مولايmy lord زينZayn (adornment) الدينal-Din (the faith) انكindeed you نصرaid منone whom
مولاي زين الدين انك نصر من
قصدassailed الزمانTime بهhim وكسفand made downcast المعتفيthe supplicant
قصد الزمان به وكسف المعتفي
My lord Zayn al-Din, you are the support of one
My lord Zayn al-Din, you are indeed the aid of one whom
whom Time has singled out and broken—a petitioner.
Time has assailed, leaving the supplicant downcast.
انif احلفbroke (likely أخلف) القومthe people اللئامthe base ones وعودهمtheir promises
ان احلف القوم اللئام وعودهم
امسكتI held fast منكfrom you بموعدto a promise لمnot (past negation) يخلفِbe broken
امسكت منك بموعد لم يخلفِ
Though ignoble men may break their promises,
If the base folk break their promises,
I have held fast to a promise from you that will not be broken.
I have held fast to a promise from you that has not been broken.
كلفاenamored رأيتI saw سماحthe generosity of كفكyour hand باللهىof lavish gifts
كلفا رأيت سماح كفك باللهى
ياO ذاpossessor of المكارمnoble deeds لاnot سماحgenerosity تكلفِaffectation
يا ذا المكارم لا سماح تكلفِ
Whenever I have seen your hand bestow gifts so freely—
I found your hand’s generosity enamored of lavish gifts,
O lord of noble deeds—it was generosity without affectation.
O possessor of noble deeds—not a contrived generosity.
ياO منyou who لهhe has خلقcharacter أرقgentler منthan الصباthe east breeze
يا من له خلق أرق من الصبا
ليعاunclear; likely “in softness” (لينًا) واعذبand sweeter منthan سلافthe choicest portion of القرقفِwine
ليعا واعذب من سلاف القرقفِ
O you whose nature is gentler than the soft ṣabā breeze,
O you whose character is gentler than the east breeze
more tender still, and sweeter than the purest wine;
[In softness?], and sweeter than the choicest wine.
ياO منyou through whom امنتI was safe from العدمpoverty حينwhen حينwhen لقيتهI met him
يا من امنت العدم حين حين لقيته
لاmay ... not زلتyou cease أمنsafety القانطthe despairing one المتخوفِthe fearful one
لا زلت أمن القانط المتخوفِ
O you through whom I was safe from want when I met you,
O you through whom I was safe from poverty when—when I met you,
may you ever be the refuge of the frightened and apprehensive.
May you remain a source of safety for the despairing and fearful.
أليتI swore انكthat you لستyou are not تلفىyou are found سامعاًlistening
أليت انك لست تلفى سامعاً
فيconcerning ذلكthat المعروفkindness قولthe words of معنِّفِa reproacher
في ذلك المعروف قول معنِّفِ
I swear that you are never found listening
I have sworn that you will not be found listening
to a rebuker’s words where such beneficence is concerned.
Concerning that kindness, to a reproacher’s words.
اعلمknow بأنكthat you إنif خرجَتyou depart ولمand did not يصلarrive
اعلم بأنك إن خرجَت ولم يصل
رسميmy customary allowance منfrom البرِّbounty الغريبthe extraordinary دخلتyou have entered فيmy mouth
رسمي من البرِّ الغريب دخلت في
Know that, if you depart before there reaches me
Know that if you depart and there has not arrived
my customary due of extraordinary bounty, you will have entered into—
My customary allowance from extraordinary bounty, you will have entered my mouth.
Sol 6.1