وَظَرِيفٍand a charming man لوif أنَّهthat he كانwere وَقْتاًa time
وَظَرِيفٍ لو أنَّه كان وَقْتاً
كانhe would be فيin الظَّرْفِcharm مِثْلَlike وَقْتِthe time of الصَّبُوحِmorning wine
كان في الظَّرْفِ مِثْلَ وَقْتِ الصَّبُوحِ
And a charming man—were he a time,
If only it were a time, in time’s vessel,
in charm he would be like the hour of morning wine.
Like the time of dawn, pure and fresh.
أَوْor مِنَof الماءِwater كانَhe would be شَرْبَةَa draught صَادٍa thirsty man
أَوْ مِنَ الماءِ كانَ شَرْبَةَ صَادٍ
بِمَهُولٍin a fearsome place منof الفَلاَةْthe wilderness طَلِيْحِtravel-worn
بِمَهُولٍ من الفَلاَةْ طَلِيْحِ
Or, were he water, he would be a draught for a thirsty man,
Or a drink of water for a thirsty traveler,
travel-worn in a fearsome stretch of wilderness.
Lost in the desert, seeking respite.
أَوْor مِنَamong الكُتْبِthe letters حِيْنَwhen تُقْرَأُare read يَوْماًone day
أَوْ مِنَ الكُتْبِ حِيْنَ تُقْرَأُ يَوْماً
كَانَhe would be مِنْهاamong them مُبَشِّراًbringing glad tidings بِفُتُوحِof conquests
كَانَ مِنْها مُبَشِّراً بِفُتُوحِ
Or, were he among the letters read one day,
Or a book, on the day it is read,
he would be one bringing glad tidings of conquests.
Bringing good tidings of victories.
شَرَفٌnobility تَمّreached perfection فيin أَبِيAbu (father of) الحَسَنِal-Hasan الحُرْthe noble (continued)
شَرَفٌ تَمّ في أَبِي الحَسَنِ الحُرْ
رِcompletion of 'the noble' وَحِلْمٌand forbearance يُزْهَىis graced بِعِلْمٍwith learning رَجِيْحِsound
رِ وَحِلْمٌ يُزْهَى بِعِلْمٍ رَجِيْحِ
Nobility has reached perfection in the noble Abu al-Hasan,
Virtue perfected in Abu Al-Hasan,
and forbearance is graced with sound learning.
And wisdom adorned with superior knowledge.
جاعِلٌmaking صدرَهُhis breast إذاwhen اسْتُكْتِمَis asked to conceal السِّرْthe secret (continued)
جاعِلٌ صدرَهُ إذا اسْتُكْتِمَ السِّرْ
رَcompletion of 'the secret' ضريحاًa tomb للسرِّfor the secret أَوْكالضَّرِيْحِor like a tomb
رَ ضريحاً للسرِّ أَوْكالضَّرِيْحِ
He makes his breast, when asked to keep a secret,
Making his chest, when a secret is confided,
a tomb for the secret, or like a tomb.
A tomb for the secret, hiding and sheltering.
بِأَبِيwith my father as ransom أَنْتَyou إنَّindeed غايَةَthe utmost of مَدْحيmy praise
بِأَبِي أَنْتَ إنَّ غايَةَ مَدْحي
فاقَهَاsurpassed it شَأْوُthe reach of فَضْلِكَyour excellence المَمْدُوحِlauded
فاقَهَا شَأْوُ فَضْلِكَ المَمْدُوحِ
May my father be your ransom! The utmost of my praise
It is your father I praise; for the utmost of my praise
is surpassed by the reach of your lauded excellence.
Falls short of your superior merits.
وَشَفَانِيand cured me مِنَof الصَّبَابَةِpassionate yearning والشّوْand longing (continued)
وَشَفَانِي مِنَ الصَّبَابَةِ والشّوْ
قِcompletion of 'longing' إِلَىtoward لَفْظِكَyour words البَدِيْعِwondrous الفَصِيْحِeloquent
قِ إِلَى لَفْظِكَ البَدِيْعِ الفَصِيْحِ
And I was cured of passion and longing
And cured me of my youthful excitement and passion,
for your wondrous, eloquent words
To your most eloquent and articulate words.
رُقْعَةٌa note مِنْكfrom you زانَهَاadorned it الخَطُّthe handwriting واللَّفْand the wording (continued)
رُقْعَةٌ مِنْك زانَهَا الخَطُّ واللَّفْ
ظُcompletion of 'wording' وَحُسْنُand the beauty of التَّشْذِيْرِembellishment والتَّوْشِيْحِand ornamentation
ظُ وَحُسْنُ التَّشْذِيْرِ والتَّوْشِيْحِ
by a note from you, graced with handwriting and wording
A note from you, graced by handwriting and phrase,
and the beauty of embellishment and ornamentation.
Fine arrangement and excellent drafting.
فَاجْتَنِيْهاso pluck it فَحَسْبُso sufficient نَفْسِيَmy soul مِنْهَاfrom it
فَاجْتَنِيْها فَحَسْبُ نَفْسِيَ مِنْهَا
مِنْحَةٌa gift أُهْدِيَتْwas offered إِلَىto مَمْنُوحِone granted gifts
مِنْحَةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ إِلَى مَمْنُوحِ
So pluck it; enough for my soul is that it be
So favor me with it, for my soul is satisfied
a gift offered to one already endowed.
By a gift presented to one granted gifts.
Sol 6.1