قُلsay لِلأَميرِto the emir أَبيAbu سَعيدٍSa‘id ذيpossessor of النَدىgenerosity
قُل لِلأَميرِ أَبي سَعيدٍ ذي النَدى
وَالمَجدِand glory زادَmay increase اللَهُGod فيin إِكرامِهِhonoring him
وَالمَجدِ زادَ اللَهُ في إِكرامِهِ
Say to the emir Abu Sa‘id, possessor of generosity
and glory—may God honor him ever more:
ياO واهِبَgiver of العيسِpale camels الهَموسِsoft-treading بِرَحلِهاwith their saddles
يا واهِبَ العيسِ الهَموسِ بِرَحلِها
وَالأَعوَجِيِّand the A‘waji steed بِسَرجِهِwith its saddle وَلِجامِهِand its bridle
وَالأَعوَجِيِّ بِسَرجِهِ وَلِجامِهِ
O giver of pale, soft-treading camels with their saddles,
and the A‘waji steed with its saddle and bridle;
وَالحامِلَand providing mounts for الأَقوامَpeoples فَوقَupon سَلاهِبٍtall steeds
وَالحامِلَ الأَقوامَ فَوقَ سَلاهِبٍ
وَالحاكِيَand matching الرِئبالَthe lion فيin إِقدامِهِits daring
وَالحاكِيَ الرِئبالَ في إِقدامِهِ
and who mounts peoples upon tall steeds,
and matches the lion in its daring;
وَالواهِبَand giver of الصَمّامَةَal-Ṣammāma (a sword) السَيفَthe sword الَّذيwhich
وَالواهِبَ الصَمّامَةَ السَيفَ الَّذي
يَجريflows زُعافُfatal venom المَوتِdeath فيin إِسطامِهِits edge
يَجري زُعافُ المَوتِ في إِسطامِهِ
and giver of al-Ṣammāma, the sword whose
edge runs with the fatal venom of death.
أَنتَyou المُباريrivaling الريحَthe wind فيin نَفَحاتِهاits gusts
أَنتَ المُباري الريحَ في نَفَحاتِها
وَالمُستَهينُand heedless مَعَwith النَدىgenerosity بِمَلامِهِof reproach for it
وَالمُستَهينُ مَعَ النَدى بِمَلامِهِ
You rival the wind in its gusts,
and, in your generosity, disdain reproach for it.
فَمِنso from أَينَwhere أَرهَبُI fear أَنthat يَرانيsees me راجِلاًon foot
فَمِن أَينَ أَرهَبُ أَن يَراني راجِلاً
أَحَدٌanyone وَماand not أَرجوI hope for سِوىother than أَيّامِهِhis days
أَحَدٌ وَما أَرجو سِوى أَيّامِهِ
So how could I fear being seen on foot
by anyone, when my hopes rest only in his days?
اِحمِلprovide a mount for هَداكَmay He guide you اللَهُGod رِجليmy foot يابنَO son of مَنone who
اِحمِل هَداكَ اللَهُ رِجلي يابنَ مَن
جادَتgave generously يَداهُhis two hands بِنَهدِهِwith his sturdy steed وَغُلامِهِand his young servant
جادَت يَداهُ بِنَهدِهِ وَغُلامِهِ
Give my foot a mount—may God guide you—O son of one
whose hands freely gave his sturdy steed and his young servant.
قُسِمَwas apportioned الحَياءُmodesty عَلىamong الأَنامِhumankind جَميعِهِمall of them
قُسِمَ الحَياءُ عَلى الأَنامِ جَميعِهِم
فَذَهَبتَso you went off أَنتَyou فَقُدتَهُthen you led it بِزِمامِهِby its rein
فَذَهَبتَ أَنتَ فَقُدتَهُ بِزِمامِهِ
Modesty was apportioned among all humankind,
but you went off and led it by its rein.
وَتَقَسَّمَand shared out الناسُthe people السَخاءَgenerosity مُجَزَّأًin portions
وَتَقَسَّمَ الناسُ السَخاءَ مُجَزَّأً
وَذَهَبتَand you went off أَنتَyou بِرَأسِهِwith its head وَسَنامِهِand its hump
وَذَهَبتَ أَنتَ بِرَأسِهِ وَسَنامِهِ
And people shared out generosity in portions,
and you went off with its head and hump;
وَتَرَكتَand you left لِلناسِfor the people الإِهابَthe hide وَماand what بَقيremained
وَتَرَكتَ لِلناسِ الإِهابَ وَما بَقي
مِنof فَرثِهِits gut contents وَعُروقِهِand its veins وَعِظامِهِand its bones
مِن فَرثِهِ وَعُروقِهِ وَعِظامِهِ
and left the people the hide and what remained
of its gut contents, its veins, and its bones.