إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle قَصَدناwe sought جَعفَراًJaʿfar كانَwas جَعفَرٌJaʿfar
إِذا ما قَصَدنا جَعفَراً كانَ جَعفَرٌ
حَييّاًbashful إِذاwhen أَعطىhe gave ضَحوكاًsmiling إِذاwhen قَرىhe welcomed guests
حَييّاً إِذا أَعطى ضَحوكاً إِذا قَرى
Whenever we sought Jaʿfar, Jaʿfar was
Whenever we visit Ja'far, Ja'far is
Bashful when he gave, smiling when he welcomed guests.
Welcoming when he gives, smiling when he sees.
فَتىًa young man ماnot رَأىsaw قَطُّever الزَمانُTime بِعَينِهِwith its own eye
فَتىً ما رَأى قَطُّ الزَمانُ بِعَينِهِ
لَهُto him مُشبِهاًone resembling فيin المَكرُماتِnoble deeds وَلاand not يُرىis seen
لَهُ مُشبِهاً في المَكرُماتِ وَلا يُرى
A young man—never has Time seen with its own eye
No eye has the ages seen
His equal in noble deeds, nor is one seen.
One who resembled him in generosity, nor will there be.
إِذاwhen سابَقَتهُraced him الغُرُّthe illustrious فيalong طُرقِpaths العُلاeminence
إِذا سابَقَتهُ الغُرُّ في طُرقِ العُلا
تُقَدِّمُهُit puts him ahead فيهاalong them وَخَلّاهُمُand he left them وَراbehind
تُقَدِّمُهُ فيها وَخَلّاهُمُ وَرا
When the illustrious race him along the paths of eminence,
When glory raced him on the roads of highness,
He is put ahead along them, and he leaves them behind.
It deferred to him there, and left the others behind.
Sol 6.1