قالوا وقد بليت غلالته

قالوا وقد بليت غلالته

ما كان أسرع عودها قطعا

ما كان أسرع عودها قطعا

They said, when his light tunic had worn out:

They said, as its rope wore out,

“How swiftly it turned to shreds!”

Never did it come back faster, of course

فأجبتهم بالطبع فعلهما

فأجبتهم بالطبع فعلهما

قمر وكتّان اذا اجتمعا

قمر وكتّان اذا اجتمعا

So I answered them: “This is what the two do by nature—

I answered them naturally, their deed

a moon and linen, when they come together.”

The moon and flax when they come together