قلsay لبهاءto Bahāʾ الدينal-Dīn خدنِcompanion العلىhigh honor
قل لبهاء الدين خدنِ العلى
وقاتلand vanquisher المحلِdrought ومحييand reviver الأدبliterature
وقاتل المحلِ ومحيي الأدب
Say to Bahāʾ al-Dīn, companion of high honor,
Tell Bahāʾ al-Dīn, the defender of loftiness
and vanquisher of drought and reviver of letters:
And slayer of ignorance, reviver of knowledge,
ياO أحفظَbest keeper الناسpeople لعهدof a pledge ومنand one whose
يا أحفظَ الناس لعهد ومن
أضيعmost freely squandered ماwhat فيin راحتيهhis two palms الذهبُgold
أضيع ما في راحتيه الذهبُ
O best keeper of pledges among men, and you whose
O most true to your word, from whom
gold is the most freely squandered thing in your two palms.
No one loses the gold in his palm,
ياO منone who لهhe has بشرcheerfulness بشيرa herald لمنto whoever
يا من له بشر بشير لمن
يؤمseeks مغناهhis abode بنجحof success الطَلَبthe request
يؤم مغناه بنجح الطَلَب
O you whose cheerful face heralds, for whoever
O you whose good tidings bring joy to those
seeks your abode, the fulfillment of his request.
Who hope for success in their pursuits,
ماnot صفرṢafar (a month) عندfor امرىءa man معسرimpoverished
ما صفر عند امرىء معسر
يطمعhopes فيfor جدواكyour bounty إلاexcept رجبRajab (a month)
يطمع في جدواك إلا رجب
Ṣafar, to an impoverished man
No distressed person feels dejection
hoping for your bounty, is nothing but Rajab.
When seeking your help, not even in hardship,
ماnot نظرتlooked عينيmy eye ولاnor شاهدتwitnessed
ما نظرت عيني ولا شاهدت
فيamong الخلقcreation ياO أزكىpurest البراياcreatures نسبlineage
في الخلق يا أزكى البرايا نسب
My eye has never looked upon or witnessed
Never have my eyes seen, nor witnessed
among creation, O purest of creatures in lineage,
Among people, one nobler in lineage than you,
أحسنfairer منthan وجهكyour face راضpleased ولاnor
أحسن من وجهك راض ولا
آمنsafer منthan عفوكyour pardon عندduring الغضبanger
آمن من عفوك عند الغضب
anything fairer than your face when pleased, nor
None with a face more radiant when pleased,
anything safer than your pardon in anger.
None whose pardon is surer when angry,
ياO منone whom نرجيهwe place hope in him لدفعto ward off الأذىharm
يا من نرجيه لدفع الأذى
عناfrom us وندعوهand we call upon him لكشفto dispel الكُرَبafflictions
عنا وندعوه لكشف الكُرَب
O you in whom we place our hopes to ward off harm
The one we hope will ward off harm,
from us, and whom we call upon to dispel distress:
And seek to relieve our worries,
تأخيرdelay إنعامكyour bounty لاmay it not فاتنيpass me by
تأخير إنعامك لا فاتني
فيon ليلةthe night الميلادthe Nativity عنيfrom me عجبa wonder
في ليلة الميلاد عني عجب
Your bounty's delay—may it never pass me by—
If the arrival of your gifts is delayed,
in reaching me on the night of the Nativity is strange.
I feel no wonder on the night they come,
لأننيbecause I منone who يعتيريهovertakes him إذاwhen
لأنني من يعتيريه إذا
أبصرsees أطباقكyour platters مثلsomething like الطربrapture
أبصر أطباقك مثل الطرب
For I am one who is overcome, whenever
For I am one who feels joy when
he sees your platters, by something like rapture.
I see your gifts like trays of celebration,
هذاthis ولاand not حاطِبa wood-gatherer ليلby night أناI
هذا ولا حاطِب ليل أنا
فيduring العشرthe ten حتىsuch that لاnot يجىءcomes الحطبthe firewood
في العشر حتى لا يجىء الحطب
So it is; I am no gatherer of wood by night
While I spend my nights sleepless,
during the ten days, such that the firewood should fail to come.
Lest the firewood run out,
فدمso live on علىthrough مرthe passage اللياليthe nights فقدfor already
فدم على مر الليالي فقد
قضيتyou have fulfilled منof حقthe duty الندىgenerosity ماwhat وجبwas required
قضيت من حق الندى ما وجب
So live on through the passing nights, for
I have fulfilled the right of passion’s debt,
you have fulfilled what generosity required of you.
Throughout the nights that passed,
واسعدand rejoice بمليتunclear; likely 'with what you were granted' منof نعمةa blessing
واسعد بمليت من نعمة
وأبعثand send بسعدwith Saʿd عاجلاpromptly عنfrom كثبnearness
وأبعث بسعد عاجلا عن كثب
And rejoice in the blessings granted to you,
So bless me with gifts sent quickly,
and send Saʿd promptly, from close at hand.
And make me joyful with your favors,
وإنand if تأخرتI have been delayed لعذرfor a reason فقدthen already
وإن تأخرت لعذر فقد
أعربexpressed عنabout شكريmy thanks مجدُMajd العربal-ʿArab
أعرب عن شكري مجدُ العرب
And if I have been delayed for some reason,
And if you are late due to some excuse,
Majd al-ʿArab has already expressed my thanks.
The glory of the Arabs expresses my thanks.
Sol 6.1