شِعرُverse حَيٍّof a living man أَتاكَhas come to you مِنfrom لَفظِthe utterance of مَيتٍa dead man
شِعرُ حَيٍّ أَتاكَ مِن لَفظِ مَيتٍ
صارَhe has become بَينَbetween الحَياةِlife وَالمَوتِand death وَقفاsuspended
صارَ بَينَ الحَياةِ وَالمَوتِ وَقفا
A living man's verse has come to you from a dead man's lips;
he has become suspended between life and death.
قَدindeed بَرَتhave worn away جِسمَهُhis body الحَوادِثُcalamities حَتّىuntil
قَد بَرَت جِسمَهُ الحَوادِثُ حَتّى
كادَhe nearly عَنfrom أَعيُنِthe eyes of البَرِيَّةِhumankind يَخفىis hidden
كادَ عَن أَعيُنِ البَرِيَّةِ يَخفى
Calamities have worn away his body until
he is almost hidden from the eyes of humankind.
لَوif تَأَمَّلتَنيyou examined me closely لِتُبصِرَso you might see شَخصيmy form
لَو تَأَمَّلتَني لِتُبصِرَ شَخصي
لَمnot تَبَيَّنyou would discern مِنَof المَحاسِنِbeauty حَرفاa letter (an iota)
لَم تَبَيَّن مِنَ المَحاسِنِ حَرفا
If you looked closely at me to make out my form,
you would not discern an iota of beauty.
Sol 6.1