أفديكI would ransom you ماwhat اسمٌa name إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle
أفديك ما اسمٌ إذا ما
صحَّفتهyou change its dotting فهوthen it is سَبعُa beast of prey
صحَّفته فهو سَبعُ
May I be your ransom! What word is it that, when
My life for you—what name, when
you alter its dotting, becomes a beast of prey?
you change its dotting, becomes a beast of prey?
وإنand if تُصَحِّفyou change the dotting بعكسِin reverse
وإن تُصَحِّف بعكسِ
ففيهthen in it للقبطfor the Copts شَرعُa religious law
ففيه للقبط شَرعُ
And if you alter its dotting the opposite way,
And if you change the dotting in reverse,
therein lies a religious rite for the Copts?
it contains a religious law for the Copts.
والاسمُand the name يُعربُspeaks عماof what
والاسمُ يُعربُ عما
لديهit has رثيٌّfresh milk mixed with sour milk وشبعُand satiety
لديه رثيٌّ وشبعُ
The word makes plain what
And the name tells of what
it holds: something threadbare, and fullness.
it holds: mixed fresh and sour milk, and satiety.
فيamong النحلthe bees يلفىit is found ولكنbut
في النحل يلفى ولكن
لاnot يتّقىis feared فيهin it لسعُa sting
لا يتّقى فيه لسعُ
It is found among the bees, and yet
It is found among bees, but
no sting need be feared in it.
no sting is feared in it.
فهاكهso take it قدalready تبدَّىhas become apparent
فهاكه قد تبدَّى
لحجبهof its veils عنهfrom it رَفعُa lifting
لحجبه عنه رَفعُ
So there, take it—now it stands revealed,
So take it: now apparent
because the veil concealing it has been lifted away.
is the lifting of its veils from it.
