أَأَخَافُshould I fear صَرْفَthe vicissitudes of الدَّهْرِTime أَمْor حَدَثَانِهِits calamities
أَأَخَافُ صَرْفَ الدَّهْرِ أَمْ حَدَثَانِهِ
وَالدَّهْرُand Time لِلْمَنْصورِfor al-Mansur بَعْضُone of عَبِيدِهِhis slaves
وَالدَّهْرُ لِلْمَنْصورِ بَعْضُ عَبِيدِهِ
Should I fear Time's vicissitudes or its calamities,
when Time is but one of al-Mansur's slaves?
مَلِكٌa king نَدَاهُhis bounty فَكَّنِيfreed me وَانْتَاشَنِيand rescued me
مَلِكٌ نَدَاهُ فَكَّنِي وَانْتَاشَنِي
مِنْfrom مِخْلَبيْهِits two claws وَمِنْand from أَسَارِthe bondage of قُيُودِهِits fetters
مِنْ مِخْلَبيْهِ وَمِنْ أَسَارِ قُيُودِهِ
A king whose bounty freed me and rescued me
from its two claws and from the bondage of its fetters.
مَلِكٌa king إِذَاwhen حَدَّثْتَyou speak عَنْof إِحْسَانِهِhis beneficence
مَلِكٌ إِذَا حَدَّثْتَ عَنْ إِحْسَانِهِ
حَدَّثْتَyou speak عَنْof مُبْدِيthe initiator of النَّدَىbounty ومُعِيدِهِand its renewer
حَدَّثْتَ عَنْ مُبْدِي النَّدَى ومُعِيدِهِ
A king: when you speak of his beneficence,
you speak of the initiator and renewer of bounty.
سَادَsurpassed المُلُوكَkings بِفَضْلِهِthrough his excellence وَبِنَفْسِهِand through his own person
سَادَ المُلُوكَ بِفَضْلِهِ وَبِنَفْسِهِ
وَالغُرَّand the illustrious مِنْamong آبائِهِhis fathers وَجُدُودهِand his forefathers
وَالغُرَّ مِنْ آبائِهِ وَجُدُودهِ
He surpassed kings through his excellence and his own worth,
and the illustrious among his fathers and forefathers.
وَإذاand when تَرَنَّمَتِchant الرُّواةُthe reciters بِمَدْحِهِin praise of him
وَإذا تَرَنَّمَتِ الرُّواةُ بِمَدْحِهِ
وَثَنائِهِand his praise اهْتَزَّتْsway مَعَاطِفُthe flanks of جُودِهِhis bounty
وَثَنائِهِ اهْتَزَّتْ مَعَاطِفُ جُودِهِ
And when the reciters chant his praises
and extol him, the flanks of his bounty sway.
لأَبيto Abu المَعَالِيal-Ma'ali رَاحَةٌa palm وَكَّافَةٌpouring abundantly
لأَبي المَعَالِي رَاحَةٌ وَكَّافَةٌ
كَالغَيْثِlike rain يَوْمَon the day of برُوقِهِits lightning flashes وَرُعُودِهِand its thunderclaps
كَالغَيْثِ يَوْمَ برُوقِهِ وَرُعُودِهِ
Abu al-Ma'ali has a palm that pours abundantly,
like rain on the day of its lightning and thunder.
صَبٌّenamored بِتَحْصِيلِwith gaining الثَّنَاءِpraise وَجَمْعِهِand gathering it
صَبٌّ بِتَحْصِيلِ الثَّنَاءِ وَجَمْعِهِ
كَلِفٌinfatuated بِبَذْلِwith giving away المالِwealth أَوْor تَبْديدِهِscattering it
كَلِفٌ بِبَذْلِ المالِ أَوْ تَبْديدِهِ
He is enamored of gaining praise and gathering it,
devoted to giving wealth away or scattering it.
ماnot زَالَceased يَشْمُلُembraces حَاسِديهِthose who envy him نَوالُهُhis bounty
ما زَالَ يَشْمُلُ حَاسِديهِ نَوالُهُ
حَتَّىuntil أَقرَّadmitted بِهِto it لِسانُthe tongue of حَسْودِهِhis envier
حَتَّى أَقرَّ بِهِ لِسانُ حَسْودِهِ
His bounty kept embracing those who envied him,
until his envier's tongue acknowledged it.
