إِنّي أَتَتنِيَ شَكوى لا أُسَرُّ بِها

إِنّي أَتَتنِيَ شَكوى لا أُسَرُّ بِها

وَذَروُ قَولٍ وَلَم نَخشى الَّذي نَجَما

وَذَروُ قَولٍ وَلَم نَخشى الَّذي نَجَما

Indeed, a complaint has reached me that brings me no joy,

I received a complaint that I do not delight in,

And scraps of talk; we did not fear what had arisen,

And let go of words though we did not fear what resulted,

حَتّى تَبَدّى وَلَم أَعلَم بِقائِلِهِ

حَتّى تَبَدّى وَلَم أَعلَم بِقائِلِهِ

وَقَد أَكونُ بِمَ حاوَلتِهِ فَهِما

وَقَد أَكونُ بِمَ حاوَلتِهِ فَهِما

Until it became plain, though I did not know its speaker.

Until it was revealed and I did not know its sayer,

Yet I may understand what you tried to do.

And perhaps I was comprehending what he attempted.

لا يُرغِمُ اللَهُ أَنفاً أَنتِ حامِلُهُ

لا يُرغِمُ اللَهُ أَنفاً أَنتِ حامِلُهُ

بَل أَنفَ شانيكِ فيما سَرَّكُم رَغما

بَل أَنفَ شانيكِ فيما سَرَّكُم رَغما

May God never rub the nose you bear in dust,

God does not force a nose if you are its bearer,

But rather your hater's nose, humbled in whatever pleases you.

But your hater's nose in what delighted you despitefully,

إِن كانَ غاظَكِ شَيءٌ لَستُ أَعلَمُهُ

إِن كانَ غاظَكِ شَيءٌ لَستُ أَعلَمُهُ

مِنّي فَهَذى يَميني بِالرِضا سَلَما

مِنّي فَهَذى يَميني بِالرِضا سَلَما

If something I do not know of has angered you

If something annoyed you I do not know it,

From me—here is my right hand, willingly offered in submission.

From me this oath, my hand to approval a peace.

ما تَشتَهينَ فَإِنّي اليَومَ فاعِلُهُ

ما تَشتَهينَ فَإِنّي اليَومَ فاعِلُهُ

وَالقَلبُ صَبٌّ فَما جَشَّمتِهِ جَشِما

وَالقَلبُ صَبٌّ فَما جَشَّمتِهِ جَشِما

Whatever you desire, I shall do it today.

What you desire, I will do it today,

And the heart is lovesick; it has borne whatever you made it bear.

My heart poured out, so you did not probe it probing.

لا تَرجِعيني إِلى مَن لَيسَ يَرحَمُني

لا تَرجِعيني إِلى مَن لَيسَ يَرحَمُني

فَداكِ مَن تُبغِضينَ الحَتفَ وَالسَقما

فَداكِ مَن تُبغِضينَ الحَتفَ وَالسَقما

Do not send me back to one who has no mercy on me.

Do not return me to one who does not have mercy on me,

May whoever you hate ransom you from death and sickness.

For your sake from one who hates weakness and illness.

إِنَّ الوُشاةَ كَثيراً إِن أَطَعتِهِمُ

إِنَّ الوُشاةَ كَثيراً إِن أَطَعتِهِمُ

لا يَرقُبونَ بِنا إِلّا وَلا ذِمَما

لا يَرقُبونَ بِنا إِلّا وَلا ذِمَما

Indeed, slanderers often, if you heed them,

Indeed the slanderers, if you obeyed them,

Honor neither kinship nor covenants toward us.

Would not care for us except breaking pacts.

إِن كُنتُ أَمَّمتُ سَخطاً عامِداً لَكُمُ

إِن كُنتُ أَمَّمتُ سَخطاً عامِداً لَكُمُ

فَلا أَرَحتُ إِذاً أَهلاً وَلا نِعَما

فَلا أَرَحتُ إِذاً أَهلاً وَلا نِعَما

If I have deliberately sought your displeasure,

If I harbored anger deliberately against you all,

Then may I never bring rest to family or herds.

Then I would not be content, or enjoy bounty.

أَو كُنتُ أَحبَبتُ حُبّاً مِثلَ حُبِّكُمُ

أَو كُنتُ أَحبَبتُ حُبّاً مِثلَ حُبِّكُمُ

فَلا أَقَلَّت إِذاً نَعلَب لِيَ القَدَما

فَلا أَقَلَّت إِذاً نَعلَب لِيَ القَدَما

Or if I have felt a love like my love for you,

Or if I loved a love like your love,

Then may no [sandal?] carry my foot.

Then feet would not be firm if the sandal rubbed.