وإلىand until كَمhow long أُخفيI hide عنfrom النَّاسِthe people حاليmy state
وإلى كَم أُخفي عن النَّاسِ حالي
حيثُwhen يُبديreveals حَديثَهاits story الحَدَثانُtime’s vicissitudes
حيثُ يُبدي حَديثَها الحَدَثانُ
And how long shall I hide my state from people,
For how long will I hide my state from people
when time’s vicissitudes reveal its story?
When the two youths reveal their talk
وإذاand if ماconditional emphasis رأيتَyou look لمnot ترَyou see شَيئاًanything
وإذا ما رأيتَ لم ترَ شَيئاً
كاللّياليlike the nights يُرمَىis assailed بهاwith them الإنسانُa human being
كاللّيالي يُرمَى بها الإنسانُ
And if you look, you will see nothing
And if you saw, you wouldn't see a thing
like the nights with which a human being is assailed.
Like the nights that a person is thrown at
ثمthen ياoh حبَّذاhow welcome النَّوائبُcalamities ماداso long as (continued)
ثم يا حبَّذا النَّوائبُ مادا
مَcompletion of “so long as” يُرجَّىis hoped for لِدفعِهاfor warding them off النُّعمانُal-Nuʿmān
مَ يُرجَّى لِدفعِها النُّعمانُ
Then, oh, how welcome are calamities, so long
Then oh how nice are the misfortunes whenever
as there is hope that al-Nuʿmān will ward them off!
Al-No'man is hoped for to repel them
نعمةٌa blessing أصبَحَتhas become تُقابلُis requited بالشُّكwith thanks (continued)
نعمةٌ أصبَحَت تُقابلُ بالشُّك
رِcompletion of “thanks” فمنهُso from him يدٌa hand; a benefaction ومنِّيand from me لِسانُa tongue
رِ فمنهُ يدٌ ومنِّي لِسانُ
A blessing now requited with thanks—
A blessing that is reciprocated with doubt
from him a hand, and from me a tongue.
So a hand is from it, and a tongue is from me
Sol 6.1