أباO Abu العَلاءِal-Ala تلَقّاكَmay greet you الزّمانُtime بِماwith what
أبا العَلاءِ تلَقّاكَ الزّمانُ بِما
تهْوىyou desire وأجْنَتْand may yield لكَto you الدّنْياthe world مَجانِيهاits fruits
تهْوى وأجْنَتْ لكَ الدّنْيا مَجانِيها
O Abu al-Ala, may time greet you with what
O Abul Ala, time has welcomed you with
you desire, and may the world yield you its fruits.
What you love, and life has yielded its treasures to you freely.
وأسْعَدَand may gladden اللهُGod بيْتاًa house أنتَyou عامرُهُits inhabitant
وأسْعَدَ اللهُ بيْتاً أنتَ عامرُهُ
وشيّدَand may raise العِزُّglory عُلْياlofty eminence أنْتَyou بانِيهاits builder
وشيّدَ العِزُّ عُلْيا أنْتَ بانِيها
And may God gladden a house you inhabit,
God has blessed a house you inhabit
and may glory raise a lofty eminence whose builder you are.
And glory has built high mansions with you as builder.
هديّتيmy gift لكَto you وُدٌّaffection لوْif بعَثْتُI sent بهwith it
هديّتي لكَ وُدٌّ لوْ بعَثْتُ به
لمْnot يسْتَطِعْbe able حمْلُهُto carry it الدُنْياthe world ومَنْand whoever فِيهاis in it
لمْ يسْتَطِعْ حمْلُهُ الدُنْيا ومَنْ فِيها
My gift to you is affection; were I to send it,
My gift to you is a love that, were I
the world and all within it could not carry it.
To send it forth, the world and all in it could not bear its weight.
وقُدْرَةُand the capacity الوقْتِof time إنْif فكّرتُI reflect تقْصُرُfalls short عنْof
وقُدْرَةُ الوقْتِ إنْ فكّرتُ تقْصُرُ عنْ
نفْسيmy soul وتقصُرُand falls short نفْسيmy soul عنْof أمانِيهاits aspirations
نفْسي وتقصُرُ نفْسي عنْ أمانِيها
And time's capacity, if I reflect, falls short of
The power of time, if I reflect, falls short
my soul, and my soul falls short of its aspirations.
Of my soul, and my soul falls short of her desires.
وقدْand indeed بعثْتُI have sent بنَزْرِwith something scant in القَدْرِworth محْتَقَرٍlittle esteemed
وقدْ بعثْتُ بنَزْرِ القَدْرِ محْتَقَرٍ
إنّindeed الهَداياgifts علىin proportion to مِقدارِthe means of مُهْديهاtheir giver
إنّ الهَدايا على مِقدارِ مُهْديها
And indeed I have sent something of scant worth, little esteemed;
So I have sent a meager measure, though gifts
indeed, gifts are proportionate to their giver's means.
Are measured by the substance of the giver.
فانْظُرْso look بعيْنِwith an eye الرِّضىof favor والسّمْحِand indulgence لاmay never نظَرَتْbehold
فانْظُرْ بعيْنِ الرِّضى والسّمْحِ لا نظَرَتْ
عيْنُthe eye العدوِّof the enemy لمَرْأىًupon a sight فيكَin you يُرْضيهاpleases it
عيْنُ العدوِّ لمَرْأىً فيكَ يُرْضيها
So look with an eye of favor and indulgence; may no
Look upon it with the eye of approval and grace, not the
enemy's eye behold in you a sight that pleases it.
Gaze of a foe who seeks in you cause for displeasure.
Sol 6.1