وَلَئِيمٍand a base fellow جِئْتُهُI came to him فيwith حَاجَةٍa need
وَلَئِيمٍ جِئْتُهُ في حَاجَةٍ
فَتْأَمَّىthen he feigned ignorance (uncertain form) وَتَأَبَّىand refused وَتَمَرْدَكْand grew insolent
فَتْأَمَّى وَتَأَبَّى وَتَمَرْدَكْ
I went to a base fellow with a need;
And a base fellow I approached with a request—
he stalled, refused, and grew defiant.
Then he feigned ignorance, refused, and grew insolent.
وَدَعَاليand he prayed for me أَنَاme (emphatic) جَهْراًaloud وَهُوَand it لَوْif
وَدَعَالي أَنَا جَهْراً وَهُوَ لَوْ
كانَwas سِرَّاًin secret قُلْتُI would have said سِرّاًin secret أَنتَyou وَحْدَكْyou alone
كانَ سِرَّاً قُلْتُ سِرّاً أَنتَ وَحْدَكْ
He prayed for me aloud—though, had it
And for me he prayed aloud; and had that prayer
been private, I’d have whispered, “You—and you alone.”
Been secret, I would have said in secret, 'You alone.'
قَالَhe said لاnot أَحْوَجَكَmake you need اللَّهُGod إلىto
قَالَ لا أَحْوَجَكَ اللَّهُ إلى
سِفْلَةٍbase people قُلْتُI said لهُto him آمِينَamen بَعْدَكْafter you
سِفْلَةٍ قُلْتُ لهُ آمِينَ بَعْدَكْ
He said, “May God never leave you in need of
He said, 'May God never make you need
a lowlife.” I told him, “Amen—after you.”
Base people.' I said to him, 'Amen—after you.'
