كتابُ عبدٍ إلى مَولاهُ يَعتَذِرُ

كتابُ عبدٍ إلى مَولاهُ يَعتَذِرُ

ذي خَجلةٍ قَلْبُه مِمّا جنَى حَذِرُ

ذي خَجلةٍ قَلْبُه مِمّا جنَى حَذِرُ

A servant's letter to his lord, offering an apology,

A servant's letter to his Master expressing remorse

ashamed, his heart fearful of what he has done.

His heart is filled with shame for the wrongs he has done, so he is cautious

فإنْ غدا وله في قَلْبِه أثَرٌ

فإنْ غدا وله في قَلْبِه أثَرٌ

لم يَبْقَ للعَبْدِ لا عَيْنٌ ولا أثَر

لم يَبْقَ للعَبْدِ لا عَيْنٌ ولا أثَر

For if he comes to bear a trace of it in his heart,

If tomorrow he still feels remorse in his heart

neither the servant's person nor any trace of him will remain.

The servant will have neither eye nor trace left

وإنْ غدا قابِلاً أعذارَهُ كرماً

وإنْ غدا قابِلاً أعذارَهُ كرماً

فلا يَزالُ على الأكفاء يَفْتَخِر

فلا يَزالُ على الأكفاء يَفْتَخِر

But if he graciously accepts his excuses,

But if tomorrow he accepts his excuses generously

the servant will forever glory over his equals.

He will continue to pride himself on being equal to the noble

هل غافِرٌ أنت تَقْصيراً عثَرْتُ به

هل غافِرٌ أنت تَقْصيراً عثَرْتُ به

يا مَنْ بلُقياهُ ذَنْبُ الدّهرِ يُغتَفَر

يا مَنْ بلُقياهُ ذَنْبُ الدّهرِ يُغتَفَر

Will you forgive a failing in which I stumbled,

Are you a Forgiver? I stumbled into an error

O you, through meeting whom time's offense is forgiven?

O You whose encounter erases the sins of an epoch

ومَن بقُربيَ منه غُربتي وَطَنٌ

ومَن بقُربيَ منه غُربتي وَطَنٌ

ومَن مُقاميَ عنه نائياً سَفَر

ومَن مُقاميَ عنه نائياً سَفَر

And you, near whom my exile is a homeland,

You who through nearness to You my exile becomes a homeland

and you, far from whom my settled life is a journey.

And whose distance from You is a journey

حَرمْتُ نَفْسيَ أعْلَى مَفْخَرٍ فغَدا

حَرمْتُ نَفْسيَ أعْلَى مَفْخَرٍ فغَدا

من الغبينةِ قلبي وهْو يَنْفَطِر

من الغبينةِ قلبي وهْو يَنْفَطِر

I denied myself the highest honor, and now

I deprived myself of the highest pride, so my heart became

my heart is breaking from the bitterness of loss.

Split open from foolishness and about to shatter

لكنْ تُعِلّلُ منّي النَفْسَ مَعرفتي

لكنْ تُعِلّلُ منّي النَفْسَ مَعرفتي

بأنّ عهدَ ولائي الدّهرَ مُدَّكَر

بأنّ عهدَ ولائي الدّهرَ مُدَّكَر

Yet my knowledge consoles my soul,

But my soul makes excuses for me because of my knowledge

that my pledge of loyalty is remembered through all time,

That my loyalty has endured time immemorially

وأنّني من ذُرا المَولَى صفاءَ هَوىً

وأنّني من ذُرا المَولَى صفاءَ هَوىً

أُدْنَى وإن غبْتُ من قومٍ وإنْ حَضَروا

أُدْنَى وإن غبْتُ من قومٍ وإنْ حَضَروا

and that, through pure affection, to my lord's heights

And that I am the most sincere to my Master in my love

I am nearer, though absent, than others, though present.

Though I was absent from a people even if they were present

يا مَن غدا شاغِلي عن فَضْلِ خدمتِه

يا مَن غدا شاغِلي عن فَضْلِ خدمتِه

بفَضْلِ نعمتِه والصّدْقُ يَشْتَهِر

بفَضْلِ نعمتِه والصّدْقُ يَشْتَهِر

O you who have kept me from the honor of serving you

O You whose favor distracted me from serving You well

by your abundant favors—and the truth is plain—

By the sincerity of Your blessing which is well known

أكثرتَ رِفْدِي فأكثَرتُ التّفكُّرَ في

أكثرتَ رِفْدِي فأكثَرتُ التّفكُّرَ في

إحرازِه وأخو التّحصيلِ يَفتكِر

إحرازِه وأخو التّحصيلِ يَفتكِر

you lavished gifts on me, so I thought much about

You increased my provision, so I thought more

securing them; one intent on gain must ponder.

