تَجَوَّعَmade himself hungry ليfor me الشَيخُthe shaykh الزَكِيُّal-Zaki (the pure) وَجاءَنيand came to me
تَجَوَّعَ لي الشَيخُ الزَكِيُّ وَجاءَني
مَعَwith الشَمسِal-Shams (the Sun) قَبلَbefore الشَمسِthe sun يَتلوهُماfollows them both النَجمُal-Najm (the Star)
مَعَ الشَمسِ قَبلَ الشَمسِ يَتلوهُما النَجمُ
Shaykh al-Zaki made himself hungry for me and came to me
The virtuous sheikh yearned for me and came to me
with al-Shams before the sun rose, al-Najm following them both.
With the sun before the sun, followed by the star
وَقَدand already سَرَّحاthey both combed ذَقنَيهِماtheir two beards وَتَسَربلاand both robed themselves
وَقَد سَرَّحا ذَقنَيهِما وَتَسَربلا
مِنَof الوَشيِbrocade ماthat which اِزدانَتwere adorned حَواشيهits borders وَالرقمُand the embroidery
مِنَ الوَشيِ ما اِزدانَت حَواشيه وَالرقمُ
They had both combed their beards and robed themselves
Having let down their beards and dressed
in brocade whose borders and embroidery were adorned.
In the finest garments with ornamented hems and embroidery
وَجاءَتand came بَنوthe sons of عَبدانَAbdan طُرّاًall of them كَأَنَّماas though
وَجاءَت بَنو عَبدانَ طُرّاً كَأَنَّما
لَهُمfor them فيin الَّذيthat which اِستَصحَبتُI brought with me مِنfrom عَدَنٍAden قِسمُa share
لَهُم في الَّذي اِستَصحَبتُ مِن عَدَنٍ قِسمُ
And all the Banu Abdan came, as though
And the tribe of Abdan came galloping as though
they had a share in what I had brought with me from Aden.
They had a share in the eternity I gained from Aden
وَجاءَand came أَبوAbu (father of) الفَضلِal-Fadl الأَمينُal-Amin (the trustworthy) وَعَبدُهُand his slave
وَجاءَ أَبو الفَضلِ الأَمينُ وَعَبدُهُ
كَذِئبيlike two wolves of غَضاًghada scrub قَدalready مَسَّهُمafflicted them مِنfrom طَوىًhunger سقمُillness
كَذِئبي غَضاً قَد مَسَّهُم مِن طَوىً سقمُ
And Abu al-Fadl al-Amin and his slave came,
And Abu Al-Fadl the Trustworthy and his servant came
like two wolves of the ghada scrub, whom hunger had already sickened.
Like two wolves, emaciated and ill
وَأَقبَلَand approached شَمسُShams (sun) الدينِal-Din (the faith) يَسعىhastening مُبادِراًrushing ahead
وَأَقبَلَ شَمسُ الدينِ يَسعى مُبادِراً
وَفيand in كُمهِhis sleeve لِلنَّهبِfor plunder مِنof أَدَمٍleather كَمُّa sleeve
وَفي كُمهِ لِلنَّهبِ مِن أَدَمٍ كَمُّ
And Shams al-Din approached, hurrying to be first,
And the sun of the faith hastened, eager
and in his sleeve was a leather sleeve for plunder.
With bundles on his shoulder of Adam’s loot
جُموعٌcrowds لَوif اَنَّthat السَدَّthe barrier أَعرَضَstood across دونَهُمin their way
جُموعٌ لَو اَنَّ السَدَّ أَعرَضَ دونَهُم
بَداwould appear مِنهُمُthrough their doing فيin جانِبيboth sides of رتقِهِits sealing ثَلمُa breach
بَدا مِنهُمُ في جانِبي رتقِهِ ثَلمُ
Crowds—if the barrier stood across their path,
Hordes, if the dam stood against them
breaches of their making would appear on both sides of its sealed wall.
A tear in its wall would show from their throng
يَرومونَthey seek خُبزيmy bread وَالكَواكِبُand the stars دونَهُbeneath it
يَرومونَ خُبزي وَالكَواكِبُ دونَهُ
لَقَدsurely ضَلَّstrayed عَنهُمfrom them رَأيُهُمtheir judgment وَنَأىand grew distant الفَهمُunderstanding
لَقَد ضَلَّ عَنهُم رَأيُهُم وَنَأى الفَهمُ
They seek my bread, though the stars lie beneath it;
They seek my bread though the stars are beyond them
their judgment has surely deserted them, and understanding is far away.
Their minds have strayed far from reason and sense
أَماdid ... not? عَلِمواthey knew أَنَّthat الذبابَةَthe fly لاnot تَرىsees
أَما عَلِموا أَنَّ الذبابَةَ لا تَرى
طَعاميmy food وَأَنَّand that الفارَthe mice عِنديat my place لَهاfor them لُجمُbridles
طَعامي وَأَنَّ الفارَ عِندي لَها لُجمُ
Do they not know that a fly never sees
Do they not know that the gnat cannot see
my food, and that the mice at my place have bridles?
My food, and for the mouse with me there is plenty
Sol 6.1