أصنيعةO protégé الطهرthe pure one الإمامthe Imam
أصنيعة الطهر الإمام
أنعمbe gracious وأصغand listen attentively إلىto كلاميmy words
أنعم وأصغ إلى كلامي
O protégé of the pure Imam,
O Imam of purity and virtue
Be gracious, and listen to my words.
Listen and pay heed to my words
حاشاfar be it from يمينكyour oath أنto تميprove false (word continues)
حاشا يمينك أن تمي
نcompletes the verb ‘prove false’ بماregarding what بذلتyou bestowed منof الذمامpledged protection
ن بما بذلت من الذمام
Far be it from your oath to prove
Far be it from your right hand that it should lean
false to the protection you pledged.
Towards what has been offered of blame
قلtell ليme بهمتكby your resolve الشريthe noble (word continues)
قل لي بهمتك الشري
فةcompletes the adjective ‘noble’ أينwhere حسنgoodness of الاهتمامthe concern
فة أين حسن الاهتمام
Tell me, by your noble resolve,
Tell me, in your noble disposition, where is the beauty of care?
where is your gracious concern?
Or have you not pledged to me
أوand …? لمnot تكنyou were عاهدتنيyou had pledged to me
أو لم تكن عاهدتني
بعدafter القعودsitting إلىto القيامrising
بعد القعود إلى القيام
And had you not pledged to me
After sitting, to stand?
to rise after sitting still?
Alas! O Abu Al-Barakat be
إيهcome now! أباO father of البركاتblessings كنbe
إيه أبا البركات كن
عنon behalf of خادميmy servant نعمhow excellent المحاميthe defender
عن خادمي نعم المحامي
Come now, Abu al-Barakat, be
To your servant a blessed advocate
a fine defender on my servant’s behalf.
For by your love, truly
فوحقfor, by the sanctity of ودكyour affection إننيindeed I
فوحق ودك إنني
ماnot كنتI was قطever بمستضامwronged (emphatic)
ما كنت قط بمستضام
For, by the sanctity of your affection, I
I have never been one to blame
have never been wronged.
I would not do good with a dark star
أحسنhow fine بعتمةis the darkness of كوكبa star
أحسن بعتمة كوكب
لولاwere it not for حياتيmy life واحتشاميand my reserve
لولا حياتي واحتشامي
How fine a star’s darkness would be,
If not for my life and my integrity
were it not for my life and my reserve,
And the worthlessness of the army that
وحقارةand the paltriness of الجيشthe army الذيthat
وحقارة الجيش الذي
عنديat my disposal يقلis too small عنfor الكلامmention
عندي يقل عن الكلام
and the paltriness of the army that
To me is less than speech
I have—too small even to speak of.
And if your resolve was in
وإذاand when اعتزامكyour resolve كانis فيin
وإذا اعتزامك كان في
كفيmy palm غنيتI have no need عنof الحسامthe sword
كفي غنيت عن الحسام
And when your resolve is in
My palm I would forego the swords
my palm, I have no need of a sword.
And whenever you shake my hand, I would not
ومتىand whenever تصافحنيyou shake my hand فلاthen not
ومتى تصافحني فلا
أرضىI am content with مصافحةshaking hands with الغمامthe clouds
أرضى مصافحة الغمام
And whenever you shake my hand, I will not
Be pleased with a handshake of clouds
settle for a handshake with the clouds.
So submit, and stay in bounty
فاسلمso stay safe ودمand remain فيin نعمةblessing
فاسلم ودم في نعمة
تترىcoming in succession علىin رغمspite of اللئامthe ignoble
تترى على رغم اللئام
So stay safe, and remain in blessings
You will see, despite the censurers
that follow one another, despite the ignoble.
Partial English translation: 21 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1