ولولاand were it not for شهوتيmy longing شفتىthe two lips of عليAli
ولولا شهوتي شفتى علي
رَبعتI would have gone easy علىon الصحابةthe companions والركابand the mounts
رَبعت على الصحابة والركاب
Were it not for my longing for Ali’s lips,
I would have gone easy on my companions and mounts.
ولكنand yet الوسائلthe means of drawing close منfrom علىٍAli
ولكن الوسائل من علىٍ
خلصنthey penetrated الىto الفؤادthe heart منthrough الحجابthe veil
خلصن الى الفؤاد من الحجاب
But the overtures from Ali
Have reached my heart through the veil.
وليسand there is no كأمlike Umm حمادHammad خليلclose friend
وليس كأم حماد خليل
اذاwhen ماemphatic particle لامرfor a matter جلّwas too great عنfor الخطابspeech
اذا ما لامر جلّ عن الخطاب
And no close friend is like Umm Hammad,
When, over a matter too grave for words,
منعمةًliving in ease ارىI see فتقرّso is gladdened عينيmy eye
منعمةً ارى فتقرّ عيني
وتكفينيand spares me خلائقهاher character traits عتابيmy reproach
وتكفيني خلائقها عتابي
I see her living in ease, and my eye is gladdened;
And her character spares me the need to reproach her.