ياO صاحبيَّmy two friends دعانيleave me (you two) منfrom دجىdarkness الجدلdisputation
يا صاحبيَّ دعاني من دجى الجدل
فذاfor this لودكماto your affection (you two) منamong أكبرthe greatest العللthe ailments
فذا لودكما من أكبر العلل
O my two friends, spare me the darkness of disputation.
My friend called me from the darkness of dispute
For this is one of the gravest maladies afflicting your friendship.
So here I am, despite the great perils
واقبلاand turn (you two) بيwith me إلىtoward بحثan inquiry يكونthere may be لناfor us
واقبلا بي إلى بحث يكون لنا
ذكرrenown بهthrough it بينamong أهلthe people of العلمlearning كالمثلlike a proverb
ذكر به بين أهل العلم كالمثل
And turn with me toward an inquiry, so that we may have
Let us embark on a quest that will make for us
Renown through it among the learned, like a byword.
A reputation among the scholars, like a parable
أناI المتيمthe love-struck one فيin خودa youthful maiden العلومthe sciences إذاwhile
أنا المتيم في خود العلوم إذا
سوايsomeone other than me قدindeed تيمتهshe enthralled him ربةthe lady of الحجلthe anklets
سواي قد تيمته ربة الحجل
I am enthralled by the maiden of the sciences, while
I thirst for knowledge, if anyone but me
Another has been enthralled by the lady of the anklets.
Yearns for it, then the virgin of the valley does too
ياO صاحبيّmy two friends أجيباanswer (you two) ماwhatever بداoccurred لكماto you two
يا صاحبيّ أجيبا ما بدا لكما
عنconcerning سائلa questioner ضلwas lost عنهfrom him واضحclear السبلthe paths
عن سائل ضل عنه واضح السبل
O my two friends, give whatever answer occurs to you
My friend, let us answer what seemed good to you both
Regarding a questioner whom the clear path eludes.
About a questioner who lost his clear path
أضعتI squandered شرخthe bloom of شبابيmy youth فالمرادso the aim إذاًthen
أضعت شرخ شبابي فالمراد إذاً
أإدراكis it to catch up? ماwhat فاتنيescaped me فيin الأعصرthe times الأُولearlier
أإدراك ما فاتني في الأعصر الأُول
I squandered the bloom of my youth; so my aim, then—
I wasted my youth, so now I intend
Is it to catch up on what I missed in earlier times?
To gain what eluded me in early times
سلكتI pursued فيin النحوgrammar أعواماًfor years احصلهI acquire it
سلكت في النحو أعواماً احصله
فماyet not حصلتI obtained علىupon صابbitter sap ولاnor عسلhoney
فما حصلت على صاب ولا عسل
I pursued grammar for years, seeking to master it,
I studied grammar for years to master it
Yet I obtained neither bitter sap nor honey.
Yet I gained neither honey nor butter
والآنand now قصديmy aim طريقa path لستفيديهاto benefit from it (unclear form)
والآن قصدي طريق لستفيديها
فيin النحوgrammar برهةa span of عامa year منتهىthe utmost of أمليmy hope
في النحو برهة عام منتهى أملي
And now I seek a path from which to benefit
And now my aim is a path from which I might benefit
In grammar within a year's span—the utmost of my hope.
To learn grammar in a year, the limit of my hope
Sol 6.1