ياO آمِريyou who command me بِالذُلِّto abasement لِلمُرتَميbefore the one who shoots
يا آمِري بِالذُلِّ لِلمُرتَمي
فيat غَرَضِthe target الوَعدِthe promise بِسَهمِwith the arrow المِطالdelay
في غَرَضِ الوَعدِ بِسَهمِ المِطال
O you who bid me abase myself before one who shoots
O you who order me to bow in humiliation
at the target of promise with the arrow of delay:
To attain the promise of your arrow's aim
لاdo not تَطلُبَنever ask مِنّيof me سُؤالاًa petition لَهُto him
لا تَطلُبَن مِنّي سُؤالاً لَهُ
أَخافُI fear أَنthat أُضجِرَهُI may vex him بِالسُؤالby asking
أَخافُ أَن أُضجِرَهُ بِالسُؤال
Do not ask me to petition him;
Do not ask anything more from me
I fear I may vex him by asking.
I fear to trouble it with a question
فَقَدfor indeed تَأَدَّبتُI have learned a lesson بِقَولِfrom the saying الوَرىpeople
فَقَد تَأَدَّبتُ بِقَولِ الوَرى
ماwhat يَنفَعُbenefits الكِبدَthe liver يَضُرُّharms الطِحالthe spleen
ما يَنفَعُ الكِبدَ يَضُرُّ الطِحال
For I have learned a lesson from people's saying:
For I have learned the saying of mankind
What benefits the liver harms the spleen.
What profits the liver injures the spleen