رأيتُ أَبَا سُفْيانَ يَسمُو إلى الفَخْرِ

رأيتُ أَبَا سُفْيانَ يَسمُو إلى الفَخْرِ

لأن أبا سفيانَ ذُخْرٌ من الذُّخْرِ

لأن أبا سفيانَ ذُخْرٌ من الذُّخْرِ

I saw Abu Sufyan rising toward glory,

I saw Abu Sufyan aspiring to pride

I saw Abu Sufyan ascending to glory,

for Abu Sufyan is a treasure among treasures.

For Abu Sufyan is a treasure of treasures

For Abu Sufyan is a treasure among treasures.

سَمَا لِلعُلاَ حَتَّى تَنَاوَلَ قَاعِداً

سَمَا لِلعُلاَ حَتَّى تَنَاوَلَ قَاعِداً

نُجُومَ سَمَاءِ الفَضْلِ بِالأَسْرِ وَالْقَسْرِ

نُجُومَ سَمَاءِ الفَضْلِ بِالأَسْرِ وَالْقَسْرِ

He rose toward eminence until, while seated, he grasped

He aimed for the heights until he reached, sitting

He soared to the heights until he grasped, while merely seated,

the stars of the sky of excellence, by capture and force,

The stars of the sky of virtue, by force and coercion

The stars in the heaven of virtue, by capture and by force.

بِآيَةِ جِلْدِ الْكَبْشِ إِذْ زَانَ صُوفَهُ

بِآيَةِ جِلْدِ الْكَبْشِ إِذْ زَانَ صُوفَهُ

بِخَضْبٍ لِحَنَّاءَ كَتِبْرٍ عَلَى دُرِّ

بِخَضْبٍ لِحَنَّاءَ كَتِبْرٍ عَلَى دُرِّ

through the marvel of the ram’s hide, when he adorned its wool

With the sign of the ram’s skin when its wool

By the marvel of the ram's skin, when he adorned its fleece

with henna dye, like gold dust upon pearls.

Was dyed with henna, ink on pearls

With the dye of henna, like pure gold upon pearls,

وَنَمَّقَ بالتَّرْقِيشِ صَفْحَةَ مَتْنِهِ

وَنَمَّقَ بالتَّرْقِيشِ صَفْحَةَ مَتْنِهِ

كَما نَمَّقَ القِرْطَاسَ حَبْرٌ مِنَ الحِْبْرِ

كَما نَمَّقَ القِرْطَاسَ حَبْرٌ مِنَ الحِْبْرِ

And he embellished the surface of its back with patterns,

And its page was dotted with embellishment

And embellished the surface of its back with intricate patterns,

as a scholar embellished paper with ink.

As ink from an inkwell dots parchment

Just as a learned sage embellishes a parchment with ink.

أُعِدَّتْ لَهُ الأَمْدَاحُ حَيْثُ أَعَدَّهَا

أُعِدَّتْ لَهُ الأَمْدَاحُ حَيْثُ أَعَدَّهَا

لِجِلْسَةِ شَمْسِ العَصْرِ بِالصُّبْحِ وَالْعَصْرِ

لِجِلْسَةِ شَمْسِ العَصْرِ بِالصُّبْحِ وَالْعَصْرِ

Praises were prepared for him, since he prepared it

Eulogies were prepared for him when he prepared them

Praises were prepared for him wherever he made them ready,

for the sun of the age to sit upon, morning and afternoon.

For the gathering of the sun of the age, morning and evening

For a session in the afternoon sun, spanning morning and dusk.