بندىwith the bounty of وزيرthe vizier of العصرthe age اكتبI write مطلبيmy plea
بندى وزير العصر اكتب مطلبي
وبهand through him صفاbecame pure ودّيmy affection وأَورقand put forth leaves عوديmy branch
وبه صفا ودّي وأَورق عودي
With the bounty of the age’s vizier, I write my plea.
My minister, write down my request
Through him my affection grew pure, and my branch put forth leaves.
With clarity, friendship, and smooth pen
موليbestower of السماحgenerosity العدinexhaustible والمولىand the master الذيwhose
مولي السماح العد والمولى الذي
جلتwere too great مواهبهhis gifts عنfor التعديدِcounting
جلت مواهبه عن التعديدِ
Bestower of inexhaustible bounty, the master whose
My Lord of forgiveness, of justice, and the Lord who
gifts are too great to be counted.
His gifts are too great to be counted
بأبيmy father be ransom for ندىthe bounty of يدهhis hand الذيwhich أحياhe revived بهwith it
بأبي ندى يده الذي أحيا به
ميتlifeless المكارمnoble deeds والندىand bounty والجودِand generosity
ميت المكارم والندى والجودِ
My father be ransom for his hand’s bounty, with which he revived
By my father of generosity, by his hand he revived
nobility, bounty, and generosity, once dead.
The dead virtues, grace, and generosity
فهوfor he الذيwho ماnot زالhas ceased يطرفgives choice gifts to راجياa hopeful petitioner
فهو الذي ما زال يطرف راجيا
يوماone day رجاهhoped in him بطارفwith newly acquired wealth وتليدِand inherited wealth
يوما رجاه بطارف وتليدِ
For he never ceases to give choice gifts to a hopeful petitioner
For he is the one who still hopes
who ever hoped in him—with wealth newly gained and inherited.
One day for hopes with pleasing and gentle ways
ولطالماand how often عذلوهthey reproached him فيfor بذلbestowing اللهىlavish gifts
ولطالما عذلوه في بذل اللهى
فلهاso he paid no heed عنto العذالthe reproachers والتفنيدِand censure
فلها عن العذال والتفنيدِ
And how often they reproached him for bestowing lavish gifts!
And he was blamed often for his selfless generosity
Yet he ignored the reproachers and their censure.
Yet he turned away from blame and refutation
وتراهand you see him مفقودlacking النظيرan equal لبذلهbecause of his giving
وتراه مفقود النظير لبذله
فيamong الناسthe people ماwhatever يحويhe possesses منof الموجودِavailable wealth
في الناس ما يحوي من الموجودِ
And you see him peerless, for he distributes
You see him matchless in his generosity to people
among the people whatever he possesses.
Containing all that exists of existence
هاميpouring forth المواهبgifts ليسdoes not يسكنdwell سيفهhis sword
هامي المواهب ليس يسكن سيفه
فيamid الروعbattle’s terror إلاexcept هامةthe head of الصنديدِthe valiant warrior
في الروع إلا هامة الصنديدِ
He showers gifts; his sword finds no resting place
Bold in his talents, his sword does not rest
amid battle’s terror save in a valiant warrior’s head.
In deterring the audacious accursed enemy
واريkindling الزّنادthe firesticks يبيتspends the night نجمthe star of قناتهhis lance
واري الزّناد يبيت نجم قناته
رجمناour missile لشيطانagainst the devil of الوغىwar المريدِrebellious
رجمنا لشيطان الوغى المريدِ
His firesticks blaze; the star of his lance spends the night
Protector of guidance and faith, O you whose door
as our missile against the rebellious devil of war.
Is where pilgrims alight or take rest
عضدsupporting arm of الهدىguidance والدينand faith ياO منone whose بابهhis gate
عضد الهدى والدين يا من بابه
ملقىa place for setting down رحالsaddles أوor مناخa campsite for وفودِdelegations
ملقى رحال أو مناخ وفودِ
Arm of guidance and faith, O you whose gate
O you who eclipse the light of full moons with a smile
is where saddles are set down or delegations make camp.
Radiant, gleaming through the dark misfortunes
ياO كاسفاeclipsing نورthe light of البدورthe full moons بغرَّةwith a bright brow
يا كاسفا نور البدور بغرَّة
غراءradiant تلمعgleaming فيamid الخطوبcalamities السودِdark
غراء تلمع في الخطوب السودِ
O you who eclipse the full moons’ light with a brow
To you, O brother of perfected glory and loftiness
radiant, gleaming amid dark calamities.
