ما ضرَّ مدحاً في جوا

ما ضرَّ مدحاً في جوا

دٍ بارِعٍ أن لا يجوَّدْ

دٍ بارِعٍ أن لا يجوَّدْ

No harm befalls praise of a generous

No harm for a skilled poet

man of excellence, if it is not finely wrought.

To eloquently praise Abu Al-Mohanned

لأبي المهنَّد في الموا

لأبي المهنَّد في الموا

طن كلِّها صفةُ المهنَّدْ

طن كلِّها صفةُ المهنَّدْ

Abu al-Muhannad, in every

In all homelands, he is known

setting, has the qualities of an Indian-steel sword:

For his brilliance, glow, and melody

لألاؤه وَمَضاؤه

لألاؤه وَمَضاؤه

وغناؤه في كل مشهدْ

وغناؤه في كل مشهدْ

its glitter and its keenness,

Sweet is his reason

and its effectiveness in every encounter.

And wisdom when anger subsides

وله حلاوة قَدِّه

وله حلاوة قَدِّه

والحلم منه حين يُغْمَدْ

والحلم منه حين يُغْمَدْ

And he has the grace of its form,

When roused for righteousness

and its forbearance when it is sheathed.

He's a bare sword poised for justice

فإذا تجرد للشِّيا

فإذا تجرد للشِّيا

ح فإنه سيف مجرَّدْ

ح فإنه سيف مجرَّدْ

But when he bares himself for

Seeing error, he's gentle

earnest action, he is a sword unsheathed.

And facing flaws, he's patient

فمتى رأى زللاً أقا

فمتى رأى زللاً أقا

لَ وإن رأى خللاً تغمَّدْ

لَ وإن رأى خللاً تغمَّدْ

Whenever he sees a lapse, he grants

To count the mistaken as malicious

pardon; and if he sees a flaw, he covers it over.

Would itself be an intentional wrong

ويُعدُّ ظلماً أن يَعُد

ويُعدُّ ظلماً أن يَعُد

دَ المخطئين كمن تعمَّدْ

دَ المخطئين كمن تعمَّدْ

And it is deemed unjust to count

He gives without promise

those who err as one who does wrong deliberately.

And warns without true threat

يعطي بلا وعْدٍ ويخ

يعطي بلا وعْدٍ ويخ

لف في الوعيد إذا توعَّدْ

لف في الوعيد إذا توعَّدْ

He gives without a promise, and goes back

If a traitor rebels

on his threats whenever he threatens.

His warning proves true, no regret

فإذا تمرَّدَ حائنٌ

فإذا تمرَّدَ حائنٌ

صدق الوعيد وما تمرَّدْ

صدق الوعيد وما تمرَّدْ

But when a doomed man rebels,

The innocent don't fear him

he makes good his threat, without himself transgressing.

He neither frightened nor threatened

ويخافه القوم البُرا

ويخافه القوم البُرا

ء وما أخاف وما تهدَّدْ

ء وما أخاف وما تهدَّدْ

And the innocent people fear him,

But he wears kindness

though he has neither frightened nor threatened them.

Fulfilling duties without haste

لكنه لبس المها

لكنه لبس المها

بة فالفرائصُ منه تُرْعَدْ

بة فالفرائصُ منه تُرْعَدْ

Yet he has clothed himself in

When deciding, none decide as he does

majesty, so their flank-muscles tremble before him.

Or check as he checks when in doubt

وإذا ارتأى فكمن رأى

وإذا ارتأى فكمن رأى

وإذا سها فكمن تفقَّدْ

وإذا سها فكمن تفقَّدْ

And when he deliberates, he is like one who sees;

Checking affairs, he's a meteor

and when he is distracted, like one who pays close attention.

Ablaze when roused and devout

وإذا تفقَّد أمرَه

وإذا تفقَّد أمرَه

فهو الشهاب إذا تَوَقَّدْ

فهو الشهاب إذا تَوَقَّدْ

And when he examines his affairs,

I overdrew of his bounty

he is a meteor when it blazes.

When no soul overdraws without doubt

أكثرتُ من معروفه

أكثرتُ من معروفه

إذ لم يقل رجل تَزوَّدْ

إذ لم يقل رجل تَزوَّدْ

I partook abundantly of his bounty

I thought to thank him in verse

when no man said, 'Take provisions.'

He said "Return, for return is best"

وهَمَمْتُ أنْ أَغْنى بذا

وهَمَمْتُ أنْ أَغْنى بذا

ك فقال عُدْ فالعود أحمدْ

ك فقال عُدْ فالعود أحمدْ

And I meant to be content with

I asked him to aid me in my time

that; but he said, 'Return—returning is better.'

He promised help, again and again

وسألتُه نصري على

وسألتُه نصري على

زمني فأنجد ثم أنجدْ

زمني فأنجد ثم أنجدْ

And I asked him to help me against

As if I heard myself say

my times; he came to my aid, then came again.

"I visited life, loving and sublime"

وكأنني بي قائل

وكأنني بي قائل

زرتُ الحيا فحبا وأمجدْ

زرتُ الحيا فحبا وأمجدْ

And I seem to hear myself saying:

This, by your life, rings true

'I visited the rain; it gave gifts and gave lavishly.'

Yet is also affirmed once more

هذا لعمرك سُؤدد

هذا لعمرك سُؤدد

لكنه أيضاً مؤكَّدْ

لكنه أيضاً مؤكَّدْ

This, by your life, is nobility,

O son of the dweller in Amd

yet it is also firmly established.

Your father and all who confide

يا ابن المقيم بآمد

يا ابن المقيم بآمد

بأبي أبوك ومن تأمَّدْ

بأبي أبوك ومن تأمَّدْ

O son of the man residing in Amid,

You've renewed glory never forgotten

may my father be ransom for yours and whoever dwells in Amid!

Built atop enduring fame

جدَّدْتَ مجداً لم يزل

جدَّدْتَ مجداً لم يزل

يُبنَى على مجد يؤبَّدْ

يُبنَى على مجد يؤبَّدْ

You renewed a glory that has never ceased

Your inherited glory suffices

to be built upon a glory made everlasting.

When enduring and renewed acclaim unite

وكَفَاك من مجدٍ إذا اج

وكَفَاك من مجدٍ إذا اج

تمع المؤبَّد والمجدَّدْ

تمع المؤبَّد والمجدَّدْ

And it is glory enough for you when

the everlasting and the renewed come together.