أجاعنيَmade me hungry القاضيthe judge السعيدُal-Saʿīd ولمand not أكنI was
أجاعنيَ القاضي السعيدُ ولم أكن
بأوّلthe first ضيفguest فيin مغانيهhis dwellings جائعِhungry
بأوّل ضيف في مغانيه جائعِ
Judge al-Saʿīd left me hungry, and I was not
The happy judge starved me, though I was not
the first guest to go hungry in his dwellings.
The first guest made hungry by his feasts,
أقمتُI stayed لديهwith him ليلةًa night نابغيةًlike al-Nābigha’s
أقمتُ لديه ليلةً نابغيةً
عزيزelusive كرىslumber الأجفانَthe eyelids حزنrough المضاجعthe beds
عزيز كرى الأجفانَ حزن المضاجع
I stayed with him for a night like al-Nābigha’s—
I spent there a long wakeful night
slumber elusive to the eyelids, the beds rough.
Dear to weeping eyes, sad to eyelids.
وماand no منany قرىfare for guests غيرexcept الزّلالclear water بربعهin his abode
وما من قرى غير الزّلال بربعه
وذاكand that قرىfare for guests منone who باتspent the night ضيفَa guest الضّفادعthe frogs
وذاك قرى من بات ضيفَ الضّفادع
And there was no fare for guests in his abode but clear water,
In his land no villages but those of shade,
and that is the fare of one who spends the night as the frogs’ guest.
Villages of him who slept a guest of frogs.
Sol 6.1