سلاماًgreetings علىto الإخوانthe brethren حلّواthey arrived بقريتيin my village
سلاماً على الإخوان حلّوا بقريتي
وفوداًas delegations بأوفىwith the most faithful ذمةpledge ويمينِand oath
وفوداً بأوفى ذمة ويمينِ
Greetings of peace to the brothers who came to stay in my village,
Greetings to the brethren who came to my village,
arriving as delegations under the truest covenant and oath.
as delegations, with the truest pledge and oath.
وسقياًand a blessing of rain لساعاتfor hours هيthey are الدهرtime كلهall of it
وسقياً لساعات هي الدهر كله
وأحسنand the finest أحلاميmy dreams وخيرand the best ديونيmy debts
وأحسن أحلامي وخير ديوني
May those hours be watered with blessing—they were all of eternity,
And may rain bless those hours—they are all of time,
the loveliest of my dreams and the best of my debts.
and the finest of my dreams and the best of my debts.
أيجمعdoes ... gather? حيّيmy neighborhood كلَّall أهليmy kin وجيرتيand my neighbors
أيجمع حيّي كلَّ أهلي وجيرتي
وسائرand the rest of أحبابيmy loved ones ولمand did not يجدونيthey find me
وسائر أحبابي ولم يجدوني
Does my neighborhood gather all my family and neighbors,
Does my neighborhood gather all my kin and neighbors,
and all my other loved ones, yet fail to find me?
and the rest of my loved ones, though they have not found me?
وهلand did ذكرونيthey remembered me عندat شملٍa gathering مؤلفٍreunited
وهل ذكروني عند شملٍ مؤلفٍ
وهلand did سألواthey asked عنabout علتيmy illness وشجونيand my sorrows
وهل سألوا عن علتي وشجوني
Did they remember me when the scattered company was reunited?
And did they remember me when their company was reunited?
Did they ask about my illness and my sorrows?
And did they ask about my illness and my sorrows?
وإنيand I indeed موفِّيgiving in full كلَّevery خلٍّfriend نصيبَهُhis share
وإني موفِّي كلَّ خلٍّ نصيبَهُ
وإنand even if يَسْلُhe forgets عَنّيabout me منof هوىlove وحنينand longing
وإن يَسْلُ عَنّي من هوى وحنين
I shall give every friend his full share,
And I indeed give every friend his full share,
even if he forgets me, of love and longing.
of love and longing, even if he forgets me.
وكانand was شفائيmy cure أنto أراهمI see them مسلماًoffering greetings
وكان شفائي أن أراهم مسلماً
سلامa greeting التلاقيreunion والوادعand farewell (apparent transposition) لحينfor a time
سلام التلاقي والوادع لحين
My cure was to see them, offering them
And my cure was to see them, offering
the greeting of reunion—and of one taking leave for a while.
the greeting of reunion and farewell for a time.
ولوand if أننيthat I كنتI was السجينthe prisoner لكانthen there would have been ليfor me
ولو أنني كنت السجين لكان لي
إليهمto them منfrom الأيامthe days عذرan excuse سجينa prisoner
إليهم من الأيام عذر سجين
Had I been a prisoner, I would have had,
And had I been a prisoner, I would have had
in their eyes, from fate, a prisoner's excuse.
a prisoner's excuse to offer them, given by fate.
ولوand if أنهمthat they فيin نأيهمtheir remoteness هانwould have weighed less أمرهمtheir conduct
ولو أنهم في نأيهم هان أمرهم
ولكنهمand yet they كانواthey were أمامbefore عيونيmy eyes
ولكنهم كانوا أمام عيوني
Had their distance made their concern weigh lightly upon me—
And had they been far away, their conduct would have been easier to bear,
but they were always before my eyes.
but they were before my eyes.
وماand did not افتقدmissed الداعيthe host ضحىat midmorning اليومtoday جارهhis neighbor
وما افتقد الداعي ضحى اليوم جاره
ولاnor سألasked المدعوُّthe invited guest أينwhere قرينيmy companion
ولا سأل المدعوُّ أين قريني
The host did not miss his neighbor this morning,
And the host did not miss his neighbor this morning,
nor did the invited guest ask, “Where is my companion?”
nor did the guest ask, 'Where is my companion?'
وهلand did سرهpleased him تكريمهhis being honored فيat محافلgatherings
وهل سره تكريمه في محافل
خلتwere empty منof رسالاتيmy messages وطيبand the sweetness فنونيmy arts
خلت من رسالاتي وطيب فنوني
Did being honored at gatherings delight him
And did it please him to be honored at gatherings
when they were empty of my messages and the sweetness of my art?
empty of my messages and the sweetness of my arts?
إذاif ضاعis lost قدريmy worth عندin the estimation of جاريmy neighbor وصاحبيand my friend
إذا ضاع قدري عند جاري وصاحبي
فهلthen can أناI فيin هندIndia أراهI see it وصينand China
فهل أنا في هند أراه وصين
If my worth goes unrecognized by my neighbor and my friend,
If my worth is lost on my neighbor and my friend,
shall I see it recognized in India and China?
then can I find it in India and China?
Sol 6.1