حجَجنَا لَعمرِي ابتغاءَ الثَّواب

حجَجنَا لَعمرِي ابتغاءَ الثَّواب

فحَلَّ محلَّ الثوابِ العِقاب

فحَلَّ محلَّ الثوابِ العِقاب

By my life, we made the pilgrimage seeking reward,

Our pilgrimage was to seek reward,

but punishment took the place of reward.

But punishment took the place of reward.

وقالوا حَجَجَتُم فَهَيَّا ادخلُوا

وقالوا حَجَجَتُم فَهَيَّا ادخلُوا

ثلاَثا إلى السِّجنِ دونَ جَواب

ثلاَثا إلى السِّجنِ دونَ جَواب

They said: You have made the pilgrimage—so come, enter

They said, "You have made pilgrimage, now come,

the prison for three days, without reply.

Enter prison for three days, without answer."

ولا تحسِبوه كمثل السجُون

ولا تحسِبوه كمثل السجُون

منَاما وأكلاً لُكُم وَشرَاب

منَاما وأكلاً لُكُم وَشرَاب

And do not think it like other prisons,

Do not think it is like other prisons,

with lodging, food, and drink for you.

With sleep and food and drink for you.

فأمَّا الطعاَمُ فلَن تأكلُوهُ

فأمَّا الطعاَمُ فلَن تأكلُوهُ

سِوى إن دفعتُم عليه الحِسَاب

سِوى إن دفعتُم عليه الحِسَاب

As for the food, you will not eat it

As for the food, you will not eat it,

unless you pay the bill for it.

Unless you pay for it.

كذاك المنَام ادفعُوا أجرَهُ

كذاك المنَام ادفعُوا أجرَهُ

وإلاَّ فدونكُمُ والتُّرَاب

وإلاَّ فدونكُمُ والتُّرَاب

Likewise for lodging: pay its fee,

So too for sleep, pay its fee,

or else the earth is yours.

Or else, the ground is beneath you.

نقَدنا الأجورَ وجاء الطعَام

نقَدنا الأجورَ وجاء الطعَام

وخلفَه مثلُ الضّبابِ ذُبَاب

وخلفَه مثلُ الضّبابِ ذُبَاب

We paid the fees in cash, and the food arrived,

We paid the fees, and the food came,

and behind it came flies like fog.

But behind it was a swarm of flies.

فلسنَأ على أَكلهِ قادرِين

فلسنَأ على أَكلهِ قادرِين

وفي تَركِه لنا أيُّ عِتَاب

وفي تَركِه لنا أيُّ عِتَاب

So we are not capable of eating it,

We cannot bear to eat it,

and what reproach can we face for leaving it?

And in leaving it, what blame on us?

فَهَذِي المحابِسُ مرقُومًَةٌ

فَهَذِي المحابِسُ مرقُومًَةٌ

وأرقامُها سُجِّلت في كِتاب

وأرقامُها سُجِّلت في كِتاب

These chamber pots are numbered,

These prisons are numbered,

and their numbers were recorded in a book.

And their numbers recorded in a book.

ولا يَقعُدَنَّ علَى محبِسٍ

ولا يَقعُدَنَّ علَى محبِسٍ

سِوى ربِّه واحذَرُوا ما يُعاب

سِوى ربِّه واحذَرُوا ما يُعاب

No one shall sit upon a chamber pot

None may occupy a prison,

except its owner; and beware of what draws blame.

Except its Lord. Beware what is disliked.

فقُلنا سنبقَى هنا صَائِمين

فقُلنا سنبقَى هنا صَائِمين

إلى أن يحينَ أوانُ الذهَاب

إلى أن يحينَ أوانُ الذهَاب

So we said: We shall remain here fasting

We said we would remain here fasting,

until the time comes to leave.

Until the time came to leave.

فقالُوا حرامٌ فإنَّ لنا

فقالُوا حرامٌ فإنَّ لنا

به حاجةٌ بعد هضمٍ تُجَاب

به حاجةٌ بعد هضمٍ تُجَاب

They said: That is forbidden, for we have

They said it is forbidden, for we

a need for it that is met after digestion.

Still have need of it after digestion.

فيا ربِّ كيفَ تُخَلِّصُنا

فيا ربِّ كيفَ تُخَلِّصُنا

وكيفَ السؤالُ وكيفَ الجَواب

وكيفَ السؤالُ وكيفَ الجَواب

So, my Lord, how will you deliver us?

Oh Lord, how will you deliver us?

And how will the questioning go, and how the answer?

How the question, and how the answer?