لاdo not تَعجَبواmarvel مِنat بَلىwearing-out غِلالتهhis thin tunic
لا تَعجَبوا مِن بَلى غِلالته
قَدalready زرّwas buttoned كِتانهاits linen عَلىaround القَمرthe moon
قَد زرّ كِتانها عَلى القَمر
Do not marvel at the wearing-out of his tunic;
Do not wonder at the tatters of his garment,
its linen has been buttoned around the moon.
Its linen has been worn down upon the moon.
ياO مَنyou who حَكىresembled الماءwater فَرطextreme degree رقتهhis softness
يا مَن حَكى الماء فَرط رقته
وَقَلبهand his heart فيin قَساوةhardness الحَجَرstone
وَقَلبه في قَساوة الحَجَر
O you whose extreme softness resembles water,
O you who related the water's flowing gentleness,
yet whose heart has the hardness of stone!
And inverted it into the harshness of stone!
ياO قَمَراًmoon ثَوبَهُhis garment وَرامقهand his beholder
يا قَمَراً ثَوبَهُ وَرامقه
مِنهُfrom him حذارfor fear of البَلىdecay عَلىin خَطَرdanger
مِنهُ حذار البَلى عَلى خَطَر
O moon, whose garment and beholder
O moon! Your robe and your visage -
are imperiled by you, fearing decay!
Beware of tatters hanging by a thread!
ياoh لَيتَif only حَظيmy share كَحَظlike the share ثَوبكyour garment مِنof
يا لَيتَ حَظي كَحَظ ثَوبك مِن
جسمكyour body ياO واحِداًunique one مِنَamong البَشَرhumankind
جسمك يا واحِداً مِنَ البَشَر
If only my share were like your garment’s share of
If only my fortune were like your garment's
your body, O unique one among humankind!
Against your body, O singular among men!