أَرَاكَI see you تَضِنُّyou are miserly بِالْجَاهِwith influence العَرِيْضِextensive
أَرَاكَ تَضِنُّ بِالْجَاهِ العَرِيْضِ
فَفِيْمَso why تَجُودُyou are generous بِالعِرْضِwith honor المَرِيْضِailing
فَفِيْمَ تَجُودُ بِالعِرْضِ المَرِيْضِ
I see you are miserly with your vast influence;
why, then, be lavish with your ailing honor?
تُبَارِزُنِيyou challenge me وَعِرْضُكَwhile your honor مِنْof رَصَاصٍlead
تُبَارِزُنِي وَعِرْضُكَ مِنْ رَصَاصٍ
فَكَمْso how long تَبْقَىyou last عَلَىupon نَارِthe fire of القَرِيْضِpoetry
فَكَمْ تَبْقَى عَلَى نَارِ القَرِيْضِ
You challenge me, though your honor is made of lead;
how long, then, can you last in the fire of verse?
وَتُومِضُand you flash عَنْfrom بُرُوقِthe lightning of الرَّعْدِthunder لَكِنْyet
وَتُومِضُ عَنْ بُرُوقِ الرَّعْدِ لَكِنْ
عَدِمْتَyou lack الغَيْثَthe rain فِيin عَقِبِthe wake of الوَمِيْضَthe flash
عَدِمْتَ الغَيْثَ فِي عَقِبِ الوَمِيْضَ
And you flash with thunder’s lightning, yet
you have no rain in the wake of the flash.
وَأَذْكُرُand I mention حَاجَتِيmy need فَتَعِيso you understand وَتُغْضِيand you lower your gaze
وَأَذْكُرُ حَاجَتِي فَتَعِي وَتُغْضِي
فَلاَso may you not مُتِّعْتَbe granted enjoyment بِالطَّرْفِof the gaze الغَضِيْضِdowncast
فَلاَ مُتِّعْتَ بِالطَّرْفِ الغَضِيْضِ
And I mention my need; you understand and lower your eyes—
so may you find no joy in that downcast gaze!
وَكَيْفَand how تُطِيْقُcan you manage نَافِلَةَthe voluntary deeds of المَعَالِيnobility
وَكَيْفَ تُطِيْقُ نَافِلَةَ المَعَالِي
وَنَفْسُكَwhile your soul لَيْسَdoes not تَنْهَضُcope بالْفُرُوضِwith obligatory duties
وَنَفْسُكَ لَيْسَ تَنْهَضُ بالْفُرُوضِ
And how can you undertake noble deeds beyond duty,
when your soul does not rise to its obligations?
إِذَاif لَمْnot تُرْجَyou are looked to with hope فِيin حَالِa state of ارْتِفَاعٍeminence
إِذَا لَمْ تُرْجَ فِي حَالِ ارْتِفَاعٍ
نَدِمْتَyou will regret إِذَاwhen نَزَلْتَyou descend إِلَىto الحَضِيْضِthe depths
نَدِمْتَ إِذَا نَزَلْتَ إِلَى الحَضِيْضِ
If you inspire no hope while in high station,
you will regret it when you sink to the depths.
Translation model: Sol 6.1