تباريتَ والشَّهرَ الحرامَ ففُقْته

تباريتَ والشَّهرَ الحرامَ ففُقْته

وإنْ كان ذا فضلٍ فإنَّك أفْضلُ

وإنْ كان ذا فضلٍ فإنَّك أفْضلُ

You vied with the sacred month and surpassed it.

You contended and the sacred month you ruptured

And though it has merit, you are more excellent.

Though he was virtuous, you are more virtuous

دَعا الناسَ للتَّقْوى وما زلْت داعياً

دَعا الناسَ للتَّقْوى وما زلْت داعياً

إلى الخير تُولي المكْرُمات وتبذلُ

إلى الخير تُولي المكْرُمات وتبذلُ

It called people to piety, while you have never ceased calling

He called people to piety and never ceased preaching

to goodness, bestowing noble favors and giving generously.

Goodness, bestowing honors and giving freely

ولُقِّبَ بالشَّهْر الحرام ولم تزلْ

ولُقِّبَ بالشَّهْر الحرام ولم تزلْ

حَراماً عن العوْراء تنْآى وتزْحَل

حَراماً عن العوْراء تنْآى وتزْحَل

It was called the sacred month, while you have always been

And he was titled the sacred month, yet never

inviolate, keeping far from foul speech and withdrawing.

Ceased being forbidden to the maidens, secluded and chaste

وفي كلِّ عامٍ مَرَّةً بَركاتُهُ

وفي كلِّ عامٍ مَرَّةً بَركاتُهُ

وأنت مدى الأيام في الناس مُفْضل

وأنت مدى الأيام في الناس مُفْضل

And its blessings come once in every year,

And every year once, his blessings

while you are a benefactor among people through all the days.

While you, for all time among people are the superior

ويأمُر بالتَّقْوى فيعْصيهِ معْشرٌ

ويأمُر بالتَّقْوى فيعْصيهِ معْشرٌ

وأنت مُطاعٌ بالصَّلاحِ مُوَكَّلُ

وأنت مُطاعٌ بالصَّلاحِ مُوَكَّلُ

And it enjoins piety, yet a group disobeys it,

And he commands piety, yet a group disobeys him

while you are obeyed, charged with righteousness.

While you are obeyed, commissioned with righteousness

ويُشْركُه في المكْرُماتِ ثلاثةٌ

ويُشْركُه في المكْرُماتِ ثلاثةٌ

ومثْلُكَ في العَلْياءِ لا يُتمَثَّلُ

ومثْلُكَ في العَلْياءِ لا يُتمَثَّلُ

And three others share its noble honors,

Three share with him the honors

but your like in lofty glory cannot be imagined.

Yet none can equal you among the exalted

فهُنِّئْتهُ تَنْضو وتلبسُ مثْلَهُ

فهُنِّئْتهُ تَنْضو وتلبسُ مثْلَهُ

رفيعَ العُلى ما صاحب الكفَّ أنْمُلُ

رفيعَ العُلى ما صاحب الكفَّ أنْمُلُ

So may you be congratulated on it, doffing and donning its like,

So I congratulated you, shining, wearing the like of him

exalted in glory, as long as fingertips accompany the palm.

Lofty supreme, no friend of the palm more generous

كأنَّ مساعي أحمد بن محمَّدٍ

كأنَّ مساعي أحمد بن محمَّدٍ

نجومٌ جلَتْ عنها المَطالعَ شمْأل

نجومٌ جلَتْ عنها المَطالعَ شمْأل

The endeavors of Ahmad ibn Muhammad are like

As if Ahmad ibn Muhammad’s endeavors

stars, their rising-places cleared by a north wind.

Are stars which the horizons for him effaced and extinguished

تُضيءُ فتَهدي كلَّ سارٍ إلى العُلى

تُضيءُ فتَهدي كلَّ سارٍ إلى العُلى

فيُسْهِلُ ذو وعْرٍ ويرشُد ضُلَّل

فيُسْهِلُ ذو وعْرٍ ويرشُد ضُلَّل

They shine, guiding every night traveler toward glory,

Illuminating, guiding every nobleman to the sublime

so one on rugged ground reaches level ground, and the lost find guidance.

