لوif يعلمُknew الغرماءُthe creditors منزلتَيهِماtheir respective standings
لو يعلمُ الغرماءُ منزلتَيهِما
ماnot حلّفونيthey made me swear بالطلاقِby divorce العاجلِimmediate
ما حلّفوني بالطلاقِ العاجلِ
If the creditors knew the standing of those two with me,
they would not have made me swear on pain of immediate divorce.
لاnot حلوتانtwo sweet women فتهوَياso they might both be loved لحلاوةٍfor sweetness
لا حلوتان فتهوَيا لحلاوةٍ
تشفيheals النفوسَthe souls ولاnor لدلٍّfor coquetry عاسلِhoney-sweet
تشفي النفوسَ ولا لدلٍّ عاسلِ
Neither is sweet, to be loved for sweetness
that heals souls, nor for honeyed coquetry.
قدalready ملّتاthey both grew weary وملِلتُand I grew weary منof وجهيهماtheir two faces
قد ملّتا وملِلتُ من وجهيهما
شمطاءُa gray-haired woman مرضعةnursing ونقضةand a worn-out woman حائلِnot pregnant
شمطاءُ مرضعة ونقضة حائلِ
They have both grown weary, and I am weary of their faces:
one a gray-haired nursing woman; the other worn out and not with child.
Sol 6.1