لاmay … not أوحشleave bereft اللّهُGod منof أنوارِthe lights منْقَبةٍa noble virtue
لا أوحش اللّهُ من أنوارِ منْقَبةٍ
هيit الجَلاءُthe dispelling لِتَهْمامٍfor deep sorrow وإِظْلامِand darkness
هي الجَلاءُ لِتَهْمامٍ وإِظْلامِ
May God never leave us bereft of a noble virtue’s radiance.
The light from Minqabah's lamps is never dimmed
It dispels deep sorrow and darkness.
It shines through gloom and shades of darkness
تُضيءُit shines عنfrom هاطلpouring abundantly الكفَّينthe two hands يحسدُهenvies him
تُضيءُ عن هاطل الكفَّين يحسدُه
دَرُّthe outpouring الغمامof the clouds ولُجُّand the deep waters الخِضْرمِof the vast sea الطاميthe swelling
دَرُّ الغمام ولُجُّ الخِضْرمِ الطامي
It shines from one whose hands rain bounty, envied by
It outshines the dripping from cupped palms - though they be envied
the clouds’ outpouring and the depths of the vast, swelling sea.
By a flowing, bountiful rain and thick, rich pastures
أعْنيI mean أباAbu (father of) جعفرٍJaʿfar تاجَthe crown الملوكof kings ومَنand the one who
أعْني أبا جعفرٍ تاجَ الملوك ومَن
حَوىhas attained العُلىhigh glory بينbetween إِنْعامٍbestowing favors وإقْدامِand bold action
حَوى العُلى بين إِنْعامٍ وإقْدامِ
I mean Abu Jaʿfar, crown of kings, and the one who
I speak of Father Ja'far, crowned the King of Kings
has won high glory through generosity and bold action.
Who combined glory with bounty and daring exploits
مرويone who gives drink الهوامدthe barren lands والبيضand the white الصَّوارمkeen swords منfrom
مروي الهوامد والبيض الصَّوارم من
ماءِthe water المَكارمِof noble bounty سَحّاًpouring in torrents أوْor دَمِthe blood الهامِof heads
ماءِ المَكارمِ سَحّاً أوْ دَمِ الهامِ
He waters barren lands and bright, keen swords with
His resolve is hardened and his blades are sharpened
the waters of noble bounty, poured in torrents, or blood from heads.
With the waters of honor or blood of great feats
إذاwhen نأىlies far away مطلبٌa goal أدْنَتْهُbrings it near هِمَّتُهُhis resolve
إذا نأى مطلبٌ أدْنَتْهُ هِمَّتُهُ
إليهto him ماwhat lies بينbetween أرْماحٍlances وأقْلامِand pens
إليه ما بين أرْماحٍ وأقْلامِ
When a goal lies far away, his resolve brings it near
When a goal lies far, his zeal draws it near
to him, through lances and pens alike.
Through a dense array of spears and pens
فللمكاتيبso, for the letters حَبْرٌa scholar غيرُnot ذيpossessing حَصرٍinarticulacy
فللمكاتيب حَبْرٌ غيرُ ذي حَصرٍ
وللكتائبِand for the armies ذِمْرٌa bold warrior غيرُnot مِحْجامِone who shrinks from battle
وللكتائبِ ذِمْرٌ غيرُ مِحْجامِ
So, for letters, he is a scholar never at a loss for words,
For the scribes he has ink of boundless supply
and for armies, a warrior who never flinches.
For the brave troops, countless swords to rely
يجلوhe dispels الخطوبcalamities إذاwhen اشتدَّتgrow severe غياهبهاtheir deep darkness
يجلو الخطوب إذا اشتدَّت غياهبها
بواضِحَيْنِwith two bright things سَنىthe radiance رأيٍof judgment وبَسَّامand a smiling sword
بواضِحَيْنِ سَنى رأيٍ وبَسَّام
He dispels calamities when their darkness deepens,
The gloom clears through wisdom and strategems
with two bright lights: judgment’s radiance and a smiling sword.
Shrewd counsel and a discerning guide
أناI الوَليُّthe loyal friend يعيبُgrows flawed الدهرُtime أجمعُهُall of it
أنا الوَليُّ يعيبُ الدهرُ أجمعُهُ
ولاnor أعيبُI grow flawed ولاnor أُعْزىI am ascribed إلىto ذامِa fault
ولا أعيبُ ولا أُعْزى إلى ذامِ
I am the loyal friend: all of time grows flawed,
Blame me the world may though nothing comes their way
but I do not, nor am I charged with any fault.
I take no blame nor complain anyway
فإنfor if نأيتُI go far away فَوُديthen my affection غيرُnot مُنْتزِحٍfar removed
فإن نأيتُ فَوُدي غيرُ مُنْتزِحٍ
وإِنand if شعثْتُI grow disheveled فودِّيthen my affection غيرُnot أرمامdecayed remains
وإِن شعثْتُ فودِّي غيرُ أرمام
For if I go far away, my affection is not far removed,
If I'm far, my love stays true and is never swayed
and if I grow disheveled, my affection does not decay.
If disheveled, my affection will never fade
Sol 6.1