ماءَناour water (apparently a misprint for 'I am not') بِالواغِلِas an uninvited drinking-guest يَوماًever عَلىamong الthe (continued next line)
ماءَنا بِالواغِلِ يَوماً عَلى ال
شَربِdrinkers وَلاnor مِثليone like me بِالوارِشِas an uninvited meal-guest
شَربِ وَلا مِثلي بِالوارِشِ
[I am not] ever an uninvited guest among the
drinkers, nor is one like me an uninvited guest at a meal.
أَعرِشُI roof over الجَفرَthe broad, unlined well وَلاand not النَخلَthe date palms فيin الدُنthe world (word continues next line)
أَعرِشُ الجَفرَ وَلا النَخلَ في الدُن
ياfinal fragment of 'world' وَماand not تَبقىendures يَدُhand العارِشِthe roof-builder
يا وَما تَبقى يَدُ العارِشِ
I roof over the broad well, not the date palms, in the
world; and the roof-builder's hand does not endure.
لَستُI am not نَسيباًa kinsman لِقُرَيشٍto Quraysh وَلاnor
لَستُ نَسيباً لِقُرَيشٍ وَلا
أَتبَعُI follow إِثرَthe footsteps of الرَجُلِthe man القارِشِthe wealth-gatherer
أَتبَعُ إِثرَ الرَجُلِ القارِشِ
I am no kinsman of Quraysh, nor
do I follow in the footsteps of the man who amasses wealth.
وَالنَسلُand offspring فَرشٌbedding لِهُمومِfor the cares of الفَتىthe young man
وَالنَسلُ فَرشٌ لِهُمومِ الفَتى
وَالعَقلُand reason مَسلوبٌstripped away مِنَfrom الفارِشِthe bed-spreader
وَالعَقلُ مَسلوبٌ مِنَ الفارِشِ
And offspring are bedding for a young man's cares,
and reason is stripped from the one who spreads it.
لَولاwere it not for أَبوthe father of الضَبِّthe spiny-tailed lizard وَأَجدادُهُand his ancestors
لَولا أَبو الضَبِّ وَأَجدادُهُ
لَمnot يَرتَقِبanticipate كَيداًa ruse مِنَfrom الحارِشِthe lizard-hunter
لَم يَرتَقِب كَيداً مِنَ الحارِشِ
Were it not for the lizard's father and his ancestors,
it would not anticipate a ruse from the lizard-hunter.
فَاِجعَلso make حِذائيmy footwear خَشَباًwood إِنَّنيfor I
فَاِجعَل حِذائي خَشَباً إِنَّني
أُريدُI wish إِبقاءًsparing عَلىtoward الدارِشِthe black leather
أُريدُ إِبقاءً عَلى الدارِشِ
So make my footwear of wood, for I
wish to spare the black leather.
كانَit was أَديماًa hide لِمَجَسِّto the touch of الأَذىpain
كانَ أَديماً لِمَجَسِّ الأَذى
يَلتَمِسُseeking الرِزقَsustenance مَعَalongside الجارِشِthe earner
يَلتَمِسُ الرِزقَ مَعَ الجارِشِ
It was once a hide exposed to pain's touch,
seeking sustenance alongside the earner.