نَجمُstar القاضيthe judge الشَّرَفِSharaf الفَلَكيal-Falaki
نَجمُ القاضي الشَّرَفِ الفَلَكي
فيin أَسعَدِthe most auspicious بُرجٍzodiacal sign فيin الفَلَكِthe celestial sphere
في أَسعَدِ بُرجٍ في الفَلَكِ
The star of Judge Sharaf al-Falaki
The star of the honorable judge Al-Sharaf Al-Falaki
is in the most auspicious sign in the celestial sphere.
In the happiest mansion in the sky
وَذُكاءُand the Sun مُحَيّاهُhis countenance وَعُطاand Mercury (first part)
وَذُكاءُ مُحَيّاهُ وَعُطا
رِدُMercury (completion) وافىattended المَولِدَthe birth فَهوَso he ذَكيclever
رِدُ وافى المَولِدَ فَهوَ ذَكي
And his countenance is the Sun, and Mercury
And the intelligence of his face and generosity
attended his birth, so he is clever.
Give birth to a witty and bright one
لَوif ناوَأَهُopposed him الأَسَدُthe Lion الأَعلىon high
لَو ناوَأَهُ الأَسَدُ الأَعلى
لَثَناهُhe would surely turn it back مُندَقَّshattered in الحَنَكِthe jaw
لَثَناهُ مُندَقَّ الحَنَكِ
If the Lion on high opposed him,
If the greatest Lion confronted him
he would drive it back with its jaw shattered.
He would fold his flexed jaw
وَلَوand if اَنَّthat الحوتَthe Fish عَصاهُdisobeyed him أَتىit would come
وَلَو اَنَّ الحوتَ عَصاهُ أَتى
وَهوَwhile it is المُتَخَبِّطُthrashing فيin الشَبَكِthe net
وَهوَ المُتَخَبِّطُ في الشَبَكِ
And if the Fish disobeyed him, it would come
And if the Whale came to defy him
thrashing in the net.
While thrashing about in the net
لَوif شاءَhe wished رَمىhe would cast النَسرَينِthe two Eagles مِنَfrom الthe
لَو شاءَ رَمى النَسرَينِ مِنَ ال
أُفقِhorizon الأَعلىhighest وَسطَinto the midst of الشَّرَكِthe snare
أُفقِ الأَعلى وَسطَ الشَّرَكِ
If he wished, he would cast the two Eagles from the
If he wished he would shoot the two eagles
highest horizon into the midst of the snare.
From the highest horizon amidst the constellations
فَمُساجِلُهُso his rival فيin المَجدِglory يُباcompetes (first part)
فَمُساجِلُهُ في المَجدِ يُبا
ريcompetes (completion) الحُصنَstallions عِتاقاًpurebred بِالرَّمَكِwith common mares
ري الحُصنَ عِتاقاً بِالرَّمَكِ
So whoever rivals him in glory competes
So his challenger in glory charges the fortress
with purebred stallions on common mares.
A freedman with spears
رَبُّmaster of الآراءِjudgments مُجَلَّلَةًmantled
رَبُّ الآراءِ مُجَلَّلَةً
بِيَقينِin certainty الأَمرِthe matter المُحتَبِكِclosely interwoven
بِيَقينِ الأَمرِ المُحتَبِكِ
Master of judgments that are mantled
The Lord of opinions adorned
in certainty concerning closely interwoven affairs.
With certainty intertwined
وَلَهُand he has قَلَمٌa pen يُرديfells الفُرساthe horsemen (first part)
وَلَهُ قَلَمٌ يُردي الفُرسا
نَhorsemen (completion) بِهِwith it طَعناًby thrusting فيin المُعتَرَكِthe battlefield
نَ بِهِ طَعناً في المُعتَرَكِ
And he has a pen that fells horsemen
And he has a pen that defeats the cavalry
by thrusting with it on the battlefield.
