ما المالُ إِلّا ما أَفادَ ثَناءَ

ما المالُ إِلّا ما أَفادَ ثَناءَ

ما العِزُّ إِلّا ماثَنى الأَعداءَ

ما العِزُّ إِلّا ماثَنى الأَعداءَ

Wealth is only what earns praise.

Wealth is naught but what spreads praise,

Might is only what turns enemies back.

Honor naught but what humbles foes.

شَحَّت عَلى الدُنيا المُلوكُ وَعافَها

شَحَّت عَلى الدُنيا المُلوكُ وَعافَها

مَن لَم يُطِع في حِفظِها الأَهواءَ

مَن لَم يُطِع في حِفظِها الأَهواءَ

Kings clung greedily to worldly wealth, but it was spurned

Kings are stingy with this world yet it spurns them;

By one who would not heed his passions in preserving it.

He who obeys not his whims shall guard it close.

باعَ الَّذي يَفنى بِما أَبقى لَهُ

باعَ الَّذي يَفنى بِما أَبقى لَهُ

ذِكراً إِذا دَجَتِ الخُطوبُ أَضاءَ

ذِكراً إِذا دَجَتِ الخُطوبُ أَضاءَ

He traded what perishes for what secured him

He who sells transient for lasting

Renown that shines when calamities grow dark.

Has light when darkness grows gross.

فَليَهنِ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ الشَرفُ الَّذي

فَليَهنِ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ الشَرفُ الَّذي

لَو كانَ مَرئِيّاً لَكانَ سَماءَ

لَو كانَ مَرئِيّاً لَكانَ سَماءَ

So may Sayf al-Dawla be gladdened by the honor that,

Let the sword of state make cheap

Were it visible, would be a sky;

A honor which, seen, were the sky.

وَطَهارَةُ الخُلُقِ الَّذي لَو لَم يَكُن

وَطَهارَةُ الخُلُقِ الَّذي لَو لَم يَكُن

عَرَضاً مِنَ الأَعراضِ كانَ الماءَ

عَرَضاً مِنَ الأَعراضِ كانَ الماءَ

And by purity of character that, were it not

A pure soul were it not

An attribute among attributes, would be water;

An attribute had been water.

وَرَجاحَةُ الحُلمِ الَّذي لَو حَلَّ بِال

وَرَجاحَةُ الحُلمِ الَّذي لَو حَلَّ بِال

هَضَباتِ مِن رَضوى ثَناهُ هَباءَ

هَضَباتِ مِن رَضوى ثَناهُ هَباءَ

And by the weight of forbearance that, if it settled on the

And calm wisdom, did it weigh down

Heights of Radwa, would turn it to dust.

Plateaus of bliss, would be vapor.

بَدرٌ تَحَقَّقَتِ البُدورُ بِأَنَّها

بَدرٌ تَحَقَّقَتِ البُدورُ بِأَنَّها

لَيسَت وَإِن كَمُلَت لَهُ أَكفاءَ

لَيسَت وَإِن كَمُلَت لَهُ أَكفاءَ

A full moon: the full moons have ascertained that they

A moon whose fullness moons confirm

Are not his equals, even when full.

That though complete they are not its peers.

أَلقى إِلَيهِ الدَهرُ صَعبَ قِيادِهِ

أَلقى إِلَيهِ الدَهرُ صَعبَ قِيادِهِ

فَاِستَخدَمَ الأَيّامَ فيما اِستاءَ

فَاِستَخدَمَ الأَيّامَ فيما اِستاءَ

Time handed him its unruly reins,

Fate gave its harsh lead to him

So he put the days to work in what distressed him.

So he harnessed days to his fears.

أَمحَقِقِّ الآمالَ بِالكَرَمِ الَّذي

أَمحَقِقِّ الآمالَ بِالكَرَمِ الَّذي

أَحيا العُفاةَ وَبَخَّلَ الكُرَماءَ

أَحيا العُفاةَ وَبَخَّلَ الكُرَماءَ

O fulfiller of hopes through the generosity that

He with kindness made hopes real

Revived those seeking gifts and made the generous seem miserly!

And brought life to paupers, while generous were mean.

