إذاif كنتI am لوجهيfor my face صائناa guardian
إذا كنت لوجهي صائنا
وحقّand is rightfully due ليto me بالصونwith safeguarding واديهits valley
وحقّ لي بالصون واديه
If I safeguard my face,
If my face were veiled,
and its valley rightly merits my protection,
And keeping it so were my duty,
وصارand becomes available ليto me كسرةa piece خبزbread وماand whatever
وصار لي كسرة خبز وما
تقربcomes within reach منof ملحsalt يدانيهis near it
تقرب من ملح يدانيه
and I have a piece of bread and whatever
If I had but a morsel of bread,
salt comes within reach to go with it,
With no salt to season my pittance,
وكنتand I am فيin أمنsafety وفيand in صحّةgood health
وكنت في أمن وفي صحّة
عليّupon me ثوبa garment ليmine أزجّيهI make it last
عليّ ثوب لي أزجّيه
and I am safe and in good health,
If safe and sound I abode,
with a garment of mine upon me that I make last,
In a robe I could wrap about me,
وليand I have خيوطthreads ومعيand with me إبرةٌa needle
ولي خيوط ومعي إبرةٌ
أرُمّهI mend it ثمّthen أداريهI take care of it
أرُمّه ثمّ أداريه
and I have threads and a needle with me,
With thread and needle in hand
I mend it, then take care of it;
To sew and to mend as I please,
وكانand there is منof جنسيmy kind معيwith me صاحبٌa companion
وكان من جنسي معي صاحبٌ
أرضىI am content بهwith him ثمّتthen أرضيهI please him
أرضى به ثمّت أرضيه
and I have a companion of my own kind,
And a friend of like mind was with me,
with whom I am content, and whom I then please,
Whose company gave me delight -
جلستI sit فيin الجامعthe congregational mosque مستروحاtaking my ease
جلست في الجامع مستروحا
واندفعand passes اليومthe day بماwith whatever فيهis in it
واندفع اليوم بما فيه
I sit in the mosque, taking my ease,
Then content in the mosque I would dwell,
and the day passes with all it holds.
Letting pass, unregretted, the day.