جَلَبَbrought المَجاعَةَfamine ضامِرٌa lean one بُخلُmiserly (reading بَخِل)
جَلَبَ المَجاعَةَ ضامِرٌ بُخلُ
قَدindeed خِلتُI thought فيهِin him لِضَعفِهِbecause of his weakness سُلّاconsumption
قَد خِلتُ فيهِ لِضَعفِهِ سُلّا
A lean miser brought famine;
Greed brings famine, though plentiful the sand,
his weakness made me think he had consumption.
Of which I've had my fill, as it brings no sustenance.
طِفلٌa child وَلَكِنand yet أَمرُهُhis condition عَجَبٌa marvel
طِفلٌ وَلَكِن أَمرُهُ عَجَبٌ
قَدindeed عادَhe became again بَعدَafter كُهولَةٍmiddle age طِفلاa child
قَد عادَ بَعدَ كُهولَةٍ طِفلا
A child—yet his condition is a marvel:
A child, yet strange is his affair,
after middle age, he has become a child again.
Returning to childhood after reaching old age.
قَدindeed كانَhe had been حَمَّلَa lamb (reading حَمَل) لَيلَتَينِtwo nights فَلَمand did not
قَد كانَ حَمَّلَ لَيلَتَينِ فَلَم
تَرَyou see مِثلَهُhis like طِفلاًas a child وَلاnor حَمَلاas a lamb
تَرَ مِثلَهُ طِفلاً وَلا حَمَلا
He had been a two-night-old lamb; never
He endured two nights, something never seen
have you seen a child or lamb like him.
In a child so young, nor one bearing such weight.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أَنthat يَعودَshould become فَتىًa young man
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن يَعودَ فَتىً
فيin سَبعَseven عَشرَةَten لَيلَةٍnight كَهلاmiddle-aged
في سَبعَ عَشرَةَ لَيلَةٍ كَهلا
And among marvels is a young man becoming
And of wonders, that a lad returns to his youth
middle-aged in seventeen nights.
In seventeen nights, having become so aged.
Sol 6.1