أحسنْDo good كعادتكas is your custom الحُسنىgracious أباO father of حسنHasan
أحسنْ كعادتك الحُسنى أبا حسن
لخادمto a servant لكof yours فيin نعماكyour bounty مرتهنِheld in pledge
لخادم لك في نعماك مرتهنِ
Do good, as is your gracious custom, Abu Hasan,
Do as is your excellent custom, Abu Hasan
to a servant of yours, bound by your bounty.
For a servant indebted to your favors
ضعِbestow الصنيعةَthe favor عنديwith me وهوand it is مَوضِعهاits proper place
ضعِ الصنيعةَ عندي وهو مَوضِعها
وعتضْand take recompense بهاin return for it منfrom ثنائيmy praise غيرrather than ماany (emphatic) ثمنِpayment
وعتضْ بها من ثنائي غير ما ثمنِ
Bestow your favor on me—here is its rightful place;
Place this poem where it belongs
and take my praise in return for it, rather than any payment.
And take from my praise what is not its price
فأنتfor you أولىmost deserving بماof what نفديهwe ransom him with منof مِدحٍpraise
فأنت أولى بما نفديه من مِدحٍ
إذsince كنتyou have been أهلاًworthy بماthrough what تسديهyou bestow منof مننِfavors
إذ كنت أهلاً بما تسديه من مننِ
For you are worthiest of the praise we offer as ransom,
For you are most deserving of what I offer in praise
since you have proved worthy through the favors you bestow.
Since you were worthy of the gifts you bestowed
قُولاsay, you two لباغيto the seeker of الغنىwealth بالسّعيthrough striving عُدّتهhis means
قُولا لباغي الغنى بالسّعي عُدّته
فيon البرّland والبحرand sea سيرُtravel of العيسpale camels والسُّفنِand ships
في البرّ والبحر سيرُ العيس والسُّفنِ
Say, you two, to the seeker of riches through toil, whose means
Say to the seeker of wealth through toil
on land and sea are journeys by pale camels and ships:
On land and sea, the journeys of ships
مَهلاًwait كفاهsuffices him الورىhumankind طراًaltogether أباAbu (father of) عُمرٍUmar
مَهلاً كفاه الورى طراً أبا عُمرٍ
وحسبهand enough for him سَمَدSamad منin place of سائرall other المدنِcities
وحسبه سَمَد من سائر المدنِ
Wait! Abu Umar suffices him in place of all mankind,
Enough! The world has sufficed, Abu Umar
and Samad is enough for him in place of all other cities.
He is content with the rest of the cities
إذاwhen بداappears لكto you ذهلٌDhuhl وهوwhile he is مبتسمٌsmiling
إذا بدا لك ذهلٌ وهو مبتسمٌ
نلتyou attained الغنىwealth وكأنand as though الفقرpoverty لمdid not يكنexist
نلت الغنى وكأن الفقر لم يكن
When Dhuhl appears before you, smiling,
If you see him confused yet smiling
you gain wealth, and it is as though poverty had never existed.
You attain wealth as if poverty never was
أوor شِمتَyou glimpsed بارفهhis lightning (uncertain reading) منfrom صوبthe direction of غٌرّتهhis radiant brow
أو شِمتَ بارفه من صوب غٌرّته
صادفتَyou encountered دَرّabundant flow الحياrain منfrom عارضa cloud هننِpouring (uncertain reading)
صادفتَ دَرّ الحيا من عارض هننِ
Or if you glimpse his lightning from the direction of his radiant brow,
Or you sneer at the softness of his jealousy
you find rain's abundant flow from a pouring cloud.
You come across the pearl of life from the bend of bliss
ياO آلhouse of نبهانNabhan صانmay preserve اللهGod مجدكُمyour glory
يا آل نبهان صان الله مجدكُم
فيin عزّةhonor وكفاكمand may He spare you سطوةthe onslaught of الزّمنِtime
في عزّة وكفاكم سطوة الزّمنِ
O house of Nabhan, may God preserve your glory
O House of Nubahan, may God protect your glory
in honor, and shield you from Time's onslaught.
In might and suffice you against the tyranny of time
أَصبتُI found للشعرfor poetry وجهاًa direction فيin مديحكمُpraising you
أَصبتُ للشعر وجهاً في مديحكمُ
أولىworthier منthan النَّعتdescription للأظعانof departing caravans والدّمنِand deserted campsite traces
أولى من النَّعت للأظعان والدّمنِ
I have found in praising you a theme for poetry
I have set my poetry on praising you
worthier than descriptions of departing caravans and deserted campsites.
More fitting than describing rhinoceroses and lizards
زيادةsuperiority الفَضْلِmerit للأزدfor the Azd الكرامthe noble غدتhas become
زيادة الفَضْلِ للأزد الكرام غدت
معلومةًknown ويمينand the right hand المجدof glory لليمنbelongs to Yemen
معلومةً ويمين المجد لليمن
The noble Azd's superiority in merit has become
The increase of excellence to the generous Azd
well known, and glory's right hand belongs to Yemen.
Has become known, and the right hand of glory belongs to Yemen
Sol 6.1