ياO مَنyou who دَعانيinvited me أَطالَmay prolong اللَهُGod عُمرَكyour life ليfor me
يا مَن دَعاني أَطالَ اللَهُ عُمرَك لي
وَلاand may I not عدمتكlose you منas داعan inviter وَمُحتَفلand an attentive host
وَلا عدمتك من داع وَمُحتَفل
O you who invited me—may God prolong your life for me,
and may I never lose you as a welcoming, attentive host.
ماwhatever أَنسI forget لاnot أَنسَI forget حَتّىuntil الحَشرResurrection Day مائِدَةa dining table
ما أَنس لا أَنسَ حَتّى الحَشر مائِدَة
ظلناwe spent the day لَديكwith you بِهاat it فيin أَشغَلthe most engrossing الشُغلwork
ظلنا لَديك بِها في أَشغَل الشُغل
Whatever I forget, until Resurrection Day I shall not forget a table
where we spent the day with you in the most engrossing work.
إِذwhen أَقبَلcame forward الجديthe kid goat مَكشوفاًlaid bare تَرائِبهits breastbones
إِذ أَقبَل الجدي مَكشوفاً تَرائِبه
كَأَنُّهُas though it were متمطone stretching himself دائمperpetual الكَسَلidleness
كَأَنُّهُ متمط دائم الكَسَل
When the kid goat appeared, its breastbones bare,
it seemed to be stretching itself, forever idle.
قَدhad مَدَّstretched out كِلتاboth يَديِهِits hands ليtoward me فَذَكَرَنيand reminded me
قَد مَدَّ كِلتا يَديِهِ لي فَذَكَرَني
بَيتاًa verse تمثلهquoting it as an illustration مِنamong أَحسَنِthe finest المثلcomparisons
بَيتاً تمثله مِن أَحسَنِ المثل
It had stretched both its hands toward me, reminding me of
a verse, among the finest to quote as a comparison:
كَأَنَّهُas though it were عاشقa lover قَدhad مَدَّstretched out بسطتهhis open hand
كَأَنَّهُ عاشق قَد مَدَّ بسطته
يَومon the day of الفُراقparting إِلىto تَوديعbidding farewell to مُرتَحلone departing
يَوم الفُراق إِلى تَوديع مُرتَحل
as though it were a lover who had stretched out his hand
on parting day, to bid farewell to one departing.
وَقَدand indeed تَرَدىcloaked itself بِأَطمارin rags of الرقاقthin flatbread لَناfor us
وَقَد تَرَدى بِأَطمار الرقاق لَنا
مُلlike (text uncertain) الفَقيرthe poor man إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle راحَhe goes out فيin سَمِلa threadbare garment
مُل الفَقير إِذا ما راحَ في سَمِل
And it had cloaked itself for us in rags of thin flatbread,
[like] a poor man going out in a threadbare garment.
فَلَيتَso, if only شعريmy knowing ماذاwhat كانَhad أَنحلهmade it so thin
فَلَيتَ شعري ماذا كانَ أَنحله
فَصارَso became إِيمانَهُits faith قَولاًspeech بِلاwithout عَمَلaction
فَصارَ إِيمانَهُ قَولاً بِلا عَمَل
If only I knew what had made it so thin,
so that its faith became words without deeds.
مَدَدتI stretched out كَفيmy palm فَلَمbut did not تَرجَعreturn بِفائِدَةwith any gain
مَدَدت كَفي فَلَم تَرجَع بِفائِدَة
كَأَنَّماas though وَقَعتit fell مِنهُof it عَلىupon طَللa ruined remnant
كَأَنَّما وَقَعت مِنهُ عَلى طَلل
I stretched out my palm, but it returned with nothing,
as though it had fallen upon its ruined remains.
Sol 6.1