ألاَListen! قُلْtell لأحفَىto the most attentive of النَّاسِpeople بِيtoward me وأَبَرَّهمْand the kindest of them
ألاَ قُلْ لأحفَى النَّاسِ بِي وأَبَرَّهمْ
وأَرغَبهمْand the most eager of them فِيماfor what لَدَيَّI have منof الشُّكْرِgratitude
وأَرغَبهمْ فِيما لَدَيَّ من الشُّكْرِ
Listen: tell the one most attentive to me and kindest of all,
Tell my most faithful friend, most generous
and most eager for the gratitude I have to offer,
And most eager to thank me for favors done—
أخِيthe possessor of الخُلُقِdisposition السَّهلِgentle الذيwhich لَوif أجَالَهُhe spread it
أخِي الخُلُقِ السَّهلِ الذي لَو أجَالَهُ
عَلَىover الدَّهرِTime لَمْwould not يَشْكُcomplain امرُؤٌanyone قَسْوَةَharshness of الدَّهْرِTime
عَلَى الدَّهرِ لَمْ يَشْكُ امرُؤٌ قَسْوَةَ الدَّهْرِ
the man of gentle disposition—were he to spread it
My gentle brother whose soft nature, if
over Time, no one would complain of Time’s harshness;
Prolonged through Time, would see no cruelty there;
وذِيand the possessor of الغُرَرِillustrious deeds البِيضِwhite التيwhich لَوif أفَاضَهَاhe poured them forth
وذِي الغُرَرِ البِيضِ التي لَو أفَاضَهَا
علَىover اللَّيلِthe night لاستغَنَىit would have no need عنof الأَنجُمِthe stars الزُّهْرِshining
علَى اللَّيلِ لاستغَنَى عن الأَنجُمِ الزُّهْرِ
and bearer of radiant white deeds—were he to pour them
My innocent friend whose bounty, if allowed
over the night, it would need no shining stars;
To flow all night, would rival the starry sky;
ومُبتكِرِand the pioneer of المَعْروفِkindness إنْif جَاءَcomes غَيرُهُsomeone other than him
ومُبتكِرِ المَعْروفِ إنْ جَاءَ غَيرُهُ
بِعُونِwith oft-repeated الأيَاديfavors جَاءَhe comes بالفِعْلَةِwith a deed البِكْرِvirgin; unprecedented
بِعُونِ الأيَادي جَاءَ بالفِعْلَةِ البِكْرِ
and pioneer of kindness: if another comes
My early benefactor, who, though others come
with oft-repeated favors, he comes with a virgin deed:
With helping hands, was first to render aid;
لَكَfor you الخَيرُgoodness بَيْتٌa house أقْفَرَتْhave become empty حُجُراتُهُits rooms
لَكَ الخَيرُ بَيْتٌ أقْفَرَتْ حُجُراتُهُ
منof التَّمْرِdates يَستهدِيكَasks you for a gift شَيئاًsomething منof التَّمْرِdates
من التَّمْرِ يَستهدِيكَ شَيئاً من التَّمْرِ
May good be yours! A house whose rooms lie empty
Yours is the good—a house made empty of dates
of dates asks you for a gift of some dates.
That it may beg of you a few spare dates.
فَبَادِرْso hasten بِهِwith it فالوَقْتُfor the season كَادَalmost لِقُرْبِهِbecause of its nearness
فَبَادِرْ بِهِ فالوَقْتُ كَادَ لِقُرْبِهِ
يُريكَshows you عَلَىupon قِنْوانِهِits date clusters يَانِعَripe البسْرِfirm, ripening dates
يُريكَ عَلَى قِنْوانِهِ يَانِعَ البسْرِ
So hasten with it: the season is so near it almost
So hasten ere the time, which verges on
shows you ripe, firm dates upon its clusters.
Ripeness, shows empty baskets, O fair-faced one.
Sol 6.1