ماwhat ليfor me وللأيامand with the days ويحalas for صروفهاtheir vicissitudes
ما لي وللأيام ويح صروفها
أبداًforever نلاحظنيwatches me (text uncertain) بعينwith an eye عنادobstinacy
أبداً نلاحظني بعين عناد
What have I to do with the days? Woe for their vicissitudes—
What have I to do with the days? Alas for their vicissitudes!
forever eyeing me with a hostile gaze.
Forever watching me with an obstinate eye.
واحسرتاand alas, my sorrow! نالattained الزمانtime مرادهits desire
واحسرتا نال الزمان مراده
منىfrom me (contextual reading) ولمand did not أظفرI succeed بنيلin attaining مراديmy desire
منى ولم أظفر بنيل مرادي
Alas! Time has attained its desire
And alas, my sorrow! Time has had its way
at my expense, while I have failed to attain my own.
With me, while I have failed to attain my own desire.
لاno مسعدhelper يرجىcan be hoped for ولاand no متوجعsympathizer
لا مسعد يرجى ولا متوجع
نشكوwe complain إليهto him حرارةburning heat الأكبادthe livers
نشكو إليه حرارة الأكباد
No helper to hope for, nor any fellow sufferer
No helper can be hoped for, nor any sympathizer
to whom we might lament the fire within our hearts.
To whom we might complain of the burning in our livers.
سلask مخبراتinformants الشعرpoetry عنيabout me هلwhether رأتsaw
سل مخبرات الشعر عني هل رأت
فيin قدحkindling نارfire الفهمunderstanding مثلthe like of زناديmy fire-strikers
في قدح نار الفهم مثل زنادي
Ask poetry’s tested exemplars about me: have they ever seen,
Ask poetry's informants about me: have they seen
when striking the fire of understanding, a fire-steel like mine?
The like of my fire-strikers in kindling the fire of understanding?
لمdid not تبقremain حلبةracecourse منطقeloquence إلاexcept وقدand already
لم تبق حلبة منطق إلا وقد
سبقتoutstripped سوابقهاits frontrunners إليكtoward you جياديmy steeds
سبقت سوابقها إليك جيادي
No arena of eloquence was left but already
No racecourse of eloquence remained but that
my steeds had outstripped its swiftest racers on their way to you.
My steeds had outstripped its frontrunners toward you.
للّهto God درexcellence (literally, milk) خفاجةKhafaja أبرزتهاyou brought her forth
للّه در خفاجة أبرزتها
منfrom خدرsecluded chamber فكركyour thought فيin حلىornaments الإنشادverse recitation
من خدر فكرك في حلى الإنشاد
How splendid is Khafāja, whom you have brought forth
God bless Khafaja! You brought her forth
from the curtained chamber of your thought, adorned in the jewels of song!
From your thought's secluded chamber, clad in recitation's jewels.
حظa share منof النظمverse البديعwondrous أفادنيhas granted me
حظ من النظم البديع أفادني
حظthe lot الكرامthe noble وخطةand the standing الأمجادthe illustrious
حظ الكرام وخطة الأمجاد
A share of exquisite verse has won for me
A share of wondrous verse has granted me
the fortune of the noble and the rank of the glorious.
The lot of the noble and the standing of the illustrious.
Sol 6.1