ياO أخيmy brother نعمةNi‘ma (a name) شكرتكَhas thanked you نُعمَىa blessing
يا أخي نعمة شكرتكَ نُعمَى
تُسعدgladdens الموسرينَthe prosperous والمعدَميناand the destitute
تُسعد الموسرينَ والمعدَمينا
O my brother Ni‘ma, a blessing has thanked you,
Oh brother, I thanked you for your blessing
one that gladdens the prosperous and the destitute.
That brings joy to the wealthy and the destitute
أخرستنيsilenced me الهمومثthe cares (apparently الهموم) وهيand they are ضوارbeasts of prey
أخرستني الهمومث وهي ضوار
ناهشاتٍgnawing قلباًa heart وفياًloyal طعيناwounded
ناهشاتٍ قلباً وفياً طعينا
Cares have silenced me; they are beasts of prey,
Worries made me speechless, they are vicious
gnawing at a loyal, wounded heart.
Gnawing at a sincere and faithful heart
علمَknows اللهُGod لستُI do not أنساكI forget you عمريall my life
علمَ اللهُ لستُ أنساك عمري
كيفhow أنسىI forget الضياءَthe radiance والياسميناand the jasmine
كيف أنسى الضياءَ والياسمينا
God knows I shall never forget you while I live.
God knows I will never forget you in my life
How could I forget the radiance and the jasmine?
How can I forget the light and the jasmine
كلماwhenever سَقسقتchirped يراعتيَmy reed pen الحرَّthe fevered… (part of الحرّى)
كلما سَقسقت يراعتيَ الحرَّ
ىcompletion of الحرّى: fevered أرادَwanted الشقاءُmisery ألاّthat … not تُبيناًit speak clearly
ى أرادَ الشقاءُ ألاّ تُبيناً
Whenever my fevered reed pen chirped,
Whenever my flock bleated, misfortune wanted
misery wished that it would not speak clearly.
To show nothing but distress
ليتنيif only I كنتُI was فيin جواركَyour vicinity صدَّاsinging… (part of صدّاحاً)
ليتني كنتُ في جواركَ صدَّا
حاًcompletion of صدّاحاً: singing بماof what صُغتهُyou fashioned it هُدىَguidance الملهميناthe inspired ones
حاً بما صُغتهُ هُدىَ الملهمينا
Would that I were beside you, singing
I wish I was near you, echoing
of what you have fashioned as guidance for the inspired.
What the inspired recited as guidance
ليتنيif only I ليتنيif only I فإنِّىfor indeed I فيin الهمِّsorrow
ليتني ليتني فإنِّى في الهمِّ
رفيقُa companion الآلامِthe pains دَيناًdebt وديناand faith
رفيقُ الآلامِ دَيناً ودينا
Would that I were, would that I were! For in sorrow I am
I wish, I wish, for I am amid worries
pain’s companion, in debt and faith.
A friend of sorrows, indebted and owing
وبوسعيand within my power لوif أننيthat I غيرُother than منthe one whom تyou… (apparent start of تعرف)
وبوسعي لو أنني غيرُ من ت
رفُ…know (apparent remainder of تعرف) أنto أرتقىِI rise المحلَّthe position الأميناsecure
رفُ أن أرتقىِ المحلَّ الأمينا
And I could, were I other than the one you
And I could, if I were not known
know, rise to a secure position.
To rise to the trusted place
لستُI do not أشكوI complain وإنand even if شكوُتI complained لأرضىَso that I may accept
لستُ أشكو وإن شكوُت لأرضىَ
فيin حياةthe life الجبانِthe coward موتاًa death مَهيناhumiliating
في حياة الجبانِ موتاً مَهينا
I do not complain—even if I have complained—to accept
I do not complain, and if I complained, it is to satisfy
a humiliating death in a coward’s life.
In the life of a coward, a humiliating death
لستُI do not أرضىI accept سوىexcept الكفاحstruggle شعاراًas a watchword
لستُ أرضى سوى الكفاح شعاراً
بعدَafter ماthat حُكِّمَwere given authority الزعانفُthe riffraff فيناover us
بعدَ ما حُكِّمَ الزعانفُ فينا
I accept no watchword but struggle,
I only accept struggle as my motto
after the riffraff were given authority over us.
After the sharks ruled over us
نِعمَhow good غَبنىِmy unfair loss إنif كانit is براًkindness بقوميtoward my people
نِعمَ غَبنىِ إن كان براً بقومي
منwhoever يعشlives للأنامِfor humankind عاشَlives غبيناَwronged
من يعش للأنامِ عاشَ غبيناَ
My loss is welcome, if it does good to my people;
Blessed is my loss, if it is righteous to my people
whoever lives for humankind lives wronged.
Whoever lives for the people, lives misguided
Sol 6.1