وكُنْتُand I used to إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle رابَنِيtroubled me الدَّهْرُtime مَرَّةًon one occasion
وكُنْتُ إِذا ما رابَنِي الدَّهْرُ مَرَّةً
وَقَدْand had وَلَدَbegotten الدَّهْرُtime الْكِرامَthe noble men فَأَنْجَباand thus produced worthy offspring
وَقَدْ وَلَدَ الدَّهْرُ الْكِرامَ فَأَنْجَبا
And whenever time troubled me on some occasion—
Whenever fate troubled me time and again,
and time had begotten noble men, producing worthy offspring—
And time had begotten the generous who gave birth,
دَعَوْتُI called upon كَرِيماًa generous man فَاسْتَجابَso he responded لِدَعْوَتِيto my call
دَعَوْتُ كَرِيماً فَاسْتَجابَ لِدَعْوَتِي
أَغَرَّradiant إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle رادَهُsought him out الظَّنُّexpectation أَخْصَباproved fertile
أَغَرَّ إِذا ما رادَهُ الظَّنُّ أَخْصَبا
I called upon a generous man, and he answered my call:
I called upon a generous one, who answered my call,
a radiant man who proves fertile whenever expectation seeks him out.
Alluring when intended by presumption most fertile.
إِذاif كُنْتَyou are راجِيhoping for نِعْمَةٍa favor مِنْfrom مُؤَمَّلٍsomeone looked to with hope
إِذا كُنْتَ راجِي نِعْمَةٍ مِنْ مُؤَمَّلٍ
فَحَسْبِيَthen enough for me أَنْto أَرْجُوI place my hopes in الْعَمِيدَal-ʿAmīd (the chief) الْمُهَذَّباthe refined
فَحَسْبِيَ أَنْ أَرْجُو الْعَمِيدَ الْمُهَذَّبا
If you hope for a favor from someone looked to with hope,
If you seek a favor from one hoped for,
then it is enough for me to place my hopes in al-ʿAmīd, the refined.
It suffices me to hope for the refined pillar.
عَسىmay جُودُهُhis bounty الْمأْمُولُthe hoped-for يَنْتاشُplucks to safety هالِكاًa perishing man
عَسى جُودُهُ الْمأْمُولُ يَنْتاشُ هالِكاً
أَسِيرَa captive زَمانٍof time بِالْخُطُوبِby calamities مُعَذَّباtormented
أَسِيرَ زَمانٍ بِالْخُطُوبِ مُعَذَّبا
May his hoped-for bounty pluck a perishing man to safety,
May his expected generosity revive one doomed,
a captive of time, tormented by calamities.
A prisoner of time, tortured by calamities.
أَرىI see الدَّهْرَtime لاnot يَزْدادُgrows إِلاّexcept فَظاظَةًharshness
أَرى الدَّهْرَ لا يَزْدادُ إِلاّ فَظاظَةً
عَلَيَّtoward me وَلاand not أَزْدادُI grow إِلاّexcept تَعَتُّباreproachfulness
عَلَيَّ وَلا أَزْدادُ إِلاّ تَعَتُّبا
I see time growing only harsher
I see time only grows increasingly violent toward me,
toward me, while I grow only more reproachful.
And I only grow increasingly plaintive.
فَكُنْso be لِبَنِيfor the sons of الأَحْرارِthe free men حِصْناًa fortress وَمَعْقِلاًand a refuge
فَكُنْ لِبَنِي الأَحْرارِ حِصْناً وَمَعْقِلاً
إِذاwhen خانَهُمْbetrayed them صَرْفُthe vicissitudes الزَّمانِof time وَخَيَّباand disappointed
إِذا خانَهُمْ صَرْفُ الزَّمانِ وَخَيَّبا
So be a fortress and a refuge for the sons of free men,
So be a fortress and sanctuary for the freeborn,
when time's vicissitudes betray them and dash their hopes.
When the caprice of time betrays and fails them.
سِواكَanyone other than you يُعابُare censured الْمادِحُونَthe praise-poets بِنَيْلِهِfor obtaining his bounty
سِواكَ يُعابُ الْمادِحُونَ بِنَيْلِهِ
وَغَيْرُكَand someone other than you مَنْthe one who آبىrefused لِجَدْواهُfor his bounty مَطْلَباa request
وَغَيْرُكَ مَنْ آبى لِجَدْواهُ مَطْلَبا
Praise-poets are censured for taking gifts from anyone but you,
Except you, those who praise are blamed for ingratitude,
and it is someone other than you who refuses a request for his bounty.
And anyone else from whom glory is sought unyielding.
Sol 6.1