خادمa servant آمرa commander كفيلresponsible بكتبيfor my letters
خادم آمر كفيل بكتبي
ماnot لهfor him موطنa homeland وإنand even though عاشlives قربيnear me
ما له موطن وإن عاش قربي
A servant, a commander, responsible for my letters,
My obedient servant, adept with my books
he has no homeland, even though he lives near me.
Has no homeland, though he lives close to me
بيعwas sold كالعبدlike a slave حينwhen يختمهhe stamps him
بيع كالعبد حين يختمه
البائعthe seller بالضربwith a blow وهوand he طوعاwillingly يلبيresponds
البائع بالضرب وهو طوعا يلبي
He was sold like a slave when he was stamped
Sold like a slave when his owner
by the seller with a blow, while he willingly responded.
Subdues him with blows and he obediently responds
بتزياapparently: dresses himself بماin what تعددwas varied فيin
بتزيا بما تعدد في
الأزياءstyles of dress والرواياتand the tales عنfrom كلevery صوبdirection
الأزياء والروايات عن كل صوب
He dresses himself in the many varieties of
Adorned with whatever becomes abundant
garb and tales from every quarter.
In fashions and tales from every direction
يمتطيrides astride البحرthe sea والهواءand the air
يمتطي البحر والهواء
كماjust as يركبrides طرقroads الحديدiron بلindeed كلevery ركبcaravan
كما يركب طرق الحديد بل كل ركب
He rides the sea and the air,
He rides the sea and the air
as he rides the roads of iron—indeed, every caravan.
As he rides the railroads, even every mount
حرستهguarded him الجنودthe soldiers أنفسthe most precious ماwhat تحرسthey guard
حرسته الجنود أنفس ما تحرس
رمزاas an emblem لسيدof a sovereign مستتبsecure in power
رمزا لسيد مستتب
Soldiers guarded him as the most precious thing they guard,
Guarded by soldiers as they would guard
an emblem of a sovereign secure in power.
A symbol of the enthroned master
ومئاتand hundreds الأتباعthe followers فيin كلevery صقعregion
ومئات الأتباع في كل صقع
منwhoever يخنهbetrays him يوصمis branded بأقبحwith the foulest ذنبsin
من يخنه يوصم بأقبح ذنب
And hundreds of followers in every region;
And hundreds of followers in every region
whoever betrays him is branded with the foulest sin.
Who betray him are branded with the ugliest guilt
كمhow many مرارtimes قدindeed قبلتهkissed him ثغورlips
كم مرار قد قبلته ثغور
جاءهاcame to them راقصاdancing بقبلاتwith kisses حبlove
جاءها راقصا بقبلات حب
How many times have lips kissed him,
How many times have orifices welcomed him
as he came dancing to them with kisses of love!
As he came dancing with kisses of love
كمhow many مرارtimes جرتflowed لعيهapparently: over him دموعtears
كم مرار جرت لعيه دموع
منfrom شجونsorrows طفحنoverflowed منfrom ذوبmelting قلبa heart
من شجون طفحن من ذوب قلب
How many times have tears flowed over him,
How many times have tears streamed down his cheeks
from sorrows, overflowing from a melting heart!
From the melting sorrows of his heart
كمhow many مرارtimes أهينwas humiliated لعناwith curses وتمزيقاand tearing apart
كم مرار أهين لعنا وتمزيقا
كماjust as جوزيwas repaid المسيحChrist بصلبwith crucifixion
كما جوزي المسيح بصلب
How many times was he humiliated with curses and tearing,
How many times has he been insulted, cursed, and torn apart
as Christ was repaid with crucifixion!
As Christ was punished on the cross
وهوand he ذاكthat one العفيفthe virtuous one لاnot شيءa thing يرضاهhe is pleased with it
وهو ذاك العفيف لا شيء يرضاه
سوىexcept نفعbenefiting غيرهothers besides himself دونwithout كسبprofit
سوى نفع غيره دون كسب
And he is that virtuous one, pleased by nothing
And he is that chaste one, nothing pleases him
but benefiting others, without profit.
Except benefiting others without gain
جابtraversed كلevery الأقطارland لاnot يشتكيcomplains of
جاب كل الأقطار لا يشتكي
الأينweariness وماand has not زالceased بينbetween سلمpeace وحربand war
الأين وما زال بين سلم وحرب
He has traversed every land, never complaining of
He roamed all the lands, not complaining
weariness, and remains between peace and war.
Of where, still between peace and war
ويلاقيand faces الأهوالthe terrors غيرnot هيوبfearful
ويلاقي الأهوال غير هيوب
وبهand through him أرختwere chronicled عظائمgreat events شعبa people
وبه أرخت عظائم شعب
And he faces terrors without fear,
And met horrors without recoiling
and through him a people's great events were chronicled.
And through him the greatness of a people was recorded
وهوand he فيin الحجمsize أصغرthe smallest الناسpeople
وهو في الحجم أصغر الناس
طراwithout exception وهوand he فيin الشأنstanding شامخtowering مثلlike ربa lord
طرا وهو في الشأن شامخ مثل رب
And in size he is the smallest of people,
And he is the smallest of men in size
without exception; yet in standing he towers like a lord.
Lofty and towering like his Lord in status
يتبارىvies والمالwith money فيin قهرهhis subjugation of الخلقhumankind
يتبارى والمال في قهره الخلق
وإنand although كانwas لمhas not يلوثbeen tainted بعيبby a flaw
وإن كان لم يلوث بعيب
He vies with money in subjugating humankind,
He competes with money in subjugating people
though he has not been tainted by a flaw.
Even if he remains untouched by flaws
وهوand he إنif عيبis flawed صارbecomes أعظمgreater
وهو إن عيب صار أعظم
فيin القدرworth وأغلىand dearer فيin عينthe eye كلevery محبadmirer
في القدر وأغلى في عين كل محب
Yet if he is flawed, he becomes greater
And if he acquired a flaw, it became
in worth, and dearer in every admirer's eyes.
Greatest in merit and most precious to every lover
وإذاand when ماتdies لمdoes not يمتdie وتعالىand rises higher
وإذا مات لم يمت وتعالى
شانهhis standing واستحالand becomes كنزاa treasure لصحبfor companions
شانه واستحال كنزا لصحب
And when he dies, he does not die; higher rises
And if he dies, he does not die, and his
his standing, and he becomes a treasure to companions.
Status rises, and he becomes a treasure to companions
Sol 6.1