طابَbecame pleasant الثَّناءpraise بِمَدحِin praising عَبدAbd (servant) القادرِal-Qadir (the Powerful)
طابَ الثَّناء بِمَدحِ عَبد القادرِ
عِنديto me وَلَكنand yet ضاقَwas too limited عَنهُfor it خاطِريmy imagination
عِندي وَلَكن ضاقَ عَنهُ خاطِري
Praise grows sweet in lauding Abd al-Qadir
To me, yet my imagination falls short of it.
شيِمٌtraits حَكَتْresembled زَهرَflowers الرِياضِthe gardens بِحُسنِهاin their beauty
شيِمٌ حَكَتْ زَهرَ الرِياضِ بِحُسنِها
وَبَديعِand exquisite لُطفٍgentleness كَالنَّسيمlike the breeze السّائرِpassing
وَبَديعِ لُطفٍ كَالنَّسيم السّائرِ
Traits that resemble garden flowers in their beauty
And exquisite gentleness, like the passing breeze.
وَمَناقِبٌand virtues وُصِفتwere described فَساقطُso what falls from عِقدِهاtheir necklace
وَمَناقِبٌ وُصِفت فَساقطُ عِقدِها
دُرَراًpearls تَناوَلَهاgathered them up يَراعُreed pen الشاعرِthe poet
دُرَراً تَناوَلَها يَراعُ الشاعرِ
And virtues were described; their necklace shed
Pearls gathered up by the poet’s reed.
أَفديI would ransom اللَبيبَthe wise الكاتبَthe writer الفَطنَthe discerning الَّذيwho
أَفدي اللَبيبَ الكاتبَ الفَطنَ الَّذي
يَفتنُّshows artistry بِالمَعنىwith meaning البَديعِexquisite الساحرِenchanting
يَفتنُّ بِالمَعنى البَديعِ الساحرِ
I would give my life for the wise, discerning writer who
Shows his artistry in exquisite, enchanting meanings.
الطَرفُthe eye يَخبطُstumbles about فيin ظَلامِdarkness مِدادهِhis ink
الطَرفُ يَخبطُ في ظَلامِ مِدادهِ
وَالقَلبُand the heart يَرتَعُrevels فيin صَباحٍa morning باهرِdazzling
وَالقَلبُ يَرتَعُ في صَباحٍ باهرِ
The eye stumbles in the darkness of his ink,
And the heart revels in a dazzling morning.
رَيحانُsweet basil حُسنٍbeauty لاحَshone فَوقَupon طُرُوسِهِhis pages
رَيحانُ حُسنٍ لاحَ فَوقَ طُرُوسِهِ
لَمّاwhen جلونَthey revealed جَمالَbeauty رَوضٍa garden ناضرِflourishing
لَمّا جلونَ جَمالَ رَوضٍ ناضرِ
Beauty’s sweet basil shone upon his pages
When they revealed the beauty of a flourishing garden.
ياO مَنyou who برقَّتهِby his tenderness أُسِرتُI was taken captive وَلطفِهand his kindness
يا مَن برقَّتهِ أُسِرتُ وَلطفِه
بِاللَهِby God رِفقاًbe gentle بِالأَسيرِwith the captive القاصرِwho falls short
بِاللَهِ رِفقاً بِالأَسيرِ القاصرِ
O you whose tenderness and kindness took me captive,
By God, be gentle with the captive who falls short.
ماnot كانَwas إِلّاexcept فَرطexcess لُطفَكِyour kindness مُعجِزيrendering me powerless
ما كانَ إِلّا فَرط لُطفَكِ مُعجِزي
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps لُطفَكyour kindness فيin قُصوريmy shortcomings عاذريexcusing me
وَلَعَلَّ لُطفَك في قُصوري عاذري
It was only your overwhelming kindness that left me powerless,
And perhaps your kindness will excuse me for my shortcomings.
Sol 6.1