قضياthey both spent المعيشةlife فيin مضيقstraits
قضيا المعيشة في مضيق
وسعادةand His Excellency الجانيthe culprit طليقfree
وسعادة الجاني طليق
The two have spent their lives in straits,
The struggles of life in distress,
while His Excellency the culprit goes free.
And the happiness of the oppressor unfettered,
يرثيpities لحالهماfor their plight العدوthe enemy
يرثي لحالهما العدو
وand ويشتكيand complains منهاof it الصديقthe friend
و ويشتكي منها الصديق
Their enemy pities their plight,
The enemy grieves for their state,
and their friend, too, laments it.
And the friend complains of it.
أيwhat امرئperson ينساهماforgets them both
أي امرئ ينساهما
سلask منwhomever وجدتهyou have met him بالطريقon the road
سل من وجدته بالطريق
What person could forget them?
Ask whoever you find on the way,
Ask anyone you meet upon the road.
Who forgot about them,
كيفhow السوsolace (apparently السلو) وفيand within الضلوthe ribs (continued)
كيف السو وفي الضلو
عcompletion of 'ribs' تأججتhas flared up نارthe fire الحريقthe blaze
ع تأججت نار الحريق
How can there be solace, when within their ribs
How are those astray in misguidance,
the fire of the blaze has flared?
The fire of turmoil flared up.
أخوانtwo brothers مبتليانboth afflicted يسbeginning of 'leans'
أخوان مبتليان يس
تندcompletion of 'leans' الرفيقthe companion علىupon الرفيقthe companion
تند الرفيق على الرفيق
Two afflicted brothers:
Two afflicted brothers calling,
one companion leans upon the other.
For their fellow to help,
يتماسكانthey both cling together برعشةwith a tremor
يتماسكان برعشة
مسكthe grasping الغريقthe drowning man يدthe hand الغريقthe drowning man
مسك الغريق يد الغريق
Trembling, they cling to one another,
They hold on to each other
as one drowning man grasps another's hand.
As a drowning man holds another.
منwho للأشلينfor the two paralyzed men الذيbeginning of 'who'
من للأشلين الذي
نcompletion of 'who' يذكرانكthey both remind you بالرقيقof slaves
ن يذكرانك بالرقيق
Who will aid the two paralyzed men
Who will remember the weak ones,
who remind you of slaves?
With kindness and compassion,
يتطلبانthey both seek عدالةjustice
يتطلبان عدالة
تقضيpasses judgment وأينand where هيthey (the rights) الحقوقthe rights
تقضي وأين هي الحقوق
They seek justice
They seek justice,
to pass judgment—but where are their rights?
That rules, where are the rights?
طالhas grown long انتظارهماtheir waiting وطاand has grown long (continued)
طال انتظارهما وطا
لcompletion of 'has grown long' تشوّفeager anticipation الشعبthe people الحنوقwrathful
ل تشوّف الشعب الحنوق
Their waiting has been long, and so has
Their wait has been so long,
the angry people's eager expectation,
The longing of the loving people,
لاnot سيماthe like (together: especially) بطلthe hero الرواthe tale (continued)
لا سيما بطل الروا
يةcompletion of 'tale' لمثلهfor one like him أوor منجنيقa catapult
ية لمثله أو منجنيق
especially the hero of the tale:
Especially the hero of the story,
for one like him—or a catapult [wording unclear].
Who is like him or a catapult.
قلsay ياO عدوenemy الحقthe truth إنindeed
قل يا عدو الحق إن
الباطلfalsehood الزاهيvaunting زهوقdoomed to perish
الباطل الزاهي زهوق
Say: O enemy of truth, surely
Say O enemy of truth,
vaunting falsehood is doomed to perish.
Your false glamour will vanish,
سنريكwe shall show you موقفكyour predicament الرهيdreadful (continued)
سنريك موقفك الرهي
بcompletion of 'dreadful' وقدand the build قامتكyour stature الرشيقgraceful
ب وقد قامتك الرشيق
We shall show you your dreadful predicament
We will show you your despised state,
and the graceful build of your stature,
When you stand upright with guilt.
يومthe day انقيادكyour submission للعداto justice (continued)
يوم انقيادك للعدا
لةcompletion of 'justice' واعترافكand your admission بالعقوقof disobedience
لة واعترافك بالعقوق
on the day of your submission to justice
On that witnessed day,
and your admission of disobedience.
Be ready, O knight of turmoil,
فيon يومهاits day المشهودwitnessed by all كنbe
في يومها المشهود كن
ياO فارسknight الهيجاbattle سبوقforemost
يا فارس الهيجا سبوق
On that day, witnessed by all, be
For the troops have surrounded you,
foremost, O knight of battle!
And you are driven among them.
غذhasten قدmay تحاطbe arrayed بكaround you الجنوthe troops (continued)
غذ قد تحاط بك الجنو
دcompletion of 'troops' وأنتand you بينهموamong them مسوقdriven along
د وأنت بينهمو مسوق
Hasten! Troops may be arrayed around you,
O brother of the gentle heart.
while you are driven along among them.
هاhere نحنwe مثلكlike you فيin انتظاwaiting (continued)
ها نحن مثلك في انتظا
رهcompletion of 'waiting for it' ياO اخbrother القلبthe heart الخفوقfluttering
ره يا اخ القلب الخفوق
Here we are, like you, awaiting
it, O brother with the fluttering heart!
Partial English translation: 29 of 32 Arabic lines translated.