تُفّاحَةٌan apple حامِضَةٌsour عَضَّهاhe bit it
تُفّاحَةٌ حامِضَةٌ عَضَّها
فيin ثَمَلٍdrunkenness مَنone who قَطَّبَfurrowed الوَجهاthe face
في ثَمَلٍ مَن قَطَّبَ الوَجها
A sour apple was bitten
A sour apple bit me
in drunkenness by one who puckered his face.
In an orchard picked by one with scowling face
وَلَمand did not أَخَلI imagine مِنfrom قَبلِهاbefore it مُحسِناًa benefactor
وَلَم أَخَل مِن قَبلِها مُحسِناً
يُجزىis repaid عَلَيهِfor it العَضَّbiting وَالنَجهاand rebuke
يُجزى عَلَيهِ العَضَّ وَالنَجها
And before it I had never imagined a benefactor
Yet ne’er before had I found graceless
repaid for his kindness with biting and rebuke.
He who is paid bite and grimace
Sol 6.1