كَتومٌone who keeps secrets لِأَسرارِwith the secrets of الخَليلِthe close friend أَمينُهاtheir trusted guardian
كَتومٌ لِأَسرارِ الخَليلِ أَمينُها
يَرىhe considers أَنَّthat بَثَّdivulging السِرِّthe secret قاصِمَةُa breaker of الظَهرِthe back
يَرى أَنَّ بَثَّ السِرِّ قاصِمَةُ الظَهرِ
Close-mouthed with a friend’s secrets, their faithful keeper,
He keeps his close friend's secrets, their trusted guardian.
he holds that revealing a secret is a back-breaking blow.
He considers divulging a secret a back-breaking blow.
وَقَدand indeed ضَمَرَتshe has grown lean حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though وَضينَهاher woven saddle-girth
وَقَد ضَمَرَت حَتّى كَأَنَّ وَضينَها
وِشاحُa sash عَروسٍa bride جالَmoved about مِنهاof hers عَلىon خَصرِa waist
وِشاحُ عَروسٍ جالَ مِنها عَلى خَصرِ
And she has grown lean, until her woven girth seems
And she has grown so lean that her woven saddle-girth seems
a bride’s sash hanging loose about her waist.
a bride's sash, moving about her waist.
