كَتَبتُI wrote وَعَجَّلتُand I hastened البِرادَةَthe couriers إِنَّنيindeed, I
كَتَبتُ وَعَجَّلتُ البِرادَةَ إِنَّني
إِذاwhenever حاجَةٌa request طالَبتُI pursued عَجَّتcried out رِكابُهاits riding-camels
إِذا حاجَةٌ طالَبتُ عَجَّت رِكابُها
I wrote and hastened the couriers; indeed,
I wrote and hastened the letter, for I
whenever I pursue a request, its riding-camels cry out.
When a need arises, its riders hasten
وَليand I have بِبِلادِin the lands of الهِندِIndia عِندَwith أَميرِهاtheir emir
وَلي بِبِلادِ الهِندِ عِندَ أَميرِها
حَوائِجُrequests جَمّاتٌnumerous وَعِنديand with me ثَوابُهاtheir recompense
حَوائِجُ جَمّاتٌ وَعِندي ثَوابُها
And in the lands of India, with their emir, I have
And I have in the lands of India, with its ruler
many requests, and their recompense rests with me.
Many pressing needs, and with me their reward
فَمِنso among تِلكَthose أَنَّthat العامِرِيَّةَthe ʿĀmirī woman ضَمَّهاbrought her together
فَمِن تِلكَ أَنَّ العامِرِيَّةَ ضَمَّها
وَبَيتيand my house نَوارَNawār طابَwas pleasant مِنهاfrom her اِقتِرابُهاher approach
وَبَيتي نَوارَ طابَ مِنها اِقتِرابُها
One of those concerns the ʿĀmirī woman, who was brought
Among them, that Al-Amiriyya brought it together
into my house by Nawār; her approach was welcome.
And my home Nawar was made fragrant by its proximity
أَتَتنيshe came to me تَهادىswaying as she walked بَعدَماafter مالَتِhad drooped الطُلىthe necks
أَتَتني تَهادى بَعدَما مالَتِ الطُلى
وَعِنديand beside me رَداحُbroad الجَوفِthe interior فيهاin it شَرابُهاher drink
وَعِندي رَداحُ الجَوفِ فيها شَرابُها
She came to me, swaying, after the necks had drooped,
It came to me as a gift after the dates had ripened
and beside me was a broad-bellied vessel with her drink in it.
And I have at hand the coolness of the bosom, its drink
فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her إيهِgo on اِطلُبيask كُلَّevery حاجَةٍneed
فَقُلتُ لَها إيهِ اِطلُبي كُلَّ حاجَةٍ
لَدَيَّwith me وَخَفَّتand became easy حاجَةٌa request وَطِلابُهاand its pursuit
لَدَيَّ وَخَفَّت حاجَةٌ وَطِلابُها
So I said to her, 'Go on: ask for anything you need
So I said to it, “Go, seek every need
of me.' The request and its pursuit became easy.
I have, and the need grew less and its seeking
فَقالَتso she said سِوىapart from اِبنيmy son لاnot أُطالِبُI seek غَيرَهُanyone other than him
فَقالَت سِوى اِبني لا أُطالِبُ غَيرَهُ
وَقَدand indeed بِكَin you عاذَتsought refuge كَلثَمٌKaltham وَغِلابُهاand her struggle
وَقَد بِكَ عاذَت كَلثَمٌ وَغِلابُها
She said, 'I seek none but my son, no one else.'
It said, “Other than my son I do not seek but him
And Kaltham and her struggle have sought refuge in you.
And in you has taken refuge one defeated and overpowered”
تَميمَTamīm بنَson of زَيدٍZayd لاlet not تَهونَنَّbecome insignificant حاجَتيmy request
تَميمَ بنَ زَيدٍ لا تَهونَنَّ حاجَتي
لَدَيكَwith you وَلاand let not يَعياprove difficult عَلَيَّfor me جَوابُهاits answer
لَدَيكَ وَلا يَعيا عَلَيَّ جَوابُها
Tamīm son of Zayd, do not let my request seem slight
“Tameem ibn Zayd, do not make light of my need with you
to you, nor let its answer be hard for me to obtain.
Nor be weary in answering it
وَلاand do not تَقلِبَنturn over ظَهراًa back لِبَطنٍto a front صَحيفَتيmy letter
وَلا تَقلِبَن ظَهراً لِبَطنٍ صَحيفَتي
فَشاهِدُfor the evidence of هاجيهاits reader عَلَيكَagainst you كِتابُهاits writing
فَشاهِدُ هاجيها عَلَيكَ كِتابُها
And do not turn my letter over, back to front,
And do not turn the backside of my letter
for its writing is its reader's evidence against you.
For the witness of its petitioner is upon you in its writing
وَهَبand grant ليto me خُنَيساًKhunays وَاِتَّخِذand take فيهِthrough him مِنَّةًa favor
وَهَب لي خُنَيساً وَاِتَّخِذ فيهِ مِنَّةً
لِحَوبَةِfor the anguish of أُمٍّa mother ماnot يَسوغُgoes down easily شَرابُهاher drink
لِحَوبَةِ أُمٍّ ما يَسوغُ شَرابُها
And grant me Khunays, and through him do a kindness
Grant me Khonays and do me a favor in it
to an anguished mother whose drink will not go down.
For a loving mother whose drink is not seemly”
Sol 6.1