يُفضِّلهُmakes him superior علىto ماءwater الغَواديmorning rainclouds
يُفضِّلهُ على ماء الغَوادي
ندىbounty كفَّيهِof his two palms والخُلُقُand the character الدَّميثُgentle
ندى كفَّيهِ والخُلُقُ الدَّميثُ
He is set above the water of morning showers
He prefers its dew to valley water,
By the bounty of his palms and his gentle nature.
The palms of his hands and his noble manners,
لهhe has دونshort of المَعابِdisgrace وقوفُa halt وانٍa laggard
له دون المَعابِ وقوفُ وانٍ
وفيand in طلَبِpursuit of العُلىglory عَنَقٌa brisk stride حَثيثُswift and eager
وفي طلَبِ العُلى عَنَقٌ حَثيثُ
He stops short of disgrace, like one who hangs back;
He has, without boast, a standing among the eminent,
And in pursuit of glory, his stride is swift and eager.
And in seeking the height, an ambitious neck,
وزيرٌa vizier فيamid الثَّراءِwealth وفيand amid الأعاديthe enemies
وزيرٌ في الثَّراءِ وفي الأعادي
بناwith (split-word beginning) ئلهِhis bounty (split-word completion) ونجدَتهِand his valor يَعيثُhe wreaks havoc
بنا ئلهِ ونجدَتهِ يَعيثُ
A vizier who, amid wealth and amid enemies,
A minister in prosperity and in enemies,
Wreaks havoc with his bounty and his valor.
With his construction and his aid he wreaks havoc,
قَشيبُfresh and new العرْضِin honor لاnot يُرْمىhe is assailed بذمٍwith blame
قَشيبُ العرْضِ لا يُرْمى بذمٍ
وعِرْضُand the honor عَدوِّهِof his enemy سَمَلٌa worn-out rag رثيثُtattered
وعِرْضُ عَدوِّهِ سَمَلٌ رثيثُ
His honor is fresh and new; no blame is hurled at him,
Of honorable lineage, he is not chided with blame,
While his enemy’s honor is a worn, tattered rag.
While the lineage of his enemy is base and vile,
تضاءلُshrink دونهُbefore him مُهَجُthe hearts الأعاديof the enemies
تضاءلُ دونهُ مُهَجُ الأعادي
فنَظْرتهُfor his gaze لأنْفُسهاtheir very souls تميثُmelts
فنَظْرتهُ لأنْفُسها تميثُ
His enemies’ hearts shrink before him;
Beside him the desires of enemies are paltry,
For his gaze melts their very souls.
So their looks at themselves falter,
رزينstately العِطفin bearing تحسبyou think أنthat طوْداًa mighty mountain
رزين العِطف تحسب أن طوْداً
بِنيقٍaround a summit منهof it عِمَّتَهhis turban يَلوثُhe winds
بِنيقٍ منه عِمَّتَه يَلوثُ
Stately in bearing, you would think a mountain
He is dignified in his affection, so that any
Was winding his turban around its summit.
Pollution by him would soil his mantle,
تركْتُI left عليهabout him غُرّاًradiant verses لوif زُهَيْرٌZuhayr
تركْتُ عليه غُرّاً لو زُهَيْرٌ
أصاخَlistened attentively لفضلهاto their excellence فَمنِthen who is البَعيثُal-Baʿīth
أصاخَ لفضلها فَمنِ البَعيثُ
I have left him radiant verses—were Zuhayr
I left him angry—if only Zuhair
To listen to their excellence, who then would al-Baʿīth be?
Could sing of his superior worth—who then could match him?
Sol 6.1