لَيتَwould that الظِباءَthe gazelles أَباAbu (father of) العَمَيثَلِal-ʿAmaythal خَبَّرَتhad told
لَيتَ الظِباءَ أَبا العَمَيثَلِ خَبَّرَت
خَبَراًtidings يُرَوّيslakes صادِياتِthirsting الهامِskulls
خَبَراً يُرَوّي صادِياتِ الهامِ
Would that the gazelles had told Abu al-ʿAmaythal
Tidings to slake the thirst of parched skulls.
إِنَّindeed الأَميرَthe emir إِذاwhen الحَوادِثُcalamities أَظلَمَتbring darkness
إِنَّ الأَميرَ إِذا الحَوادِثُ أَظلَمَت
نورُthe light of الزَمانِthe age وَحِليَةُand the adornment of الإِسلامِIslam
نورُ الزَمانِ وَحِليَةُ الإِسلامِ
Indeed, the emir, when calamities bring darkness,
Is the light of the age and the adornment of Islam.
وَاللَهِby God ماnot يَدريknows بِأَيَّةِin which حالَةٍcondition
وَاللَهِ ما يَدري بِأَيَّةِ حالَةٍ
يَبأىglories مُجاورُهُhis neighbor عَلىover الأَيّامِthe days
يَبأى مُجاورُهُ عَلى الأَيّامِ
By God, one knows not in which condition
His neighbor glories over the days:
أَبِماis it for what يُجامِعُهُjoins him لَدَيهِin his presence مِنَof الغِنىwealth
أَبِما يُجامِعُهُ لَدَيهِ مِنَ الغِنى
أَمor ماwhat يُفارِقُهُleaves him مِنَof الإِعدامِdestitution
أَم ما يُفارِقُهُ مِنَ الإِعدامِ
Is it for the wealth that joins him in his presence,
Or for the destitution that leaves him?
وَأَرىand I see الصَحيفَةَthe page قَدalready عَلَتهاhas come over it فَترَةٌlanguor
وَأَرى الصَحيفَةَ قَد عَلَتها فَترَةٌ
فَتَرَتgrew languid لَهاbecause of it الأَرواحُthe souls فيin الأَجسامِthe bodies
فَتَرَت لَها الأَرواحُ في الأَجسامِ
And I see that languor has come over the page,
Making souls languish within their bodies.
إِنَّindeed الجِيادَfine steeds إِذاwhen عَلَتهاhas come upon them صَنعَةٌskilled care
إِنَّ الجِيادَ إِذا عَلَتها صَنعَةٌ
راقَتdelight ذَويthose endowed with الأَلبابِintellect وَالإِفهامِand understanding
راقَت ذَوي الأَلبابِ وَالإِفهامِ
Indeed, fine steeds, when graced by skilled care,
Delight those endowed with intellect and understanding.
لَتَزَيَّدُsurely gain الأَبصارُthe eyes فيهاin them فُسحَةًscope
لَتَزَيَّدُ الأَبصارُ فيها فُسحَةً
وَتَأَمُّلاًand contemplation بِعِنايَةِthrough the care of القُوّامِthe keepers
وَتَأَمُّلاً بِعِنايَةِ القُوّامِ
The eyes surely find greater scope in them,
And more to contemplate, through their keepers' care.
لَولاwere it not for الأَميرُthe emir وَأَنَّand that حاكِمَthe arbiter of رَأيِهِhis judgment
لَولا الأَميرُ وَأَنَّ حاكِمَ رَأيِهِ
فيin الشِعرِpoetry أَصبَحَhas become أَعدَلَthe fairest of الحُكّامِthe judges
في الشِعرِ أَصبَحَ أَعدَلَ الحُكّامِ
Were it not for the emir, whose judging mind
Has become the fairest of judges in poetry,
لَثَكِلتُI would have been bereaved of آماليmy hopes لَدَيهِwith him بِأَسرِهاall of them
لَثَكِلتُ آمالي لَدَيهِ بِأَسرِها
أَوor كانَwould have been إِنشاديmy recitation خَفيرَthe protector of كَلاميmy words
أَو كانَ إِنشادي خَفيرَ كَلامي
I would have been bereaved of all my hopes in him,
Or my recitation would have been my words' protector.
وَلَخِفتُand I would have feared فيin تَفريقِهِhis separating ماwhat is بَينَناbetween us
وَلَخِفتُ في تَفريقِهِ ما بَينَنا
ماwhat قيلَwas said فيabout عَمرٍوʿAmr وَفيand about الصَمصامِal-Ṣamṣām
ما قيلَ في عَمرٍو وَفي الصَمصامِ
And I would have feared, in his separating us,
What was said of ʿAmr and al-Ṣamṣām.
Sol 6.1