قَدindeed كُنتَyou were لَستَyou are not بِناطِقٍspeaking فَتَكَلَّمِso speak
قَد كُنتَ لَستَ بِناطِقٍ فَتَكَلَّمِ
إِنَّindeed الكَلامَspeech عَلَيكَto you غَيرُnot مَحرَّمِforbidden
إِنَّ الكَلامَ عَلَيكَ غَيرُ مَحرَّمِ
You have been silent; now speak.
Though you were not speaking, speak now,
For speech is not forbidden to you.
For speaking to you is not prohibited.
لَمnot يَبقَremained شَيءٌanything غَيرُexcept شُكرِgratitude for صَنائِعٍfavors
لَم يَبقَ شَيءٌ غَيرُ شُكرِ صَنائِعٍ
عَظُمَتwere great وَجَلَّتand were glorious لِلأَجَلِّof the most exalted الأَعظَمِthe greatest
عَظُمَت وَجَلَّت لِلأَجَلِّ الأَعظَمِ
Nothing remains but gratitude for favors
Nothing remains but gratitude for your noble deeds,
Great and glorious, from the most exalted, the greatest.
Great and majestic to the greatest of the great.
وَإِذاand when الفَتىthe young man ظَفِرَتwon يَداهُhis two hands بِنِعمَةٍa blessing
وَإِذا الفَتى ظَفِرَت يَداهُ بِنِعمَةٍ
فَدَوامُهاthen its continuance بِدَوامِthrough the continuance of شُكرِgratitude to المُنعِمِthe benefactor
فَدَوامُها بِدَوامِ شُكرِ المُنعِمِ
And when a young man's hands obtain a blessing,
When a young man's hands attain a blessing,
Its endurance lies in enduring gratitude to the giver.
Its continuance is by the thanks of the blesser lasting.
مَلِكٌa king بَنىbuilt عِزّيmy honor وَأَسبَغَand made abundant نِعمَتيmy blessing
مَلِكٌ بَنى عِزّي وَأَسبَغَ نِعمَتي
وَأَجَلَّand exalted مَنزِلَتيmy standing وَأَزهَفَand increased أَسهُميmy shares
وَأَجَلَّ مَنزِلَتي وَأَزهَفَ أَسهُمي
A king built up my honor and lavished blessings upon me,
A king who built my glory and bestowed abundant favor,
And exalted my standing and increased my shares.
And heightened my station, my arrows sharpening,
وَاِختَصَّنيand singled me out بِصَنايعٍwith favors مَشهورَةٍrenowned
وَاِختَصَّني بِصَنايعٍ مَشهورَةٍ
شُكِرَتwere gratefully praised لَهُto his credit فيin المَحلِdrought شُكرَthe gratitude accorded to المُرزِمِthe thundering raincloud
شُكِرَت لَهُ في المَحلِ شُكرَ المُرزِمِ
And singled me out for renowned favors,
And distinguished me with renowned talents,
For which he was thanked in drought as a thundering raincloud is thanked.
For which I gave thanks in the abode, thanks of a piercer.
خُتِمَwere sealed الكِرامُthe generous بِهِwith him وَتَمَّمَand completed فَضلُهُhis excellence
خُتِمَ الكِرامُ بِهِ وَتَمَّمَ فَضلُهُ
نُقصانَthe shortfall of كُلِّevery فَضيلَةٍvirtue لَمnot تتمِمِwas perfected
نُقصانَ كُلِّ فَضيلَةٍ لَم تتمِمِ
With him the line of generous men was sealed, and his excellence completed
Perfection was sealed by him, and his virtue completed
The shortfall of every virtue left incomplete.
Any lacking merit that was incomplete.
