ليس إلاَّ إليك للعيس نَشطُ

ليس إلاَّ إليك للعيس نَشطُ

كلُّ رحلٍ إلى حمال يُحَطُّ

كلُّ رحلٍ إلى حمال يُحَطُّ

Only toward you do the camel mounts quicken;

Only toward you are the white camels eager.

every saddle is set down within your sanctuary.

Every saddle-load is set down before a bearer of burdens.

يا أخا المكرماتِ حَسبُك فخراً

يا أخا المكرماتِ حَسبُك فخراً

أنها حين تعتزي لك رَهط

أنها حين تعتزي لك رَهط

O brother of noble deeds, this is glory enough for you:

O brother of noble deeds, it is glory enough for you

that when those deeds declare their lineage, they are your clan.

That, when they declare their lineage, they are your clan.

لك خُلقٌ به الرضى لمحبٍّ

لك خُلقٌ به الرضى لمحبٍّ

ولذي البُغض والقِلى فيه سُخط

ولذي البُغض والقِلى فيه سُخط

You possess a nature that shows favor to one who loves,

Yours is a character that brings contentment to one who loves,

and in it is wrath for one of hatred and aversion.

And displeasure to one who hates and loathes.

بشّروا يا بني الرجاءِ الأماني

بشّروا يا بني الرجاءِ الأماني

بابنِ علياءِ كفُّه الجعدُ سَبط

بابنِ علياءِ كفُّه الجعدُ سَبط

O children of hope, give your desires glad tidings

Give wishes glad tidings, O sons of hope,

of the son of Glory, whose clenched hand is outspread.

Of a son of eminence whose clenched palm is open.

وانزلوا حيثُ لا تمدُّ الليالي

وانزلوا حيثُ لا تمدُّ الليالي

يَد خطبٍ وحيثُ لا الدهر يَسطو

يَد خطبٍ وحيثُ لا الدهر يَسطو

Make camp where the nights cannot stretch forth

And alight where the nights do not stretch out

a hand of calamity, and where Time cannot assail—

A hand of calamity, and where Time does not assail.

في حمىً ليس يرفعُ الطرفَ فيه

في حمىً ليس يرفعُ الطرفَ فيه

رهبةً أشوسُ ولا الليثُ يخطو

رهبةً أشوسُ ولا الليثُ يخطو

within a refuge where no gaze is raised

Within a haven where no gaze is raised

in fear of a fierce foe, nor does even the lion step;

By a fierce man, out of fear, nor does the lion take a step.

حرمٌ آمنٌ مهابتُه سِترٌ

حرمٌ آمنٌ مهابتُه سِترٌ

على من به استجارَ يُلَطُّ

على من به استجارَ يُلَطُّ

a secure sanctuary whose awe is a veil

A safe sanctuary, whose majesty is a veil

sheltering whoever seeks protection there.

Drawn over whoever has sought refuge in it.

رَجَع الدهرُ لاقتبالِ صِباه

رَجَع الدهرُ لاقتبالِ صِباه

بعد ما قد علاهُ للشيبِ وخِط

بعد ما قد علاهُ للشيبِ وخِط

Time returned to the first bloom of its youth

Time has returned to the first bloom of its youth,

after gray hair’s streaks had overspread it,

After a sprinkling of gray had spread over it,

بفتىً أصبحت مناقبهُ الغرُّ

بفتىً أصبحت مناقبهُ الغرُّ

على جبهةِ الزمان تخطُّ

على جبهةِ الزمان تخطُّ

through a youth whose radiant virtues have come

Through a young man whose radiant virtues are now

to be inscribed upon the brow of Time.

Inscribed upon the brow of Time.

يقبضُ المال لا لغيرِ العَطايا

يقبضُ المال لا لغيرِ العَطايا

فالندى في يديه قبضٌ وبَسط

فالندى في يديه قبضٌ وبَسط

He takes hold of wealth for no end but gifts;

He gathers wealth for nothing but gifts;

thus bounty in his hands is both grasp and release.

For generosity in his hands is both taking and giving.

لو رأينا الجوزاءَ تحكي مزاياه

لو رأينا الجوزاءَ تحكي مزاياه

لقُلنا لدرِّها أنت سَمط

لقُلنا لدرِّها أنت سَمط

Were we to see al-Jawzāʾ recounting his virtues,

If we saw al-Jawza mirror his excellences,

we would say of its pearls, “You are their string.”

We would say to its pearls, 'You are a necklace.'

والثريّا قد داسها فلهذا

والثريّا قد داسها فلهذا

لم نقُل إنَّها لعلياهُ قِرط

لم نقُل إنَّها لعلياهُ قِرط

And the Pleiades he has trodden underfoot; therefore

And he has already trodden the Pleiades underfoot; therefore

we did not call them an earring for his lofty station.

We did not say they were an earring for his eminence.