قَفَعَshrivelled البَردُthe cold ضَيفَthe guest of عَمروٍʿAmr فَأَضحىso he became
قَفَعَ البَردُ ضَيفَ عَمروٍ فَأَضحى
مِثلَlike مَنone who فيهِin him ياO أُخَيَّmy dear brother زَمانَهchronic infirmity
مِثلَ مَن فيهِ يا أُخَيَّ زَمانَه
The cold shriveled ʿAmr’s guest until he became
The cold shrivelled ʿAmr’s guest, so he became
like a man stricken with infirmity, dear brother.
like one with a chronic infirmity, O my dear brother.
باتَhe spent the night لِلبَردِfrom the cold فيin ظَهارَةِan outer covering سوءٍwretchedness
باتَ لِلبَردِ في ظَهارَةِ سوءٍ
وَمِنَand from الجوعِhunger وَالطَوىand an empty belly فيin بِطانِهa lining
وَمِنَ الجوعِ وَالطَوى في بِطانِه
All night, cold was the misery clothing him without,
He spent the night with cold for a wretched outer covering,
and hunger—gnawing hunger—the lining within.
and hunger and an empty belly for a lining.
وَهُوَand he قِدماًlong since لِلضَيفِto the guest جوعٌhunger وَقَرُّand bitter cold
وَهُوَ قِدماً لِلضَيفِ جوعٌ وَقَرُّ
وَلِمَولاهُand to his master ذِلَّةٌabasement وَمَهانَهand disgrace
وَلِمَولاهُ ذِلَّةٌ وَمَهانَه
And ʿAmr has always meant hunger and bitter cold for a guest,
And he has long been hunger and bitter cold to the guest,
and abasement and disgrace for his master.
and abasement and disgrace to his master.
