كِلاَboth جَانِبَيْtwo sides of هَرْشَيHarshā طَرِيقٌa path لسالِكٍfor a traveler
كِلاَ جَانِبَيْ هَرْشَي طَرِيقٌ لسالِكٍ
إذاif لمnot يكنhe is يَرْضَhe accepts مُقاماًa stay علىin ذُلِّhumiliation
إذا لم يكن يَرْضَ مُقاماً على ذُلِّ
Both sides of Harshā offer a path to a traveler,
On either side of Harsha is a road for the traveler
If he will not accept dwelling in humiliation.
If he is not content to stay put in humiliation
فإنfor if كنتُI am مأكولاًdevoured فكُنْthen be خيرَthe best آكِلٍdevourer
فإن كنتُ مأكولاً فكُنْ خيرَ آكِلٍ
ولاand do not تنْتهِبْنِيsnatch me away نِهْبَةَthe snatching of الذئبthe wolf للسَّخْلِof the lamb or kid
ولا تنْتهِبْنِي نِهْبَةَ الذئب للسَّخْلِ
For if I am to be devoured, then be the best of devourers,
Then if I'm to be eaten, be the best of eaters
And do not snatch me away as a wolf snatches a lamb.
And do not plunder me like a wolf plundering a lamb