ألاTake heed! فانظرونيso look upon me بعينwith the eye of الصفاpurity
ألا فانظروني بعين الصفا
فهيهاتfor how unlikely مثليone like me خليلa close friend صفاwas sincere
فهيهات مثلي خليل صفا
Behold, then look upon me with an eye of purity.
Behold me with the eye of purity
For a friend as sincere as I is scarcely to be found.
Alas! None can be like me, a sincere friend
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle الخليلthe friend أضاعneglected الخليلthe friend
إذا ما الخليل أضاع الخليل
وعاصاهand defied him فيin الحالthe situation ماnot أنصفاacted fairly
وعاصاه في الحال ما أنصفا
When a friend neglects a friend,
When the sincere turns away from sincerity
And defies him in that situation, he has not acted fairly.
And wrongs it, he was not just
رأيتI saw قلوبthe hearts of رجالthe men of الزمانthe age
رأيت قلوب رجال الزمان
صارتbecame صلاداًhard stones لصمto the unyielding الصفاsmooth, hard rocks
صارت صلاداً لصم الصفا
I have seen the hearts of the men of this age
I saw the hearts of the people of this time
Turn to stone, hard as unyielding rock.
Turn to hardened stone, deaf to purity
فمنso who ليfor me بخلwith a close friend أراهI find him إذاwhen ماemphatic particle
فمن لي بخل أراه إذا ما
صفيتI made pure الودادaffection لهfor him ليtoward me صفاwas sincere
صفيت الوداد له لي صفا
Who, then, will give me a friend whom I find, whenever
So who can I find with a heart that when
I offer him pure affection, sincere toward me?
I show him sincere affection, will be pure to me
أبيتI refuse أصافيto befriend sincerely سوىanyone but منwhoever صفاis sincere
أبيت أصافي سوى من صفا
وأنصفand to treat fairly إلاexcept فتىa youth منصفاfair-minded
وأنصف إلا فتى منصفا
I refuse to befriend any but the sincere,
I refuse to befriend any except the pure
Or to treat fairly any but a fair-minded youth.
And just, except a just young man
بإبنيwith the two sons of غريبGharib صفتgrew pure خلتيmy close friendship
بإبني غريب صفت خلتي
وعزتand grew precious وجلتand became exalted فلنso will never توصفاbe described
وعزت وجلت فلن توصفا
With Gharib's two sons, my friendship grew pure,
For my strange son I aligned my family
And grew precious and exalted, beyond description.
And honoured and exalted them, which cannot be described
أياO خاطرKhatir أنتyou فيin خاطريmy thoughts
أيا خاطر أنت في خاطري
مقيمٌabiding علىby عهدa pledge صدقtruth الوفاfidelity
مقيمٌ على عهد صدق الوفا
O Khatir, you are in my thoughts,
O my thoughts, you are in my thoughts
Abiding by a pledge of true fidelity.
Remaining true to the covenant of sincere loyalty
وغيركand others besides you فيamong الناسpeople كمhow many قالsaid ليto me
وغيرك في الناس كم قال لي
مقالكyour words لكنهbut he ماnot وفىkept faith
مقالك لكنه ما وفى
And how many others among people have said to me
And others among the people, how many said to me
Your very words, yet failed to keep their word.
Your words, but did not keep faithful
فأنتfor you are الشفيقthe caring one وأنتand you are الشقيقthe full brother
فأنت الشفيق وأنت الشقيق
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle رفيقa companion رفيقاًa companion جفاshunned
إذا ما رفيق رفيقاً جفا
For you are the caring friend, and you are the true brother,
So you are the compassionate, you are the intimate
When one companion shuns another.
When a friend abandons a friend, becomes aloof
يخالجtroubles قلبكyour heart منيon my part الوقوفhesitation
يخالج قلبك مني الوقوف
ومثليand one like me إذاwhen قالspeaks لنwill not يوقفاbe stopped
ومثلي إذا قال لن يوقفا
Your heart is troubled that I might hesitate;
You harbor in your heart my standing still
Yet one like me, once he speaks, will not be stopped.
And the like of me, if he says, will not stand still
وهاand here أناI جانفturning away from طرفيmy eye الكرىslumber
وها أنا جانف طرفي الكرى
تشوقتI yearned for مكةMecca والموقفاand the place of standing
تشوقت مكة والموقفا
And here I am, my eyes shunning slumber;
And here I am, averting my gaze
I have yearned for Mecca and the place of standing.
Yearning for Mecca and the Standing Place
وقلبيand my heart إلىtoward عرفاتArafat صفاbecame pure
وقلبي إلى عرفات صفا
أحبI love لحبيهfor its two beloveds منwhoever عرفاhas known
أحب لحبيه من عرفا
And my heart has turned in pure devotion toward Arafat.
And my heart inclines toward Arafat's purity
For its two beloveds, I love whoever has known them.
I love for my love's sake more than one who knows
وقلبيand my heart مريضsick إلىtoward طيبةTayba
وقلبي مريض إلى طيبة
وماand not هيit إلاexcept لقلبيfor my heart السفاhealing (uncertain reading)
وما هي إلا لقلبي السفا
And my heart is sick with longing for Tayba;
And my heart aches for Tayba
And it is nothing but healing for my heart [uncertain reading].
Which is only the healing for my heart
متىwhen أناI بالقبرat the grave قبرthe grave of النبيthe Prophet (continued next line)
متى أنا بالقبر قبر النبي
يcontinuation of 'Prophet' ياO خاطرKhatir ناشدseeking موقفاa place to stand
ي يا خاطر ناشد موقفا
When shall I be at the grave, the Prophet's grave,
When will I be in the Prophet's tomb
O Khatir, seeking a place to stand?
O my thoughts, yearn for the Standing Place
وألثمand veil خديmy cheek بذاكwith that الترابdust
وألثم خدي بذاك التراب
وأنشدand recite مدحيmy praise فيof المصطفىthe Chosen One
وأنشد مدحي في المصطفى
And veil my cheek with that dust,
And let me kiss the earth of that dust
And recite my praise of the Chosen One,
And recite my praise for the Chosen One
وأحسنand make excellent فيconcerning صاحبيهhis two companions الثناpraise
وأحسن في صاحبيه الثنا
وأنشدand recite فيof المصطفىthe Chosen One مردفاadding
وأنشد في المصطفى مردفا
And offer fine praise of his two companions,
And excel in praise of his two companions
And recite of the Chosen One, adding:
And recite in praise of the Chosen One in addition
عليهupon him الصلاةblessings وأزكىand the purest السلاpeace (continued next line)
عليه الصلاة وأزكى السلا
مcompletion of 'peace' ماas long as نكحwedded الراكبthe rider النفنفاthe vast wilderness
م ما نكح الراكب النفنفا
Upon him be blessings and the purest peace,
Blessings and prayers upon him as long as
As long as the rider weds the vast wilderness.
A rider mounts a swift camel
Sol 6.1