أُعْجِبَتْshe was impressed بيby me بينamid ناديthe assembly of قَومِهاher people
أُعْجِبَتْ بي بين نادي قَومِها
أُمُّmother of سعدٍSa'd فمضَتْso she went تسألُasking بيabout me
أُمُّ سعدٍ فمضَتْ تسألُ بي
She was taken with me in her people's assembly—
Umm Sa'd—and went asking about me.
سَرَّهاit delighted her ماwhat عَلِمتْshe learned منof خُلُقيmy character
سَرَّها ما عَلِمتْ من خُلُقي
فأرادتْso she wished عِلمَاto know ماwhat حَسَبيmy ancestral standing
فأرادتْ عِلمَا ما حَسَبي
What she learned of my character delighted her,
So she wished to know what my ancestral standing was.
لاdo not تخاليyou imagine نَسَباًa lineage يخفِضُنيthat lowers me
لا تخالي نَسَباً يخفِضُني
أناI مَنone who يُرضيكِpleases you عندwhen considering النسبِlineage
أنا مَن يُرضيكِ عند النسبِ
Do not think my lineage diminishes me;
I am one who will please you when lineage is considered.
قَوْمِيَmy people استولَوْاthey gained mastery علىover الدهرِTime فَتىًyoung
قَوْمِيَ استولَوْا على الدهرِ فَتىً
ومَشَوْاand they walked فوقabove رءوسِthe heads of الحِقَبِthe ages
ومَشَوْا فوق رءوسِ الحِقَبِ
My people mastered Time while it was young,
And walked above the heads of the ages.
عمَّمواthey turbaned بالشمسِwith the sun هاماتِهُمُtheir heads
عمَّموا بالشمسِ هاماتِهُمُ
وبَنوْاand they built أبياتَهمtheir dwellings بالشهُبِwith shooting stars
وبَنوْا أبياتَهم بالشهُبِ
They turbaned their heads with the sun,
And built their dwellings with shooting stars.
وأَبىand my father كِسرَىKisra علىupon إيوانهِhis vaulted hall
وأَبى كِسرَى على إيوانهِ
أينwhere فيamong الناسhumankind أبٌa father مثلُlike ابيmy father
أين في الناس أبٌ مثلُ ابي
And my father is Kisra in his vaulted hall;
Where among humankind is a father like mine?
سَوْرةُthe might الملكِof kingship القُدامَىof old وعَلَىand the heights of
سَوْرةُ الملكِ القُدامَى وعَلَى
شَرَفِthe honor of الإسلامِIslam ليmine والأدبِand literary culture
شَرَفِ الإسلامِ لي والأدبِ
The might of ancient kingship, and the heights
Of Islam's honor and letters, are mine.
قدindeed قَبستُI borrowed a spark of المجدَglory منfrom خيرِthe best of أبٍfathers
قد قَبستُ المجدَ من خيرِ أبٍ
وقبَستُand I borrowed a spark of الدينَfaith منfrom خيرِthe best of نبيprophets
وقبَستُ الدينَ من خيرِ نبي
I have borrowed glory's flame from the best of fathers,
And borrowed faith's flame from the best of prophets.
وضَممتُand I gathered الفخرَpride منfrom أطرافِهِits reaches
وضَممتُ الفخرَ من أطرافِهِ
سوددَthe nobility of الفرسِthe Persians ودينَand the faith of العربthe Arabs
سوددَ الفرسِ ودينَ العرب
And gathered pride from all its reaches—
The nobility of the Persians and the faith of the Arabs.
Sol 6.1