ياO ثقةThiqat (trusted one) الدولةal-Dawla (the state) المفدىone for whom ransom is offered
يا ثقة الدولة المفدى
سحبclouds ندىbounty; dew راحتيكyour two palms تهميpour down
سحب ندى راحتيك تهمي
O dearly cherished Thiqat al-Dawla,
O pillar of the saved state
the clouds of your palms’ bounty pour down.
The mist of your comfort draws me in
ياO منyou who لديهwith him وجدتI found جوداgenerosity
يا من لديه وجدت جودا
بالبعضwith some منهof it عدمتI lost عدميmy want
بالبعض منه عدمت عدمي
O you with whom I found generosity,
O you in whom I found generosity
with some of it I banished my want.
With some of it you completed my deficiencies
طالبpetition كريمKarim (generous) الدينal-Din (the faith) المرجىthe one hoped for
طالب كريم الدين المرجى
روحbring relief أباAbu (father of) طالبTalib برسميwith my stipend
روح أبا طالب برسمي
Petition the hoped-for Karim al-Din;
Seeker of the hoped religion
bring Abu Talib relief with my stipend.
Spirit of Abi Talib is my identity
فهوfor he حييbashful وماand not أراهI consider him
فهو حيي وما أراه
فديتهI would ransom him يستحلdeems lawful ظلميwronging me
فديته يستحل ظلمي
For he is bashful, and I do not think he
He is alive and I don't see him
—may I be his ransom—would deem it lawful to wrong me.
I sacrifice him, he deserves not my injustice
لأننيbecause I ماnot برحتI ceased أهديI offer as a gift
لأنني ما برحت أهدي
رائقgraceful نثريmy prose لهto him ونظميand my verse
رائق نثري له ونظمي
For I have never ceased offering
Because I never stopped dedicating
him my graceful prose and my verse.
The nectar of my prose and poetry to him
هذاthis وكمand how often رحتI departed عنfrom ذراهhis shelter
هذا وكم رحت عن ذراه
موفراmade ample منfrom نداهhis bounty سهميmy share
موفرا من نداه سهمي
This—and how often I departed from his shelter,
And how much did I move away from his company
with my share of his bounty made ample.
Providing from his light my arrow
فليتso, would that ثانيthe one second to علاهhis eminence يضحيmight become
فليت ثاني علاه يضحي
مجندرmujandar (meaning unclear here) منfrom نداهhis bounty سهميmy share
مجندر من نداه سهمي
Would that the one second to him in eminence might become
If only a second of his elevation makes sacrifice
‘mujandar’—my share of his bounty [wording unclear].
My arrows will be like thunder from his lightning
علقتI held fast منهin him بأريحيٍّto a generous man
علقت منه بأريحيٍّ
متينfirm حبلbond الودادaffection شهمnoble-hearted
متين حبل الوداد شهم
In him I have held fast to a generous man,
I hung from him with a strong rope
whose bond of affection is firm, noble-hearted:
The rope of love and determination
ليثa lion إذاwhen قيلit is said منwho يحاميdefends
ليث إذا قيل من يحامي
سهلgentle إذاwhen سيلpetitioned غيرnot جهمgrim-faced
سهل إذا سيل غير جهم
a lion when it is asked, ‘Who will defend?’
A lion when asked who can fight him
gentle when petitioned, never grim-faced;
Easy when a torrent flows, not stingy
خالfree منfrom العجبconceit مستماحsought for bounty
خال من العجب مستماح
ملآنfull منof فِطنةٍdiscernment وفهمand understanding
ملآن من فِطنةٍ وفهم
free of conceit, sought out for bounty,
Free of arrogance, asking for pardon
filled with discernment and understanding.
Full of intelligence and understanding
فاقرأso convey عليهto him السلامgreetings of peace وأسلمand remain safe
فاقرأ عليه السلام وأسلم
والكلand everyone ماas long as لاحshines ضوءlight نجمa star
والكل ما لاح ضوء نجم
So convey greetings to him, and remain safe,
Read unto him greetings and peace
you and everyone, as long as a star’s light shines.
And all that shone light of a star
Sol 6.1