لَكَ اللَهُ مِن والٍ وَلِيٍّ مُقَرَّبِ

لَكَ اللَهُ مِن والٍ وَلِيٍّ مُقَرَّبِ

فَكَم لَكَ مِن يَومٍ أَغَرَّ مُحَبَّبِ

فَكَم لَكَ مِن يَومٍ أَغَرَّ مُحَبَّبِ

God be with you—what a governor, a close and favored ally!

You have from Allah a close, beloved patron

And how many radiant, cherished days are yours!

So how many a day made pleasing for you has passed

حَلَلتَ مِنَ المَجدِ المُمَنَّعِ في الوَرى

حَلَلتَ مِنَ المَجدِ المُمَنَّعِ في الوَرى

بِأَرفَعِ بَيتٍ في العَلاءِ مُطَنَّبِ

بِأَرفَعِ بَيتٍ في العَلاءِ مُطَنَّبِ

You have settled among humankind in impregnable glory,

You have achieved glory forbidden in the world

In the loftiest tent, firmly pitched in the heights.

With the highest house in the heights adorned

يُقَصِّرُ عَن أَمثالِهِ كُلُّ قَيصَرٍ

يُقَصِّرُ عَن أَمثالِهِ كُلُّ قَيصَرٍ

وَيُغلَبُ عَن أَمثالِهِ كُلُّ أَغلَبِ

وَيُغلَبُ عَن أَمثالِهِ كُلُّ أَغلَبِ

Every Caesar falls short of matching it,

Every Caesar falls short of the likes of him

And every mighty lion is powerless to match it.

And every conqueror is defeated by the likes of him

فَيا طالِباً لِلجودِ مِن غَيرِ جَلدَكٍ

فَيا طالِباً لِلجودِ مِن غَيرِ جَلدَكٍ

نَصَحتُكَ لا تَتعَب وَلا تَتَطَلَّبِ

نَصَحتُكَ لا تَتعَب وَلا تَتَطَلَّبِ

So, seeker of generosity from anyone but Jaldak,

So O seeker of generosity without your own skin

I counsel you: do not weary yourself, nor keep searching.

I advise you, do not weary yourself or keep asking

جَوادٌ مَتى تَحلُل بِواديهِ تَلقَهُ

جَوادٌ مَتى تَحلُل بِواديهِ تَلقَهُ

كَما قيلَ في آلِ الجَوادِ المُهَلَّبِ

كَما قيلَ في آلِ الجَوادِ المُهَلَّبِ

A generous man—whenever you lodge in his valley, you find him so,

A generous one, when he descends to his valley you will find him

As was said of the family of generous al-Muhallab.

As was said about the family of the slain generous one

أَحَقُّ بِما قالَ ابنُ قَيسٍ لِمالِكٍ

أَحَقُّ بِما قالَ ابنُ قَيسٍ لِمالِكٍ

وَأَولى بِما قالَ ابنُ أَوسٍ لِمُصعَبِ

وَأَولى بِما قالَ ابنُ أَوسٍ لِمُصعَبِ

More deserving of what Ibn Qays said to Malik,

More right to what Ibn Qais said to Malik

And worthier of what Ibn Aws said to Musʿab.

And worthier of what Ibn Aws said to Mus'ab

وَلَو شاهَدَ العِجلِيُّ جَدواهُ ما اِنتَمى

وَلَو شاهَدَ العِجلِيُّ جَدواهُ ما اِنتَمى

لِعِكرِمَةَ الفَيّاضِ يَوماً وَحَوشَبِ

لِعِكرِمَةَ الفَيّاضِ يَوماً وَحَوشَبِ

And had al-ʿIjli seen his bounty, he would not have attached himself

And had Al-Ijli seen his grandfather he would not have affiliated

To ʿIkrimah the Bountiful or Hawshab, ever.

To Ikrimah the Bountiful, ever and Hushab

مُقيمٌ عَلى الخُلقِ الجَميلِ وَبَعضُهُم

مُقيمٌ عَلى الخُلقِ الجَميلِ وَبَعضُهُم

كَثيرُ اِستِحالاتٍ كَحَرباءِ تَنضُبِ

كَثيرُ اِستِحالاتٍ كَحَرباءِ تَنضُبِ

Steadfast in noble character, while some of them

Holding to fine character while some of them

Are ever-changing, like a chameleon on a tandub tree.

Are frequently changing like a cask pouring out

مَقالٌ تُفَدّيهِ أَوائِلُ وائِلٍ

مَقالٌ تُفَدّيهِ أَوائِلُ وائِلٍ

وَتَعبُدُهُ حُسناً أَعارِبُ يَعرُبِ

وَتَعبُدُهُ حُسناً أَعارِبُ يَعرُبِ

An utterance for which Waʾil's forebears would give their lives,

Words you ransom with the prime chiefs

And which Yaʿrub's Arab tribes worship for its beauty.

And you worship their excellence, nomadic Arabs being Arabized

هُوَ الزَهَرُ الغَضُّ الَّذي في كِمامِهِ

هُوَ الزَهَرُ الغَضُّ الَّذي في كِمامِهِ

أَوِ اللُؤلُؤُ الرَطبُ الَّذي لَم يُثَقَّبِ

أَوِ اللُؤلُؤُ الرَطبُ الَّذي لَم يُثَقَّبِ

It is the tender blossom within its sheaths,

He is the fresh, fragrant flower in whose headcloth

Or the moist pearl that has not been pierced.

Or the wet pearl that is not yet pierced

خَليلَيَّ عوجا بي عَلى النَدبِ جَلدِكٍ

خَليلَيَّ عوجا بي عَلى النَدبِ جَلدِكٍ

أَقَضِّ لُباناتِ الفُؤادِ المُعَذَّبِ

أَقَضِّ لُباناتِ الفُؤادِ المُعَذَّبِ

My two friends, turn with me toward gallant Jaldak,

My intimate curved me away from the skin of your torso

That I may satisfy the desires of my tormented heart.

Relieve the suffering heart's yearnings

فَتىً ماجِدٌ طابَت مَواهِبُ كَفِّهِ

فَتىً ماجِدٌ طابَت مَواهِبُ كَفِّهِ

فَلا تُذكِراني بَعدَها أُمَّ جُندَبِ

فَلا تُذكِراني بَعدَها أُمَّ جُندَبِ

A noble young man—the gifts of his hand have proved delightful;

A glorious youth whose palms' gifts are pure

So, after those gifts, you two must not remind me of Umm Jundub.

So do not mention me after them, O mother of Jundab