إذاif أسقيتنيyou give me to drink كوزاًa cup بخطيِّagainst my written pledge
إذا أسقيتني كوزاً بخطيِّ
علىfor ماwhatever بداseems fitting لكto you فيon الجدارthe wall
على ما بدا لك في الجدار
If you give me a cup to drink on my written pledge,
If you give me a cup engraved
for whatever sum you see fit upon the wall,
With whatever you wanted on the wall
فإنthen if أعطيتنيyou give me عيناًready money بدينon credit
فإن أعطيتني عيناً بدين
فهاتيthen hand over العينthe ready money وانتظريand await ضماريmy doubtful repayment
فهاتي العين وانتظري ضماري
if you give me ready money on credit,
And if you give me an eye for religion
then hand over the money and await my doubtful repayment.
Then give me the eye and wait for my concealment
خرقتI tore مقدماthe front منfrom جنبthe side ثوبيof my robe
خرقت مقدما من جنب ثوبي
حيالopposite مكانthe place ذاكof that thing منin الأزارthe waistcloth
حيال مكان ذاك من الأزار
I tore open the front at the side of my robe,
I tore the front of my gown
opposite that thing’s place in the waistcloth.
Near that place from the wrapper
فقالتthen she said ويلهاwoe to her رجلa man ويمشيand he walks
فقالت ويلها رجل ويمشي
بماwith what يمشيwalks بهِwith it عُجَرʿUjar الحمارthe donkey
بما يمشي بهِ عُجَر الحمار
Then she said, “Woe to her! A man, yet he walks
So she said woe to him, a man walking
with what ʿUjar the donkey walks with!”
With what donkeys walk with
وقالتand she said ماwhat تريدdo you want فقلتso I said خيراًa kindness
وقالت ما تريد فقلت خيراً
نسيئةa deferral ماwhat عليَّI owe إلىuntil يساريI have means
نسيئة ما عليَّ إلى يساري
And she said, “What do you want?” I said, “A kindness—
And she said what do you want, so I said goodness
a deferral of what I owe until I have means.”
Forgetfulness, I have nothing to my left
فصدتthen she turned away بعدماafter نظرتshe looked إليهat it
فصدت بعدما نظرت إليه
وقدand already المحتهاI had shown her عنقthe neck الحوارof the camel calf
وقد المحتها عنق الحوار
Then she turned away after looking at it,
So she turned away after looking at it
and I had shown her the neck of a camel calf.
And the neck of dialogue had reproached her