About securing it, and the brother of acquisition ponders

وقيل إن لم تُبادِرْ قَلَّ حاصِلُه

وقيل إن لم تُبادِرْ قَلَّ حاصِلُه

وفُرصةُ الشَّيءِ تُرجَى حينَ تُبتَدَر

وفُرصةُ الشَّيءِ تُرجَى حينَ تُبتَدَر

And it was said: 'If you do not hurry, its yield dwindles;

It is said that if you do not take the initiative, little will be your gain

an opportunity holds promise when promptly seized.'

And seizing the opportunity is hoped for when it is undertaken

فمِن حَيائي ومن شَوقي إليك أرَى

فمِن حَيائي ومن شَوقي إليك أرَى

نارَيْنِ كلتاهما في القَلْبِ تَستَعِر

نارَيْنِ كلتاهما في القَلْبِ تَستَعِر

So from my shame and from my longing for you, I see

So from my shyness and yearning for You I see

two fires, both blazing in my heart.

Two fires both blazing in my heart

فلا تَظُنَّنَّ أنّي عنك مُصطَبِرٌ

فلا تَظُنَّنَّ أنّي عنك مُصطَبِرٌ

وإن رحَلْتَ فمالي عنك مُصطَبَر

وإن رحَلْتَ فمالي عنك مُصطَبَر

So never think that I can bear being away from you;

Do not think I can endure separation from You

even if you depart, I cannot endure your absence.

Even if You journey away, I have no patience without You

إن أصبحَتْ قُبلةُ التّوديعِ فائِتَتي

إن أصبحَتْ قُبلةُ التّوديعِ فائِتَتي

فَسَلْوتي أنّها للعَودِ تُدَّخَر

فَسَلْوتي أنّها للعَودِ تُدَّخَر

If the farewell kiss has passed me by,

If the kiss of farewell comes to bid me adieu

my consolation is that it is saved for your return.

My solace is that it is kept for the return

كأنّني بي وقد أعجلْتُ مُنصَرَفي

كأنّني بي وقد أعجلْتُ مُنصَرَفي

إلى ذُراكَ ولُطْفُ اللهِ مُنتظَر

إلى ذُراكَ ولُطْفُ اللهِ مُنتظَر

I can almost see myself, having hastened my return

It is as if I hastened my departure

to your heights, while God's grace is awaited.

To Your presence, and God's kindness is anticipated

وصدَّق اللهُ فأْلي في تَوجُّهِكُمْ

وصدَّق اللهُ فأْلي في تَوجُّهِكُمْ

وصدْقُ فأليَ للأصحاب مُخَتَبر

وصدْقُ فأليَ للأصحاب مُخَتَبر

And God fulfilled my good omen for your journey;

May God fulfill my hopes in your return

the truth of my augury has been tested among the companions.

And may the hopes of companions be tested sincere

وعُدْتَ أحسنَ عَوْدٍ عادَه أحَدٌ

وعُدْتَ أحسنَ عَوْدٍ عادَه أحَدٌ

من وِجهةٍ عَرضَتْ فاستبشَر البَشَر

من وِجهةٍ عَرضَتْ فاستبشَر البَشَر

And you made the finest return anyone ever made

You have returned in the best homecoming anyone returned

from a journey that arose, and humankind rejoiced.

From a journey, so the mortals rejoiced

وأقبلتْ رايةُ السّلطانِ طالعةً

وأقبلتْ رايةُ السّلطانِ طالعةً

والنَّصرُ في ظِلِّها يَختالُ والظّفَر

والنَّصرُ في ظِلِّها يَختالُ والظّفَر

And the sultan's banner advanced, rising,

The banner of the Sultan rose up

with victory and triumph strutting in its shade.

And victory parades in its shade and success

وزُرتُه قَلميَّ المشْي من طَرَبٍ

وزُرتُه قَلميَّ المشْي من طَرَبٍ

لمّا أتاني بهِ عن سَيْفِه الخَبَر

لمّا أتاني بهِ عن سَيْفِه الخَبَر

And I visited him, with a pen's gait, in delight,

My pen danced in rapture

when tidings of it reached me from his sword.

