إِلىto اِبنِthe son of أَبيAbu (father of) الوَليدِal-Walid عَدَتsped رِكابيmy riding camels
إِلى اِبنِ أَبي الوَليدِ عَدَت رِكابي
وَراحَتand journeyed on وَهيَwhile they were جائِلَةُshifting loosely الضِفارِthe braided girths
وَراحَت وَهيَ جائِلَةُ الضِفارِ
To the son of Abu al-Walid my riding camels sped,
To the son of Abi al-Walid I have returned my mounts,
and journeyed on, their braided girths shifting loosely.
And they went back exhausted and worn.
إِلىto الحَكَمِal-Hakam الَّذيwho بِيَدَيهِin his two hands فَضلٌsuperiority
إِلى الحَكَمِ الَّذي بِيَدَيهِ فَضلٌ
عَلىover الأَيديthe hands مِنَthrough القُحَمِperilous undertakings الكِبارِgreat
عَلى الأَيدي مِنَ القُحَمِ الكِبارِ
To al-Hakam, whose hands excel
To the ruler in whose hands is virtue
other hands through great, perilous undertakings.
Above other great hands,
تَؤُمُّmake for بِهِfor him الحُداةُthe camel-drivers عَلىdespite وَجاهاtheir foot-soreness
تَؤُمُّ بِهِ الحُداةُ عَلى وَجاها
رُؤوسَthe heights of البيدِthe deserts سائِلَةَstreaming الذَفاريthe areas behind the ears
رُؤوسَ البيدِ سائِلَةَ الذَفاري
For him the camel-drivers press on, despite their mounts' sore feet,
The warriors consult him for his glory,
toward the desert heights, sweat streaming behind their ears.
Leading the tips of spears seeking his bounties,
وَكائِنand many a فيكَin you مِنof مَلِكٍa king هُمامٍvaliant
وَكائِن فيكَ مِن مَلِكٍ هُمامٍ
أَبٍa forefather لَكَof yours مِثلِlike مُنصَدِعِthe breaking of النَهارِdaylight
أَبٍ لَكَ مِثلِ مُنصَدِعِ النَهارِ
And many a valiant king lives on in you,
And you have in you a spirit of noble king,
a forefather of yours, like the breaking light of day.
A father to you like the bursting light of day.
فَمَنso whoever يَختَركَchooses you مِنfrom among وَلَدَيthe two sons of نِزارٍNizar
فَمَن يَختَركَ مِن وَلَدَي نِزارٍ
فَقَدthen indeed وَقَعَتhave fallen يَداهُhis two hands عَلىupon الخِيارِthe best
فَقَد وَقَعَت يَداهُ عَلى الخِيارِ
So whoever chooses you among Nizar's two sons
So whoever picks you among the sons of Nizar,
has indeed laid his hands upon the best—
His hands have fallen on the best choice.
عَلىupon المُعطيthe giver of الجِيادِfine steeds مُسَوَّماتٍmarked
عَلى المُعطي الجِيادِ مُسَوَّماتٍ
مَعَalong with البُختِBactrian camels النَجائِبِnoble-bred وَالعَذاريand maidens
مَعَ البُختِ النَجائِبِ وَالعَذاري
upon the giver of fine, marked steeds,
Giving thoroughbred steeds marked as gifts,
along with noble Bactrian camels and maidens.
Along with good fortune, virgins and young ladies.
رَأَيتُI saw يَدَيكَyour two hands خَيرَthe best يَدَيthe two hands of جَوادٍa generous man
رَأَيتُ يَدَيكَ خَيرَ يَدَي جَوادٍ
وَأَعياand grew weary دونَshort of جَريِكَyour running كُلُّevery جارِrunner
وَأَعيا دونَ جَريِكَ كُلُّ جارِ
I saw your hands as the finest hands of any generous man,
I saw your hands better than the hands of a generous man,
and every runner grew weary, falling short of your pace.
And I reckon all others beneath your running.
كَريمٌa noble man يَشتَريbuys بِالمالِwith wealth حَمداًpraise
كَريمٌ يَشتَري بِالمالِ حَمداً
مَكارِمَnoble deeds قَدindeed غَلَونَhave grown costly عَلىfor التِجارِthe merchants
مَكارِمَ قَد غَلَونَ عَلى التِجارِ
A noble man who buys praise with wealth,
A generous man who buys praise with money,
through noble deeds grown too costly for merchants.
While your generosity has gone beyond commerce.
وَجَدناwe found سَمكَthe height of بَيتِكَyour house فيamong قُرَيشٍQuraysh
وَجَدنا سَمكَ بَيتِكَ في قُرَيشٍ
طَويلَtall السَمكِin height مُرتَفِعَlofty السَواريthe pillars
طَويلَ السَمكِ مُرتَفِعَ السَواري
We found the stature of your house among Quraysh
We found the pillar of your house among Quraysh
lofty in height, its pillars rising high.
To be of great height, lofty pillars.
وَمَنand who تَطلُبseek مَساعيكُمyour achievements يَداهُhis two hands
وَمَن تَطلُب مَساعيكُم يَداهُ
إِلىtoward بَعضِsome of العُلىeminence يَومَthe day of الفَخارِboasting
إِلى بَعضِ العُلى يَومَ الفَخارِ
And who can seek with his hands to match your achievements,
And whoever your efforts seek, his hands
aspiring to some eminence on the day of boasting?
On a day of trial reach some heights.
رَأَيتُI saw المُلكَkingship عَنaway from عُثمانَUthman حَلَّتsettled
رَأَيتُ المُلكَ عَن عُثمانَ حَلَّت
عُراهُits bonds إِلَيكُمُto you all دارَthe abode of القَرارِpermanence
عُراهُ إِلَيكُمُ دارَ القَرارِ
I saw kingship pass from Uthman,
I saw kingship slip off Uthman and move
its bonds settling with you, its lasting abode.
Its belongings to you, abode of settlement.
وَعانٍand a captive قَدindeed دَعاcalled out فَأَجَبتُموهُso you all answered him
وَعانٍ قَد دَعا فَأَجَبتُموهُ
وَأَطلَقتُمand you all freed يَدَيهِhis two hands مِنَfrom الإِسارِbondage
وَأَطلَقتُم يَدَيهِ مِنَ الإِسارِ
And a captive called out, and you answered him,
And Aan called and you answered him
and freed his hands from bondage,
And freed his hands from fetters.
إِذاwhen ماfor emphasis المَوتُdeath حَدَّقَencircled بِالمَناياwith death's decrees
إِذا ما المَوتُ حَدَّقَ بِالمَنايا
وَكانَand were القَومُthe people مِنهُfrom it عَلىin أُوارِscorching heat
وَكانَ القَومُ مِنهُ عَلى أُوارِ
when death hemmed them in with death's decrees,
When death hovers around catastrophes,
and the people were caught in its scorching blaze.
And people because of it are in distress and misery,
Sol 6.1