مَنwho سائِلٌone who inquires لِمُعَذِّرٍfor an excuse-maker عَنabout خَطبِهِhis plight
مَن سائِلٌ لِمُعَذِّرٍ عَن خَطبِهِ
أَوor صافِحٌone who pardons لِمُقَصِّرٍfor one who falls short عَنfor ذَنبِهِhis fault
أَو صافِحٌ لِمُقَصِّرٍ عَن ذَنبِهِ
Who will ask an excuse-maker about his plight,
Who asks the excuser for his faults
Or pardon one who has fallen short for his fault?
Or greets the evader for his sin?
حُمِّلتُI was burdened with لِلحَسَنِfor al-Hasan بنِson of وَهبٍWahb نِعمَةًa favor
حُمِّلتُ لِلحَسَنِ بنِ وَهبٍ نِعمَةً
صَعُبَتproved difficult عَلىfor ذِلِّthe tame kind of الثَناءِpraise وَصَعبِهِand its unruly kind
صَعُبَت عَلى ذِلِّ الثَناءِ وَصَعبِهِ
I was laden with a favor from al-Hasan ibn Wahb,
For Hasan ibn Wahb I was burdened with bounty—
Too difficult for praise, whether tame or unruly.
It was hard on that lofty eulogy and its loftiness.
وَوَعَدتُهُand I promised him أَنّيthat I أَقومُwould undertake بِشُكرِهاgiving thanks for it
وَوَعَدتُهُ أَنّي أَقومُ بِشُكرِها
فَحَمَلتُso I bore مِنهُfrom him نَقاًa sand dune فَلَمbut did not أَنهَضrise بِهِwith it
فَحَمَلتُ مِنهُ نَقاً فَلَم أَنهَض بِهِ
And I promised him I would give it due thanks,
And I promised him I would give thanks,
So I shouldered a sand dune from him, but could not rise with it.
But I carried from him only delinquency, and did not rise to it.
إِلّاif not أَكُنI was كُلِفتُI was charged with مِنهُby him يَذبُلاًYadhbul
إِلّا أَكُن كُلِفتُ مِنهُ يَذبُلاً
فَلَقَدthen indeed مُنيتُI was burdened بِخِدنِهِwith its companion أَوor تِربِهِits peer
فَلَقَد مُنيتُ بِخِدنِهِ أَو تِربِهِ
If I was not charged by him with bearing Yadhbul,
Unless I was tasked by him with withering weakness—
I was surely burdened with its companion or its peer.
Then I was tried by his corpulence or dust.
ماhow أَضعَفَweak الإِنسانَman إِلّاexcept for هِمَّةًresolve
ما أَضعَفَ الإِنسانَ إِلّا هِمَّةً
فيin نُبلِهِhis nobility أَوor قُوَّةًstrength فيin لُبِّهِhis mind
في نُبلِهِ أَو قُوَّةً في لُبِّهِ
How weak man is, save for resolve
Nothing weakens a man but resolve
In his nobility, or strength in his mind!
In his nobility or strength in his heart.
مَنwhoever لاnot يُؤَدّيrenders شُكرَthanks for نِعمَةِthe favor of خِلِّهِhis friend
مَن لا يُؤَدّي شُكرَ نِعمَةِ خِلِّهِ
فَمَتىthen when يُؤَدّيhe renders شُكرَthanks for نِعمَةِthe favor of رَبِّهِhis Lord
فَمَتى يُؤَدّي شُكرَ نِعمَةِ رَبِّهِ
He who does not render thanks for his friend's favor—
Who does not give thanks for his friend's grace
When will he render thanks for his Lord's favor?
When will he give thanks for his Lord's grace?
وَهَبَgave اِبنُson of وَهبٍWahb وَفرَهُhis wealth حَطتىuntil (apparent typo) لَقَدindeed
وَهَبَ اِبنُ وَهبٍ وَفرَهُ حَطتى لَقَد
أَوفىrose عَلىabove شَرقِthe east of الثَناءِpraise وَغَربِهِand its west
أَوفى عَلى شَرقِ الثَناءِ وَغَربِهِ
Ibn Wahb gave away his wealth, until indeed he
The son of Wahb gave me his bounty and exceeded—
Rose above the east of praise and its west.
He fulfilled the East and West of praise.
