كنتُI used to أسعَىseek إلىtoward النَّدىgenerosity أينمَاwherever كاbeginning of ‘was’
كنتُ أسعَى إلى النَّدى أينمَا كا
نَcompletion of ‘was’ وأغشَىand visit فيat كلِّevery وقتٍtime مكانَهits dwelling
نَ وأغشَى في كلِّ وقتٍ مكانَه
I used to seek generosity wherever it
I used to seek the dew wherever it was
was, and visit its dwelling at every hour.
And visit its place at every time
صَارhas come to يَدنُوdraw near منِّيto me ولاand do not أتَلقَّاreceive
صَار يَدنُو منِّي ولا أتَلقَّا
هُit فظَنُّواso they thought بِيَof me الغِنَىwealth والصِّيانَهand self-restraint
هُ فظَنُّوا بِيَ الغِنَى والصِّيانَه
Now it draws near me, yet I do not receive
It started coming closer to me without my seeking
it; so they thought me wealthy and self-restrained.
So they thought I had become rich and self-sufficient
ليسَis not ماwhat قدperfective marker رأواthey thought ولكنbut زَمانٌan age
ليسَ ما قد رأوا ولكن زَمانٌ
طرقَتنيstruck me صُروفُهُits vicissitudes بِزَمانهwith infirmity
طرقَتني صُروفُهُ بِزَمانه
It is not as they thought, but an age
It is not what they saw, but time
whose vicissitudes have struck me with infirmity.
Whose turns have afflicted me in its time
Sol 6.1