سَأَشْكُرُI shall give thanks ماwhat مَنَنْتَyou bestowed as a favor بِهِwith it وَمِثْلِيand one like me
سَأَشْكُرُ ما مَنَنْتَ بِهِ وَمِثْلِي
لأَهْلِto the people of الْمَنِّfavor-giving فَلْيَكُنِso let him be الشَّكُورُthe deeply grateful one
لأَهْلِ الْمَنِّ فَلْيَكُنِ الشَّكُورُ
I shall give thanks for what you bestowed; and one like me
should be deeply grateful to those who bestow favors.
وَأَحْمَدُand I praise حُسْنَthe goodness of رَأْيِكَyour regard فِيِّfor me حَمْداًwith praise
وَأَحْمَدُ حُسْنَ رَأْيِكَ فِيِّ حَمْداً
يَدُومُendures إِذاwhen تَطاوَحَتِtumbled past الدُّهُورُthe ages
يَدُومُ إِذا تَطاوَحَتِ الدُّهُورُ
And I praise your kind regard for me with praise
that endures as the ages tumble past.
وَإِنْand if تَكُyou are مُسْتَقِلاًdeeming little ماwhat أَتَانِيcame to me
وَإِنْ تَكُ مُسْتَقِلاً ما أَتَانِي
فَمِثْلُكَthen one like you يُسْتَقَلُّis deemed little لَهُfor him الْكَثِيرُmuch
فَمِثْلُكَ يُسْتَقَلُّ لَهُ الْكَثِيرُ
And if you deem little what has reached me,
then even much is deemed little from one like you.
وَأَذْكىand most fragrant ماwhen يَكُونُis الرَّوْضُthe garden نَشْراًin fragrance
وَأَذْكى ما يَكُونُ الرَّوْضُ نَشْراً
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle صَابَهُfell upon it الْقَطْرُthe rain الْيَسِيرُlight
إِذا ما صَابَهُ الْقَطْرُ الْيَسِيرُ
And a garden is at its most fragrant
when a little rain has fallen upon it.
وَلاand no وَأَبِيby the father of الْعُلَىlofty honors ماnot قَلَّwas small نَيْلٌa bounty
وَلا وَأَبِي الْعُلَى ما قَلَّ نَيْلٌ
بِنَيْلِby receiving أَقَلِّهِits smallest share غَنِيَbecame rich الْفَقِيرُthe poor man
بِنَيْلِ أَقَلِّهِ غَنِيَ الْفَقِيرُ
No—by the father of lofty honors—no bounty is small
when receiving its smallest share enriches the poor man.
وَلاand no فُوْقَbeyond الْغِنىsufficiency جُودٌgenerosity فَحَسْبِيso enough for me
وَلا فُوْقَ الْغِنى جُودٌ فَحَسْبِي
كَفىsufficed بِالْمَحْلِin the drought عارِضُكَyour raincloud الْمَطِيرُrain-bearing
كَفى بِالْمَحْلِ عارِضُكَ الْمَطِيرُ
And no bounty goes beyond sufficiency; I have enough.
Your rain-bearing cloud sufficed in the drought.
وَلاand no عِنْدِيwith me مَكانٌroom لِلْعَطاياfor gifts
وَلا عِنْدِي مَكانٌ لِلْعَطايا
فَقُلْso say لِلسَّيْلِto the torrent قَدْalready طَفَحَoverflowed الْغَدِيرُthe pool
فَقُلْ لِلسَّيْلِ قَدْ طَفَحَ الْغَدِيرُ
And I have no room for gifts;
so tell the torrent: the pool has already overflowed.
فِداؤُكَyour ransom مَعْشَرٌa people سُئِلُواthey were asked فَأَجْدَوْاthen they gave generously
فِداؤُكَ مَعْشَرٌ سُئِلُوا فَأَجْدَوْا
فَإِنَّكَfor you غَيْرَnot مَسْئُولٍasked تَمِيرُyou supply provisions
فَإِنَّكَ غَيْرَ مَسْئُولٍ تَمِيرُ
May those who gave when asked be your ransom,
for you supply provisions without being asked.
