ياO اِبنَson of عَلِيٍّAli عَلَوتَyou have risen high إِنif كانَwas ماwhat
يا اِبنَ عَلِيٍّ عَلَوتَ إِن كانَ ما
حَدَّثتَyou related حَقّاًtrue وَحَسبُكَand enough for you التُهَمُthe suspicions
حَدَّثتَ حَقّاً وَحَسبُكَ التُهَمُ
O son of Ali, you have risen high, if what
O son of Ali, you have risen high, if what
O Ibn Ali, you have ascended if what you reported is true, though even the suspicion is enough for you.
you related is true—and suspicions alone suffice for you:
you said is true, and blame is enough for you.
Your union with the one who departed like a gazelle from the Diwan, a pen perched above his ear,
وَصلُintimacy with الَّذيthe one who راحَwent كَالغَزالِlike a gazelle مِنَfrom الthe
وَصلُ الَّذي راحَ كَالغَزالِ مِنَ ال
ديوانِbureau مِنfrom فَوقِabove أُذنِهِhis ear قَلَمُa pen
ديوانِ مِن فَوقِ أُذنِهِ قَلَمُ
Intimacy with the one who went, gazelle-like, from the
The one who escaped from the office like a gazelle
Who unfastened—whether by chance or design—one of two buttons when boredom provoked him,
bureau, with a pen above his ear.
when the pen slipped from above his ear,
Then his solitary mole appeared, a mark possessing neither companion nor kin.
قَدalready حَلَّhe unfastened سَهواًinadvertently أَوor عامِداًdeliberately أَحَدَone of الthe
قَد حَلَّ سَهواً أَو عامِداً أَحَدَ ال
زَرَّينِtwo buttons لَمّاwhen اِستَفَزَّهُmade him restless السَأَمُboredom
زَرَّينِ لَمّا اِستَفَزَّهُ السَأَمُ
He had unfastened, inadvertently or deliberately, one of the
Whether intentionally or not, one of the two
Far be it from me to stare! I lowered my gaze out of honor, for nobility is my nature,
two buttons when boredom made him restless.
blamed when boredom incited him.
So may no envious eye afflict you regarding him, nor may your blessings be muddied thereby.
ثُمَّthen بَداappeared خالُهُhis mole الفَريدُthe solitary الَّذيwhich
ثُمَّ بَدا خالُهُ الفَريدُ الَّذي
لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor it مُؤنِسٌa companion وَلاnor رَهِمُa close friend (sense uncertain)
لَيسَ لَهُ مُؤنِسٌ وَلا رَهِمُ
Then his solitary mole appeared, the one that
Then his unique uncle appeared who
has neither companion nor close friend.
has no intimate friend or shelter.
حاشايَfar be it from me إِنّيindeed I غَضَضتُI lowered مِنof بَصَريmy gaze
حاشايَ إِنّي غَضَضتُ مِن بَصَري
تَكَرُّماًout of generosity إِنَّindeed شيمَتيmy nature الكَرَمُgenerosity
تَكَرُّماً إِنَّ شيمَتي الكَرَمُ
Far be it from me! Indeed, I lowered my gaze,
Far be it from me! I lowered my sight
out of generosity, for generosity is my nature.
out of generosity, for my trait is generosity.
فَلاso may not أَصابَتكَafflict you عَينُthe eye of ذيone possessed of حَسَدٍenvy
فَلا أَصابَتكَ عَينُ ذي حَسَدٍ
فيهِon his account وَلاand may not كُدِّرَتbe clouded بِهِthrough him النِعَمُthe blessings
فيهِ وَلا كُدِّرَت بِهِ النِعَمُ
So may no envious eye afflict you
So no envious eye afflicts you,
on his account, nor may blessings be clouded through him.
nor are bounties disturbed by it.
Partial English translation: 6 of 12 Arabic lines translated.