ولاand do not تَقُلْsay كَمْhow often كَذاlike this تَواصِلُنيkeep reaching me
ولا تَقُلْ كَمْ كَذا تَواصِلُني
علىover ممرِّthe passage of الأَيَّامِthe days أَوراقُsheets of paper
على ممرِّ الأَيَّامِ أَوراقُ
And do not ask me how many such things keep coming my way:
And do not say, “How often do I receive, like this,
sheets of paper, over the course of the days.
Sheets of paper as the days go by?”
فَإنّنيfor indeed I شاعِرٌa poet وَذُوand possessed of طَمَعٍgreed
فَإنّني شاعِرٌ وَذُو طَمَعٍ
وَكاتِبٌand a scribe فارِغٌidle وَورَّاقُand a stationer
وَكاتِبٌ فارِغٌ وَورَّاقُ
For I am a poet, and possessed of greed,
For I am a poet, and eager for gain,
and an idle writer—and a stationer.
And an idle scribe, and a stationer.
Sol 6.1