الشِعرُ ما زالَ لِسانُ الزَمان

الشِعرُ ما زالَ لِسانُ الزَمان

يُعَلَّمُ الإِنسانُ مِنهُ البَيان

يُعَلَّمُ الإِنسانُ مِنهُ البَيان

Poetry remains the tongue of time.

Poetry is still the tongue of time

Through it, the human being is taught eloquence.

It teaches mankind eloquence

وَالشُعَراءُ الأُمَراءُ الأُلى

وَالشُعَراءُ الأُمَراءُ الأُلى

أَلفاظُهُم مُطرِبَةٌ وَالمَعان

أَلفاظُهُم مُطرِبَةٌ وَالمَعان

And poets are the princes whose

And poets are the foremost princes

words are enchanting, and so are their meanings.

Whose words are enchanting and meanings sublime

لَو لَم تَكُن سَورَتُهُم تُتَّقى

لَو لَم تَكُن سَورَتُهُم تُتَّقى

ما أُنزِلَت سورَتُهُم في القُران

ما أُنزِلَت سورَتُهُم في القُران

Had their fury not been feared,

Were it not for the sanctity of their compositions

their chapter would not have been revealed in the Qur'an;

Their verses would have been made part of the Quran

وَلا حَوى كَعبٌ بِهِ بُردَةَ ال

وَلا حَوى كَعبٌ بِهِ بُردَةَ ال

نَبيِّ إِذ فازَ بِبَردِ الأَمان

نَبيِّ إِذ فازَ بِبَردِ الأَمان

nor would Ka'b have gained through it the cloak of the

And Ka'b would not have been graced with the mantle

Prophet, when he won the coolness of safety.

Of the Prophet when he won the security mantle

حِياضُهُ لَم تَفنَ أَمواهُها

حِياضُهُ لَم تَفنَ أَمواهُها

كَأَنَّهُ البَحرُ وَما البَحرُ فان

كَأَنَّهُ البَحرُ وَما البَحرُ فان

The waters of its pools have not run out;

Its reservoirs have not diminished their waters

it is like the sea—and the sea does not perish.

As if it were the sea that never diminishes

وَهوَ لَعَمري تَرجُمانٌ وَنا

وَهوَ لَعَمري تَرجُمانٌ وَنا

هيكَ بِهِ في الناسِ مِن تَرجُمان

هيكَ بِهِ في الناسِ مِن تَرجُمان

And by my life it is an interpreter—and what

And it is, by my life, a translator and there is no

an interpreter it is among humankind!

Other like it among people as a translator

لَكِنَّهُ قَد كَسَدَت سوقُهُ

لَكِنَّهُ قَد كَسَدَت سوقُهُ

فَسيمَ في ذا الدَّهرِ سَومَ الهَوان

فَسيمَ في ذا الدَّهرِ سَومَ الهَوان

Yet its market has grown stagnant,

But its market has been stifled

so in this age it is valued at humiliation's price.

So it has lived in this age in the garb of disgrace

كَم بِدرٍ حيزَت بِهِ قَبلَنا

كَم بِدرٍ حيزَت بِهِ قَبلَنا

مِنَ الدَنانيرِ الصِحاحِ الرِزان

مِنَ الدَنانيرِ الصِحاحِ الرِزان

How many purses were acquired through it before us,

How many full moons were diminished because of it

of sound, full-weight dinars!

Of precious and complete dinars

وَالعَرَبُ العَرباءُ كانوا بِهِ

وَالعَرَبُ العَرباءُ كانوا بِهِ

في الزَّمَنِ الغابِرِ أَهلَ اِفتِنان

في الزَّمَنِ الغابِرِ أَهلَ اِفتِنان

And the true-born Arabs were, through it,

And the true bedouin Arabs were, because of it

masters of artistry in bygone times.

In bygone times the people of sedition

وَكانَ ديوانُهُمُ فارِقاً

وَكانَ ديوانُهُمُ فارِقاً

بَينَ الهَجينِ المُدَّعي وَالهِجان

بَينَ الهَجينِ المُدَّعي وَالهِجان

And their collected verse distinguished

And their compilation was the distinguisher

the mixed-blood pretender from the purebred.

