ياO بنَson of الأُولَىthose who فيin شانِهِمْtheir regard
يا بنَ الأُولَى في شانِهِمْ
بهَلْin “Has …?” أَتَىthere come الْمَدْحُthe praise أَتىcame
بهَلْ أَتَى الْمَدْحُ أَتى
O son of those for whom
O son of those concerning whom
in “Has There Come,” praise came;
Praise came in “Has There Come,”
ومَنْand those who هُمُthey القادَةُthe leaders إنْif
ومَنْ هُمُ القادَةُ إنْ
أَعْضَلَbecame difficult أَمْرٌa matter أوor عَتاgrew unruly
أَعْضَلَ أَمْرٌ أو عَتا
who are the leaders whenever
And of those who are the leaders when
a matter grows intractable or defiant.
A matter grows difficult or unruly.
مُحَلَّقٌa ring-shaped object منْof فِضَّةٍsilver
مُحَلَّقٌ منْ فِضَّةٍ
بَعَثْتَyou sent ياO خَيْرَbest فَتىyoung man
بَعَثْتَ يا خَيْرَ فَتى
Ringed round with silver—
A ring-shaped object of silver
you sent it, O finest youth—
You sent, O finest young man.
كَأَنّهُas though it were الجامَاتُthe bowls فِيin
كَأَنّهُ الجامَاتُ فِي
فَيْرُوزَجٍturquoise قَدْindeed نُعِتَاwas described
فَيْرُوزَجٍ قَدْ نُعِتَا
as though it were goblets amid
As though it were bowls amid
turquoise, as described;
Turquoise—so it has been described;
أوor الثُّرَيّاthe Pleiades أوor عُقُوnecklaces (word continues)
أو الثُّرَيّا أو عُقُو
دُcompletion of “necklaces” الدُّرِّpearls إنif ماindeed (emphatic particle) نَبتَاsprouted
دُ الدُّرِّ إن ما نَبتَا
or the Pleiades, or strings
Or the Pleiades, or necklaces
of pearls—were those two to blossom.
Of pearls, should they indeed sprout.
نَظْمُكَyour verse والْمَنْثورُand the prose قَدْindeed
نَظْمُكَ والْمَنْثورُ قَدْ
وَافَىarrived مَتَىwhen الفَضْلُexcellence; generosity مَتَىwhen
وَافَى مَتَى الفَضْلُ مَتَى
Your verse, and your prose too, have
Your verse and prose have
arrived—when has excellence ever so arrived?
Arrived—when is excellence, when? [Closing wording unclear.]
Sol 6.1