هذاthis الصغيرُthe little one الذيwho وافَىarrived علىin كِبَريmy old age
هذا الصغيرُ الذي وافَى على كِبَري
أقَرَّgladdened عينيmy eye ولكنْbut زادَincreased فيin فِكَرِيmy thoughts
أقَرَّ عيني ولكنْ زادَ في فِكَرِي
This little one who arrived in my old age
This little one who has come to me in my old age
Gladdened my eye, yet added to my cares.
Has delighted my eyes, but increased my worries
وافىhe arrived وقدand already أبقتِhad left الأيامُthe days فيin جَسَديmy body
وافى وقد أبقتِ الأيامُ في جَسَدي
ثَلْماًa notch كثلمِlike the notching of اللياليthe nights دارةَthe disc of القمرِthe moon
ثَلْماً كثلمِ الليالي دارةَ القمرِ
He arrived when the days had already left in my body
He came while time had left wounds in my body
A notch like the one nights cut into the moon’s disc.
Like the wounds of nights orbiting the moon
والشيبُand gray hair أردفَfollowed مسودَّاًblack hair بمشتعِلٍwith blazing hair
والشيبُ أردفَ مسودَّاً بمشتعِلٍ
والدهرُand time أعقبَreplaced منصاتاًan upright one بمنأطِرِwith a bent one
والدهرُ أعقبَ منصاتاً بمنأطِرِ
And grayness followed black hair with blazing white,
And grey hair followed, igniting embers
And time replaced an upright figure with a bent one.
While fate followed platforms with steps
سبعٌseven وخمسونَand fifty لوif مرَّتْhad passed علىover حَجَرٍa stone
سبعٌ وخمسونَ لو مرَّتْ على حَجَرٍ
لبانَwould surely have appeared تأثيرُهاtheir effect فيon صفحةِthe face of الحَجَرِthe stone
لبانَ تأثيرُها في صفحةِ الحَجَرِ
Fifty-seven years—had they passed over a stone,
Fifty seven years, if they'd passed on a stone
Their effect would surely have shown on the face of the stone.
Their effect would show on the stone's surface
فزادَso he increased حِرصيmy attachment علىto الدُّنْياthis world وجدَّدَand renewed ليfor me
فزادَ حِرصي على الدُّنْيا وجدَّدَ لي
ضَنّاًstinginess بماليwith my wealth وإِشفاقاًand concern علىfor عُمُريmy life
ضَنّاً بمالي وإِشفاقاً على عُمُري
So he increased my attachment to this world and renewed in me
So my greed for life grew, and it renewed for me
Reluctance to part with my wealth, and concern for my life.
Stinginess with my money and care for my lifespan
أحنُوI care tenderly عليهِfor him وأخشىand I fear أنْthat يعاجلَنِيit may overtake me suddenly
أحنُو عليهِ وأخشى أنْ يعاجلَنِي
يوميmy day of death ولمwhile not yet أَقْضِI have fulfilled منin ترشيحهِpreparing him وطريmy wish
يومي ولم أَقْضِ من ترشيحهِ وطري
I care for him tenderly, and fear being overtaken too soon by
I fret over it, fearing my day will overtake me
My day of death, before I have fulfilled my wish in raising him.
Before I finish grooming him for his path
وأشتهيand I long أنto أراهُsee him وهوwhile he is مقتبِلٌentering
وأشتهي أن أراهُ وهو مقتبِلٌ
غضّtender الشبابِyouth خضيبdyed الوجهthe face بالشَّعَرِwith hair
غضّ الشبابِ خضيب الوجه بالشَّعَرِ
And I long to see him entering
And I desire to see him as a youth
Tender youth, his face tinted with hair,
His face fresh with the grey hair of youth
أحيَىrevived مآثرَthe noble deeds of آبائيmy forefathers وأَشْبَهَهُمْand resembled them
أحيَى مآثرَ آبائي وأَشْبَهَهُمْ
فيin مجدهِمْtheir glory واقتفَىand followed فيin هَدْيهمtheir way of life أثريmy footsteps
في مجدهِمْ واقتفَى في هَدْيهم أثري
Having revived my forefathers’ noble deeds and resembled them
Reviving the glories of my forefathers and resembling them
In their glory, and followed my footsteps in their way of life.
In their glory, following their guiding light
Sol 6.1