فماso not أناI كالقولlike the saying الذيthat قلتُI said إنif زَوَىhe drew away
فما أنا كالقول الذي قلتُ إن زَوَى
مَحَلِّيَmy dwelling عنfrom ماليmy wealth حِذارَfor fear of النوائبِmisfortunes
مَحَلِّيَ عن مالي حِذارَ النوائبِ
So I am not as the words I spoke would have it, should he draw
I am not like the words that I said if they deviate
my dwelling away from my wealth for fear of misfortunes.
My status keeps me from my money, beware of misfortunes
بمنزلةٍat a dwelling بينbetween الطَّرِيقَينِthe two roads قابَلَتit faced
بمنزلةٍ بين الطَّرِيقَينِ قابَلَت
بِوَادِيin the valley of كُحَيلٍKuhayl كلَّevery ماشٍwalker وراكبِand rider
بِوَادِي كُحَيلٍ كلَّ ماشٍ وراكبِ
At a dwelling between the two roads, facing
In a position between the two paths it faced
every walker and rider in the valley of Kuhayl,
In the valley of Kuhayl every walker and rider
حللتُI settled علىon رأسthe top of اليَفَاعِthe high ground ولمand not أكُنI was
حللتُ على رأس اليَفَاعِ ولم أكُن
كَمَنlike one who لاذَtook refuge مِنout of خَوفِfear of القِرىfeeding guests بالحَوَاجِبِbehind the screening hills
كَمَن لاذَ مِن خَوفِ القِرى بالحَوَاجِبِ
I settled atop the high ground, and was not
I climbed to the top of Al-Yafa’ and I was not
like one who hid behind screening hills for fear of feeding guests.
Like one who takes refuge from fear of villages in eyebrows
فلاso do not تسألask الضيفانَthe guests مَنwho هُمthey وأدنِهِمand bring them near
فلا تسأل الضيفانَ مَن هُم وأدنِهِم
هُمُthey الناسُpeople منamong مَعروُفfamiliar وَجهٍface وجانِبِand a stranger
هُمُ الناسُ من مَعروُف وَجهٍ وجانِبِ
So do not ask the guests who they are; bring them near.
So do not ask the two guests who they are and approach them
They are people—familiar faces and strangers alike.
They are people of good character and all sides
خليليmy two friends عوجاturn, you two باركmay bless اللَهُGod فيكماin you both
خليلي عوجا بارك اللَهُ فيكما
علىtoward البَرَّةِal-Barrah العُلياthe upper صُدُورَthe chests of الركائبِthe riding camels
على البَرَّةِ العُليا صُدُورَ الركائبِ
My two friends, turn—may God bless you both—
My friend crooked, may Allah bless you both
the chests of your riding camels toward Upper al-Barrah.
On the high innocence, the chests of the riders
وقولاand say, you two إذاwhen ماever (emphatic) الضيفُthe guest حَلَّlodged بِنَجوَةٍon high ground
وقولا إذا ما الضيفُ حَلَّ بِنَجوَةٍ
ألاlo فيin سبيلthe cause of اللَهِGod يحيىYahya بنson of طالبِTalib
ألا في سبيل اللَهِ يحيى بن طالبِ
And say, whenever a guest lodges on high ground:
And say when the guest settles in Najwa
“Lo, in God's cause is Yahya ibn Talib.”
No, in the way of Allah, Yahya ibn Taleb
Sol 6.1