لِيَحيىbelonging to Yahya فَمٌa mouth لَوif عُلِّقَwere hung المِسكُmusk فَوقَهُabove it
لِيَحيى فَمٌ لَو عُلِّقَ المِسكُ فَوقَهُ
لَأَصلَحَهُit would improve it وَالضِدُّand one opposite يُصلِحُهُremedies it الضِدُّthe opposite
لَأَصلَحَهُ وَالضِدُّ يُصلِحُهُ الضِدُّ
Yahya has a mouth: if musk were hung above it,
A mouth to live, would it have musk hung over it
It would improve it; one opposite remedies the other.
It would repair it, and opposites each other opposites repair
تَرىyou see صَحبَهُhis companions الحُضّارَthose present مِنbecause of نَتنِthe stench ريحِهِhis breath
تَرى صَحبَهُ الحُضّارَ مِن نَتنِ ريحِهِ
كَأَنَّهُمُas though they were مِنfrom طولِthe long duration ماthat اِلتَثَمواthey veiled their faces مُردُbeardless
كَأَنَّهُمُ مِن طولِ ما اِلتَثَموا مُردُ
Because of his foul breath, you see his companions in attendance
You see his friends, civilised, from the stench of his breath
As though they were beardless, so long have they kept their faces veiled.
As though from long drinking his saliva they have become sick