سَبّاقُa foremost racer غاياتٍgoals إِذاwhen طَلَبَhe seeks المَدىthe utmost reach
سَبّاقُ غاياتٍ إِذا طَلَبَ المَدى
بِرَسيلِهِwith his rival فَعَدُوُّهُso his adversary مِنfrom حِزبِهِhis group
بِرَسيلِهِ فَعَدُوُّهُ مِن حِزبِهِ
First to every goal, when he pursues the farthest reach
A frontrunner of peaks when he seeks the distance
With a rival, his adversary is of his own clan.
With his steed—his rival is of his own party.
وَإِذاand when تُقُسِّمَis apportioned قَبرُthe grave of عَمرٍوAmr فيamong بَنيthe sons of الـthe (name prefix)
وَإِذا تُقُسِّمَ قَبرُ عَمرٍو في بَني الـ
ـدَيّانِDayyan صارَcomes إِلَيهِto him أَزكىthe purest تُربِهِits earth
ـدَيّانِ صارَ إِلَيهِ أَزكى تُربِهِ
And when Amr's grave is apportioned among the sons of al-
And if the grave of ‘Amr is divided among the sons of al-Dayyan
Dayyan, its purest earth falls to him.
Its choicest soil goes to him.
إِنif شِئتَyou wish أَنto تَدَعَleave الفَعالَnoble deeds لِأَهلِهِto their rightful people
إِن شِئتَ أَن تَدَعَ الفَعالَ لِأَهلِهِ
فَاَعرِضthen turn لِمَجدِto the glory of سَعيدِهِhis Sa'id أَوor وَهبِهِhis Wahb
فَاَعرِض لِمَجدِ سَعيدِهِ أَو وَهبِهِ
If you wish to leave noble deeds to their rightful people,
If you wish to leave deeds to their people
Turn to the glory of his Sa'id or his Wahb.
Then present the glory of his happy endeavors or gifts.
تِلكَthose الخُصوصُthe particulars فَإِنso if عَمَمتَyou generalize أَمَدَّهاhe reinforces them
تِلكَ الخُصوصُ فَإِن عَمَمتَ أَمَدَّها
بِرَبيعَتَيهِwith his two Rabi'ahs وَحارِثَيهِand his two Hariths وَكَعبِهِand his Ka'b
بِرَبيعَتَيهِ وَحارِثَيهِ وَكَعبِهِ
Those are the particulars; if you broaden them, he reinforces them
Those are the special things—and if you generalize
With his two Rabi'ahs, his two Hariths, and his Ka'b.
With his Rabī‘ah and Hārith and Ka‘b.
صيدٌproud lords لِأَصيَدَof a proud lord لَستَyou do not تُبصِرُsee جَمرَةًa powerful clan (an ember)
صيدٌ لِأَصيَدَ لَستَ تُبصِرُ جَمرَةً
فيamong الناسِpeople لَمnot تَكُit was قَطرَةًa drop مِنfrom صُلبِهِhis loins
في الناسِ لَم تَكُ قَطرَةً مِن صُلبِهِ
Proud lords of a proud lord: you see no fiery clan
Game for a hunter—you do not see a coal
Among men that was not a drop from his loins.
Among the people that was not a drop from his lineage.
عَرَفَhe knew العَواقِبَthe outcomes فَاِستَفادَso he acquired مَكارِماًnoble qualities
عَرَفَ العَواقِبَ فَاِستَفادَ مَكارِماً
يَفنىperishes الزَمانُtime وَذِكرُهاand their memory فيamong عَقبِهِhis descendants
يَفنى الزَمانُ وَذِكرُها في عَقبِهِ
He knew the outcomes and acquired noble qualities:
He knew the consequences and so gained virtues—
Time perishes, while their memory lives among his descendants.
Time passes but their mention remains in his footsteps.
وَكَفىand suffices الكَريمَthe noble man بِهاby these (first part) أُولاءِthese (completion) مَكارِماًnoble deeds
وَكَفى الكَريمَ بِها أُولاءِ مَكارِماً
مَأثورَةًpreserved in memory فيin سِلمِهِhis peace أَوor حَربِهِhis war
مَأثورَةً في سِلمِهِ أَو حَربِهِ
And these noble deeds suffice the noble man,
And the generous one was satisfied for those virtues
Preserved in memory, in his peace or his war.
To be traditions in his peace or his war.
