اِستَودِعُI entrust اللَهَGod قَوماًa people ماnot ذَكَرتهُمI recalled them
اِستَودِعُ اللَهَ قَوماً ما ذَكَرتهُم
إِلّاexcept that وَضَعتُI laid يَديmy hand لَهاbecause of it عَلىupon كَبِديmy liver
إِلّا وَضَعتُ يَدي لَها عَلى كَبِدي
I entrust to God a people whom I never recall
without laying my hand upon my liver at the memory.
تَبَدَّلواthey changed وَتَبَدَّلناand we changed وَأَخسَرناand the greatest loser among us
تَبَدَّلوا وَتَبَدَّلنا وَأَخسَرنا
مَنِthe one who اِبتَغىsought سَبَباًa means يَسلىto find solace فَلَمbut did not يَجِدfind
مَنِ اِبتَغى سَبَباً يَسلى فَلَم يَجِد
They changed, and we changed; the greatest loser among us
is one who sought a means of solace but found none.
لَحَحتُI persisted ثُمَّthen رَأَيتُI deemed اليَأسَdespair أَجمَلَmore becoming بيto me
لَحَحتُ ثُمَّ رَأَيتُ اليَأسَ أَجمَلَ بي
تَنَزُّهاًout of self-respect فَخَصَمتُso I overcame الشَوقَlonging بِالجَلَدِwith fortitude
تَنَزُّهاً فَخَصَمتُ الشَوقَ بِالجَلَدِ
I persisted, then deemed despair more becoming to me,
to preserve my dignity; so I overcame longing with fortitude.