مطالع آمالي أنرنَ على حالي

مطالع آمالي أنرنَ على حالي

وميّزنني فضلاً على كلّ امثالي

وميّزنني فضلاً على كلّ امثالي

The rising lights of my hopes have illumined my fortunes,

The rising lights of my hopes have brightened my lot,

and, through their grace, distinguished me above all my peers.

And distinguished me in merit above all my peers.

ولي البشر أن سُوِّدتَ غيرَ مسوَّد

ولي البشر أن سُوِّدتَ غيرَ مسوَّد

ولي الفخر إذ قد نلت غاية آمالي

ولي الفخر إذ قد نلت غاية آمالي

Glad tidings are mine: I have been made a lord, though never lord before,

And mine is the joy that you were made a lord, not blackened,

and pride is mine, for I have attained the utmost of my hopes.

And mine is the pride, for I have attained the goal of my hopes.

وذلك إذ جاد الوزير أخو الندى

وذلك إذ جاد الوزير أخو الندى

عليَّ بما أولاده من جَمّ أفضال

عليَّ بما أولاده من جَمّ أفضال

That was when the minister, brother to bounty, generously bestowed

And that was when the minister, a brother of bounty, lavished

upon me, among the abundant favors he had granted,

Upon me, among the many favors he bestowed,

بِطِرف سَبوح يسبق الطَرفَ جريها

بِطِرف سَبوح يسبق الطَرفَ جريها

فلا الريح تحكيها كورقاء زجّال

فلا الريح تحكيها كورقاء زجّال

a noble, fleet mare whose running outstrips the eye.

A noble, long-striding steed whose gallop outruns the glance.

Not even the wind can match her, swift as a far-ranging gray dove.

Not even the wind can match her; she is like a loudly cooing gray dove.

ضمور هصور شزرة الأُذن قبّة ال

ضمور هصور شزرة الأُذن قبّة ال

أياطل مطواعٌ لها خلقٌ غال

أياطل مطواعٌ لها خلقٌ غال

Lean, lion-bold, her ear set askew, vaulted in

Lean and powerful, small-eared, slender in the

the flanks, most tractable, with a precious nature.

Flanks; docile, with a noble disposition.

تَحار عيون لناس فيها لحسنها

تَحار عيون لناس فيها لحسنها

ويذهب بالأبصار رونقها العالي

ويذهب بالأبصار رونقها العالي

People’s eyes are bewildered by her beauty,

People's eyes are bewildered by her beauty,

and her sublime splendor carries their sight away.

And her lofty splendor carries their sight away.

معوَّدَة تحت الأسنّة والظُبا

معوَّدَة تحت الأسنّة والظُبا

ومسنونةٍ زُرق كأنياب أغوال

ومسنونةٍ زُرق كأنياب أغوال

Well accustomed to passing beneath spearheads and sword blades,

Accustomed to being beneath spearpoints and sword edges,

whetted and steel-blue like the fangs of ghouls;

And sharpened blue spears like the fangs of ghouls.

من الغاديات الناجحات لدى الوغى

من الغاديات الناجحات لدى الوغى

بل العاديات الضابحات لإقبال

بل العاديات الضابحات لإقبال

one of the dawn-going mares that prevail amid battle—

Among those that set out at dawn, victorious in battle—

rather, one of the chargers that gallop snorting as they surge forward.

Rather, those that charge, snorting as they advance.

إذا طَلَبتُ وافق وإن طُلِبتُ نَحَت

إذا طَلَبتُ وافق وإن طُلِبتُ نَحَت

ولا الركل تدريه على أيمّا حالِ

ولا الركل تدريه على أيمّا حالِ

When I pursue, she answers my aim; and when I am pursued, she races away,

When I give chase, she complies; and if I am chased, she veers away.

and she knows no urging of the heel, whatever the circumstance.

Nor does she know kicking, under any circumstances.

وأن سابقت فهي المجلّي وربُّها

وأن سابقت فهي المجلّي وربُّها

يحوز ثناها لا المصلّي ولا التالي

يحوز ثناها لا المصلّي ولا التالي

If she races, she is the winner, and her master

And if she races, she is the victor, and her owner

wins all her praise—not the runner-up, nor the horse behind.

Reaps her praise—not the runner-up, nor the follower.

مُقذّفة دهماء كل خصالها

مُقذّفة دهماء كل خصالها

جميل فلا تحتاج وصفي وأمثالي

جميل فلا تحتاج وصفي وأمثالي

A powerfully built black mare—all her qualities

Powerfully built and black, every quality of hers

are beautiful; she needs neither my description nor my comparisons.

Is beautiful, so she needs no description from me or my peers.

فلا عيبَ فيها غير كثرة أكلها

فلا عيبَ فيها غير كثرة أكلها

وأن دام هذا الحال ياخيبة الحال

وأن دام هذا الحال ياخيبة الحال

She has no fault except how much she eats;

She has no fault except how much she eats,

and if this state continues—alas, what a sorry state!

And if this state persists—alas for my plight!

كأنّ حَشاها والشعير تذيبه

كأنّ حَشاها والشعير تذيبه

سعير لذاك التبن في قعره صالي

سعير لذاك التبن في قعره صالي

As though her belly, melting the barley, were

As though her belly, as she dissolves the barley,

a blazing fire, with all that straw burning deep in its pit.

Were a blaze that scorches that straw in its depths.

فشكراً لمن أعطى سكاب وإنها

فشكراً لمن أعطى سكاب وإنها

لمن بدر أحرى لديَّ وأولى لي

لمن بدر أحرى لديَّ وأولى لي

So thanks be to him who gave me Sakab; indeed she,

So thanks to him who gave Sakab, for she

coming from Badr, is more precious in my eyes and more fittingly mine.

Is indeed more fitting in my eyes than Badr, and better suited to me.

رفَعتَ مقامي إذ حَفَضتَ معيشي

رفَعتَ مقامي إذ حَفَضتَ معيشي

وأحسنت حالي بالكرائم والمال

وأحسنت حالي بالكرائم والمال

You raised my station when you safeguarded my livelihood,

You raised my station when you eased my living,

and improved my fortunes with noble gifts and wealth.

And bettered my lot with choice gifts and wealth.

وتوّجتني بالمجد فالمجد عِمَّتي

وتوّجتني بالمجد فالمجد عِمَّتي

وحلَّيتَي بالفضل فالفضل سربالي

وحلَّيتَي بالفضل فالفضل سربالي

You crowned me with glory, so glory is my turban,

And crowned me with glory, so glory is my turban,

and adorned me with bounty, so bounty is my robe.

And adorned me with favor, so favor is my robe.

وأشهرت ذكري بين عُرب وأعجُم

وأشهرت ذكري بين عُرب وأعجُم

وأوليتني فخري على كل امثالي

وأوليتني فخري على كل امثالي

You spread my renown among Arabs and non-Arabs,

And made my name renowned among Arabs and non-Arabs,

and granted me pride above every one of my peers.

And granted me glory above all my peers.

فلا زلت ركن الدين كهفاً لأهله

فلا زلت ركن الدين كهفاً لأهله

ولا زلتَ محفوفاً بنصر وإقبال

ولا زلتَ محفوفاً بنصر وإقبال

May you ever remain, Pillar of the Faith, a refuge for its people,

May you ever remain a pillar of the faith, a refuge for its people,

and ever remain encompassed by victory and prosperity.

And may you always be surrounded by victory and good fortune.