Between the pretentious innovator and the eloquent one

فَخابَ مِن بَعدِهِمُ قِدحُهُ

فَخابَ مِن بَعدِهِمُ قِدحُهُ

وَكانَ في القِدحِ المُعَلّى فَهان

وَكانَ في القِدحِ المُعَلّى فَهان

But after them its lot-arrow proved unlucky;

So its pitcher was diminished after them

it had been the highest lot-arrow, but was brought low.

And the elevated pitcher became disgraced

هَذا وَما يَسلَمُ مِن سارِقٍ

هَذا وَما يَسلَمُ مِن سارِقٍ

وَمائِنٍ فيهِ تَعَدّى وَخان

وَمائِنٍ فيهِ تَعَدّى وَخان

Even so, it is not safe from a thief

As well as what is safe from a plagiarizer

and a liar who has transgressed against it and betrayed it.

And the two-faced among them exceeded limits and betrayed

مُبارِزَ الدينِ وَأَنتَ الَّذي

مُبارِزَ الدينِ وَأَنتَ الَّذي

يُشِبُّ في الذُعّارِ حَرباً عَوان

يُشِبُّ في الذُعّارِ حَرباً عَوان

O Mubariz al-Din, you are the one

Challenger of the religion while you are the one

who kindles among brigands an oft-renewed war.

Who ignites war in the blazers a helpful war

هُمُ اللُصوصُ السارِقونَ الأُلى

هُمُ اللُصوصُ السارِقونَ الأُلى

أَذلَلتَ مِنهُم كُلّ قاصٍ وَدان

أَذلَلتَ مِنهُم كُلّ قاصٍ وَدان

They are the robbers, the thieves whom

They are the thieves, the plagiarizers

you have humbled, every one of them, far and near.

You have humiliated each obstinate transgressor

مُعتَمَدُ المُلكِ شُجاعٌ فَما

مُعتَمَدُ المُلكِ شُجاعٌ فَما

يُقَعقِعُ الدَهرُ لَهُ بِالشِنان

يُقَعقِعُ الدَهرُ لَهُ بِالشِنان

The realm's mainstay is brave, and so

The trusted supporter of the kingdom is courageous so

time cannot daunt him by rattling worn waterskins.

Time does not clatter for him with spears

وَهَذِهِ الدَّولَةُ رُمحٌ وَقَد

وَهَذِهِ الدَّولَةُ رُمحٌ وَقَد

رَكَّبَهُ اللَهُ مَكانَ السِنان

رَكَّبَهُ اللَهُ مَكانَ السِنان

And this state is a spear, and

And this state is a spear which

God has fitted him in place of the spearhead.

God has set in place of the spear

صاحِبُ شُربوشٍ وَمِن مَجدِهِ

صاحِبُ شُربوشٍ وَمِن مَجدِهِ

يَخجَلُ ذو الطَرحَةِ وَالطَيلَسان

يَخجَلُ ذو الطَرحَةِ وَالطَيلَسان

He wears a sharbush cap, and before his glory

The owner of Shurbush, his glory

the wearer of the tarha veil and taylasan mantle is abashed.

Shames the wearer of the fur hat and sash

وَهوَ الأَميرُ الأَلمَعِيُّ الَّذي

وَهوَ الأَميرُ الأَلمَعِيُّ الَّذي

حَلَّ مِنَ العَلياءِ أَعلى مَكان

حَلَّ مِنَ العَلياءِ أَعلى مَكان

And he is the keen-witted emir who

He is the brilliant prince who

has settled in the highest place of eminence.

