لئنْeven if ضاقwas curtailed حقيmy due عندwith عوفAwf بنson of خندفKhindif
لئنْ ضاق حقي عند عوف بن خندف
فعندyet with ابنthe son of نوشروانNushirwan غيرُnot مُضاعِlost
فعند ابن نوشروان غيرُ مُضاعِ
Though my due is curtailed at the hands of Awf ibn Khindif,
If I found justice constricted with Awf ibn Khandaf
with the son of Nushirwan it is not lost.
Then with Ibn Nushirwan it is not restricted
ثنواthey turned aside أملاًhope عنيaway from me وقلبيand my heart صابرٌpatient
ثنوا أملاً عني وقلبي صابرٌ
علىunder الضَّيْمinjustice ذوpossessed of وجدٍlove بهمfor them ونِزاعِand longing
على الضَّيْم ذو وجدٍ بهم ونِزاعِ
They turned hope away from me, yet my heart is patient
They folded hope from me while my heart is patient
under injustice, full of love for them and longing.
With injustice, having fondness for them and conflict
فإنْfor if شاعَspread بخسٌshortchanging فيamong القبائلthe tribes منهمُfrom them
فإنْ شاعَ بخسٌ في القبائل منهمُ
فعَتْبيthen my reproach لذاكَfor that البخْسshortchanging غيرُnot مُشاعِmade public
فعَتْبي لذاكَ البخْس غيرُ مُشاعِ
If their shortchanging becomes known among the tribes,
So if there spread with them some niggardliness
my reproach for that shortchanging is not made public.
Then my censure of that stinginess is not shared
وليسand not يرانيsees me الحزْمُprudence جادعَcutting off أنفهits nose
وليس يراني الحزْمُ جادعَ أنفه
علىover عرضٍworldly gain منof ذاهبٍsomething fleeting ومَتاعِand possessions
على عرضٍ من ذاهبٍ ومَتاعِ
Nor will prudence see me cutting off its nose
You won't see prudence make me bite my lip
over fleeting worldly gain and possessions.
Over a property of one who's gone and left
وليand I have منfrom جلالJalal الدينal-Din نُعمىfavor وعزةٌand honor
ولي من جلال الدين نُعمى وعزةٌ
تواتُرُsuccession إحسانٍkindness وجَذْبةُand a pull باعِan arm's span
تواتُرُ إحسانٍ وجَذْبةُ باعِ
And from Jalal al-Din I have favor and honor:
And I have from the glory of religion felicity and honor
kindness upon kindness, and the pull of an outstretched arm.
The succession of benevolence and grasp of goals
جميعٌintact عنaway from العارdisgrace المُدنَّسsullied عِرضهhis honor
جميعٌ عن العار المُدنَّس عِرضه
وأموالهُand his wealth بالجودِthrough generosity أيُّwhat great شَعاعِscattering
وأموالهُ بالجودِ أيُّ شَعاعِ
His honor is kept whole, far from foul disgrace,
All of them keep their honored name untouched
and how widely his wealth is scattered through generosity!
And their wealth through generosity - what brilliance!
يجيبُanswers نداهhis bounty قبلbefore أنْthat تستغيثهyou seek his help
يجيبُ نداه قبل أنْ تستغيثه
وخيرُand the best النّدىbounty ماthat which لمnot يكنbe بِدَواعِwith prompting
وخيرُ النّدى ما لم يكن بِدَواعِ
His bounty answers before you call on him for help,
Responding to his call before you implore him
and the best bounty is that which comes unprompted.
And the best call is that without request
فتىًa youth أحرزwon العلياءhigh glory وهوwhile it was شواردٌelusive
فتىً أحرز العلياء وهو شواردٌ
نوارٌshying away بِنَجْرٍthrough lineage فاخِرٍnoble ومساعِand striving
نوارٌ بِنَجْرٍ فاخِرٍ ومساعِ
A youth who won high glory while it was elusive,
A noble one who attained the heights distracted
shying away, through noble lineage and striving.
Radiant with glorious lineage and loftiest traits
يُضيءُshines ابْتهاجاًwith delight بالعُفاةِat bounty-seekers كأنماas though
يُضيءُ ابْتهاجاً بالعُفاةِ كأنما
مُحيَّاهُhis face فيin الجدوىgiving ظهيرةُnoonday قاعِan open plain
مُحيَّاهُ في الجدوى ظهيرةُ قاعِ
He shines with delight at bounty-seekers, as though
It makes the lowly gleam with joy as if
his face, when giving, were noon upon an open plain.
Its life in valor lit a morning in a valley
يُرىis seen عنfrom جليلgrave الجرمwrongdoing بالحلمwith forbearance معرضاًturning away
يُرى عن جليل الجرم بالحلم معرضاً
وعندand at دقيقِsubtle القولspeech أحسنَthe best واعِdiscerning listener
وعند دقيقِ القول أحسنَ واعِ
He is seen turning away from grave wrongdoing with forbearance,
Seen ignoring a major sin with forbearance
and with subtle speech, the most discerning listener.
And in precise speech most excellent and wise
بِطاءٌslow سجاياهhis traits عنregarding الشرِّevil والأذىand harm
بِطاءٌ سجاياه عن الشرِّ والأذى
جَلالاًout of dignity وفيand in المعروفِgood deeds أيُّhow very سِراعِswift
جَلالاً وفي المعروفِ أيُّ سِراعِ
His traits are slow to evil and harm,
Slow to evil and harm in his ways
out of dignity—and in doing good, how swift!
Majesty, and in good quick to race
حوىacquired منfrom أبيهhis father لُطفهُhis gentleness غيرexcept أنهthat he
حوى من أبيه لُطفهُ غير أنه
أخوpossessed of مُنَّةٍstrength لاnot يُتَّقىbe warded off بِمصاعِby combat
أخو مُنَّةٍ لا يُتَّقى بِمصاعِ
He inherited his father's gentleness, except that he
He inherited his father's gentleness except he
is a man of might who cannot be warded off by combat.
Is a brother of bounty, no injury to dread
فأصبحso he became مرهوباًfeared مُرَجىًlooked to with hope إلىtoward العُلىthe heights of glory
فأصبح مرهوباً مُرَجىً إلى العُلى
بيومِon a day of نوالٍbounty أوor بيومِon a day of قِراعِclashing swords
بيومِ نوالٍ أو بيومِ قِراعِ
So he has become feared and looked to with hope in the pursuit of glory,
So he came to be feared yet hoped for even higher
on a day of bounty or a day of clashing swords.
On a day of attainment or day of contest