سَقَىmay water الوَسْمِيُّthe first autumn rain وَجْهَthe face of أبيAbu (father of) عَليِّAli
سَقَى الوَسْمِيُّ وَجْهَ أبي عَليِّ
وعَاقرَand may linger at دَارَهُhis home صَوْبُthe downpour of الوَلِيِّthe following rain
وعَاقرَ دَارَهُ صَوْبُ الوَلِيِّ
May the first autumn rain water Abu Ali's face,
And may the downpour of following rain linger at his home.
ولاand may never بَرِحَتْcease رِيَاحُthe winds of البِشْرِgladness تَسْرِيblow
ولا بَرِحَتْ رِيَاحُ البِشْرِ تَسْرِي
إِليهِto him بالغَدَاةِin the morning وبالعَشِيِّand in the evening
إِليهِ بالغَدَاةِ وبالعَشِيِّ
And may the winds of gladness never cease to blow
To him, in the morning and the evening.
فَتَىًa young man ماnot زِلْتُI have ceased أدْعُوهُI call him وَلِيّاًa friend
فَتَىً ما زِلْتُ أدْعُوهُ وَلِيّاً
حمِيماًa close companion عِندَat the time of خذْلانِthe desertion of الوَلِيِّthe friend
حمِيماً عِندَ خذْلانِ الوَلِيِّ
A young man I have always called a friend,
A close companion when a friend forsakes me.
حَمَلْتُI charged بِهِwith his aid علَىagainst الأيَّامِthe days حَتَّىuntil
حَمَلْتُ بِهِ علَى الأيَّامِ حَتَّى
أَرَانِيhe showed me طَاعَةَthe obedience of الدَّهْرِTime العَصِيِّrebellious
أَرَانِي طَاعَةَ الدَّهْرِ العَصِيِّ
With his aid I charged against the days, until
He showed me the obedience of rebellious Time.
وكَانَand it had أَشَابَturned gray نَاصِيَتِيmy forelock ولكِنْand yet
وكَانَ أَشَابَ نَاصِيَتِي ولكِنْ
رَآهُit saw him فَرَدَّso it restored لِيto me سِنَّthe age of الصَّبِيِّa boy
رَآهُ فَرَدَّ لِي سِنَّ الصَّبِيِّ
And Time had grayed my forelock, but
On seeing him, it gave me back my boyhood.
هَلِdo ...? الأيَّامُthe days مُؤْذِنَةٌforetelling بِضَرْبيmy pitching
هَلِ الأيَّامُ مُؤْذِنَةٌ بِضَرْبي
خِبَايَmy tent بِذلِكَin that الكَنَفِshelter الوَطِيِّgentle
خِبَايَ بِذلِكَ الكَنَفِ الوَطِيِّ
Do the days foretell that I shall pitch
My tent in that gentle refuge,
وممتِعَتِيand granting me joy بِغُرَّتِهِin his radiant face التيwhich مَنْwhoever
وممتِعَتِي بِغُرَّتِهِ التي مَنْ
رَآهَاsees it فَازَwins بالحَظِّfortune السَّنِيّsplendid
رَآهَا فَازَ بالحَظِّ السَّنِيّ
And grant me joy in his radiant face? Whoever
Sees it wins splendid fortune.
وماand not الأَمَدُthe distance الذيthat قَدْalready حَالَhas intervened بَينِيbetween me
وما الأَمَدُ الذي قَدْ حَالَ بَينِي
وبَينَand between حِمَاهُhis refuge بالأَمَدِa distance القَصِيِّfar-off
وبَينَ حِمَاهُ بالأَمَدِ القَصِيِّ
And the distance that has come between me
And his refuge is not so great
فَيُحوِجُنِيso it would compel me لإجْرَاءِto set galloping المذَاكِيfull-grown steeds
فَيُحوِجُنِي لإجْرَاءِ المذَاكِي
إِليهِto him لاnor لإعْمَالto put to work المَطِيِّthe riding camels
إِليهِ لا لإعْمَال المَطِيِّ
As to force me to gallop steeds in their prime
To him, nor to urge the riding camels.
ولكِنِّيand yet I مُنِيْتُhave been afflicted بِدَهْرِwith an age of سُوءٍevil
ولكِنِّي مُنِيْتُ بِدَهْرِ سُوءٍ
لَهُit has حُكْمُthe rule of الضَّعِيفِthe weak علَىover القَوِيِّthe strong
لَهُ حُكْمُ الضَّعِيفِ علَى القَوِيِّ
But I have been afflicted with an evil age,
In which the weak hold sway over the strong.
ولَمَّاand since لَمْdid not أَزُرْI visit نَادِيهِhis assembly عَجْزاًout of inability
ولَمَّا لَمْ أَزُرْ نَادِيهِ عَجْزاً
بَعَثْتُI sent لَهُto him بِزَهرِblossoms of الرَّازِقِيّjasmine
بَعَثْتُ لَهُ بِزَهرِ الرَّازِقِيّ
And since I was unable to visit his assembly,
I sent him jasmine blossoms.
بَعَثْتُI sent بِهِit لِخِدْمتِهِto serve him لَعَلِّيin the hope that I
بَعَثْتُ بِهِ لِخِدْمتِهِ لَعَلِّي
أَرَاهُI see him بأعْيُنِthrough the eyes of الزَّهْرِthe blossoms الجَنِيِّfreshly picked
أَرَاهُ بأعْيُنِ الزَّهْرِ الجَنِيِّ
I sent them to serve him, hoping that I
Might see him through the eyes of freshly picked blossoms.
Sol 6.1