أَباO father of العَبّاسِal-Abbas بَرَّزتَyou surpassed عَلىover قَومِpeople
أَبا العَبّاسِ بَرَّزتَ عَلى قَومِ
كَyour آداباًrefinement وَأَخلاقاًand character وَتَبريزاand distinction
كَ آداباً وَأَخلاقاً وَتَبريزا
O Abu al-Abbas, you have surpassed your people
O Abul Abbaas, you have excelled over people
in refinement, character, and distinction.
In manners, morals and distinction
فَلَوfor if صُوِّرتَyou were fashioned مِنfrom شَيءٍanything سِوىother than الناسِhumankind
فَلَو صُوِّرتَ مِن شَيءٍ سِوى الناسِ
إِذاًthen كُنتَyou would have been مِنَof العِقيانِpure gold إِبريزاunalloyed gold
إِذاً كُنتَ مِنَ العِقيانِ إِبريزا
For had you been fashioned from anything other than humankind,
If you were made of anything other than human
you would then have been pure, unalloyed gold.
You would have been of solid gold
وَلمand not يُعلِكَexalt you إِلّاexcept كَرَمُnobility of النَفسِthe soul
وَلم يُعلِكَ إِلّا كَرَمُ النَفسِ
بَلىyes indeed فَإِزدَدتَand so you gained بِالمُعتَزِّthrough al-Mu'tazz تَعزيزاstrengthening
بَلى فَإِزدَدتَ بِالمُعتَزِّ تَعزيزا
And nothing exalted you but nobility of soul;
And nothing raised you except your noble soul
yes, and through al-Mu'tazz you gained further strength.
Yes, you became greater due to your dignity
فَأَنتَfor you are الغَيثُthe rain إِذwhen يَسجُمُit pours وَاللَيثُand the lion
فَأَنتَ الغَيثُ إِذ يَسجُمُ وَاللَيثُ
إِذاwhen يُقدِمُit charges وَالصارِمُand the keen sword مَهزوزاbrandished
إِذا يُقدِمُ وَالصارِمُ مَهزوزا
For you are the rain when it pours, and the lion
So you are rain when it pours, and a lion
when it charges, and the keen sword when brandished.
When it attacks, and a sharp sword
فَأَمّاand as for حَلبَةُthe racecourse الشِعرِof poetry فَتَستَوليso you take possession
فَأَمّا حَلبَةُ الشِعرِ فَتَستَولي
عَلىof السَبقِfirst place بِهاin it فَرضاًas your due وَتَميِيزاand by distinction
عَلى السَبقِ بِها فَرضاً وَتَميِيزا
As for poetry's racecourse, you seize
As for the field of poetry, you master it
first place there, as your due and by distinction,
Naturally, with distinction
بِإِحكامِby perfecting مَبانيهِits structures وَإِبداعِand devising
بِإِحكامِ مَبانيهِ وَإِبداعِ
مَعانيهِits meanings وَلاand not يوجَدُis found مَغموزاflawed
مَعانيهِ وَلا يوجَدُ مَغموزا
by perfecting its structures and devising
With solid structure, and creativity
its meanings; no fault is found in it.
Of meaning - nothing convoluted
وَإِنand if جَنَّستَyou use wordplay لَمdid not تَستَكرِهِyou force القَولَthe wording
وَإِن جَنَّستَ لَم تَستَكرِهِ القَولَ
وَإِنand if طابَقتَهُyou use antithesis in it طَرَّزتَyou embroider تَطريزاembroidery
وَإِن طابَقتَهُ طَرَّزتَ تَطريزا
And if you use wordplay, you do not force the wording;
If you use metaphor, you don't dislike the words
and if you set it in antithesis, you richly embroider it.
If you match them, you embroider an embroidery
مَدىًa reach مَنwhoever رامَهُseeks it غَيرَكَother than you أَنضاهُit exhausts him
مَدىً مَن رامَهُ غَيرَكَ أَنضاهُ
وَأَبدىand exposes مِنهُin him تَقصيراًshortcoming وَتَعجيزاand incapacity
وَأَبدى مِنهُ تَقصيراً وَتَعجيزا
A reach that exhausts anyone else who seeks it,
None who covet it reach your level
and exposes his shortcomings and incapacity.
All fall short and fail
فَأَمّاand as for دافِعواthose denying فَضلِكَyour excellence بِالظُلمِunjustly
فَأَمّا دافِعوا فَضلِكَ بِالظُلمِ
فَجَوَّزناso we allowed عَلَيهِمfor them ذاكَthat تَجويزاpermission
فَجَوَّزنا عَلَيهِم ذاكَ تَجويزا
As for those who unjustly deny your excellence,
As for those who reject your superiority unjustly
we have indeed allowed them that.
We allow that, such allowance
Sol 6.1