رعى اللّهُ مجداً صاحِبِياً تنقَّلَتْ

رعى اللّهُ مجداً صاحِبِياً تنقَّلَتْ

مناقُبه من كابرٍ نحوَ كابرِ

مناقُبه من كابرٍ نحوَ كابرِ

May God preserve the Sahib's glory, whose

Allah has preserved the glory of my companion

Virtues passed from one great forebear to another.

Whose merits have moved from eminent to eminent

منيف الذُّرى دحْضاً على غير أهلهِ

منيف الذُّرى دحْضاً على غير أهلهِ

يَزِلُّ مَدى عَلْيائهِ بالمُفاخرِ

يَزِلُّ مَدى عَلْيائهِ بالمُفاخرِ

Lofty in its summits, slippery to all but its own people,

Of gentle character, warding off harm from the unworthy

Its lofty reaches trip anyone vying in glory.

The extent of his nobility diminishes not with boasts

بناهُ السَّراةُ الأكرمون فصافحت

بناهُ السَّراةُ الأكرمون فصافحت

مَعاقِدهُ هامَ النَّجومِ الزَّواهرِ

مَعاقِدهُ هامَ النَّجومِ الزَّواهرِ

The noblest chiefs built it, and so

He was built up by the most generous nobles, so his principles

Its joints clasped the heads of the shining stars.

Clasped the stars of brilliant splendor

حوى عضد الدين الجوادُ قديمَه

حوى عضد الدين الجوادُ قديمَه

وحادثهِ منْ سُؤدَدٍ ومَفاخرِ

وحادثهِ منْ سُؤدَدٍ ومَفاخرِ

Generous Adud al-Din possessed its ancient

The pillar of the faith, the generous one, contained his ancient ways

And new eminence and glories.

And his new ones, of gentle character and boasts

وزادَ بمسْعاهُ الحميدِ فقاقَهُ

وزادَ بمسْعاهُ الحميدِ فقاقَهُ

وكم أوَّلٍ يزْدادُ قدْراً بآخِرِ

وكم أوَّلٍ يزْدادُ قدْراً بآخِرِ

And increased it through his praiseworthy striving, [surpassing it].

And his praiseworthy hearing increased him, so it fortified him

And how many a forebear gains stature through a later descendant!

And how many early ones grow in worth with the last

فجاء كنصل السيف أمْنع صاحبٍ

فجاء كنصل السيف أمْنع صاحبٍ

وأبْهَجَ منْظور وأقْربَ ناصرِ

وأبْهَجَ منْظور وأقْربَ ناصرِ

Thus he became like a sword blade, the most protective companion,

So he came like the sharp sword, the most unassailable companion

And the most delightful to behold and the closest helper.

And the most radiant sight and the nearest supporter

تهابُ القَنا والمشْرفيَّةُ بأسهُ

تهابُ القَنا والمشْرفيَّةُ بأسهُ

وتحسدُ جَدْواهُ غِزارُ الَمواطر

وتحسدُ جَدْواهُ غِزارُ الَمواطر

Lances and Mashrafi swords dread his might,

Al-Qanah and Al-Mushrifiyyah dread his might

And copious rainclouds envy his bounty.

And the pouring rains envy his bounty

ويأوي ضَريكُ الحي بين بيوتهِ

ويأوي ضَريكُ الحي بين بيوتهِ

إِلى رغدٍ من خُرَّمِ العيش ناضرِ

إِلى رغدٍ من خُرَّمِ العيش ناضرِ

And the tribe's destitute one finds refuge among his houses

And the vagabond neighbor seeks refuge in his houses

In flourishing abundance of joyful living.

To a life of ease from the noble company

ظُباهُ اذا ما صرَّح المحْلُ والوغى

ظُباهُ اذا ما صرَّح المحْلُ والوغى

غَدتْ بيت قتّال وحيٍّ وعاقِرِ

غَدتْ بيت قتّال وحيٍّ وعاقِرِ

His sword-edges, when drought and battle openly appear,

When the arena was opened and the clamor arose

Become a house of a slayer, a living one, and a slaughterer [wording unclear].

His house became one of warriors, religious zeal, and chastity

اذا ذلَّ السمر عن نيل بُغيةٍ

اذا ذلَّ السمر عن نيل بُغيةٍ

حَواهُ بأطْرافِ النُّهى والمَزابرِ

حَواهُ بأطْرافِ النُّهى والمَزابرِ

If brown lances fail to attain a goal,

If the evening conversation neglected attaining an objective

He gains it with the points of intellect and pens.

He contained it with the limits of propriety and tombs

فهُنِّئتِ الأعيْادُ منه بماجِدٍ

فهُنِّئتِ الأعيْادُ منه بماجِدٍ

رفيعِ عِماد البيتِ جَمِّ المآثرِ

رفيعِ عِماد البيتِ جَمِّ المآثرِ

So the feast days are congratulated on having in him a noble man,

So the holidays were congratulated with glorious deeds

His house's pillar lofty, his noble deeds abundant.

Exalted pillars of the house, perfecting great works

ولو لا أيادٍ جَمَّةٌ صاحبِيَّةٌ

ولو لا أيادٍ جَمَّةٌ صاحبِيَّةٌ

توالتْ فمدحي كيف أسهبت قاصر

توالتْ فمدحي كيف أسهبت قاصر

And were it not for the Sahib's abundant favors,

And if it were not for plentiful, friendly hands

That came in succession—my praise, however much I elaborate, falls short—

How my praise would have prolonged, inadequate

وخوْفُ اتِّهامِ الظَّنِّ أنيِّ مادحٌ

وخوْفُ اتِّهامِ الظَّنِّ أنيِّ مادحٌ

لرِفْدٍ وأني للمطامعِ ساهرُ

لرِفْدٍ وأني للمطامعِ ساهرُ

And fear of being suspected of praising

And fear of accusing assumptions that I am a praiser

For a gift, and keeping vigil for coveted gains,

For payment and that I am awake to self-interest

لما مَرَّ يومٌ خالياً عن بَدائِعٍ

لما مَرَّ يومٌ خالياً عن بَدائِعٍ

من المَدْحِ يرويهنَّ بادٍ وحاضر

من المَدْحِ يرويهنَّ بادٍ وحاضر

No day would have passed empty of marvels

No day would have passed without unique expressions

Of praise, recited by nomad and townsman.

