أعليٌّO Ali أحلَّكset you upon الذُروةَthe summit العَلياءloftiest
أعليٌّ أحلَّك الذُروةَ العَلياء
عيصٌa lineage منamong أشرفthe noblest الأعياصِlineages
عيصٌ من أشرف الأعياصِ
O Ali, you were set upon the loftiest summit
You are the highest, the most sublime peak,
by a lineage among the noblest lineages.
A noble branch of the noblest trees.
حُزتَyou attained أقصىthe utmost الكمالperfection والفضلand excellence حتَّىso that
حُزتَ أقصى الكمال والفضل حتَّى
بهماthrough both سُدتyou became lord over كلَّevery دانٍone near وقاصand one far
بهما سُدت كلَّ دانٍ وقاص
You attained the utmost perfection and excellence, so that
You have attained the utmost perfection and merit,
through both you became lord of all, near and far.
With which you have filled every cup to the brim.
أنتyou بدرُa full moon وتمُّهand its fullness لكمالٍfor perfection
أنت بدرُ وتمُّه لكمالٍ
وتمامُand the fullness البدورِof full moons للانتقاصtoward waning
وتمامُ البدورِ للانتقاص
You are a full moon whose fullness marks perfection,
You are the full moon, perfect in your glory,
while the fullness of moons heralds their waning.
While other moons only wax and wane.
لمnot تكنyou were متحفيbestowing on me ومجدكby your glory لولاwere it not for
لم تكن متحفي ومجدك لولا
إنَّكthat you are البحرthe sea درّةa pearl الغوّاصof the diver
إنَّك البحر درّة الغوّاص
By your glory, you would not have bestowed on me—were it not
Your fame would not shine, were you not
that you are the sea—a diver's pearl.
The sea, the diver's precious pearl.
ياO بنson of منhim who لانتجاعِto seek pasture in روضِthe meadow of المزاياvirtues
يا بن من لانتجاعِ روضِ المزايا
ليسis not إلاَّexcept إليهtoward him وخدُthe trotting of القِلاصthe young she-camels
ليس إلاَّ إليه وخدُ القِلاص
O son of him—for pasture in the meadow of virtues,
O son of the one whose meadow of virtues
the young she-camels trot toward him alone.
Has no match, whose cheek is the wish of all.
أقعدتheld back عنfrom شواردِthe elusive strays of النظمverse فكريmy thought
أقعدت عن شواردِ النظم فكري
عللٌailments عُقنهُthey hindered it عنfrom الإقتناصthe hunt
عللٌ عُقنهُ عن الإقتناص
My thought was kept from the elusive strays of verse
Preoccupations distracted my thoughts from verse
by ailments that held it back from the hunt.
Ailments prevented their harvest.
لوif يبارحننيthey leave me قليلاًa little لأتحفwould present
لو يبارحنني قليلاً لأتحف
تُكI ... you (verb ending) منهfrom it بالمُطربِwith what delights الرقّاصthe dancing one
تُك منه بالمُطربِ الرقّاص
If they left me for a little while, I would present
If they would leave me briefly, I would gift you
you with some of its delight-giving, dancing verse.
Songs from a throat melodious and supple.
غيرbut أنّيthat I أقولُsay إذsince راضَtamed فكريmy thought
غير أنّي أقولُ إذ راضَ فكري
منamong صِعابthe unruly ones of القريضpoetry ذاتone possessed of اعتياصstubborn resistance
من صِعاب القريض ذات اعتياص
Yet I say, since my thought has tamed
But I say, though my mind is gratified
an obstinate one among poetry's unruly verses:
By the difficulty of crafting analogies,
احتذىtook as footwear أخمُصاكyour feet's two arches خصمكyour foe ياO بنson of
احتذى أخمُصاك خصمك يا بن
النفرِthe company of men البيضthe bright-faced والكرامand the noble الخِماصthe lean-bellied
النفرِ البيض والكرام الخِماص
Your feet's two arches have taken your foe for footwear, O son
Your rival, o son of chivalrous whites,
of the bright-faced company and the noble, lean-bellied men.
Has grasped your stirrup-strap, so beware!
قدindeed ضربتyou pitched القِبابthe pavilions فيat مفرقthe hair-parting of الأنجمthe stars
قد ضربت القِباب في مفرق الأنجم
فاعقدso tie أطنابَهاtheir guy ropes بالنواصيto the forelocks
فاعقد أطنابَها بالنواصي
You have pitched your pavilions at the parting of the stars' hair;
You have pitched tents at the celestial pole,
so tie their guy ropes to the forelocks.
So tether their ropes to the stars,
وأقمand dwell فيin سلامةٍsafety وحبورٍand joy
وأقم في سلامةٍ وحبورٍ
رافَهat ease البالِof mind مستطابَpleasant العِراصthe courtyards
رافَه البالِ مستطابَ العِراص
And dwell in safety and joy,
And live in peace and joy,
easy of mind, with pleasant courtyards.
Calm of mind, gentle of manner.
Sol 6.1