وَطَيلَسانٍand a taylasan cloak إِنif تَوَهَّمتَهُyou imagined it
وَطَيلَسانٍ إِن تَوَهَّمتَهُ
قَدَدتَهُyou tore it بِالطولِlengthwise وَالعَرضِand crosswise
قَدَدتَهُ بِالطولِ وَالعَرضِ
And a taylasan cloak—if you so much as imagined it,
Though you thought it long,
you would tear it lengthwise and crosswise.
You measured it in length and breadth.
جادَgave generously اِبنُson of حَربٍHarb ليto me بِهِwith it بَعدَماafter
جادَ اِبنُ حَربٍ لي بِهِ بَعدَما
أَيقَنَhe became certain مِنهُfrom it بِالبِلىof threadbareness المَحضِutter
أَيقَنَ مِنهُ بِالبِلى المَحضِ
Ibn Harb bestowed it on me after
The son of Harb was generous to me with it
he had become certain it was utterly threadbare.
After he was certain it was thoroughly worn out.
قَدalready لَقِيَmet الناسَthe people وَقاساهُمُand endured them
قَد لَقِيَ الناسَ وَقاساهُمُ
عَيشَينِtwo lives مِنof ضَنكٍhardship وَمِنand of خَفضِease
عَيشَينِ مِن ضَنكٍ وَمِن خَفضِ
It has met people and endured them
It has met people and experienced
through two lives—one of hardship and one of ease.
Two lives of hardship and degradation.
كَأَنَّas though إِشفاقيmy concern عَلَيهِfor it إِذاwhen
كَأَنَّ إِشفاقي عَلَيهِ إِذا
غَدَواthey went forth in the morning إِشفاقيmy concern عَلىfor عِرضيmy honor
غَدَوا إِشفاقي عَلى عِرضي
It is as though my concern for it, when
It is as if my care for it, when
they go forth in the morning, were my concern for my honor.
It goes out, is care for my honor.
لَوif أَنَّهُthat it بَعضُone of بَنيthe sons of آدَمَAdam
لَو أَنَّهُ بَعضُ بَني آدَمَ
كانَit would be أَسيرَthe captive of اللَهِGod فيin الأَرضِthe earth
كانَ أَسيرَ اللَهِ في الأَرضِ
Were it one of the sons of Adam,
If only it were a human being,
it would be God's captive on earth.
It would be God's captive on earth.
Sol 6.1