رفعتI submitted إلىto خيرthe best of الملوكthe kings شكيتيmy complaint
رفعت إلى خير الملوك شكيتي
إلىto منone who يلاقيmeets بالإِجابةwith an answer دعوتيmy appeal
إلى من يلاقي بالإِجابة دعوتي
I submitted my complaint to the best of kings,
I have raised my complaint to the best of kings,
to him who meets my appeal with an answer:
To the one who answers my prayers,
بأنconcerning the fact that ابنIbn (son of) غلابGhallāb أرادsought غليبتيmy defeat
بأن ابن غلاب أراد غليبتي
وتقليلand reducing ماwhat كثرتهyou made abundant منof عطيتيmy gift
وتقليل ما كثرته من عطيتي
that Ibn Ghallāb sought to overpower me
That the son of Ghalib wanted to overcome me,
and diminish my gift, which you had made abundant,
And diminish my abundant gifts,
بتصييرهby his converting النقدthe cash الذيwhich جدتyou gave generously ليto me بهwith it
بتصييره النقد الذي جدت لي به
عروضmerchandise ثويباتlittle garments منof التانشيةTānashiyya cloth
عروض ثويبات من التانشية
by converting the cash you generously gave me
By making the cash I struggled to attain,
into merchandise—little garments of Tānashiyya cloth.
Fabrics of Thoobat from Tanasia,
حسابa reckoning بهنin them الألفthe thousand يرجعreturns ثلثهa third of it
حساب بهن الألف يرجع ثلثه
إذاif نحنwe بعناهاwe sell them بأكثرfor the highest قيمةprice
إذا نحن بعناها بأكثر قيمة
A thousand reckoned in them yields only a third,
An account of a thousand that returns a third,
if we sell them for the highest price.
When we sold it for more value,
وقدand indeed كنتI was أرضىI willingly accept نقصa reduction بعضsome of عطائكمyour bounty
وقد كنت أرضى نقص بعض عطائكم
فلمyet did not ترتضواyou consent ليfor me أنتمyou yourselves بالنقيصةto the shortfall
فلم ترتضوا لي أنتم بالنقيصة
I had been willing to accept a reduction in some of your bounty,
And I would accept some reduction of your gifts,
yet you yourselves would not agree to a shortfall for me.
But you did not approve me a reduction,
فلاso not ارتضيهاI accept it منهfrom him لاnot سيماthe like وقدand indeed
فلا ارتضيها منه لا سيما وقد
وعدتyou promised فدتكmay it ransom you النفسthe soul إنكindeed you are قوتيmy strength
وعدت فدتك النفس إنك قوتي
So I will not accept it from him, especially since
So I do not accept it from him, especially when you
you have promised—may my soul ransom you—for you are my strength.
Promised, your soul ransoms me, you are my strength,
فقلso tell للأميرto the emir البدرal-Badr (the full moon) بعsell عرضهمtheir merchandise لهfor him
فقل للأمير البدر بع عرضهم له
واسعفهand assist him مناfrom us بالعطاياwith the gifts الهنيةpleasant
واسعفه منا بالعطايا الهنية
So tell Emir al-Badr: “Sell their merchandise for him,
So tell the full moon, the Emir, reject their offer to him
and assist him with welcome gifts from us.”
And support me with plentiful, splendid gifts,
فلاso may they never زالتcease الأقدارthe destinies تجرىrun their course وحكمهاand their decree
فلا زالت الأقدار تجرى وحكمها
توافقهaccord with it أحكامكمyour decrees فيin المشيئةwhat is willed
توافقه أحكامكم في المشيئة
May fate forever run its course, and may its decree
For the destinies continue to run, and their rule
be matched by your decrees in what is willed.
Aligns with your judgements, in providence