You who ascended above any likeness or match
لكyours ياO أخاbrother of المجدglory المؤَّثلdeep-rooted والعلىand eminence
لك يا أخا المجد المؤَّثل والعلى
ياO منyou who علاrose عنabove مشبهa counterpart ونديدِand an equal
يا من علا عن مشبه ونديدِ
Yours, O brother of deep-rooted glory and eminence—
Justice that the nation praises you for, struggling
O you who rise above any counterpart or peer—
And grace that relieves the toil of effort
عدلjustice تحوطبهyou safeguard with it بهwith it الرعيةthe subjects جاهداstriving diligently
عدل تحوطبه به الرعية جاهدا
وندىand bounty ينفسrelieves كربةthe distress of المجهودِthe hard-pressed
وندى ينفس كربة المجهودِ
is justice with which you diligently safeguard the subjects,
No, by Him who made you a dam of my breaches
and bounty that relieves the hard-pressed person’s distress.
And forbade the aim of villains against my poem
لاno والذيby Him who بنداكthrough your bounty سدmet مفاقريmy needs
لا والذي بنداك سد مفاقري
وأعزّand exalted عنabove قصدappealing to اللئامthe ignoble قصيديmy verse
وأعزّ عن قصد اللئام قصيدي
No, by Him who through your bounty met my needs
I will not stay a night save by you, how could I not
and raised my verse above appealing to the ignoble—
Quench my thirst by your streaming generosity
لاmay ... not بتI pass the night منتجعاseeking pasture سواكanyone but you وكيفand how لاnot
لا بت منتجعا سواك وكيف لا
أروىI drink my fill بسيبfrom the stream of عطائِكَyour gifts المورودِsought as a watering place
أروى بسيب عطائِكَ المورودِ
may I never pass a night seeking pasture from another; how could I not
For I have condemned life, then praised it
drink my fill from your gifts’ stream, to which seekers come?
Through Muhammad, the Sublime, the Exalted, the Praised
فلقدfor indeed ذممتI condemned العيشlife ثمthen حمدتهI praised it
فلقد ذممت العيش ثم حمدته
بمحمدthanks to Muhammad الساميlofty العلىin eminence المحمودِpraiseworthy
بمحمد السامي العلى المحمودِ
For I had condemned life, then came to praise it
In war a fierce lion, and imagine him
thanks to Muhammad, exalted in eminence and worthy of praise.
In peace kinder than a gentle gazelle
فيin الحربwar ليثa lion مخدرin his lair وتخالهand you would think him
في الحرب ليث مخدر وتخاله
فيin السلمpeace أحياmore bashful منthan فتاةa maiden رودِtender
في السلم أحيا من فتاة رودِ
In war, a lion in his lair; yet you would think him
O son of the noble ancestry, you have conquered the world
in peace more bashful than a tender maiden.
With fathers, and forefathers, and ancestors
ياO ابنson of الرفيلal-Rafil القيلthe prince قدindeed فتyou surpassed الورىmankind
يا ابن الرفيل القيل قد فت الورى
بآباءthrough forefathers آباءunbowed وجدand the good fortune of جدودِgrandsires
بآباء آباء وجد جدودِ
O son of al-Rafil, prince, you have surpassed mankind
Say that you are unique in your generosity
through unbowed forefathers and the good fortune of grandsires.
Like my words professing oneness and justice
قوليmy declaration بأنكthat you are واحدunique فيin جودهhis generosity
قولي بأنك واحد في جوده
كمقالتيlike my profession فيof العدلjustice والتوحيدِand divine unity
كمقالتي في العدل والتوحيدِ
My declaration that you are unique in generosity
By God you are a thankful favor
is like my profession of justice and divine unity.
You have never ceased to be generous to me
للهto God أنتyou ومنةand a favor مشكورةdeserving thanks
لله أنت ومنة مشكورة
لكof yours لمhas not تزلceased جوالةcircling فيaround جيديmy neck
لك لم تزل جوالة في جيدي
God bless you! And a favor deserving thanks,
You still attain what you seek
bestowed by you, has always circled my neck.
Despite the envy and malice of haters
لاmay ... not زلتyou cease تدركyou attain ماwhat ترومyou seek منof المنىwishes
لا زلت تدرك ما تروم من المنى
أبداforever برغمdespite معاندan obstinate opponent وحسودِand an envier
أبدا برغم معاند وحسودِ
May you never cease attaining the wishes you seek,
And greetings, O best of creation, living prosperously
forever, despite every opponent and envier.
With safety that remains and eternal permanence
وسلمتand may you be safe ياO خيرbest of الورىmankind مستسعداfinding happiness
وسلمت يا خير الورى مستسعدا
بسلامةwith well-being تبقىthat endures وطولand length of خلودِeverlasting life
بسلامة تبقى وطول خلودِ
And may you be safe, O best of mankind, finding happiness
in lasting well-being and everlasting life.
Partial English translation: 40 of 42 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1