سَأَلتُI asked المَكرُماتِnoble deeds وَقَدand already تَبَدَّتthey appeared
سَأَلتُ المَكرُماتِ وَقَد تَبَدَّت
وَعَهديand my acquaintance قَدalready مَضىhad passed بِالمَكرُماتِwith noble deeds
وَعَهدي قَد مَضى بِالمَكرُماتِ
I questioned noble virtues when they appeared,
I asked noble deeds, when they appeared,
Though my days with noble virtues had long since passed:
though my acquaintance with noble deeds was long past,
بِأَيَّةِin what حالَةٍstate بانَتthey departed وَكانَتand they had been
بِأَيَّةِ حالَةٍ بانَت وَكانَت
لَقَدindeed بانَتthey departed وَباتَتand they remained فيin المَواتِlifelessness
لَقَد بانَت وَباتَت في المَواتِ
“In what condition had they gone, and what had become of them?”
in what state they had departed and had been.
They had indeed departed and lain among the dead.
They had indeed departed and lain lifeless.
فَقالَتthen they said قَدindeed صَدَقَتthey spoke truly عَدِمتُI was bereft لَكِنbut
فَقالَت قَد صَدَقَت عَدِمتُ لَكِن
أَبوAbu (father of) مَندورٍMandur قَدalready أَحياrevived رُفاتيmy remains
أَبو مَندورٍ قَد أَحيا رُفاتي
Then they said, “You have spoken truly: I was no more—but
Then they said—and indeed spoke truly—“I was bereft, but
Abu Mandur has brought my remains back to life.”
Abu Mandur has revived my remains.”
