لِطَيلَسانِfor the cloak of اِبنِson of حَربٍHarb نِعمَةٌa kindness سَبَقَتcame earlier
لِطَيلَسانِ اِبنِ حَربٍ نِعمَةٌ سَبَقَت
بِناupon us تَبَيَّنَbecame clear فَضليmy virtue فَهوَso it is مُتَّصِلُcontinuous
بِنا تَبَيَّنَ فَضلي فَهوَ مُتَّصِلُ
To Ibn Harb’s taylasan belongs a grace of long standing;
Ibn Harb’s cloak has already bestowed a kindness
through us my merit has become clear, and so it endures.
upon us: my virtue has become clear, and it endures.
قَدindeed كُنتُI was دَهراًfor ages جَهولاًvery rash ثُمَّthen حَنَّنَنيmade me gentle
قَد كُنتُ دَهراً جَهولاً ثُمَّ حَنَّنَني
عَلَيهِfor it خَوفيmy fear مِنَof الأَقوامِpeople إِنif جَهَلواthey act rashly
عَلَيهِ خَوفي مِنَ الأَقوامِ إِن جَهَلوا
For an age I was utterly ignorant; then I was moved to tenderness
For ages I was rash; then I was made gentle
toward it by my fear of people, lest they act ignorantly.
by my fear for it, should people act rashly.
أَظَلُّI keep أَجتَنِبُI avoid الإِخوانَfriends مِنout of حَذَرٍcaution
أَظَلُّ أَجتَنِبُ الإِخوانَ مِن حَذَرٍ
كَأَنَّماas though بِيَI have جُرحٌa wound لَيسَdoes not يَندَمِلُheal
كَأَنَّما بِيَ جُرحٌ لَيسَ يَندَمِلُ
I keep avoiding my friends out of caution,
I keep avoiding friends out of caution,
as though I bore a wound that would never heal.
as though I had a wound that would not heal.
ياO طَيلَساناًcloak إِذاwhen الأَلحاظُglances جُلنَthey roamed بِهِover it
يا طَيلَساناً إِذا الأَلحاظُ جُلنَ بِهِ
فَعَلنَthey did فِعلَthe work of سِهامٍarrows فيهِat it تَنتَضِلُvie in archery
فَعَلنَ فِعلَ سِهامٍ فيهِ تَنتَضِلُ
Behold a taylasan! When glances roam over it,
O cloak! When glances roam over it,
they act like arrows, contending over it.
they act like arrows competing to strike it.
لَئِنeven if بَليتَyou grew threadbare فَكَمyet how many أَبلَيتَyou wore out مِنof أُمَمٍpeoples
لَئِن بَليتَ فَكَم أَبلَيتَ مِن أُمَمٍ
تَترىin succession أَبادَتهُمُannihilated them أَيّامُكَyour days الأَوَّلُthe earliest
تَترى أَبادَتهُمُ أَيّامُكَ الأَوَّلُ
Though you are worn out, how many nations have you worn away,
Though you are worn out, how many peoples you have worn out,
one after another—peoples your earliest days annihilated!
one after another—your earliest days annihilated them!
وَكَمand how many رَآكَsaw you أَخٌa friend ليof mine ثُمَّthen أَنشَدَنيrecited to me
وَكَم رَآكَ أَخٌ لي ثُمَّ أَنشَدَني
وَدِّعbid farewell هُرَيرَةَHurayra إِنَّindeed الرَكبَthe caravan مُرتَحِلُdeparting
وَدِّع هُرَيرَةَ إِنَّ الرَكبَ مُرتَحِلُ
And many a friend of mine, seeing you, has recited to me:
And many a friend of mine has seen you, then recited to me:
“Bid Hurayra farewell—the caravan is departing.”
“Bid Hurayra farewell, for the caravan is departing.”
Sol 6.1