وَإِذاand when اِستَهَلَّbegins pouring forth أَبوAbu (father of) عَلِيٍّAli لِلنَدىfor bounty
وَإِذا اِستَهَلَّ أَبو عَلِيٍّ لِلنَدى
جاءَcomes الغَمامُthe cloud المُستَهِلُّpouring rain بِسَكبِهِwith its torrent
جاءَ الغَمامُ المُستَهِلُّ بِسَكبِهِ
And when Abu Ali begins his outpouring of bounty,
And if Abū ‘Alī heralds the dew,
The pouring cloud arrives with its torrent.
The heralding clouds come with their pouring.
وَإِذاand when تَأَلَّقَflashes فيin النَدِيِّthe assembly كَلامُهُhis speech الـthe (continued)
وَإِذا تَأَلَّقَ في النَدِيِّ كَلامُهُ الـ
ـمَصقولُpolished خِلتَyou would think لِسانَهُhis tongue مِنfrom عَضبِهِhis keen sword
ـمَصقولُ خِلتَ لِسانَهُ مِن عَضبِهِ
And when his speech flashes in the assembly—
And if his well-honed speech gleams in amicability
Polished—you would think his tongue made from his keen sword.
You find his tongue cleansed of wrath.
وَإِذاand when اِحتَبىhe sits with knees bound فيin عُقدَةٍa knot مِنof حِلمِهِhis forbearance
وَإِذا اِحتَبى في عُقدَةٍ مِن حِلمِهِ
يَوماًone day رَأَيتَyou see مُتالِعاًMutali' فيamid هَضبِهِits crags
يَوماً رَأَيتَ مُتالِعاً في هَضبِهِ
And when he sits, his knees bound in a knot of his forbearance,
And if he knots up some tolerance in his forbearance
One day, you behold Mutali' amid its crags.
One day you see flashes in its highlands.
وَإِذاand when دَجَتgrow dark أَقلامُهُhis pens ثُمَّthen اِنتَحَتmove purposefully
وَإِذا دَجَت أَقلامُهُ ثُمَّ اِنتَحَت
بَرَقَتflash مَصابيحُthe lamps of الدُجىdarkness فيin كُتبِهِhis writings
بَرَقَت مَصابيحُ الدُجى في كُتبِهِ
And when his pens darken, then begin their strokes,
And if his pens darken then shine
The lamps of darkness flash within his writings.
The lamps of nighttime shine in his books.
بِاللَفظِthrough wording يَقرُبُdraws near فَهمُهُunderstanding it فيin بُعدِهِits distance
بِاللَفظِ يَقرُبُ فَهمُهُ في بُعدِهِ
مِنّاfrom us وَيَبعُدُand remains distant نَيلُهُattaining it فيin قُربِهِits nearness
مِنّا وَيَبعُدُ نَيلُهُ في قُربِهِ
Through the wording, its meaning draws near despite its distance
Through eloquence, his understanding seems near
From us, while attaining it stays far off despite its nearness.
While reaching him is far, in his nearness.
حِكَمٌwise sayings فَسائِحُهاso their stream خِلالَbetween بَنانِهِhis fingertips
حِكَمٌ فَسائِحُها خِلالَ بَنانِهِ
مُتَدَفِّقٌpouring forth وَقَليبُهاand their well فيin قَلبِهِhis heart
مُتَدَفِّقٌ وَقَليبُها في قَلبِهِ
Wise sayings: their stream between his fingers
Wise sayings—their rover roams through his essence
Pours forth, and their well is in his heart.
Flowing copiously and their sentiments in his heart.
كَالرَوضِlike a meadow مُؤتَلِفاًharmonized بِحُمرَةِby the redness of نورِهِits blossoms
كَالرَوضِ مُؤتَلِفاً بِحُمرَةِ نورِهِ
وَبَياضِand the whiteness of زَهرَتِهِits flowers وَخُضرَةِand the greenness of عُشبِهِits grass
وَبَياضِ زَهرَتِهِ وَخُضرَةِ عُشبِهِ
Like a meadow, harmonized by the red of its blossoms,
As if the garden, harmonized by the redness of its light
The white of its flowers and the green of its grass.
And the whiteness of its blossoms and greenness of its grass,
أَوor كَالبُرودِlike cloaks تُخُيِّرَتwere selected لِمُتَوَّجٍfor a crowned king
أَو كَالبُرودِ تُخُيِّرَت لِمُتَوَّجٍ
مِنfrom خالِهِhis fine cloth أَوor وَشيِهِhis brocade أَوor عَصبِهِhis tie-dyed cloth
مِن خالِهِ أَو وَشيِهِ أَو عَصبِهِ
Or like cloaks selected for a crowned king,
Or like the brocades, chosen for one bedecked
From his fine cloth, his brocade, or his tie-dyed weave.
