بَنانِيَmy fingers فَيكُمamong you مِثلُlike يَحيىYahya بنِson of طالِبٍTalib
بَنانِيَ فَيكُم مِثلُ يَحيى بنِ طالِبٍ
وَقَدand indeed قَلَّhas dwindled جَدوىthe benefit ماwhat نَحَتَّyou carved مِنَfrom الأَثلِthe tamarisk
وَقَد قَلَّ جَدوى ما نَحَتَّ مِنَ الأَثلِ
My fingers, where you are concerned, are like Yahya ibn Talib;
My fingers among you are like Yahya ibn Talib,
and scant indeed is the profit from the tamarisk they have carved.
and the benefit of what you carved from tamarisk has dwindled.
فَيَأَيُّهاso, O الغَيثُthe rain الَّذيwhich التُربُthe soil ضَيفُهُits guest
فَيَأَيُّها الغَيثُ الَّذي التُربُ ضَيفُهُ
فَيُصبحso it is given a morning drink مِنof زَهرٍblossoms وَيُغبَقُand is given an evening drink مِنof وَبلِpouring rain
فَيُصبح مِن زَهرٍ وَيُغبَقُ مِن وَبلِ
O bounteous rain, whose guest is the earth,
So, O rain, whose guest is the soil,
it is served blossoms for its morning draught, and downpour for its evening draught.
it is given a morning draught of blossoms and an evening draught of pouring rain.
وَماand not البَدرُthe full moon إِلّاexcept مِنfrom مُحَيّاكَyour countenance يَجتَديbegs for gifts
وَما البَدرُ إِلّا مِن مُحَيّاكَ يَجتَدي
وَماand not الغَيثُthe rain إِلّاexcept مِنfrom بَمينِكَyour right hand (probable reading) يَستَمليseeks dictation
وَما الغَيثُ إِلّا مِن بَمينِكَ يَستَملي
The full moon begs only from your countenance,
And the full moon begs only from your countenance,
and the rain takes dictation only from your right hand.
and rain takes dictation only from your right hand.
فَأَينَso where الَّذيthat which أَظهَرتَهُyou showed it فِيَّtoward me مِنof رِضاًapproval
فَأَينَ الَّذي أَظهَرتَهُ فِيَّ مِن رِضاً
وَأَينَand where الَّذيthat which أَمَرتَهُyou ordered it فِيَّfor me مِنof فَضلِbounty
وَأَينَ الَّذي أَمَرتَهُ فِيَّ مِن فَضلِ
Where, then, is the goodwill you showed toward me,
So where is the approval you showed toward me,
and where is the bounty you commanded for me?
and where is the bounty you ordered for me?
وَهَبand suppose حَبلَكُمyour bond حَبلَthe cord of الوَريدِthe jugular vein فَرُبَّماfor sometimes
وَهَب حَبلَكُم حَبلَ الوَريدِ فَرُبَّما
رَماهُhe cast it away الفَتىthe young man مِنهُfrom himself بِقاطِعَةِwith a severing blow الحَبلِthe cord
رَماهُ الفَتى مِنهُ بِقاطِعَةِ الحَبلِ
Suppose your bond were the very cord of the jugular—how often
And suppose your bond were the jugular vein; sometimes
has a man cast it off from himself with a cord-severing blade!
a young man casts it off himself with a cord-severing blow.
دَعَوتُI prayed لَكُمfor you بِالعِزِّfor glory حَتّىuntil اِستُجيبَan answer was granted ليto me
دَعَوتُ لَكُم بِالعِزِّ حَتّى اِستُجيبَ لي
فَدامَso endured أَدامَmay perpetuate اللَهُGod عِزَّكُمُyour glory ذُلّيmy humiliation
فَدامَ أَدامَ اللَهُ عِزَّكُمُ ذُلّي
I prayed that you be exalted until my prayer was answered;
I prayed for your glory until my prayer was answered;
thus—may God perpetuate your glory—my abasement endured.
so my humiliation endured—may God perpetuate your glory!
أَعودُI return إِلىto دارٍa home بِغَيرِwithout كِفايَةٍsufficient provision
أَعودُ إِلى دارٍ بِغَيرِ كِفايَةٍ
وَأَركَبُand I ride مِنfrom داريmy home إِلَيكُمto you بِلاwithout شُغلِwork
وَأَركَبُ مِن داري إِلَيكُم بِلا شُغلِ
I return to a home without sufficient means,
I return home without sufficient provision,
and ride from my home to you with no errand at all.
and I ride from my home to you with no work to do.
Sol 6.1