فَكَيْفَthen how بِأُمَّةٍwith a people لُؤُمُواthey became base وَذَلُّواand became abject
فَكَيْفَ بِأُمَّةٍ لُؤُمُوا وَذَلُّوا
فَلاso no خَلْقٌperson يَجُودُgives generously وَلاnor يُجِيرُgrants protection
فَلا خَلْقٌ يَجُودُ وَلا يُجِيرُ
Then what of a people grown base and abject,
where no soul gives generously or grants protection?
رَأَيْتُكَI saw you حاضِراًpresent فِيin حالِa state of غَيْبٍabsence
رَأَيْتُكَ حاضِراً فِي حالِ غَيْبٍ
وَبَعْضُand some of الْقَوْمِthe people كالْغَيَبِlike the absent الْحُضُورُthose present
وَبَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ كالْغَيَبِ الْحُضُورُ
I found you present even when absent,
while some people present are like the absent.
لَقَدْindeed سُدَّتْwere blocked مَوارِدُsources كُلِّevery خَيْرٍgood
لَقَدْ سُدَّتْ مَوارِدُ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَساحَand flowed بِكَفِّكَthrough your palm الْكَرَمُgenerosity الْغَزِيرُabundant
وَساحَ بِكَفِّكَ الْكَرَمُ الْغَزِيرُ
Indeed, the sources of every good were blocked,
yet abundant generosity flowed through your hand.
عَلَىin رُغْمِdefiance of الزَّمانِtime أَجَرْتَyou gave refuge مِنْهُfrom it
عَلَى رُغْمِ الزَّمانِ أَجَرْتَ مِنْهُ
وَقَدْand indeed قَلَّgrew scarce الْمُمانِعُthe defender وَالْمُجِيرُand the protector
وَقَدْ قَلَّ الْمُمانِعُ وَالْمُجِيرُ
In defiance of time, you sheltered me from it,
when defenders and protectors had grown scarce.
تَخَطّىstepped over النّائِباتِcalamities إِلَيَّto me جُودٌgenerosity
تَخَطّى النّائِباتِ إِلَيَّ جُودٌ
كَماjust as فاجاكَsurprised you فِيin الظَّلْماءِdarkness نُورُa light
كَما فاجاكَ فِي الظَّلْماءِ نُورُ
Generosity stepped over calamities to reach me,
as a light surprises you in darkness.
تَخِذْتَyou acquired بِهِthrough it يَداًa favor عِنْدَwith الْقَوافِيthe rhymes
تَخِذْتَ بِهِ يَداً عِنْدَ الْقَوافِي
يَقُومُundertakes بِشُكْرِهاto give thanks for it الْفِكْرُthought الْمُنِيرُluminous
يَقُومُ بِشُكْرِها الْفِكْرُ الْمُنِيرُ
Through it you laid the rhymes under an obligation,
for which luminous thought undertakes to give thanks.
وَأَيْنَand where الشُّكْرُthanks مِمّاcompared with what خَوَّلَتْهُbestowed it
وَأَيْنَ الشُّكْرُ مِمّا خَوَّلَتْهُ
جَهِلْتُI did not know وَرُبَّماand sometimes جَهِلَdid not know الْخَبِيرُthe expert
جَهِلْتُ وَرُبَّما جَهِلَ الْخَبِيرُ
And what are thanks beside what was bestowed?
I do not know; even the expert sometimes does not know.
سَماحٌgenerosity رَدَّrestored رُوحاًlife فِيinto الأَمانِيhopes
سَماحٌ رَدَّ رُوحاً فِي الأَمانِي
وَمَعْرُوفٌand a kindness بِهِthrough it جُبِرَwas mended الْكَسِيرُthe broken one
وَمَعْرُوفٌ بِهِ جُبِرَ الْكَسِيرُ
A bounty that restored life to hopes,
and a kindness through which the broken man was mended.
