للّه ما بَلَغَت أربابَها الهمَمُ

للّه ما بَلَغَت أربابَها الهمَمُ

من رُتبَةٍ عجزَت عن نَيلها الأُمَمُ

من رُتبَةٍ عجزَت عن نَيلها الأُمَمُ

God be praised—how high aspirations have raised their masters,

The aspirations of its masters have reached a rank

to a rank that nations were powerless to attain.

Beyond what nations strove in vain to attain

هي العزائمُ ما زالت مؤسِّسةً

هي العزائمُ ما زالت مؤسِّسةً

أركان مجدٍ بناها السيفُ والقَلَمُ

أركان مجدٍ بناها السيفُ والقَلَمُ

These are firm resolves, ever establishing

They are resolves that stand firmly founded

the pillars of glory that sword and pen have built.

Pillars of glory built by sword and pen

جاهُ الأمانةِ عُقبَاهُ السُّرور كما

جاهُ الأمانةِ عُقبَاهُ السُّرور كما

جاهُ الخيانة عُقبى أمره النَّدَمُ

جاهُ الخيانة عُقبى أمره النَّدَمُ

The prestige of trustworthiness ends in joy, just as

The glory of integrity ends in joy

the prestige of treachery ends in remorse.

While treachery's course leads to regret

وكلُّ من عَفَّ عن ظلم الوَرَى ورَعاً

وكلُّ من عَفَّ عن ظلم الوَرَى ورَعاً

جاءته قَصداً إلى أبوابه النَعَمُ

جاءته قَصداً إلى أبوابه النَعَمُ

And whoever refrains, out of piety, from wronging humankind,

He who spares injustice and lives devoutly

blessings come to him, heading straight for his doors.

Sees blessings knock on his door and enter

يُهنى الأجلَّ رشيد الدين حين غَدَت

يُهنى الأجلَّ رشيد الدين حين غَدَت

تُعزى لخدمته بين الورى الخِدَمُ

تُعزى لخدمته بين الورى الخِدَمُ

Congratulations to the most illustrious Rashid al-Din, now that

Long live Al-Malik Al-Rashid, now that

services among humankind are ascribed to his service.

His service is honored among all people

بُشرَاهُ إذ نال ما قد كان يَبلُغُهُ

بُشرَاهُ إذ نال ما قد كان يَبلُغُهُ

طَولا ولم ينلِ الأعداءُ ما زعموا

طَولا ولم ينلِ الأعداءُ ما زعموا

Glad tidings to him, for he has attained what he was already able to reach

Congratulations to him for gaining what

through his merit, while his enemies did not attain what they claimed.

He long aspired to, which enemies denied

كم قد أرادوا به سوءاً فما ظفروا

كم قد أرادوا به سوءاً فما ظفروا

إن الرشيد بحبَلِ اللَه مُعتَصِمُ

إن الرشيد بحبَلِ اللَه مُعتَصِمُ

How often they intended him harm, yet did not succeed!

Despite their evil plots against him, they failed

Indeed, al-Rashid holds fast to God's rope.

For Al-Rashid holds fast to God's rope

مولاي إن رام شتمي معشرٌ فلقد

مولاي إن رام شتمي معشرٌ فلقد

صَدَّقتُهُم بقريضي في الذي شَتَمُوا

صَدَّقتُهُم بقريضي في الذي شَتَمُوا

My lord, if some people seek to insult me, I have indeed

My Lord, if some reproachers mean to shame me

confirmed in my verse the very things they said to insult me.

I'll admit it; they spoke true about my poems

أقررت أني جَزَّارُ كما ذكروا

أقررت أني جَزَّارُ كما ذكروا

عَنِّي فهل غَيرُ هذا القول عندَهُمُ

عَنِّي فهل غَيرُ هذا القول عندَهُمُ

I admitted that I am a butcher, just as they said

I confess I'm a butcher as they labeled me

of me; have they anything other than this to say?

Is this not enough for them to know of me?

وإن يكن أحمدُ الكنديُّ متَّهماً

وإن يكن أحمدُ الكنديُّ متَّهماً

بالفخر قبلي فإني لستُ أُتَّهَمُ

بالفخر قبلي فإني لستُ أُتَّهَمُ

And if Ahmad al-Kindi was accused

If Ahmad Al-Kindi is accused of boasting

of boasting before my time, I am not so accused.

I make no such claim, I'm above blame

فاللحمُ والعظمُ والسكِّين تَعرِفني

فاللحمُ والعظمُ والسكِّين تَعرِفني

والخَلعُ والقَطعُ والسَّاطورُ والوَضَم

والخَلعُ والقَطعُ والسَّاطورُ والوَضَم

For meat, bone, and knife know me,

Meat, bones, and knife surely identify me

as do disjointing, cutting, the cleaver, and the butcher's block.

As do lashing, cutting, sword, and branding