يَاO مَنْyou who إذاwhen عضّbites الزّمانTime بِنَابِهِwith its fang
يَا مَنْ إذا عضّ الزّمان بِنَابِهِ
حُطَّتwere set down رِحالsaddles القصدseeking aid فيat أَعْتَابِهِhis thresholds
حُطَّت رِحال القصد في أَعْتَابِهِ
O you, when Time bites with its fang,
O you, when time bites us with its fangs
the saddles of those seeking aid are set down at your thresholds.
The caravans of purpose are dismantled by its teeth
إنّindeed الذيthe one who حملcarried الكتابthe letter إِلَيْكُمُto you
إنّ الذي حمل الكتاب إِلَيْكُمُ
مِمّنamong those whom سقاهmade him drink العَزْلُdismissal مَطْعَمَthe taste of صَابِهِits bitter sap
مِمّن سقاه العَزْلُ مَطْعَمَ صَابِهِ
Indeed, he who carried the letter to you
Indeed, the one who brought the book to you
is among those whom dismissal has made drink its bitter sap.
Is one who was made to drink estrangement's bitter draught
وبهand through it تَعَذَّرَbecame unattainable قُوتُهُhis livelihood إذاwhen لمnot يكنhe was
وبه تَعَذَّرَ قُوتُهُ إذا لم يكن
يدريknow سوىexcept التبريزexcelling منamong أسبابِهِits means
يدري سوى التبريز من أسبابِهِ
Through it his livelihood became unattainable, as he did not
And by it his livelihood was hindered, when he knew no means
know any means of earning it other than excelling.
But pleading, however he tried to justify his reasons
ولهand he has جِوَارٌa neighborly bond حَجَّنيoutargued me بحُقُوقهby its rights
وله جِوَارٌ حَجَّني بحُقُوقه
وَلَكَمْand how often صَلَىscorched الأَحْشَاthe innards بِنَارِwith the fire of عِتَابِهِhis reproach
وَلَكَمْ صَلَى الأَحْشَا بِنَارِ عِتَابِهِ
And his neighborly bond prevailed upon me with its claims,
And he has a neighbor who importuned me with favors
and how often he scorched my innards with the fire of his reproach!
And how often he prayed against the unkind with fiery reproach
حتّىuntil رسىanchored هيجانُهhis turmoil فيin قدركمyour eminence
حتّى رسى هيجانُه في قدركم
وإليكمُand to you حسنُgoodness of الظّنونexpectations مشىwent بِهِwith him
وإليكمُ حسنُ الظّنون مشى بِهِ
Until his turmoil found anchorage in your eminence,
Until his agitation found rest in your role
and favorable expectations led him to you.
And to you good faith walked with him
فأتىso he came وقالand said اكْتُبْwrite لمنto those whom عجزwas unable الورىmankind
فأتى وقال اكْتُبْ لمن عجز الورى
أنto يظفرواfind لِعُلاَهُمُfor their lofty rank بِمُشَابِهِwith an equal
أن يظفروا لِعُلاَهُمُ بِمُشَابِهِ
So he came and said, “Write to those for whom mankind has failed
So he came and said, write for those whom fate has incapacitated
to find anyone matching their lofty rank.”
To attain their glory through their peers
فكَتَبْتُso I wrote مُلْتَذًّاtaking delight بِشَهْدِin the honey of خطابكمaddressing you
فكَتَبْتُ مُلْتَذًّا بِشَهْدِ خطابكم
مَعْdespite أنّنيthe fact that I راجٍhoping لِنَيْلto obtain ثَوَابِهits reward
مَعْ أنّني راجٍ لِنَيْل ثَوَابِه
So I wrote, delighting in the honey of addressing you,
So I wrote, allured by the sweetness of your discourse
though I hope to obtain its reward.
Although I aspire to attain its reward
واللهand God يُبْقِيpreserves مجدَكمyour glory حَرَماًa sanctuary لهit has
والله يُبْقِي مجدَكم حَرَماً له
عِزٌّhonor بهthrough it يقفstand العُفَاةُsupplicants ببابهat its gate
عِزٌّ به يقف العُفَاةُ ببابه
And may God preserve your glory as a sanctuary whose
And God will preserve your glory, a sanctuary for it
honor draws supplicants to stand at its gate.
Honor by which the unruly halt at its door
Sol 6.1