خليليmy two friends هلis there? منany شربةٍa draught تجدانهاyou two find it
خليلي هل من شربةٍ تجدانها
لذيfor one with غلَّةburning thirst والخلُّand the close friend يشكوcomplains إلىto الخلِّthe close friend
لذي غلَّة والخلُّ يشكو إلى الخلِّ
My two friends, is there a draught you can find
My friend, is there a drink you can offer
for one with burning thirst? And a friend complains to a friend.
To quench my thirst, as vinegar complains to vinegar?
ظمئتI grew thirsty وماand what باليmy condition ظمئتI grew thirsty ولمand did not أبتْI spend the night
ظمئت وما بالي ظمئت ولم أبتْ
بداراتin the sandy hollows of حزوىHazwa لاno ولاnor منبتthe growing-place of النخلthe date palms
بدارات حزوى لا ولا منبت النخل
I grew thirsty—but why did I grow thirsty, when I did not spend the night
I'm parched, though I know not why I'm parched, not having been
in Hazwa’s sandy hollows—no, nor where the date palms grow?
In the valleys of Huzwa, nor by a date palm grove.
لحىmay curse اللهGod منthe one whom تلقاهyou meet him لاnot سائغpleasant to drink الندىbounty
لحى الله من تلقاه لا سائغ الندى
ولاnor خصرcool and refreshing النعمىthe favor ولاnor سابغample الظلِّthe shade
ولا خصر النعمى ولا سابغ الظلِّ
May God curse the man you meet, whose bounty is not sweet,
May God shame him who meets him, with no fresh dew to drink,
whose favors bring no coolness, whose shade is not ample—
No slender waisted fair maid, no shade in which to rest.
أميراًan emir لوif أنَّthat النيلthe Nile فيin بطنthe hollow of كفّهِhis palm
أميراً لو أنَّ النيل في بطن كفّهِ
لأعطشwould surely parch بطنَthe belly of الأرضthe earth والحزنand the rugged land والسهلand the plain
لأعطش بطنَ الأرض والحزن والسهل
an emir who, if the Nile were in the hollow of his palm,
A prince, if the Nile were in the palm of his hand,
would parch the earth’s belly, the rugged land and the plain.
Would deny the earth its bellyful, deny the grief and plain their water.
ولوand if كانwere يلقاهُto meet him بضيفٍwith a guest عدوَّهُhis enemy
ولو كان يلقاهُ بضيفٍ عدوَّهُ
لماتَhe would surely die أسىof grief منfrom غيرother than سهمِan arrow ولاnor نصلa blade
لماتَ أسى من غير سهمِ ولا نصل
And if his enemy were to meet him with a guest,
And if he met a guest who was his foe,
he would die of grief, without arrow or blade.
He would die of misery without arrow or blade.
ولوand if أنthat أيديthe forelegs of الخيلِthe horses منfrom مثلthe like of وجههِhis face
ولو أن أيدي الخيلِ من مثل وجههِ
وأرجلهاand their hindlegs ماnot احتاجwould need حافٍa barefoot one إلىto نعلa shoe
وأرجلها ما احتاج حافٍ إلى نعل
And if horses’ forelegs were made of the same stuff as his face,
And if the legs of horses were made of his face,
and their hindlegs too, no barefoot one would need a shoe.
Their hooves would have no need of shoes.
سواءalike لديهِto him الماءwater والمالُand wealth ضنَّةًin stinginess
سواء لديهِ الماء والمالُ ضنَّةً
فمتْso die عطشاًof thirst أنif كنتyou are تطمعyou hope فيfor بذلgenerous giving
فمتْ عطشاً أن كنت تطمع في بذل
Water and wealth are alike to him in his stinginess;
To him water and wealth are equally mean,
so die of thirst if you hope for largesse.
So die of thirst if you hope for his charity.
وكيفand how يكونcould be الجودُgenerosity عادةَthe habit of مثلهِone like him
وكيف يكون الجودُ عادةَ مثلهِ
وقدwhen indeed خلقتwere fashioned كفَّاهُhis two palms منfrom طينهِhis clay البخلmiserliness
وقد خلقت كفَّاهُ من طينهِ البخل
And how could generosity be the habit of one like him,
How can generosity be his habit,
when his two palms were fashioned from his clay—miserliness itself?
When his palms were created from the clay of stinginess?
فتىa youth هوhe أهدىbetter guided فيin المعاصيsins منthan القطاthe sandgrouse
فتى هو أهدى في المعاصي من القطا
وأجمعand more avid at gathering لكنbut للمخازيof shameful deeds منthan النملthe ants
وأجمع لكن للمخازي من النمل
A youth surer of his way in sins than sandgrouse,
A youth he is, more astray in disobedience than a cat,
and a greater gatherer—but of shameful deeds—than ants.
And more inclined to filth than an ant.
Sol 6.1