أَمَولايَO my master مِنfrom دونto the exclusion of الأَنامmankind وَسَيديand my lord
أَمَولايَ مِن دون الأَنام وَسَيدي
بِمَدحكthrough your praise قَدindeed بَلغتَنيyou have brought me to كُلevery سوددeminence
بِمَدحك قَد بَلغتَني كُل سودد
O my master above all humankind, my lord,
O my master, beyond all mankind, and my lord,
Through praising you, you have brought me to every height of glory.
Through your praise, you have raised me to every eminence.
بَعَثتُI sent بِأَبياتwith verses كَأَنas though عُقودَهاtheir necklaces
بَعَثتُ بِأَبيات كَأَن عُقودَها
منضدةstrung in order مِنfrom لُؤلؤٍpearls وَزَبَرجَدand chrysolite
منضدة مِن لُؤلؤٍ وَزَبَرجَد
I have sent verses whose strands seem
I sent verses whose necklaces seem
Carefully strung with pearls and chrysolite.
Strung with pearls and chrysolite.
أَمتعI delight طَرفيmy eye فيin سُطورlines كَأَنَّهاas though they
أَمتع طَرفي في سُطور كَأَنَّها
مباديthe beginnings of عذارsideburns فَوقَupon خَدa cheek موردrose-tinted
مبادي عذار فَوقَ خَد مورد
I delight my gaze in written lines that seem
I delight my eye in lines that seem
Like the first beard-down upon a rosy cheek—
The first growth of sideburns upon a rose-tinted cheek.
سُطورlines إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle رُمتI seek قَتلto kill حَواسِديmy enviers
سُطور إِذا ما رُمت قَتل حَواسِدي
أَجردI unsheathe مِنهاfrom them كُلevery عَضبkeen blade مُهندIndian-made
أَجرد مِنها كُل عَضب مُهند
Lines from which, if I seek to slay my enviers,
Lines: whenever I seek to slay my enviers,
I draw every keen, Indian-forged blade.
I unsheathe from them every keen Indian sword.
تَكلفنيyou charge me with رَدreturning الجَوابthe reply وَإِنَّنيand indeed I
تَكلفني رَد الجَواب وَإِنَّني
أَبيتI spend the night بِفكرwith a mind مِنby الزَمانtime مُشَرَّدscattered
أَبيت بِفكر مِن الزَمان مُشَرَّد
You task me with returning an answer, though I
You charge me with a reply, yet I
Spend the night with a mind left scattered by time.
Spend the night with a mind scattered by time.
وَلَيسَand does not يَجيدexcel at النَظمversification مَنطقthe speech of عاجزa helpless man
وَلَيسَ يَجيد النَظم مَنطق عاجز
ضَئيلfrail عَلىupon فَرشbeds السُهادsleeplessness موسدpillowed
ضَئيل عَلى فَرش السُهاد موسد
Nor can the tongue of a powerless man fashion verse well—
Nor can a helpless man's speech excel in verse—
A frail man, pillowed on sleeplessness’s bed.
A frail man, pillowed on the beds of sleeplessness.
يُمريهِdrains him العُمرlife الطَويلlong مضيعاًsquandered
يُمريهِ العُمر الطَويل مضيعاً
عَلىdespite الكُرهreluctance مِنهُon his part بَينَbetween واشٍa slanderer وَحَسَدand envy
عَلى الكُره مِنهُ بَينَ واشٍ وَحَسَد
Long life wrings him dry, leaving him wasted
Long life drains him, squandered
Against his will, caught between a slanderer and envy.
Against his will between a slanderer and envy.
فَعُذراًso pardon me أَخاbrother of العَلياءloftiness قَلَّتhave dwindled عَزائِميmy resolves
فَعُذراً أَخا العَلياء قَلَّت عَزائِمي
وَقَدand indeed كُنتُI was كَالسَيفlike the sword الصَقيلpolished المُجَرَدunsheathed
وَقَد كُنتُ كَالسَيف الصَقيل المُجَرَد
So pardon me, O brother of lofty glory: my resolve has waned,
So pardon me, brother of loftiness: my resolve has waned,
Though once I was like a burnished, unsheathed sword.
Though once I was like a polished, unsheathed sword.
فَإِنَّكfor indeed you are أَهلa man of الصفحforbearance وَالعَفوand pardon وَالرِضىand goodwill
فَإِنَّك أَهل الصفح وَالعَفو وَالرِضى
وَإِنَّكَand indeed you are مِنfrom نسلthe lineage of النَبيthe Prophet مُحَمَدMuhammad
وَإِنَّكَ مِن نسل النَبي مُحَمَد
For you are a man of forbearance, pardon, and gracious favor,
For you are a man of forbearance, pardon, and goodwill,
And you descend from the Prophet Muhammad—
And you descend from the Prophet Muhammad.
أَعزmost exalted بَنيsons of الدُنياthe world وَأَشرَفand noblest مَنthose who سَماrose
أَعز بَني الدُنيا وَأَشرَف مَن سَما
إِلىto الرُتبةthe rank العُلياhighest بِغَيرwithout تَرَدُدhesitation
إِلى الرُتبة العُليا بِغَير تَرَدُد
The mightiest of this world’s sons, the noblest ever to rise
The most exalted of the world's sons, and the noblest of those who rose
To the highest rank, without hesitation.
To the highest rank without hesitation.
صَغيرyoung إِذاwhen عدَّتare counted سنيُّthe years of زَمانِهِhis life
صَغير إِذا عدَّت سنيُّ زَمانِهِ
كَبيرgreat بِهِby his example أَشياخناour elders الغُرillustrious تَقتَديfollow
كَبير بِهِ أَشياخنا الغُر تَقتَدي
Young, when the years of his lifetime are counted;
Young, when the years of his life are counted,
Yet great—our illustrious elders follow his lead.
Great—our illustrious elders follow his example.
تَملكhe has acquired رقthe servitude of الحَمدpraise وَالشُكرand thanks وَالثَناand acclaim
تَملك رق الحَمد وَالشُكر وَالثَنا
بِكَفwith a hand عَلىto فعلdoing الجَميلgood مَعودaccustomed
بِكَف عَلى فعل الجَميل مَعود
He has won the fealty of praise, gratitude, and acclaim
He has taken praise, thanks, and acclaim into bondage,
From everyone accustomed to doing noble deeds.
With a hand accustomed to doing good.
فَلاso may he never زالَcease to be عَيناًan eye لِلزَمانfor the age وَأَهلَهُand its people
فَلا زالَ عَيناً لِلزَمان وَأَهلَهُ
يُجررhe trails ذَيلthe train of الفَخرpride فيat كُلِevery مَشهَدgathering
يُجرر ذَيل الفَخر في كُلِ مَشهَد
May he ever remain the foremost ornament of his age and its people,
So may he ever remain an eye for the age and its people,
Trailing glory’s train at every gathering.
Trailing the train of pride at every gathering.
Sol 6.1