وأسودَ اللَّون وافانا وقد جنحتْ

وأسودَ اللَّون وافانا وقد جنحتْ

شمسُ الأصيل فوافى وافدُ الظُّلمِ

شمسُ الأصيل فوافى وافدُ الظُّلمِ

And a black-complexioned man came to us as it was already sinking—

The dusk had already settled in when the one with the black complexion came upon us.

the late-afternoon sun; thus came a visitor of darkness.

The sun of nobility had set, and the visitor of darkness arrived.

فقلتُ منْ وابنُ من هذا فإنَّ لهُ

فقلتُ منْ وابنُ من هذا فإنَّ لهُ

عقلاً وعقلُ الفتى من أشرف الشّيَم

عقلاً وعقلُ الفتى من أشرف الشّيَم

So I said, “Who is this, and whose son? For he has

I asked: whose son is this? For he possesses intellect -

intelligence, and a young man's intelligence is among the noblest traits.”

and a young man's intellect is one of the noblest traits.

فقيلَ ذا ابنُ أبي قيراطَ من ذهبٍ

فقيلَ ذا ابنُ أبي قيراطَ من ذهبٍ

فقلتُ بل هو مثقالٌ من الفحم

فقلتُ بل هو مثقالٌ من الفحم

Then it was said, “This is Ibn Abi Qirat, made of gold.”

It was said: This is the son of Abu Quirat made of gold.

So I said, “Rather, he is a mithqal of coal.”

I said: No, he is but a weighed out piece of charcoal.