إذاwhenever قلتُI said قدindeed رَقَّgrew gentle الزمانُtime وَصَرَّفَتْand dispelled
إذا قلتُ قد رَقَّ الزمانُ وَصَرَّفَتْ
صُروفُthe vicissitudes اللياليof the nights ضَيقَتيmy distress وخُموليand my obscurity
صُروفُ الليالي ضَيقَتي وخُمولي
Whenever I say, 'Time has grown gentle, and
When I say time has softened me, and turned
the vicissitudes of nights have dispelled my distress and obscurity,'
The nights’ events made my spirit contract and slow,
أَحالit directed علىَّupon me النائباتِthe calamities كأنماas though
أَحال علىَّ النائباتِ كأنما
يُطالبنيit demands of me عنfor سالفٍsomething bygone بذُحُولfor blood vengeance
يُطالبني عن سالفٍ بذُحُول
it brings calamities down upon me, as though
It brings back misfortunes as though
it were demanding blood vengeance from me for something long past.
They demand restitution from an old debt.