أَنفحةُis it a breath? الرَوضthe garden رَقَّتgrew gentle فيin صَباthe east breeze السَحرِthe pre-dawn hours
أَنفحةُ الرَوض رَقَّت في صَبا السَحرِ
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماwhen باتَspent the night وَالأنداءُand the dewdrops فيin سَمَرِnighttime conversation
مِن بَعدِ ما باتَ وَالأنداءُ في سَمَرِ
Did a breath of the garden grow gentle in the east breeze before dawn,
The meadow's breeze softened in the dawn's eve
after the garden spent the night in converse with the dewdrops?
After the night passed with the friends in chatter
لاno بَلrather تَحيَّةُa greeting مَحضِpure الوُدِّaffection بلَّغَهاconveyed it
لا بَل تَحيَّةُ مَحضِ الوُدِّ بلَّغَها
بَرٌّa kindly man شَريفnoble المَعاليlofty attainments ماجِدُillustrious النَفَرِthe kinfolk
بَرٌّ شَريف المَعالي ماجِدُ النَفَرِ
No, rather a greeting of pure affection, conveyed
Nay, it is but a greeting of pure affection
by a kindly man of noble attainments and illustrious kin.
From a noble, glorious, valiant man
أَمّاindeed لعمرُby the life of أَبيAbu (father of) يَحيىYahya لَقَدcertainly وَصلتhas arrived
أَمّا لعمرُ أَبي يَحيى لَقَد وَصلت
منfrom بِرّهhis kindness صِلَةٌa gift أَحلىsweeter مِنthan الظَفرِvictory
من بِرّه صِلَةٌ أَحلى مِن الظَفرِ
Indeed, by the life of Abu Yahya, there has come
By my father's life, indeed your kindness
from his kindness a gift sweeter than victory.
Reached me, sweeter than triumph
ياO مَنone who وَرَدتُI approached the water الوَفاءَfidelity الغَمرabundant مرتوياًhaving drunk my fill
يا مَن وَرَدتُ الوَفاءَ الغَمر مرتوياً
مِنfrom عهدهِhis pledge إِذwhile يُساقىare given drink الناسُthe people بالغُمَرِwith a small drinking cup
مِن عهدهِ إِذ يُساقى الناسُ بالغُمَرِ
O you whose abundant fidelity I approached, drinking my fill
O you whose loyalty like abundant rain quenched me
from your pledge, while people are served from a small cup.
When people are watered during drought
أَحرَزتَyou attained سروnobility السَجاياcharacter traits ثُمَّthen قارَنهُaccompanied it
أَحرَزتَ سرو السَجايا ثُمَّ قارَنهُ
ظَرفَgrace اللِسانthe tongue اِقتِرانَthe pairing of الكأسthe cup بِالوَتَرِwith the musical string
ظَرفَ اللِسان اِقتِرانَ الكأس بِالوَتَرِ
You attained nobility of character; then it was joined by
You attained the sublime nature's cypress, pairing it
grace of speech, like the pairing of the cup with the musical string.
With eloquent tongue, like a goblet and lute in tune
إِذاwhenever اِعتَبَرتُI assessed مِنَamong الأَخلاقِmoral qualities أَنفسَهاtheir most precious
إِذا اِعتَبَرتُ مِنَ الأَخلاقِ أَنفسَها
كُنتَyou were المُنافِسُthe contender فيهِin it الساميَlofty القَدرِrank
كُنتَ المُنافِسُ فيهِ الساميَ القَدرِ
Whenever I assessed the most precious of virtues,
When I examine souls themselves for morals
you were the contender in virtue, exalted in rank.
You compete therein with the highest rank
عَلَيكَupon you مِنيfrom me سَلامٌa greeting لاnot يَزالceases لَهُfor it
عَلَيكَ مِني سَلامٌ لا يَزال لَهُ
فَرضٌa duty تُؤَديهِdischarge it آمالٌhopes إِلىuntil بُكَرِearly mornings
فَرضٌ تُؤَديهِ آمالٌ إِلى بُكَرِ
Upon you be my greeting, ever attended by
Upon you from me, a greeting that still
a duty that hopes discharge until the early mornings.
Has an obligation hopes fulfil at dawn
Sol 6.1