ياO ابنَson of عَمِّthe paternal uncle of النَّبِيِّthe Prophet دَعوَةُa plea شَيخٍan old man
يا ابنَ عَمِّ النَّبِيِّ دَعوَةُ شَيخٍ
قَدalready دَنَاhas drawn near هَدمُthe demolition of دَارِهِhis house وَدَمَارُهand his ruin
قَد دَنَا هَدمُ دَارِهِ وَدَمَارُه
O cousin of the Prophet, hear an old man's plea:
His house's collapse and his ruin have drawn near.
فَهوَso he is كالمَاخِضِlike a woman in labor التيwho اعتَادهاrepeatedly beset her الطَّلlabor pains (first part)
فَهوَ كالمَاخِضِ التي اعتَادها الطَّل
قُcompletion of 'labor pains' فَقَرّتso she grew still وَمَاand not يَقِرُّsettles قَرَارُهhis rest
قُ فَقَرّت وَمَا يَقِرُّ قَرَارُه
He is like a woman in labor, repeatedly beset by birth-
pangs; she grows still, yet he cannot rest.
إنif يَحُرreturns عُسرُهُhis hardship بِكَفَّيكَin your two hands يَوماًone day
إن يَحُر عُسرُهُ بِكَفَّيكَ يَوماً
فَبِكَفَّيكَthen in your two hands عُسرُهhis hardship ويَسَارُهand his prosperity
فَبِكَفَّيكَ عُسرُه ويَسَارُه
If one day his hardship returns to your hands,
then his hardship and prosperity lie in your hands.
أوor تَدَعهُyou leave him إلىto البَوارِruin فَأَنَّىthen how
أو تَدَعهُ إلى البَوارِ فَأَنَّى
ولِماذاand why وأنتَwhile you حيٌّare alive بَوَارُهhis ruin
ولِماذا وأنتَ حيٌّ بَوَارُه
Or if you leave him to ruin, how—
and why—should he perish while you are alive?
هَلdoes يَخَافُfear الهَلاكَdestruction شَاعِرُthe poet of قَومٍa people
هَل يَخَافُ الهَلاكَ شَاعِرُ قَومٍ
قَدُمَتhave grown old فيin مَدِيحِهِمpraise of them أشعَارُهhis poems
قَدُمَت في مَدِيحِهِم أشعَارُه
Does a people's poet fear destruction,
whose poems in their praise are of long standing?
ياO بَنِيsons of وارِثِthe heir of النَّبيِّthe Prophet الذيwho حَلcame to rest (first part)
يا بَنِي وارِثِ النَّبيِّ الذي حَل
لَcompletion of 'came to rest' بِكَفَّيهِin his two hands مَالُهُhis wealth وعقَارُهand his landed property
لَ بِكَفَّيهِ مَالُهُ وعقَارُه
O sons of the Prophet's heir, who received
in his hands his wealth and estates.
لَكُمُyours الأرضُthe earth كُلُّهاall of it فَأَعيرواso lend
لَكُمُ الأرضُ كُلُّها فَأَعيروا
شَيخَكُمyour old man ماwhat حَوَىenclosed عَلَيهِaround it جِدارُهhis wall
شَيخَكُم ما حَوَى عَلَيهِ جِدارُه
The whole earth is yours; so lend
your old man what his wall encloses.
فَكَأَنso it is as though قَدalready مَضَىhe had passed away وخَلَّفَand left behind فِيكُمamong you
فَكَأَن قَد مَضَى وخَلَّفَ فِيكُم
مَاwhat أعَرتُمyou lent وأقفَرَتand became desolate مِنهُwithout him دَارُهhis house
مَا أعَرتُم وأقفَرَت مِنهُ دَارُه
It is as though he had already passed away and left among you
what you lent him, and his house lay deserted without him.
Sol 6.1