رِقَةُdelicacy النورِthe blossoms وَاِهتِزازُand the swaying القَضيبِthe bough
رِقَةُ النورِ وَاِهتِزازُ القَضيبِ
خَبَّراboth have told مِنكَfrom you عَنof أَغَرَّradiant نَجيبِnoble
خَبَّرا مِنكَ عَن أَغَرَّ نَجيبِ
The delicacy of blossoms and the swaying of the bough
The softness of light and the quivering of youth
Have revealed in you a radiant, noble man,
Revealed in you the most noble of virtues
فيin رِداءٍa robe مِنَof الفُتُوَّةِyouthful vigor فَضفاspa-
في رِداءٍ مِنَ الفُتُوَّةِ فَضفا
ضٍ-cious وَعَهدٍand a time مِنَof التَصابيyouthful dalliance قَريبِrecent
ضٍ وَعَهدٍ مِنَ التَصابي قَريبِ
In a spacious robe of youthful vigor,
In a cloak of chivalry you shed
And still close to the days of youthful dalliance.
A time of companionship and affection still near
أَنِسَتgrew familiar with ذاthis وَذاكَand that إِحدىone وَعِشـand twen-
أَنِسَت ذا وَذاكَ إِحدى وَعِشـ
ـرونَ-ty بِغُضنٍin a fold (possibly 'bough') مِنof الشَبابِyouth رَطيبِfresh
ـرونَ بِغُضنٍ مِن الشَبابِ رَطيبِ
Twenty-one years have grown familiar with both,
You brought joy to one and all, twenty-one
In a fresh fold of youth.
In the springtime of life, pure and good
وَكَأَنَّand as though الرَبيعَspring دَبَّجَembroidered أَخلاcharac-
وَكَأَنَّ الرَبيعَ دَبَّجَ أَخلا
قَكَ-ter of yours وَالرَوضِand the garden's ياO أَباAbu (father of) يَعقوبِYaqub
قَكَ وَالرَوضِ يا أَبا يَعقوبِ
As though spring had embroidered your character
As if spring itself adorned your nature
And the garden's, O Abu Yaqub.
And garden, O Abu Ya'qub
ماnot ثَنائيmy praise بِدَرِكٍable to attain بَعضَsome of نُعماfavors
ما ثَنائي بِدَرِكٍ بَعضَ نُعما
كَyour وَلَوand even if كانَit were مِنfrom صَباًan east wind أَوor جَنوبِa south wind
كَ وَلَو كانَ مِن صَباً أَو جَنوبِ
My praise cannot attain even some of your favors,
My praise cannot match your worth
Even were it from an east wind or a south wind.
Though it came from the east or the south wind
ضَعُفَgrew weak الطالِبُthe petitioner المُعَنّىtormented وَلَمand did not تَضعُـgrow wea-
ضَعُفَ الطالِبُ المُعَنّى وَلَم تَضعُـ
ـف-k عَلىdespite البُعدِthe distance مُهلَةُthe leisure المَطلوبِof the one petitioned
ـف عَلى البُعدِ مُهلَةُ المَطلوبِ
The tormented petitioner grew weak, yet undiminished remained
The seeker grew weak but your care
The leisure of the one petitioned, despite the distance.
Never waned despite the distance
وَلَعَمريand by my life لَقَدindeed تَدَبَّرتُI reflected on مَعروkind-
وَلَعَمري لَقَد تَدَبَّرتُ مَعرو
فَكَ-ness of yours عِنديtoward me فَلَمso did not يَكُنbe بِعَجيبِsurprising
فَكَ عِندي فَلَم يَكُن بِعَجيبِ
By my life, I have reflected on your kindness
By my life, I have pondered your ways
To me, and it was no surprise.
And found no fault or cause for wonder
نَسَبٌkinship بَينَناbetween us يُؤَكِّدُreinforces مِنهُof it
نَسَبٌ بَينَنا يُؤَكِّدُ مِنهُ
أَدَبٌliterary culture وَالأَديبُand the man of letters صِنوُthe twin of الأَديبِthe man of letters
أَدَبٌ وَالأَديبُ صِنوُ الأَديبِ
A kinship between us is reinforced
A lineage between us confirms
By literary culture: one man of letters is another's twin.
Civility, as the cultured honor the cultured
لَمdid not تَزَلyou cease تُوضِحُyou make evident العِنايَةَthe care حَتّىuntil
لَم تَزَل تُوضِحُ العِنايَةَ حَتّى
وَضَحَbecame clear النُجحُsuccess ليto me بِرَغمِdespite الخُطوبِadversities
وَضَحَ النُجحُ لي بِرَغمِ الخُطوبِ
You never ceased to make your care evident, until
Your care showed the way
Success became clear to me, despite adversities,
Until success shone through troubles
مِنfrom وَراءِbehind البابِthe door المُمَنَّعِwell-guarded وَالسِتـand the cur-
مِن وَراءِ البابِ المُمَنَّعِ وَالسِتـ
ـرِ-tain المُطاطاlowered وَالحَجِبِand the doorkeeper (apparently intended) المَحجوبِscreened
ـرِ المُطاطا وَالحَجِبِ المَحجوبِ
From behind the well-guarded door and the curtain
Beyond closed doors, drawn curtains
Hanging low, and the screened doorkeeper.
And veils of modesty and reserve
Sol 6.1