ربmany a; often introducing recollection of a memorable day يومday قدindeed; marking the completed action قطعناwe spent (the day); the verb before its object suffix
رب يوم قد قطعنا
هit, completing قطعناه: “we spent it” حديثاًin conversation وعتاباand tender reproach
ه حديثاً وعتابا
Many a day we spent
O Lord, one day we cut off
in conversation and tender reproach.
Our talk and reproach
وجمعناand we brought together بينbetween; here, together خمريthe beginning of خمرين, “two wines”
وجمعنا بين خمري
نthe dual ending completing خمرين: “two wines” مداماًwine ورضاباand saliva, figuratively the beloved’s second wine
ن مداماً ورضابا
We brought together two wines:
And brought together between our wine
wine and the beloved’s saliva.
A sip and pleasure
وشفيناand we quenched غلةburning thirst or yearning النفسthe soul’s
وشفينا غلة النفس
دنواًthrough drawing near واقتراباand close approach
دنواً واقترابا
We quenched the soul’s burning thirst
And healed the bitterness of the soul
through nearness and close approach.
Gradually and through closeness
وترشفتand I sipped at علىwith; in the state of شوthe first part of شوق, “longing”
وترشفت على شو
قthe final letter completing شوق: “longing” ثناياهhis incisors or front teeth العذاباthe sweet or pleasant ones, describing his incisors
ق ثناياه العذابا
And, in longing, I sipped at
And tasted on the cup's rim
his sweet incisors.
The torment of its punishment
وسألناand we asked for ذلكthat الشيthe first part of الشيء, “the thing”
وسألنا ذلك الشي
ءthe final letter completing الشيء: “the thing” جهاراًopenly; aloud فأجاباso he answered
ء جهاراً فأجابا
We asked for that thing
And asked openly for that thing
openly, and he answered.
And it was granted
ورحلناand we journeyed or departed نطلبseeking السthe beginning of السيد, “the master”
ورحلنا نطلب الس
يدthe ending completing السيد: “the master” والقرمand the magnanimous lord or chieftain اللباباthe choice or purest one
يد والقرم اللبابا
We journeyed in search of the master,
And we traveled seeking the Master
the magnanimous lord, the choicest of men.
And the wise fabric
فرأيناthen we saw or beheld العزglory and honor والثرand the beginning of الثروة, “wealth”
فرأينا العز والثر
وةthe ending completing الثروة: “wealth” والبحرand the sea والعباباand the surging, abundant flood
وة والبحر والعبابا
There we beheld glory and wealth,
And we saw honor and wealth
the sea and its surging flood.
And the sea and floods
ورأيناand we saw or beheld أفضلthe best الناthe beginning of الناس, “the people”
ورأينا أفضل النا
سthe final letter completing الناس: “the people” وأحلاهمand the sweetest or most pleasing of them خطاباin speech or address
س وأحلاهم خطابا
And we beheld the best of people,
And we saw the best of people
and the sweetest of them in speech—
And the most eloquent of speech
يقظاًalert and watchful يدركhe grasps or perceives بالفطthe beginning of بالفطنة, “through discernment”
يقظاً يدرك بالفط
نةthe ending completing بالفطنة: “through discernment or insight” ماwhat; that which فاتpassed or escaped notice وغاباand became absent or slipped from sight
نة ما فات وغابا
ever alert, discerning through insight
Awake, grasping with intellect
what had passed and slipped from sight.
What is missed and gone
هذبتهit refined him; here, refined by it فطنةdiscernment or cultivated intelligence العلthe beginning of العلم, “learning or knowledge”
هذبته فطنة العل
مthe final letter completing العلم: “learning or knowledge” فماand so he does not يخشىfear معاباa cause for blame or reproach
م فما يخشى معابا
Refined by the discernment of learning,
Refined by the intellect of knowledge
he fears no cause for blame.
So he fears no blame
عرفhe knew or recognized اللذةthe delight للبذthe beginning of للبذل, “in giving”
عرف اللذة للبذ
لthe final letter completing للبذل: “in generosity or giving” فأعطىso he gave وأثاباand rewarded
ل فأعطى وأثابا
He knew that delight lies in giving,
He knew pleasure for the worthless
so he gave and rewarded.
So he gave and rewarded
وإذاand when ماan emphatic particle reinforcing the condition كرمis noble or generous الأصthe beginning of الأصل, “the stock, root, or lineage”
وإذا ما كرم الأص
لthe final letter completing الأصل: “the stock, root, or lineage” زكاthrives, grows, or becomes pure الفرعthe branch or descendant وطاباand flourishes or becomes good
ل زكا الفرع وطابا
When the stock is noble,
And if the origin is generous
the branch thrives and flourishes.
The branch thrives and is good
Sol 5.6