion of 'the people' ففيهاthen in it ذلٌhumiliation لهfor him وصغارand abasement
س ففيها ذلٌ له وصغار
A course: whoever among men persists in it
finds humiliation and abasement there.
لوeven if ينالhe gains الغنىwealth لماthen not كانthere would be فيin ذbeginning of 'that'
لو ينال الغنى لما كان في ذ
لكcompletion of 'that' خطٌa path ينالهhe attains it مختارone acting freely
لك خطٌ يناله مختار
Even if he gained wealth, there would be in that
no path anyone would willingly take.
عزبَhas strayed الرأيُjudgment فيَّconcerning me عنهfrom him وعزَّتْand has overcome
عزبَ الرأيُ فيَّ عنه وعزَّتْ
هُhim أناةٌforbearance طويلةٌlong وانتظارand waiting
هُ أناةٌ طويلةٌ وانتظار
Sound judgment concerning me has eluded him, and he has been overcome
by long forbearance and waiting.