وَتَمَهَّدَتand became smooth سُبُلُthe roads of البِلادِthe land وَفُوجِئَتand were taken unawares
وَتَمَهَّدَت سُبُلُ البِلادِ وَفُوجِئَت
مِنهُfrom him الأَعاديthe enemies بِالنآدِby calamity الصَيلَمِdevastating
مِنهُ الأَعادي بِالنآدِ الصَيلَمِ
And the land's roads grew smooth, and caught unawares
The land's roads were paved, and from him
Were his enemies by a devastating calamity from him.
Enemies were taken by surprise, by unleashed horses startled.
وَتَجَمَّلَتand was adorned حَلَبٌAleppo وَأَصبَحَand came to be أَهلُهاits people
وَتَجَمَّلَت حَلَبٌ وَأَصبَحَ أَهلُها
فيin مِثلِthe likeness of باكِرَةِthe dawn of الرَبيعِspring المُرهمِgently raining
في مِثلِ باكِرَةِ الرَبيعِ المُرهمِ
And Aleppo was adorned, and its people came to be
Aleppo was adorned, and its people
As in the dawn of gently raining spring.
Became like the radiant dawn of bountiful spring.
وَتَهَدَّلَتand drooped تِلكَthose الغُصونُthe boughs وَأَشرَقَتand shone
وَتَهَدَّلَت تِلكَ الغُصونُ وَأَشرَقَت
بِأَغَرَّwith a radiant one مِثلِlike البَدرِthe full moon غَيرَnot مُذَمَّمِblameworthy
بِأَغَرَّ مِثلِ البَدرِ غَيرَ مُذَمَّمِ
And those boughs drooped and shone
Those branches adorned themselves and shone
With a radiant one like the full moon, beyond reproach.
With the sweetest likeness of the flawless full moon.
خَضَعَتbowed لَهُto him صِيدُthe proudest of المُلوكِkings وَأَذعَنَتand submitted
خَضَعَت لَهُ صِيدُ المُلوكِ وَأَذعَنَت
بِالخَوفِin fear مِنof وَلَدِthe son of الهِزَبرِthe mighty lion الضَيغَمِthe fierce lion
بِالخَوفِ مِن وَلَدِ الهِزَبرِ الضَيغَمِ
The proudest kings bowed to him and submitted,
The kings' game humbled itself to him and surrendered
In fear of the son of the mighty, fierce lion.
In fear of the son of the loud-voiced quail.
وَتَهَيَّبَتand stood in awe of مَلِكاًa king يَعِزُّis secure نَزيلُهُhis guest
وَتَهَيَّبَت مَلِكاً يَعِزُّ نَزيلُهُ
فيin ظِلِّهِhis shade المَمدودِoutstretched عِزَّwith the security of الأَعصَمِthe white-footed ibex
في ظِلِّهِ المَمدودِ عِزَّ الأَعصَمِ
And stood in awe of a king whose guest finds safety
And they stood in awe of a king whose dwelling's
Beneath his spreading shade, as secure as a white-footed ibex.
Shade confers might, the might of one firm and strong.
ماضيresolute of الجَنانِheart إِذاwhen تَقَلَّدَhe slings on مِخذَماًa keen sword
ماضي الجَنانِ إِذا تَقَلَّدَ مِخذَماً
أَلقىhe laid النِجادَthe sword-baldric عَلىupon نَظيرِthe equal of المِخذَمِthe keen sword
أَلقى النِجادَ عَلى نَظيرِ المِخذَمِ
Resolute of heart, when he slings on a keen sword,
A slayer of souls, when he dons his swordbelt,
He lays the baldric upon the sword's equal.
Casts belts to his equal, though swordbelts he has none.
جَلدٌsteadfast عَلىagainst نُوبَthe calamities of الزَمانِtime كَأَنَّماas though
جَلدٌ عَلى نُوبَ الزَمانِ كَأَنَّما
رِيحٌa wind تَهُبُّblows عَلىover هِضابِthe hills of يَلَملَمِYalamlam
رِيحٌ تَهُبُّ عَلى هِضابِ يَلَملَمِ
Steadfast against time's calamities, as though they were
His skin is insensitive to the harms of time, as though
A wind blowing over Yalamlam's hills.
