إِنّيindeed I وَإِنand though كُنتُI was أَبغيI seek الحِلمَforbearance آوِنَةًat times
إِنّي وَإِن كُنتُ أَبغي الحِلمَ آوِنَةً
أَوor أَمتَطيهِI ride it لِماfor what آتيI do وَماand what أَدَعُI leave undone
أَو أَمتَطيهِ لِما آتي وَما أَدَعُ
Though at times I do seek forbearance,
or take it as my mount in what I do and what I leave undone,
فَماyet not أحَمِّلُI burden صَبريmy patience فَوقَbeyond طاقَتِهِits capacity
فَما أحَمِّلُ صَبري فَوقَ طاقَتِهِ
وَلاand not أكَلِّفُI task قَلبيmy heart فَوقَbeyond ماwhat يَسَعُit can bear
وَلا أكَلِّفُ قَلبي فَوقَ ما يَسَعُ
I do not burden my patience beyond its capacity,
nor task my heart beyond what it can bear.
إِذاif صَديقٌa friend نَبَتdrew away عَنّيfrom me جَوانِبُهُhis sides
إِذا صَديقٌ نَبَت عَنّي جَوانِبُهُ
وَغَرَّهُand deceived him الحِلمُforbearance حَتّىuntil غالَهُundid him الطَّمَعُgreed
وَغَرَّهُ الحِلمُ حَتّى غالَهُ الطَّمَعُ
If a friend's sides turn away from me,
and forbearance deludes him until greed undoes him,
نَزَعتُI withdrew عَنهُfrom him وَفيand in قَلبيmy heart نَوازِعُهُlongings for him
نَزَعتُ عَنهُ وَفي قَلبي نَوازِعُهُ
خَيرٌbetter مِنَthan الضَّيمِhumiliation أَنthat يَنتابَكَassail you الجَزَعُanguish
خَيرٌ مِنَ الضَّيمِ أَن يَنتابَكَ الجَزَعُ
I draw away from him, though my heart still feels his pull;
better to be assailed by anguish than to endure humiliation.
فَاذهَبso go طَليقاًunfettered فَفيfor on الغَبراءthe dusty earth مُطَّرِحٌroom to roam
فَاذهَب طَليقاً فَفي الغَبراء مُطَّرِحٌ
وَإِنand if ذَهَبتَyou leave فَفيthen among الإِخوانِbrothers مُتَّسَعُample room
وَإِن ذَهَبتَ فَفي الإِخوانِ مُتَّسَعُ
So go, unfettered: on the dusty earth is room to roam;
and if you leave, among brothers there is ample room.