سَيِّدِيmy lord أَنْتَyou عُمْدَتِيmy mainstay فَاحْتَمِلْنِيso bear with me
سَيِّدِي أَنْتَ عُمْدَتِي فَاحْتَمِلْنِي
وَتَغَمَّدْand cover بالْفَضْلًِwith generosity مِنْكَfrom you جَفَائِيmy discourtesy
وَتَغَمَّدْ بالْفَضْلًِ مِنْكَ جَفَائِي
My lord, you are my mainstay, so bear with me,
My lord, you are my mainstay, so bear with me,
And graciously cloak my discourtesy with favor from you.
and cover my discourtesy with your generosity.
مُبْتَلىًafflicted أَنْتَyou بالْبَرابرby the Berbers وَالغُزِّand the Ghuzz
مُبْتَلىً أَنْتَ بالْبَرابر وَالغُزِّ
وَأَهْلِand the people of الجِبَالِthe mountains والْصَّحْرَاءِand the desert
وَأَهْلِ الجِبَالِ والْصَّحْرَاءِ
You are sorely tried by Berbers and Ghuzz Turks,
You are beset by the Berbers and the Ghuzz,
By mountain folk and desert dwellers,
and the people of the mountains and the desert,
وَذَوِيand owners of أَيْنَقٍshe-camels وَاَهْلٍand keepers of حَمِيرdonkeys
وَذَوِي أَيْنَقٍ وَاَهْلٍ حَمِير
وَرِجَالٍand men وَصِبْيَةٍand boys وَنِسَاءِand women
وَرِجَالٍ وَصِبْيَةٍ وَنِسَاءِ
By owners of she-camels and the people of Himyar,
and owners of she-camels and keepers of donkeys,
By men, boys, and women,
and men and boys and women,
وَبَوَادٍand desert folk يَجْريruns لَكَto you الجِلْفُthe boor مِنْهُمْamong them
وَبَوَادٍ يَجْري لَكَ الجِلْفُ مِنْهُمْ
بِكِسَاءٍin a cloak طَوْراًat times وَدُونَand without كِسَاءِa cloak
بِكِسَاءٍ طَوْراً وَدُونَ كِسَاءِ
And by Bedouins—their boor comes trudging toward you,
and desert folk, whose boor comes running to you,
Now in a cloak, now without one.
sometimes in a cloak, and sometimes without one.
تَرْفَعُthey raise الصَّوْتَthe voice إِنْif مَرَرْتَyou pass عَلَيْهِمْby them
تَرْفَعُ الصَّوْتَ إِنْ مَرَرْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ
كَالْكَرَاكِيِّlike cranes أَوْor بَنَاتِdaughters of الْمَاءِthe water
كَالْكَرَاكِيِّ أَوْ بَنَاتِ الْمَاءِ
You raise your voice whenever you pass among them,
They raise their voices if you pass by them,
Like cranes or waterfowl.
like cranes or the daughters of the water.
وَإذَاand when مَاever (emphatic) اعْتَذَرْتَyou excused yourself لَمْdid not يَقْبَلُواthey accept الأَعْthe excuses (first part)
وَإذَا مَا اعْتَذَرْتَ لَمْ يَقْبَلُوا الأَعْ
ذَارَexcuses (completion) خُصَّwas reserved القَبُولُacceptance بِالعُقَلاَءِfor the sensible
ذَارَ خُصَّ القَبُولُ بِالعُقَلاَءِ
And whenever you offer an excuse, they will not accept
And when you excuse yourself, they do not accept
An excuse; acceptance is reserved for sensible men.
excuses; acceptance belongs only to the sensible.