It were a wind blowing on barren wastelands.
يَلقىhe faces العَرَمرَمَthe vast army وَحدَهُalone فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though
يَلقى العَرَمرَمَ وَحدَهُ فَكَأَنَّما
يَلتَفُّgrapples مِنهُfrom him عَرَمرَمٌa vast army بِعَرَمرَمِwith a vast army
يَلتَفُّ مِنهُ عَرَمرَمٌ بِعَرَمرَمِ
He faces a vast army alone, as though
He alone encounters the enemy horde, as though
A vast army in his person were grappling with a vast army.
A swarm were swirling round another swarm.
سَمحُgenerous of اليَدَينِboth hands يُلامُhe is blamed فيfor سَرَفِexcess in النَدىgenerosity
سَمحُ اليَدَينِ يُلامُ في سَرَفِ النَدى
فَيَزيدُهُso it makes him more سَرَفاًlavish مَلامُthe reproach of اللَوَمِthe reproachers
فَيَزيدُهُ سَرَفاً مَلامُ اللَوَمِ
Openhanded, he is blamed for excessive generosity;
Open-handed, blamed for excess in bounty,
So the reproachers' blame makes him still more lavish.
So blame increases his excess and bounty.
أَفنىhe exhausted الكُنوزَthe treasures فَلَيسَso he does not يَبرَحُcease to be مُعدِماًpenniless
أَفنى الكُنوزَ فَلَيسَ يَبرَحُ مُعدِماً
مِمّاbecause of what تَسُدُّrelieve يَداهُhis two hands خَلَّةَthe need of مُعدِمِa penniless man
مِمّا تَسُدُّ يَداهُ خَلَّةَ مُعدِمِ
He has exhausted the treasures, so he is ever penniless,
He exhausted treasures, yet ceases not
Because his hands relieve the need of the penniless.
To empty what his hands can empty.
كَرَماًin generosity مَحاhe erased ذِكرَthe renown of الكِرامِthe generous وَوَصفَهُمand their praise
كَرَماً مَحا ذِكرَ الكِرامِ وَوَصفَهُم
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though كَريمَهُمtheir generous man لَمnot يُكرِمِshowed generosity
حَتّى كَأَنَّ كَريمَهُم لَم يُكرِمِ
In generosity he erased the renown and praise of generous men,
With virtues he erased the mention of the virtuous and described them
Until their generous man seemed never to have given.
As though their most generous one had not been generous.
ياO مَنyou who بِهِthrough him حَسُنَgrew beautiful الزَمانُthe age وَأَهلُهُand its people
يا مَن بِهِ حَسُنَ الزَمانُ وَأَهلُهُ
حُسنَthe beauty of الظَلامِdarkness بِنِّيراتِthrough the bright lights of الأَنجُمِthe stars
حُسنَ الظَلامِ بِنِّيراتِ الأَنجُمِ
O you through whom the age and its people grew beautiful,
O you by whom the days and their people become good,
As darkness grows beautiful through the stars' bright lights.
The darkness becoming bright with the stars' lights!
فَرَطَwent before الكِرامُthe generous وَجِئتَand you came أَنتَyou مُؤَخَّراًlater
فَرَطَ الكِرامُ وَجِئتَ أَنتَ مُؤَخَّراً
فَأَخَذتَso you seized شَأوَthe lead of الفارِطِthe forerunner المُتَقَدِّمِthe foremost
فَأَخَذتَ شَأوَ الفارِطِ المُتَقَدِّمِ
Generous men went before, and you came later,
The generous passed you by and you came last,
Yet you seized the lead of the foremost forerunner,
Taking the distinction of the earlier distinguished.
