دان علي أيدي العفاة و شاسح
This poem reflects on the duality of generosity and distance. The first two lines describe a person who is humble and accessible to those in need, yet distant from others in terms of generosity and hardship. The metaphor of the moon in the last two lines illustrates this duality further. The moon is high and distant, yet its light reaches those who travel at night, symbolizing how someone can be both elevated and approachable. This reflects the classical Arabic poetic tradition of using nature to explore human virtues.
| Word | In Arabic | In English | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| دان | قريب | close | daan |
| علي | على | on | 'alaa |
| أيدي | أيدي | hands | ayadi |
| العفاة | المحتاجين | the needy | al-'afaah |
| و | و | and | wa |
| شاسح | بعيد | far | shaasiH |
| عن | من | from | 'an |
| كل | كل | every | kull |
| يد | يد | hand | yad |
| في | في | in | fi |
| الندي | الكرم | generosity | al-nadi |
| والضريب | الصعوبة | difficulty | wa-al-dhareeb |
| كالبدر | مثل القمر | like the moon | kal-badr |
| أفرط | زاد | excessive | afrat |
| العلو | الارتفاع | height | al-uluww |
| ضوءه | نوره | its light | daw'uhu |
| للعصبةالسارين | للمسافرين | to the travelers | lil-usbat al-saarin |
| جد | جدا | very | jidd |
| قريب | قريب | near | qareeb |
The poet of this specific piece is unknown, but it belongs to the tradition of classical Arabic poetry, which was characterized by its use of meter and rhyme. Classical Arabic poetry often explored themes of nature, love, and social values.