أَخٌa brother كَانَwas مِنِّيto me فِيin قُرْبِهِhis closeness
أَخٌ كَانَ مِنِّي فِي قُرْبِهِ
بِحَيْثُat the place where بَنَانُfingers يَدِيmy hand مِنْto بَنَانِيmy fingers
بِحَيْثُ بَنَانُ يَدِي مِنْ بَنَانِي
A brother who, in his closeness, was part of me—
A brother was as close to me
to such a degree that the fingers of my hand were among his.
as my hand's fingers are to my own fingers.
وَكُنَّاand we were كَأَحْسَنِlike the finest لَفْظِwording امْرِيءٍa man
وَكُنَّا كَأَحْسَنِ لَفْظِ امْرِيءٍ
يُؤَلِّفُهُhe composes it فِيin بَدِيْعِwondrous المَعَانِيthe meanings
يُؤَلِّفُهُ فِي بَدِيْعِ المَعَانِي
We were like the finest phrase a man
And we were like a man's finest wording,
might fashion amid exquisite meanings.
which he composes into wondrous meanings.
يَرُوحُhe goes in the evening وَيَغْدُوand he goes in the morning عَلَىin حَالَةٍa state
يَرُوحُ وَيَغْدُو عَلَى حَالَةٍ
سَوَاءٍthe same كَمَاjust as أُلِّفَwere joined together المَثْنَيَانِthe two of a pair
سَوَاءٍ كَمَا أُلِّفَ المَثْنَيَانِ
He went forth evening and morning in a single state,
He would go evening and morning, remaining
unchanged, just as the two members of a dual are joined.
the same, like the two joined as a pair.
إِذَاwhen غِبْتُI was absent مَثَّلَنِيrepresented me شَخْصُهُhis person
إِذَا غِبْتُ مَثَّلَنِي شَخْصُهُ
فَمَنْso whoever يَرَهُsees him فَكَأَنْthen as though قَدْalready رَآنِيhe saw me
فَمَنْ يَرَهُ فَكَأَنْ قَدْ رَآنِي
Whenever I was absent, his person stood in for me;
When I was absent, his person represented me;
whoever saw him, it was as though he had seen me.
so whoever saw him had, as it were, seen me.
وَكُنْتُand I was عَلَىagainst الدَّهْرِtime أَسْطُوI assail بِهِwith his help
وَكُنْتُ عَلَى الدَّهْرِ أَسْطُو بِهِ
فَدَبَّتْthen crept إِلَيْهِtoward him صُرُوفُvicissitudes الزَّمَانِtime
فَدَبَّتْ إِلَيْهِ صُرُوفُ الزَّمَانِ
With him I used to assail Fate itself;
And with his help I would assail time,
then the vicissitudes of Time crept upon him.
then time's vicissitudes crept upon him.
فَلَمْso did not يَبْقَremain مِنْهُof him سِوَىexcept ذِكْرِهِremembrance of him
فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُ سِوَى ذِكْرِهِ
وَذِكْرُand remembrance الحَبِيْبِthe beloved كَبَعْضِlike part of العِيَانِdirect sight
وَذِكْرُ الحَبِيْبِ كَبَعْضِ العِيَانِ
So nothing remained of him but his memory—
So nothing remained of him but his memory,
and remembrance of the beloved is like a fragment of direct sight.
and remembering the beloved is like seeing him in part.
Sol 6.1