بِمَكارِمٍwith noble deeds دَرَسَتeffaced مَكارِمَthe noble deeds of حاتَمٍHatim
بِمَكارِمٍ دَرَسَت مَكارِمَ حاتَمٍ
وَمَحَتand erased حَديثَthe tale of رَبيعَةَRabi'a بنِson of مُكَدَّمِMukaddam
وَمَحَت حَديثَ رَبيعَةَ بنِ مُكَدَّمِ
With noble deeds that effaced Hatim's noble deeds
With noble deeds that erased Hatim's noble deeds
And erased the tale of Rabi'a ibn Mukaddam.
And erased the story of Rabia ibn Mukaddam.
فَمُقَدَّمٌso a forerunner فيin الفَضلِexcellence مِثلُis like مُؤَخَّرٍa latecomer
فَمُقَدَّمٌ في الفَضلِ مِثلُ مُؤَخَّرٍ
وَمُؤَخَّرٌand a latecomer فيin الفَضلِexcellence مِثلُis like مُقَدَّمِa forerunner
وَمُؤَخَّرٌ في الفَضلِ مِثلُ مُقَدَّمِ
Thus a forerunner in excellence is like a latecomer,
So advanced in merit as one delayed,
And a latecomer in excellence is like a forerunner.
And delayed in merit as one advanced.
يابانياًO builder بِالمَشرَفِيَّةِwith Mashrafi swords وَالقَناand spears
يابانياً بِالمَشرَفِيَّةِ وَالقَنا
بَيتاًa house مِنَof العَلياءِlofty glory غَيرَnot مُهَدَّمِdemolished
بَيتاً مِنَ العَلياءِ غَيرَ مُهَدَّمِ
O builder, with Mashrafi swords and spears,
With Al-Musharrafiya and Al-Qanna
Of a house of lofty glory, not brought down.
A house of the exalted, no part demolished.
كَثَّرتَyou multiplied حُسّاديmy enviers لَدَيكَat your side فَزِدُهُمُso increase them
كَثَّرتَ حُسّادي لَدَيكَ فَزِدُهُمُ
حَسَداًin envy وَأَولَيتَand you bestowed الجَميلَkindness فَتَمِّمِso complete it
حَسَداً وَأَولَيتَ الجَميلَ فَتَمِّمِ
You have multiplied my enviers at your side; so increase them
You multiplied my enviers before you, so increase
In envy; you have bestowed kindness, so complete it.
Their envy! And complete the beautiful, make it complete!
وَاعذُرand excuse بِفَضلِكَin your grace غائِباًone absent عَنfrom خِدمَةٍservice
وَاعذُر بِفَضلِكَ غائِباً عَن خِدمَةٍ
فَأَناfor I am المُحِبُّthe devoted one خَدَمتُI served أَوor لَمnot أَخدِمِI serve
فَأَنا المُحِبُّ خَدَمتُ أَو لَم أَخدِمِ
And in your grace excuse one absent from service;
Excuse, by your merit, one absent from service,
For I am devoted, whether I have served or have not.
For I love to serve, whether I serve or serve not.
أُثنيI praise عَلَيكَyou مُحَدِّثاًwhile conversing فيin مَجلِسٍa gathering
أُثني عَلَيكَ مُحَدِّثاً في مَجلِسٍ
أَوor خاطِباًspeaking publicly بِقَصيدَةٍwith a poem فيat مَوسِمِa festival
أَو خاطِباً بِقَصيدَةٍ في مَوسِمِ
I praise you, conversing in a gathering,
I praise you while conversing in a sitting
Or declaiming a poem at a festival.
Or addressing in a poem at a festival.
فَيَظَلُّso it continues شُكريmy gratitude مُنجِداًgoing to Najd مَعwith مُنجِدِone bound for Najd
فَيَظَلُّ شُكري مُنجِداً مَع مُنجِدِ
فيthroughout الخافِقَينِeast and west وَمُتهِماًand going to Tihama مَعwith مُتهِمِone bound for Tihama
في الخافِقَينِ وَمُتهِماً مَع مُتهِمِ
So my thanks keep going to Najd with those bound for Najd,
So my gratitude continues, helpful, with the pulse
Across east and west, and to Tihama with those bound for Tihama.
