أَوَمَاand do you not تَرَىsee طِمْرَيَّmy two tattered garments بينهماbetween them both
أَوَمَا تَرَى طِمْرَيَّ بينهما
رَجُلٌa man أَلَحَّhas relentlessly beset بِهَزْلِهِhis levity الجِدُّearnestness
رَجُلٌ أَلَحَّ بِهَزْلِهِ الجِدُّ
Do you not see my two tattered garments, and between them
And do you not see my two tattered garments—between them
a man whose earnestness persists even in his jest?
A man whose levity has been relentlessly beset by earnestness?
فالسّيفُfor the sword يَقطعُcuts وهوَand it is ذوpossessing صَدأٍrust
فالسّيفُ يَقطعُ وهوَ ذو صَدأٍ
والنّصْلُand the blade يَفْرِيcleaves الهامَthe heads لاnot الغِمْدُthe scabbard
والنّصْلُ يَفْرِي الهامَ لا الغِمْدُ
For the sword cuts even when it bears rust,
For the sword cuts even though it is rusty,
and the blade cleaves skulls—not the sheath.
And the blade cleaves heads, not the scabbard.
هَلْwill تَنْفَعَنَّbenefit at all السّيْفَthe sword حِلْيَتُهُits adornment
هَلْ تَنْفَعَنَّ السّيْفَ حِلْيَتُهُ
يومَon the day of الجِلادِcombat إذاif نباfails to cut الحَدُّthe edge
يومَ الجِلادِ إذا نبا الحَدُّ
Can a sword’s adornment truly avail it
Will the sword’s adornment benefit it at all
on the day of combat, when its edge fails to bite?
On the day of combat, if its edge fails to cut?
Sol 6.1