ياO سائليyou who ask me عماabout what أخبرِّهُI know it
يا سائلي عما أخبرِّهُ
عنabout جعفرJaʿfar كرماًin generosity وعنand about شيمِهْhis character
عن جعفر كرماً وعن شيمِهْ
O you who ask me what I may tell
O you who ask me what I know
of Ja‘far—of his generosity and noble traits:
of Jaʿfar’s generosity and his character:
إِنَّindeed ابنson of يحيىYaḥyā جعفراًJaʿfar رَجلٌa man
إِنَّ ابن يحيى جعفراً رَجلٌ
سيطَwas mingled السماحُgenerosity بلحمِهِwith his flesh ودمِهْand his blood
سيطَ السماحُ بلحمِهِ ودمِهْ
Indeed, Ja‘far, son of Yahya, is a man
Indeed, Jaʿfar, son of Yaḥyā, is a man
with generosity blended into his flesh and blood.
whose flesh and blood are mingled with generosity.
فعليهso for him لا“no” أبداًforever محرمةٌforbidden
فعليه لا أبداً محرمةٌ
وكلامُهُand his speech وَقفٌreserved علىfor نَعَمِهْhis “yes”
وكلامُهُ وَقفٌ على نَعَمِهْ
For him, “No” is forever forbidden;
For him, “no” is forever forbidden,
his speech is an endowment devoted to his “Yes.”
and his speech is reserved for his “yes.”
وترىand you see مُسابقَةa rival ليدركهto catch up with him
وترى مُسابقَة ليدركه
بمكانَat a position حذوِlevel with النَعلِthe sandal منin relation to قَدمِهْhis foot
بمكانَ حذوِ النَعلِ من قَدمِهْ
And you see the race to overtake him
And you see a rival racing to catch him
at a place level with the sandal of his foot.
at the level of the sandal on his foot.