Settled in the highest place from the Exalted

قُلتُ لإبراهيمَ قَولَ امرِئٍ

قُلتُ لإبراهيمَ قَولَ امرِئٍ

مُصَدَّقٍ لَم يَكُ في القَولِ مان

مُصَدَّقٍ لَم يَكُ في القَولِ مان

I said to Ibrahim the words of a man

I said to Ibrahim the words of a man

trusted, who told no lie in his speech:

Who believes truthfully and has no doubt in speech

أَنتَ الَّذي قَد شَهِدَ المَشرِقان

أَنتَ الَّذي قَد شَهِدَ المَشرِقان

لَهُ بِنُجحِ السَّعيِ وَالمَغرِبان

لَهُ بِنُجحِ السَّعيِ وَالمَغرِبان

You are the one for whom the two Easts have borne witness

You are the one who both East and West

to success in striving, and the two Wests as well.

Have borne witness for the success of his efforts

لَو كُنتَ في الدَّهرِ الَّذي قَبلَنا

لَو كُنتَ في الدَّهرِ الَّذي قَبلَنا

لَكانَ عَبداً لَكَ عَبدُ المَدان

لَكانَ عَبداً لَكَ عَبدُ المَدان

Had you lived in the age before us,

If you were in the time before us

Abd al-Madan would have been your slave.

Abdulrahman would have been a slave to you

يَستَخرِجُ العملاتِ مِمَّن عَتا

يَستَخرِجُ العملاتِ مِمَّن عَتا

فَهوَ وَإِن كانَ جَريئاً جَبان

فَهوَ وَإِن كانَ جَريئاً جَبان

He recovers stolen goods from the defiant man,

Extracting currencies from whoever disobeyed

who, though daring, is a coward.

For he is, even if bold, a coward

خُذ عَملَتي مِن سارِقٍ مارِقٍ

خُذ عَملَتي مِن سارِقٍ مارِقٍ

وَلا يَكُن مِن خَوفِهِ في أَمان

وَلا يَكُن مِن خَوفِهِ في أَمان

Recover my stolen work from a thieving renegade,

Take my currency from a thieving apostate

and let him find no safety from his fear.

And do not let him feel safe from fear of you

صالَ عَلى قَولي مُغيراً كَما

صالَ عَلى قَولي مُغيراً كَما

صالَ أَبو جَعدَةَ في سَرحِ ضان

صالَ أَبو جَعدَةَ في سَرحِ ضان

He swooped upon my verse as a raider, just as

Opinionated about my words, changing them

Abu Ja'da swooped upon a flock of sheep.

As Abu Ja'dah did on the Sarh plain

ذَرهُ يُضاهي كُرَةً سُقتُها

ذَرهُ يُضاهي كُرَةً سُقتُها

في ساحَةِ المَيدانِ بِالصَّولَجان

في ساحَةِ المَيدانِ بِالصَّولَجان

Let him be like a ball I have driven

Leave him be, competing with a ball soaked

across the playing field with a polo mallet.

In the field of battle with the polo stick

لي خُطبَةٌ كَالدُرِّ نَثراً وَفي

لي خُطبَةٌ كَالدُرِّ نَثراً وَفي

ها النَظمُ أَبهى مِن عُقودِ الحِسان

ها النَظمُ أَبهى مِن عُقودِ الحِسان

I have an oration whose prose is like scattered pearls, and in

I have a sermon like scattered pearls and in it

it the verse is lovelier than beauties' necklaces.

Poetry more beautiful than necklaces of affection

كَأَنَّما قُسُّ إِيادٍ أَتى

كَأَنَّما قُسُّ إِيادٍ أَتى

بِها وَفيها فَضلُ سَحبانَ بان

بِها وَفيها فَضلُ سَحبانَ بان

As though Quss of Iyad had brought

As if the leader of Eiyad came with it

it, and in it Sahban's excellence shone forth.