Of praise he inspires in past and present

ولكن أُديمُ الشُّكْرَ في كل حالةٍ

ولكن أُديمُ الشُّكْرَ في كل حالةٍ

واِنْ لم أقلْ شعراً فاني ناثِرُ

واِنْ لم أقلْ شعراً فاني ناثِرُ

But I sustain my gratitude in every circumstance;

But I continuously give thanks in every situation

And even if I do not speak verse, I speak in prose.

And if I did not say poetry, I am a disseminator

حوى عضد الدين المَزايا وأذْعنتْ

حوى عضد الدين المَزايا وأذْعنتْ

له ولمَسْعاهُ العُلى والمَفاخرُ

له ولمَسْعاهُ العُلى والمَفاخرُ

Adud al-Din possessed every excellence, and

He contained the pillar of the faith and its lofty merits bowed down

High honors and glories yielded to him and his striving.

To him and his sublime endeavor and boasts

فجاء كنصل السيف أمَّا فِرْنْدهُ

فجاء كنصل السيف أمَّا فِرْنْدهُ

فزيْنٌ وأما حَدُّهُ فهو باتِرُ

فزيْنٌ وأما حَدُّهُ فهو باتِرُ

Thus he became like a sword blade: as for its watered pattern,

So he came like the sharp sword, as for its blade

It is adornment; as for its edge, it cuts clean through.

It is beautifully adorned, and as for its edge, it is penetrating

تخافُ سُطاهُ المَشْرفيَّةُ والقَنا

تخافُ سُطاهُ المَشْرفيَّةُ والقَنا

وتحْسدُ جَدوى راحتَيه المواطر

وتحْسدُ جَدوى راحتَيه المواطر

Mashrafi swords and lances fear his onslaughts,

Al-Mushrifiyya and Al-Qanah fear his authority

And rainclouds envy the bounty of his two palms.

And the pouring rains envy his restful bounty

ويحمدهُ الجارُ الطَّليبُ بجرْمه

ويحمدهُ الجارُ الطَّليبُ بجرْمه

وقد أسلمتهُ للحِمامِ العَشائرُ

وقد أسلمتهُ للحِمامِ العَشائرُ

And the neighbor under his protection, pursued for his crime, praises him,

And the neighbor seeking refuge praises him for his crime

Though the clans have already surrendered him to death.

And the clans have submitted to his protection

هو المرءُ أما نصرهُ فهو مُظهرٌ

هو المرءُ أما نصرهُ فهو مُظهرٌ

مُذيعٌ وأما جودهُ فهو ساتِرُ

مُذيعٌ وأما جودهُ فهو ساتِرُ

He is the man: as for his support, he makes it public,

He is the man! As for his victory, it is a demonstration

Proclaiming it; as for his generosity, he conceals it.

Announcing widely, and as for his generosity, it is concealing

سليم دواعي الصدر لا يضمر الأذى

سليم دواعي الصدر لا يضمر الأذى

فانْ رامَ حرباً فالشُّجاعُ المجاهر

فانْ رامَ حرباً فالشُّجاعُ المجاهر

His breast's impulses are untainted; he harbors no harm.

Serene are the intentions of his heart, he does not harbor malice

So if he seeks war, he is the brave man who declares it openly.

So if he seeks war, he is the brave, overt fighter

وشيكُ القِرى لا يُخمد القرُّناره

وشيكُ القِرى لا يُخمد القرُّناره

ولا يتوخَّى العُذْرَ طاهٍ وقادِرُ

ولا يتوخَّى العُذْرَ طاهٍ وقادِرُ

Swift in hospitality, the cold does not extinguish his fire,

Quick to anger, he does not extinguish the burning coals

Nor does a cook or pot-tender seek an excuse.

Nor seek excuses, complacent and capable

يَطيبُ بذاكرهُ نَدِيٌّ ومجْمعٌ

يَطيبُ بذاكرهُ نَدِيٌّ ومجْمعٌ

وينْشرُ نُعْماه مُقيمْ وسائرُ

وينْشرُ نُعْماه مُقيمْ وسائرُ

A council and assembly grow pleasant through one who mentions him,

In his thoughts are amiability and a pleasant assembly

And resident and traveler spread word of his bounty.

And he spreads his bounty, resident and traveling

فثَمَّ النَّوال الغمر والغيث باخلٌ

فثَمَّ النَّوال الغمر والغيث باخلٌ

وثَمَّ الودادُ السمح والدهر غادر

وثَمَّ الودادُ السمح والدهر غادر

So there is lavish bounty, while rain is miserly,

So there is abundant bestowal and useful rain

And there is generous affection, while Time is treacherous.

And there is benign affection and treacherous fate

فهُني بالعيد السَّعيدِ وصَرفَتْ

فهُني بالعيد السَّعيدِ وصَرفَتْ

نواهيهِ أحْوالَ الورى والأوامرُ

نواهيهِ أحْوالَ الورى والأوامرُ

So may he be congratulated on the happy feast, and may

So congratulations on the blessed feast, and its prohibitions

His prohibitions and commands govern humankind's affairs.

Have turned the states of existence and commands