Stabbing them in the battlefield
تَجريit flows فيon الطِّرسِthe page بِسَجعِwith the rhymed prose of القاal-Qadi (first part)
تَجري في الطِّرسِ بِسَجعِ القا
ضيal-Qadi (completion) الفاضِلِal-Fadil بِالأَمرِin the matter اللَّبِكِtangled
ضي الفاضِلِ بِالأَمرِ اللَّبِكِ
It flows on the page with the rhymed prose of al-Qadi
It flows in poetry with the rhymes of the virtuous judge
al-Fadil, in tangled affairs,
In an intricate matter
وَحُروفِand with the letters of اِبنِIbn البَوّابِal-Bawwab إِذاwhen
وَحُروفِ اِبنِ البَوّابِ إِذا
سَلَكَتthey followed سنَناًpaths لَمnot تَنسَلِكِbe traversed
سَلَكَت سنَناً لَم تَنسَلِكِ
and with Ibn al-Bawwab's letters, when
And the letters of the son of the doorkeeper when
they follow paths never before traversed.
They follow a path do not deviate
لَمdid not تُغنِavail عَنِfor الأَبطالِthe champions إِذاwhen
لَم تُغنِ عَنِ الأَبطالِ إِذا
ماemphatic particle صَمَّمَit struck through مَسرودُinterlinked الشكَكِcoats of mail
ما صَمَّمَ مَسرودُ الشكَكِ
Of no avail to the champions, when
They do not avail the heroes when
it struck through, were their interlinked coats of mail.
The doubtful one is determined
وَأَنامِلُهُand his fingertips تَنهَلُّpour forth لِقاfor his petitioner (first part)
وَأَنامِلُهُ تَنهَلُّ لِقا
صِدِهِhis petitioner (completion) كَأَنابيبِlike the pipes of البِرَكِpools
صِدِهِ كَأَنابيبِ البِرَكِ
And his fingertips pour forth for those
And his rivulets pour for his purpose
who seek him, like the pipes of pools.
Like the pipes of the pond
وَسَماءُand the sky of مَعاليهِhis lofty attainments زينَتwas adorned
وَسَماءُ مَعاليهِ زينَت
بِمَعانيهِwith his meanings ذاتِendowed with الحُبُكِwoven patterns
بِمَعانيهِ ذاتِ الحُبُكِ
And the sky of his lofty attainments was adorned
And the sky of his glory was adorned
with his meanings, rich in woven patterns.
With meanings of intricate weaving
ياO دَهرُTime رُوَيدَكَbe gentle كَمhow often أُرمىI am assailed
يا دَهرُ رُوَيدَكَ كَم أُرمى
مِنthrough جَورِكَyour injustice بِالحُكمِwith a judgment المَحِكِobstinate
مِن جَورِكَ بِالحُكمِ المَحِكِ
O Time, be gentle! How often I am assailed
O fate, slow down, how much am I
by your injustice, with an obstinate judgment.
Thrown by your injustice to the decisive one
أَبكيI weep مِنهُbecause of him أَسَفاًin grief وَيَرىand he sees
أَبكي مِنهُ أَسَفاً وَيَرى
حاليmy plight فَيُقَهقِهُthen he guffaws بِالضَحِكِwith laughter
حالي فَيُقَهقِهُ بِالضَحِكِ
I weep because of him in grief, and he sees
I cry sadly and he sees
my plight, then guffaws with laughter.
My state and chuckles at me
فَالناسُso the people لَهُمhave عَمروٌAmr وَأَبوand Abu
فَالناسُ لَهُم عَمروٌ وَأَبو
موسىMusa أَمسىhas become ياO نَفسُsoul لَكِyours
موسى أَمسى يا نَفسُ لَكِ
So the people have Amr, while Abu
While people have glory and prominence
Musa has become yours, O my soul.
I have become, O soul, yours
غالَتseized ثُلُثَa third of الرَّسمِthe stipend الجاريregular
غالَت ثُلُثَ الرَّسمِ الجاري
مَعَdespite قِلَّتِهِits scantness يَدُthe hand of مُنتَهِكِa despoiler
مَعَ قِلَّتِهِ يَدُ مُنتَهِكِ
A third of the regular stipend has been seized,
A third of the ongoing rate has become expensive
scant as it is, by a despoiler's hand.
With its scarcity, an violating hand
إنif غُيِّضَis drained ماءُthe water of الجَدوَلِthe stream حِيwrong is done (first part)
إن غُيِّضَ ماءُ الجَدوَلِ حِي
فَwrong is done (completion) عَلىto ماwhat فيهِis in it مِنَof السَمَكِfish
فَ عَلى ما فيهِ مِنَ السَمَكِ
If the stream's water is drained,
If the water of the stream is lowered
wrong is done to the fish within it.
