سَأَلتُI asked زَمانيmy times بِمَنto whom أَستَغيثُI appeal for help
سَأَلتُ زَماني بِمَن أَستَغيثُ
فَقالَso it said اِستَغِثseek help بِعَميدِfrom the commander of الجُيوشِthe armies
فَقالَ اِستَغِث بِعَميدِ الجُيوشِ
I asked my times, “To whom shall I turn for help?”
I asked my time, with whom can I seek refuge?
It said, “Seek help from the commander of the armies.”
It said, seek refuge with the supreme commander.
فَنادَيتُthen I cried ماليI have no بِهِwith him حُرمَةًstanding
فَنادَيتُ مالي بِهِ حُرمَةً
فَجاوَبَso it replied حوشيتَmay you be spared مَنfrom ذاthat وَحوشيand may he be spared
فَجاوَبَ حوشيتَ مَن ذا وَحوشي
Then I cried, “I have no standing with him.”
I called out, what relation has he to me?
It replied, “Far be that from you—and from him!
It replied, your savagery, who else has savagery?
رَجاؤُكَyour hope إِيّاهُhim يُدنيكَdraws you close مِنهُto him
رَجاؤُكَ إِيّاهُ يُدنيكَ مِنهُ
وَلَوand even if كُنتَyou were بِالصينِin China أَوor بِالعَريشِin al-ʿArīsh
وَلَو كُنتَ بِالصينِ أَو بِالعَريشِ
Your hope in him draws you close to him,
Your hope in him will bring you closer to him,
Even if you were in China or in al-ʿArīsh.”
Even if you were in China or Al-‘Arish.
نَبَتbecame inhospitable بيto me داريmy home وَفَرَّand fled العَبيthe slaves (first part of the word)
نَبَت بي داري وَفَرَّ العَبي
دُcompletion of “slaves” وَأَودَتand perished ثِيابيmy clothes وَبِعتُand I sold فُروشيmy bedding
دُ وَأَودَت ثِيابي وَبِعتُ فُروشي
My home grew inhospitable to me, and the slaves fled;
My house was destroyed and my family scattered,
And my clothes wore out, and I sold my bedding.
My clothes were torn and I sold my mattresses.
وَكُنتُand I was أُلَقَّبُnicknamed بِالبَبَغّاءِas “the Parrot”
وَكُنتُ أُلَقَّبُ بِالبَبَغّاءِ
قَديماًlong ago فَقَدfor indeed مَزَّقَtore الدَهرُTime ريشيmy feathers
قَديماً فَقَد مَزَّقَ الدَهرُ ريشي
And I used to be nicknamed “the Parrot”
I used to be called the parrot,
Long ago; for Time has torn my feathers.
Yet time has ripped my feathers.
وَكانَand was غِذائيmy food نَقِيُّpure الأَرُزِّrice
وَكانَ غِذائي نَقِيُّ الأَرُزِّ
فَهاso here أَناI مُقتَنِعٌcontent بِالحَشيشِwith grass
فَها أَنا مُقتَنِعٌ بِالحَشيشِ
And my food was pure rice;
My food used to be the finest rice,
So here I am, content with grass.
Now I am content with grass.
Sol 6.1