يفْضُل الصَّارمَ في عَزْمتِه

يفْضُل الصَّارمَ في عَزْمتِه

ويَفوقُ الطَّوْدَ حِلْماً ووَقارا

ويَفوقُ الطَّوْدَ حِلْماً ووَقارا

He surpasses the keen sword in his resolve,

The firm one excels in his resolve

and outdoes the mountain in forbearance and dignity.

And surpasses mountains in patience and dignity

ويُعيدُ الليلَ والحَظَّ إذا

ويُعيدُ الليلَ والحَظَّ إذا

جادَ او أسْفَرَ سَعْداً ونَهارا

جادَ او أسْفَرَ سَعْداً ونَهارا

And he turns night and fortune—when

He brings back the night and luck when

he gives or shines forth—into good fortune and daylight.

He is generous whether it dawns or the day shines

عاقِرٌ في الحرب والجدْب إذا

عاقِرٌ في الحرب والجدْب إذا

صَرَّحَ الشَّرَّان خيْلاً وعِشارا

صَرَّحَ الشَّرَّان خيْلاً وعِشارا

He slaughters—in war and drought, when

Barren in war and drought when

the two evils show themselves—horses and pregnant she-camels.

The mill streams horses and people

فَسَرايا جيشهِ أو جودِهِ

فَسَرايا جيشهِ أو جودِهِ

تمْلأ الأفْقَ نَوالاً وغُبارا

تمْلأ الأفْقَ نَوالاً وغُبارا

So the detachments of his army, or of his generosity,

So the squadrons of his army or his generosity

fill the horizon with gifts and dust.

Fill the horizon with gain and dust

تجعلُ الصَّلْدَ حَوامي خيْلِهِ

تجعلُ الصَّلْدَ حَوامي خيْلِهِ

وعَزازَ الأرضِ وعْثاً وخَبارا

وعَزازَ الأرضِ وعْثاً وخَبارا

His horses' hooves turn solid rock

They make the smooth ground stirrups for his horses

and the earth's hard ground into soft sand and loose soil.

And the glories of earth be disturbed and ruined

خبْرُ فضْلٍ بحرُ جودٍ زاخِرٌ

خبْرُ فضْلٍ بحرُ جودٍ زاخِرٌ

فَضَ الأحْبارَ طُرَّاً والبِحارا

فَضَ الأحْبارَ طُرَّاً والبِحارا

A master of excellence, a surging sea of generosity,

News of excellence an abundant sea of generosity

he has outdone all the scholars and seas.

It exceeded the seas in surge and expanse

فتراهُ في جِدالٍ ونَدىً

فتراهُ في جِدالٍ ونَدىً

يُخجلُ الأفْوَه فضلاً والقِطارا

يُخجلُ الأفْوَه فضلاً والقِطارا

So you see him, in debate and generosity,

You see him in contention and companionship

putting al-Afwah and the rain to shame by his excellence.

Shaming eloquent mouths in excellence and caravans

وإٍِذا مازَ رِجالاً شَرَفٌ

وإٍِذا مازَ رِجالاً شَرَفٌ

كانَ للعلياءِ والمَجْدِ مَنارا

كانَ للعلياءِ والمَجْدِ مَنارا

And whenever nobility distinguishes men,

And when he rivals glorious men

he is a beacon of eminence and glory.

He is a beacon for the exalted and glory

أحمدُ الخَيْرِ أبو جعفرهِ

أحمدُ الخَيْرِ أبو جعفرهِ

والذي أصبحَ في المجدِ المُشارا

والذي أصبحَ في المجدِ المُشارا

Ahmad of goodness, father of his Ja'far,

Ahmad the beneficent, Abu Ja'far

and he who has become the exemplar of glory.

He who became well-known for glory

ووزيرٌ يَأرَجُ الدَّهْرُ به

ووزيرٌ يَأرَجُ الدَّهْرُ به

أرَج التَّجْرِ يَفُضُّونَ العِطارا

أرَج التَّجْرِ يَفُضُّونَ العِطارا

And a vizier through whom the age grows fragrant,

And a minister whom the ages shine for

with the scent of merchants unsealing their perfumes.

