إِنْif تَلَبَّسْتَyou hesitate عَنْfrom سُؤَالِكَyour asking عَبْدَservant of اللـGod (first fragment)
إِنْ تَلَبَّسْتَ عَنْ سُؤَالِكَ عَبْدَ اللـ
َّـهِGod (final fragment) تَرْجِعْyou will return غَدًاtomorrow بِخُفَّيْwith the two slippers of حُنَيْنِḤunayn
َّـهِ تَرْجِعْ غَدًا بِخُفَّيْ حُنَيْنِ
If you hesitate to ask ʿAbd Allāh,
tomorrow you will return with Ḥunayn’s two slippers.
فَأَعْنِتِso pester الشَّيْخَthe old man بِالسُّؤَالِwith asking تَجِدُهُyou will find him
فَأَعْنِتِ الشَّيْخَ بِالسُّؤَالِ تَجِدُهُ
سَلِسًاamenable يَلْقَاكَhe meets you بِالرَّاحَتَيْنِwith both palms
سَلِسًا يَلْقَاكَ بِالرَّاحَتَيْنِ
So pester the old man with requests; you will find him
amenable, meeting you with both palms.
وَإِذَاand if لَمْnot تَصِحْyou cry out صِيَاحَthe wailing of الثَّكَالَىbereaved mothers
وَإِذَا لَمْ تَصِحْ صِيَاحَ الثَّكَالَى
قُمْتَyou rise عَنْهُaway from him وَأَنْتَwhile you are صِفْرُempty الْيَدَيْنِboth hands
قُمْتَ عَنْهُ وَأَنْتَ صِفْرُ الْيَدَيْنِ
And if you do not wail like bereaved mothers,
you will leave him with both hands empty.
Sol 6.1