سَأَلت سَليلَ الجودِ أَمراً فَما اِنقَضى

سَأَلت سَليلَ الجودِ أَمراً فَما اِنقَضى

نَهاريَ حَتّى صِرتُ في رَوض جِلَّقِ

نَهاريَ حَتّى صِرتُ في رَوض جِلَّقِ

I asked the scion of generosity for a favor; it had not yet run its course—

I asked the scion of generosity for a favor, and before

my day—when I found myself in the gardens of Damascus,

my day was over, I found myself in the garden of Jillaq.

فَأَقطِفُ مِن تُفّاحِهِ وَسَفَرجَلٍ

فَأَقطِفُ مِن تُفّاحِهِ وَسَفَرجَلٍ

جَنِيٍّ وَكُمثرى لِعَينيَ مُونِقِ

جَنِيٍّ وَكُمثرى لِعَينيَ مُونِقِ

there plucking its apples and quinces,

So I pluck some of its apples and quince,

all freshly gathered, and pears delightful to my eyes.

ripe, and pears delightful to my eye.

كَريمٌ مَتى تَسألهُ شَيئاً فَإِنَّهُ

كَريمٌ مَتى تَسألهُ شَيئاً فَإِنَّهُ

يَجودُ وَيُعطي ما تَشاءُ وَيَنتَقِي

يَجودُ وَيُعطي ما تَشاءُ وَيَنتَقِي

A generous man: whenever you ask him for anything, he surely

A generous man: whenever you ask him for something, he

bestows and gives whatever you desire, choosing the choicest.

gives generously, grants what you wish, and chooses with care.

وَلَو لَم تَسلهُ جادَ بَدءاً فَإِنَّما

وَلَو لَم تَسلهُ جادَ بَدءاً فَإِنَّما

مَكارِمُهُم خَلقٌ بِغَيرِ تَخَلُقِ

مَكارِمُهُم خَلقٌ بِغَيرِ تَخَلُقِ

Even had you not asked him, he would give unprompted, for

And even if you do not ask him, he gives unprompted; for

his noble virtues are innate, untouched by affectation.

their noble qualities are simply innate, without affectation.

بَنونَ لآباءٍ كِرامٍ وَسادةٍ

بَنونَ لآباءٍ كِرامٍ وَسادةٍ

مَدائحُهم تُروى بِغَربٍ وَمَشرِقِ

مَدائحُهم تُروى بِغَربٍ وَمَشرِقِ

Sons of noble fathers, men of lordly rank,

Sons of noble fathers and lords,

whose praises are recounted in West and East.

their praises are recounted in West and East.

وَإِنَّ جَلالَ الدينِ قاضي قُضاتِنا

وَإِنَّ جَلالَ الدينِ قاضي قُضاتِنا

لخَيرُ إِمامٍ في الفَضائِلِ مُعرِقِ

لخَيرُ إِمامٍ في الفَضائِلِ مُعرِقِ

Among them is Jalal al-Din, chief of our judges,

And indeed Jalal al-Din, our chief judge,

surely the finest leader, deep-rooted in every virtue.

is surely the finest leader, deeply rooted in virtue.

يَعلِّمُ جُهالاً بِبَحثٍ مُدَقَّقٍ

يَعلِّمُ جُهالاً بِبَحثٍ مُدَقَّقٍ

وَيَجمَعُ أُمَّالاً بِجودٍ مُفَرَّقِ

وَيَجمَعُ أُمَّالاً بِجودٍ مُفَرَّقِ

He teaches the ignorant through exacting inquiry,

He teaches the ignorant through meticulous inquiry,

and gathers riches, with bounty scattered far and wide.

and gathers hopeful seekers through generosity shared out.

وَكائِن لَهُ عِندي أَيادي جَمَّةً

وَكائِن لَهُ عِندي أَيادي جَمَّةً

بِغَيرِ حُلاها الدَهرَ لَم أَتَطَرَّقِ

بِغَيرِ حُلاها الدَهرَ لَم أَتَطَرَّقِ

Countless are the lavish favors he has bestowed upon me;

And how numerous are his favors to me,

without their sweetness, I could never have made my way through life.

without their adornments I have never made my way through life.

وَكَم دَولَةٍ صاحَبتُها ناصِريةٍ

وَكَم دَولَةٍ صاحَبتُها ناصِريةٍ

وَعاشَرتُ جَمعاً مِن رَحيبٍ وَمُرتَقِي

وَعاشَرتُ جَمعاً مِن رَحيبٍ وَمُرتَقِي

How many a Nasirid reign have I lived through,

And many a Nasiri government have I associated with,

and consorted with a company of broad-hearted, high-ranking men;

and mingled with many men of ample means and rising rank;

وَلَم يَسمحُوا يَوماً بِشَيءٍ وَلَم أَكُن

وَلَم يَسمحُوا يَوماً بِشَيءٍ وَلَم أَكُن

لأَسأل رِفداً مِن غَبِيٍّ مُمَخرَقِ

لأَسأل رِفداً مِن غَبِيٍّ مُمَخرَقِ

yet never once would they freely grant a thing, nor was I

yet they never once gave a thing, nor would I

one to ask a gift from some witless charlatan—

ask for a gift from a foolish charlatan,

إِلى أَن طَما البَحرُ الخِضَمُّ فَعَمَّنا

إِلى أَن طَما البَحرُ الخِضَمُّ فَعَمَّنا

بِتَيّارِ جُودٍ مِنهُ في الفَضلِ مُغرِقِ

بِتَيّارِ جُودٍ مِنهُ في الفَضلِ مُغرِقِ

until the mighty sea swelled and swept over us all

until the vast sea swelled and engulfed us all

with a current of generosity from him, drowning all in bounty.

with a torrent of his generosity, drowning us in bounty.

عَلى بَهجَةِ الأَيّامِ مِنهُ جَلالَةٌ

عَلى بَهجَةِ الأَيّامِ مِنهُ جَلالَةٌ

فَلا زالَ في حِفظٍ مِن اللَهِ ما بَقِي

فَلا زالَ في حِفظٍ مِن اللَهِ ما بَقِي

Upon the days’ radiance rests a majesty from him;

Upon the splendor of the days rests his majesty;

so may he remain in God’s keeping as long as he lives.

so may he remain in God's care for as long as he lives.