ياO راكباًrider يقْطَعُwho crosses الفَيافيthe desert wastes
يا راكباً يقْطَعُ الفَيافي
بينbetween ذَميلٍa trot وبينand between وَخْدِa swift stride
بين ذَميلٍ وبين وَخْدِ
O rider who crosses the desert wastes,
O rider cutting through the empty desert
now at a trot, now with swift strides,
Between Dhamil and Wakhd,
يخْفىhe vanishes ويبْدوand appears بكُلِّin every أرضٍland
يخْفى ويبْدو بكُلِّ أرضٍ
ماwhat lies بينَbetween غَوْرٍlowland وبينَand between نَجْدِhighland
ما بينَ غَوْرٍ وبينَ نَجْدِ
vanishing and appearing in every land,
Appearing and disappearing in every land
between lowland and highland:
Between valley and plateau,
كأنَّas though هَيْقاًa male ostrich أباfather of رِئالٍostrich chicks
كأنَّ هَيْقاً أبا رِئالٍ
آنَسَsighted بالدَّوِّin the desert waste خيْلَhorses of جُنْدِa troop
آنَسَ بالدَّوِّ خيْلَ جُنْدِ
like an ostrich, sire of chicks,
As if a stealthy lion met
that sighted a troop's horses in the waste
A brave army's horses in the sands,
فَشَدَّthen it bolted لاnot يَرْعَويstops لِشَرْيٍfor colocynth
فَشَدَّ لا يَرْعَوي لِشَرْيٍ
ولاnor لِماءٍfor water ولاnor لِثَعْدِfor soft ripe dates
ولا لِماءٍ ولا لِثَعْدِ
and bolted, not stopping for colocynth,
Charging and paying no heed
nor for water, nor for soft ripe dates,
To pasture, water or settlement,
ناقَتُهُhis she-camel والهَجيرُand the midday heat نارٌfire
ناقَتُهُ والهَجيرُ نارٌ
تُرْقِلُtrots swiftly منْfrom تَحْتِهِbeneath him وتَخْديand strides swiftly
تُرْقِلُ منْ تَحْتِهِ وتَخْدي
his she-camel, while the midday heat is fire,
His she-camel and saddlebags aflame
trots beneath him and strides swiftly.
Smoldering beneath him as he spurs her on.
بَلِّغْconvey وزيرَthe vizier of الإِمامِthe Imam قَوْلاًa message
بَلِّغْ وزيرَ الإِمامِ قَوْلاً
عنِfrom الفَصيحthe eloquent one المُشارthe renowned one سَعْدِSa'd
عنِ الفَصيح المُشار سَعْدِ
Convey a message to the Imam's vizier
Convey to the vizier of the Imam my words-
from the eloquent, renowned Sa'd.
About the eloquent Sa’d, so highly esteemed:
فماfor ... not أبوfather of جَعْفَرٍJa'far بوانٍat all remiss
فما أبو جَعْفَرٍ بوانٍ
عنconcerning حَقِّthe due of فَضْلٍmerit وحُسْنِand good keeping of عهْدِa pledge
عن حَقِّ فَضْلٍ وحُسْنِ عهْدِ
For Abu Ja'far is not remiss
Abu Ja’far is no faint-heart
in giving merit its due and keeping faith:
When it comes to merit and keeping his word.
هُمامُa champion in حَرْبٍwar غَمامُa raincloud in جَدْبٍdrought
هُمامُ حَرْبٍ غَمامُ جَدْبٍ
عِصامُa supporting cord in خطْبٍcalamity مُنيفُlofty in مجْدِglory
عِصامُ خطْبٍ مُنيفُ مجْدِ
a champion in war, a raincloud in drought,
He’s passionate in war, a raincloud in drought,
a supporting cord in calamity, lofty in glory,
Firm in speech, of glorious repute,
باسِمُsmiling of ثَغْرٍmouth سِدادُa stopper of ثَغْرٍa frontier breach
باسِمُ ثَغْرٍ سِدادُ ثَغْرٍ
قَريعُa master of دَهْرٍthe age صَحيحُsincere in وُدِّaffection
قَريعُ دَهْرٍ صَحيحُ وُدِّ
smiling of mouth, a stopper of frontier breaches,
Named for an honored frontier town, support of the borderlands,
a master of his age, sincere in affection,
Corrector of time’s wrongs, true friend.
طَوْدُa mountain of احْتِمالٍforbearance فَتىa young champion in نِزالٍcombat
طَوْدُ احْتِمالٍ فَتى نِزالٍ
حَبْرُa sage in مَقالٍspeech خَصيمُan opponent of لُدِّstubborn disputants
حَبْرُ مَقالٍ خَصيمُ لُدِّ
a mountain of forbearance, a champion in combat,
A buttress of resilience, a warrior in battle,
a sage in speech, an opponent of stubborn disputants,
Sage in speech, stubborn opponent in debate,
شامِخُlofty in قَدْرٍrank وشيكُswift in نَصْرٍaid
شامِخُ قَدْرٍ وشيكُ نَصْرٍ
هَنيىءُpleasant in وَفْرٍwealth جَزيلُlavish in رفْدِgifts
هَنيىءُ وَفْرٍ جَزيلُ رفْدِ
lofty in rank, swift to aid,
Lofty in rank, imminent in victory,
his wealth a delight, his gifts lavish.
Bountiful, generous, giver of plenty.
وقُلْand tell لهُhim المادِحونَthose who praise كُثْرٌmany
وقُلْ لهُ المادِحونَ كُثْرٌ
ولاnor كَمَدْحيlike my praise ولاnor كَحَمْديlike my thanks
ولا كَمَدْحي ولا كَحَمْدي
And tell him: "Those who praise you are many,
Tell him the eulogists are many,
but none match my praise or my thanks.
While my praise and thanks are few.
فاغْنَمْso seize حديثاًa saying لهُit has بَقاءٌendurance
فاغْنَمْ حديثاً لهُ بَقاءٌ
معيwith me وحاشاكُمُand may you be spared وبعْديand after me
معي وحاشاكُمُ وبعْدي
So secure words that will endure
So make the most of a conversation with him
in my lifetime and after me—may you be spared.
That will endure beyond me-
أجْدَبَتِgrew barren الأرْضُthe earth بعدafter خِصْبٍfertility
أجْدَبَتِ الأرْضُ بعد خِصْبٍ
وأعْدَمَand became destitute الحُرُّthe noble man بعدَafter وُجْدِwealth
وأعْدَمَ الحُرُّ بعدَ وُجْدِ
The earth has grown barren after fertility,
For when the land loses its verdure,
and the noble man has become destitute after wealth.
And the free man, his dignity,
فكيفso how يُرْجىcan be hoped for بَقاءُthe survival of نِضْوٍa worn-out beast
فكيف يُرْجى بَقاءُ نِضْوٍ
بغيرwithout مَرْعىًpasture وغيرِand without وِرْدwater to drink
بغير مَرْعىً وغيرِ وِرْد
How, then, can one hope for a worn-out beast's survival
How can the survival of glory be hoped
without pasture and without water to drink?"
Without pasture or fountain?
Sol 6.1