يَفوقُ بهاءُ الدين منْ قَسماتِهِ

يَفوقُ بهاءُ الدين منْ قَسماتِهِ

بُروقَ الظُّبى والعارض المُتهلِّل

بُروقَ الظُّبى والعارض المُتهلِّل

Bahāʾ al-Dīn, by the radiance of his features, outshines

Baha al-Din, by the radiance of his features, outshines

the flashes of sword-blades and the smiling cloudbank.

The flashes of sword-blades and of the radiant raincloud.

ويعْلوهُما بأساً وجوداً بنَصْرِهِ

ويعْلوهُما بأساً وجوداً بنَصْرِهِ

ونُعْماه في ليليْ قَتامٍ وقَسْطَلِ

ونُعْماه في ليليْ قَتامٍ وقَسْطَلِ

In valor and generosity he rises above them both, through his victory

And he surpasses both in valor and generosity, through his aid

and his bounty amid twin nights of murk and battle-dust.

And his bounty, in the twin nights of dark dust and swirling haze.

فللحرب منه صارمٌ غيرُ لاغِبٍ

فللحرب منه صارمٌ غيرُ لاغِبٍ

وللجدب منه حافِلٌ غيرُ مُجْفِل

وللجدب منه حافِلٌ غيرُ مُجْفِل

For war, he is an untiring, keen-edged sword;

So war finds in him a keen sword that never tires,

for drought, a brimming fount that never shrinks away.

And drought, a rain-laden cloud that never flees.

فتىً جارُه والضَّيْفُ ما نَزلا به

فتىً جارُه والضَّيْفُ ما نَزلا به

عن الخوف والجدب الشَّنيع بمعزِل

عن الخوف والجدب الشَّنيع بمعزِل

A noble hero: whenever his neighbor and a guest lodge with him,

A young man whose neighbor and guest, so long as they lodge with him,

they are sheltered far from fear and dreadful famine.

Are sheltered from fear and dreadful drought.

يحُلاَّنِ منه في الخطوبِ بفارعٍ

يحُلاَّنِ منه في الخطوبِ بفارعٍ

منيعٍ وعند العارِقاتِ بمُخْضَلِ

منيعٍ وعند العارِقاتِ بمُخْضَلِ

In times of peril they find in him a towering refuge,

They lodge with him amid calamities upon a towering peak,

impregnable—and, when ruin cuts to the bone, a rain-laden cloud.

Impregnable; and in scorching days, in a verdant retreat.

ودودٌ يَودُّ الماءُ رِقْةَ لُطْفه

ودودٌ يَودُّ الماءُ رِقْةَ لُطْفه

ويرْهبُهُ حَدُّ الحُسام المُؤلَّلِ

ويرْهبُهُ حَدُّ الحُسام المُؤلَّلِ

So loving that water itself would covet the delicate softness of his kindness,

Affectionate—water longs for the delicacy of his kindness,

while the honed edge of the keen sword stands in awe of him.

Yet the edge of the sharpened sword fears him.

ويملأُ أسْماعَ الرِّجالِ بَلاغَة

ويملأُ أسْماعَ الرِّجالِ بَلاغَة

وأعْينُهم ما بين خطٍّ ومِقْوَلِ

وأعْينُهم ما بين خطٍّ ومِقْوَلِ

He fills men’s ears with eloquence,

And he fills men's ears with eloquence,

and their eyes as well, whether written in script or uttered in speech.

And their eyes, through written script and spoken word.

ويُنْغِضُ عِطْفَيْه المديحُ كأنه

ويُنْغِضُ عِطْفَيْه المديحُ كأنه

كُؤوسُ شمولٍ في أصائلِ شَمْأل

كُؤوسُ شمولٍ في أصائلِ شَمْأل

Praise sets his shoulders swaying as though it were

Praise sets his two sides swaying, as though it were

cups of wine in evenings swept by the north wind.

Cups of wine in late afternoons swept by the north wind.

فهُنِّئَتِ الأعيادُ منه بكاسِبٍ

فهُنِّئَتِ الأعيادُ منه بكاسِبٍ

وَهوٍ ومخْشيِّ المَساعي مُؤمَّل

وَهوٍ ومخْشيِّ المَساعي مُؤمَّل

So may the feast days be blessed by his presence—with a winner,

So the festivals are congratulated on having him: an achiever,

a terror, dreaded in his endeavors, yet the one in whom hopes are placed.

And loving, feared for his endeavors and looked to with hope.