قُل لِقاضي القُضاة شَيخِ البَرايا

قُل لِقاضي القُضاة شَيخِ البَرايا

يا إِماماً حَوى الفَرائدَ طُرّا

يا إِماماً حَوى الفَرائدَ طُرّا

Say to the Chief Justice, the elder of all creation:

Tell the chief judge, the elder of humankind:

O imam who has gathered every rare pearl,

O imam who has gathered all the rare gems,

كُنتُ قَد سُمتُ في القَلائد بَيعا

كُنتُ قَد سُمتُ في القَلائد بَيعا

فَأَتى الهَيثَمي لِذَلِكَ نُكرا

فَأَتى الهَيثَمي لِذَلِكَ نُكرا

I had proposed that al-Qalāʾid be sold,

I had already negotiated a sale of al-Qalāʾid (The Necklaces),

but al-Haythamī committed an outrage over that.

Then al-Haythamī met that with disapproval.

إِنَّ بَيني وَبَينها نسبة العر

إِنَّ بَيني وَبَينها نسبة العر

بِ لِذاكَ اِهتَزَزتُ للعُربِ ذِكرا

بِ لِذاكَ اِهتَزَزتُ للعُربِ ذِكرا

Indeed, between it and me lies the bond of the Arab—

Indeed, it and I are linked by Arab kinship;

—s; therefore I thrilled at the Arabs’ mention.

For that reason, I thrilled at the mention of the Arabs.

إِن تَكُن نُسخَةٌ سِواها لَدَيكُم

إِن تَكُن نُسخَةٌ سِواها لَدَيكُم

فَلتَجُد وَاغتَنِم ثَناءً وَشُكرا

فَلتَجُد وَاغتَنِم ثَناءً وَشُكرا

If you have another copy besides it,

If you have another copy besides it,

then be generous, and win praise and gratitude.

Then give generously, and gain praise and thanks.

كَم مَديحٍ في جدِّكُم لعَليٍّ

كَم مَديحٍ في جدِّكُم لعَليٍّ

وَحَبيبٍ قَد طَبَّقَ الأَرض نَشرا

وَحَبيبٍ قَد طَبَّقَ الأَرض نَشرا

How many a eulogy of your grandfather, by ʿAlī

How much praise of your ancestor by ʿAlī

and Ḥabīb, has covered the earth in its diffusion!

And Ḥabīb has spread throughout the earth!

مَن يَك القاسِمُ الهُمام أَباهُ

مَن يَك القاسِمُ الهُمام أَباهُ

طابَ بَينَ الأَنامِ فَرعاً وَنَجرا

طابَ بَينَ الأَنامِ فَرعاً وَنَجرا

Whoever has the valiant al-Qāsim as his father

Whoever has the valiant al-Qāsim as his father

is noble among humankind in branch and stock.

Is noble among humankind, in both branch and stock.