With his maternal uncles, cousins, or clan.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though they were وَالسَمعُwhile the hearing مَعقودٌbound بِهاto them
وَكَأَنَّها وَالسَمعُ مَعقودٌ بِها
شَخصُthe figure of الحَبيبِthe beloved بَداappeared لِعَينِto the eye of مُحِبِّهِhis lover
شَخصُ الحَبيبِ بَدا لِعَينِ مُحِبِّهِ
And they seem, with the ear bound fast to them,
As if, while hearing them, vision is tied to them—
The beloved's figure appearing to his lover's eye.
The beloved appeared to the eyes of his lover.
كاثَرتُهُI vied with him in abundance فَإِذاand behold المُروءَةُnoble character عِندَهُwith him
كاثَرتُهُ فَإِذا المُروءَةُ عِندَهُ
تُعديinfects المُفاوِضَthe interlocutor مِنfrom أَقاصيthe remotest of صَحبِهِhis companions
تُعدي المُفاوِضَ مِن أَقاصي صَحبِهِ
I vied with him in bounty, and behold, his noble character
I contended with him so nobleness in his view
Is contagious to those who converse with him, even his remotest companions.
Transcends the envoy from the edges of his companions.
وَوَجَدتُand I found فيin نَفسيmyself مَخايِلَsigns of سُؤدُدٍnobility
وَوَجَدتُ في نَفسي مَخايِلَ سُؤدُدٍ
أَنbecause كُنتُI was يَوماًone day واحِداًone مِنof شَربِهِhis drinking companions
أَن كُنتُ يَوماً واحِداً مِن شَربِهِ
And I found within myself signs of nobility,
And I found in myself dejected imaginings
Because I was, one day, one of his drinking companions.
That I was one day of his drinking companions.
فَصَبَغتُso I dyed أَخلاقيmy manners بِرَونَقِwith the luster of خُلقِهِhis character
فَصَبَغتُ أَخلاقي بِرَونَقِ خُلقِهِ
حَتّىuntil عَدَلتُI made equal أُجاجَهُنَّtheir brine بِعَذبِهِwith his sweet water
حَتّى عَدَلتُ أُجاجَهُنَّ بِعَذبِهِ
So I dyed my manners with the luster of his character,
So I dyed my character in the luster of his manners
Until I made their brine equal to his sweet water.
Until I corrected their discordance through his sweetness.
قَوميmy people فِداؤُكَyour ransom قَدindeed أَضاءَhas shone لِناظِريto my sight
قَومي فِداؤُكَ قَد أَضاءَ لِناظِري
بِكَthrough you كُلُّevery مُنكَسِفِdarkened الأَصيلِlate afternoon مُضِبِّهِits mist-shrouded afternoon
بِكَ كُلُّ مُنكَسِفِ الأَصيلِ مُضِبِّهِ
May my people be your ransom! There has shone before my eyes,
My people—your ransom—through you
Through you, every darkened, mist-shrouded afternoon.
Every eclipse of brilliant origin was illuminated.
فيin لُلِّevery (apparent typo) يَومٍday مِنَّةٌa favor ماnot بَعدَهاafter it
في لُلِّ يَومٍ مِنَّةٌ ما بَعدَها
مَنٌّreproachful reminders يُعابُare shamed الصادِرونَthose departing بِغِبِّهِby its aftermath
مَنٌّ يُعابُ الصادِرونَ بِغِبِّهِ
Each day brings a favor, not followed
In the night of a day of blessing unlike any other
By reproach that shames those who depart in its wake.
Favor follows those who went out in their absence.
كَمhow many آمِرٍone commanding أَلّاnot to تَجودَyou give generously وَعاتِبٍand one reproaching
كَم آمِرٍ أَلّا تَجودَ وَعاتِبٍ
فيfor أَنthat تَجودَyou give generously أَبَتَّهُsilenced him فيin عَتبِهِhis reproach
في أَن تَجودَ أَبَتَّهُ في عَتبِهِ
How many a man commanding you not to give, and reproaching you
How many a commander refused to be generous, and blamer
For giving, has been silenced in his reproach!
Who blamed that you were generous—his eye turned in displeasure.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.