سَلْask for عَفْوَهُhis pardon وحُسَامُهُwhile his sword فيin غِمْدِهِits sheath
سَلْ عَفْوَهُ وحُسَامُهُ في غِمْدِهِ
وحَذَارِand beware ثُمَّthen حَذَارِbeware مِنْof تَجْرِيدِهِits unsheathing
وحَذَارِ ثُمَّ حَذَارِ مِنْ تَجْرِيدِهِ
Ask his pardon while his sword is in its sheath;
and beware, then beware, of its unsheathing.
يَغْشَىenters الوَغَىthe fray مُتَلفِّعاًwrapped بِرِدَائِهِin his cloak
يَغْشَى الوَغَى مُتَلفِّعاً بِرِدَائِهِ
وَيَخُوضُهَاand plunges into it مُتَسَرْبِلاًclad بِحَدِيدِهِin his iron armor
وَيَخُوضُهَا مُتَسَرْبِلاً بِحَدِيدِهِ
He enters the fray wrapped in his cloak,
and plunges into it clad in his iron armor.
فَتَرىso you see الشُّجَاعَthe brave man يَفِرُّfleeing مِنْهُfrom him مَهابةًin awe
فَتَرى الشُّجَاعَ يَفِرُّ مِنْهُ مَهابةً
وَالمَوْتُwhile death بَيْنَbetween لُهَاتِهِhis uvula وَوَريدِهِand his jugular vein
وَالمَوْتُ بَيْنَ لُهَاتِهِ وَوَريدِهِ
So you see the brave man flee from him in awe,
with death between his uvula and his jugular vein.
يَتَقَهْقَرُretreats الجَيْشُthe army اللهامُvast مَخَافَةًin fear
يَتَقَهْقَرُ الجَيْشُ اللهامُ مَخَافَةً
مِنْهُof him إِذَاwhen وَافَىarrives أَمامَat the head of جُنُودِهِhis troops
مِنْهُ إِذَا وَافَى أَمامَ جُنُودِهِ
The vast army retreats in fear
of him when he arrives at the head of his troops.
وَتعودُand return مُخْفَقةَdisappointed in الرَّجَاءِhope عِدَاتُهُhis enemies
وَتعودُ مُخْفَقةَ الرَّجَاءِ عِدَاتُهُ
وقُلوبُهَاand their hearts خَفَّاقةٌfluttering كَبنُودِهِlike his banners
وقُلوبُهَا خَفَّاقةٌ كَبنُودِهِ
And his enemies return with their hopes dashed,
their hearts fluttering like his banners.
فيin مَعْرَكٍa battle إِنْif كُسِّرتare shattered فيهِin it القَناthe spears
في مَعْرَكٍ إِنْ كُسِّرت فيهِ القَنا
وَصَلَjoins الحُسَامُthe sword رُكُوعَهُits bowing بِسُجودِهِto its prostration
وَصَلَ الحُسَامُ رُكُوعَهُ بِسُجودِهِ
In a battle where, if the spears are shattered,
the sword joins its bowing to its prostration.
جَارَىraced الغَمَامَthe clouds فَفاتَهُso outstripped them بِنَوالِهِwith his bounty
جَارَى الغَمَامَ فَفاتَهُ بِنَوالِهِ
كَرماًin generosity وَفاقَand surpassed كَثيرَهُtheir abundance بِزَهيدِهِwith his little
كَرماً وَفاقَ كَثيرَهُ بِزَهيدِهِ
He raced the clouds and outstripped them with his bounty,
in generosity, surpassing their abundance with his little.
وَالدِّينُand religion أَثَّلَهُhe firmly established it وَشَادَand raised مَنارَهُits beacon
وَالدِّينُ أَثَّلَهُ وَشَادَ مَنارَهُ
حِينَwhen اعْتَنَىhe attended بِحُقُوقِهِto its rights وَحُدُودِهِand its limits
حِينَ اعْتَنَى بِحُقُوقِهِ وَحُدُودِهِ
And he firmly founded religion and raised its beacon,
when he attended to its rights and its limits.
وَالمُلْكُand the realm لَمْnot يَنْفَكّcease يُعْمِلُputs to work عَزْمَهُhis resolve
وَالمُلْكُ لَمْ يَنْفَكّ يُعْمِلُ عَزْمَهُ
فِيin نَصْرِsupporting ظَاهِرِهِits Zahir ونُصْحِand counseling سَعِيدِهِits Sa'id
فِي نَصْرِ ظَاهِرِهِ ونُصْحِ سَعِيدِهِ
And for the realm, he never ceased applying his resolve
in supporting its Zahir and counseling its Sa'id.
