قليل لك المدح الذي بك فخره

قليل لك المدح الذي بك فخره

ولو كان من نظم الكواكب نثره

ولو كان من نظم الكواكب نثره

Too little for you is praise that takes its pride in you,

Praise whose glory comes from you is too little for you,

even if its prose were fashioned from the ordered stars.

even if its prose were fashioned from a string of stars.

فسامح فما في مادحيك بأسرهم

فسامح فما في مادحيك بأسرهم

فتى لك من ربق انتقادك أسره

فتى لك من ربق انتقادك أسره

So pardon me—for among all who praise you,

So be forgiving: among all who praise you there is no

no youth devoted to you but discerning your worth has bound him fast.

man freed from your criticism’s fetters [reading uncertain].

وأنت الذي أغنى عن المسك نشره

وأنت الذي أغنى عن المسك نشره

ثناء وأحيا ميت الجود نشره

ثناء وأحيا ميت الجود نشره

You are he whose fragrance has made musk needless;

And you are he whose fragrance has made musk needless—

praise of you, spread abroad, revives dead generosity.

the fragrance of praise—and whose reviving has brought dead generosity to life.

فيا بحر جود طبق الأرض مده

فيا بحر جود طبق الأرض مده

ولم يك إلا دون أرضي جزره

ولم يك إلا دون أرضي جزره

O sea of bounty whose flood covered the earth,

O sea of bounty, whose flood has covered the earth,

yet whose ebb stopped just short of my land;

yet whose ebb has left only my land unreached.

ويا وابلاً لم يحظ روضي بطله

ويا وابلاً لم يحظ روضي بطله

وقد عم أقطار البسيطة قطره

وقد عم أقطار البسيطة قطره

O downpour—not even your light drizzle fell to my garden,

And O downpour, whose dew my garden has not enjoyed,

though your rain encompassed every region of the earth.

though its rain has covered every region of the earth.

فأنعم بما عودتني من كرامة

فأنعم بما عودتني من كرامة

فوجهك معروف نداه وبشره

فوجهك معروف نداه وبشره

Then graciously grant the honor to which you have accustomed me;

So grant me the honor you have accustomed me to,

your face is famed for its bounty and cheerful welcome.

for your face is renowned for its bounty and good cheer.

وليس بمثلي ثروة يستفيدها

وليس بمثلي ثروة يستفيدها

ولكن به بعد الكرامة كقره

ولكن به بعد الكرامة كقره

For one like me, a fortune is not acquired for itself,

In one like me there is no wealth to be gained,

but for the settled ease it brings him once honor is secured.

but in him, after being honored, there is [an unclear word].

ولي سابقات من وداد وخدمة

ولي سابقات من وداد وخدمة

يسرك سر العبد فيها وجهره

يسرك سر العبد فيها وجهره

I have a long record of affection and service;

And I have past deeds of affection and service,

in them, the servant’s private and public devotion alike will please you.

in which this servant’s private and public conduct delights you.

عمارتكم عمار بيتكم الذي

عمارتكم عمار بيتكم الذي

به طال باع للثناء وعمره

به طال باع للثناء وعمره

Your ʿUmāra is the mainstay of your House, which

Your ʿUmāra is the keeper of your house, the one

through him has gained a long reach in praise and a long life.

through whom praise’s reach and lifespan have grown long.

تخيركم دون الملوك فقد غدا

تخيركم دون الملوك فقد غدا

إلى جودكم يعزى غناه وفقره

إلى جودكم يعزى غناه وفقره

My choosing you over kings has made it so:

He chose you above kings, and so now

to your bounty both my wealth and my poverty are ascribed.

his wealth and his poverty are attributed to your bounty.

وأنت الذي لا تعتريني نقيصة

وأنت الذي لا تعتريني نقيصة

إذا مر ذكري في القوافي وذكره

إذا مر ذكري في القوافي وذكره

And you are he beside whom no reproach can touch me

And you are he: no disgrace befalls me

when my name passes through verse together with yours.

when my name and his are mentioned in verse.

وعندي لك المدح الذي ترتضي به

وعندي لك المدح الذي ترتضي به

وما يستوي لب الثناء وقشره

وما يستوي لب الثناء وقشره

I have for you praise with which you will be pleased,

And I have praise for you with which you will be pleased;

for praise’s kernel is not equal to its husk;

the kernel of praise and its husk are not alike.

وعقد من الشعر الملوكي ينتقى

وعقد من الشعر الملوكي ينتقى

من اللؤلؤ المكنون باسمك دره

من اللؤلؤ المكنون باسمك دره

and a necklace of royal verse, whose pearls are chosen

And a necklace of royal verse: selected

from hidden pearls, each bearing your name.

from pearls kept hidden, in your name, are its gems.

وما الدهر شيء غير ما أنت فاعل

وما الدهر شيء غير ما أنت فاعل

وإلا فما الليل البهيم وفجره

وإلا فما الليل البهيم وفجره

Time is nothing but what you cause it to be;

And time is nothing but what you do;

otherwise, what are its pitch-black night and its dawn?

otherwise, what are the pitch-dark night and its dawn?

فأوص بنا صرفيه خيراً فإنه

فأوص بنا صرفيه خيراً فإنه

إليك انتهى نهي الزمان وأمره

إليك انتهى نهي الزمان وأمره

So charge its two turns to deal kindly with us, for

So bid its two turns to treat us kindly, for

to you have devolved Time’s power to forbid and command.

time’s prohibitions and commands rest ultimately with you.

فإن يفعل الحسنى فأنت دللته

فإن يفعل الحسنى فأنت دللته

عليها وإن يذنب فإنك عذره

عليها وإن يذنب فإنك عذره

If Time does what is good, you are the one who guided it

So if it does good, you are the one who guided it

toward goodness; and if it sins, you are its excuse.

to it; and if it sins, you are its excuse.