قَدonce كانَhe was لِلمالِof wealth رَبّاًa master
قَد كانَ لِلمالِ رَبّاً
فَصارَthen he became فيin البُخلِmiserliness عَبدَهits slave
فَصارَ في البُخلِ عَبدَه
He had once been wealth’s master,
Money once had a lord
but through miserliness became its slave.
But in miserliness became its slave
وَصَحِفَand he misread الصَيفَsummer ضَيفاًas a guest
وَصَحِفَ الصَيفَ ضَيفاً
فَقامَso he began يَلطُمُslapping خَدَّهhis cheek
فَقامَ يَلطُمُ خَدَّه
He misread “summer” as “guest,”
It hosted summer as a guest
so he began slapping his own cheek.
Then rose slapping its own cheek