Detailed Exegesis

Their fish (ḥūtahumā): The root “ḥūt” originally indicates agitation and deception (zawghān). The large fish is called ḥūt from this root because it is always agitated and in motion.(41) The phrase “ḥāwatanī fulān” means “he deceived me like a fish in water” (rāwaghanī murāwaghat al-ḥūt).(42)(40)

Path (saraban): “Sarb” means path, and “khalli sarbahu” means “clear the path for him”.(43) “Takhliyat al-sarb” or “takhliyat al-sarab”, which is used in reference to the Hajj pilgrimage, means the openness and security of the path, which is one of the conditions of capability (istiṭāʿa sabīlī).(44) Sarab can also mean to travel or journey.(45)

Our morning meal (ghadāʾanā): “Ghadāʾ” is food eaten during the day (morning meal or breakfast), as opposed to “ʿashāʾ” which is eaten at night (evening meal). “Al-ghudwa” and “al-ghadāt” mean early day, in contrast to “al-aṣīl” which means early night.(46) In Persian, morning meal (chāsht) is food eaten around ten in the morning.

Fatigue (naṣaban): “Naṣab” means tiredness and weakness.(47) Some have said that “naṣab”, “waṣab”, and “taʿab” are similar, meaning the weariness that comes to a person from great effort.(48)