صَبر الفُؤاد عَلى فِعال الجافي

صَبر الفُؤاد عَلى فِعال الجافي

نَعم الكَفيل بِكُلِ أَمرٍ كافي

نَعم الكَفيل بِكُلِ أَمرٍ كافي

Steady the heart against the unkind one's deeds;

The heart showed patience in the face of the wrongdoer's deeds

yes, the Guarantor suffices in every matter.

What an excellent guarantor of every sufficient matter

فَاحمل عَلى النَفس الصِعاب مُؤملاً

فَاحمل عَلى النَفس الصِعاب مُؤملاً

مِن فَضل رَبِكَ واسعَ الأَلطافِ

مِن فَضل رَبِكَ واسعَ الأَلطافِ

So lay hardships upon the soul, hoping

So carry hardship upon the self hopefully

for abundant kindness from your Lord's bounty.

From the overflowing grace of your Lord

أَولَستَ مِن قَوم إِذ ذُكِرَ العُلى

أَولَستَ مِن قَوم إِذ ذُكِرَ العُلى

كانوا لَهُ مِن أَشرَف الأَحلاف

كانوا لَهُ مِن أَشرَف الأَحلاف

And are you not of a people who, when eminence was named,

Are you not from a people who, when the Exalted was mentioned

were among its noblest allies?

Were for Him the noblest of alliances?

شادوا الماجد وَالقُصور فَهَذِهِ

شادوا الماجد وَالقُصور فَهَذِهِ

لِلعابِدينَ وَتِلكَ لِلأَضيافِ

لِلعابِدينَ وَتِلكَ لِلأَضيافِ

They built [mosques] and palaces: these

They built glorious and lofty palaces, these

are for worshippers, and those for guests.

For the worshipers, and those for the guests

لَيسَ الزَمان بِمُنقَص قَدري وَإِن

لَيسَ الزَمان بِمُنقَص قَدري وَإِن

عَزَ النَصير بِهِ عَلى إِسعافي

عَزَ النَصير بِهِ عَلى إِسعافي

Time does not diminish my standing, even if

Time does not detract from my worth, though

a helper to come to my aid is scarce within it.

Help for me has become scarce in providing support

إِني وَإِن كُنت القَليل ثَراؤُهُ

إِني وَإِن كُنت القَليل ثَراؤُهُ

لَستَ المُقَصر عَن نَدى أَسلافي

لَستَ المُقَصر عَن نَدى أَسلافي

Indeed, even if I possess little wealth,

And even if my wealth is little

I do not fall short of my forebears' generosity.

I do not fall short of the bounty of my ancestors

كانَ الزَمانُ لَهُم مُطيعاً خاضِعاً

كانَ الزَمانُ لَهُم مُطيعاً خاضِعاً

وَأراهُ مُنتَصِباً لِفعل خلاف

وَأراهُ مُنتَصِباً لِفعل خلاف

Time was obedient and submissive to them,

Time used to be obedient and submissive to them

yet I see it poised to do the opposite.

Yet I see it upright in the act of opposition

لَم تَبقَ لي الأَيام إِلا مَن لَهُ

لَم تَبقَ لي الأَيام إِلا مَن لَهُ

أَسعى بِخَير وَهُوَ في أَتلافي

أَسعى بِخَير وَهُوَ في أَتلافي

The days have left me none but one for whom

No days remain for me except those of one who

I strive for good, while he works for my ruin,

I strive with good while he is bent on ruining me

أَو مُحرِقاً كَبدي هَجير عِتابِهِ

أَو مُحرِقاً كَبدي هَجير عِتابِهِ

وَعَلَيهِ مِن نَعمايَ ظلٌّ ضافي

وَعَلَيهِ مِن نَعمايَ ظلٌّ ضافي

or one whose reproach's scorching heat burns my liver,

Or one searing my liver with his bitter reproach

while ample shade from my favors spreads over him.

While I shade him with my bounties

أَو لَيسَ مَن أَدهى الأُمور تَخلفي

أَو لَيسَ مَن أَدهى الأُمور تَخلفي

عَن مَجلس المَولى بِغَير خِلافِ

عَن مَجلس المَولى بِغَير خِلافِ

Or is it not among the gravest things that I am absent

Or is not one of the most dreadful matters my neglect

from my lord's gathering, without any dispute?

Of the assembly of the Master without dissent?

أَقضى قُضاة المُسلِمين وَقامع ال

أَقضى قُضاة المُسلِمين وَقامع ال

قَوم البُغاة بِصارم الإِنصافِ

قَوم البُغاة بِصارم الإِنصافِ

Foremost among the Muslim judges, and subduer of the

I execute the judgments of the Muslims and subdue

rebellious people with the keen blade of equity;

The rebellious people with the sword of justice

كَشاف أَسرار البَلاغة مَن غَدا

كَشاف أَسرار البَلاغة مَن غَدا

لِلناس مِن داءِ الجَهالة شافي

لِلناس مِن داءِ الجَهالة شافي

revealer of eloquence's secrets, who has become

Unveiler of the mysteries of eloquence, one who became

a healer of people's disease of ignorance;

A healer for the people from the disease of ignorance

بَحر العُلوم الزاخر الطود الَّذي

بَحر العُلوم الزاخر الطود الَّذي

أَمنَت دمشق بِهِ مِن الأَرجاف

أَمنَت دمشق بِهِ مِن الأَرجاف

the surging sea of learning, the mountain through whom

Ocean of sciences, lofty mountain that

Damascus is secure from turmoil;

Damascus was kept safe by him from tremors

مَن لَيسَ تُبلغ بَعضَ أَيسَرِ مَدحِهِ

مَن لَيسَ تُبلغ بَعضَ أَيسَرِ مَدحِهِ

إٍن أَسهَبَت أَو أُطنِبَت أَوصافي

إٍن أَسهَبَت أَو أُطنِبَت أَوصافي

one whose slightest praise my descriptions cannot reach even in part,

No one can convey even a small part of his praise

however expansive or elaborate they may be.

