تَعِسَmay he be wretched الكاتِبُthe scribe الشَقِيُّthe hapless فَماso how أَشbeginning of ‘wretched he is’
تَعِسَ الكاتِبُ الشَقِيُّ فَما أَش
قاهُcompletion of ‘wretched he is’ بِالأَمرِin the work بَينَamong هَذيthis الخَليقَهhumankind
قاهُ بِالأَمرِ بَينَ هَذي الخَليقَه
Wretched be the hapless scribe! How wretched
He is in his work among these people!
خَيرُthe best of أَيّامِهِhis days وَلاand no خَيرَgood فيهاin them
خَيرُ أَيّامِهِ وَلا خَيرَ فيها
يَومَthe day يَلقىhe meets مِنfrom بُكرَةٍearly morning وَجهَthe face of ليقَهan inkwell’s fiber wad
يَومَ يَلقى مِن بُكرَةٍ وَجهَ ليقَه
The best of his days—and there is no good in them—
Is the day he meets, early in the morning, an ink-wad’s face.
وَالدَراريعُand the long gowns فَخرُهُhis pride وَهوَand he مِنهاof them
وَالدَراريعُ فَخرُهُ وَهوَ مِنها
فيin ثِيابٍgarments مِنfrom صَدرِهِhis chest مَشقوقَهsplit open
في ثِيابٍ مِن صَدرِهِ مَشقوقَه
And long gowns are his pride; in them he is clad—
In garments split open at his chest.
Sol 6.1