الحمدpraise للهto God نالreceived الناسُthe people حظهُمُtheir share
الحمد لله نال الناسُ حظهُمُ
وأخطأتنيand passed me by معdespite استحقاقهاdeserving them الرُّتَبُthe ranks
وأخطأتني مع استحقاقها الرُّتَبُ
Praise be to God—the people have received their share,
Praise be to God: people have received their share,
while the ranks, though I deserve them, have passed me by.
While ranks have passed me by, though I deserve them.
وعاقَنيand hindered me عنfrom طِلابِيهاmy pursuit of them أُصَيْبَيةٌlittle children
وعاقَني عن طِلابِيها أُصَيْبَيةٌ
يأبىrefuses to allow فراقهُمُparting from them الإشفاقcompassion والحربُand distress
يأبى فراقهُمُ الإشفاق والحربُ
A tiny brood of children has kept me from pursuing them:
Little children have kept me from pursuing them;
compassion and tender care forbid me to part from them.
Compassion and distress will not let me leave them.
وليand I have قوادمُprimary flight feathers لوif أنيthat I جدفتI beat my wings بهاwith them
ولي قوادمُ لو أني جدفت بها
لأنهضتْنيthey would surely have lifted me ولكنand yet أفرُضunclear as written; likely 'fledglings' زُغُبُdowny
لأنهضتْني ولكن أفرُض زُغُبُ
I have strong pinions—if only I could beat the air with them,
I have flight feathers; had I beaten my wings with them,
they would lift me; but my nestlings are still far too downy.
They would have lifted me—but there are downy fledglings [uncertain reading].
وللمراتبand for ranks أسبابٌmeans مبلِّغةٌleading to
وللمراتب أسبابٌ مبلِّغةٌ
كمالَهاtheir full measure عنَّarose منfrom إدراكِهاattaining them سَبَبُa cause
كمالَها عنَّ من إدراكِها سَبَبُ
There are means by which ranks may be attained,
And ranks have means that lead
just as there is a cause for their remaining beyond my grasp.
To their full measure; a cause has arisen [keeping me] from attaining them.
وماand not التعجُّبُthe wonder لوif أنيthat I ظَفِرْتُI gained بهاthem
وما التعجُّبُ لو أني ظَفِرْتُ بها
بلrather فيin تنكُّبهاtheir shunning اللاويthe one clinging بهاto them العجبthe wonder
بل في تنكُّبها اللاوي بها العجب
It would be no wonder if I won them;
It would be no wonder if I gained them;
the wonder is that they shun one who could bend them his way.
Rather, the wonder is their shunning one who clings to them.
فإنso if يكنis أدبٌliterary learning منfor رُتبةٍa rank عوَضاًa substitute
فإن يكن أدبٌ من رُتبةٍ عوَضاً
فقدthen indeed قضىhas fulfilled ماwhat عليهis incumbent upon it العلمُknowledge والأدبُand literary learning
فقد قضى ما عليه العلمُ والأدبُ
If my adab—my learning and cultivation—can compensate for the rank denied me,
So if literary learning is a substitute for rank,
then learning and adab have discharged their debt.
Then knowledge and literary learning have fulfilled their duty.
Sol 6.1