وَشِعْرٌand poetry لَوْif يَكُونُwere الشِّعْرُpoetry غَيْثاًrain
وَشِعْرٌ لَوْ يَكُونُ الشِّعْرُ غَيْثاً
لَباتَit would pass the night وَنَوْؤُهُand its rain-star الشِّعْرِىSirius الْعَبُورُthe Crossing Star
لَباتَ وَنَوْؤُهُ الشِّعْرِى الْعَبُورُ
And poetry—if poetry could be rain—
it would pass the night with Sirius, the Crossing Star, as its rain-star.
مَعانٍmeanings تَحْتَbeneath أَلْفاظٍwords حِسانٍbeautiful
مَعانٍ تَحْتَ أَلْفاظٍ حِسانٍ
كَماas اجْتمَعَcame together الْقَلائِدُnecklaces وَالنُّحُورُand necks
كَما اجْتمَعَ الْقَلائِدُ وَالنُّحُورُ
Meanings beneath beautiful words,
as necklaces and necks come together.
يُخَيَّلُit seems لِيto me لِعَجْزِيbecause of my inability عَنْهُwith respect to it أَنِّيthat I
يُخَيَّلُ لِي لِعَجْزِي عَنْهُ أَنِّي
بِماfor what أَوْلَيْتَyou bestowed مِنْof حَسَنٍgoodness كَفُورُdeeply ungrateful
بِما أَوْلَيْتَ مِنْ حَسَنٍ كَفُورُ
It seems to me, because I fall short of it, that I
am deeply ungrateful for the goodness you bestowed.
وَتَعْذِلُنِيand rebuke me الْقَوافِيthe rhymes فِيكَconcerning you طُوْراًat times
وَتَعْذِلُنِي الْقَوافِي فِيكَ طُوْراً
وَطَوْراًand at times فِيكَconcerning you ليfor me مِنْهاfrom them عَذِيرُan excuse
وَطَوْراً فِيكَ لي مِنْها عَذِيرُ
And at times the rhymes rebuke me concerning you,
and at times they excuse me concerning you.
وَأَعْلَمُand I know أَنَّthat طَوْلَكَyour bounty لاnot يُجازىis repaid
وَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّ طَوْلَكَ لا يُجازى
وَهَلْand can تُجْزىbe repaid عَلَىfor الدُّرِّpearls الْبُحُورُthe seas
وَهَلْ تُجْزى عَلَى الدُّرِّ الْبُحُورُ
And I know that your bounty cannot be repaid;
and can the seas be repaid for pearls?
وَتَسْمُوand soars هِمَّتِيmy ambition فَإِخالُso I imagine أَنِّيthat I
وَتَسْمُو هِمَّتِي فَإِخالُ أَنِّي
عَلَىof ماwhat لَسْتُI am not واجِدَهُattaining it قَدِيرُcapable
عَلَى ما لَسْتُ واجِدَهُ قَدِيرُ
And my ambition soars, so I imagine that I
am capable of what I cannot attain.
أُعَلَّلُهاI soothe it بِمَدْحِكَwith praise of you كُلِّevery يَوْمٍday
أُعَلَّلُها بِمَدْحِكَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ
وَماand not تَعْلِيلُهاsoothing it إِلاّexcept غُرُورُdelusion
وَما تَعْلِيلُها إِلاّ غُرُورُ
I soothe it with praise of you every day,
yet soothing it is nothing but delusion.
أَمِثْلُكَcan one like you مُنْعِماًas a benefactor يُجْزىbe repaid بِشُكْرٍwith thanks
أَمِثْلُكَ مُنْعِماً يُجْزى بِشُكْرٍ
لَقَدْindeed أَلْقَتْsurrendered مَقالِدَهاtheir keys الأُمُورُaffairs
لَقَدْ أَلْقَتْ مَقالِدَها الأُمُورُ
Can a benefactor like you be repaid with thanks?
Indeed, affairs have surrendered their keys.
وَماand not الْعَنْقاءُthe phoenix بِالْمَكْذُوبِfalsely spoken عَنْهاabout it
وَما الْعَنْقاءُ بِالْمَكْذُوبِ عَنْها
حَدِيثٌa tale بَعْدَafter ماwhat زَعَمَclaimed الضَّمِيرُthe mind
حَدِيثٌ بَعْدَ ما زَعَمَ الضَّمِيرُ
Nor is the phoenix falsely spoken of
in a tale, after what the mind has claimed.
