رَثَّت حَواشي يوسُفٍ بَعدَما

رَثَّت حَواشي يوسُفٍ بَعدَما

قَد كانَ في جدَّتِهِ يوسُفا

قَد كانَ في جدَّتِهِ يوسُفا

Yusuf’s edges grew threadbare after

The women of Joseph mourned after

he had been, in his freshness, a Yusuf.

He had been Joseph in his grandfather.

صُبحٌ تَناهى اللَيلُ في ظُلمِهِ

صُبحٌ تَناهى اللَيلُ في ظُلمِهِ

وَلَو رَآهُ مَنصِفاً أَنصَفا

وَلَو رَآهُ مَنصِفاً أَنصَفا

A dawn—night went to extremes in wronging him;

Morning approaches and night ends in its darkness,

and had it looked at him impartially, it would have done him justice.

And had an impartial person seen him, he would have been impartial.

قَد كانَ جَمراً خَدُّهُ فَالتَحى

قَد كانَ جَمراً خَدُّهُ فَالتَحى

فَصارَ كَالجَمرِ إِذا ما اِنطَفا

فَصارَ كَالجَمرِ إِذا ما اِنطَفا

His cheek had been an ember; then he grew a beard,

His cheek had been a live coal and it came together,

so it became like an ember once extinguished.

And it became like embers when they are extinguished.