منحmay He grant اللّهGod أباAbu; father of الفضـfirst part of al-Fadl
منح اللّه أبا الفضـ
ـلfinal part of al-Fadl حياةa life لاnot تُنَغّصْbe troubled
ـل حياة لا تُنَغّصْ
May God grant Abu al-Fadl
May God grant Abu al-Fadl a life without sorrow
a life never marred by distress,
And look after him for he reached the peak of love and was sincere
وتولاهand may He watch over him فقدfor he has باfirst part of 'gone far'
وتولاه فقد با
لغfinal part of 'gone far' فيin الحبlove وأخلصand he was sincere
لغ في الحب وأخلص
and watch over him, for he has gone
He was passionate about tying the knot
far in love and been sincere.
With she whose hair is dyed with pure henna
عاشقاًa lover كانhe was علىintent on التزfirst part of 'marriage'
عاشقاً كان على التز
ويجfinal part of 'marriage' للعقدfor the marriage contract تَحَرَّصhe was eager
ويج للعقد تَحَرَّص
A lover, he was bent on marriage,
You see him shrivel
eager for the marriage contract,
Like polished ice
منout of هوىlove for مَنْthe one whose شعرهاher hair
من هوى مَنْ شعرها
يخضبis dyed بالحناwith henna المعفصmixed with gallnuts
يخضب بالحنا المعفص
out of love for one whose hair
She is the most charming of God's creations with her ornamented crown
is dyed with henna mixed with gallnuts.
He was granted patience for her then she came and lurked
فتراهthen you see it عندماwhen ينْصُلُits dye fades
فتراه عندما ينْصُلُ
كالبردlike a mantle المحرصِtattered
كالبرد المحرصِ
Then, when its dye fades, you see it
An old woman whose cheeks are wrinkled
like a tattered mantle.
And an old man with a shriveled face
فهيfor she منamong أملحthe comeliest خلقthe creatures of اللَـfirst part of 'God'
فهي من أملح خلق اللَـ
ـهfinal part of 'God' فيin; wearing التاجthe crown المفصصgem-set
ـه في التاج المفصص
For she is among the comeliest of God's creatures,
They mated in the days of Noah, owner of the ark and mate
wearing the gem-set crown.
What fortune did he gain without divergence and the cracked walnut
رُزقَhe was granted الصبرpatience عليtoward (part of 'toward her')
رُزقَ الصبر علي
هاher (completes 'toward her') فتأتىso he proceeded gently وتربصand he bided his time
ها فتأتى وتربص
He was granted patience toward
I wish he had let the matter go and moved on
her; so he proceeded gently and bided his time.
For Abu al-Jawzān shrinks away whenever she comes near
شيخةan old woman هامhe was infatuated بهاwith her مِنْout of
شيخة هام بها مِنْ
وجْلِىِfear, possibly 'my fear' (unclear form) شيخan old man مقرفصcrouching
وجْلِىِ شيخ مقرفص
An old woman, adored out of
fear [unclear wording] by a crouching old man.
قرنصتshe molted فيin عهدthe time of نوحNoah
قرنصت في عهد نوح
صاحبmaster of الفلكthe Ark وقرنصand he molted
صاحب الفلك وقرنص
She molted in Noah's time,
the Ark's master—and the old man molted too.
أيَّwhat حظgood fortune نالhe gained لولاwere it not for الفرfirst part of 'marital aversion'
أيَّ حظ نال لولا الفر
كfinal part of 'marital aversion' والجوزand the walnuts المرصصfilled with lead
ك والجوز المرصص
What luck he would have had, but for marital aversion
and the lead-filled walnuts!
ليتهif only he قدhad جعلleft الأمـfirst part of 'the matter'
ليته قد جعل الأمـ
ـرfinal part of 'the matter' إليهاto her وتخلصand freed himself
ـر إليها وتخلص
If only he had left the matter
to her and freed himself.
فأبوfor Abu; for the father of الجوزانal-Jawzan; the two walnuts منهاbecause of her; away from her
فأبو الجوزان منها
حينwhen يدنوhe draws near يتقلصhe shrivels
حين يدنو يتقلص
For Abu al-Jawzan, because of her,
shrivels whenever he draws near.
Partial English translation: 14 of 24 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1