ياO سيِّداًa lord فيin حُباهُhis knee-binding wraps رَضوىRadwa (a mountain)
يا سيِّداً في حُباهُ رَضوى
أَستَغفِرُI seek forgiveness from اللَهَGod بَلrather شَمامُShamam (a mountain)
أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ بَل شَمامُ
O lord, like Radwa as you sit with knees clasped—
I seek God's forgiveness—rather, Shamam!
فيin زَمَنِthe season of الوردِroses ياO أَخاهُits brother
في زَمَنِ الوردِ يا أَخاهُ
تُجفىis spurned وَلَمand has not تُذنبِsinned المُدامُthe wine
تُجفى وَلَم تُذنبِ المُدامُ
In the season of roses, O brother of the rose,
Wine is spurned, though it has done no wrong.
إِذاwhen أَلَمَّتit comes visiting ذَوباًin liquid form وَجمداًand in solid form
إِذا أَلَمَّت ذَوباً وَجمداً
تَنفرُyou flee عَنهاfrom it وَلاand not النَعامُthe ostriches
تَنفرُ عَنها وَلا النَعامُ
When it comes in liquid and solid forms,
You flee from it—even ostriches do not.
وَدارُand the abode of دُنياthe earthly life of الوَرىhumankind عَروسٌa bride
وَدارُ دُنيا الوَرى عَروسٌ
مَعشوقَةٌbeloved ريقُهاher saliva المدامُthe wine
مَعشوقَةٌ ريقُها المدامُ
And humankind's earthly abode is a bride,
Beloved, with wine for her saliva.
إِنّيindeed I لَأَدرىsurely the most knowledgeable of الوَرىhumankind بِقَومٍabout a people
إِنّي لَأَدرى الوَرى بِقَومٍ
أَنتَyou لَهُمfor them سَيِّديmy lord إِمامُa leader
أَنتَ لَهُم سَيِّدي إِمامُ
Indeed, I know a people better than anyone,
Whose leader you are, my lord.
شامَتhas sheathed يَدُthe hand of النُسكِasceticism مِنكَfrom you سَيفاًa sword
شامَت يَدُ النُسكِ مِنكَ سَيفاً
لَكِنَّهُbut it مِثلهاlike it (the hand) كَهامُblunt
لَكِنَّهُ مِثلها كَهامُ
Asceticism's hand has sheathed the sword that is you,
Yet it is blunt, like that hand.
فَعُدso return إِلىto الضَربِstriking ياO حُساماًa keen sword
فَعُد إِلى الضَربِ يا حُساماً
عَنof مِثلِهِits like يَعجزُis incapable الحُسامُthe keen sword
عَن مِثلِهِ يَعجزُ الحُسامُ
So return to striking, O keen sword,
Whose like no sword can match.