ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) المُتَمَنّيone who wishes أَنto تَكونَyou become فَتىًa noble young man
يا أَيُّها المُتَمَنّي أَن تَكونَ فَتىً
مِثلَlike اِبنِson of لَيلىLayla لَقَدindeed خَلّىhe left open لَكِfor you السُبُلاthe paths
مِثلَ اِبنِ لَيلى لَقَد خَلّى لَكِ السُبُلا
O you who wish to be a noble young man
O you who wish to be a gallant youth
like Ibn Layla—he has indeed left the paths open to you.
Like the son of Layla, the paths are left open for you
إِنif تُرحلِyou saddle العيسِthe white camels كَيso that تَسعىyou strive مَساعيهِhis endeavors
إِن تُرحلِ العيسِ كَي تَسعى مَساعيهِ
يُشفَقpity is felt عَلَيكَfor you وَتَعمَلand you accomplish دونَless than ماwhat عَمَلاhe accomplished
يُشفَق عَلَيكَ وَتَعمَل دونَ ما عَمَلا
If you saddle the white camels to strive as he strove,
If you journey to where Jesus went on his quests
you will be pitied and will accomplish less than he accomplished.
He will have mercy on you though you do less than he has done
لَوif سِرتَyou traveled فيamong الناسِpeople أَقصاهُمthe farthest of them وَأَقرَبَهُمand the nearest of them
لَو سِرتَ في الناسِ أَقصاهُم وَأَقرَبَهُم
فيacross شُقَّةِthe expanse of الأَرضِthe earth حَتّىuntil يُحرِثواthey drive to exhaustion الإِبِلاthe camels
في شُقَّةِ الأَرضِ حَتّى يُحرِثوا الإِبِلا
If you traveled among people, the farthest and the nearest,
If you went among people, the furthest and the nearest
across the earth’s expanse, until they drove the camels to exhaustion,
In the most remote parts of earth where they graze camels
تَبفيyou seek (likely intended: تبغي) فَتىًa noble young man فَوقَupon ظَهرِthe back of الأَرضِthe earth ماnot وَجَدواthey would find
تَبفي فَتىً فَوقَ ظَهرِ الأَرضِ ما وَجَدوا
مِثلَlike الَّذيthe one whom غَيَّبواthey buried فيin بَطنِهاits belly رَجُلاa man
مِثلَ الَّذي غَيَّبوا في بَطنِها رَجُلا
seeking a noble young man upon the earth’s back, they would not find
You would not find, across the face of the earth, a youth
a man like the one they buried in its belly.
Like the one they buried deep inside it, that valiant man
إِعدُدcount ثَلاثَthree خِصالٍqualities قَدindeed عُرِفنَwere known لَهُas his
إِعدُد ثَلاثَ خِصالٍ قَد عُرِفنَ لَهُ
هَلdid? سَبَّhe revile مِنany (emphatic particle) أَحَدٍanyone أوسُبَّor was he reviled أَوor بَخلاhe was miserly
هَل سَبَّ مِن أَحَدٍ أوسُبَّ أَو بَخلا
Count three qualities for which he was known:
Count three virtues recognized in him
Did he revile anyone, or was he reviled, or was he miserly?
Did he insult anyone, or was he insulted, or was he stingy?
Sol 6.1