جُعلتُmay I be made فداكa ransom for you لمdid not أسألI ask
جُعلتُ فداك لم أسأل
كyou ذاكthat الثوبgarment للكفنِfor the shroud
ك ذاك الثوب للكفنِ
May I be your ransom! I did not ask
I offer myself for your sake, I did not ask
you for that garment as a shroud.
For that garment for shrouding
سألتُكَهُI asked you for it لألبسَهso I might wear it
سألتُكَهُ لألبسَه
وروحيand my soul بعدُstill فيin البدنِthe body
وروحي بعدُ في البدنِ
I asked you for it so I might wear it
I asked for it to wear
while my soul is still in my body.
While my soul remains in the body
وقدand indeed طالhas grown long المِطالُthe delay بهover it
وقد طال المِطالُ به
وخفتُand I feared حوادثَmisfortunes الزمنِtime
وخفتُ حوادثَ الزمنِ
And the delay over it has grown long,
And wearing it was prolonged
and I have feared the misfortunes of time.
And I feared the vicissitudes of time
فرأيكso, your judgment فيregarding الحِباءbestowal بهof it
فرأيك في الحِباء به
وليُّكyour devoted friend ياO أخاbrother of المِننِbounties
وليُّك يا أخا المِننِ
So consider bestowing it
So what is your opinion on keeping it
upon your devoted friend, O brother of bounties.
O kindest of the generous
ولاand do not تجلعهmake it (apparent typo) غزْلاًyarn فَرْfled (first part)
ولا تجلعه غزْلاً فَرْ
رَfled (completion) حائكُهits weaver إلىto عَدَنِAden
رَ حائكُه إلى عَدَنِ
And do not leave it as yarn, with
And do not make it into unraveled yarn
its weaver fled to Aden.
Loosen its weaving to Aden
ألاcome now واجعلهand make it ممتثِلاًemulating
ألا واجعله ممتثِلاً
محاسنَbeauties وجهكyour face الحَسَنِhandsome
محاسنَ وجهك الحَسَنِ
Come now, and make it reflect
Rather make it conforming
the beauties of your handsome face:
To the beauty of your handsome face
دقيقاًfine مثلlike فطنتكyour discernment الْwhich (first part)
دقيقاً مثل فطنتك الْ
لتيwhich (completion) دَقَّتْwas too subtle عنfor الفطَنِpowers of discernment
لتي دَقَّتْ عن الفطَنِ
fine as your discernment, which
Delicate like your intuition which
is too subtle for other discerning minds;
Was keen beyond the keen
صفيقاًclosely woven مثلlike رأيكyour judgment إنْindeed (first part)
صفيقاً مثل رأيك إنْ
نَهُit (completes 'indeed it') والحزمُand resolve فيin قَرَنِa shared bond
نَهُ والحزمُ في قَرَنِ
closely woven as your judgment, for
Pure white like your opinion if
it and resolve are bound together;
It and wisdom are in one sheath
نقياًpure مثلlike عرضكyour honor إنْindeed (first part)
نقياً مثل عرضك إنْ
نَindeed (completion) عِرْضكyour honor غيرُnot ذيpossessing دَرَنِa stain
نَ عِرْضك غيرُ ذي دَرَنِ
pure as your honor, for
Spotless like your honor if
your honor is free of stain.
Your honor is without blemish
ولاand do not تحْسِبكthink yourself تَغْبنُهyou undersell it
ولا تحْسِبك تَغْبنُه
كفىis sufficient بالحمدِwith praise منas ثمنِa price
كفى بالحمدِ من ثمنِ
And do not think you are underselling it:
And do not think you lose it
praise is sufficient payment.
Gratitude is enough price
وحسبُكand enough for you إنif بخلتَyou are stingy بهwith it
وحسبُك إن بخلتَ به
بفوْتِthrough forfeiting الحمدpraise منas غَبَنِloss
بفوْتِ الحمد من غَبَنِ
And it is enough for you, if you withhold it,
And it suffices if you begrudge it
as a loss, to forfeit praise.
That you miss gratitude and profit
Sol 6.1