إِنَّindeed المَنَايَاdeaths وَالأَمانِيand wishes لَمْnot تَزَلْceased
إِنَّ المَنَايَا وَالأَمانِي لَمْ تَزَلْ
طَوْعاًobedient لِسابِقِto the prior وَعْدِهِhis promise وَوَعِيدِهِand his threat
طَوْعاً لِسابِقِ وَعْدِهِ وَوَعِيدِهِ
Indeed, deaths and wishes have never ceased
to obey his prior promise and threat.
وَأَرَىand I see الحَياةَlife لَذِيذَةًsweet بِحَياتِهِthrough his life
وَأَرَى الحَياةَ لَذِيذَةً بِحَياتِهِ
وَأَرَىand I see الوُجُودَexistence مُشَرَّفاًhonored بِوُجُودِهِby his existence
وَأَرَى الوُجُودَ مُشَرَّفاً بِوُجُودِهِ
And I see life made sweet by his life,
and I see existence honored by his existence.
هَاجَرْتُI migrated نَحْوَtoward مُحمَّدٍMuhammad لَمَّاwhen رَأَيْsaw (verb stem)
هَاجَرْتُ نَحْوَ مُحمَّدٍ لَمَّا رَأَيْ
تُI (verb ending) العَالَمَthe world العُلْوِيَّheavenly فِيin تَأْييدِهِsupport of him
تُ العَالَمَ العُلْوِيَّ فِي تَأْييدِهِ
I migrated toward Muhammad when I saw
the heavenly world supporting him.
وَثَنيتُand I bent أَعْنَاقَthe necks of القَوافِيrhymes نَحْوَهُtoward him
وَثَنيتُ أَعْنَاقَ القَوافِي نَحْوَهُ
وَنَظَمْتُand I strung دُرَّthe pearls of مَدائِحِيmy panegyrics فيon جِيدِهِhis neck
وَنَظَمْتُ دُرَّ مَدائِحِي في جِيدِهِ
And I bent the necks of rhymes toward him,
and strung the pearls of my panegyrics on his neck.
وَنَظَرْتُand I beheld نُورَthe light of جَلاَلِهِhis majesty وَوَردْتُand I came to بَحْsea (opening fragment)
وَنَظَرْتُ نُورَ جَلاَلِهِ وَوَردْتُ بَحْ
رَsea (closing fragment) نَوالِهِhis bounty وَلَبِسْتُand I wore وشيَthe brocade of بُرُودِهِhis robes
رَ نَوالِهِ وَلَبِسْتُ وشيَ بُرُودِهِ
And I beheld the light of his majesty and came to the sea
of his bounty, and wore the brocade of his robes.
وَمَلأْتُand I filled عَيْنِيmy eye مِنْwith مَحَاسِنِهhis beauties الَّتيwhich
وَمَلأْتُ عَيْنِي مِنْ مَحَاسِنِه الَّتي
مَلأَتْfilled عُيُونَthe eyes of عَدُوِّهِhis enemy وَحَسُودِهِand his envier
مَلأَتْ عُيُونَ عَدُوِّهِ وَحَسُودِهِ
And I filled my eye with his beauties, which
filled the eyes of his enemy and his envier.
وَجَلَسْتُand I sat بَيْنَbetween يَدَيْthe two hands of أَجلِّthe most exalted of زَمانِهِhis age
وَجَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ أَجلِّ زَمانِهِ
قَدْراًin rank وَواحِدِand the unique one of عَصْرِهِhis era وفَريدِهِand its peerless one
قَدْراً وَواحِدِ عَصْرِهِ وفَريدِهِ
And I sat before the most exalted of his age
in rank, the unique and peerless one of his era.
وَأَفَدْتُand I enriched سَمْعِيmy hearing مِنْfrom فُكَاهَةِthe wit of مُمْتِعone delightful in الthe
وَأَفَدْتُ سَمْعِي مِنْ فُكَاهَةِ مُمْتِع ال
ألفَاظwords مَقْبُولِwell received in الكَلَامspeech مُفِيدِهِinstructive in it
ألفَاظ مَقْبُولِ الكَلَام مُفِيدِهِ
And I enriched my hearing with the wit of one charming in his
words, whose speech is well received and instructive.
