خُلقٌa character شفَّgrew delicate فالنسيمُso the breeze كثيفٌdense
خُلقٌ شفَّ فالنسيمُ كثيفٌ
عندهbeside it إنif قرنتَyou compare فيهwith it النَسيماthe breeze
عنده إن قرنتَ فيه النَسيما
A character so subtle that the breeze seems dense
A character so delicate that the breeze is dense
beside it, if you compare the breeze with it.
beside it, if you compare the breeze with it.
لأخيbelonging to one endowed with شيمةٍa disposition تعلَّمlearned منهاfrom it
لأخي شيمةٍ تعلَّم منها
الغيثُthe rain أنto يستهلَّpour forth لاnot أنto يدوماcontinue
الغيثُ أن يستهلَّ لا أن يدوما
It belongs to a man of noble disposition, from which
It belongs to a man whose disposition has taught
the rain learned to pour forth, not to last.
the rain to pour forth, not to linger.
قدindeed حواهاhe acquired it منfrom معشرٍa clan ورَّثوهاthey bequeathed it
قد حواها من معشرٍ ورَّثوها
منهof that clan مَنone who كانَwas مثَلهمlike them مُستقيماupright
منه مَن كانَ مثَلهم مُستقيما
He received it from a clan who had inherited it
He acquired it from a clan who bequeathed it
from one who, like them, was upright.
to one of their own who, like them, was upright.
فهيthus it فيin اللطفِdelicacy أوَّلاًat first وأخيراًand at last
فهي في اللطفِ أوَّلاً وأخيراً
شَرَعٌthe same تفضلُsurpasses العرارَthe fragrant ʿarār plant شميماin fragrance
شَرَعٌ تفضلُ العرارَ شميما
Thus, in gentleness, from first to last,
Thus in delicacy, from first to last,
it is ever the same, surpassing the ʿarār flower in fragrance.
it is the same, surpassing ʿarār in fragrance.
وكأَنَّand as though القديمَthe old كانَwas حديثاًnew
وكأَنَّ القديمَ كانَ حديثاً
وكأَنَّand as though الحديثَthe new كانَwas قديماold
وكأَنَّ الحديثَ كانَ قديما
As though the old were new,
And it is as though the old were new,
and as though the new were old.
and as though the new were old.