If my descriptions should be prolix, ample or concise

شَمس الوجود أَبو الوفود معود

شَمس الوجود أَبو الوفود معود

بِالجود رحب الصُدر وَالأَكناف

بِالجود رحب الصُدر وَالأَكناف

The sun of existence, Abu al-Wufud, accustomed

Sun of existence, Abu al-Wufud, accustomed

to generosity, broad of breast and ample in shelter.

To generosity, vast of breast and horizons

هُوَ كَعبة المَعروف أَضحى قاصِداً

هُوَ كَعبة المَعروف أَضحى قاصِداً

بِالسَعي كَعبة رَبِهِ لِطَواف

بِالسَعي كَعبة رَبِهِ لِطَواف

He is the Kaaba of kindness, now heading

He is the Kaaba of benevolence, now striving

on a journey to his Lord's Kaaba for circumambulation.

To circuit the Kaaba of his Lord on pilgrimage

اللَهُ جَل جَلالَهُ عَن خُلقِهِ

اللَهُ جَل جَلالَهُ عَن خُلقِهِ

لِجَنابِهِ بِاللَطف مِنهُ يُكافي

لِجَنابِهِ بِاللَطف مِنهُ يُكافي

God—exalted be His majesty—for his character,

May Allah - Glorified be His Majesty - reward him

rewards his noble person with His own kindness.

For his nature with kindness from Himself

مَولايَ شَعبان المُعَظم قَدرَهُ

مَولايَ شَعبان المُعَظم قَدرَهُ

أَنتَ الرَجاءُ لِكُل راج عافي

أَنتَ الرَجاءُ لِكُل راج عافي

My lord Sha'ban, whose rank is exalted,

My lord Sha'ban, exalted is his rank

you are the hope of every hopeful seeker of bounty.

You are the hope for every petitioner seeking wellbeing

عُذراً لِعَبدٍ لَيسَ يَبلَغ بَعض ما

عُذراً لِعَبدٍ لَيسَ يَبلَغ بَعض ما

هَوُ واجب مِن حَقِ قَدرِكَ وافي

هَوُ واجب مِن حَقِ قَدرِكَ وافي

Pardon a servant who cannot fulfill even part of what

Excuse a servant who cannot attain even part

is fully owed in honor of your standing.

Of what is due of your right, fully realized

وَيَرى صِفاتك في النِظام قَد اِغتَدَت

وَيَرى صِفاتك في النِظام قَد اِغتَدَت

بَينَ الوَرى كَالدُر في الأَصداف

بَينَ الوَرى كَالدُر في الأَصداف

And he sees your qualities, set in verse, have become

And sees your attributes in the order that have become

among mankind like pearls within their shells.

Among mankind like pearls in oyster shells

إِن المَقال لَحال مَن هُوَ مُوَثق

إِن المَقال لَحال مَن هُوَ مُوَثق

بِعِقال أَرجاف الزَمان مُنافي

بِعِقال أَرجاف الزَمان مُنافي

Indeed, speech ill suits the state of one bound

Verily speech is unbecoming for one who is fettered

by the fetters of time's upheavals.

By the shackles of the era's thighs, incompatible

لَكنما الوَرقاءُ أَصدَح ما تَرى

لَكنما الوَرقاءُ أَصدَح ما تَرى

عِندَ اِفتِقاد الرَوض وَالآلاف

عِندَ اِفتِقاد الرَوض وَالآلاف

Yet the ringdove sings most loudly, as you see,

Rather, the foliage is more eloquent when you observe

when deprived of its garden and companions.

The garden and the flowers being visited

وَأَنا الَّذي لَكَ ما حييت لِسانُهُ

وَأَنا الَّذي لَكَ ما حييت لِسانُهُ

رَطب بِأَنواع الثَناءِ مُوافي

رَطب بِأَنواع الثَناءِ مُوافي

And I am one whose tongue, for you, as long as I live,

And I am one whose tongue, as long as I live

is moist with all kinds of praise, ever offering it.

Will remain juicy with all kinds of praise for you

أَبقاكَ رَبك لِلعِباد فَلَم تَزَل

أَبقاكَ رَبك لِلعِباد فَلَم تَزَل

لِتلافهم بيد النَدى مُتَلافي

لِتلافهم بيد النَدى مُتَلافي

May your Lord preserve you for His servants; may you ever remain

May your Lord keep you for the servants, so you remain

remedying their ruin with the hand of generosity.

Clasping them in the hand of bounty affectionately

وَأَسلم عَلى مَر الدُهور مُلاحِظاً

وَأَسلم عَلى مَر الدُهور مُلاحِظاً

بِالعَون وَالإِسعاد وَالإِسعاف

بِالعَون وَالإِسعاد وَالإِسعاف

And remain safe through the passing ages, watched over

And through the long ages checking on

with aid, good fortune, and succor.

Support, prosperity and aid