وَنَدْمَانِAnd a boon companion أَخِيpossessed of ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness
وَنَدْمَانِ أَخِي ثِقَةٍ
كَأَنَّAs though حَدِيْثَهُhis conversation حِبَرَهْrichly patterned cloth
كَأَنَّ حَدِيْثَهُ حِبَرَهْ
Many a boon companion—a trustworthy brother—
And a boon companion, a man of trust,
whose conversation is like a patterned Yemeni robe;
As though his conversation were richly patterned cloth.
يَسُرُّكَdelights you حُسْنُthe beauty of نَاظِرِهِhis countenance
يَسُرُّكَ حُسْنُ نَاظِرِهِ
وَتَحْمَدُand you praise مِنْهُin him مُخْتَبَرَهْhis tested character
وَتَحْمَدُ مِنْهُ مُخْتَبَرَهْ
the beauty of his outward appearance delights you,
The beauty of his countenance delights you,
and, on testing him, you praise his inner worth.
And you praise his character when put to the test.
وَيَسْتُرُand he conceals عَيْبَthe fault of صَاحِبِهِhis companion
وَيَسْتُرُ عَيْبَ صَاحِبِهِ
وَيَسْتُرُand he conceals أَنَّهُthat he سَتَرَهْconcealed it
وَيَسْتُرُ أَنَّهُ سَتَرَهْ
He conceals his companion’s fault,
And he conceals his companion’s fault,
and conceals that he concealed it.
And conceals that he has concealed it.
Sol 6.1