يَاOخَلِيلِيmy friend,
O my friend,
حَفِظْتُI keptفِيregardingالْكَلْبِthe dogشَيْئاًsomething
I kept regarding the dog something...
قُلْتُI spokeفِيinالذَّمِّblame,
I spoke in blame,
قَالَhe saidلِيto me,عَظُمَgreat isشَأْنُthe status
he said to me, great is the status
قَالَHe saidلِيto me,خُذْtakeأَخِيmy brother,
He said to me, take my brother,
فَأَظْهِرْand revealمَقَالاًan essay
and reveal an essay
قَدْthat hasحَوَىcontainedفِيهِwithin itمِنْofظَرِيفِsubtleالْمَعَانِيmeanings
that has contained within it of subtle meanings
فِيinمَدِيحِpraise ofالْكَلْبِthe dog
in praise of the dog
مَعَalong withذَمِّblamingقَوْمٍa people,
along with blaming a people,
فَأَرَانِيso he showed meالْعِيَانَthe realityقَبْلَbeforeالْعِيَانِthe actual seeing
so he showed me the reality before the actual seeing
قَالَHe said,إِنِّيindeed Iأَرَاهُsee himأَوْفَىmore fulfilling ofذِمَاماًcovenant
He said, indeed I see him more fulfilling of covenant
مِنْthanكَثِيرٍmanyعَرَفْتُI knewفِيamongالْإِخْوَانِthe brothers
than many I knew among the brothers
وَأَمِينٌAnd trustworthyالْمَغِيبِin absenceيُلْقِيhe presentsبِوَجْهٍwith one face
And trustworthy in absence, he presents with one face
وَلِقَوْمٍwhile for a peopleمِنَfromالْوَرَىmankindوَجْهَانِare two faces
while for a people from mankind are two faces
شَاكِراًgratefulلِلْقَلِيلِfor the littleغَيْرَnotكَفُورٍungrateful
Grateful for the little, not ungrateful
وَكَفُورُwhile the ungratefulness ofالْكَثِيرِthe muchلِلْخِلَّانِtowards friends is known
while the ungratefulness of the much towards friends is known
حَارِساًguardingفِيinالْحَرِيمِthe sanctuaryيَمْنَعُpreventingفِيinاللَّيْلِthe night
Guarding in the sanctuary, preventing in the night
عَنِfromالْقَوْمِthe peopleسَاهِرَwith sleeplessالْأَجْفَانِeyelids
from the people, with sleepless eyelids
مِثْلُLikeلَيْثِthe lion ofالْعَرِينِthe lairتَلْقَاهُyou find himلَمَّاwhen
Like the lion of the lair, you find him when
حَلَّdescendedفِيintoجَوْفِthe midst ofجَيْشِهِhis armyشِبْلَانِtwo lion cubs
descended into the midst of his army two lion cubs
عَارِفٌcognizantبِالْجَمِيلِof kindnessيُغْضِيlowering his gazeحَيَاءًout of modesty
Cognizant of kindness, lowering his gaze out of modesty
حِينَwhenتَلْقَاهُyou meet himلِلْفَتَىfor the youthعَيْنَانِare two eyes
when you meet him, for the youth are two eyes
صَابِرٌPatientمَانِعٌprotectiveحَفُوظٌkeeping secretsأَلُوفٌaffectionate
Patient, protective, keeping secrets, affectionate
دَافِعٌdefendingمَانِعٌpreventing harmبِغَيْرِwithoutامْتِنَانِbestowing favors arrogantly
Defending, preventing harm without bestowing favors arrogantly