الأحنفAl-Ahnaf بنson of محمّدMuhammad يشكوcomplains of الضوىemaciation
الأحنف بن محمّد يشكو الضوى
وتفاوتاand unevenness فيin خطوهhis gait وبيانهand his speech
وتفاوتا في خطوه وبيانه
Al-Ahnaf ibn Muhammad laments his emaciation
Al-Ahnaf ibn Muhammad complains of solitude
and unevenness in his gait and speech.
And the disparity in his step and expression
رجلa man يسرّis delighted بهby him البعيدthe distant one تشوّقاًwith longing
رجل يسرّ به البعيد تشوّقاً
ويصُدّand turns away عنهfrom him لفضلهbecause of his excellence جيرانهhis neighbors
ويصُدّ عنه لفضله جيرانه
A man who delights those far away as they long for him,
A man made happy by the remote, longing
yet his neighbors shun him because of his excellence.
While his neighbors spurn him for his excellence
جيرانهhis neighbors أهلpeople of البطالةidleness والغنىand wealth
جيرانه أهل البطالة والغنى
يخفىis hidden عليهمfrom them فيin الزمانthe age مكانُهhis standing
يخفى عليهم في الزمان مكانُه
His neighbors are people of idleness and wealth;
Neighbors of idleness and wealth
his standing in this age is hidden from them.
His place in time is hidden from them
ودليلand the sign of منwhoever ينأىkeeps aloof عليهtoward him غباوةٌstupidity
ودليل من ينأى عليه غباوةٌ
وكذاand likewise الكتابthe book دليلهits identifying sign عنوانهits title
وكذا الكتاب دليله عنوانه
And stupidity marks whoever keeps aloof from him,
And the guide of one who distances himself is ignorance
just as a book's title is its identifying sign.
As is the cover of a book its title
وكذلكand likewise البيتthe House الحرامthe Sacred يزورهُvisits it
وكذلك البيت الحرام يزورهُ
ضيفانهits guests ويملّهand tires of it خزّانهits keepers
ضيفانه ويملّه خزّانه
Likewise, the Sacred House is visited
And likewise the Sacred House is visited
by its guests, while its keepers tire of it.
By its guests who tire its keepers
يتشّرفونgain honor بهthrough it ويدركهand overtakes it القلىloathing
يتشّرفون به ويدركه القلى
لمكانbecause of دومthe continuance of بقائهits presence رعيانهits caretakers
لمكان دوم بقائه رعيانه
They gain honor through it, yet it meets with loathing
They honor it, while the wretched attain it
from its caretakers, because of its constant presence.
For its enduring place of its subjects
لولاwere it not for تشرّفهمtheir gaining honor بهthrough it لتشعّثتwould surely fall into disrepair
لولا تشرّفهم به لتشعّثت
جدرانهits walls وتقلبتand would change ألوانهits colors
جدرانه وتقلبت ألوانه
Were it not for the honor they gain through it, disrepair would beset
Were it not for their honoring it, its walls would crumble
its walls, and its colors would change.
And its colors alter