سألتI asked ابنson of رحمةRahmah عنabout حالهhis condition
سألت ابن رحمة عن حاله
سؤالاa question أمرّmore bitter منthan الحنظلcolocynth
سؤالا أمرّ من الحنظل
I asked Ibn Raḥmah how he fared—
I asked Ibn Rahmah about his condition,
a question bitterer than colocynth.
with a question more bitter than colocynth.
فقلتso I said لهto him صرتyou have become كهلاmiddle-aged وماyet no
فقلت له صرت كهلا وما
بخدّيكon your two cheeks منany شعرhair مسبلhanging down
بخدّيك من شعر مسبل
I said to him, “You have grown old, yet
I said to him, “You have reached middle age, yet
no flowing hair hangs from your cheeks.
no hair hangs down upon your cheeks.
وماليand why do I أرىsee النبتthe growth فيon عارضيكَboth sides of your face
ومالي أرى النبت في عارضيكَ
علىin حالthe state of منبتهits sprouting الأولfirst
على حال منبته الأول
Why do I see the growth upon your cheeks
And why do I see the growth on either side of your face
still as it was when first it sprouted?”
still as it was when it first sprouted?”
فقالso he said وأحسنand he did well فيin قولهhis speech
فقال وأحسن في قوله
بلاءthe affliction of الزروعthe crops منfrom المنجلthe sickle
بلاء الزروع من المنجل
He replied—and spoke finely:
He replied, and spoke well:
“The bane of crops is the sickle.”
“The ruin of crops comes from the sickle.”
وجوّدَand he excelled فيin لفظةan expression قالهاhe uttered it
وجوّدَ في لفظة قالها
كماjust like مطلبthe aim of السهمthe arrow فيat المقتلthe vital spot
كما مطلب السهم في المقتل
And he brought the phrase he uttered to perfection,
And he excelled in a phrase he uttered,
like an arrow aimed at the mortal spot:
like an arrow aimed at a vital spot.
كذاthus يعملacts النبتthe growth فيon عارضa cheek
كذا يعمل النبت في عارض
إذاif دامit persists فيهin it ولمand did not يبطلcease
إذا دام فيه ولم يبطل
“So does growth fare upon a cheek
Thus does growth behave upon a cheek,
when it remains there and does not cease.
if it persists there and does not cease.
إذاif جفّdries up أعلىthe highest of فروعthe offshoots of الغصونthe branches
إذا جفّ أعلى فروع الغصون
فإنّthen indeed الفسادthe rot منfrom الأسفلthe lower part
فإنّ الفساد من الأسفل
If the upper shoots of the boughs wither,
If the topmost offshoots of the branches dry up,
then the decay comes from below.”
then the rot comes from below.
