عَيَّرَتنيyou reproached me نائِلَbounty السُلطانِthe sultan اَطلُبُهُI seek it
عَيَّرَتني نائِلَ السُلطانِ اَطلُبُهُ
ياAh! ضَلَّhas gone astray رَأيُكَyour judgment بَينَbetween الخُرقِfolly وَالنَزَقِand rashness
يا ضَلَّ رَأيُكَ بَينَ الخُرقِ وَالنَزَقِ
You reproached me for seeking the sultan's bounty.
Ah, your judgment has strayed between folly and rashness!
لَولاwere it not for اِمتِنانٌa favor مِنَfrom السُلطانِthe sultan تَجهَلُهُyou are unaware of it
لَولا اِمتِنانٌ مِنَ السُلطانِ تَجهَلُهُ
أَصبَحتُI would have become بِالسَودِat al-Sawd فيin مَقعَوعِسِa squat hovel خَلَقِworn-out
أَصبَحتُ بِالسَودِ في مَقعَوعِسِ خَلَقِ
Were it not for a favor from the sultan, unknown to you,
I would be at al-Sawd in a worn-out, squat hovel,
رَثَّthreadbare الرِداthe cloak بَينَamong أَهدامٍrags مُرَقَّعَةٍpatched
رَثَّ الرِدا بَينَ أَهدامٍ مُرَقَّعَةٍ
يَبيتُhe spends the night فيهاin them بِلَيلِin the night of الجائِعِthe hungry man الفَرِقِthe frightened man
يَبيتُ فيها بِلَيلِ الجائِعِ الفَرِقِ
my cloak threadbare, amid patched rags,
passing the night in them hungry and afraid.
لاno شَيءَthing أَثبَتُsurer بِالإِنسانِwith a person مَعرِفَةًin knowledge
لا شَيءَ أَثبَتُ بِالإِنسانِ مَعرِفَةً
مِنَthan الَّتيshe who حَزَمَتbound جَنبَيهِhis two sides بِالخِرقِwith rags
مِنَ الَّتي حَزَمَت جَنبَيهِ بِالخِرقِ
No one knows a person more surely
than she who bound his sides with rags.
فَأَينَso where دارُكَyour home مِنهاfrom her وَهيَwhile she is مُؤمِنَةًa believer
فَأَينَ دارُكَ مِنها وَهيَ مُؤمِنَةً
بِاللَهِin God مَعروفَةُknown for الإِسلامِIslam وَالشَفَقِand compassion
بِاللَهِ مَعروفَةُ الإِسلامِ وَالشَفَقِ
So where is your home in relation to her? She believes
in God, and is known for her Islam and compassion.
وَأَينَand where رِزقُكَyour sustenance إِلّاexcept مِنfrom يَدَيthe two hands of مَرَّةٍa woman
وَأَينَ رِزقُكَ إِلّا مِن يَدَي مَرَّةٍ
ماnot بَتَّyou spent the night مِنfrom مالِهاher wealth إِلّاexcept عَلىthrough سَرَقِtheft
ما بَتَّ مِن مالِها إِلّا عَلى سَرَقِ
And where does your food come from, if not from a woman's hands?
You have never passed a night on her wealth except through theft.
تَبيتُyou spend the night وَالهِرَّand the cat مَمدوداًoutstretched عُيونُكُماthe eyes of you both
تَبيتُ وَالهِرَّ مَمدوداً عُيونُكُما
إلّاonly تَطَعُّمِهاseeking food from her مُخضَرَّةَgreen الحَدَقِthe pupils
إلّا تَطَعُّمِها مُخضَرَّةَ الحَدَقِ
You and the cat spend the night, your eyes strained
for nothing but food from her, your pupils green.
ماno بَينَbetween رِزقَيكُماyour two rations إِنif قاسَcompares ذوone possessing فِطَنٍdiscernment
ما بَينَ رِزقَيكُما إِن قاسَ ذو فِطَنٍ
فَرقٌa difference سَوىexcept أَنَّهُthat it يَأتيكَcomes to you فيin طَبَقِa plate
فَرقٌ سَوى أَنَّهُ يَأتيكَ في طَبَقِ
Between your two rations, if someone discerning compares them,
there is no difference except that yours comes on a plate.
شارَكَهُshare with it فيin صَيدِهِits hunting لِلفَأرِfor mice تَأكُلُهُyou eat them
شارَكَهُ في صَيدِهِ لِلفَأرِ تَأكُلُهُ
كَماjust as تُشارِكُهُyou share with it فيin الوَجهِthe face وَالخُلُقِand character
كَما تُشارِكُهُ في الوَجهِ وَالخُلُقِ
Join it in hunting mice, and eat them,
just as you resemble it in face and character.
Sol 6.1