ماnot جِذعُa trunk سَوءٍof poor quality خَرَّقَriddled السوسُwoodworm أَصلَهُits root
ما جِذعُ سَوءٍ خَرَّقَ السوسُ أَصلَهُ
لِماfor what حَمَّلَتهُburdened it with وائِلٌWa'il بِمُطيقِable to bear
لِما حَمَّلَتهُ وائِلٌ بِمُطيقِ
A wretched trunk, its base bored through by woodworms,
No worthless trunk whose root woodworm has riddled
cannot bear what Wāʾil has made it carry.
can bear what Wa'il has loaded upon it.
تُطيفُcircles سَدوسٌSadus حَولَهُaround him وَكَأَنَّهُمand as though they were
تُطيفُ سَدوسٌ حَولَهُ وَكَأَنَّهُم
عِصِيُّsticks أَشاءٍof young palms لُوِّحَتwere scorched لِحَريقِby fire
عِصِيُّ أَشاءٍ لُوِّحَت لِحَريقِ
Sadūs circles around him, as though they were
Sadus circles around him, as though they were
sticks of young palms, scorched in a blaze.
sticks of young palms scorched by fire.
جَمادُbarren الصَفاsmooth rock ماnot إِنat all (emphasis) يَبِضُّoozes بِقَطرَةٍa single drop
جَمادُ الصَفا ما إِن يَبِضُّ بِقَطرَةٍ
وَلَوeven if كانَhe was ذاpossessing زَرّاعَةٍcultivators وَرَقيقِand slaves
وَلَو كانَ ذا زَرّاعَةٍ وَرَقيقِ
Hard and lifeless as smooth rock, he never yields a drop,
A barren rock, he does not ooze a drop,
even if he possessed cultivated lands and slaves.
even if he had cultivators and slaves.
