لِيَI have ابْنُa son of عَمٍّa paternal uncle بَالِغٌhaving reached أَرْبَعاًfour (years)
لِيَ ابْنُ عَمٍّ بَالِغٌ أَرْبَعاً
مِنْof عُمرِهِhis age أَوْor دُونَهَاshort of that أَشْهُرَاmonths
مِنْ عُمرِهِ أَوْ دُونَهَا أَشْهُرَا
I have a cousin who has reached four
I have a cousin, four years old
years of age—or is a few months short.
Or less by a few months untold
طَلْقُcheerful المُحَيَّاthe face شَعْرُهُhis hair مُذْهَبٌgolden
طَلْقُ المُحَيَّا شَعْرُهُ مُذْهَبٌ
وَثَغْرُهُand his mouth كَنْزٌa treasure حَوَىcontained جَوْهَرَاjewels
وَثَغْرُهُ كَنْزٌ حَوَى جَوْهَرَا
His face is bright, his hair is golden,
Fair of face, golden hair
and his mouth is a treasure holding jewels.
Lips like a treasure, gems they bear
يَخْتَالُhe struts كَالجُنْدِيِّlike a soldier مُسْتَكْبِراًproudly
يَخْتَالُ كَالجُنْدِيِّ مُسْتَكْبِراً
وَمَاand how أَحَبَّlovable الطِّفلَthe child مُسْتَكْبِرَاwhen proud
وَمَا أَحَبَّ الطِّفلَ مُسْتَكْبِرَا
He struts like a soldier, full of pride,
Strutting proudly like a soldier
and how lovable a child is in his pride!
Yet no one loves a child so bold
قالَتْshe said لَهُto him المُرْضِعُthe wet nurse يَوْماًone day وَقدْand already
قالَتْ لَهُ المُرْضِعُ يَوْماً وَقدْ
أَحْسَنَhe did well سَيْراًin conduct حَقَّit is fitting أَنْthat تُؤْجَرَاyou be rewarded
أَحْسَنَ سَيْراً حَقَّ أَنْ تُؤْجَرَا
One day his nurse said to him, after he had
His nanny said, when one day
behaved well, 'You deserve a reward.
He walked polite, deserve you pay
هَيَّاcome نَزُرْlet us visit جَدَّتَكَyour grandmother الآنَnow يَاO
هَيَّا نَزُرْ جَدَّتَكَ الآنَ يَا
بُنَيَّmy little son فالْبَسْso put on ثَوْبَكyour robe الأَفخرَاthe finest
بُنَيَّ فالْبَسْ ثَوْبَك الأَفخرَا
Come, let us visit your grandmother now, O
Come, we’ll visit grandma, wear
my little boy—so put on your finest robe.'
Your fine coat, her joy to share
فرَاحَso he set off مِثْلَlike الظَّبْيِthe gazelle يَعْدُوrunning إِلىto
فرَاحَ مِثْلَ الظَّبْيِ يَعْدُو إِلى
غرْفتِهِhis room جَذْلانjoyful مُسْتبْشِراglad
غرْفتِهِ جَذْلان مُسْتبْشِرا
So off he ran, like a gazelle, to
Off he ran like a gazelle, thrilled
his room, joyful and full of cheer.
To his room, excitement filled
وَكانَand there was فِيin إِحْدَىone of الكُوَىthe window recesses طَائِرٌa bird
وَكانَ فِي إِحْدَى الكُوَى طَائِرٌ
قَدْalready أَوْدَعُوهُthey had placed it قَفَصاًin a cage مُقْفِراdesolate
قَدْ أَوْدَعُوهُ قَفَصاً مُقْفِرا
And in one of the window recesses was a bird
There perched a bird in a barren cage
that they had placed in a desolate cage.
Silent, lonesome, a prisoner for age
رَآهُhe saw it فِيهِin it صَامِتاًsilent مُوحَشاًforlorn
رَآهُ فِيهِ صَامِتاً مُوحَشاً
كَمَاjust as يَكونُis الحُرُّa free creature مُسْتَأْسرَاheld captive
كَمَا يَكونُ الحُرُّ مُسْتَأْسرَا
He saw it there, silent and forlorn,
The boy unlocked the cage, let fly
as a free creature is when held captive.
The bird. “Well done!” was his cry
فَفَتَحَso he opened الْبَابَthe door لَهُfor it مُسْرِعاًquickly
فَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ لَهُ مُسْرِعاً
وَقَالَand he said أَحْسَنْتَyou have done well فخيْراًso good تَرىyou will see
وَقَالَ أَحْسَنْتَ فخيْراً تَرى
So he quickly opened the door for it,
“You seem eager to visit grandma dear
and said, 'You have done well, so good things await you.
Then go, come back early, have no fear”
أَراكَI see you مُشتَاقاًlonging إِلىfor جَدَّةa grandmother
أَراكَ مُشتَاقاً إِلى جَدَّة
تزورُهَاyou visit her فَاذْهَبso go وَعُدْand return مُبْكِرَاearly
تزورُهَا فَاذْهَب وَعُدْ مُبْكِرَا
I see you longing for a grandmother
to visit—so go, and return early.'
Partial English translation: 18 of 20 Arabic lines translated.