يقولونthey say الموظفthe employee ذوpossessed of يسارٍwealth
يقولون الموظف ذو يسارٍ
وأنand that الشحmiserliness فيin رجلthe man of التجارةcommerce
وأن الشح في رجل التجارة
They say the employee is well-to-do,
They say the employee is so generous
and that miserliness lies in the merchant.
And that the merchant is so stingy
لقدindeed ظلموهماthey wronged them both فإذاfor when رأيناwe see
لقد ظلموهما فإذا رأينا
الموظفthe employee فيin التقميشclothing فالظهارةthen the outer garb
الموظف في التقميش فالظهارة
They have indeed wronged them both: for when we see
They have wronged them both, for when we see
the employee dressed up, his outer garb
The employee in patched-up clothes in public
ضرورةa necessity مظهرappearance حتمan obligation عليهupon him
ضرورة مظهر حتم عليه
وباطنهand his inner self تصليهscorches it الحرارةthe heat
وباطنه تصليه الحرارة
is required for appearances, an obligation upon him,
It's a facade he's compelled to keep up
while heat scorches his inner self.
While poverty gnaws at him inside
وذلكand that one إنif يسرgoes about قذراًfilthy رأيناwe see
وذلك إن يسر قذراً رأينا
خيالthe image of المالwealth قدalready غطىcovered القذارةthe filth
خيال المال قد غطى القذارة
And if that other goes about filthy, we see
And that's because if he acts rich, we see
the image of wealth has already veiled the filth.
His fantasies have obscured the squalor
وقدand indeed عرفknows الموظفthe employee رزقincome شهرٍa month
وقد عرف الموظف رزق شهرٍ
لشهرٍto a month لاnot يزيدincreases عليهbeyond it بارةa para (small coin)
لشهرٍ لا يزيد عليه بارة
And the employee knows his income from one month
The employee knows the wage of a month
to the next, not a single para more,
Doesn't increase, not even by a toenail
وذاقand has tasted العلمlearning والتمدينand civilization صرفاًunalloyed
وذاق العلم والتمدين صرفاً
غنىrich النفسthe soul مصقولpolished العبارةexpression
غنى النفس مصقول العبارة
and has tasted learning and civilization unalloyed,
And he has savored education and civilization
rich in soul, polished in expression.
His soul refined, eloquent his speech
فهذاso this one لوif يجودgives generously فعنthen from كفافٍbare sufficiency
فهذا لو يجود فعن كفافٍ
وذاكand that one يشحis miserly منout of خوفfear الخسارةloss
وذاك يشح من خوف الخسارة
So if this one gives, it is from just enough to live on,
So if he gives, it's from his basic needs
while that one is miserly for fear of loss.
While the other holds back, fearing loss
Sol 6.1