وَوَغْدٍand a wretch حَديثٍrecent بِالخَصاصَةِwith poverty عَهْدُهُhis acquaintance
وَوَغْدٍ حَديثٍ بِالخَصاصَةِ عَهْدُهُ
أَلَظَّclung بِهِto him الإِثْراءُwealth حَتَّىuntil تَبَذَّخاhe grew haughty
أَلَظَّ بِهِ الإِثْراءُ حَتَّى تَبَذَّخا
And a wretch whose days of poverty were not long ago—
With the dawn of a new day he boasts of valor,
Wealth clung to him until he grew haughty.
Though great wealth has made him haughty and vain.
وَعاشَand lived أَبُوهُhis father دَهْرَهُhis whole life لِلْخَنىto lewdness أَباًas a father
وَعاشَ أَبُوهُ دَهْرَهُ لِلْخَنى أَباً
وَمُلِّيَand was granted long life جَدّيmy grandfather عُمْرَهُhis lifetime لِلْعُلاto glory أَخاas a brother
وَمُلِّيَ جَدّي عُمْرَهُ لِلْعُلا أَخا
And his father lived his whole life a father to lewdness,
His father lived out his days in dishonor,
And my grandfather was granted a long life as a brother to glory.
My grandfather his years in pursuit of gain.
وَماand not كانَwas عِرْنينُthe nose امْرِئٍof a man هُوَhe مِثْلُهُlike him
وَما كانَ عِرْنينُ امْرِئٍ هُوَ مِثْلُهُ
لِتَنْفُخَto blow فيهِinto it الكِبْرِياءُpride وَيَشْمَخاand rise haughtily
لِتَنْفُخَ فيهِ الكِبْرِياءُ وَيَشْمَخا
And the nose of a man like him was never meant
No man's character was ever quite the measure
For pride to puff it up and for it to rise haughtily.
Of his, for pride to inflate and greatness feign.
وَأَيُّand what لَئيمٍbase fellow لاnot يُصَعِّرُturns away disdainfully خَدَّهُhis cheek
وَأَيُّ لَئيمٍ لا يُصَعِّرُ خَدَّهُ
إِذاwhen افْتَرَّsmiled عَمَّاfrom what زَحْزَحَdrove away الشِّدَّةُhardship الرَّخاease
إِذا افْتَرَّ عَمَّا زَحْزَحَ الشِّدَّةُ الرَّخا
And what base fellow does not turn his cheek in disdain
What base wretch would not bow his head in shame
When ease smiles, revealing what has driven hardship away?
If freed from woes that all self-esteem drain?
فَطَأْطأَso lowered بِيضُwhite blades الهِنْدِof India مِنْsome of نَخَواتِهِhis proud airs
فَطَأْطأَ بِيضُ الهِنْدِ مِنْ نَخَواتِهِ
وَبيand by me يُخْطَمis bridled الأَنْفُthe nose الأَشَمُّhigh-bridged إِذاwhen انْتَخىgrows haughty
وَبي يُخْطَم الأَنْفُ الأَشَمُّ إِذا انْتَخى
So India's white blades brought his proud airs low,
The Indian lily hangs its head though spotless,
And by me the high-bridged nose is bridled when it grows haughty.
My proud nose is slapped if I act disdain.
Sol 6.1