أَينَ الجَوابُ وَأَينَ رَدُّ رَسائِلي

أَينَ الجَوابُ وَأَينَ رَدُّ رَسائِلي

قالَت تَنَظَّر رَدَّها في قابِلِ

قالَت تَنَظَّر رَدَّها في قابِلِ

Where is the answer, and where is the reply to my letters?

Where is the answer, where is the reply to my letters?

Where is the answer, and where the reply to my missives?

She said, “Wait for the reply to them next year.”

She said, wait for her reply in the future

She said: Await their return in the time to come.

فَمَدَدتُ كَفّي ثُمَّ قُلتُ تَصَدَّقي

فَمَدَدتُ كَفّي ثُمَّ قُلتُ تَصَدَّقي

قالَت نَعَم بِحِجارَةٍ وَجَنادِلِ

قالَت نَعَم بِحِجارَةٍ وَجَنادِلِ

So I stretched out my palm, then said, “Give me alms.”

So I extended my palm, and said, give alms

So I stretched forth my palm and pleaded: Bestow some charity,

She said, “Yes—with stones and boulders.”

She said, yes with rocks and bricks

She answered: Yes, indeed—with stones and heavy boulders.

إِن كُنتَ مِسكيناً فَجاوِز بابَنا

إِن كُنتَ مِسكيناً فَجاوِز بابَنا

وَاِرجِع فَما لَكَ عِندَنا مِن نائِلِ

وَاِرجِع فَما لَكَ عِندَنا مِن نائِلِ

“If you are a poor man, then move past our door,

If you are poor, pass by our door

If you are truly a pauper, then pass by our door,

And go back, for we have no gift for you.”

And go back, for you will get nothing from us

And turn back, for you shall receive no bounty from us.

يا ناهِرَ المِسكينِ عِندَ سُؤالِهِ

يا ناهِرَ المِسكينِ عِندَ سُؤالِهِ

اللَهُ عاتَبَ في اِنتِهارِ السائِلِ

اللَهُ عاتَبَ في اِنتِهارِ السائِلِ

O you who scold the poor man when he begs,

O reproacher of the poor when he asks

O you who rebukes the destitute when he makes his plea,

God has admonished against scolding the beggar.

God blames the reproach of the beggar

God Himself has forbidden the scolding of the seeker.