يا لائمي عنّفتَ بي فترفَّقِ

يا لائمي عنّفتَ بي فترفَّقِ

ونطقتّ في عرضي فاصغِ لمنطقي

ونطقتّ في عرضي فاصغِ لمنطقي

O my reproacher, you have been harsh with me; so be gentle.

O you who blame me, be gentle

And you have spoken against my honor; so listen to my words.

And you spoke against me, so listen to my words

لا تُغلقنَّ السمعَ عن عُذري إذا

لا تُغلقنَّ السمعَ عن عُذري إذا

نَهْنَهْتُ سْؤّالي ببابٍ مُغلقِ

نَهْنَهْتُ سْؤّالي ببابٍ مُغلقِ

Do not close your ears to my excuse when

Do not close your hearing to my excuse when

I turn my petitioners away with a closed door.

I murmur my request at a closed door

فمتى أجودُ ولستُ أملك بُلغَةً

فمتى أجودُ ولستُ أملك بُلغَةً

والغصنُ كيفَ يُظِلُّ ما لم يُورِقِ

والغصنُ كيفَ يُظِلُّ ما لم يُورِقِ

When, then, can I be generous, when I lack enough to live on?

For when can I be generous when I own no eloquence

And how can a branch give shade unless it puts forth leaves?

And how can the branch give shade when it bears no leaves?