أناI فيin أصفهانIsfahan فيin تنغيصِdistress
أنا في أصفهان في تنغيصِ
بينbetween سِعرٍa price غالٍhigh وشِعرٍand verse رخيصِcheap
بين سِعرٍ غالٍ وشِعرٍ رخيصِ
I am in Isfahan, in distress,
I am in Isfahan in distress
between high prices and cheap verse.
Between expensive prices and cheap poetry
قدindeed تحيّرتُI am bewildered فيamid عيالdependents وفقرٍand poverty
قد تحيّرتُ في عيال وفقرٍ
وغلاءٍand high prices وليسand there is not ليfor me منany (emphatic) مَحيصِescape
وغلاءٍ وليس لي من مَحيصِ
I am bewildered by dependents and poverty,
I have become confused by poverty and family
and high prices; I have no way out.
And high prices, and I have no escape
لاno مُقامٌstaying ولاand no رحيلٌdeparture وقدand already عدbecame (first part of عُدتُ)
لا مُقامٌ ولا رحيلٌ وقد عد
تُI (ending of عُدتُ) أسيراًa captive كالطائرِlike a bird المقصوصِwing-clipped
تُ أسيراً كالطائرِ المقصوصِ
I can neither stay nor leave, and I have become
Neither staying nor leaving, and you have
a captive, like a bird with clipped wings.
Imprisoned me like a bird with clipped wings
ولَوand if انّthat الطريقَthe road سهلٌeasy كماas كاwas (first part of كان)
ولَو انّ الطريقَ سهلٌ كما كا
نَcompletes كان, 'was' لقرّبتُthen I would ready للبِعادfor far travel قَلوصيmy young she-camel
نَ لقرّبتُ للبِعاد قَلوصي
And if the road were easy, as it once
If only the road were easy like it used
was, I would ready my young she-camel for travel afar.
To be, I would have brought my loved ones closer
ضعتُI am lost فيin أصفهانIsfahan بينamong رجالٍmen
ضعتُ في أصفهان بين رجالٍ
سَفِلٍbase بالعمومuniversally لاnot بالخصوصin particular
سَفِلٍ بالعموم لا بالخصوص
I am lost in Isfahan among men
I have been placed in Isfahan among men
base one and all, not merely a few.
Generally wicked, not particularly so
كالتعاويذِlike amulets والتصاويرِand pictures ماnot فيin
كالتعاويذِ والتصاويرِ ما في
همthem منof الناسhumankind غيرُexcept حُسنِbeauty الشُّخوصِof bodily forms
هم من الناس غيرُ حُسنِ الشُّخوصِ
Like amulets and pictures, there is nothing in
Like talismans and images, there is nothing in them
them of humanity but the beauty of their forms.
Of people except good composure
عجَباًhow strange! للذيat the one who يَشِحُّhe is miserly ولاand does not ينspend (first part of ينفق)
عجَباً للذي يَشِحُّ ولا ين
فِقُcompletes ينفق, 'spend' حتىuntil إذاwhen رأىhe sees الموتَdeath يُوصيhe makes a will
فِقُ حتى إذا رأى الموتَ يُوصي
How strange the man who is miserly and does not
How strange is one who is miserly and does not
spend—until, seeing death, he makes a will!
Spend until, when he sees death approaching, he wills
ذاكَthat بذلُgiving المضطرِof one compelled بالرُّغمagainst his will لِمwhy لَمnot (past negation)
ذاكَ بذلُ المضطرِ بالرُّغم لِم لَم
يكُhe was فيin البذلgiving قبلَbefore ذاthis بحريصِat all eager
يكُ في البذل قبلَ ذا بحريصِ
That is the giving of one compelled, against his will; why was he not
That to the needy reluctantly. Why was he not
eager to give before this?
Generous before with eagerness?
كلُّevery شيءٍthing يَفنيperishes ويَبقىand remains لكَfor you الأجthe reward (first part of الأجر)
كلُّ شيءٍ يَفني ويَبقى لكَ الأج
رُcompletes الأجر, 'the reward' وحُسنُand the goodness الثناءِof praise خيرُthe best قنيصِquarry
رُ وحُسنُ الثناءِ خيرُ قنيصِ
Everything perishes, and there remains for you the
Everything perishes, and good praise remains for you
reward; and good repute is the finest quarry.
The best shirt.
Sol 6.1