دولةٌa turn of fortune or ascendancy تُرغمُhumbles and mortifies الحسودthe envious person وإنeven though
دولةٌ تُرغمُ الحسود وإن
كانwas; occurred نُهوضيmy rising to prominence فيهاwithin it, that turn of fortune بِجدِّthrough the luck or fortune of عَثُورِone who repeatedly stumbles
كان نُهوضي فيها بِجدِّ عَثُورِ
A turn of fortune that abases the envious, though
A state that forces envy, though
my rise within it came with the luck of one who stumbles.
My rise in it was with true stumbling
فلعمريby my life; I swear لئنif indeed خَصَصَتyou singled out or favored بمعروفِكَwith your kindness and favor
فلعمري لئن خَصَصَت بمعروفِكَ
دونيinstead of me; to my exclusion منsomeone who ليسis not ليa match for me بنظيرِan equal or peer
دوني من ليس لي بنظيرِ
By my life, if you have singled out for your favor,
By my life, if you have singled me out with your favor
instead of me, one who is no match for me,
Beyond those who are not my peers
وتجاوزتَand you overstepped مَوْضِعthe proper bounds or place الرأيof sound judgment
وتجاوزتَ مَوْضِع الرأي
فيin تقديمهadvancing or preferring him وفيand in تأخيريholding me back
في تقديمه وفي تأخيري
and overstepped the bounds of sound judgment
And you went beyond the place of opinion
in advancing him and holding me back—
In putting him forward and delaying me
إنَّindeed وُدِّيmy affection للوُدِّgiven in return for affection لاnot تقدحdamage or impair الأيامُthe passing days
إنَّ وُدِّي للوُدِّ لا تقدح الأيامُ
فيهin it, my affection والدهرُalthough time or fate ذوpossessed of; subject to تغييرِchange
فيه والدهرُ ذو تغييرِ
my affection, given for affection, will not be marred by the days,
Indeed, my love for love, time does not detract
though time is ever subject to change.
From it, and fate is ever-changing
رُبَّmany a عُذْرٍexcuse بسطتُهُI set forth at length لكfor you فيماregarding that in which
رُبَّ عُذْرٍ بسطتُهُ لك فيما
لستَyou are not فيهin it; concerning it لديَّin my judgment بالمعذورexcused or justified
لستَ فيه لديَّ بالمعذور
Many an excuse have I laid before you for a matter
How many excuses I have laid out for you in what
in which, to my mind, you are not excused;
You are not excused by me for
وخبيرٍand many a well-informed man بالحالabout the circumstances عندكat your court or in your service لَبَّسْتُI confused or misled
وخبيرٍ بالحال عندك لَبَّسْتُ
عليهhim about it فعادَso he came away or became غَيرno longer; other than خبيرِknowledgeable or informed
عليه فعادَ غَير خبيرِ
and many a man at your court who knew the circumstances I bewildered
And an expert in the situation with you I have
about them, until he came away knowing nothing.
Clothed in confusion, so he returned unknowing
أتقاضاكI demand or await from you بالمراقبةthrough watchful waiting العُقْبىthe final outcome or recompense
أتقاضاك بالمراقبة العُقْبى
وأرجوand I hope بالصبرthrough patience and endurance عُقْبىthe eventual reward or outcome الصَّبُورِof the steadfastly patient man
وأرجو بالصبر عُقْبى الصَّبُورِ
I await from you, in watchful patience, the final outcome,
Shall I plead with you for requital at the end?
and through endurance I hope for the patient man’s reward.
And hope for the requital of the patient with patience?
ليتَwould that; if only شعريI knew; literally, my knowledge أبالحقيقةwas it to reality and truth that علَّقْتُI fastened or attached
ليتَ شعري أبالحقيقة علَّقْتُ
حبالthe cords or ropes الرجاءof hope أمor بالغرورto delusion or false hope
حبال الرجاء أم بالغرور
Would that I knew: was it to truth that I fastened
I wonder, did I truly attach the ropes of hope
the cords of hope—or to delusion?
Or with delusion?
Sol 5.6