أحسنfiner منْthan وصفِdescribing ديارِthe dwellings of الطائفِTa'if
أحسن منْ وصفِ ديارِ الطائفِ
ومنand than خليطٍa band of companions سارَtraveled فيthrough مَتالِفِplaces of peril
ومن خليطٍ سارَ في مَتالِفِ
Finer than describing the dwellings of Ta'if,
Better than describing the land of Taif
And than a band of companions who traveled through places of peril,
And from a blend that flowed in harmony
ومنand than كئيبٍa sorrowful man للطيورِfrom birds عائفٍtaking omens
ومن كئيبٍ للطيورِ عائفٍ
مرْأىthe sight of بديعِexquisite هذهthese القطائفِqatayif (stuffed pancakes)
مرْأى بديعِ هذه القطائفِ
And than a sorrowful man taking omens from birds,
And from a sorrowful one to the birds circling
Is the sight of these exquisite qatayif.
Is the view of the beautiful motifs
كأنّهاas though they فيin عينِthe eye of كلِّevery واصفِdescriber
كأنّها في عينِ كلِّ واصفِ
قدalready صُوِّرَتْhad been fashioned منfrom أبيضِwhite المَناشِفِtowels
قد صُوِّرَتْ من أبيضِ المَناشِفِ
As though, in every describer's eyes,
As if in the eye of every describer
They had been fashioned from white towels,
It was pictured from the whitest towels
وحُشيَتْand were stuffed حشوَwith the stuffing of خبيرٍan expert عارفِknowledgeable
وحُشيَتْ حشوَ خبيرٍ عارفِ
وجادَهاand showered them عارضُa rain cloud of حُلْوٍsweetness واكِفِdripping
وجادَها عارضُ حُلْوٍ واكِفِ
And stuffed as a knowledgeable expert would,
And stuffed with the stuffing of a knowledgeable connoisseur
And a cloud of dripping sweetness had showered them—
And its prominent one is sweet and sufficient
أحلىsweeter منthan الأمانِsafety عندَto الخائفِthe fearful
أحلى من الأمانِ عندَ الخائفِ
قدalready قُدِّمَتْwere served لسادةٍto lords غَطارِفِnoble
قد قُدِّمَتْ لسادةٍ غَطارِفِ
Sweeter than safety to the fearful.
Sweeter than safety for the fearful
They have been served to noble lords,
It was presented to the generous masters
كلٌّeach one علىto السؤددِnoble eminence جدُّutterly عاكفِdevoted
كلٌّ على السؤددِ جدُّ عاكفِ
قلsay لأبيto Abu العباسِal-Abbas ذيpossessor of المعارفِlearning
قل لأبي العباسِ ذي المعارفِ
Each utterly devoted to noble eminence.
Each is focused on the best hospitality
Say to Abu al-Abbas, a man of learning:
Tell Abu Al-Abbas the one of knowledge
قدindeed جئتَyou have come بالنعماءِwith blessings فيin ترادُفِsuccession
قد جئتَ بالنعماءِ في ترادُفِ
وجُدْتَand you gave generously فيin القادمِwhat is coming مثلَlike السالفِwhat came before
وجُدْتَ في القادمِ مثلَ السالفِ
You have brought blessings one after another,
You have come with blessings in succession
And been generous in what comes, as in what came before.
And you were found in the newcomer like the predecessor
لولاكwere it not for you ياO مُحْييreviver of فؤاديmy heart التالِفِperishing
لولاك يا مُحْيي فؤادي التالِفِ
ضيعتُI would have squandered فيهاon them تالِديmy inherited wealth وطارِفيand my newly acquired wealth
ضيعتُ فيها تالِدي وطارِفي
Were it not for you, O reviver of my perishing heart,
If not for you, O reviver of my harmonious soul
I would have squandered on them my inherited and newly acquired wealth.
I would have lost in it my bloom and finery
Sol 6.1