قومٌa people لهمfor them حسنbeauty الوفاfidelity شيمةa hallmark
قومٌ لهم حسن الوفا شيمة
وبذلهمand their giving يومthe day العطاياgifts كسَوthey clothed (uncertain reading)
وبذلهم يوم العطايا كسَو
A people whose hallmark is beautiful fidelity.
A people of fine loyalty their trait
And their giving on the day of gifts—[unclear ending].
Their generosity on days of giving like heavy rain
نؤُrainfall سحابa cloud فاضoverflowed منfrom كفهمtheir palm
نؤُ سحاب فاض من كفهم
جوداgenerosity إلاlo! (apparent misspelling) أدنdraw near منto حماهمtheir refuge وروand quench (fragment)
جودا إلا أدن من حماهم ورو
A cloud's rain overflowed from their hands,
They are clouds bursting with generosity from their palms
in generosity. Come, draw near their refuge and quench—
Except for those who draw near their sanctuary and dwell
روّيquench لظىthe blaze قلبكyour heart ياذاO you with الظماthirst
روّي لظى قلبك ياذا الظما
فيin برجهمtheir tower وأمرحand revel هناءhappily بدوin the wilderness
في برجهم وأمرح هناء بدو
quench your heart's blaze, O thirsty one,
Quench the burning thirst of your heart, O aggrieved one
within their tower, and revel happily in the wilderness.
And cheer happily while wandering their abode
الدوthe wilderness سهلgentle مثلlike أخلاقهمtheir character
الدو سهل مثل أخلاقهم
ماnot فيهمamong them بالسلمin peace طبعa disposition كلوunclear fragment
ما فيهم بالسلم طبع كلو
The wilderness is gentle, like their character;
Their path is smooth like their character
in peace, none among them has a [unclear] disposition.
No stubborn nature in them when it comes to peace
كلوunclear fragment صعبٌdifficult نيلattaining علياهمtheir heights
كلو صعبٌ نيل علياهم
عليّهمtheir Ali بدرٌa full moon تلالاgleamed بجوin the sky
عليّهم بدرٌ تلالا بجو
[Unclear opening]—their heights are hard to attain.
Yet it's hard to attain their loftiness
Their Ali is a full moon gleaming in the sky.
Upon them a full moon rises through their atmosphere
جوthe expanse سماءthe sky البذلgenerosity جونa dark raincloud لهمfor them
جو سماء البذل جون لهم
يهديbestows السناradiance عنfrom فضهلمtheir excellence (apparent typo) ضوlight
يهدي السنا عن فضهلم ضو
In bounty's sky, theirs is a dark raincloud;
The atmosphere of generosity is familiar to them
a light bestows radiance from their excellence.
Sending gifts despite their overflowing virtue
ضوءُlight شعاعa ray لاحshone فيin حبهمlove for them
ضوءُ شعاع لاح في حبهم
يقولit says للحاديto the camel-driver إذاwhen زارhe visited ضوlight
يقول للحادي إذا زار ضو
A ray's light shone in love for them;
The rays of their love shine
it tells the camel-driver, when he visits the light:
Telling the lost: visit their glow
سمواthey rose فخاراًin glory فيthrough عليّAli الرضىal-Rida
سموا فخاراً في عليّ الرضى
ماnot قالhe said لاno منعاin refusal ولاnor قالhe said لوif
ما قال لا منعا ولا قال لو
They rose in glory through Ali al-Rida.
They were prided as the highest of the pleased
He never said 'No' in refusal, nor said 'If.'
Never refusing or saying "if only" when asked to give
لوif جادhe bestowed منعاrefusal فيamid ندىthe bounty كفهhis palm
لو جاد منعا في ندى كفه
أحيىhe revived هشيماbrushwood يابساdry فيهwithin it لوif
أحيى هشيما يابسا فيه لو
If he bestowed refusal amid the bounty of his palm,
If the Nile of their palms poured forth generously
he would revive dry brushwood therein—if...
It would revive barren, withered remains if only a drop
لوىhe turned عنانthe reins الضدthe enemy يوماone day بهwith it
لوى عنان الضد يوما به
ترنوgaze العواليthe lofty spears عاطفاتbending بأوpride
ترنو العوالي عاطفات بأو
He turned the enemy's reins with it one day;
If one day they bent the neck of adversity
the lofty spears gaze, bending with pride.
High ambitions would yearn for their compassion
إلاexcept واعياunclear fragment ءُisolated hamza; word fragment اشتباكthe clash القناthe spears
إلا واعيا ءُ اشتباك القنا
لماwhen سيوفthe swords القومthe people دماblood همَوrained down
لما سيوف القوم دما همَو
Except [unclear wording]—the clash of spears,
Had they not been aware of the clashing of swords
when the people's swords rained blood.
Their people's blood never would have been shed
همواthey set forth بأقدامboldly (uncertain spelling) علىupon ضمرlean steeds
هموا بأقدام على ضمر
فيin سيرهمtheir course برقthe lightning الغواديmorning rainclouds حكوthey resembled
في سيرهم برق الغوادي حكو
They advanced boldly on lean steeds;
They set out with their feet on the path
in their course, they matched the lightning of morning rainclouds.
Like lightning flashing through the darkness
انif كنتyou are لاnot تفهمyou understand سلask عنهمabout them
ان كنت لا تفهم سل عنهم
سمرtawny العواليthe lofty spears والظباand the sword-edges ماwhat حكوthey recounted
سمر العوالي والظبا ما حكو
If you do not understand, ask about them
If you do not understand, ask about them
the tawny spears and sword-edges—what they have recounted.
The summits and gazelles will tell what they have heard
قومa people نضاهيwe rival الأصميal-Asmi فيهمconcerning them
قوم نضاهي الأصمي فيهم
منfrom حيثwhere ضاهواthey matched معنMa‘n فيماin what عطوthey gave
من حيث ضاهوا معن فيما عطو
A people concerning whom we rival al-Asmi,
A people who rival fate in generosity
since they matched Ma‘n in what they gave.
However much fate gave, they gave more in return
Sol 6.1