صِفُواdescribe ليto me أخلاقَcharacter traits النبيِّthe Prophet محمَّدٍMuhammad
صِفُوا لي أخلاقَ النبيِّ محمَّدٍ
فإنيfor indeed I عليهاfor them اليومَtoday فيin غايةthe utmost الحِرصِeagerness
فإني عليها اليومَ في غاية الحِرصِ
Describe to me the character traits of the Prophet Muhammad,
Describe to me the morals of the Prophet Muhammad
For today I am most eager to know them.
For I am eager for them today to the utmost degree
صفاتٌqualities غدَتhave come to تُربىexceed in number علىover الرَّملthe sand والحَصىand the pebbles
صفاتٌ غدَت تُربى على الرَّمل والحَصى
فمنso who ذاthis one الذيwho يوماًone day لتعدادهاfor enumerating them يُحصىis counted
فمن ذا الذي يوماً لتعدادها يُحصى
Qualities that have come to outnumber the sand and pebbles—
Attributes that have come to be nurtured on sand and pebbles
Who, then, can ever be counted on to enumerate them?
So who is there that could ever enumerate them?
صفاbecame clear خاطريmy mind لماwhen أجدتُI perfected مديحَهُpraise of him
صفا خاطري لما أجدتُ مديحَهُ
وزادand it increased ازدياداًan increase لاnot يؤولleads إلىto نَقصِdecline
وزاد ازدياداً لا يؤول إلى نَقصِ
My mind grew clear when I perfected my praise of him,
My thoughts are purified when I praise him
And it grew ever more, with a growth that never wanes.
And increase evermore without diminishing
صلاةُthe blessing إلهGod الحقِّthe Truth فيin كلِّevery ساعةٍhour
صلاةُ إله الحقِّ في كلِّ ساعةٍ
علىupon خيرِthe best مبعوثmessenger بذاby this الوَصفcharacter مُختَصdistinguished
على خيرِ مبعوث بذا الوَصف مُختَص
May the blessing of the God of Truth, at every hour,
The prayer of the God of Truth in every hour
Rest upon the finest messenger, distinguished by this character.
Upon the best messenger distinguished with this description
صدوقever-truthful إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle قالَhe said قولاًan utterance وجدتهyou found it
صدوق إذا ما قالَ قولاً وجدته
يوافقُagrees with ماwhat قدalready جاءَcame فيin الوحيrevelation بالنَّصin the exact wording
يوافقُ ما قد جاءَ في الوحي بالنَّص
Ever truthful: whenever he spoke a word, you found it
Truthful when he says a word you find it
In exact accord with what had come in revelation.
Aligns with what has come in the revelation verbatim
صنائعُهُhis favors فيat موقفِthe standing-place الحَشرthe Resurrection gathering تُرتَجَسunclear; probably 'are hoped for'
صنائعُهُ في موقفِ الحَشر تُرتَجَس
فسيَّانso alike منهاfrom them منwhoever يُطيعobeys ومنand whoever يعصىdisobeys
فسيَّان منها من يُطيع ومن يعصى
His favors at the Resurrection gathering are hoped for [reading uncertain],
His deeds on the Day of Resurrection will be valued
So in these, the obedient and the disobedient are alike.
So wretched is he who disobeys and felicitous who obeys
صفوحٌforgiving عنtoward الجانيthe offender صبورٌpatient علىin the face of الأذىharm
صفوحٌ عن الجاني صبورٌ على الأذى
إذاwhen خافfeared يوماًone day منwhoever جنىcommitted wrongdoing بأسِthe might مُقتصّan avenger
إذا خاف يوماً من جنى بأسِ مُقتصّ
Forgiving toward the offender, patient in the face of harm,
Forgiving to the sinner, patient with harm
When a wrongdoer one day fears an avenger's might.
When fearing one day the revenge of an adversary
صوارمُهhis keen swords فيin الحربwar قدindeed أفنتannihilated العداthe enemies
صوارمُه في الحرب قد أفنت العدا
فقلso say لمغازيهto his campaigns التيwhich اشتهرتbecame renowned قُصىrecount! (apparently a feminine imperative)
فقل لمغازيه التي اشتهرت قُصى
His keen swords in battle have destroyed the foes,
His swords in war vanquished the enemies
So say to his renowned campaigns: 'Tell your tales!'
So speak of his campaigns that spread far and wide
صديدpus (possibly corrupt for 'chiefs') هلِwhether? (possibly corrupt for 'people of') الشركِpolytheism ذَلتَّunclear; probably 'were humbled' لباسهhis clothing (possibly 'before his might')
صديد هلِ الشركِ ذَلتَّ لباسه
فطوبىso blessedness لمنfor whoever يُدنىis brought near وويلٌand woe لمنfor whoever يقصىis kept away
فطوبى لمن يُدنى وويلٌ لمن يقصى
The polytheists' chiefs were humbled before his might [text uncertain],
The clatter of polytheism wore out its garb
So blessed is whoever is brought near, and woe to whoever is kept away.
So blessed is he who comes near and woe to whom is distanced
صحابتُهhis companions قدindeed شيَّدُواthey built up الدينَthe religion بعدَهُafter him
صحابتُه قد شيَّدُوا الدينَ بعدَهُ
كماjust as شيدُواthey built البُنيانَthe edifice أُتقِنَwas made sound بالجصِّwith plaster
كما شيدُوا البُنيانَ أُتقِنَ بالجصِّ
His companions built up the religion after him,
His companions constructed the religion after him
Just as they built an edifice made sound with plaster.
As they constructed the edifice, perfected with plaster
Sol 6.1