أَقْرِيءِconvey الْقَوْمَthe people سَلاَمِيmy greetings وَاعْتِذارِيand my apology
أَقْرِيءِ الْقَوْمَ سَلاَمِي وَاعْتِذارِي
حَجَبَتْنيhas confined me عِلَّةٌan illness فِيin عُقْرِthe heart of دَارِيmy home
حَجَبَتْني عِلَّةٌ فِي عُقْرِ دَارِي
Convey to the people my greetings and my apology.
Convey my greetings and apology to the people,
An illness has confined me to the heart of my home.
An illness has kept me confined in the depths of my house.
عَاوَدَتْنِيhas returned to me جَارَةُthe neighbor of السَّوْءِevil الَّتِيwho
عَاوَدَتْنِي جَارَةُ السَّوْءِ الَّتِي
فارَقَتْنِيleft me مُنْذُsince أَيَّامٍdays قِصَارِshort
فارَقَتْنِي مُنْذُ أَيَّامٍ قِصَارِ
The evil neighbor has returned to me, she who
My bad neighbor has returned and afflicted me again,
Left me a few short days ago.
After parting from me for just a few short days.
أَسَرَتْنِيhas taken me captive مَرَّةًa time ثَانِيَةsecond
أَسَرَتْنِي مَرَّةً ثَانِيَة
بَعْدَafter ظَنِّيmy belief أَنَّهاthat she فَكَّتhad undone إِسَارِيmy bonds
بَعْدَ ظَنِّي أَنَّها فَكَّت إِسَارِي
She has taken me captive a second time,
She has captured me a second time,
After I thought she had undone my bonds.
After I thought she had freed me from her fetters.
إِنْif تَنَلْreaches عَابِدَa worshipper of شمْسٍthe sun نَارُهَاits fire
إِنْ تَنَلْ عَابِدَ شمْسٍ نَارُهَا
لاَnot يَدِنْprofess faith بَعْدَafter تَوَلِّيَهَاits departure بِنَارِin fire
لاَ يَدِنْ بَعْدَ تَوَلِّيَهَا بِنَارِ
If the sun's fire strikes a worshipper of the sun,
If the worshipper of a blazing sun is touched by its fire,
He will worship no fire after it departs.
He will not go near its flames again after turning away.
مَاnot بِجِسْمِيin my body مِنْof بَقَايَاremnants هِمَّتِيmy vigor
مَا بِجِسْمِي مِنْ بَقَايَا هِمَّتِي
غَيْرُexcept ضَعْفٍweakness وَالتِوَاءٍand contortion وَانْكِسَارْand brokenness
غَيْرُ ضَعْفٍ وَالتِوَاءٍ وَانْكِسَارْ
My body retains nothing of my vigor
Nothing remains in my body except weakness, contortion and defeat;
But weakness, contortion, and brokenness.
In men of stature this is called dignity and composure.
بِيَin me وَقْرٌa heaviness يُشْبِهُresembles الشَّيءَthe thing الَّذِيthat
بِيَ وَقْرٌ يُشْبِهُ الشَّيءَ الَّذِي
فِيamong أَولِيthose possessing الجَّاهِsocial rank يُسَمَّىis called بِالْوَقَارِas dignity
فِي أَولِي الجَّاهِ يُسَمَّى بِالْوَقَارِ
I bear a heaviness resembling that which
Yesterday I had a hardy constitution,
Among people of standing is called dignity.
But today my body denies and rejects it.
كَانَthere was لِيfor me بِالأَْمْسِyesterday جَأْشٌa heart رَابِطٌsteadfast
كَانَ لِي بِالأَْمْسِ جَأْشٌ رَابِطٌ
فَغَدَاand has come to يُنْكِرُهُdisown it الْيَوْمَtoday دُوَارِيmy dizziness
فَغَدَا يُنْكِرُهُ الْيَوْمَ دُوَارِي
Yesterday I had a steadfast heart;
It is fate that has estranged me from you,
Yet today my dizziness has come to disown it.
So I remain seated, but by compulsion.