When it brought me news of his sword

وصغْتُ تَهنئةً بالفتحِ تَحسُدُها

وصغْتُ تَهنئةً بالفتحِ تَحسُدُها

من حُسْنِها في السماء الأنجمُ الزُّهُر

من حُسْنِها في السماء الأنجمُ الزُّهُر

And I composed congratulations on the victory, envied

I offered congratulations on the conquest, envied

for their beauty by the radiant stars in heaven.

In their beauty by the stars in the heavens, the flowers

ونِلْتُ منه نَوالاً لا يُشاكِلُه

ونِلْتُ منه نَوالاً لا يُشاكِلُه

إلاّ قِطارُ الغَوادي وهْي تَنْهَمِر

إلاّ قِطارُ الغَوادي وهْي تَنْهَمِر

And I received from him a bounty matched

I attained from him a bestowal unmatched

only by the drops of morning rainclouds pouring down.

Except by lines of rain pouring forth

ولن يَفوتَ غِنىً أنت الضّمينُ له

ولن يَفوتَ غِنىً أنت الضّمينُ له

وإنْ تَصدَّتْ ليالٍ دُونه أُخَر

وإنْ تَصدَّتْ ليالٍ دُونه أُخَر

No wealth you guarantee will elude me,

Wealth will not elude you, for you are its guarantor

though other nights should stand between me and it.

Even if other nights come before it

يا مُغْنِياً لي بآلاءٍ يُواصِلُها

يا مُغْنِياً لي بآلاءٍ يُواصِلُها

إنّي إليك وإن أغنَيْتَ مُفتَقِر

إنّي إليك وإن أغنَيْتَ مُفتَقِر

O you who enrich me with favors you bestow unceasingly,

O You who grace me with favors continuously

I still need you, though you have made me rich.

Though you enrich me, to You I am still poor

لي منك مَضْمونُ إدرارٍ إلى صِلَةٍ

لي منك مَضْمونُ إدرارٍ إلى صِلَةٍ

كُلٌّ له حين يُسْمَى عندهُمْ خَطَر

كُلٌّ له حين يُسْمَى عندهُمْ خَطَر

From you I have a guaranteed allowance along with a gift;

From You I am guaranteed a flow to connection

each carries weight among them when mentioned.

Each has its time when it is considered by them

فلو جَرى قَلَمُ المَولَى بتَوصيةٍ

فلو جَرى قَلَمُ المَولَى بتَوصيةٍ

في بعضِ كتْبٍ إلى النُّوّابِ يُستَطَر

في بعضِ كتْبٍ إلى النُّوّابِ يُستَطَر

If only my lord's pen would issue a recommendation

If the pen of the Master wrote a recommendation

in one of the letters being penned to the deputies,

In some books to the deputies to be referred to

كانتْ كعادةِ طَوْلٍ منه عَوَّدها

كانتْ كعادةِ طَوْلٍ منه عَوَّدها

وعادةُ الطَّولِ طُولَ الدَّهر تُدَّكر

وعادةُ الطَّولِ طُولَ الدَّهر تُدَّكر

it would be like the generosity he has made his custom;

It would be like His custom of generosity which He made habitual

and customary generosity is remembered for all time.

And the custom of generosity is remembered for all time

وَرْدُ الملوكِ كثيرُ الشّوكِ إن غفَلُوا

وَرْدُ الملوكِ كثيرُ الشّوكِ إن غفَلُوا

عن مُجتَنيهِ فأدْنى نَيْلِه عَسِر

عن مُجتَنيهِ فأدْنى نَيْلِه عَسِر

Kings' roses are thick with thorns if they neglect

The care of mighty kings, if they are heedless

their gatherer; then even the least gain is difficult.

Of their subjects, even the least of their care is difficult

وهْو الهنيءُ قِطافاً إن غدا كرماً

وهْو الهنيءُ قِطافاً إن غدا كرماً

لهم إلى المُجتَني من بُعْده النّظَر

لهم إلى المُجتَني من بُعْده النّظَر

Yet they are sweet to gather if, in generosity,

But He is gentle in gathering, so if He is generous to them

they turn their gaze to the gatherer, though he is far away.

He looks after the reaper from afar

يا واهبَ الألْفِ جُوداً وهو يَحقِرُها

يا واهبَ الألْفِ جُوداً وهو يَحقِرُها

والرفُدُ أعظَمُ قَدراً حين يُحتقَر

والرفُدُ أعظَمُ قَدراً حين يُحتقَر

O you who give a thousand generously, yet think it small,

O You who give thousands generously while deeming them paltry

a gift is greatest in worth when counted little.

