وقيَّمٍ كَلَّمت جِسمي أَنامِلُهُ

وقيَّمٍ كَلَّمت جِسمي أَنامِلُهُ

كأَنَّ دَيناً لَهُ عِندي فَآذاني

كأَنَّ دَيناً لَهُ عِندي فَآذاني

And an attendant's fingertips wounded my body,

A devotee whose fingers touched my body

as though I owed him a debt, so he hurt me.

As if he had some religion with me, so he hurt me

إِن أَمسَكَ الكَفَّ مِنّي كادَ يَكسِرُها

إِن أَمسَكَ الكَفَّ مِنّي كادَ يَكسِرُها

أَو سَرَّحَ الشَّعرَ من رأسي فَآذاني

أَو سَرَّحَ الشَّعرَ من رأسي فَآذاني

If he grasped my hand, he nearly broke it;

If he held my hand, he almost broke it

or if he combed the hair on my head, he hurt me.

Or if he stroked my hair, he hurt me

فَليسَ يُمسكُ إِمساكاً بِمعرفَةٍ

فَليسَ يُمسكُ إِمساكاً بِمعرفَةٍ

ولا يُسرِّحُ تَسريحاً بِإِحسانِ

ولا يُسرِّحُ تَسريحاً بِإِحسانِ

For he does not grasp with skill,

So he does not hold with understanding

nor does he comb with care.

Nor does he stroke with kindness