أمَّاas for الخطيرُal-Khatir فجُبَّةٌthen a robe وعِمَامَةٌand a turban
أمَّا الخطيرُ فجُبَّةٌ وعِمَامَةٌ
ومنازلٌand houses مرفوعةُraised الآساسِthe foundations
ومنازلٌ مرفوعةُ الآساسِ
As for al-Khatir, he is a robe and a turban,
And houses whose foundations are raised high.
وإِذاand when رجعتَyou turn إِلىto الكرامِthe generous فطاعِمٌthen one who eats
وإِذا رجعتَ إِلى الكرامِ فطاعِمٌ
ماamid بينَamong أهلِpeople of المكرُماتِnoble deeds وكاسيand one who wears clothes
ما بينَ أهلِ المكرُماتِ وكاسي
And when you turn to the generous, he is merely one who eats,
Among men of noble deeds, and one who wears clothes.
ولهand he has لدَيَّwith me صنائِعٌkindnesses مشكورةٌworthy of thanks
وله لدَيَّ صنائِعٌ مشكورةٌ
أبداًforever أصيحُI cry aloud بذكرِهاin mention of them فيamong الناسِthe people
أبداً أصيحُ بذكرِها في الناسِ
And he has done me kindnesses worthy of thanks,
Which I forever proclaim aloud among the people.
لمdid not يرضَaccept ليfor me ذُلَّthe humiliation of المطامعِcravings فانثنَىso he turned
لم يرضَ لي ذُلَّ المطامعِ فانثنَى
نحويtoward me يُطارِدُنِيpursuing me بعزِّwith the dignity of الياسِdespair
نحوي يُطارِدُنِي بعزِّ الياسِ
He would not have me suffer the humiliation of craving, so he turned
Toward me, pursuing me with the dignity of despair.
بارتْwent unsold عليَّon my hands بضائِعيmy wares فكأنَّنِيso it is as though I were
بارتْ عليَّ بضائِعي فكأنَّنِي
مستبضِعٌone consigning goods طِيباًperfume إِلىto كَنَّاسِa sweeper
مستبضِعٌ طِيباً إِلى كَنَّاسِ
My wares lay unsold on my hands, so it is as though I were
Consigning perfume to a sweeper.