أَبلِغtell أَباAbu الدَردامِal-Dardam إِنif لاقَيتَهُyou meet him
أَبلِغ أَبا الدَردامِ إِن لاقَيتَهُ
بِالرَقَّةِin al-Raqqa البَيضاءِthe white أَوor حَرّانِHarran
بِالرَقَّةِ البَيضاءِ أَو حَرّانِ
Tell Abu al-Dardam, if you meet him
Deliver a message to Abul-Darda, if you meet him
in white al-Raqqa or Harran:
In Raqqa the white or in Harrân,
الدَهرَalways ماتَنفَكُّyou never cease تَندُبُlamenting وُجنَةًa cheek
الدَهرَ ماتَنفَكُّ تَندُبُ وُجنَةً
دَرَسَتhas faded وَخَدّاand a cheek مُنهَجَworn away العِرفانِrecognition
دَرَسَت وَخَدّا مُنهَجَ العِرفانِ
All your life you never cease lamenting a cheek
Time does not cease to mourn a cheek
that has faded, and a cheek worn beyond recognition.
Whose bloom has faded and the path of wisdom declined,
وَتَرىand you see الجَلالَةَdignity لِلصِغارِto the young وَإِنَّماyet only
وَتَرى الجَلالَةَ لِلصِغارِ وَإِنَّما
أَوصىentrusted الإِلَهُGod بِهاit إِلىto الشيخانِthe old men
أَوصى الإِلَهُ بِها إِلى الشيخانِ
And you think dignity belongs to the young, yet only
And you see majesty is for the small, though
to old men did God entrust it.
God only charged it to the two elders,
هَلquestion marker تُفلِحَنَّyou will surely prosper وَكَيفَand how تُفلِحُprospers لِحيَةٌa beard
هَل تُفلِحَنَّ وَكَيفَ تُفلِحُ لِحيَةٌ
جُعِلَتwere entrusted حَوائِجُهاits needs إِلىto الصِبيانِthe boys
جُعِلَت حَوائِجُها إِلى الصِبيانِ
Will you ever prosper? And how can a beard prosper
Can they succeed, and how can a beard succeed
whose needs have been entrusted to boys?
When its needs are left to boys?
Sol 6.1