إِنَّماonly دَهرِيَmy fate عَنْكُمْfrom you all عَاقَنيhas hindered me
إِنَّما دَهرِيَ عَنْكُمْ عَاقَني
فَأَنَاso I am الْقَاعِدُthe one staying behind لَكِنْbut بِاضْطِرارِunder compulsion
فَأَنَا الْقَاعِدُ لَكِنْ بِاضْطِرارِ
Only my fate has kept me from you;
Had my endeavor or its goal been otherwise,
So I remain behind, but under compulsion.
I would not have delayed my address by choice.
لَوْif بِغَيْرِin other than السَّعيِmovement أَوْor مَوْضِعِهِits seat
لَوْ بِغَيْرِ السَّعيِ أَوْ مَوْضِعِهِ
كَانَwas خَطْبِيmy affliction لَمْnot أَؤَخِّرْI delay بِاخْتِيَارِيby my own choice
كَانَ خَطْبِي لَمْ أَؤَخِّرْ بِاخْتِيَارِي
Had it been in anything but movement or its seat
O my brother Sarkis, say on my behalf
That my affliction lay, I would not have delayed by choice.
To the throngs of people, so they may understand,
يَاO أَخِيmy brother سَركِيسُSarkis قُلْsay عَنِّيon my behalf عَلَىbefore
يَا أَخِي سَركِيسُ قُلْ عَنِّي عَلَى
مَلإِan assembly of النَّاسِthe people لِمُصْغٍto an attentive listener بِاعْتِبَارِwith reflection
مَلإِ النَّاسِ لِمُصْغٍ بِاعْتِبَارِ
O my brother Sarkis, say on my behalf before
That creation most deserves praise when
The assembled people, to anyone listening thoughtfully:
It cares for fledglings just learning to fly.
أَجْدَرُmost worthy الخَلْقِhumankind بِحَمْدٍof praise مَنْwhoever رَعَىcared for
أَجْدَرُ الخَلْقِ بِحَمْدٍ مَنْ رَعَى
تَاعِسَاتِthe unfortunate girls الْجَدِّfortune فِيamong النَّشْءِthe young الصِّغَارِthe little ones
تَاعِسَاتِ الْجَدِّ فِي النَّشْءِ الصِّغَارِ
Most worthy of praise among humankind is whoever cares for
The people of God's kindness remain as they were -
The ill-fated girls among the little children.
The people of lofty stations and great deeds.
آلُthe family of لُطْفِLutf اللهِAllah مَاnot زَالُواthey ceased عَلَىupon
آلُ لُطْفِ اللهِ مَا زَالُوا عَلَى
عَهْدِهِمْtheir pledge أَهْلَpeople of المَقَامَاتِthe stations الكِبَارِthe great
عَهْدِهِمْ أَهْلَ المَقَامَاتِ الكِبَارِ
The Lutfallah family remain true to
They vie with one another in munificence -
Their pledge, people of lofty standing.
Men in generosity and women in adornment of homes.
يَتَبَارَوْنَthey vie رِجَالاًas men بِالنَّدَىin generosity
يَتَبَارَوْنَ رِجَالاً بِالنَّدَى
وَنِسَاءًand as women ذَلِكُمْthat (addressing you all) نِعْمَhow excellent التَّبارِيthe rivalry
وَنِسَاءً ذَلِكُمْ نِعْمَ التَّبارِي
They vie in generosity, men
May God bless their wealth
And women alike—how fine that rivalry is!
And protect them from every loss and detriment;
بَارَكَmay bless اللهُGod لَهُمْfor them فِيin مَالِهِمْtheir wealth
بَارَكَ اللهُ لَهُمْ فِي مَالِهِمْ
وَوَقَاهمْand may He protect them كُلَّevery غَبْنٍunfair dealing وَخَسَارِand loss
وَوَقَاهمْ كُلَّ غَبْنٍ وَخَسَارِ
May God bless them in their wealth,
May He reward with goodness those among the honorable people
And shield them from every unfair dealing and loss,
Who have supported them in excellent character.
وَجَزَىand may He reward بِالخَيْرِwith good مَنْwhoever آزَرَهُمْsupported them
وَجَزَى بِالخَيْرِ مَنْ آزَرَهُمْ
فِيin المُرُوءَاتِnoble deeds مِنَfrom among الْقَوْمِthe people الْخِيَارِthe best
فِي المُرُوءَاتِ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْخِيَارِ
And reward with good whoever has supported them
This abode of stability was built by
In noble deeds, from among the finest people.
