نوريNuri ولمand did not يُنعمِbestow favor علىّupon me سواكاother than you
نوري ولم يُنعمِ علىّ سواكا
أحدanyone ونعمةُby the grace of خالقa Creator سَوّاكاwho fashioned you
أحد ونعمةُ خالق سَوّاكا
Nuri, no one but you has shown me kindness—
I swear by the grace of the Creator who fashioned you.
إنيindeed, I وجدتI found المكرُماتِnoble deeds مَتاجراًtrading ventures
إني وجدت المكرُماتِ مَتاجراً
يبغيseeks ذووهاthose who perform them مربحاًa profit إلاّكاexcept you
يبغي ذووها مربحاً إلاّكا
Indeed, I have found noble deeds to be trading ventures:
their doers seek a profit—all except you.
بلrather لوif أشاءI wish لقلتI would say كمhow many منof وردةa rose
بل لو أشاء لقلت كم من وردة
ليof mine عندwith جِبسa churl ردَّهاhe returned it أشواكاas thorns
لي عند جِبس ردَّها أشواكا
Rather, if I wished, I would say: how many a rose
of mine a churl has returned as thorns!
جاءcame القريضُpoetry مطوَّقاًwearing a collar بكin you لائذاًseeking refuge
جاء القريضُ مطوَّقاً بك لائذاً
وانزاحand withdrew عنهمfrom them مُعرِضاًturning away وأتاكاand came to you
وانزاح عنهم مُعرِضاً وأتاكا
Verse came wearing a collar, seeking refuge in you,
and withdrew from them, turning away, and came to you.
طوَّقْتْنىyou collared me طوقَthe collar of الحَمامdoves مبرَّةًwith kindness
طوَّقْتْنى طوقَ الحَمام مبرَّةً
ونصبتَand you set ليfor me منfrom مِنَّةٍa favor أشراكاsnares
ونصبتَ لي من مِنَّةٍ أشراكا
You placed kindness round my neck like a dove's collar,
and set snares for me made of favors.
كمhow many منof يدa hand بيضاءَwhite; benevolent ضِقْتُI was hard-pressed بشكرهاin thanking it
كم من يد بيضاءَ ضِقْتُ بشكرها
ذرعاًin capacity وعاشتand long may live –لاnot تضيقgrow constrained –يداكاyour two hands
ذرعاً وعاشت –لا تضيق –يداكا
How many a white hand have I been unable to thank
adequately! Long may your hands live, never constrained!
نوريNuri تحيةَa greeting معجبan admirer بكof you مثقلburdened
نوري تحيةَ معجب بك مثقل
بجميلby the goodness of صُنعكyour deeds واثقٍtrusting بعُلاكاin your eminence
بجميل صُنعك واثقٍ بعُلاكا
Nuri, greetings from one who admires you, burdened
by your gracious deeds, trusting in your eminence.
حاشايَfar be it from me لمdid not أدلِفI approach اليكtoward you تزُّلفاًto curry favor
حاشايَ لم أدلِف اليك تزُّلفاً
كّلاno indeed ولستَand you do not تُريدهُwant it حاشاكاfar be it from you
كّلا ولستَ تُريدهُ حاشاكا
Far be it from me! I did not approach you to curry favor.
No! Nor do you want that—far be it from you!
للشعرfor poetry منزلةٌa station لديَّin my esteem أُجَّلهاI revere it
للشعر منزلةٌ لديَّ أُجَّلها
وأُحلهاand I would lodge it –لوif أقدِرI could –الأفلاكاthe celestial spheres
وأُحلها –لو أقدِر –الأفلاكا
Poetry has a station in my esteem that I revere,
and I would lodge it—if I could—in the celestial spheres.
لكنbut وجدتI found الشعرَpoetry مهنةَthe profession of عاجزa helpless man
لكن وجدت الشعرَ مهنةَ عاجز
إنif لمdoes not يَقُمْundertake عنيon my behalf بشكرto thank نَداكاyour bounty
إن لم يَقُمْ عني بشكر نَداكا
But I have found poetry to be a helpless man's trade,
if it does not thank you for your bounty on my behalf.
Sol 6.1