أقولI say وقدand already جئناwe came إلىto الوجهal-Wajh (literally, the face) جمعناour whole company
أقول وقد جئنا إلى الوجه جمعنا
عطاشاthirsty وكلand each one خابwas disappointed فيهin it رجاؤهhis hope
عطاشا وكل خاب فيه رجاؤه
I say, now that we have all come to al-Wajh,
I say, as we come to the spring, we gather,
thirsty, and each one's hope has failed there:
Thirsty, and all hopes in it are dashed.
إذاwhen قلdwindles ماءwater الوجهthe face قلdwindles حياؤهits modesty
إذا قل ماء الوجه قل حياؤه
ولاand no خيرgood فيin وجهa face إذاwhen قلdwindles ماؤهits water
ولا خير في وجه إذا قل ماؤه
When the face's water dwindles, its modesty dwindles;
If the water of the spring is little, its life is little,
and there is no good in a face when its water dwindles.
And there is no good in a spring if its water is scarce.