وساعةٍand an hour جادgave generously بهاwith it العُمرُlife
وساعةٍ جاد بها العُمرُ
ونامand slept عنunaware of خُلْستِهاits stealthy theft الدهرُTime
ونام عن خُلْستِها الدهرُ
And an hour that life generously bestowed,
An hour passed, in which life was generous,
while Time slept, unaware of its theft.
And time slept, ignoring it.
والطيرُand the birds والدُّولابand the waterwheel يَشْدوsings لناfor us
والطيرُ والدُّولاب يَشْدو لنا
كمُطرِبٍlike a singer يَتْبَعهfollows him زَمْرpiping
كمُطرِبٍ يَتْبَعه زَمْر
And the birds and the waterwheel sing for us,
The birds and spinning wheels sang for us,
like a singer accompanied by piping.
Like musicians followed by melody.
والوردُand the roses فوقupon الماءthe water ماspatial linking particle بينناbetween us
والوردُ فوق الماء ما بيننا
قدalready نُثِرتْwere scattered أوراقُهits petals الحُمْرthe red ones
قد نُثِرتْ أوراقُه الحُمْر
And the roses upon the water between us—
Roses floated above the water between us,
their red petals have been scattered.
Their red petals scattered.
لمdid not تَرsee عينيmy eye منظراa sight مثلهlike it
لم تَر عيني منظرا مثله
ماءwater تَلظَّىblazed فوقهupon it جَمْرembers
ماء تَلظَّى فوقه جَمْر
My eye has seen no sight like it:
My eyes never saw a scene like it -
water, with embers blazing upon it.
Water shimmering above embers.
تِهْناwe reveled بهin it زَهْواproudly كماjust as تَزْدهِيtakes pride
تِهْنا به زَهْوا كما تَزْدهِي
بالآمرِin al-Āmir الأحكامُthe laws والأمرand rule
بالآمرِ الأحكامُ والأمر
We reveled proudly in it, as do
We enjoyed it, blooming with delight,
laws and rule in al-Āmir—
Like commands and affairs bloom with authority.
مَنْhe who وجهُهhis face بدرٌa full moon ومنand he who لفظُهhis speech
مَنْ وجهُه بدرٌ ومن لفظُه
دُرٌّpearls ومنand he who راحُتهhis palm بحرa sea
دُرٌّ ومن راحُته بحر
he whose face is a full moon, and whose speech
He whose face is the full moon, and whose words
is pearls, and whose palm is a sea.
Are pearls, and whose scent is the sea.
سارتْtraveled عَطاياgifts جودِهhis generosity مثلماjust as
سارتْ عَطايا جودِه مثلما
قدalready سارtraveled فيهconcerning him الحمدpraise والشكرand thanks
قد سار فيه الحمد والشكر
The gifts of his bounty have traveled, just as
The gifts of his generosity flowed,
praise and thanks for him have traveled.
As praise and thanks flowed in him.
وعَطَّرand perfumed الدنياthe world بأوصافهwith his qualities
وعَطَّر الدنيا بأوصافه
فيin الفضلgenerosity حتىuntil خَجِلwas ashamed القَطْرthe rain
في الفضل حتى خَجِل القَطْر
And he perfumed the world with his qualities
He perfumed the world with his traits -
of generosity, until even the rain was ashamed.
In generosity, until rainfall was shy.
Sol 6.1