حَظرْتُI forbade علىupon الحَيِّthe tribe نَظْمَcomposing المَديpraise (first part)
حَظرْتُ على الحَيِّ نَظْمَ المَدي
حِcompletion of 'praise' ومدْحُand praising الوزيرthe vizier أوْلىmore fitting بِيَهْfor me
حِ ومدْحُ الوزير أوْلى بِيَهْ
I forbade the tribe to compose praise;
and praising the vizier is more fitting for me.
ومنْand whoever كانَis فْخرَthe pride of أهلِthe people of الزَّمانِthe age
ومنْ كانَ فْخرَ أهلِ الزَّمانِ
فانَّthen indeed بهin him تَفْخَرُtakes pride القافيهْthe rhyme
فانَّ به تَفْخَرُ القافيهْ
And whoever is the pride of the people of his age,
then surely the rhyme takes pride in him.
لهُhe has فيin الوَغىbattle مِنْعَةٌdefensive strength يَبْسَةٌdry and unyielding
لهُ في الوَغى مِنْعَةٌ يَبْسَةٌ
وعندand during المُحولِdroughts يَدٌa hand هاميَهْpouring forth
وعند المُحولِ يَدٌ هاميَهْ
In battle he has a dry, unyielding strength,
and in drought, a hand that pours forth rain.
يُحاذِرهُis wary of him الموتُdeath فيin سُخْطهِhis wrath
يُحاذِرهُ الموتُ في سُخْطهِ
وتحْسُدهُand envies him الدِّيمَةُthe steady rain الغاديَهْcoming in the morning
وتحْسُدهُ الدِّيمَةُ الغاديَهْ
Death is wary of him in his wrath,
and the steady morning rain envies him.
نَميرٌpure water بَرودُcool اذاwhen تَعْتَفيهِyou seek his bounty
نَميرٌ بَرودُ اذا تَعْتَفيهِ
ونارٌand a fire اذاwhen هِجْتَهُyou provoke him حاميَهْblazing
ونارٌ اذا هِجْتَهُ حاميَهْ
He is pure, cool water when you seek his bounty,
and a blazing fire when you provoke him.
يَهونُis of little concern عليهto him فَناthe depletion of مالِهِhis wealth
يَهونُ عليه فَنا مالِهِ
وغُرُّand the shining مَحامدهِhis merits باقيَهْendure
وغُرُّ مَحامدهِ باقيَهْ
The depletion of his wealth matters little to him,
and his shining merits endure.
فلاso may ... not زالَcease مَحْمَدُthe praise of أفْعالهِhis deeds
فلا زالَ مَحْمَدُ أفْعالهِ
يكونُbe علىover نفسهِhis own person واقيَهْa protection
يكونُ على نفسهِ واقيَهْ
May the praise of his deeds forever
be a shield for his life.