سَليلَO offspring الطينِof clay كَمhow much نِلناwe have suffered شَقاءًmisery
سَليلَ الطينِ كَم نِلنا شَقاءً
وَكَمand how many خَطَّتmarked out أَنامِلُناour fingertips ضَريحاa grave
وَكَم خَطَّت أَنامِلُنا ضَريحا
O offspring of clay, how much misery we have suffered!
O child of clay, how much misery we suffered,
And how many graves our fingertips have marked out!
And how our fingers traced the wounds.
وَكَمand how often أَزرَتcast scorn بِناupon us الأَيّامُthe days حَتّىeven
وَكَم أَزرَت بِنا الأَيّامُ حَتّى
فَدَتransomed بِالكَبشِwith the ram إِسحاقَIsaac الذَبيحاthe intended sacrifice
فَدَت بِالكَبشِ إِسحاقَ الذَبيحا
And how often the days have scorned us—even
And how many days oppressed us, until
Ransoming Isaac, marked for sacrifice, with the ram,
Isaac was ransomed with a ram for slaughter.
وَباعَتand sold يوسُفاًJoseph بَيعَthe sale of المَواليthe slaves
وَباعَت يوسُفاً بَيعَ المَوالي
وَأَلقَتand cast فيinto يَدِthe hand of القَومِthe people المَسيحاthe Messiah
وَأَلقَت في يَدِ القَومِ المَسيحا
And selling Joseph as slaves are sold,
And Joseph was sold into slavery,
And casting the Messiah into the people's hands.
And the Messiah fell into the hands of the people.
وَياand O نوحاًNoah جَنَيتَyou committed a wrong عَلىagainst البَراياcreated beings
وَيا نوحاً جَنَيتَ عَلى البَرايا
وَلَمand did not تَمنَحهُمُyou grant them الوُدَّlove الصَحيحاgenuine
وَلَم تَمنَحهُمُ الوُدَّ الصَحيحا
And O Noah, you wronged creation,
O Noah, you wronged the people on earth
And did not grant them genuine love.
And did not grant them true affection.
عَلامَwhy حَمَلتَهُمyou carried them فيin الفُلكِthe Ark هَلّاwhy did you not
عَلامَ حَمَلتَهُم في الفُلكِ هَلّا
تَرَكتَهُمyou left them فَكُنتَso you would have been لَهُمfor them مُريحاa giver of relief
تَرَكتَهُم فَكُنتَ لَهُم مُريحا
Why did you carry them in the Ark? Why did you not
Why did you carry them in the ark? Why not
Leave them, and so give them relief?
Leave them and give them relief?
أَصابَobtained رِفاقِيَmy companions القِدحَthe lot-arrow المُعَلّىthe highest-winning one
أَصابَ رِفاقِيَ القِدحَ المُعَلّى
وَصادَفَand encountered سَهمِيَmy lot القِدحَthe lot-arrow المَنيحاthe blank, losing one
وَصادَفَ سَهمِيَ القِدحَ المَنيحا
My companions drew the highest winning arrow,
My friends got the filled cup,
And my lot fell on the blank, losing arrow.
While my arrow got the empty cup.
فَلَوso if ساقَbrought القَضاءُfate إِلَيَّto me نَفعاًbenefit
فَلَو ساقَ القَضاءُ إِلَيَّ نَفعاً
لَقامَwould rise أَخوهُits brother مُعتَرِضاًin opposition شَحيحاmiserly
لَقامَ أَخوهُ مُعتَرِضاً شَحيحا
So if fate were to bring me some benefit,
Had fate brought me benefit,
Its brother would rise in opposition, miserly.
His brother would stand, stingy, in the way.