Like the radiance of perfume sellers

كُلَّ نادٍ روْضةٌ منْ ذِكْرِهِ

كُلَّ نادٍ روْضةٌ منْ ذِكْرِهِ

تحسبُ الذكرَ خُزامى وعَرارا

تحسبُ الذكرَ خُزامى وعَرارا

Every assembly is a garden through mention of him;

Every praiser is a garden from his mention

you would take that mention for lavender and arar blossoms.

You'd think praise were chamomile and myrtle

حمدُهُ الذُّخْرَ إذا ما غَيْرُه

حمدُهُ الذُّخْرَ إذا ما غَيْرُه

جعلَ الذُّخْرَ لُجَيْناً ونُضارا

جعلَ الذُّخْرَ لُجَيْناً ونُضارا

Praise of him is the treasure, while others

When others change bounty

make silver and pure gold their treasure.

He makes bounty tender and fresh

بدْرُ وجْهٍ وعُلاً مَشْرِقُهُ

بدْرُ وجْهٍ وعُلاً مَشْرِقُهُ

في الوى جَنَّبَهُ اللّهُ السَّرارا

في الوى جَنَّبَهُ اللّهُ السَّرارا

A full moon in face and eminence, whose rising is

A full moon, his face, and his height shining

among humankind—may God spare him the moon's dark nights.

Allah has saved him from evil

وبَرودٌ سَلْسَلٌ في وِرْدِهِ

وبَرودٌ سَلْسَلٌ في وِرْدِهِ

فإذا حارَبْتهُ أضْرَمْتَ نارا

فإذا حارَبْتهُ أضْرَمْتَ نارا

And cool, sweet water at his watering place;

Cool and serene in his affection

yet if you fight him, you kindle a fire.

If you fight him you'd kindle fire

أنِفَتْ أرْماحهُ منْ موطِنٍ

أنِفَتْ أرْماحهُ منْ موطِنٍ

لا يُفيدُ النَّصْرَ عِزَّاً واقْتسارا

لا يُفيدُ النَّصْرَ عِزَّاً واقْتسارا

His lances scorn any battlefield

His spears refuse any stance

that yields no victory through might and force.

Victory does not benefit pride and force

فإذا ثَعْلَبُ رُمحٍ لم يَجِد

فإذا ثَعْلَبُ رُمحٍ لم يَجِد

مَنزلاً كانَ لهُ النَّحْرُ وِجارا

مَنزلاً كانَ لهُ النَّحْرُ وِجارا

So if a spear's fox finds no

When the fox of a spear finds no home

lodging, the throat becomes its den.

Slitting necks becomes its neighbor

شرفَ الدينِ هَنيئاً فَلقدْ

شرفَ الدينِ هَنيئاً فَلقدْ

أنْجَدَ المَدْحُ التَّميميُ وغارا

أنْجَدَ المَدْحُ التَّميميُ وغارا

Sharaf al-Din, congratulations! For indeed

Honor of faith, congratulations, for indeed

Tamimi praise has climbed the uplands and descended to the lowlands,

Praise of Tameem excelled and ventured

واثِباً لو سابقَتْهُ زَعْزَعٌ

واثِباً لو سابقَتْهُ زَعْزَعٌ

غادَرَ الهُوجَ رَذايا ثُمَّ سارا

غادَرَ الهُوجَ رَذايا ثُمَّ سارا

bounding onward—were a gale to race it,

If he raced calamities that shook

it would leave the raging winds as spent mounts, then go on.

He'd leave the roaring lions then travel on

يا مَنيعَ الجارِ بَذّالَ القِرى

يا مَنيعَ الجارِ بَذّالَ القِرى

والنَّدى كان لكَ الرَّحمنُ جارا

والنَّدى كان لكَ الرَّحمنُ جارا

O you whose neighbor is inviolable, lavish with hospitality

O you who protects neighbors and is generous to towns

and bounty—may the All-Merciful be your protecting neighbor.

Mercy was your neighbor