أَلاAh! ماwhat لِسَيفِwith Sayf (the Sword) الدَولَةِal-Dawla (of the State) اليَومَtoday عاتِباreproachful
أَلا ما لِسَيفِ الدَولَةِ اليَومَ عاتِبا
فَداهُmay he be ransomed الوَرىall mankind أَمضىkeenest السُيوفِthe swords مَضارِباstriking edges
فَداهُ الوَرى أَمضى السُيوفِ مَضارِبا
Ah, why is Sayf al-Dawla reproachful today?
Alas! Why does the sword of the state reproach me today?
Alas, why is Sayf al-Dawla so reproachful this day? / May the world be his ransom, the sharpest of swords in the strike.
May all mankind be his ransom—the keenest-edged of swords.
May he ransom the world, the most decisive of swords in striking
And why, when I yearn for him, do I see standing between us / Deserts I seek not, and vast, barren wastes?
وَماليand what is with me إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِشتَقتُI longed أَبصَرتُI saw دونَهُbetween me and him
وَمالي إِذا ما اِشتَقتُ أَبصَرتُ دونَهُ
تَنائِفَtrackless deserts لاnot أَشتاقُهاI long for them وَسَباسِباand barren plains
تَنائِفَ لا أَشتاقُها وَسَباسِبا
And why, whenever I long for him, do I see between us
And why, whenever I yearn and look below it,
Though he once drew my seat near to his very heaven, / That I might converse therein with its moon and its stars.
trackless deserts I do not long for, and barren plains?
Do I see blades that I do not yearn for and stars?
Your mercy when asked! And at your service when called! / Sufficient am I as the gifted, and sufficient are you as the giver.
وَقَدand indeed كانَhe used to يُدنيhe brings near مَجلِسيmy seat مِنto سَمائِهِhis sky
وَقَد كانَ يُدني مَجلِسي مِن سَمائِهِ
أُحادِثُI converse with فيهاin it بَدرَهاits full moon وَالكَواكِباand the stars
أُحادِثُ فيها بَدرَها وَالكَواكِبا
And he used to draw my seat close to his sky,
And he used to bring his assembly near to me from his heights,
Is this the reward of truth, if indeed I spoke true? / Is this the reward of falsehood, if I have been a liar?
where I would converse with its full moon and the stars.
In which I converse with its full moon and planets,
And if my offense were to encompass every sin committed, / Surely he wipes away the sin entirely who comes in repentance.
حَنانَيكَyour repeated mercy مَسؤولاًwhen entreated وَلَبَّيكَand at your service داعِياًwhen calling
حَنانَيكَ مَسؤولاً وَلَبَّيكَ داعِياً
وَحَسبِيَand enough for me مَوهوباًas the gift وَحَسبُكَand enough for you واهِباas the giver
وَحَسبِيَ مَوهوباً وَحَسبُكَ واهِبا
Show me mercy when entreated; I am at your service when you call.
Seeking your affection, calling for your response,
Enough for me to be the gift, and enough for you to be the giver.
Content with what is bestowed, content with your giving,
أَهَذاis this جَزاءُthe reward الصِدقِtruthfulness إِنif كُنتُI was صادِقاًtruthful
أَهَذا جَزاءُ الصِدقِ إِن كُنتُ صادِقاً
أَهَذاis this جَزاءُthe reward الكِذبِfalsehood إِنif كُنتُI was كاذِباa liar
أَهَذا جَزاءُ الكِذبِ إِن كُنتُ كاذِبا
Is this the reward for truthfulness, if I was truthful?
Is this the reward of truthfulness, if I am truthful?
Is this the reward for falsehood, if I was a liar?
Is this the reward of lying, if I have lied?
وَإِنand even if كانَwere ذَنبيmy sin كُلَّevery ذَنبٍsin فَإِنَّهُthen indeed it is the case
وَإِن كانَ ذَنبي كُلَّ ذَنبٍ فَإِنَّهُ
مَحاhas wiped away الذَنبَthe sin كُلَّcomplete المَحوِerasure مَنwhoever جاءَcame تائِباrepentant
مَحا الذَنبَ كُلَّ المَحوِ مَن جاءَ تائِبا
And even if my sin were every sin, surely
And if my sin is every sin, then it
whoever comes repentant has utterly wiped away sin.
Obliterates all sin, whoever comes repentant.
Partial English translation: 6 of 12 Arabic lines translated.