شَكَرَ الإِلهُ مِن أَهتِمامكَ بِالهُدى

شَكَرَ الإِلهُ مِن أَهتِمامكَ بِالهُدى

ما زادَ باهِرَ نورِهِ اِستِعلاءَ

ما زادَ باهِرَ نورِهِ اِستِعلاءَ

May God reward that part of your care for guidance

God thanked your heed to guidance

That raised its dazzling light still higher.

Which made its brilliant light more keen,

راعِيتَهُ وِسِواكَ في سَنَةِ الهَوى

راعِيتَهُ وِسِواكَ في سَنَةِ الهَوى

ما ذادَ عَنهُ لِسَيفِكَ الأَعداءَ

ما ذادَ عَنهُ لِسَيفِكَ الأَعداءَ

You tended it while others lay in passion's slumber;

Guarded it, and none but you

They did not drive the enemies away from it for your sword.

In passion’s year warded foes off it clean.

وَفَدَيتَ مِن أَسرِ العَدُوِّ مَعاشِراً

وَفَدَيتَ مِن أَسرِ العَدُوِّ مَعاشِراً

لَولاكَ ما عَرَفوا الزَمانَ فِداءَ

لَولاكَ ما عَرَفوا الزَمانَ فِداءَ

And you ransomed people from the enemy's captivity;

You ransomed many a soul from the enemy’s shackles;

But for you, they would never have known ransom.

Without you they’d not known an age’s redemption.

كانوا عَبيدَ نَداكَ ثُمَّ شَرَيتَهُم

كانوا عَبيدَ نَداكَ ثُمَّ شَرَيتَهُم

فَغَدوا عَبيدِكَ نِعمَةً وَشِراءَ

فَغَدوا عَبيدِكَ نِعمَةً وَشِراءَ

They were slaves to your bounty; then you bought them,

Once your gift then your property,

So they became your slaves through favor and purchase.

Now your blessing and purchase redeemed.

وَالأَسرُ إِحدى المَيتَتَينِ وَطالَما

وَالأَسرُ إِحدى المَيتَتَينِ وَطالَما

خَلَدوا بِهِ فَأَعدَتهُم أَحياءَ

خَلَدوا بِهِ فَأَعدَتهُم أَحياءَ

And captivity is one of the two deaths; long had they

Captivity is one of two deaths, yet

Remained in it, before you brought them back alive.

Often in it they lived again.

وَضَمِنتَ نَفسَ أَبي فِراسٍ لِلعُلا

وَضَمِنتَ نَفسَ أَبي فِراسٍ لِلعُلا

إِذ مِنهُ أَصبحَت النُفوسُ بَراءَ

إِذ مِنهُ أَصبحَت النُفوسُ بَراءَ

And you safeguarded Abu Firas's life for glory,

You guaranteed the soul of Abu Firas glory

When other souls had given him up.

When through him souls were made pure.

ما كانَ إِلّا البَدرُ طالَ سَرارُهُ

ما كانَ إِلّا البَدرُ طالَ سَرارُهُ

ثُمَّ اِنجَلى وَقَد اِستَتَمَّ بِهاءَ

ثُمَّ اِنجَلى وَقَد اِستَتَمَّ بِهاءَ

He was but the full moon, whose concealment lasted long;

None but the moon whose unveiling was long

Then he appeared, his splendor now complete.

Then shone, made perfect in its fullness.

يَومٌ غَذا فيهِ سَماحُكَ يَعتِقُ ال

يَومٌ غَذا فيهِ سَماحُكَ يَعتِقُ ال

أَسرى وَمَنَّكَ يَأسُرُ الأُمراءَ

أَسرى وَمَنَّكَ يَأسُرُ الأُمراءَ

A day when your generosity gave sustenance, freeing the

A day when your bounty frees prisoners

Captives, while your favor took princes captive.

While your favors imprison lords.

خُصَّت بَنو حَمدانُ مِنهُ بِنِعمَةٍ

خُصَّت بَنو حَمدانُ مِنهُ بِنِعمَةٍ

عَمَّت بِفَضلِكَ تَغلبَ الغَلباءَ

عَمَّت بِفَضلِكَ تَغلبَ الغَلباءَ

Banu Hamdan received from it a special blessing

Benefiting Hamdan’s sons with a grace

That, through your bounty, embraced mighty Taghlib.

That by your kindness defeated all conquerors.