فَصَدَرْتُso I came away عَنْfrom صَدَقاتِthe benefactions of مَشْكُورِone thanked for النَدَىbounty
فَصَدَرْتُ عَنْ صَدَقاتِ مَشْكُورِ النَدَى
وَالجُودِand generosity مَشْكورِthanked for الفِعَالِdeeds حَمِيدِهِpraiseworthy in them
وَالجُودِ مَشْكورِ الفِعَالِ حَمِيدِهِ
So I came away with gifts from one thanked for bounty
and generosity, thanked for his deeds and praised for them.
فَلَوَso if اَنَّنيthat I خُيِّرتُwere given a choice منْfrom دَهريmy Time المُنَىwishes
فَلَوَ اَنَّني خُيِّرتُ منْ دَهري المُنَى
لاخْتَرْتُI would choose طُولَthe length of بَقَائِهِhis life وَخُلُودِهِand his immortality
لاخْتَرْتُ طُولَ بَقَائِهِ وَخُلُودِهِ
So if I were given my choice of wishes by Time,
I would choose his long life and immortality.
ياO آلَHouse of أَيُّوبٍAyyub جَزَيْتُمْmay you be rewarded صَالِحاًwell
يا آلَ أَيُّوبٍ جَزَيْتُمْ صَالِحاً
عَنْon behalf of مُحْسِنٍone skilled in مَدحَpraising المُلُوكِkings مُجيدهِone excelling at it
عَنْ مُحْسِنٍ مَدحَ المُلُوكِ مُجيدهِ
O House of Ayyub, may you be well rewarded
on behalf of a skillful praiser of kings, a master of his craft.
وَنعمْتُمُand may you prosper ماas long as افْتَرّsmiled عَنْrevealing ثَغْرِthe mouth of الضُّحَىforenoon
وَنعمْتُمُ ما افْتَرّ عَنْ ثَغْرِ الضُّحَى
صُبْحٌdawn وَماand as long as فَضَحَexposed الدُّجَىdarkness بِعَمُودِهِwith its pillar
صُبْحٌ وَما فَضَحَ الدُّجَى بِعَمُودِهِ
And may you prosper as long as forenoon's smiling mouth is revealed
by dawn, and as long as it exposes darkness with its pillar of light.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَلِكُthe king الَّذيwho حَازَattained العُلَىthe heights
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي حَازَ العُلَى
فَثَنىthus turned back عِنانَthe reins of الفِكْرِthought عَنْaway from تَحْدِيدِهِdefining him
فَثَنى عِنانَ الفِكْرِ عَنْ تَحْدِيدِهِ
O king who has attained the heights,
thus turning the reins of thought away from defining you.
أَمّاas for الزَّمانُTime فَأَنْتَthen you are دُرَّةُthe pearl of عِقْدِهِits necklace
أَمّا الزَّمانُ فَأَنْتَ دُرَّةُ عِقْدِهِ
وَسِنَانُand the spearhead of صُعْدَتِهِits lance وَبَيتُand the verse of قَصِيدِهِits ode
وَسِنَانُ صُعْدَتِهِ وَبَيتُ قَصِيدِهِ
As for Time, you are the pearl of its necklace,
and the spearhead of its lance and the verse of its ode.
والشِّعْرُand poetry أَنْتَyou are أَحَقُّmost entitled مَنْone who يَهْتَزُّis stirred عِنْat (opening fragment)
والشِّعْرُ أَنْتَ أَحَقُّ مَنْ يَهْتَزُّ عِنْ
دَat (closing fragment) سَماعِهِhearing it وَيمِيلُand sways عِنْدَat نَشيدِهِits recitation
دَ سَماعِهِ وَيمِيلُ عِنْدَ نَشيدِهِ
And poetry—you have the greatest right to be stirred at
hearing it, and to sway when it is chanted.
فَاسْلَمْso remain safe لِمُلْكٍfor a kingdom بَلْrather لِمَجْدٍfor a glory أَنْتَyou are فيin
فَاسْلَمْ لِمُلْكٍ بَلْ لِمَجْدٍ أَنْتَ في
تَأْسِيسِهِfounding it وَاللَّهُwhile God فيin تَأْيِيدِهِsupporting it
تَأْسِيسِهِ وَاللَّهُ في تَأْيِيدِهِ
So remain safe for a kingdom—rather, a glory—that you are
founding, while God supports it.
Sol 6.1