رَأَيْتُكَI found you لَمّاwhen شِمْتُI watched بَرْقَكَyour lightning خُلَّباًdeceptive and rainless
رَأَيْتُكَ لَمّا شِمْتُ بَرْقَكَ خُلَّباً
وَماand what أَرَبِيmy need فيfor عارِضٍa cloud لَيْسَdoes not يُمْطِرُrain
وَما أَرَبِي في عارِضٍ لَيْسَ يُمْطِرُ
When I watched your lightning, I found you all flash and no rain;
I saw you when I sensed your flashing lightning
and what need have I for a cloud that brings no rain?
Yet I do not see in the horizon any rain clouds
فَأَخْطَأَنِيso it missed me مِنْكَfrom you الَّذِيwhat كُنْتُI was أَرْتَجِيhoping for
فَأَخْطَأَنِي مِنْكَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَرْتَجِي
وَأَدْرَكَنِيand it overtook me مِنْكَfrom you الَّذِيwhat كُنْتُI was أَحْذَرُfearing
وَأَدْرَكَنِي مِنْكَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَحْذَرُ
So what I had hoped for from you passed me by,
Your rejection disappointed my expectations
and what I had feared from you overtook me.
And your acceptance brought what I feared
وَماand not ذاكَthat عَنْbecause of عُذْرٍan excuse فأَسْلُوهُso I might forget it مَطْلَباًa goal
وَما ذاكَ عَنْ عُذْرٍ فأَسْلُوهُ مَطْلَباً
تَعَذَّرَproved unattainable لَكِنْbut حَظِّيَmy fortune الْمُتَعَذِّرُelusive
تَعَذَّرَ لَكِنْ حَظِّيَ الْمُتَعَذِّرُ
Nor was this due to an excuse that would let me relinquish a goal
Do not make excuses, though asked
that proved unattainable; rather, it is my fortune that is elusive.
My fate is that which makes excuses
وَكَمْand many a مانِعٍone withholding رِفْداًbounty وَماand not كانَhe was مانِعاًa withholder
وَكَمْ مانِعٍ رِفْداً وَما كانَ مانِعاً
وَلكنْand yet أَبىrefused ذاكَthat الْقَضاءُfate الْمُقَدَّرُpreordained
وَلكنْ أَبى ذاكَ الْقَضاءُ الْمُقَدَّرُ
And many a man withholds bounty, though he is no miser;
How many obstacles intervened, yet were no obstacles
but preordained fate refused it.
But that was the predetermined decree
وَقَدْand indeed كانَthere was فِيماin what بَيْنَناbetween us مِنْof مَوَدَّةٍaffection
وَقَدْ كانَ فِيما بَيْنَنا مِنْ مَوَدَّةٍ
وَمَعْرِفَةٍand acquaintance مَعْرُوفُهاits kindness لَيْسَis not يُنْكَرُdenied
وَمَعْرِفَةٍ مَعْرُوفُها لَيْسَ يُنْكَرُ
And in the affection that lay between us,
There was affection between us
and acquaintance whose kindness cannot be denied,
Well known, not deniable
مِنَof الْحَقِّright ماthat which يَقْضِيrequires عَلَيْكَof you بِأَنْthat أُرىI be seen
مِنَ الْحَقِّ ما يَقْضِي عَلَيْكَ بِأَنْ أُرى
لَدَيْكَin your presence وَحَظِّيand my share مِنْof نَوالِكَyour bounty أَوْفَرُmore abundant
لَدَيْكَ وَحَظِّي مِنْ نَوالِكَ أَوْفَرُ
was a rightful claim obliging you to let me be seen
Honesty decrees that I see with you
in your presence, with a greater share of your bounty.
My share of your gifts more abundant
وَماand not هِيَit إِلاّexcept حُرْمَةٌa claim to respect لُوْif رَعَيْتَهاyou honored it
وَما هِيَ إِلاّ حُرْمَةٌ لُوْ رَعَيْتَها
رَعَيْتَyou would honor فَتىًa young man عَنْin شُكْرِهاgratitude for it لاnot يُقَصِّرُfall short
رَعَيْتَ فَتىً عَنْ شُكْرِها لا يُقَصِّرُ
And it is only a claim to respect; if you honored it,
It is but a sanctity, if you observed it
you would honor a young man who never falls short in gratitude for it,
You would have gratified a man who does not fail to thank
كَرِيماًnoble مَتىwhenever عاطَيْتَهُyou share with him كَأْسَa cup عِشْرَةٍcompanionship
كَرِيماً مَتى عاطَيْتَهُ كَأْسَ عِشْرَةٍ
تَعَلَّمْتَyou learn مِنْfrom أَخْلاقِهِhis character كَيْفَhow يُشْكَرُone is thanked
تَعَلَّمْتَ مِنْ أَخْلاقِهِ كَيْفَ يُشْكَرُ
a noble man: whenever you share a cup of companionship with him,
A noble man, if you gave him a drink
you learn from his character how one is thanked.
Would teach you his qualities of gratitude
Sol 6.1