In which is the surplus of Sahan the evident

فيها مِنَ التَوحيدِ ما أَلجمَ ال

فيها مِنَ التَوحيدِ ما أَلجمَ ال

مُشرِكَ بِالعِيِّ وَقَطعِ اللِّسان

مُشرِكَ بِالعِيِّ وَقَطعِ اللِّسان

It contains such affirmation of God's oneness as bridled the

In it is of divine oneness what silenced the

polytheist with speechlessness and a severed tongue;

Polytheist by reason and cutting off the tongue

وَمِن مَديحِ المُصطَفى ما بِهِ

وَمِن مَديحِ المُصطَفى ما بِهِ

أَرجو غَداً فَوزاً بِدارِ الجِنان

أَرجو غَداً فَوزاً بِدارِ الجِنان

and praise of the Chosen One, through which

And praise of the Chosen One by which

I hope tomorrow to win the abode of the Gardens;

I hope tomorrow for success in the Garden of Bliss

وَمَدحِ أَصحابِ النَّبِيِّ الألى

وَمَدحِ أَصحابِ النَّبِيِّ الألى

شَأنُهُم طوبى لَهُم خَيرُ شان

شَأنُهُم طوبى لَهُم خَيرُ شان

and praise of the Prophet's companions, whose

And praise of the companions of the noble Prophet

state—bliss be theirs!—is the best of states;

Their status is felicity, excellent affair

وَمَدحِ مَولانا الإِمامِ الَّذي

وَمَدحِ مَولانا الإِمامِ الَّذي

طاعَتُهُ مَفروضَةٌ في الزَمان

طاعَتُهُ مَفروضَةٌ في الزَمان

and praise of our lord, the imam, to whom

And praise of our master the Imam whose

obedience is ordained throughout time;

Obedience is obligatory in this time

ثُمَّ المَليكِ العادِلِ المُنتَضي

ثُمَّ المَليكِ العادِلِ المُنتَضي

مِن عَزمِكَ الماضي الحُسامَ اليَمان

مِن عَزمِكَ الماضي الحُسامَ اليَمان

then of the just king, who unsheathes

Then the just king, the executor

from your keen resolve the Yemeni sword;

Of your resolute decree, O blade of Yemen

وَمَدحِكَ المُشبِهِ في حُسنِهِ

وَمَدحِكَ المُشبِهِ في حُسنِهِ

مَدحَ زُهَيرٍ مَن أَبوهُ سِنان

مَدحَ زُهَيرٍ مَن أَبوهُ سِنان

and praise of you, resembling in its beauty

And praise of you resembling in its beauty

Zuhayr's praise of the man whose father was Sinan.

The praise of Zuhair for the one whose father is Sinan

وَلَم أَكُن يَوماً بَخيلاً بِما

وَلَم أَكُن يَوماً بَخيلاً بِما

نَحَلتُهُ مَن بِقَريضي اِستَعان

نَحَلتُهُ مَن بِقَريضي اِستَعان

Nor was I ever miserly with what

And I have never been miserly with what

I bestowed on anyone who sought help through my verse.

I have composed of my poetry when helped

كَم مِن قَريضٍ صُغتُهُ لِاِمرِئٍ

كَم مِن قَريضٍ صُغتُهُ لِاِمرِئٍ

قوبِلَ مِنهُ بِالصِلاتِ الحِسان

قوبِلَ مِنهُ بِالصِلاتِ الحِسان

How many poems I fashioned for a man

How many well-crafted poems I composed for a man

were met with handsome gifts from him!

Which were reciprocated from him with fine connections

يا مَن هُوَ العالمُ في دَهرِنا

يا مَن هُوَ العالمُ في دَهرِنا

يَحويهِ جِسمٌ واحِدٌ في مَكان

يَحويهِ جِسمٌ واحِدٌ في مَكان

O you who are the world in our age,

Oh you who are the scholar in our time

contained in a single body in one place,

Contained in one body in a place

أَنتَ مِنَ اللَهِ مُعانٌ كَذا

أَنتَ مِنَ اللَهِ مُعانٌ كَذا

مَنِ اِتَّقى اللَهَ تَعالى مُعان

مَنِ اِتَّقى اللَهَ تَعالى مُعان

you are aided by God; likewise,

You are from God insights as such

whoever fears God—exalted is He—is aided.

Whoever fears God the Exalted has insights