وَشُيُوخٍand old men بِيْضِwhite اللِّحَىthe beards خَضَبُواthey dyed الأَرْthe feet (first part)
وَشُيُوخٍ بِيْضِ اللِّحَى خَضَبُوا الأَرْ
جُلَfeet (completion) مِثْلَlike الحَمَامِpigeons بِالْحِنَّاءِwith henna
جُلَ مِثْلَ الحَمَامِ بِالْحِنَّاءِ
And white-bearded old shaykhs who have dyed their
And white-bearded old men who have dyed their
Legs with henna, like doves;
feet with henna, like pigeons,
وسُعَاةٍand petitioners ذَوِيpossessing اجْتِدَاءٍseeking gifts وَإِلْحَاand insistence (first part)
وسُعَاةٍ ذَوِي اجْتِدَاءٍ وَإِلْحَا
فٍinsistence (completion) شَدِيْدٍfierce يَأْتُونَthey come بَعْدَafter العِشَاءِnightfall
فٍ شَدِيْدٍ يَأْتُونَ بَعْدَ العِشَاءِ
And petitioners given to begging and importunity,
and petitioners seeking gifts and pressing their demands
Who arrive in desperate need after the evening meal;
fiercely, who come after nightfall,
وَأَفَارِيدَand solitary individuals يَسْرُدُونَthey recite continuously دَوِيَّاًa drone
وَأَفَارِيدَ يَسْرُدُونَ دَوِيَّاً
كَدَوِيِّlike the rumble of الرَّحَىthe millstone قَلِيلِlittle الغَنَاءِusefulness
كَدَوِيِّ الرَّحَى قَلِيلِ الغَنَاءِ
And odd fellows pouring out long, droning utterances,
and solitary fellows reeling off a drone,
Like the millstone’s hum, of little use.
like a millstone's rumble, of little use.
يَكْتُبُwrites الشَّخْصُthe person مِنْهُمُamong them أَلْفَa thousand حَوْلٍyears
يَكْتُبُ الشَّخْصُ مِنْهُمُ أَلْفَ حَوْلٍ
وَهْوَwhile he لاَnot يَسْتَبِينُdiscerns شَكْلَthe form of الْهِجَاءِthe alphabet
وَهْوَ لاَ يَسْتَبِينُ شَكْلَ الْهِجَاءِ
A man among them might write for a thousand years
A man among them writes for a thousand years,
Yet still not recognize the shapes of letters—
yet cannot make out the forms of the alphabet,
غَيْرَexcept ذَالٍa dhāl تُرَدُّis rendered إلاًunclear; probably dāl وَطَاءٍand a ṭāʾ
غَيْرَ ذَالٍ تُرَدُّ إلاً وَطَاءٍ
جُعِلَتْwas made نَائِبَاًa substitute مَنَابَin place of الظَّاءِthe letter ẓāʾ
جُعِلَتْ نَائِبَاً مَنَابَ الظَّاءِ
Nothing but the letter dhāl recurs, except that a ṭāʾ
except a dhāl rendered as dāl [uncertain reading], and a ṭāʾ
Has been made a substitute for ẓāʾ;
made to stand in place of ẓāʾ.
وَحبِيسٍand a captive كَلاَمُهُمْtheir speech يُشْبِهُresembles الخَطthe swallow (first part)
وَحبِيسٍ كَلاَمُهُمْ يُشْبِهُ الخَط
طافswallow (completion) عِنْدَat انْفِجَارِthe bursting forth of خَيْطِthe thread of الضِّيَاءِdaylight
طاف عِنْدَ انْفِجَارِ خَيْطِ الضِّيَاءِ
And a captive—their speech resembles a swal—
And a captive—their speech is like the swallow
—low when daylight’s thread bursts forth;
when the thread of daylight bursts forth,
وَتُيُوسٍand billy goats مِنْfrom أَرْضِthe land of أَنْدَلُسٍal-Andalus قَدْalready
وَتُيُوسٍ مِنْ أَرْضِ أَنْدَلُسٍ قَدْ
قَصَدُواthey came seeking عَنْout of ضَرُورَةٍnecessity وَجَلاَءِand exile
قَصَدُوا عَنْ ضَرُورَةٍ وَجَلاَءِ
And he-goats from the soil of al-Andalus who
and billy goats from the land of al-Andalus, who have
Came, driven by necessity and exile.
come out of necessity and exile.
