سَأَلتُ السَديدَ الفاضِلِيَّ وَقَد بَدا

سَأَلتُ السَديدَ الفاضِلِيَّ وَقَد بَدا

عَلَيهِ هُزالٌ بَعدَ شِدَّةِ أَسرِهِ

عَلَيهِ هُزالٌ بَعدَ شِدَّةِ أَسرِهِ

I asked al-Sadid al-Fadili, when there had appeared

I asked the righteous and virtuous one when

upon him wasting after his frame's former strength:

Wasting away appeared on him after the severity of his imprisonment

أَكُنتَ مَريضاً قالَ كَلّا وَإِنَّما

أَكُنتَ مَريضاً قالَ كَلّا وَإِنَّما

تَخَيَّرَني عَبدُ الرَحيمِ لِسِرِّهِ

تَخَيَّرَني عَبدُ الرَحيمِ لِسِرِّهِ

'Were you ill?' He said, 'No; rather,

Were you ill? He said, no, but

Abd al-Rahim chose me for his secret.'

Abdul Rahim chose me for his secret

فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِنَّ القِطَمَّ اِختِيارُهُ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِنَّ القِطَمَّ اِختِيارُهُ

لِأَوضَعِ فَحلٍ مِن تَفاقُمِ أَمرِهِ

لِأَوضَعِ فَحلٍ مِن تَفاقُمِ أَمرِهِ

So I said to him, 'Indeed, the lecher's choice

So I said to him, verily choosing the weakest

of the lowliest stud comes from his worsening condition.

Of the weak is due to the worsening of his condition

وَلَكِنَّهُ حَقٌّ عَلى اللَهِ وَضعُ مَن

وَلَكِنَّهُ حَقٌّ عَلى اللَهِ وَضعُ مَن

تَرافَعَ جَهلاً أَو عَلا فَوقَ قَدرِهِ

تَرافَعَ جَهلاً أَو عَلا فَوقَ قَدرِهِ

But it is God's duty to bring low anyone who

But it is a right upon Allah to place one who

ignorantly exalts himself or rises above his station.

Foolishly contended or went beyond his limit

وَهَب أَنَّ ما يُعزى إِلَيهِ مُصَدَّقٌ

وَهَب أَنَّ ما يُعزى إِلَيهِ مُصَدَّقٌ

وَأَنَّكَ قَد أَقرَرتَ فينا بِإِمرِهِ

وَأَنَّكَ قَد أَقرَرتَ فينا بِإِمرِهِ

And grant that what is ascribed to him is accepted as true,

Grant that what is attributed to him is verified

and that you have acknowledged his shocking deed among us—

And that you have affirmed among us his command

فَما هذِهِ ما بَينَ ثَديَيكَ قالَ لي

فَما هذِهِ ما بَينَ ثَديَيكَ قالَ لي

تَقَعُّرُ صَدري مِن مُحَدَّبِ ظَهرِهِ

تَقَعُّرُ صَدري مِن مُحَدَّبِ ظَهرِهِ

then what is this between your breasts?' He said to me:

Then what is this between your breasts? He said to me

'The hollow of my chest comes from the bulge of his back.'

My chest caves in from his hunched back