Blessings from the gentlest of hands.
شِيدَwas built هَذَاthis المَشْغلُthe workshop الثَّبْتُthe sturdy عَلَىupon
شِيدَ هَذَا المَشْغلُ الثَّبْتُ عَلَى
نِعَمٍbounties مِنْfrom أَلْطَفِthe kindest of الأَْيْدِيhands جَوَارِflowing
نِعَمٍ مِنْ أَلْطَفِ الأَْيْدِي جَوَارِ
This sturdy workshop was built upon
The people here are blessed with fine youths
Bounties flowing from the kindest hands.
Whose goodness has inspired them to ready service,
حَبَّذاhow admirable الْقَوْمُthe people هُنَاhere مِنْof فِتْيَةٍyoung men
حَبَّذا الْقَوْمُ هُنَا مِنْ فِتْيَةٍ
قَدْindeed دَعَاcalled البِرُّcharity فَوَفُّوْاso they fulfilled بِابْتِدَارِpromptly
قَدْ دَعَا البِرُّ فَوَفُّوْا بِابْتِدَارِ
How admirable the people here: young men—
And fair maidens who excel in
Charity called, and they answered at once—
Beautifying the world and prospering homes.
وَعَقِيلاتٍand noble ladies بِمَاthrough what يُحْسِنَّهُthey do it well
وَعَقِيلاتٍ بِمَا يُحْسِنَّهُ
زِينَةُthe adornment of الدُّنْيَاthe world وَعُمْرَانُand the flourishing of الدِّيَارِhomes
زِينَةُ الدُّنْيَا وَعُمْرَانُ الدِّيَارِ
And noble ladies who, through the good they do,
Thus excellence, and you have gained its reward,
Are the world's adornment and the flourishing of homes.
And with it freedom from any fault.
هَكَذاthus الْفَضْلُvirtue وَفِيتُمْmay you be paid in full أَجْرَهُits reward
هَكَذا الْفَضْلُ وَفِيتُمْ أَجْرَهُ
وَكُفِيتُمْand may you be spared مَعَهُwith it كُلَّevery عِثَارِstumble
وَكُفِيتُمْ مَعَهُ كُلَّ عِثَارِ
Such is virtue—may you receive its full reward,
For the married couple sought only
And, with it, be spared every stumble.
The height of virtue with resolve.
إِنَّماonly الزَّوْجَانِthe two spouses حَيْثُwhen ابْتَغَيَاthey both sought
إِنَّما الزَّوْجَانِ حَيْثُ ابْتَغَيَا
غَايَةَthe utmost الْخَيْرِgood بِعَزْمٍwith resolve مُتبَارِvying
غَايَةَ الْخَيْرِ بِعَزْمٍ مُتبَارِ
Only when the two spouses both seek
Like "dew" in its singular term, yet possessing
The highest good with vying resolve,
Two meanings that share the beauty of proximity.
كَالنَّدَىlike dew فِيin وَحْدَةِthe unity of اللَّفظِthe wording لَهُit has
كَالنَّدَى فِي وَحْدَةِ اللَّفظِ لَهُ
مَعْنَيَانِtwo meanings اقْتَسَمَاthey both shared حُسْنَthe beauty of الْجِوَارِneighborliness
مَعْنَيَانِ اقْتَسَمَا حُسْنَ الْجِوَارِ
Are they like nadā: a single word with
So it is his munificence, by which the lofty are built,
Two meanings sharing the beauty of neighborliness:
And it is the rain, by which the tender plants are watered.
فَهُوَfor it is الْجُودُgenerosity بِهِthrough it تُبْنَىis built الْعُلَىglory
فَهُوَ الْجُودُ بِهِ تُبْنَى الْعُلَى
وَهُوَand it is الْقَطْرُrain بِهِthrough it رِيُّthe quenching of الأُوَارِburning thirst
وَهُوَ الْقَطْرُ بِهِ رِيُّ الأُوَارِ
For it is generosity, through which glory is built,
And it is rain, through which burning thirst is quenched.
Partial English translation: 42 of 44 Arabic lines translated.