Facilitating the arduous and guiding the lost

أغرُّ كأنَّ الشمس منْ قَسماتِهِ

أغرُّ كأنَّ الشمس منْ قَسماتِهِ

إِذِ الخطْب ليلٌ بالقوارعِ ألْيَلُ

إِذِ الخطْب ليلٌ بالقوارعِ ألْيَلُ

Radiant, as though the sun were one of his features,

Dazzling, as if the sun were of his partitions

when crisis is a night pitch-dark with calamities.

When speeches by night with clubs are extinguished

عليمٌ بتَصْريفِ المقالةِ والقَنا

عليمٌ بتَصْريفِ المقالةِ والقَنا

فطعْنتُهُ والقولُ فصْلٌ وفيْصل

فطعْنتُهُ والقولُ فصْلٌ وفيْصل

He is skilled in wielding speech and spears,

Learned in the course of speech and spear

so his thrust and speech are decisive and conclusive.

I stabbed him, and the saying separation and clarity

فخصماهُ من يوميْ وَغاهُ وسَلْمه

فخصماهُ من يوميْ وَغاهُ وسَلْمه

همُا مُرْمِلٌ من حُجةٍ ومُرمل

همُا مُرْمِلٌ من حُجةٍ ومُرمل

So his two foes—from his days of battle and peace—

So I contended with him since my day, forgot him and made peace

are one bereft of argument, and one left penniless.

Both furnish with argument and furnish

فللحبْرِ نُطْقٌ بالدلائل واضِحٌ

فللحبْرِ نُطْقٌ بالدلائل واضِحٌ

وللذَّمْرِ ضربٌ بالصَّوارم أرْعل

وللذَّمْرِ ضربٌ بالصَّوارم أرْعل

Thus the scholar's speech is clear with proofs,

For ink, proof with evidence is eloquent

and the warrior strikes fierce blows with sharp swords.

And for wine, a draft of swords most cutting

هو الطَّوْدُ في النادي وقاراً وهيبةًذ

هو الطَّوْدُ في النادي وقاراً وهيبةًذ

وفوق مُتون الجُرد ليثٌ وأجْدلُ

وفوق مُتون الجُرد ليثٌ وأجْدلُ

He is a mountain in the assembly, stately and awe-inspiring,

He is steadfast in council, dignified and revered

and on the backs of sleek steeds, a lion and a falcon.

And atop the horse necks, a lion and strong

أبو جعفرٍ تاجُ المُلوكِ الذي لهُ

أبو جعفرٍ تاجُ المُلوكِ الذي لهُ

بكلِّ مكانٍ من ذُرى المجد منْزلُ

بكلِّ مكانٍ من ذُرى المجد منْزلُ

Abu Ja'far, the crown of kings, who has

Abu Ja’far, crown of kings, who for him

a dwelling everywhere upon the summits of glory.

In every place of glory, a station

فتى الحَزْم أما في الحِفاظ فصارمٌ

فتى الحَزْم أما في الحِفاظ فصارمٌ

جُرازٌ وأما في الذِّمامِ فمَعْقِلُ

جُرازٌ وأما في الذِّمامِ فمَعْقِلُ

A man of resolve: in defending honor, he is a sharp sword,

The young man of resolve, as for protecting fierce

keenly cleaving; and in pledged protection, a stronghold.

Stalwart, and as for concluding, a fortress

تَجورُ بطعن الدارعينَ رماحُهُ

تَجورُ بطعن الدارعينَ رماحُهُ

وفي السلْم ما بين الرَّعِيَّةِ يعْدِل

وفي السلْم ما بين الرَّعِيَّةِ يعْدِل

His spears act unjustly in piercing armored men,

His spears’ stabs aggress the armored

but in peace he acts justly among his subjects.

And in peace amongst the populace, just

فبوركَ من ثبْت الحُبى راجح النُّهى

فبوركَ من ثبْت الحُبى راجح النُّهى

تطيشُ الليالي وهو في الصَّبر يذبل

تطيشُ الليالي وهو في الصَّبر يذبل

Blessed be he, steady in his knee-bands, weighty in wisdom;

So blessed is he whose love took root, sound of prohibition

the nights reel, while in endurance he is Mount Yadhbul.

Nights flutter and he in patience wanes