يودُّ المُسفُّ الجون تحمله الصبا

يودُّ المُسفُّ الجون تحمله الصبا

سرى موهِناً والليلُ كالبحر ماتع

سرى موهِناً والليلُ كالبحر ماتع

The low-hanging, dark cloud, borne by the east wind, longs—

The young man longs for the gusts of the morning breeze to carry him along

having traveled late at night, while night stretched like the sea;

He walked slowly at night while the sea was stagnant

نشاصُ الثُّريَّا ديمةٌ بعد ديمةٍ

نشاصُ الثُّريَّا ديمةٌ بعد ديمةٍ

يُعيد ويبدي فهو ما شئتَ هامعُ

يُعيد ويبدي فهو ما شئتَ هامعُ

towering to the Pleiades, steady rain after steady rain;

The Pleiades rise and set endlessly

renewing and beginning its showers, pouring as much as you wish;

Repeating as he wishes, shining however he wants

له زجلٌ من رعْده فكأنَّهُ

له زجلٌ من رعْده فكأنَّهُ

طُبولُ ملوكٍ أعلنتها الوقائعُ

طُبولُ ملوكٍ أعلنتها الوقائعُ

with a clamor from its thunder, as though it were

It has thunder that sounds like

the drums of kings, set resounding by battles—

The drums of kings made known by events

نوالَ بهاءِ الدين في كل أزْمَةٍ

نوالَ بهاءِ الدين في كل أزْمَةٍ

اذا غاربٌ أخوى وأخلفَ طالعُ

اذا غاربٌ أخوى وأخلفَ طالعُ

for Baha al-Din's bounty in every crisis,

The glory of faith assists in every crisis

when a setting star yields no rain and a rising one disappoints.

When the sun sets it brings out the rising moon

فتى الخير أمَّا مالُه فهو باذلٌ

فتى الخير أمَّا مالُه فهو باذلٌ

وَهوبٌ وأما جارهُ فهو مانعُ

وَهوبٌ وأما جارهُ فهو مانعُ

A noble youth: as for his wealth, he gives it freely,

The young man of goodness, his wealth he gives generously

a lavish giver; as for his neighbor, he protects him.

And to his neighbor he is preventing of harm

سبوقٌ إِلى الغايات في كل مفخرٍ

سبوقٌ إِلى الغايات في كل مفخرٍ

يلينُ له وَعْرٌ ويقربُ شاسعُ

يلينُ له وَعْرٌ ويقربُ شاسعُ

First to reach the goals in every pursuit of honor;

Foremost in every pride-stirring goal

rugged ground grows smooth for him, and the far-off draws near.

The rugged path is smoothed and the far-off made near for him

اذا مِرجَمُ العلياءِ حاول شوطهُ

اذا مِرجَمُ العلياءِ حاول شوطهُ

غدا وهو موهونٌ من البُهر ظالعُ

غدا وهو موهونٌ من البُهر ظالعُ

Whenever a swift racer for glory attempts his course,

When the stars of the noble ones attempt their course

he ends up weakened by breathlessness, limping.

Tomorrow they rise tamed by the ocean

منيفٌ من الأطواد في حال سلمه

منيفٌ من الأطواد في حال سلمه

وفي الحرب مصقول الغرارين قاطع

وفي الحرب مصقول الغرارين قاطع

In peace, a towering mountain among mountains;

Refined by the millstones in times of peace

and in war, a cutting blade polished on both edges.

And in war his blades are unsheathed, ready to cut

نماهُ إِلى عليائه كلُّ راجِحٍ

نماهُ إِلى عليائه كلُّ راجِحٍ

مُشارٍ اذا التفَّتْ عليه المجامعُ

مُشارٍ اذا التفَّتْ عليه المجامعُ

Every man of worth raised him to his eminence,

Every steadfast mentor nurtured his ascent

each singled out whenever assemblies gathered around him.

All the councils looked to him for guidance

فجاء أَبو الفضلِ المُبرَّز فارعاً

فجاء أَبو الفضلِ المُبرَّز فارعاً

قِنانَ معالي قومهِ وهو يافعُ

قِنانَ معالي قومهِ وهو يافعُ

Thus Abu al-Fadl, the preeminent, came towering above

So Abu Al-Fadl rose to prominence

the peaks of his people's glory while still a youth.

Achieving the peaks of glory in his youth

يفِرُّ ظلامُ الليل من قسماتهِ

يفِرُّ ظلامُ الليل من قسماتهِ

وتخشى ظُباهُ الذابلات الشوارعُ

وتخشى ظُباهُ الذابلات الشوارعُ

Night's darkness flees from his features,

The darkness of night recoils from his visage

and slender, leveled spears fear his sword-edges.

And the withering roads fear his splendor

ويفضُلُ آمالَ العُفاةِ كهاطِلٍ

ويفضُلُ آمالَ العُفاةِ كهاطِلٍ

تضيقُ الفَلا عن صوبه وهو واسعُ

تضيقُ الفَلا عن صوبه وهو واسعُ

And he surpasses the hopes of bounty-seekers, like a pouring cloud

He prefers to give from his hopes like pouring rain

whose rain the wilderness cannot contain, vast though it is.

While the empty-handed feel straitened in his presence

فلا زلْتم آل المُظفَّرِ للنَّدى

فلا زلْتم آل المُظفَّرِ للنَّدى

وللبأس ما حَلَّ الأراكةَ ساجعُ

وللبأس ما حَلَّ الأراكةَ ساجعُ

May you ever remain, O house of al-Muzaffar, devoted to generosity

You Aal al-Muzaffar will always be dew for the meadows

and valor, as long as a cooing bird settles in the arak tree.

And whenever destruction lingered, a sword to drive it away

تُطيعكمُ الأيامُ وهي عَصيَّةٌ

تُطيعكمُ الأيامُ وهي عَصيَّةٌ

وتَعْدوكم أحداثُهنَّ الروائعُ

وتَعْدوكم أحداثُهنَّ الروائعُ

The days obey you, though they are unruly,

The days obey you though they disobey others

and their terrifying calamities pass you by.

And the events of each unfold for you marvelously