سَقىmay water سَدرةَthe lote tree الواديof the valley السحابُthe clouds الغَوائِثُrain-bearing
سَقى سَدرةَ الوادي السحابُ الغَوائِثُ
وَإِنand though غَيَّرَتhave altered مِنهُsomething of it اللَياليthe nights العَوائِثُravaging
وَإِن غَيَّرَت مِنهُ اللَيالي العَوائِثُ
May the rain-bearing clouds water the valley’s lote tree,
The rainclouds watered the valley's lotus tree,
though the ravaging nights have wrought changes in it.
Though the nights have altered it with calamities.
عَذيريmy defender مِنagainst الآمالِhopes خابَتhave failed قُصودُهاtheir aims
عَذيري مِن الآمالِ خابَت قُصودُها
وَنالَتand gained جَزيلَabundant الحَظّfortune مِنهاfrom them الأَخابِثُthe vilest
وَنالَت جَزيلَ الحَظّ مِنها الأَخابِثُ
Who will plead my case against hopes whose aims have failed,
My excuse - hopes whose aims have failed,
while the vilest have gained from them an ample share of fortune?
While the wicked reaped abundant fortune from them.
وَقالواand they said ذُكِرناwe were mentioned بِالغِنىfor wealth فَأَجَبتَهُمُso you answered them
وَقالوا ذُكِرنا بِالغِنى فَأَجَبتَهُمُ
خُمولاًobscurity وَماand no ذِكرٌrenown معَwith البُخلِmiserliness ماكِثُenduring
خُمولاً وَما ذِكرٌ معَ البُخلِ ماكِثُ
And they said, ‘We are known for wealth’; so you answered them:
And they said, "We were remembered with wealth," so I answered them
‘Obscurity! No renown endures with miserliness.’
Sluggishly, for mention with miserliness is not lasting.
يَهونis of little consequence عَليناto us أَنthat يبيدperish أَثاثُناour possessions
يَهون عَلينا أَن يبيد أَثاثُنا
وَتَبقىand remain عَلَيناto our credit المُكرَماتُnoble deeds الأَثائِثُabundant
وَتَبقى عَلَينا المُكرَماتُ الأَثائِثُ
It matters little to us that our possessions perish,
It is easy for us if our possessions perish,
and abundant noble deeds remain to our credit.
As long as the honorable virtues remain for us.
وَماand not ضَرَّharmed أَصلاًa root طَيّباًnoble عدمُlack of الغِنىwealth
وَما ضَرَّ أَصلاً طَيّباً عدمُ الغِنى
إِذwhen لَمdid not يُغيّرهُalter it مِنof الدَهرtime حادِثُan event
إِذ لَم يُغيّرهُ مِن الدَهر حادِثُ
Nor has lack of wealth harmed a noble root,
And no harm befell a good origin by lack of wealth,
when no turn of time has altered it.
When the accidents of time did not change it.
وَهَلand is it عِندَknown to صَفوانSafwan بِنson of إِدريسIdris أَنَّنيthat I
وَهَل عِندَ صَفوان بِن إِدريس أَنَّني
مُقيمٌremaining عَلىupon عَهدِthe covenant المَوّدَةِof affection ماكِثُabiding
مُقيمٌ عَلى عَهدِ المَوّدَةِ ماكِثُ
And is it known to Safwan ibn Idris that I
Does Safwan ibn Idris think that I
remain true to the covenant of affection, abiding still?
Remain steadfast to the covenant of affection?
وَإِنand though كُنتُI was قَدalready خاطَبتُI addressed فَصلdecisiveness خِطابِهِof his discourse
وَإِن كُنتُ قَد خاطَبتُ فَصل خِطابِهِ
فَعاقَتso hindered عَنfrom الوّدaffection الخَطوبُmisfortunes الكَوارِثُdevastating
فَعاقَت عَن الوّد الخَطوبُ الكَوارِثُ
And though I had already addressed his decisive discourse,
And if I had addressed the context of his speech,
yet devastating misfortunes have stood in the way of affection.
Love's engagements would turn away from disasters.
Sol 6.1