لَقَدindeed; certainly عَلِمَتhas known or recognized يَحيىYahya, the man being praised مُوافِيَةُfaithfully reaching or attaining العُلاthe heights of honor and glory
لَقَد عَلِمَت يَحيى مُوافِيَةُ العُلا
فَضائِلُvirtues and noble qualities آباءٍof forefathers or ancestors تَلَتهاwhich his own virtues followed فَضائِلُهhis virtues and merits
فَضائِلُ آباءٍ تَلَتها فَضائِلُه
Yahya has indeed been known as one who unfailingly attains the heights—
by ancestral virtues, followed in turn by virtues of his own.
فَحازَand so he gained طَريفَthe newly acquired part المَجدِof glory and distinction بَعدَafter, in addition to تَليدِهِhis ancient inherited glory
فَحازَ طَريفَ المَجدِ بَعدَ تَليدِهِ
رَفيعٌlofty and exalted يَطولُhe surpasses in height النَجمَthe star حينَwhen يُطاوِلُهit vies with him in height
رَفيعٌ يَطولُ النَجمَ حينَ يُطاوِلُه
Thus he won glory newly earned, after the glory inherited of old:
lofty, he overtops the star whenever it vies with him.
فَتىa noble young man غُرَّةُthe radiant brow and finest ornament الأَيّامِof the days or times حُسنُthe excellence and beauty صَنيعِهِof his deeds and beneficence
فَتى غُرَّةُ الأَيّامِ حُسنُ صَنيعِهِ
وَتيجانُهاand their crowns and supreme ornaments أَخلاقُهُare his moral qualities وَشَمائِلُهand his noble traits and dispositions
وَتيجانُها أَخلاقُهُ وَشَمائِلُه
A youth whose fair deeds are the radiant brow of the days,
and whose character and noble traits are their crowns.
وَماand he is nothing but هُوَhe إِلّاexcept; none other than المُزنُthe rain-bearing clouds تَصفوare pure and unclouded خِلالُهُhis inner qualities and virtues
وَما هُوَ إِلّا المُزنُ تَصفو خِلالُهُ
وَيَعلوand rises high مُبَوّاهُhis station or dwelling place وَيَبكُرُand comes early هاطِلُهhis pouring rain, symbolizing generosity
وَيَعلو مُبَوّاهُ وَيَبكُرُ هاطِلُه
He is nothing but the rain cloud: pure are his qualities,
high is his station, and early comes his downpour.
وَكَيفَand how could يَبيتُspend the night الجارُthe neighbor under one's protection مِنكَwith you or because of any want from you عَلىin a state of; upon صَدىparching thirst
وَكَيفَ يَبيتُ الجارُ مِنكَ عَلى صَدى
وَكَفُّكَwhen your hand, emblem of generosity بَحرٌis a sea لُجَّةُthe deep or abyss الجودِof generosity ساحِلُهis its shore—so boundless is your giving
وَكَفُّكَ بَحرٌ لُجَّةُ الجودِ ساحِلُه
How could your neighbor pass the night parched with thirst,
when your hand is a sea whose very shore is generosity's abyss?
Sol 5.6