خليلي هل من شربةٍ تجدانها

خليلي هل من شربةٍ تجدانها

لذي غلَّة والخلُّ يشكو إلى الخلِّ

لذي غلَّة والخلُّ يشكو إلى الخلِّ

My two friends, is there a draught you can find

My friend, is there a drink you can offer

for one with burning thirst? And a friend complains to a friend.

To quench my thirst, as vinegar complains to vinegar?

ظمئت وما بالي ظمئت ولم أبتْ

ظمئت وما بالي ظمئت ولم أبتْ

بدارات حزوى لا ولا منبت النخل

بدارات حزوى لا ولا منبت النخل

I grew thirsty—but why did I grow thirsty, when I did not spend the night

I'm parched, though I know not why I'm parched, not having been

in Hazwa’s sandy hollows—no, nor where the date palms grow?

In the valleys of Huzwa, nor by a date palm grove.

لحى الله من تلقاه لا سائغ الندى

لحى الله من تلقاه لا سائغ الندى

ولا خصر النعمى ولا سابغ الظلِّ

ولا خصر النعمى ولا سابغ الظلِّ

May God curse the man you meet, whose bounty is not sweet,

May God shame him who meets him, with no fresh dew to drink,

whose favors bring no coolness, whose shade is not ample—

No slender waisted fair maid, no shade in which to rest.

أميراً لو أنَّ النيل في بطن كفّهِ

أميراً لو أنَّ النيل في بطن كفّهِ

لأعطش بطنَ الأرض والحزن والسهل

لأعطش بطنَ الأرض والحزن والسهل

an emir who, if the Nile were in the hollow of his palm,

A prince, if the Nile were in the palm of his hand,

would parch the earth’s belly, the rugged land and the plain.

Would deny the earth its bellyful, deny the grief and plain their water.

ولو كان يلقاهُ بضيفٍ عدوَّهُ

ولو كان يلقاهُ بضيفٍ عدوَّهُ

لماتَ أسى من غير سهمِ ولا نصل

لماتَ أسى من غير سهمِ ولا نصل

And if his enemy were to meet him with a guest,

And if he met a guest who was his foe,

he would die of grief, without arrow or blade.

He would die of misery without arrow or blade.

ولو أن أيدي الخيلِ من مثل وجههِ

ولو أن أيدي الخيلِ من مثل وجههِ

وأرجلها ما احتاج حافٍ إلى نعل

وأرجلها ما احتاج حافٍ إلى نعل

And if horses’ forelegs were made of the same stuff as his face,

And if the legs of horses were made of his face,

and their hindlegs too, no barefoot one would need a shoe.

Their hooves would have no need of shoes.

سواء لديهِ الماء والمالُ ضنَّةً

سواء لديهِ الماء والمالُ ضنَّةً

فمتْ عطشاً أن كنت تطمع في بذل

فمتْ عطشاً أن كنت تطمع في بذل

Water and wealth are alike to him in his stinginess;

To him water and wealth are equally mean,

so die of thirst if you hope for largesse.

So die of thirst if you hope for his charity.

وكيف يكون الجودُ عادةَ مثلهِ

وكيف يكون الجودُ عادةَ مثلهِ

وقد خلقت كفَّاهُ من طينهِ البخل

وقد خلقت كفَّاهُ من طينهِ البخل

And how could generosity be the habit of one like him,

How can generosity be his habit,

when his two palms were fashioned from his clay—miserliness itself?

When his palms were created from the clay of stinginess?

فتى هو أهدى في المعاصي من القطا

فتى هو أهدى في المعاصي من القطا

وأجمع لكن للمخازي من النمل

وأجمع لكن للمخازي من النمل

A youth surer of his way in sins than sandgrouse,

A youth he is, more astray in disobedience than a cat,

and a greater gatherer—but of shameful deeds—than ants.

And more inclined to filth than an ant.