كَانَwas مِنْهُمْamong them مَرْزَبَةٌMarzaba وَسِوَاهُand others besides him
كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مَرْزَبَةٌ وَسِوَاهُ
وَهْوَand he مِنْهُمْamong them مِنْamong جُمْلَةِthe company of الظُّرَفَاءِthe witty
وَهْوَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الظُّرَفَاءِ
Among them was a veritable sledgehammer, and others besides,
Among them were Marzaba and others,
Yet among them he is numbered with the men of wit;
and he was counted among their men of wit.
وَذَوُوand practitioners of كُدْيَةٍbegging وَقَوْمٌand people أُسَارَىcaptives
وَذَوُو كُدْيَةٍ وَقَوْمٌ أُسَارَى
عَبَرُواthey crossed الْبَحْرَthe sea رَغْبَةًdesiring فِيfor الفِدَاءِransom
عَبَرُوا الْبَحْرَ رَغْبَةً فِي الفِدَاءِ
And beggars, and a band of captives
And beggars, and captive folk,
Who crossed the sea in hope of ransom.
who crossed the sea in hope of ransom:
أوْقَحُthe most shameless of القَوْمِthe people ضَجَّتِcried out الأَرْضُthe earth مِنْهُمْbecause of them
أوْقَحُ القَوْمِ ضَجَّتِ الأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ
نَبَذُواthey cast off كُلَّall حِشْمَةٍdecorum وَحَيَاءِand shame
نَبَذُوا كُلَّ حِشْمَةٍ وَحَيَاءِ
The most brazen of the crowd clamored—the earth rang with them—
the most shameless of people—the earth cried out against them;
Casting off every restraint and all shame.
they cast off all decorum and shame.
وَسِعَembraced الْكُلَّeveryone مِنْكَfrom you خُلْقٌa disposition جَمِيلٌbeautiful
وَسِعَ الْكُلَّ مِنْكَ خُلْقٌ جَمِيلٌ
وَجَنَابٌand an abode لِلْفَضْلِfor bounty رَحْبُspacious الفِنَاءِthe courtyard
وَجَنَابٌ لِلْفَضْلِ رَحْبُ الفِنَاءِ
Your gracious nature has room for them all,
Your gracious character embraced them all,
And your bountiful court has a spacious yard.
and your abode of bounty, with its spacious courtyard.
وَتَوَلَّوْاand they departed عَلَىin انْفِرَادٍseparation يَبُثُّوthey spread (first part)
وَتَوَلَّوْا عَلَى انْفِرَادٍ يَبُثُّو
نَthey spread (completion) وَقَدْand already أُسْعِفُواthey were helped حَمِيدَfine الثَّنَاءِpraise
نَ وَقَدْ أُسْعِفُوا حَمِيدَ الثَّنَاءِ
Then they depart one by one, spreading
And they departed, each on his own, spreading
Abroad the worthy praise they have heard.
fine praise, having received help.
مَنْwho لَهُfor him قُدْرَةٌability سِوَاكَother than you عَلَىfor الْthe
مَنْ لَهُ قُدْرَةٌ سِوَاكَ عَلَى الْ
خِدْمَةِservice بُورِكْتَmay you be blessed أَوْor علَىfor الثُّقَلاَءِthe bores
خِدْمَةِ بُورِكْتَ أَوْ علَى الثُّقَلاَءِ
Who besides you has the strength to undertake
Who but you has the strength for
Service—blessed are you—or bear the overbearing of tiresome men?
service—blessed be you—or for bearing bores?
إنَّمَاindeed أَنْتَyou لِلْبَرِيَّةِfor humankind كَهْفٌa sheltering cave
إنَّمَا أَنْتَ لِلْبَرِيَّةِ كَهْفٌ
وَمَلاذٌand a refuge فِيin شِدَّةٍhardship وَرَخَاءِand ease
وَمَلاذٌ فِي شِدَّةٍ وَرَخَاءِ
You alone are a refuge for all humankind,
You are indeed a sheltering cave for humankind,
A sanctuary in hardship and ease.
and a refuge in hardship and ease.
