ياO نَبيهاdistinguished وَعاقِلاًand sensible وَذَكيّاand intelligent
يا نَبيها وَعاقِلاً وَذَكيّا
وَنَجيباًand noble وَكامِلاًand accomplished وَعَلياand exalted
وَنَجيباً وَكامِلاً وَعَليا
O distinguished, sensible, and intelligent one,
and noble, accomplished, and exalted,
إِنَّنيindeed I أَشتَكيI complain إِلَيكto you أُموراًmatters
إِنَّني أَشتَكي إِلَيك أُموراً
كُنتI was وَاللَهby God عَنof سِواهاanything besides them غَنياfree of need
كُنت وَاللَه عَن سِواها غَنيا
Indeed, I complain to you of certain matters;
by God, I had no need of anything besides them.
فاتقso fear اللَهGod فيconcerning عَذابيmy torment وَكُنand be ليto me
فاتق اللَه في عَذابي وَكُن لي
ياO أَميريmy prince مَدىthroughout الزَمانtime وَفياfaithful
يا أَميري مَدى الزَمان وَفيا
So fear God concerning my torment, and be to me,
O my prince, faithful for all time.
وَاِتركand abandon الجورinjustice فهوfor it is مِنكَon your part حَرامforbidden
وَاِترك الجور فهو مِنكَ حَرام
وَتَجاوزand pardon عَنيwith regard to me وَكُنand be ليto me رَضياwell-disposed
وَتَجاوز عَني وَكُن لي رَضيا
And abandon injustice, for it is forbidden on your part.
And pardon me, and be well-disposed toward me.
وَإِذاand if ماever (emphatic) دعاكcalls you لِلظُلمto injustice داعٍa caller
وَإِذا ما دعاك لِلظُلم داعٍ
دَعهُleave him وَاِحفَظand preserve وَدّاًaffection قَديماًlongstanding قَوياstrong
دَعهُ وَاِحفَظ وَدّاً قَديماً قَويا
And if ever someone calls you to injustice,
leave him, and preserve a longstanding, strong affection.
وَاعتزلand keep apart كُلَّevery عاذلreproacher وَعدوّand enemy
وَاعتزل كُلَّ عاذل وَعدوّ
وَبَليدٍand a dullard غَداhas become حَسوداًenvious عَصياdefiant
وَبَليدٍ غَدا حَسوداً عَصيا
And keep apart from every reproacher and enemy,
and every dullard who has become envious and defiant.
وَتَباعدand keep away عَنfrom أَسفَلthe basest الناسpeople جَمعاًall together
وَتَباعد عَن أَسفَل الناس جَمعاً
مَنthose who تَعدّىhave overstepped الحُدودthe bounds جَهلاًin ignorance وَبَغياand aggression
مَن تَعدّى الحُدود جَهلاً وَبَغيا
And keep away from the basest of people, all of them—
those who have overstepped the bounds in ignorance and aggression.
هَذِهِthis قِصَتيmy story وَهَذاand this حَديثيmy account
هَذِهِ قِصَتي وَهَذا حَديثي
فاستقمso be steadfast فيin الهَوىlove وَكُنand be ليto me صَفياa devoted friend
فاستقم في الهَوى وَكُن لي صَفيا
This is my story, and this is my account.
So be steadfast in love, and be my devoted friend.