لَماwhen رَأَيتكI saw you وَالوابورand the steam engine مُجتَهدُlaboring
لَما رَأَيتك وَالوابور مُجتَهدُ
فيin سَيرهits journey بِجُنودwith troops ماnot لَهاfor them عَددُa number
في سَيره بِجُنود ما لَها عَددُ
When I saw you, the steam engine was laboring
When I saw you and the steamer striving
on its way, with troops beyond number.
On its course with legions beyond count,
وَليand to me أَشَرتَyou gestured عَلىat بُعدa distance بِيُمنِwith the blessing of يَدٍa hand
وَلي أَشَرتَ عَلى بُعد بِيُمنِ يَدٍ
مُسلّماًsaluting وَلِواءand the banner النَصرvictory مُنعَقدbound fast
مُسلّماً وَلِواء النَصر مُنعَقد
And from afar you gestured to me with a blessed hand,
And you waved from afar with your right hand
saluting, while victory's banner was bound fast.
Surrendering, your banner of victory furled,
قَنعتI was content مِنكَfrom you بِتَسليمwith a greeting عَلىin عَجَلٍhaste
قَنعت مِنكَ بِتَسليم عَلى عَجَلٍ
وَفيand in ركابكyour retinue سارَtraveled اللبthe mind وَالخَلَدand the heart
وَفي ركابك سارَ اللب وَالخَلَد
I was content with a hurried greeting from you,
I was content with your hurried salutation,
and in your retinue my mind and heart traveled.
While my heart and soul sailed in your train.
فَاِبعَثso send إِليّto me بِمَنشورwith a decree يَعيشlives بِهِby it
فَاِبعَث إِليّ بِمَنشور يَعيش بِهِ
منيof me وَمنand of صُحفpages مَطويةfolded جَسَدa body
مني وَمن صُحف مَطوية جَسَد
So send me a decree to sustain
Send me then a scroll on which to live
a body of mine and of folded pages.
By me and by the folded leaves of my form.
وَلاand do not تُضِعsquander ياO أَميريmy prince فُرصةًan opportunity عَرضتhas arisen
وَلا تُضِع يا أَميري فُرصةً عَرضت
لِمَنfor one who عَلىon الوَعدthe promise بَعدafter اللَهGod يَعتَمدrelies
لِمَن عَلى الوَعد بَعد اللَه يَعتَمد
And do not squander, my prince, an opportunity that has arisen
And O my prince, let no chance escape
for one who, after God, relies upon the promise.
When it comes to one whose hope after God rests on his word.
وَاِنهَضand rise إِلىto جبرmending كسرٍa break لَيسَnot يجبرهmends it
وَاِنهَض إِلى جبر كسرٍ لَيسَ يجبره
إِلّاexcept سُرورjoy عَلَيهِover it يَكثرabounds الحَسَدenvy
إِلّا سُرور عَلَيهِ يَكثر الحَسَد
And rise to mend a break that nothing can mend
Arise and bind up the break of one whose break
save a joy that arouses great envy.
None can bind but the joy in him that breeds much envy.
لاnot سِيَماthe like of وَشُهورand the months المَوعدthe appointed time اِقتَرَبتhave drawn near
لا سِيَما وَشُهور المَوعد اِقتَرَبت
وَالرفتand dismissal لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor it مِنfrom بَعدِهِafter it أَمَدa span of time
وَالرفت لَيسَ لَهُ مِن بَعدِهِ أَمَد
Especially now that the months of the appointed time draw near,
Especially as the months of the tryst draw near,
and dismissal thereafter admits of no delay.
And grace whose course thereafter has no term.
وَكاتبand the clerk الشَطبstriking out فيin أَمريmy case تَمدّextends لَهfor him
وَكاتب الشَطب في أَمري تَمدّ لَه
عَمّاin قَليلa short while إِلىtoward قَطعcutting off المَعاشthe livelihood يَدa hand
عَمّا قَليل إِلى قَطع المَعاش يَد
And the clerk who strikes names off will, in my case,
And the clerk of erasure, in my affair, stretches out to him
soon stretch out his hand to cut off my livelihood.
Ere long his hand to cut off the means of livelihood.
وَلَيسَand there is not لِلملِكfor the king المَسعودfortunate طالعُهُhis star
وَلَيسَ لِلملِك المَسعود طالعُهُ
علمٌknowledge بِحالof the plight of غُلامٍa servant ماnot لَهُfor him مَدَدsupport
علمٌ بِحال غُلامٍ ما لَهُ مَدَد
And the king, whose star is fortunate, has no
The fortunate king has no knowledge
knowledge of the plight of a servant who has no support.
Of the state of a page who has no recourse.
وَهَلand does سَوىother than يُوسفYusuf الصَديقthe friend يذكرنيremember me
وَهَل سَوى يُوسف الصَديق يذكرني
إِذاwhen نُسيتُI am forgotten وَعَنيand about me لَمdid not يَسَلask أَحَدanyone
إِذا نُسيتُ وَعَني لَم يَسَل أَحَد
And who but Yusuf the friend will remember me
Does any but Joseph the Truthful remember me
when I am forgotten and no one asks after me?
When I am forgotten and none asks after me?
Sol 6.1