ياO أباAbu (father of) حفصٍHafs الذيwho
يا أبا حفصٍ الذي
حلَّsettled فيin خيرٍthe noblest عُنْصُرِstock
حلَّ في خيرٍ عُنْصُرِ
O Abu Hafs, who
O Abu Hafs, who settled in prosperity,
has his place in the noblest stock,
For you in glory there is a gem,
لكfor you فيin المجدِglory جَوْهرٌa jewel
لك في المجدِ جَوْهرٌ
جلَّis exalted عنabove كلِّevery جوهرjewel
جلَّ عن كلِّ جوهر
in glory you possess a jewel
More eminent than any gem,
exalted above every jewel.
What do you see in al-Sanobar
ماwhat ترىdo you think فيof الصَّنوْبَرِيal-Ṣanawbarī
ما ترى في الصَّنوْبَرِي
ياO عَذابَtorment of الصنوبريal-Ṣanawbarī
يا عَذابَ الصنوبري
What do you think of al-Ṣanawbarī,
O torment of al-Sanobar
O torment of al-Ṣanawbarī,
In a youth between tipsy ones
فيof فتىًa youth بَينَbetween مُسْكريtwo intoxicants (continued)
في فتىً بَينَ مُسْكري
نِdual ending completing the preceding word غرامٍpassion وَمُسْكِرand an intoxicant
نِ غرامٍ وَمُسْكِر
of a youth between two intoxicants—
Of passion and drunkenness
passion and intoxicating drink—
Between a jaundiced cheek
بينbetween خدٍّa cheek مُعَصْفَرٍsafflower-tinted
بين خدٍّ مُعَصْفَرٍ
وشرابٍand wine معصفرsafflower-tinted
وشرابٍ معصفر
between a safflower-tinted cheek
And a saffron drink
and safflower-tinted wine,
And a clinging conversation
وحديثٍand conversation مُمَسَّكِmusk-scented
وحديثٍ مُمَسَّكِ
وغناءٍand song مُعَنْبَرambergris-scented
وغناءٍ مُعَنْبَر
and musk-scented conversation,
And a mellifluous singing
and ambergris-scented song?
Give him that which you see
أفْتِهِgive him your ruling بالذيaccording to what تَرَىyou think
أفْتِهِ بالذي تَرَى
فيهconcerning him تُحْمَدْyou will be praised وَتُؤْجَرand you will be rewarded
فيه تُحْمَدْ وَتُؤْجَر
Give him your ruling as you see fit
In it you are praised and rewarded
concerning him; you will be praised and rewarded.
Partial English translation: 13 of 14 Arabic lines translated.