أَبَاO father of البركاتِthe blessings ليfor me مولىًa patron جَوادٌgenerous
أَبَا البركاتِ لي مولىً جَوادٌ
مواهبُهُhis gifts كمُنهلِّlike the downpour of السّحابِthe clouds
مواهبُهُ كمُنهلِّ السّحابِ
O Abu al-Barakat, I have a generous patron.
My generous mentor, blessings abound,
His gifts are like the clouds' downpour.
His gifts flow like clouds bursting aground.
يُحكِّمٌhe appoints as arbiters فيover مكارِمهِhis bounty الأمانِيwishes
يُحكِّمٌ في مكارِمهِ الأمانِي
ولوand even if كلّفْتَهُyou charged him with ردّrestoring الشّبابِyouth
ولو كلّفْتَهُ ردّ الشّبابِ
He makes wishes the arbiters of his bounty,
He fulfills hopes, though far they may seem,
even if you asked him to restore youth.
As though he could restore lost youth's dream.
فَماso what بَاليmy condition أرَىI see ماwhat أَبتغِيهِI seek it
فَما بَالي أرَى ما أَبتغِيهِ
بعيداًfar away عندat مُنقَطِعِthe end of السّرابِthe mirage
بعيداً عند مُنقَطِعِ السّرابِ
Why, then, do I see what I seek
Why then, the object of all my desire
far away, at the mirage's end?
Appears always distant, ever to aspire?
وعذرُكَand your excuse فيfor قضاsettling شُغلِيmy affair قضاءٌfate
وعذرُكَ في قضا شُغلِي قضاءٌ
يُصرِّفُهُit governs it فَماso what عُذْرُthe excuse الجَوابِthe reply
يُصرِّفُهُ فَما عُذْرُ الجَوابِ
And your excuse for not settling my affair is fate,
Your excuse for not granting my wish outright
which governs it—but what excuse is there for not replying?
Is preoccupation; mine is impolite.
Sol 6.1