أَشكوI complain إِلَيكَto you زَماناًa time ظلَّkept يعركنيrubs me harshly
أَشكو إِلَيكَ زَماناً ظلَّ يعركني
عَركَthe rubbing of الأَديمa hide وَمنand who يعديgrants redress عَلىagainst الزَمنِtime
عَركَ الأَديم وَمن يعدي عَلى الزَمنِ
I complain to you of a time that kept rubbing me raw,
I complain to you of a time that rubbed me raw
as a hide is rubbed—and who can grant redress against time?
It chafed my hide, yet who can exceed time?
وَصاحِباًand a friend كنتُI was مَغبوطاًenvied بِصُحبَتِهِfor his companionship
وَصاحِباً كنتُ مَغبوطاً بِصُحبَتِهِ
دَهراًfor a long time فَغادَرَنيthen he left me فَرداًalone بِلاwithout سَكَنِsolace
دَهراً فَغادَرَني فَرداً بِلا سَكَنِ
And of a friend for whose company I was envied
And a companion, whose company made me blissful -
for a long time; then he left me alone, without solace.
for an age he gladdened me, not alone was I.
هَبَّتblew لهُfor him ريحa wind اِقبالٍgood fortune فَطارَso he flew بِهاwith it
هَبَّت لهُ ريح اِقبالٍ فَطارَ بِها
إِلىto السُرورِjoy وَأَلجانيand he drove me الىto الحُزنِsorrow
إِلى السُرورِ وَأَلجاني الى الحُزنِ
A wind of good fortune blew for him, so he flew with it
A wind of good fortune caught him up and flew
to joy, and drove me into sorrow.
with him to joy, while grief was left for me.
نَأىdrew away بِجانِبِهِwith his side عَنّيfrom me وَصَيَّرَنيand he made me
نَأى بِجانِبِهِ عَنّي وَصَيَّرَني
مَعَwith الاِسىgrief وَدَواعيand the stirrings of الشَوقِlonging فيin قَرَنِa shared tether
مَعَ الاِسى وَدَواعي الشَوقِ في قَرَنِ
He turned away from me and left me
He turned his side to me and made me be
yoked to grief and the stirrings of longing.
a mate of longing and the pangs of love-sick care.
وَباعَand he sold صَفوَthe pure essence of ودادٍaffection كنتI used to أَقصرهreserve it exclusively
وَباعَ صَفوَ ودادٍ كنت أَقصره
عَلَيهِfor him مُجتَهِداًstriving earnestly فيin السِرِّprivate وَالعَلَنand public
عَلَيهِ مُجتَهِداً في السِرِّ وَالعَلَن
And he sold the pure affection I had reserved
He sold the cordial love I used to show him,
for him alone, with earnest care, in private and in public.
striving in secrecy and openly,
وَكانَand he had غاليset a high value بِهِon it حيناًfor a time فَأَرخَصهthen he cheapened it
وَكانَ غالي بِهِ حيناً فَأَرخَصه
ياO منwho رَأىhas seen صَفوthe pure essence of ودٍaffection بيعwas sold بِالثَمَنfor a price
يا من رَأى صَفو ودٍ بيع بِالثَمَن
And he had once valued it highly, then cheapened it.
held once so dear, sold cheap for nothing -
O, who has seen pure affection sold for a price?
O you who saw esteem bartered for pelf!
كَأَنَّهُas though he كانَhad been مَطوِيّاًfolded inward عَلىover احنٍgrudges
كَأَنَّهُ كانَ مَطوِيّاً عَلى احنٍ
وَلمand not يَكُنhad منfrom قَديمthe distant past of الدَهرِtime أَنشَدَنيrecited to me
وَلم يَكُن من قَديم الدَهرِ أَنشَدَني
As though he had kept grudges folded within him,
Like folded scrolls he seemed, yet was not one
and had not recited to me long ago:
recorded in the annals of old companions.
اِنindeed الكِرامthe noble اِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَسهَلواthey reach easy ground ذَكَرواthey remember
اِن الكِرام اِذا ما أَسهَلوا ذَكَروا
مَنthose who كانَused to يَألَفَهُمkeep them company بِالمَنزِلِat the abode الخشنِrough
مَن كانَ يَألَفَهُم بِالمَنزِلِ الخشنِ
“Indeed, the noble, when they reach easy ground, remember
True noblemen, when they forget, recall
those who kept them company in the rough abode.”
as friend one known in less prosperous days.
Sol 6.1