سَواءٌalike هُجوديmy sleep فيin الدُجىthe darkness وَتَهَجُّديand my vigil in prayer
سَواءٌ هُجودي في الدُجى وَتَهَجُّدي
عَلَيَّto me إِذاif أَصبَحتُI greet the morning غَيرَnot مُطيعِobedient
عَلَيَّ إِذا أَصبَحتُ غَيرَ مُطيعِ
My sleep in the darkness and my vigil in prayer are alike
My vigils in darkness and waking at dawn,
To me, if I greet the morning disobedient.
Are of no avail when day breaks and I lack obedience.
هُمُthey الناسُthe people ضُربُblows السَيفِof the sword لَمdid not يُغنِavail فيهِمwith them
هُمُ الناسُ ضُربُ السَيفِ لَم يُغنِ فيهِم
وَيَكفيكَand suffices you عَودَan old camel السوءِof ill temper ضَربُa blow قَطيعِof a whip
وَيَكفيكَ عَودَ السوءِ ضَربُ قَطيعِ
Such are people: sword blows have had no effect on them,
People are struck down by the sword, it does not spare them,
Yet a whip's blow suffices you for an ill-tempered old camel.
It is enough that the rod strikes the flock.
Sol 6.1