رَغيفُ سَعيدٍ عِندَهُ عِدلُ نَفسِهِ
يُقَلِّبُهُ طَوراً وَطَوراً يُلاعِبُه
The loaf of Sa'id is to him his self's justice.
To Sa'id, his loaf of bread holds all the value of his soul,
He turns it around playing with it.
He turns it over now and then, and plays with it in playful role.
وَيُخرِجُهُ مِن كِمِّهِ فَيَشِمَّهُ
وَيُجلِسَهُ في حِجرِهِ وَيُخاطِبُه
He takes it out of his sleeve and smells it.
He draws it from his sleeve to smell, inhaling deep the scent he seeks,
He sits it in his lap addressing it.
He seats it squarely in his lap, and to the bread he fondly speaks.
وَإِن جائَهُ المَسكينُ يَطلُبُ فَضلَهُ
فَقَد ثَكَلَتهُ أُمُّهُ وَأَقارِبُه
If a beggar came to him seeking its crumbs
But if a wretch should come to him to ask a favor or a crust,
Then his mother and kin have abandoned him.
Then has his mother lost her son, his kinsmen mourn him in the dust.
يَكِرُّ عَلَيهِ السَوطُ مِن كُلِّ جانِبٍ
وَتُكسَرُ رِجلاهُ وَيُنتَفُ شارِبُه
The whip turns upon him from every side.
The whip returns to strike his back, attacking him from every side,
His legs are broken and his moustache plucked.
His legs are broken by the blows, his mustache plucked to strip his pride.
