لَكَyou have ياO صَديقيmy friend بَغلَةٌa female mule
لَكَ يا صَديقي بَغلَةٌ
لَيسَتshe is not تُساويworth خَردَلَهa mustard seed
لَيسَت تُساوي خَردَلَه
You have, my friend, a mule
You have a friend, my friend,
that is not worth a mustard seed.
Who's not worth a mustard seed.
تَمشيshe walks فَتَحسَبُهاso they deem her العُيوthe eyes (first part)
تَمشي فَتَحسَبُها العُيو
نُcompletion of ‘the eyes’ عَلىupon الطَريقِthe road مُشَكَّلَهhobbled
نُ عَلى الطَريقِ مُشَكَّلَه
She walks, and to the eyes she seems
You walk thinking he is right behind,
hobbled upon the road.
Turn and find the road empty.
وَتُخالُand she is thought مُدبِرَةًto be retreating إِذاwhen
وَتُخالُ مُدبِرَةً إِذا
ماemphasizes ‘when’ أَقبَلَتshe approaches مُستَعجِلَهin a hurry
ما أَقبَلَت مُستَعجِلَه
And she seems to be retreating when
And when he comes towards you hurriedly,
she approaches in haste.
You'd think he was leaving from behind.
مِقدارُthe measure of خَطوَتِهاher stride الطَويlong (first part)
مِقدارُ خَطوَتِها الطَوي
لَةِcompletion of ‘long’ حينَwhen تُسرِعُshe hurries أُنمُلَهa fingertip
لَةِ حينَ تُسرِعُ أُنمُلَه
The span of her long stride,
The length of his tiny steps
when she hurries, is a fingertip’s length.
When he rushes is that of an ant.
تَهتَزُّshe shakes وَهيَwhile she مَكانَهاis in her place
تَهتَزُّ وَهيَ مَكانَها
فَكَأَنَّماso, as though هِيَshe زَلزَلَهan earthquake
فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ زَلزَلَه
She shakes while staying in place,
He shakes in his place
as though she were an earthquake.
As if he is an earthquake.
أَشبَهتَهاyou resemble her بَلrather أَشبَهتshe resembles
أَشبَهتَها بَل أَشبَهت
كَyou كَأَنَّas though بَينَكُماbetween you two صِلَهa bond
كَ كَأَنَّ بَينَكُما صِلَه
You resemble her—rather, she resembles
You compared him, or rather I compared
you, as though there were a bond between you two.
As if there's a connection between you two.
تَحكيshe mirrors صِفاتِكَyour traits فيin الثَقاsluggishness (first part)
تَحكي صِفاتِكَ في الثَقا
لَةِcompletion of ‘sluggishness’ وَالمَهانَةِand lowliness وَالبَلَهand stupidity
لَةِ وَالمَهانَةِ وَالبَلَه
She mirrors your traits in sluggishness,
He embodies your traits of arrogance,
lowliness, and stupidity.
Humiliation, and stupidity.
Sol 6.1