وَليand I have صَاحِبٌa companion نَحْسٌill-omened علىto كُلِّevery صَاحِبِcompanion
وَلي صَاحِبٌ نَحْسٌ على كُلِّ صَاحِبِ
هوhe الدّاءُthe malady أَعْياproved intractable أَنْto يُصيبَfind دَواءَa remedy
هو الدّاءُ أَعْيا أَنْ يُصيبَ دَواءَ
I have a companion—a bane to every companion:
And I have a companion who brings ill luck to every companion.
the very disease for which no cure can be found,
He is a malady for which no remedy can be found.
أَخَفُّthe lightest الوَرىhumankind عَقْلاًin intellect وأَثْقَلُand the heaviest طَلْعَةًin appearance
أَخَفُّ الوَرى عَقْلاً وأَثْقَلُ طَلْعَةً
وأَفْحَمُand the most tongue-tied إِلاَّexcept أَنْthat يَقولَhe says خَطاءَsomething wrong
وأَفْحَمُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَقولَ خَطاءَ
the lightest of all mankind in wit, the heaviest to behold,
The lightest of humankind in intellect, and the heaviest in presence,
and the most tongue-tied—except when uttering what is wrong.
And the most tongue-tied, except when he says something wrong.
