ومستبطئ موتي لعل حمامه

ومستبطئ موتي لعل حمامه

يكون ورائي أومنيّته قبلي

يكون ورائي أومنيّته قبلي

And one who thinks my death overdue—perhaps his death

Perhaps his death comes after me,

Will come after mine, or his doom before mine.

Or his wish is mine before.

ومستهزئ بي لو تخيّر أنه

ومستهزئ بي لو تخيّر أنه

على شيمتي لاختارها وغدا مثلي

على شيمتي لاختارها وغدا مثلي

And one who mocks me—if he could choose to have

He mocks me, that if he chose,

My character, he would choose it and become like me.

He'd choose my nature, and tomorrow be like me.

يؤنّبني عيبا جناه لي الهوى

يؤنّبني عيبا جناه لي الهوى

ولا عيب لي في حادث ليس من فعلي

ولا عيب لي في حادث ليس من فعلي

He reproaches me for a defect that passion brought upon me,

He blames me for a flaw brought by love,

Yet I bear no blame for an event not of my doing.

Yet the flaw's not my doing at all.

وقد صحّ أن الله عدل قضاؤه

وقد صحّ أن الله عدل قضاؤه

وتعويجه رجلي دليل على العدل

وتعويجه رجلي دليل على العدل

And it is established that God's decree is just,

Indeed God's judgment is just,

And His making my leg crooked is proof of justice.

My legs' bending reveals justice.

وما ضرّني عيب برجلي يشينها

وما ضرّني عيب برجلي يشينها

إذا صحّ تمييزي وكرّمني عقلي

إذا صحّ تمييزي وكرّمني عقلي

And no defect that disfigures my leg has harmed me,

The legs' flaw doesn't shame me

If my discernment is sound and my intellect honors me.

If my mind is sound and honors me.

وماذا يضرّ النصل أخلق جفنه

وماذا يضرّ النصل أخلق جفنه

إذا كان مثوى الموت في مضرب النصل

إذا كان مثوى الموت في مضرب النصل

And what harm does a blade suffer from its worn-out sheath,

Of what harm is the sword's bent blade

If death dwells at the blade's striking edge?

If death resides in the sword's strike?