That throbs, suspicious with the suspicious.
كَالرَوضَةِlike the garden الغَنّاءِluxuriant باتَspent the night نَسيمُهاits breeze
كَالرَوضَةِ الغَنّاءِ باتَ نَسيمُها
مُتَضَوِّعاًwafting fragrance غِبَّafter الرَبابَthe layered clouds المُحشِمِrain-bearing
مُتَضَوِّعاً غِبَّ الرَبابَ المُحشِمِ
Like a lush garden whose breeze spent the night
Like a delightful garden whose breeze lingered,
Wafting fragrance after the rain-bearing clouds.
Languorously stirring the melancholy lute.
وَعِصابَةٍand a band of men قَطَعواthey crossed إِلَيكَtoward you مِنَof الفَلاthe wastelands
وَعِصابَةٍ قَطَعوا إِلَيكَ مِنَ الفَلا
غُبرَdust-gray المَعالِمِin their landmarks مَعلَماًone landmark عَنafter مَعلَمِanother landmark
غُبرَ المَعالِمِ مَعلَماً عَن مَعلَمِ
And a band of men crossed toward you through desert tracts
And a band who cut across the desert plains to you
With dust-gray landmarks, from one landmark to another,
From afar, landmarks above the land's marks raised.
بِنَجائِبٍon noble camels جَدَلَmade sinewy الوَجيفُswift trotting مُتونَهاtheir backs
بِنَجائِبٍ جَدَلَ الوَجيفُ مُتونَها
فيin البيدِthe deserts مِنfrom نَسلِthe offspring of الجَديلِal-Jadil وَشَدقَمِand Shadqam
في البيدِ مِن نَسلِ الجَديلِ وَشَدقَمِ
On noble camels whose backs swift trotting had made sinewy,
With sturdy camels whose lank sides the withered
In the deserts, from the stock of al-Jadil and Shadqam.
Wove in the waste, of excellent Jadil stock descendant.
جَنَبواthey led alongside الجِيادَthe fine horses إِلىbeside المَطيِّthe riding camels فَسَطَّرواso they inscribed
جَنَبوا الجِيادَ إِلى المَطيِّ فَسَطَّروا
فيin البيدِthe deserts سَطراًa line مِنof حُروفِthe letters of المُعجَمِthe alphabet
في البيدِ سَطراً مِن حُروفِ المُعجَمِ
They led fine horses beside the riding camels, and inscribed
They spurred on the steeds to riding, and traced
In the deserts a line of letters of the alphabet.
In the waste a line of letters, a word's parts shaped.
فَتَرىso you see بِهاin it عَيناًthe letter ʿayn بِوَطأَةِin the imprint of حافِرٍa hoof
فَتَرى بِها عَيناً بِوَطأَةِ حافِرٍ
وَتَرىand you see بِهاin it هاءًthe letter hāʾ بِوَطأَةِin the imprint of مَنسِمِa camel's footpad
وَتَرى بِها هاءً بِوَطأَةِ مَنسِمِ
So there you see the letter ʿayn in a hoofprint,
So you see in it an eye by the impact of a hoof,
And there you see the letter hāʾ in a camel-footprint.
And you see in it a "h" by the impact of a biter.
أَمِنُواthey were safe from بِطَلعَتِكَat your appearance الضَلالَlosing the way وَأَمَّمُواand sought out
أَمِنُوا بِطَلعَتِكَ الضَلالَ وَأَمَّمُوا
فَوقَupon الأَسِرَّةِthe couches مِنكَin you خَيرَthe best مُؤَمَّمِone to seek
فَوقَ الأَسِرَّةِ مِنكَ خَيرَ مُؤَمَّمِ
At your appearance they were safe from straying, and sought
Through you they attained safety from misguidance and resolved
In you, upon the couches, the best one to seek.
