ياO بنَson of الإمامthe Imam تركتنيyou left me هملاneglected
يا بنَ الإمام تركتني هملا
أبكيI weep for الحياةَlife وأندُبُand I lament الأملاhope
أبكي الحياةَ وأندُبُ الأملا
O son of the Imam, you have left me neglected.
O son of the imam, you left me worried
I weep for life and lament hope.
I weep for life and mourn hope
ماwhat بالُails عينكyour eye حينwhen تلحظنيit looks at me
ما بالُ عينك حين تلحظني
ماnot إنat all (emphatic) تُقِلُّbear جفونهاits eyelids ثِقلاa weight
ما إن تُقِلُّ جفونها ثِقلا
What ails your eye when it looks at me?
Why do your eyes look at me so
Its eyelids bear no weight at all.
As soon as their lids close heavily
لوif كانthere were ليon my part ذنبٌan offense لبحتُI would have confessed بهit
لو كان لي ذنبٌ لبحتُ به
كيso that لاnot يقالit is said هجرتنيyou abandoned me مللاout of boredom
كي لا يقال هجرتني مللا
If I had committed an offense, I would have confessed it,
If I had a sin I would confess it
So it would not be said you abandoned me out of boredom.
So it's not said you left me out of boredom
إنif كنتI was أعرفaware of زلةًa misstep سلفَتthat occurred before
إن كنت أعرف زلةً سلفَت
فرأيتthen may I witness ميتةthe death of واحديmy only child عجلاsoon
فرأيت ميتة واحدي عجلا
If I know of any past misstep,
If I knew I had slipped
Then may I soon witness the death of my only child.
I would see my end hastened