إِنّيindeed I لِأَمدَحُI do praise أَقواماًpeople أَظُنُّهُمُI believe they
إِنّي لِأَمدَحُ أَقواماً أَظُنُّهُمُ
يَقضونَthey pay حَقَّthe due ثَنائيof my praise فَوقَbeyond ماwhat يَجِبُis required
يَقضونَ حَقَّ ثَنائي فَوقَ ما يَجِبُ
I do indeed praise people, believing they
I praise some people I think
Will reward my praise beyond what is due.
Will do me justice, nay, yet more
فَإِنyet if هُمُthey وَهَبواthey give مَنّواthey flaunt their favor عَلَيَّto me بِهِwith it
فَإِن هُمُ وَهَبوا مَنّوا عَلَيَّ بِهِ
فَالمَوتُso death إِنif نَجَلواthey stab وَالمَوتُand death إِنif وَهَبواthey give
فَالمَوتُ إِن نَجَلوا وَالمَوتُ إِن وَهَبوا
Yet if they give, they hold it over me:
If they accept, I live; if not, I die
So death if they stab, and death if they give.
Though round their necks my songs are tied
هَذاthis وَقَدand already أَلبَسَتhave clothed أَجسادُهُمtheir bodies فِكريmy thoughts
هَذا وَقَد أَلبَسَت أَجسادُهُم فِكري
مِمّاfrom what تَصوغُthey fashion عُقوداًnecklaces كُلَّهاall of them ذَهَبُgold
مِمّا تَصوغُ عُقوداً كُلَّها ذَهَبُ
All this, though my thoughts have clothed their bodies
Like golden chains of Ophir wrought:
In necklaces they fashion, all of gold.
The jewel’s virtue is unsought
ذاthis الدُرُّpearls مَنwhoever كانَis دُرّاًa pearl فَهوَthen he يَلبَسُهُhe wears it
ذا الدُرُّ مَن كانَ دُرّاً فَهوَ يَلبَسُهُ
فَكَيفَso how يَنفُقُit finds a market وَالأَقوامُwhile the people مُخشَلَبُimitation pearls
فَكَيفَ يَنفُقُ وَالأَقوامُ مُخشَلَبُ
These pearls—whoever is himself a pearl wears them.
If hearts lack wisdom. Of what worth
So how can they sell, when the people are imitation pearls?
Are jewels in a granite girth?
Sol 6.1