بَثَّhe spread السَقامَsickness مِنَfrom among الحُبشانِthe Abyssinians فيin بَدَنيmy body
بَثَّ السَقامَ مِنَ الحُبشانِ في بَدَني
عَبدٌa slave تَمَلَّكَنيtook possession of me عَبداًas a slave بِلاwithout ثَمَنِa price
عَبدٌ تَمَلَّكَني عَبداً بِلا ثَمَنِ
One of the Abyssinians spread sickness through my body—
a slave who made me his slave, without a price.
ماnot إِنemphatic particle يَمُرُّhe passes بِناby us إِلّاexcept وَتَنظُرُهُand you see him
ما إِن يَمُرُّ بِنا إِلّا وَتَنظُرُهُ
كَأَنَّهُas though he were شامَةٌa beauty mark فيon وَجنَةِthe cheek of الزَمَنِtime
كَأَنَّهُ شامَةٌ في وَجنَةِ الزَمَنِ
He never passes by us but you see him
as though he were a beauty mark on the cheek of time.