وقومٍ أخَلُّوا بالذمام لمن رَعى

وقومٍ أخَلُّوا بالذمام لمن رَعى

لَهُم ونسوا حفظَ المودَّةِ في القُربى

لَهُم ونسوا حفظَ المودَّةِ في القُربى

And people who broke their pledge to one who had kept it

They betrayed those who grazed freely

For them, and forgot to preserve affection among kin.

Forgetting to cherish kinship ties

مَحضنا لهم نُصحاً فجاءوا بغَدرَةٍ

مَحضنا لهم نُصحاً فجاءوا بغَدرَةٍ

وكُنّا لهم سِلماً وكانوا لنا حَربا

وكُنّا لهم سِلماً وكانوا لنا حَربا

We gave them sincere counsel, but they came with treachery.

We counseled them sincerely yet they responded with treachery

We were peace to them, while they were war to us.

We were a ladder for them but they were war for us

ولم نجزهم بالسُّوءِ سُوءاً ولم نَلُم

ولم نجزهم بالسُّوءِ سُوءاً ولم نَلُم

ولم نُظهرِ الشكوى ولم نُظهر العُتبا

ولم نُظهرِ الشكوى ولم نُظهر العُتبا

We did not repay them evil for evil, nor did we reproach them.

We did not repay their evil with evil or blame

We voiced no complaint, nor did we express reproach.

We did not complain or reproach

وقُلنا عَسى أن يَنتهوا عن فعالِهم

وقُلنا عَسى أن يَنتهوا عن فعالِهم

فيستَوجِبوا منَّا لأن نغفِرَ الذَّنبا

فيستَوجِبوا منَّا لأن نغفِرَ الذَّنبا

And we said: Perhaps they will cease their misdeeds,

We hoped they would cease their actions

And thereby earn our forgiveness for their sin.

To deserve our forgiveness for their sin

فلمّا أبوا إِلاّ اعتماداً لشرِّهم

فلمّا أبوا إِلاّ اعتماداً لشرِّهم

وبَغياً جَذَبناهم الى شَرِّنا جَذبا

وبَغياً جَذَبناهم الى شَرِّنا جَذبا

But when they insisted on pursuing their evil

But when they persisted in their wickedness

And aggression, we dragged them forcefully into our own evil.

And injustice pulled us to our own evil

وقلنا لهم ذُوقوا وبال أموركم

وقلنا لهم ذُوقوا وبال أموركم

فمن يَسق مُرَّ الماءِ لا يشرب العَذبا

فمن يَسق مُرَّ الماءِ لا يشرب العَذبا

And we said to them: Taste the dire consequences of your deeds,

We said to them, taste the fruits of your deeds

For whoever serves bitter water will not drink sweet water.

For he who drinks bitter water will not taste the sweet