إنindeed أيامناour days التيwhich قدمgrew old العهthe time (word continues)
إن أيامنا التي قدم العه
دcompletion of 'the time' بهاsince them تلكthose بهجةdelight الأيامthe days
د بها تلك بهجة الأيام
Indeed, those days of ours, whose age had grown...
Indeed, our days, now long
...old—those were the delight of days.
past—those were the delight of days.
منwhoever يصفهاdescribes them يصفdescribes بدائعmarvels حسنbeauty الthe (attached to the next word)
من يصفها يصف بدائع حسن ال
زهرflowers فيin مجلسa gathering فريدmatchless النظامthe arrangement
زهر في مجلس فريد النظام
Whoever describes them describes the wondrous beauty of the...
Whoever describes them describes the marvels of the beauty of
...flowers in a gathering of peerless order.
flowers in a gathering of matchless harmony.
قدindeed جريناwe ran فيin الهوrevelry (apparently اللهو) جريrunning جيادnoble steeds
قد جرينا في الهو جري جياد
يومa day سبقracing وراءin pursuit of أسنىloftiest مرامa goal
يوم سبق وراء أسنى مرام
We raced in love like thoroughbred steeds,
We raced in revelry as noble steeds race,
on race day, chasing the loftiest aim.
on race day, in pursuit of the loftiest goal.
وجررناand we trailed برودmantles عهدthe age of التصابيyouthful dalliance
وجررنا برود عهد التصابي
حالياتadorned برقةwith delicacy واحتشامand modesty
حاليات برقة واحتشام
We swept behind us the robes of youthful dalliance,
And we trailed the mantles of youthful dalliance,
adorned with grace and modesty.
adorned with delicacy and modesty.
كلevery يومday لناfor us حديثa conversation جديدnew
كل يوم لنا حديث جديد
باهرdazzling الفضلexcellence فيamong حديثthe talk of الكرامthe noble-hearted
باهر الفضل في حديث الكرام
Each day we had some fresh discourse,
Each day we had a new conversation,
resplendent in worth among the speech of the noble.
of dazzling excellence among the talk of the noble-hearted.
لمdid not ندعwe let slip فرصةan opportunity السرورjoy وكناand we were
لم ندع فرصة السرور وكنا
مثلlike نورblossoms الربيعspring فيin الاكمامthe bud-sheaths
مثل نور الربيع في الاكمام
We let no chance for joy go by, and we were
We let no chance for joy slip by, and we were
like spring blossoms still folded in their calyxes.
like spring blossoms within their buds:
منincluding مغنa singer وشاعرand a poet وأديبand a man of letters
من مغن وشاعر وأديب
كلهمall of them فيin الرهانthe contest شبهlike إمامa master
كلهم في الرهان شبه إمام
With singer, poet, and man of letters,
singers, poets, and men of letters,
each, in the contest, akin to an imam—a master.
each of them like a master in the contest.
كانwas ذاكthat الشبابyouth جنةa garden حسنbeauty
كان ذاك الشباب جنة حسن
كانwas ذاكthat الزمانtime عرسthe wedding feast of الغرامpassionate love
كان ذاك الزمان عرس الغرام
That youth was a paradise of beauty;
That youth was a garden of beauty;
that time was love’s wedding feast.
that time was love's wedding feast.
