أياO فاضلاًworthy man يبديshows الصفاءsincere goodwill تكرماًout of generosity
أيا فاضلاً يبدي الصفاء تكرماً
فيذكوso it grows fragrant لهfor him منّاfrom us الثناءpraise ويُحمدُand he is praised
فيذكو له منّا الثناء ويُحمدُ
O worthy man who shows sincere goodwill out of generosity,
O virtuous one whose kindness shows sincerity
Thus our praise of him grows fragrant, and he is lauded.
For him our praise rings out, his deeds extolled
بناin us ظمأٌa thirst برحٌagonizing لنشقfor inhaling رويحةٍa little fragrance
بنا ظمأٌ برحٌ لنشق رويحةٍ
تشمتgloats بعرفover the fragrance of الطيبperfume والحالand the circumstances يشهدbear witness
تشمت بعرف الطيب والحال يشهد
We have an agonizing thirst to inhale a little fragrance
Within us thirsts a soul for a gentle breeze
That gloats over perfume’s scent—and the circumstances bear witness.
That breathes the scent of goodness, as we're told
وماand not ذاكthat إِلاexcept جزءa volume of تاريخthe history of أحمدAhmad
وما ذاك إِلا جزء تاريخ أحمد
هوhe المقّريُّal-Maqqarī الحبرthe learned scholar والعودand a return أحمدُmore praiseworthy
هو المقّريُّ الحبر والعود أحمدُ
And that is nothing but a volume of Ahmad’s history:
And this but part of Ahmad's history
He is al-Maqqarī, the learned scholar—and a return is more praiseworthy.
Al-Muqaddam the sage, Ahmad of the oud
Sol 6.1