ماwhat صبوحيmy morning draught وماand what تبلُّجُthe brightening صبحيof my dawn
ما صبوحي وما تبلُّجُ صبحي
بعدafter ماthat فارقdeparted from الكنانةal-Kinanah (Egypt) صبحيSubhi
بعد ما فارق الكنانة صبحي
What is my morning draught, and what is my dawn's brightening,
My dawn has not brightened, nor has my dawn become radiant,
Now that Subhi has departed al-Kinanah?
Since the beloved departed, my dawn has faded.
سارdeparted ركبcaravan الوزيرthe minister عناfrom us نهاراًby day
سار ركب الوزير عنا نهاراً
فعراناso it overtook us منfrom الدجىthe darkness ألفa thousand جنحwing
فعرانا من الدجى ألف جنح
The minister's caravan departed from us in daylight,
The convoy of the minister set out from us one day,
So a thousand wings of darkness overtook us.
Leaving us in the darkness of night bereft.
ياO رعىmay preserve اللَهGod والياًa governor قادحstriking sparks from الزنthe fire-stick (continued)
يا رعى اللَه والياً قادح الزن
دcompletion of 'fire-stick' سليمsound الخلالin character منfrom كلevery قدحreproach
د سليم الخلال من كل قدح
O may God preserve a governor who strikes sparks from the fire-stick,
O Lord protect the minister, purifier of glory,
Sound in character, free of every reproach.
Soleem Al Khillal is pure from all impurity.
يشرحexpands; gladdens الصدرthe breast بالبشاشةwith cheerfulness والجوand generosity (continued)
يشرح الصدر بالبشاشة والجو
دcompletion of 'generosity' ويغْنيand spares الوفودthe delegations عنfrom كلevery شرحexplanation
د ويغْني الوفود عن كل شرح
He gladdens the heart with cheerfulness and generosity,
He relieves the chest with joy and congeniality,
And spares the delegations any need to explain.
His generosity makes gifts unnecessary for all.
جادهgraced him جودهhis generosity بحليةwith an ornament مجدof glory
جاده جوده بحلية مجد
صاغهاfashioned it منfrom نضارpure gold حمدpraise ومدحand acclaim
صاغها من نضار حمد ومدح
His generosity graced him with an ornament of glory,
His generosity flows with splendor and glory,
Which it fashioned from the pure gold of praise and acclaim.
Forged from the brilliance of praise and eulogy.
فهوso he is ليثٌa lion دحىdrove away بهthrough him اللَهGod ضرّيmy affliction
فهو ليثٌ دحى به اللَه ضرّي
وهوand he is غيثlife-giving rain محاerased بهthrough him اللَهGod كدحيmy toil
وهو غيث محا به اللَه كدحي
So he is a lion through whom God drove away my affliction,
He is a lion made great by God,
And he is rain through whom God wiped away my toil.
A rain that God sent to end the drought.
وهوand he is نورٌa light بهthrough him توقدwas kindled ذهنيmy mind
وهو نورٌ به توقد ذهني
وهوand he is سورٌa rampart بهthrough him تمردrose high صرحيmy edifice
وهو سورٌ به تمرد صرحي
And he is a light by which my mind was kindled,
He is a light that ignites my mind,
And he is a rampart through which my edifice rose high.
He is a wall against which my castle rests.
صارbecame قِدحيmy lot-arrow بهthrough him الأشمthe lofty المعلىthe Mu'alla, highest-valued lot-arrow
صار قِدحي به الأشم المعلى
بعدafter ماthat كانit had been تالياًfollowing behind كلevery قدحlot-arrow
بعد ما كان تالياً كل قدح
Through him my lot-arrow became the lofty Mu'alla,
He made my wine glass the highest constellation,
After it had trailed every other lot-arrow.
After it had followed behind every glass.
وبجدوىand through the bounty of يديهhis two hands صارbecame عديمone devoid of الthe
وبجدوى يديه صار عديم ال
جاهstanding ذاpossessing صولةmight وسيفand a sword ورمحand a spear
جاه ذا صولة وسيف ورمح
And through his hands' bounty, one with no standing became
Through his bounty, the deprived gained glory,
A man of might, with sword and spear.
Becoming men of stature, sword and spear.
جلقJilliq (Damascus) استبشريrejoice بعودةat the return of والٍa governor
جلق استبشري بعودة والٍ
جودهhis generosity للعسارfor hardship أولthe foremost ممحeraser
جوده للعسار أول ممح
Jilliq, rejoice at the return of a governor
Rejoice, my heart, at the return of the generous minister,
Whose generosity is foremost in wiping away hardship.
His kindness is rain after drought.
أوليسand is it not الوزيرthe minister صبحاًa dawn وللصبand for the dawn (continued)
أوليس الوزير صبحاً وللصب
حcompletion of 'dawn' رجوعa return يكونthat occurs بعدafter التنحيwithdrawal
ح رجوع يكون بعد التنحي
Is not the minister a dawn, and does not dawn
Is not the minister the dawn, and for the dawn
Return after its withdrawal?
Is not return inevitable after departure?
لاnot أطالmay prolong الإلهGod عمرthe life of بعاديmy separation
لا أطال الإله عمر بعادي
عنfrom وزيرa minister أطالprolonged بالخيرthrough kindness نجحيmy success
عن وزير أطال بالخير نجحي
May God not prolong the life of my separation
May God prolong the life of my absent one,
From a minister who prolonged my success through kindness.
Who achieved success through benevolence.
كنتI had أشفيتI neared death منfrom صروفvicissitudes الياليthe nights
كنت أشفيت من صروف اليالي
فشفانيso He healed me بهthrough him وأدملand closed up جرحيmy wound
فشفاني به وأدمل جرحي
I had come near death through the vicissitudes of the nights,
I was healed from the turns of night,
So He healed me through him and closed my wound.
But he healed me and stitched my wounds.
أيهاO الرحلthe traveler المقيمdwelling بقلبيin my heart
أيها الرحل المقيم بقلبي
دمتmay you remain سمحاًgenerous مفاخراًvying in glory with كلevery سمحgenerous person
دمت سمحاً مفاخراً كل سمح
O traveler dwelling in my heart,
O you who settled in my heart,
May you remain generous, vying in glory with every generous man.
Remain forever gentle, surpassing all gentleness.
سرgo وعدand return فالحياfor the life-giving rain يروحgoes forth at evening ويغدوand goes forth at dawn
سر وعد فالحيا يروح ويغدو
ليعمso it may encompass الورىall humankind بخيرٍwith goodness وربحand gain
ليعم الورى بخيرٍ وربح
Go and return, for life-giving rain journeys at evening and dawn,
Fulfill your promise, so life may ebb and flow,
To embrace all humankind with goodness and gain.
And spread goodness and profit in the land.
Sol 6.1