لَمdid not تَرَsee عَينيmy eye مِثلَlike عُروَةَUrwah خُلَّةًa close friend
لَم تَرَ عَيني مِثلَ عُروَةَ خُلَّةً
وَمَولىًand a protector إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle النَعلُthe sandal زَلَّslipped قِبالُهاits toe-strap
وَمَولىً إِذا ما النَعلُ زَلَّ قِبالُها
My eye has never seen a friend like Urwah,
My eyes have never seen the like of Urwah, so stately,
and a protector when the sandal's strap slips.
Nor a lord, when slippers slip, so deft to retrieve them.
وَأَنتَand you اِمرُؤٌa man نَجَّيتَنيyou saved me مِنfrom عَظيمَةٍa calamity
وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ نَجَّيتَني مِن عَظيمَةٍ
مَخوفٍfeared رَداهاits ruin أَوor شَديدٍsevere وَبالُهاits consequences
مَخوفٍ رَداها أَو شَديدٍ وَبالُها
And you are a man who saved me from a calamity
You, man, have saved me from grave calamities,
whose ruin was feared, or whose consequences were grave.
Fearsome perils you repealed, or harsh afflictions.
وَمَجدٍand glory لِأَقوامٍfor peoples شَآهُمoutstripped them طَلَبتَهُyou sought it
وَمَجدٍ لِأَقوامٍ شَآهُم طَلَبتَهُ
بِنَفسِwith a soul كَريمٍnoble صَونُهاits safeguarding وَاِبتِذالُهاand its being spent
بِنَفسِ كَريمٍ صَونُها وَاِبتِذالُها
And glory beyond other peoples' reach you sought,
Glory you sought for men whom fickle time betrayed,
with a soul noble alike when guarded and when spent.
With your generous soul preserving their repute.
وَأَحلىand sweeter مِنَthan التَمرِthe dates الجَنِيِّfreshly picked وَعِندَهُand he has
وَأَحلى مِنَ التَمرِ الجَنِيِّ وَعِندَهُ
بَسالَةُvalor نَفسٍof a soul إِنif أُريدَis called for بَسالُهاits valor
بَسالَةُ نَفسٍ إِن أُريدَ بَسالُها
And he is sweeter than freshly picked dates, and he has
Sweeter to me than honeyed dates; around him
a soul's valor, if its valor is called for.
A ready wit - should you require, it is prepared.
وَأَقوَلُand more eloquent مِنthan قُسٍّQuss وَأَمضىand keener إِذاwhen مَضىhe advances
وَأَقوَلُ مِن قُسٍّ وَأَمضى إِذا مَضى
مِنَthan السَيفِthe sword إِذwhen مَسَّtouched النُفوسَthe souls نَكالُهاtheir chastisement
مِنَ السَيفِ إِذ مَسَّ النُفوسَ نَكالُها
And more eloquent than Quss, and keener, when he advances,
My speech is firm as a bow, consummate when loosed,
than the sword when souls feel their chastisement.
A sword, when souls are pierced, inflicting death.
وَأُدمٍand pale camels كَأَرآمِlike white gazelles الظِباءِthe gazelles وَهَبتَهاyou bestowed them
وَأُدمٍ كَأَرآمِ الظِباءِ وَهَبتَها
مَراسيلَeasy-gaited مَشدودٍfastened عَلَيهاupon them رِحالُهاtheir saddles
مَراسيلَ مَشدودٍ عَلَيها رِحالُها
And pale camels, like white gazelles, you bestowed,
Generous as the wild cows, you have gifted me
easy-gaited, their saddles fastened upon them.
Fine steeds, outfitted, with saddles well-secured.
Sol 6.1