تحويcapture القلوبَthe hearts لهfor him مكاسرُgentle ways لُطْفهِhis kindness
تحوي القلوبَ له مكاسرُ لُطْفهِ
ويَهابُand fears سطوتهhis might الخميسُthe army الجحفلُvast
ويَهابُ سطوته الخميسُ الجحفلُ
The gentle ways of his kindness capture hearts for him,
Hearts contain his gentle ways,
And the vast army dreads his might.
Yet his might makes the valiant tremble and shake.
فكأنهso he is like فيin حالتيهhis two states منَof الرِّضاfavor
فكأنه في حالتيه منَ الرِّضا
والسُّخطand wrath نارُfire غَضاًghada wood وماءٌand water سلْسلُsweet-flowing
والسُّخط نارُ غَضاً وماءٌ سلْسلُ
Thus he resembles, in his two states of favor
So whether pleased or angered he appears
And wrath, a ghada-wood fire and sweet-flowing water.
Like scorching fire or gushing water.
غمْرُlavish الرِّداءِthe mantle كأنَّas though صوبthe downpour يمينهِhis right hand
غمْرُ الرِّداءِ كأنَّ صوب يمينهِ
والعامُwhile the year أغْبرُdust-gray عارضٌa raincloud مُتهلِّلُflashing with lightning
والعامُ أغْبرُ عارضٌ مُتهلِّلُ
He is lavish in bounty, as though his right hand's downpour,
The ample cloak covers his right side
Though the year is dust-gray, were a cloud flashing with lightning.
While the year passes, dusty and withering.
تحْويattain المَزابرُthe pens منamong مطالبaims نفسهhis soul
تحْوي المَزابرُ من مطالب نفسه
ماwhat ليسdo not تحْويهِattain it الرِّماحُthe spears الذُّبَّلُslender
ما ليس تحْويهِ الرِّماحُ الذُّبَّلُ
His pens attain, among the aims of his soul,
Tombs contain what his soul desires
What slender spears cannot attain.
More than can spears, no matter how sharp.
فيفُلُّthus shatters صفَّthe ranks الجيشthe army سطْرُa line بلاغةٍeloquence
فيفُلُّ صفَّ الجيش سطْرُ بلاغةٍ
ويَدُقُّand crushes مُقْتصدٌmoderate-length (pen) طويلاًa long one (spear) يعْسِلُquivers
ويَدُقُّ مُقْتصدٌ طويلاً يعْسِلُ
Thus a line of eloquence shatters the army's ranks,
A line of poetry makes army ranks crumble,
And a pen of modest length crushes a long, quivering spear.
As one who is sparing of words drones on.
تُرْديlay low الكُماةَthe armored warriors سُطورهُhis lines فيon طرِسهhis page
تُرْدي الكُماةَ سُطورهُ في طرِسه
فكأنماso it is as though فيin كُلِّevery حَرْفٍletter مُقْتِلُa slayer
فكأنما في كُلِّ حَرْفٍ مُقْتِلُ
His lines upon his page lay armored warriors low,
His lines cast down the distinguished,
As though there were a slayer in every letter.
As if each letter fatally struck.
سودٌblack لرأيto the sight of العينthe eye لكنbut لونُهاtheir color
سودٌ لرأي العين لكن لونُها
فيon الدَّارعينَthe armored men بكلin every رَوْعٍterror أشْكلred mixed with white
في الدَّارعينَ بكل رَوْعٍ أشْكل
Black to the eye, yet their color
Dark in appearance, yet his color
On armored men in every fearful clash is red mixed with white.
Dazzles all who wear armor.
فيon الساحةthe expanse البيضاءِwhite مَشْقٌflowing script رائعٌsplendid
في الساحة البيضاءِ مَشْقٌ رائعٌ
لكنَّهbut it فيupon الهامِthe heads ضَرْبٌa blow أرْعَلُrending
لكنَّه في الهامِ ضَرْبٌ أرْعَلُ
On the white expanse, splendid flowing script;
In the white plain his gait is elegant,
Yet upon heads it is a rending blow.
Yet in battle his stroke is crushing and firm.
هوْجاءُa raging wind عاصفةُtempestuous الهُبوبthe blowing مُحارباًwhen at war
هوْجاءُ عاصفةُ الهُبوب مُحارباً
وإذاand when احْتبىsits clasping his knees يومَthe day of السَّلامِpeace فيذْبُلthen Yadhbul (a mountain)
وإذا احْتبى يومَ السَّلامِ فيذْبُل
In war, he is a raging wind with tempestuous blasts;
The storm of his assault wages war,
And when he sits clasping his knees on a day of peace, he is Yadhbul.
Then when peace comes he fades and withers.
إنَّindeed الوزيرَthe vizier الماجدَnoble ابنson of مُحمَّدٍMuhammad
إنَّ الوزيرَ الماجدَ ابن مُحمَّدٍ
والدَّهْرand time يشهدbears witness والمناقبand noble deeds تُسْجِلput on record
والدَّهْر يشهد والمناقب تُسْجِل
Indeed, the noble vizier, Ibn Muhammad—
The eminent minister, son of Mohammed,
And time bears witness, and noble deeds attest—
Whose glory time records and traits recount,
تاجcrown الملوكthe kings مُشارthe focus of كلِّevery فضيلةٍvirtue
تاج الملوك مُشار كلِّ فضيلةٍ
وجلالُand the glory of الإسلامIslam الجَوادُthe generous one المُفْضِلthe benefactor
وجلالُ الإسلام الجَوادُ المُفْضِل
Is the crown of kings, the focus of every virtue,
Crown of kings, embodying every virtue,
And the glory of Islam, the generous benefactor.
Grandeur of Islam, generous and noble.
يبدوappears الصباحُthe morning الطَّلْقradiant منfrom قسماتِهhis facial features
يبدو الصباحُ الطَّلْق من قسماتِه
والليلُwhile the night ممدودُoutspread الغَياهِبِthe murky depths ألْيَلُpitch-dark
والليلُ ممدودُ الغَياهِبِ ألْيَلُ
Bright morning appears from his features,
Dawn gleams from his face’s traits
While night, its murky depths outspread, is pitch-dark.
While night’s shadows stretch out and darken.
ويجيشand surges بحرُthe sea of خواطريmy thoughts فيin مدحهhis praise
ويجيش بحرُ خواطري في مدحه
فأُجيدُso I excel إذْwhen بحرthe sea of الخواطِرthoughts جدولa brook
فأُجيدُ إذْ بحر الخواطِر جدول
And the sea of my thoughts surges in his praise,
The sea of my thoughts surges in praising him
So I excel when the sea of thought is but a brook.
Then flows smoothly when praising the sea of thoughts.
فحمَىso may He protect حِماهُhis domain وصانand may He guard طاهرpure عِرضهhis honor
فحمَى حِماهُ وصان طاهر عِرضه
مماfrom whatever يُدَنِّسُهُdefiles it القديمthe Eternal الأولُthe First
مما يُدَنِّسُهُ القديم الأولُ
So may his domain be protected and his pure honor guarded,
He protected his pure reputation
By the Eternal, the First, from whatever would defile it.
From what would defile, from past or present.
Sol 6.1