Above the litters, in you the best resolver.
وَمَضَواand they departed وَقَدand already أَصدَرتَهُمyou sent them away عَنfrom مَورِدٍa watering place
وَمَضَوا وَقَد أَصدَرتَهُم عَن مَورِدٍ
جَمِّabundant in الوُرودِthose coming to drink وَبَحرِand a sea of جُودٍgenerosity مُفعَمِbrimming
جَمِّ الوُرودِ وَبَحرِ جُودٍ مُفعَمِ
And they departed, after you had sent them from a watering place
And they went, since you sent them from a meadow
Much frequented, and a brimming sea of generosity.
Where flowers thronged, and a sea of munificence billowed.
قَدindeed غَرَّمُوكَthey put you to expense وَغَنَّمُوكَand gained you مَحامِداًpraises
قَد غَرَّمُوكَ وَغَنَّمُوكَ مَحامِداً
تَبقىthat endure فَفُزتَso you won بِمَغنَمٍa gain عَنin exchange for مَغرَمِan expense
تَبقى فَفُزتَ بِمَغنَمٍ عَن مَغرَمِ
They put you to expense, and won you praises
They lavished praise, extolling you, and gained
That endure; so you won a profit in exchange for expense.
And ransomed you - so you won gain without loss.
ياO مَنyou who إِذاwhen وَقَفَstood المُلوكُthe kings بِبابِهِat his gate
يا مَن إِذا وَقَفَ المُلوكُ بِبابِهِ
سَجَدواthey prostrated themselves وَخَرَّand fell down مُتَوَّجa crowned man لِمُعَمَّمِbefore a turbaned man
سَجَدوا وَخَرَّ مُتَوَّج لِمُعَمَّمِ
O you at whose gate, when kings stand,
O you at whose door kings stand and bow down,
They prostrate themselves, and a crowned man falls before a turbaned one.
Diadems doffing to the turban bowing!
العِيدُthe feast أَنتَyou وَأَنتَand you أَدوَمُmore enduring بَهجَةًin joy
العِيدُ أَنتَ وَأَنتَ أَدوَمُ بَهجَةً
مِنهُthan it فَبُورِكَso may blessing be bestowed مِنكُماof you two فيupon الأَدوَمِthe more enduring
مِنهُ فَبُورِكَ مِنكُما في الأَدوَمِ
You are the feast, and your gladness lasts longer
You are celebration, you are its lasting bliss -
Than its own; may the longer-lasting of you two be blessed.
So blessed be you both, in lastingness blessed!
وَالعيدُand the feast يُعدِمُis absent حُجَّةًfor a year وَبِواجِبٍand it is fitting
وَالعيدُ يُعدِمُ حُجَّةً وَبِواجِبٍ
أَنthat يُحمَدَbe praised العِيدُthe feast الَّذيwhich لَمnot يُعدَمِis absent
أَن يُحمَدَ العِيدُ الَّذي لَم يُعدَمِ
And the feast is absent for a year, and it is fitting
Celebration causes an obligation to fade, but
To praise the feast that is never absent.
Celebration must be praised that is not made to fade.
فَاِسعَدso rejoice بِهِin it واسلَمand remain safe لِحِفظِto safeguard مَعاقِلٍstrongholds
فَاِسعَد بِهِ واسلَم لِحِفظِ مَعاقِلٍ
لَولاwere it not for بَقاؤُكَyour remaining سالِماًsafe لَمnot تَسلَمِthey would be safe
لَولا بَقاؤُكَ سالِماً لَم تَسلَمِ
So rejoice in it, and remain safe to guard strongholds
So delight in it! And peace unto the safekeeping of forts -
That would not be safe were you not to remain unharmed.
Without your survival safe, no place is safe.
Sol 6.1