ياO أَباfather of جَعفَرٍJaʿfar وَأَنتَand you are كَريمٌgenerous
يا أَبا جَعفَرٍ وَأَنتَ كَريمٌ
ماجِدٌglorious سَيِّدٌa lord أَغَرُّradiant نَبيلُnoble
ماجِدٌ سَيِّدٌ أَغَرُّ نَبيلُ
O Abu Jaʿfar, you are generous,
O Abu Ja'far, you are generous
glorious, a lord, radiant and noble.
Noble, eminent, most virtuous
قَدindeed تَلَقَّيتَyou have received بِالقُبولِwith acceptance مَديحيmy praise
قَد تَلَقَّيتَ بِالقُبولِ مَديحي
وَكذاand thus يَفعَلُacts الرَئيسُthe leader الجَليلُvenerable
وَكذا يَفعَلُ الرَئيسُ الجَليلُ
You have received my praise with favor,
You have accepted my praise with welcome
and so a venerable leader acts.
As a great leader would
هِيَshe بِكرٌa virgin زُفَّتwas escorted إِلَيكَto you عَروساًas a bride
هِيَ بِكرٌ زُفَّت إِلَيكَ عَروساً
وَلَهاand for her عِندَكَin your keeping الصَداقُthe dowry الجَزيلُlavish
وَلَها عِندَكَ الصَداقُ الجَزيلُ
She is a virgin, escorted to you as a bride,
She is a virgin brought to you as a bride
and you hold a lavish dowry for her.
With a generous dowry from you
فَاِجعَلِso make النَقدَthe cash payment عاجِلاًimmediate إِنَّindeed خَيرَthe best of الthe
فَاِجعَلِ النَقدَ عاجِلاً إِنَّ خَيرَ ال
عُرفِkindness عُرفٌkindness يَزينُهُadorns it التَعجيلُpromptness
عُرفِ عُرفٌ يَزينُهُ التَعجيلُ
So make the cash payment immediate, for the best of
So pay promptly, for the best custom
kindness is kindness adorned by promptness.
Is one adorned with expedience
وَأَرىand I see عَزمَكَyour resolve التَرَحُّلَdeparting فيon اليَوthe day (continued)
وَأَرى عَزمَكَ التَرَحُّلَ في اليَو
مِ(completes “the day”) وَعَزميand my resolve غَداًtomorrow كَذاكَlikewise الرَحيلِdeparture
مِ وَعَزمي غَداً كَذاكَ الرَحيلِ
And I see you intend to depart today,
I see you intend to travel tomorrow
and I too intend to leave tomorrow.
And I too intend to depart
فَليَكُنso let be بِرُّكَyour bounty الجَوابَthe answer فَإِنّيfor I
فَليَكُن بِرُّكَ الجَوابَ فَإِنّي
بِجَميلِfor fine الثَناءِpraise راعٍa guardian كَفيلُa guarantor
بِجَميلِ الثَناءِ راعٍ كَفيلُ
So let your bounty be the answer, for I
So may your kindness be to answer
am a guardian and guarantor of fine praise.
For I am, with fair praise, a guarantor