أبَرَّhe excelled علىbeyond هَطولِthe downpour of الغيثِthe rain جوداًin generosity
أبَرَّ على هَطولِ الغيثِ جوداً
وزادَand he surpassed علىbeyond حديدِthe steel of الهندِIndia نَصْراin bringing victory
وزادَ على حديدِ الهندِ نَصْرا
He surpassed the pouring rain in generosity,
and outdid the steel of India in bringing victory.
وبارىand he rivaled الشمسthe sun فيin نَفْعٍbenefit ونورٍand light
وبارى الشمس في نَفْعٍ ونورٍ
فحازso he won الفخرglory رأدَat the height of ضُحىًforenoon وظُهراand at noon
فحاز الفخر رأدَ ضُحىً وظُهرا
He rivaled the sun in benefit and light,
and won glory at the height of morning and at noon.
ووُحّدَand was deemed peerless فيin المناقبِvirtues والمَعاليand lofty deeds
ووُحّدَ في المناقبِ والمَعالي
فلماso when استصرخوهُthey cried to him for help كانhe was مَجْراa mighty army
فلما استصرخوهُ كان مَجْرا
He was deemed peerless in virtues and lofty deeds;
when they cried to him for aid, he was a mighty host.
وواقَرَand rivaled in gravity كلَّevery طَوْدٍmountain ذيpossessing هِضابٍheights
وواقَرَ كلَّ طَوْدٍ ذي هِضابٍ
فزادَso he exceeded عيهbeyond it (apparently عليه) عندat the time of السُّخْطِanger صَبْراin patience
فزادَ عيه عند السُّخْطِ صَبْرا
He matched every mountain with its peaks in gravity,
then surpassed it in patience when angered.
وضاقَand proved too narrow النَّظْمُverse فيهconcerning him عنfor مديحٍpraise
وضاقَ النَّظْمُ فيه عن مديحٍ
فَرُحناso we set out نبتغيseeking للحمدfor praise نَثْراprose
فَرُحنا نبتغي للحمد نَثْرا
Verse proved too narrow for praising him,
so we set out seeking prose for praise.
أغَرُّradiant الوجهِof face أبْلَجُbright-browed زيْنبيٌّa Zaynabī
أغَرُّ الوجهِ أبْلَجُ زيْنبيٌّ
يُعِيدُhe renders لياليthe nights of الحَدَثانِadversity غُرّاbright
يُعِيدُ ليالي الحَدَثانِ غُرّا
Radiant-faced, bright-browed, a Zaynabī,
he turns the nights of adversity bright.
فتىًa youth لاnot يُتْبعُhe follows up المَعْروفَkindness مَنّاًwith reminders of favors
فتىً لا يُتْبعُ المَعْروفَ مَنّاً
ولكنْbut يُسْلِفُhe offers beforehand المعروفُthe kindness عُذْراan apology
ولكنْ يُسْلِفُ المعروفُ عُذْرا
A youth who never follows kindness with reminders,
but precedes his kindness with an apology.
اذاwhen جرَّبْتَهyou test him رَوْعاًin peril وسَلْماًand in peace
اذا جرَّبْتَه رَوْعاً وسَلْماً
رأيتَyou find صِفاتهِhis qualities ماءًwater وصخْراand rock
رأيتَ صِفاتهِ ماءً وصخْرا
When you test him in peril and in peace,
you find his qualities to be water and rock.
تطيبُgrow fragrant الأنْدياتُthe gatherings اذاwhen أمِرَّتْare passed around
تطيبُ الأنْدياتُ اذا أمِرَّتْ
أحاديثُtales of الوزيرِthe vizier الخِرْقِthe generous one نشْراin fragrance
أحاديثُ الوزيرِ الخِرْقِ نشْرا
Gatherings grow fragrant whenever
tales of the generous vizier are passed around.
Sol 6.1