It is on what is in it of fish
أَناI عَبدُservant of المُحسِنِthe benefactor عَبدِAbd المحal-Muhsin (first part)
أَنا عَبدُ المُحسِنِ عَبدِ المح
سِنِal-Muhsin (completion) لَمhave not أَرهَبfeared دَرَكَreaching الدَّرَكِthe lowest depths
سِنِ لَم أَرهَب دَرَكَ الدَّرَكِ
I am the servant of the benefactor, Abd al-Muhsin;
I am the servant of the benefactor, servant of the benefactor
I have not feared reaching the lowest depths.
I did not fear the course of fate
فَبِتُربَةِso, by the tomb of إِسماعيلَIsma'il حَليally (first part)
فَبِتُربَةِ إِسماعيلَ حَلي
فِally (completion) العِلمِlearning عَزيزاًhonored وَالنُسُكِand devotion
فِ العِلمِ عَزيزاً وَالنُسُكِ
So, by the tomb of Isma'il, an ally
So by the soil of Ismail the caliph
of learning and devotion, held in honor,
Of knowledge, glory and devotion
انظُرlook فيinto حالِيَmy plight فَالمملوfor the servant (first part)
انظُر في حالِيَ فَالمملو
كُservant (completion) يُرَجّيhopes for عارِفَةَthe favor of المَلِكِthe king
كُ يُرَجّي عارِفَةَ المَلِكِ
look into my plight, for the servant
Look at my state, the Sovereign
hopes for the king's favor.
Seeks the knower of the King
ياO مَنone who هُوَhe is مَخلوقٌcreated بَشَراًas a human
يا مَن هُوَ مَخلوقٌ بَشَراً
وَنَرىand we see مِنهُin him خُلُقَthe character of المَلَكِan angel
وَنَرى مِنهُ خُلُقَ المَلَكِ
O you who were created a human,
O You who is created human
yet in whom we see an angel's character.
Yet we see in him the traits of an angel
أَصبَحتُI have become مَصونَprotected in العِرضِhonor مُذاsquandered (first part)
أَصبَحتُ مَصونَ العِرضِ مُذا
لَsquandered (completion) المالِwealth بِعِرضٍby one whose honor is مُنهَتِكِviolated
لَ المالِ بِعِرضٍ مُنهَتِكِ
My honor is now safeguarded, but my wealth is squandered
I have become protected in honor, humiliated in money
by a man whose honor is in tatters.
With disgraced honor
فَاِسلَمso remain safe وَاِغنَمand prosper وَاِفرَحand rejoice وَاِمرَحand be merry
فَاِسلَم وَاِغنَم وَاِفرَح وَاِمرَح
وَاِظفَرand prevail بِالضِدِّover the adversary المُؤتَفِكِdeceitful
وَاِظفَر بِالضِدِّ المُؤتَفِكِ
So remain safe, prosper, rejoice, and be merry,
So submit, and gain, and rejoice and be playful
and prevail over the deceitful adversary.
And succeed with the separating opposite
جاءَتكَcame to you بِرَكضِat the gallop of الخَيلِhorses أُبَيlittle verses (first part)
جاءَتكَ بِرَكضِ الخَيلِ أُبَي
ياتٌlittle verses (completion) أَمِنَتwere safe from وَصمَthe blemish of الرَكَكِweak diction
ياتٌ أَمِنَت وَصمَ الرَكَكِ
Little verses have come to you at the gallop of horses,
Racing horses have brought you verses
safe from the blemish of weak diction.
That are safe and bridled the rugged terrain
فَرَأَتكَso they found you بِمالِكَin your wealth مُشتَركاًshared
فَرَأَتكَ بِمالِكَ مُشتَركاً
وَبِمَجدِكَbut in your glory لَيسَnot بِمُشتَرَكِshared
وَبِمَجدِكَ لَيسَ بِمُشتَرَكِ
So they found you sharing your wealth,
For they saw you sharing in your wealth
but with no one sharing your glory.
And in your glory unparalleled
Sol 6.1