لاdo not تَسأَلِask الضَيفَthe guest إِنif أَطعَمتَهُyou have fed him ظُهُراًat noon
لا تَسأَلِ الضَيفَ إِن أَطعَمتَهُ ظُهُراً
بِاللَيلِat night هَلdo …? لَكَfor you فيfor بَعضِsome of القِرىfood offered to a guest أَرَبُa desire
بِاللَيلِ هَل لَكَ في بَعضِ القِرى أَرَبُ
Do not ask the guest, if you have fed him at noon,
at night, “Would you care for some food?”
فَإِنَّfor indeed ذَلِكَthat مِنamong قَولٍwords يُلَقِّنُهُprompts him to say
فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِن قَولٍ يُلَقِّنُهُ
لاnot أَشتَهيI crave الزادَthe food وَهوَwhile he is الساغِبُfamished الحَرِبُdestitute
لا أَشتَهي الزادَ وَهوَ الساغِبُ الحَرِبُ
For that is the kind of talk that prompts him to say,
“I do not crave food,” though he is famished and destitute.
قَدِّمserve لَهُto him ماwhatever تَأَتّىis available لاdo not تُؤامِرُهُconsult him
قَدِّم لَهُ ما تَأَتّى لا تُؤامِرُهُ
فيهِabout it وَلَوeven if أَنَّهُit is الطُرثوثُturthuth (an edible desert plant) وَالصَرَبُand sour milk
فيهِ وَلَو أَنَّهُ الطُرثوثُ وَالصَرَبُ
Serve him whatever is available; do not consult him
about it, even if it is turthuth and sour milk.