وَسائِلَةٍand a female questioner تُسائلُasks عَنabout فَعاليmy deeds
وَسائِلَةٍ تُسائلُ عَن فَعالي
وَعَمّاand about what حازَgained فيin الدُنياthe world جَماليmy beauty
وَعَمّا حازَ في الدُنيا جَمالي
And a woman asks about my deeds,
A questioner asks about my deeds,
and about what my beauty has gained in this world.
And what beauty I've attained in this world.
فَقُلتُso I said إِلىtoward المَعاليlofty honors حَنَّyearned قَلبيmy heart
فَقُلتُ إِلى المَعالي حَنَّ قَلبي
وَفيand in سُبُلِthe paths of المَكارِمِnoble deeds لَجَّpersisted مَاليmy wealth
وَفي سُبُلِ المَكارِمِ لَجَّ مَالي
So I said: My heart yearned for lofty honors,
I said: My heart aspires to noble things,
and my wealth pressed on along the paths of noble deeds.
And my wealth follows a virtuous path.
وَلِلعَلياءِand for eminence نَهجٌa path مُستَقيمٌstraight
وَلِلعَلياءِ نَهجٌ مُستَقيمٌ
فَماso what ليis with me تارِكاًforsaking ذاthis النَهجَpath ماwhat ليis with me
فَما لي تارِكاً ذا النَهجَ ما لي
And there is a straight path to eminence;
The honorable have a straight road,
so why would I forsake this path—why?
So why would I leave this road for another?
إِذاwhen أَسرَجتُI saddled up فيin فَخرٍpride سَماrose high ليfor me
إِذا أَسرَجتُ في فَخرٍ سَما لي
فعاليmy deeds وَالنِجارُand lineage فَالجِماليthen my beauty (uncertain reading)
فعالي وَالنِجارُ فَالجِمالي
When I saddle up in pride, there rise for me
When I saddle up to boast proudly,
my deeds and my lineage, then my beauty [final word uncertain].
My deeds and character are my mounts.
Sol 6.1