عبيرfragrance ثناpraise عبدAbd الحميدal-Hamid يدhand الزهرِthe blossoms
عبير ثنا عبد الحميد يد الزهرِ
وعتهit held it فيحيىand so revives عرفهُits scent خاملobscure الذكرِrenown
وعته فيحيى عرفهُ خامل الذكرِ
The fragrance of praise for Abd al-Hamid—the blossoms’ hand
The fragrance of your praise, O Abdel Hamid
has held it; its scent revives those of obscure renown.
Revives the flower garden and the dormant memory
بطلعةwith a countenance حسناfair قدindeed أدامتhas sustained جمالهاits beauty
بطلعة حسنا قد أدامت جمالها
أفانينvarieties آدابٍliterary arts رقتrose منهلwellspring الدرِpearls
أفانين آدابٍ رقت منهل الدرِ
With a fair countenance whose beauty has been sustained
With a beautiful smile that perpetuated its beauty
by varied literary arts that rose to the wellspring of pearls.
And refined manners that softened the course of pearls
دراريbright stars معانيهاits meanings سمتrose high فبدائعاًand so marvels
دراري معانيها سمت فبدائعاً
وعشقاًand love دعوناwe invoked فيin الجنانthe heart وفيand in الفكرِthought
وعشقاً دعونا في الجنان وفي الفكرِ
The bright stars of its meanings soared; then marvels
Its flowing meanings ascended into masterpieces
and love we invoked, in the heart and in thought.
And love we called in the gardens and in thought
أسيرٌa captive لمنشيهاto its composer امرءِImru’ القيسal-Qays وهيwhile it فيin
أسيرٌ لمنشيها امرءِ القيس وهي في
دلالٍcoquettish grace علىbefore هاميone pouring forth المعارفlearning والشعرِand poetry
دلالٍ على هامي المعارف والشعرِ
I am captive to its composer, Imru’ al-Qays, while it is
A prisoner of your gait, Imru al-Qais, while you are
in coy grace before the one who pours forth learning and poetry.
Evidence of the height of knowledge and poetry
لكfor you الفضلexcellence ياO عبدAbd الحميدal-Hamid ممهدٌlaid ready
لك الفضل يا عبد الحميد ممهدٌ
بحلىwith adornments ذكاءٍintelligence والبيانand eloquence منa kind of السحرِmagic
بحلى ذكاءٍ والبيان من السحرِ
Excellence is laid ready for you, O Abd al-Hamid,
You have the merit, O Abdel Hamid, paving the way
with adornments of intelligence; and eloquence is a kind of magic.
With the adornment of brilliance and eloquence like magic
حريٌّworthy بأنto تسموyou rise above نعمyes كلevery بارعٍmaster
حريٌّ بأن تسمو نعم كل بارعٍ
أطارsent aloft وماand not رسمimage الزجاجةthe glass vessel كالبدرlike the full moon
أطار وما رسم الزجاجة كالبدر
You deserve to outsoar—yes—every master
It is fitting that the favors of every skilled person soar
who has sent [verse] aloft; a glass vessel’s image is not like the full moon.
And what the pot outlines is like the full moon
مآلfinal recourse ذويthose possessing الآدابletters ردٌa return لعلمكمto your learning
مآل ذوي الآداب ردٌ لعلمكم
شهيدa witness فمٍof a mouth بالسبقto preeminence فيin السرsecret والجهرِand publicly
شهيد فمٍ بالسبق في السر والجهرِ
The final recourse of men of letters is a return to your learning,
The destiny of people of literature is your knowledge
a mouth’s testimony to preeminence, in private and in public.
A martyr’s mouth with precedence in secret and public
يمدكhe offers you بالأشواقwith longings مدحاًpraise معalong with الثناeulogy
يمدك بالأشواق مدحاً مع الثنا
أسيرُa captive هواكمlove for you ماnot سلاceased loving مدةthroughout العمرlife
أسيرُ هواكم ما سلا مدة العمر
With longing he offers you praise and eulogy—
It extends to you with longing as praise with commendation
the captive of love for you, who has never ceased loving throughout life.
A prisoner of your love as long as life remains
دهاbeset حبكyour beloved المشتاقthe yearning one عهدٌa spell منof النوىseparation
دها حبك المشتاق عهدٌ من النوى
يسدُّfills the gap وأنand though لمnot أبدI disclose وأجبكمand answer you عذريmy excuse
يسدُّ وأن لم أبد وأجبكم عذري
A spell of separation has beset your yearning beloved.
This is the covenant of my ardent love
My excuse fills the gap, though I have not voiced it or answered you.
It suffices, even if I do not show, and excuses me before you
Sol 6.1