أَقِلنيpardon me عِثاريmy stumbles وَاِحتَسِبهاand count it صَنيعَةًa kindness
أَقِلني عِثاري وَاِحتَسِبها صَنيعَةً
يَكونُwill be بِرُحماهاfor its mercy لَكَfor you اللَهُGod جازِياrewarding
يَكونُ بِرُحماها لَكَ اللَهُ جازِيا
Pardon my stumbles, and count it as a kindness;
Bear with me in my errors, counting them as good deeds,
God will reward you for its mercy.
So Allah may reward you for your mercy.
كَفىit is enough حزناًas sorrow أَنthat لَستَyou are not تَرضىyou are pleased وَلاnor أَرىI see
كَفى حزناً أَن لَستَ تَرضى وَلا أَرى
فَتىًa man راضِياًpleased عَنّيwith me وَلاnor اللَهَGod راضِياpleased
فَتىً راضِياً عَنّي وَلا اللَهَ راضِيا
It is sorrow enough that you are not pleased, nor do I see
It is sorrow enough you are not pleased, nor do I see
a man pleased with me, nor God pleased.
A content lad, or Allah satisfied with me.
وَلَستُand I am not أُرَجّيI hope for بَعدَafter سَبعينَseventy حِجَّةًyears
وَلَستُ أُرَجّي بَعدَ سَبعينَ حِجَّةً
حَياةًlife وَقَدand already لاقَيتُI have encountered فيهاin it الدَواهِياthe calamities
حَياةً وَقَد لاقَيتُ فيها الدَواهِيا
And after seventy years, I do not hope for
After seventy excuses, I hope no more for life,
life, having already encountered calamities in it.
Having met therein such pitfalls.
وَلاand no بُدَّescape أَنthat أَلقىI meet الرَدىdeath مِنfrom مُصَمِّمٍa deadly serpent
وَلا بُدَّ أَن أَلقى الرَدى مِن مُصَمِّمٍ
فَكَمfor how long يَتَوَقّىhe guards himself مَنone who تَخَطّىhas stepped over الأَفاعِياthe vipers
فَكَم يَتَوَقّى مَن تَخَطّى الأَفاعِيا
And I must meet death from a deadly serpent;
I must soon encounter death with determination-
for how long can one who has stepped over vipers guard himself?
How eagerly longs for it he who braves the serpents!