ياO لَيتَwould that نُصحِيَmy advice مَنthe one whom أَبغيI seek نَصيحَتَهُto counsel him
يا لَيتَ نُصحِيَ مَن أَبغي نَصيحَتَهُ
نَقشٌan inscription عَلىupon الماءِthe water لاno نَفعٌbenefit وَلاand no ضَررُharm
نَقشٌ عَلى الماءِ لا نَفعٌ وَلا ضَررُ
Oh, would that my advice to the one I wish to counsel
were writing on water, with neither benefit nor harm.
وَإِنّماand only هوit بُغضٌhatred مَنthe one whom نصحتُI counseled لَهُto him
وَإِنّما هو بُغضٌ مَن نصحتُ لَهُ
فَالبُغضُfor hatred فيupon وَجهِهِhis face يَبدوappears لَهof it أَثرُa trace
فَالبُغضُ في وَجهِهِ يَبدو لَه أَثرُ
Instead, it brings only hatred from the one I have counseled;
for a trace of hatred appears upon his face.
Sol 6.1