ماwhat بالthe matter with ألأنفكَyour nose هذاthis قدindeed شمختَyou raised proudly بهِwith it
ما بال ألأنفكَ هذا قد شمختَ بهِ
إلىto السمواتِthe heavens حتىuntil جاوزَالقدراit exceeded due measure
إلى السمواتِ حتى جاوزَالقدرا
Why have you raised this nose of yours so proudly
to the heavens, until it has exceeded due measure?
لولاwere it not that خشيتُI feared إذاwhen ماemphasis after “when” كنتyou were رافعهُraising it
لولا خشيتُ إذا ما كنت رافعهُ
منfor أجلِthe sake of واحدةٍone (eye) أنthat يقفأit might gouge out الأخرىthe other (eye)
من أجلِ واحدةٍ أن يقفأ الأخرى
Were it not that I feared, whenever you raised it,
that, on account of one eye, it might gouge out the other.
Sol 6.1