أَياO حَضرةYour Excellency البيكthe Bey الشريعيّal-Shari‘i ذيpossessed of الصَفاpurity
أَيا حَضرة البيك الشريعيّ ذي الصَفا
وَحسنand goodness الوَفاfidelity ياO خَيرbest أَعضاءmembers مَجلسِa council
وَحسن الوَفا يا خَير أَعضاء مَجلسِ
O Excellency, Bey al-Sharīʿī, possessor of purity
O Your Excellency, al-Shari‘i Bey, endowed with purity
and gracious fidelity—best of the council’s members!
and noble fidelity, O best of the council’s members!
وَعدتyou promised بِتَقديمto present القَصيدthe poem وَإِنَّهُand indeed it
وَعدت بِتَقديم القَصيد وَإِنَّهُ
لَوعدٌindeed a promise كَريمgenerous لَمhas not يَزلceased مِنكَfrom you مؤنسيmy comforter
لَوعدٌ كَريم لَم يَزل مِنكَ مؤنسي
You promised to present the ode, and truly it is
You promised to present the poem, and indeed it is
a noble promise from you that has never ceased to cheer me.
a generous promise from you that has never ceased to comfort me.
فَماwhy, then ذَلِكَthat الإغضاdisregard بِغَيرwithout جِنايةan offense
فَما ذَلِكَ الإغضا بِغَير جِناية
بَدَتarose مِنfrom غُلامa servant للصنيعةfor the favor ماnot نَسِيforgot
بَدَت مِن غُلام للصنيعة ما نَسِي
Why, then, this neglect, when no offense
Why, then, this disregard, when no offense
has arisen from a servant who has never forgotten your favor?
has come from a servant who has not forgotten your favor?
وَماليand why do I أَرىI see جَيشthe army الكَرىslumber أَمَّheaded toward طَرفَكمyour eyes
وَمالي أَرى جَيش الكَرى أَمَّ طَرفَكم
بِوَقتِat the time of حُضوريmy presence عِندَكُمwith you لِلتأنُّسfor companionship
بِوَقتِ حُضوري عِندَكُم لِلتأنُّس
And why do I see the army of sleep advancing upon your eyes
And why do I see the army of slumber advancing on your eyes
at the very time I am with you, seeking companionship?
when I am with you to enjoy your company?
فَإِنso if كانَit was مِنfrom واشa slanderer وَشىinformed maliciously بيagainst me لَديكُمُbefore you
فَإِن كانَ مِن واش وَشى بي لَديكُمُ
لِيَحظىso he may obtain مِنfrom المَولىthe patron بِمالٍwith money وأَطلسand satin
لِيَحظى مِن المَولى بِمالٍ وأَطلس
If some informer has maligned me in your presence
So if this stems from a slanderer who spoke ill of me before you,
to gain from my lord your money and satin,
to obtain money and satin from the patron,
فَماso not بُغيتيmy desire مِنكُمfrom you سِوىexcept حُسنgoodness ودّكمyour affection
فَما بُغيتي مِنكُم سِوى حُسن ودّكم
وَإِنand although كانَhad أَغنىenriched برُّكمyour generosity كُلَّevery مُفلسpauper
وَإِن كانَ أَغنى برُّكم كُلَّ مُفلس
all I desire from you is your gracious affection,
then I seek nothing from you but your kind affection,
though your beneficence has enriched every pauper.
though your generosity has enriched every pauper.
وَإِنand if ظَهرappears الواشيthe slanderer رَأىhe will see ماwhat يَهولهterrifies him
وَإِن ظَهر الواشي رَأى ما يَهوله
وَلَوand even if أَنَّهُhe were المَنثورthe stock flower أَوor عَينthe eye of نَرجسa narcissus
وَلَو أَنَّهُ المَنثور أَو عَين نَرجس
If the informer is exposed, he will see what terrifies him,
And if the slanderer appears, he will see what terrifies him,
even were he the gillyflower itself, or the very eye of a narcissus.
even if he were the stock flower or a narcissus’s eye.
