هوhe الطَّوْدُthe mountain المُنيفtowering وكلُّand every خطْبٍcalamity
هو الطَّوْدُ المُنيف وكلُّ خطْبٍ
يَروعُterrifies سِواهُother than him ريحٌwind بلْrather نَسيمُa breeze
يَروعُ سِواهُ ريحٌ بلْ نَسيمُ
He is the towering mountain, and every calamity
He is the towering mountain, and every peril
that terrifies others is merely wind to him—rather, a breeze.
That threatens others is to him a gentle breeze.
يزيدُincreases وَقارَهُhis dignity طيشُcapriciousness اللَّياليthe nights
يزيدُ وَقارَهُ طيشُ اللَّيالي
وتُكْثِرُand increases منْof كياسَتِهِhis sagacity الهُمومُworries
وتُكْثِرُ منْ كياسَتِهِ الهُمومُ
The nights’ caprices heighten his dignity,
Frivolity enhances his dignity;
and worries add to his sagacity.
Cares add to his wisdom.
تَبَلُّجُهُhis radiant smile لِراجيهِfor whoever hopes in him بُروقٌflashes of lightning
تَبَلُّجُهُ لِراجيهِ بُروقٌ
وأنْمُلُهُand his fingertips لسائلِهِfor whoever asks him غُيومُclouds
وأنْمُلُهُ لسائلِهِ غُيومُ
His radiant smile is lightning to those who hope in him,
His benevolence shines like lightning for those who seek his aid,
and his fingertips are clouds to those who ask of him.
And his clouds rain heavily on those who question him.
يُباسِطُtreats familiarly منout of لَطافَتِهِhis graciousness الأقاصِيthose far removed
يُباسِطُ من لَطافَتِهِ الأقاصِي
كأنَّas though النَّاسَthe people كُلَّهُمُall of them حَميمُa close friend
كأنَّ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمُ حَميمُ
In his graciousness he is friendly with even those far removed,
He lavishes from his tenderness on the farthest regions,
as though all people were close friends.
As if all people were his dear kindred.
حَييٌّbashful فيin مَودَّتِهِhis affection عَييٌّtongue-tied
حَييٌّ في مَودَّتِهِ عَييٌّ
وأفْوَهُand eloquent فيin عَداوَتِهِhis enmity خَصيمُa disputant
وأفْوَهُ في عَداوَتِهِ خَصيمُ
Bashful in his affection, tongue-tied,
Vigorous in his affection, frail in his enmity,
yet in his enmity, an eloquent disputant.
Yet terrible when quarreling with the proud,
هوhe القاسيthe stern one إذاwhen اشْتَجرَclashed العَواليthe long spears
هو القاسي إذا اشْتَجرَ العَوالي
وعندand during السَّلْمِpeace مأنوسٌcompanionable رَحيمُmerciful
وعند السَّلْمِ مأنوسٌ رَحيمُ
He is stern when the long spears clash,
And a kind friend when reconciliation comes.
and in peace, companionable and merciful.
When the well-trained mares enter his palace with eulogies,
إذاwhen وخَدَتْstrode swiftly بمِدْحَتهwith praise of him المَطاياthe mounts
إذا وخَدَتْ بمِدْحَته المَطايا
طَوَتْthey passed by عنهاaway from themselves المَوارِدَthe watering places وهيwhile they are هيمُthirst-crazed
طَوَتْ عنها المَوارِدَ وهي هيمُ
When the mounts stride swiftly bearing praise of him,
They divert from them the springs, but the mares continue whinnying,
they pass the watering places by, though crazed with thirst,
Hoping that he will establish in Darami
رَجاءًin hope أنْto تُنيخَthey kneel بِدارِميٍّbeside a Darimi
رَجاءً أنْ تُنيخَ بِدارِميٍّ
لَهاfor them ولركْبِهاand for their riders منهُfrom him النَّعيمُbliss
لَها ولركْبِها منهُ النَّعيمُ
hoping to kneel beside a Darimi,
Ease and plenty for them and their riders.
from whom comes bliss for them and their riders.
The wise show patience though they suffer pain,
يُليمُّbecome blameworthy الحازِمونَthe prudent وإنْand even if تَحَرَّواthey take care
يُليمُّ الحازِمونَ وإنْ تَحَرَّوا
وأحْمَدُand Ahmad لاnot المَلومُone who is blamed ولاnor المُليمُone deserving blame
وأحْمَدُ لا المَلومُ ولا المُليمُ
Prudent men can become blameworthy, even if they take care,
And none is blamed but Ahmad is the most forbearing.
but Ahmad is neither blamed nor blameworthy.
A minister whose triumphs make the barren land fertile,
وزيرٌa minister تُخْصِبُgrows fertile الغبْراءُthe dusty earth منهُfrom him
وزيرٌ تُخْصِبُ الغبْراءُ منهُ
ويسْفِرُand brightens منْfrom مُحيَّاهُhis countenance الصَّريمُthe dark night
ويسْفِرُ منْ مُحيَّاهُ الصَّريمُ
A minister through whom the dusty earth grows fertile,
And the bright sword flashes from his ready smile.
and from whose countenance the dark night brightens.
His ambition is sublime as heaven,
مُنيفُlofty المَجْدِglory همَّتُهُhis aspiration سَماءٌa sky
مُنيفُ المَجْدِ همَّتُهُ سَماءٌ
تُظِلُّcasts shade ومِنْand among مَساعيهِhis achievements النُّجومُthe stars
تُظِلُّ ومِنْ مَساعيهِ النُّجومُ
Lofty in glory, his aspiration is a sky
Overshadowing from his deeds the stars.
that casts shade, and the stars are among his achievements.
Partial English translation: 21 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1