وما رأى الناس من قبلي واِن شرفوا

وما رأى الناس من قبلي واِن شرفوا

واُكرموا آدميّاً زارهُ فَلَكُ

واُكرموا آدميّاً زارهُ فَلَكُ

Never before me had people seen, however noble

None before me that people saw

And honored they were, a mortal visited by a celestial sphere.

Were honored and esteemed though they in grandeur strode

وما مشى البحر جيَّاشاً إِلى أحدٍ

وما مشى البحر جيَّاشاً إِلى أحدٍ

ما نال ذلك ذو فضلٍ ولا مَلِكُ

ما نال ذلك ذو فضلٍ ولا مَلِكُ

Nor has the sea walked, surging, toward anyone;

Nor did the sea for anyone ere me in tumult flow

No man of merit, nor any king, has attained that.

No excellence nor sovereignty did that bestow

يُثني بفضلك قطب الدين كل وغىً

يُثني بفضلك قطب الدين كل وغىً

وكل محْلٍ وأمرٌ مُسْكلٌ لبِكُ

وكل محْلٍ وأمرٌ مُسْكلٌ لبِكُ

Every battle extols your excellence, Qutb al-Din,

With your grace pierce grief however it may abound

And every drought, and every difficult, tangled affair.

All affairs confused your aid all ills will heal, avow

مُيِّزتَ من بين هذا الخلق كلهم

مُيِّزتَ من بين هذا الخلق كلهم

حتى كأنك فيما بينهم مَلَكُ

حتى كأنك فيما بينهم مَلَكُ

You were singled out from all this creation,

From mankind all you singled me to raise from low

So that you seem an angel in their midst.

That mid them all I like an angel seem to glow

وما اصطفاك اِمام العصر عن عَبثٍ

وما اصطفاك اِمام العصر عن عَبثٍ

تلفى ومن هداه الهدى والرأي مرتبك

تلفى ومن هداه الهدى والرأي مرتبك

Nor did the imam of the age choose you on a whim.

Me to lead the age you picked not out of whim

You are found—and one whom guidance has guided, while judgment is confused [wording unclear].

Though I wander and the righteous path and wise redeems dim

لكن رآكَ هُماماً في مَطالبِهِ

لكن رآكَ هُماماً في مَطالبِهِ

يثني بما نلته نادٍومُعْتركُ

يثني بما نلته نادٍومُعْتركُ

Rather, he saw you valiant in pursuing his aims;

But as worthy you saw me in my requests

Assembly and battlefield extol what you have attained.

I'll thank for what you granted me though foes detest

تلوي الوعيد ووقد السُّخط محتدمٌ

تلوي الوعيد ووقد السُّخط محتدمٌ

وفي المكارم لا لاوٍ ولا مَعِكُ

وفي المكارم لا لاوٍ ولا مَعِكُ

You defer your threats though the fire of wrath rages,

With threats of wrath and kindling ire I evil disown

And in generosity you neither delay nor dally.

To vileness shut but open-handed to friend have shown

فعشت ما غردت ورُقْ الحَمام وما

فعشت ما غردت ورُقْ الحَمام وما

هَفا بقادمتيه الطَّائرُ السُّلَكُ

هَفا بقادمتيه الطَّائرُ السُّلَكُ

So may you live as long as the gray doves sing, and as long as

Long as ringdoves murmured and branches of saplings swayed

The young partridge flutters with its two leading flight feathers.

And halcyons plaintive o'er still streams their pinions displayed

تنضو ملابس أعْيادٍ وتلبسها

تنضو ملابس أعْيادٍ وتلبسها

تبني المعالي وللأعداءِ تحْتنكُ

تبني المعالي وللأعداءِ تحْتنكُ

You shed festive garments and put them on,

Raiment of feast I don and in weeds of joy am drest

You build lofty glory and utterly subdue your enemies.

The noble uphold and lowly oppressors I detest