ذممناwe condemned رخشمينRakhshmin إذاwhen حللناwe lodged
ذممنا رخشمين إذا حللنا
بساحتهاin its precincts لشدةbecause of the severity of ماwhat لقيناwe encountered
بساحتها لشدة ما لقينا
We condemned Rakhshmin when we lodged
We entered with good fortune, when we arrived
In its precincts, for the severity of what we endured.
At its grounds, due to what we found
أتيناهاwe came to it ونحنand we ذووpossessors of يسارwealth
أتيناها ونحن ذوو يسار
فعدناso we returned للشقاوةto our misfortune مفلسيناpenniless
فعدنا للشقاوة مفلسينا
We came to it possessed of wealth,
We came while being fortunate
And returned, to our misfortune, penniless.
But we returned bankrupt
فكمso how much برداًcold لفيتI encountered بلاwithout سلامpeace
فكم برداً لفيت بلا سلام
وكمand how much ذلاhumiliation وخسراناand loss مبيناmanifest
وكم ذلا وخسرانا مبينا
How much cold I encountered, with no peace,
So how many times did the cold turn away without greeting
And how much humiliation and manifest loss!
And how much humiliation and evident loss
رأيتI saw النارthe fire ترعدit shivers فيهin it برداfrom cold
رأيت النار ترعد فيه بردا
وشمسand the sun of الأفقthe horizon تحذرfears أنto تبيناappear
وشمس الأفق تحذر أن تبينا
I saw the fire shivering there with cold,
I saw the fire shiver from the cold within it
And the sun on the horizon afraid to appear;
And the sun of the horizon fear to appear
وثلجاand snow تقطرdrip العينانboth eyes منهfrom it
وثلجا تقطر العينان منه
ووحلاand mud يعجزoverpowers الفيلthe elephant المتيناmighty
ووحلا يعجز الفيل المتينا
And snow that makes both eyes stream,
And ice that makes the eyes drip from it
And mud that overpowers the mighty elephant;
And mud that tires the mighty elephant
وكالأنعامand like livestock أهلاinhabitants فيin كلامspeech
وكالأنعام أهلا في كلام
وفيand in سمتbearing وأفعالاand deeds وديناand religion
وفي سمت وأفعالا ودينا
And inhabitants like cattle in speech,
And people behaving like cattle in speech
And in bearing, deeds, and religion.
And in traits, deeds, and religion
إذاwhen خاطبتهمyou address them قالواthey say بفسا“bafsā” (meaning uncertain)
إذا خاطبتهم قالوا بفسا
وكمand how many منof غصةchoking mouthfuls قدindeed جرعوناthey made us swallow
وكم من غصة قد جرعونا
When you address them, they say, “Bafsā,”
When you speak to them, they respond rudely
And how many bitter mouthfuls they made us swallow!
And how many sorrows they have made us drink
فأخرجناso bring us out أياO رباهmy Lord منهاfrom it
فأخرجنا أيا رباه منها
فإنfor if عدناwe return فإناthen we are indeed ظالموناwrongdoers
فإن عدنا فإنا ظالمونا
So bring us out of it, O my Lord!
So take us out, O Lord, from it
For if we return, we are indeed wrongdoers.
For if we return, we would be unjust
وليسand it is not الشأنthe matter فيin هذاthis ولكنbut
وليس الشأن في هذا ولكن
عجيبa wonder أنthat نجوناwe escaped سالميناunharmed
عجيب أن نجونا سالمينا
Yet this is not the point; rather,
The matter is not about this, but
The wonder is that we escaped unharmed.
It is strange that we survived safely
ولستand I am not بيائسdespairing واللَهand God أرجوI hope in
ولست بيائس واللَه أرجو
بعدafter العسرhardship منsome يسرease يليناthat comes to us
بعد العسر من يسر يلينا
I do not despair, and I hope in God
I am not despairing, and I hope in Allah
For ease to come to us after hardship.
After hardship, ease will follow