مَلَّنا أَم نَبا بِنا أَم جَفانا

مَلَّنا أَم نَبا بِنا أَم جَفانا

أَم قَلانا فَإِعتاضَ مِنّا سِوانا

أَم قَلانا فَإِعتاضَ مِنّا سِوانا

Has he tired of us, turned away from us, or shunned us?

Did we complain or did ingratitude overcome us,

Or has he loathed us, and so taken another in our place?

Or did we disappoint him or make excuses for ourselves?

ساخِطٌ نَبتَغي رِضاهُ وَلا يَس

ساخِطٌ نَبتَغي رِضاهُ وَلا يَس

أَلُ عَن سُخطِنا وَلا عَن رِضانا

أَلُ عَن سُخطِنا وَلا عَن رِضانا

He is displeased; we seek his favor, yet he does not

He is angry, seeking his approval, though he does not ask

ask about our displeasure or our contentment.

About our discontent or satisfaction with him.

وَنُبالي أَلّا نَرى ذا تَجَنٍّ

وَنُبالي أَلّا نَرى ذا تَجَنٍّ

لا يُبالي الزَمانَ أَلّا يَرانا

لا يُبالي الزَمانَ أَلّا يَرانا

And we fret at not seeing one who feigns offense,

And we do not care if we see one who is ungenerous,

who never cares if he does not see us.

Who does not care if time does not favor us.

ضَيِّقَ العُذرَ في الضَراعَةِ أَنّا

ضَيِّقَ العُذرَ في الضَراعَةِ أَنّا

لَو قَنِعنا بِقِسمِنا لَكَفانا

لَو قَنِعنا بِقِسمِنا لَكَفانا

What leaves little excuse for humble pleading is that

He narrowed the excuse in pleading - we would have

if we were content with our allotted share, it would suffice us.

Been satisfied with our share, had that been enough.

ما لَنا نَعبُدُ العِبادَ إِذا كا

ما لَنا نَعبُدُ العِبادَ إِذا كا

نَ إِلى اللَهِ فَقرُنا وَغِنانا

نَ إِلى اللَهِ فَقرُنا وَغِنانا

Why do we worship servants, when

Why should we worship the created when our poverty

our poverty and our wealth rest with God?

And wealth are only from God?