أَيْنَwhere ثِقْلِيmy burdensomeness إِذَاif فُرِضْتI am deemed ثَقِيلاًburdensome
أَيْنَ ثِقْلِي إِذَا فُرِضْت ثَقِيلاً
وَكَثِيرَand much الْجَفَاءِdiscourtesy مِنْcompared with هَؤُلاءِthese people
وَكَثِيرَ الْجَفَاءِ مِنْ هَؤُلاءِ
What would my burden amount to, even if deemed burdensome,
How burdensome am I, even if deemed burdensome
Beside all this boorishness from these people?
and very discourteous, compared with these people?
وَمُقَامِيand my stay نَزْرٌbrief وَأَصْرِفُand I turn وَجْهِيmy face
وَمُقَامِي نَزْرٌ وَأَصْرِفُ وَجْهِي
لِسَلاَtoward Salé حَيْثُwhere مَعْدِنُthe mine of الحُمَقَاءِfools
لِسَلاَ حَيْثُ مَعْدِنُ الحُمَقَاءِ
My stay is brief, and I turn my face
My stay is brief, and I turn my face
Toward Salé, that mine of fools.
toward Salé, where lies the mine of fools.
فَأَعِنِّيso help me وَاْصْرِفand direct لِتَجْدِيدِfor renewing مَاwhat أَصyou issued (first part)
فَأَعِنِّي وَاْصْرِف لِتَجْدِيدِ مَا أَص
دَرْتَyou issued (completion) وَجْهَthe attention of الأَمَاجِدِthe noble الحُسَبَاءِthe wellborn
دَرْتَ وَجْهَ الأَمَاجِدِ الحُسَبَاءِ
So help me, and set about renewing what you
So help me, and direct—to renew what you have
Decreed, O countenance of the glorious and highborn.
issued—the attention of the noble and wellborn.
وَأَعِدْنِيand return me لِخَلْوَتِيto my seclusion عَنْwithin قَرِيبٍa short while
وَأَعِدْنِي لِخَلْوَتِي عَنْ قَرِيبٍ
لاَdo not تُعَذِّبْtorment قَلْبيmy heart بِطُولِwith the length of الثَّوَاءِthe stay
لاَ تُعَذِّبْ قَلْبي بِطُولِ الثَّوَاءِ
And return me soon to my solitude;
And restore me to my seclusion before long;
Do not torment my heart by prolonging my stay.
do not torment my heart with a prolonged stay.
خَالِصاًsincere عِنْدَin كُلِّevery سِرٍّsecrecy وَجَهْرٍand openness
خَالِصاً عِنْدَ كُلِّ سِرٍّ وَجَهْرٍ
لَكَfor you حُبِّيmy love وَمِدْحَتِيand my praise وَدُعَائيand my prayer
لَكَ حُبِّي وَمِدْحَتِي وَدُعَائي
Wholly sincere toward you, in all my secret and public being,
Sincere, in secret and in public,
Yours are my love, my praise, and my prayer.
are my love, my praise, and my prayer for you.
أَنْتَyou أَنْقَذْتَهُyou rescued it وَلَيْسَand there is not لَهُfor it إِلexcept (first part)
أَنْتَ أَنْقَذْتَهُ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ إِل
لاكَexcept you (completion) فِيin كُلِّevery غَايَةٍending وَابْتِدَاءِand beginning
لاكَ فِي كُلِّ غَايَةٍ وَابْتِدَاءِ
You rescued my heart, and it has no one but
You rescued it, and it has none but
You at every end and every beginning.
you, at every ending and beginning.
خَتَمَmay seal اللهُGod بِالْرِّضَىwith favor يَاO ابْنَson of رِضْوَاRidwan (first part)
خَتَمَ اللهُ بِالْرِّضَى يَا ابْنَ رِضْوَا
نٍRidwan (completion) لَكَfor you العُمْرَthe lifetime بَعْدَafter طُولِlength of البَقَاءِcontinued life
نٍ لَكَ العُمْرَ بَعْدَ طُولِ البَقَاءِ
May God seal your life with favor, O son of Riḍwān—
May God bring to a close in His favor, O Ibn Ridwan,
Yours be a lifetime after long years of life.
your life, after long years of living.
Sol 6.1