فاعلمso know وأنتand you بماof what أريدI wish مقالهto say it
فاعلم وأنت بما أريد مقاله
منيthan me ومنand than كلall البريةhumankind أعلمmore knowledgeable
مني ومن كل البرية أعلم
Know—though you know what I wish to say
Know that what I want to say
better than I and all humankind—
Comes from me and all mankind knows
إنيindeed I حسدتI was envied علىfor كرامتكyour favor التيwhich
إني حسدت على كرامتك التي
منfor أجلهاits sake فيin كلevery أرضland أكرمI am honored
من أجلها في كل أرض أكرم
that I have been envied for your favor, which
I envied your nobility
brings me honor in every land.
For which you're honored in every land
وبدونand for less than ماwhat أسديتهyou bestowed it منof نعمةbounty
وبدون ما أسديته من نعمة
سدىlaid the warp الرجالthe men الحاسدونthe envious وألحمواand added the weft
سدى الرجال الحاسدون وألحموا
And for less than the bounty you have bestowed,
Without the grace I gave
envious men have laid the warp and added the weft.
In vain are the envious men and their flesh
إنif كانwere so ماwhat قالواthey said وليسand is not بكائنactually so
إن كان ما قالوا وليس بكائن
فأناthen I امرؤa man ممنthan those who سعىspoke maliciously بيagainst me ألأمbaser
فأنا امرؤ ممن سعى بي ألأم
If what they said were true—and it is not—
If what they said is true, though it's not
then I am a man baser than those who spoke against me.
Then I'm a man who's been tried by pain
عذرan excuse كماas اختارchose الحسودthe envious man وموقفand a stance
عذر كما اختار الحسود وموقف
ألزمتI bound نفسيmyself فيهin it ماwhat لاnot يلزمis required
ألزمت نفسي فيه ما لا يلزم
An excuse as the envious man chose, and a stance
An excuse, as the envious chose, and a stance
in which I bound myself to what was not required.
I compelled myself though it's not right
كذبa lie وحقكand by your honor لوif حلمتI had dreamed بذكرهof mentioning it
كذب وحقك لو حلمت بذكره
أقسمتI would have sworn أنيthat I بعدهafter it لاnot أحلمdream
أقسمت أني بعده لا أحلم
A lie! By your honor, had I dreamed of mentioning it,
A lie, by your truth, if I dreamed of it
I would have sworn never to dream again.
I swear after it I won't dream anymore
راجعreturn to جميلthe kindly الرأيopinion فيَّof me بنظرةwith a glance
راجع جميل الرأي فيَّ بنظرة
تضحىbecomes عواطفهاits tender feelings تسحpour forth وتسجمand stream
تضحى عواطفها تسح وتسجم
Return to your kindly opinion of me with a glance
Reconsider your good opinion of me
whose tenderness comes pouring and streaming.
With a look whose emotions pour and assemble
فالليلfor the night إنif أقبلتyou turn toward me صبحa dawn مسفرradiant
فالليل إن أقبلت صبح مسفر
والصبحand the dawn إنif أعرضتyou turn away ليلa night مظلمdark
والصبح إن أعرضت ليل مظلم
For night is a radiant dawn if you turn toward me;
For if the night comes, it dawns
and dawn is a dark night if you turn away.
And if the dawn turns away, it's a dark night
بدأتyou began صنائعكyour benefactions الجميلkindness ومثلهاand ones like them
بدأت صنائعك الجميل ومثلها
بأجلwith something nobler منthan تكلthat (apparently intended: تلك) البدايةthe beginning تختمare completed
بأجل من تكل البداية تختم
You began your benefactions with kindness; and favors like these
You began the beautiful making
are completed with something nobler than that beginning.
And with the Most High will such beginnings conclude
Sol 6.1