أنتyou طَوديmy mountain منfrom بينamong هذيthese الهضابِthe hills
أنت طَودي من بين هذي الهضابِ
وشهابيand my shooting star منfrom دونexcluding كلِّevery شِهابِshooting star
وشهابي من دون كلِّ شِهابِ
You are my mountain among these hills,
You are my pillar amidst these hills
and my shooting star, rather than any other shooting star.
And my shooting star beyond all shooting stars
أنتyou ياO عمروAmr قوَّتيmy strength وحياتيand my life
أنت يا عمرو قوَّتي وحياتي
ولسانيand my tongue وأنتand you ظُفريmy claw ونابيand my fang
ولساني وأنت ظُفري ونابي
You, O Amr, are my strength and my life,
You, O Amro, are my strength and my life
and my tongue; you are my claw and my fang.
My tongue, and you are my victory and fang
أتُرانيdo you see me أنسىI forget أياديكyour hands; your favors البيضَwhite; benevolent
أتُراني أنسى أياديك البيضَ
إذwhen اسودَّturned black نائلُbounty الأصحابthe companions
إذ اسودَّ نائلُ الأصحاب
Do you think I could forget your white-handed favors,
Will I forget your white hands
when the companions' bounty turned black?
When the fate of friends has darkened?
أينwhere عطفُcompassion الكرامthe nobles فيin مأقِطa battlefield; straits الحاthe need (first part)
أين عطفُ الكرام في مأقِط الحا
جةneed (completion) يحمونthey defend حوزَةdomain الآدابِletters; literature
جة يحمون حوزَة الآدابِ
Where is the nobles' compassion on the battlefield of
Where is the generosity at the abode of need
need, as they defend the realm of letters?
That protects the precinct of etiquette?
أينwhere أخلاقُكyour virtues الرضيَّةُgracious حالتthey have changed
أين أخلاقُك الرضيَّةُ حالت
فيَّtoward me أمor أينwhere رِقّةُtenderness الكتابِthe scribes
فيَّ أم أين رِقّةُ الكتابِ
Where are your gracious virtues—have they changed
Where are your pleasing morals?
toward me? Or where is the scribes' tenderness?
Have they changed in me? Or where is the softness of youth?
انindeed عطفkindness الاديبthe man of letters فيin بلدa land الغُرthe exile (first part)
ان عطف الاديب في بلد الغُر
بةِexile (completion) جُودٌgenerosity علىtoward ذويthose possessing الألبابِintellects
بةِ جُودٌ على ذوي الألبابِ
Indeed, a man of letters' kindness in a land of
If a scholar's kindness in the land of foreigners
exile is generosity toward those of understanding.
Is generosity to those of intellect
أناI فيin ذِمّةprotection; care السحابthe cloud وأظماand I thirst
أنا في ذِمّة السحاب وأظما
إنindeed هذاthis لوindeed + start of 'blemish' صمةٌcompletion of 'blemish' فيin السحابِthe cloud
إن هذا لو صمةٌ في السحابِ
I am in the cloud's care, yet I thirst;
I am indebted to the clouds, and I blame
surely this is a blemish upon the cloud.
This as a blemish upon the clouds
قمrise الىto سيِّدlord البريةcreation عنيon my behalf
قم الى سيِّد البرية عني
قومةًa rising; an effort تستجرthat draws forth حسنَgraciousness خطابِspeech; address
قومةً تستجر حسنَ خطابِ
Rise and go to the lord of creation on my behalf,
Rise to the Master of mankind on my behalf
with an effort that draws forth gracious speech.
With a stand that seeks the beauty of speech
فلعلّso perhaps الإلهGod يُطفئwill extinguish عنيfor me
فلعلّ الإله يُطفئ عني
بكthrough you ناراًa fire عليَّupon me ذاتَhaving التهابِblazing heat
بك ناراً عليَّ ذاتَ التهابِ
So perhaps God will extinguish for me,
Perhaps God will extinguish for me, through you
through you, a fire blazing fiercely upon me.
A fire that flares up within me