لاdo not تَمتَدِحْهpraise him فَإِنَّfor indeed الشحَّavarice شيمَتُهُhis character
لا تَمتَدِحْه فَإِنَّ الشحَّ شيمَتُهُ
وَالبخلُand miserliness طَبعٌan innate disposition لَهof his فيthroughout الدّهرِtime لمdid not يَجُدِgive generously
وَالبخلُ طَبعٌ لَه في الدّهرِ لم يَجُدِ
Do not praise him, for avarice is his very nature;
Do not praise him, for avarice is his character.
stinginess is ingrained in him—never in all time has he been generous.
And miserliness is his nature; in all his days he has never given generously.
لَقَدindeed رَأىhe regarded مادراًMadir فيamong النَّاسِpeople ذاpossessed of سَرفٍextravagance
لَقَد رَأى مادراً في النَّاسِ ذا سَرفٍ
وَظَنّهُand thought him حاتَماًHatim فيin بَذلِbestowing كلّevery يَدِfavor
وَظَنّهُ حاتَماً في بَذلِ كلّ يَدِ
He once saw among the people a eulogist, prodigal in praise,
Indeed, he regarded Madir as a spendthrift among men,
and took him for Ḥātim, lavishing every bounty.
And thought him Hatim in bestowing every favor.
لوif يَملِكُhe owned المَاءَthe water ماتَwould die النّاسُpeople مِنof عَطَشٍthirst
لو يَملِكُ المَاءَ ماتَ النّاسُ مِن عَطَشٍ
لَوif يَملِكُhe owned القوتَthe food أَفنىhe would wipe out كُلَّevery ذيpossessor of كَبِدِa liver
لَو يَملِكُ القوتَ أَفنى كُلَّ ذي كَبِدِ
Were the water his, people would die of thirst;
If he owned the water, people would die of thirst.
were food his, he would make every living creature perish.
If he owned the food, he would wipe out every creature with a liver.
لَوif كانَhe were أَرضاًland لَكانَتthen it would be غَيرَnot منبتةproducing vegetation
لَو كانَ أَرضاً لَكانَت غَيرَ منبتة
لَوif كانَhe were شَمساًa sun لَماthen it would not بانَتshine علىupon أَحدِanyone
لَو كانَ شَمساً لَما بانَت على أَحدِ
Were he the earth, it would be barren;
If he were land, it would be barren.
were he the sun, it would appear to no one.
If he were a sun, it would shine on no one.
