لَقيتُI met أباAbu (father of) يحيىYahya عشيَّةَon the evening جِئتُهI came to him
لَقيتُ أبا يحيى عشيَّةَ جِئتُه
كَرِيمَnoble الُمحيَّاthe countenance ظَاهرَshowing البشرِcheerfulness واقلبand reverse it
كَرِيمَ الُمحيَّا ظَاهرَ البشرِ واقلب
I met Abu Yahya one evening when I came to visit him—
I met Abu Yahya on the evening I came to him,
Gracious of countenance, his good cheer plain—and reverse it.
Of noble countenance, visibly cheerful—and reverse it.
كريمٌgenerous كَنَصلِlike the blade of السَّيفِthe sword يهتزُّhe quivers للنَّدىfor generosity
كريمٌ كَنَصلِ السَّيفِ يهتزُّ للنَّدى
كماjust as اهتزَّquivered ماضٍa keen blade للضريبةِfor the target of a blow واقلبand reverse it
كما اهتزَّ ماضٍ للضريبةِ واقلب
Generous, he stirs at the call of largesse like a sword-blade,
Generous, like a sword's blade, he quivers to give,
As a keen blade quivers for the stroke—and reverse it.
As a keen blade quivers for its target—and reverse it.
حِمارٍa donkey دَاخِلٌentering فيinto
حِمارٍ دَاخِلٌ في
ولاand do not تقلبَنَّreverse (emphatic) هذاthis فليسَfor it is not بواقلبan 'and reverse it'
ولا تقلبَنَّ هذا فليسَ بواقلب
An ass, entering into—
A donkey entering into...
But do not reverse this one; there is no need.
And do not reverse this, for it is no 'and reverse it.'
