لَنا جيرَةٌ سَدّوا المَجازَةَ بَينَنا

لَنا جيرَةٌ سَدّوا المَجازَةَ بَينَنا

فَإِن ذَكَّروكَ السَدَّ فالسَدُّ أَكيَسُ

فَإِن ذَكَّروكَ السَدَّ فالسَدُّ أَكيَسُ

We have neighbors who have blocked the passage between us.

We have neighbors who blocked the passage between us.

If they have put you in mind of closing off, then closing off is the wiser course.

So if they remind you of the barrier, the barrier is the wiser choice.

وَمِن خَيرِ ما أَلصَقتَ بِالدارِ حائِطٌ

وَمِن خَيرِ ما أَلصَقتَ بِالدارِ حائِطٌ

تَزِلُّ بِهِ سُفعُ الخَطاطِيفِ أَملَسُ

تَزِلُّ بِهِ سُفعُ الخَطاطِيفِ أَملَسُ

And one of the best things you can add to a house is a wall—

And among the best things you have added to the house is a wall—

so smooth that even the dusky swallows slip on it.

A smooth one, on which the dusky swallows slip.