For the provision is greater in value when it is belittled

بَقيِتَ للمُلكِ ألفاً في ظلالِ عُلاً

بَقيِتَ للمُلكِ ألفاً في ظلالِ عُلاً

ودولة لك لا تنتابُها الغِيَر

ودولة لك لا تنتابُها الغِيَر

May you endure for the kingdom a thousand years, in the shade of eminence

You remained for the realm thousands in the shade of high rank

and a dominion of yours that no reversals assail:

And a state for You which no other disputes

ألفاً إذا الدّهرُ أحصاها استقَلَّ كما

ألفاً إذا الدّهرُ أحصاها استقَلَّ كما

تَغْدو لنا واهباً ألفاً وتعتَذِر

تَغْدو لنا واهباً ألفاً وتعتَذِر

a thousand that time, when it counts them, deems too few, just as

Thousands, if fate enumerates them, are few, just as

you give us a thousand and still apologize.

You bestow thousands upon us and apologize

وبعدَ ألْفٍ أُلوفاً يَرتدِفْنَ كما

وبعدَ ألْفٍ أُلوفاً يَرتدِفْنَ كما

من جُودِ كفِّك تَتلو البِدرةَ البِدَر

من جُودِ كفِّك تَتلو البِدرةَ البِدَر

And after a thousand, thousands following one another, as

After one thousand, thousands follow in succession, like

from your generous hand one money-purse follows another.

The full moons that succeed the crescent from Your open palm

مُمتَّعاً ببَنيكَ الغُرِّ أوجهُهم

مُمتَّعاً ببَنيكَ الغُرِّ أوجهُهم

مثْلَ الكواكب يبدو وَسْطَها القَمَر

مثْلَ الكواكب يبدو وَسْطَها القَمَر

Enjoying your sons, whose radiant faces

Bringing joy to Your noble-faced children, their faces

are like stars, with the moon appearing in their midst,

Like stars with the moon in their midst

في ظلِّ مَن هو ظِلُّ اللهِ من شرفٍ

في ظلِّ مَن هو ظِلُّ اللهِ من شرفٍ

في أرضِه فهْو ظِلٌّ ليس ينحَسِر

في أرضِه فهْو ظِلٌّ ليس ينحَسِر

in the shade of him who, in his nobility, is God's shade

In the shade of Him who is God's shade in nobility

upon His earth—a shade that never recedes—

In His land, so He is a shade that does not diminish

مَلْكِ الملوكِ العظيمِ المُلك حين غدا

مَلْكِ الملوكِ العظيمِ المُلك حين غدا

منك الوزيرُ له في الدّهْرِ والوَزَر

منك الوزيرُ له في الدّهْرِ والوَزَر

the king of kings, mighty in dominion, now that

The kingdom of the greatest King, when You became

in you he has both minister and refuge in this age.

For Him in fate the minister, and the office

تَبقَى ويَبقَونَ في نَعماءَ عاكفةٍ

تَبقَى ويَبقَونَ في نَعماءَ عاكفةٍ

وعيشةٍ ما لكم من وِرْدِها صَدَر

وعيشةٍ ما لكم من وِرْدِها صَدَر

May you and they remain amid abiding bliss,

You remain, and they remain, focused on everlasting bounty

and a life from whose watering-place you never depart;

And a life for which your breasts lacked capacity

ومُشْبِهاً عيشَكم في الدّهرِ مُلكُكمُ

ومُشْبِهاً عيشَكم في الدّهرِ مُلكُكمُ

فلسَ يَعرضُ في صَفْويْهما كَدَر

فلسَ يَعرضُ في صَفْويْهما كَدَر

and may your dominion resemble your life through time,

Likening your life in fate to your kingdom

so no cloudiness disturbs the clarity of either.

No dissension ever occurs in their serenity

بكم حَوى الفخْرَ دَهْرٌ ضمَّ شملَكمُ

بكم حَوى الفخْرَ دَهْرٌ ضمَّ شملَكمُ

ما قيمةُ السِّلْكِ إن لم تُغْلِهِ الدُّرَر

ما قيمةُ السِّلْكِ إن لم تُغْلِهِ الدُّرَر

Through you, the age that gathered you together has won glory;

Through you fate contained pride when it gathered you together

what is a thread worth unless pearls make it precious?

What worth is lineage if it lacks pearls?