وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَنِّي إِذَا قُمتُ قَانِتاً

وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَنِّي إِذَا قُمتُ قَانِتاً

لِرَبِّي أُنَادِي بالصَّلاةِ وأُعلِنُ

لِرَبِّي أُنَادِي بالصَّلاةِ وأُعلِنُ

And it is strange that, when I stand in devotion

It is strange that when I stand devoutly

to my Lord, calling for prayer and proclaiming it aloud,

To pray to my Lord and proclaim

يُقَعقِعُ فِي رجِلي الحَديدُ كأَنَّمَا

يُقَعقِعُ فِي رجِلي الحَديدُ كأَنَّمَا

يُعارِضُ صَوتِي بالأَذَانِ فَيَلحَنُ

يُعارِضُ صَوتِي بالأَذَانِ فَيَلحَنُ

the iron on my leg rattles, as though

The iron clanks on my feet as if

it answers my voice with the call to prayer, only to sound a false note.

It accompanies my voice with the call to prayer, dissonant,

فَقُلتُ اعِتبَاراً بَينَ قَيدِي وَمِقوَلِي

فَقُلتُ اعِتبَاراً بَينَ قَيدِي وَمِقوَلِي

أَذلكَ ناقُوسٌ وَهَذَا مُؤَذِّنُ

أَذلكَ ناقُوسٌ وَهَذَا مُؤَذِّنُ

So I said, comparing my fetter with my tongue:

So I considered the difference between my shackle and my words:

“Is that a church bell, and this a muezzin?”

Is this a church bell and this a muezzin?