وَلاnor الْحَسَنُal-Hasan بْنُson of أَحْمَدَAhmad بَعْدَafter ذاthis فِيin
وَلا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بَعْدَ ذا فِي
أَمانٍsafety أَنْthat يَكُونَthere be لَهُfor him نَظِيرُan equal
أَمانٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ نَظِيرُ
Nor, after this, is al-Hasan ibn Ahmad safe
from having an equal.
أَغَرُّradiant مُهَذَّبٌrefined حَسَباًin lineage وَفِعْلاًand in deed
أَغَرُّ مُهَذَّبٌ حَسَباً وَفِعْلاً
يَخِفُّgrows light لِذِكْرِهِat his mention الأَمَلُhope الْوَقُورُsolemn
يَخِفُّ لِذِكْرِهِ الأَمَلُ الْوَقُورُ
Radiant, refined in lineage and in deed,
at his mention, solemn hope grows light.
بَنيbuilt لِبَنِيfor the sons of أَبِيAbu الْعَيشِal-Aysh الْمَعالِيlofty honors
بَني لِبَنِي أَبِي الْعَيشِ الْمَعالِي
فَتىًa young man يَحْلُوgrows sweet بِهِthrough him الْعَيْشُlife الْمَرِيرُbitter
فَتىً يَحْلُو بِهِ الْعَيْشُ الْمَرِيرُ
He built lofty honors for the sons of Abu al-Aysh—
a young man through whom bitter life grows sweet.
أُناسٌa people لاnot يَزالُceases لِمُجْتَدِيهِمْfor their suppliant
أُناسٌ لا يَزالُ لِمُجْتَدِيهِمْ
عَلَيْهِمْagainst them مِنْfrom مَكارِمِهِمْtheir noble virtues ظَهِيرُan ally
عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ مَكارِمِهِمْ ظَهِيرُ
A people whose suppliant always has
an ally against them in their own noble virtues.
هُمُthey انْتُجِبُواwere chosen مِنَfrom الْحَسَبِlineage الْمُزَكّىunsullied
هُمُ انْتُجِبُوا مِنَ الْحَسَبِ الْمُزَكّى
كَماas قُدَّتْwere cut مِنَfrom الأَدَمِhides السُّيُورُstraps
كَما قُدَّتْ مِنَ الأَدَمِ السُّيُورُ
They were chosen from unsullied lineage,
as straps are cut from hides.
وَهُمْand they فَكُّواfreed مِنَfrom الإِخْفاقِdisappointment ظَنِّيmy expectation
وَهُمْ فَكُّوا مِنَ الإِخْفاقِ ظَنِّي
بِطَوْلِهِمُthrough their bounty كَماas فُكَّwas freed الأَسِيرُthe captive
بِطَوْلِهِمُ كَما فُكَّ الأَسِيرُ
And they freed my expectation from disappointment,
through their bounty, as a captive is freed.
وَقامَand rose بِنَصْرِto support آَمالِيmy hopes نَداهُمْtheir generosity
وَقامَ بِنَصْرِ آَمالِي نَداهُمْ
أَلاbehold إِنَّindeed النَّدىgenerosity نِعْمَexcellent is النَّصِيرُthe ally
أَلا إِنَّ النَّدى نِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ
And their generosity rose to support my hopes;
truly, generosity is an excellent ally!
فَإِنْso if لَمْnot أَحْبُهُمْI give them وُدِّيmy affection وَحَمْدِيand my praise
فَإِنْ لَمْ أَحْبُهُمْ وُدِّي وَحَمْدِي
فَلاthen may not طَرَدَdrive away الْهُمُومَcares بيَwithin me السُّرُورُjoy
فَلا طَرَدَ الْهُمُومَ بيَ السُّرُورُ
So if I do not give them my affection and my praise,
may joy never drive my cares away.
وَقُلْتُand I said شَبِيهُlike جُودِهِمُtheir generosity الْغَوادِيmorning rainclouds
وَقُلْتُ شَبِيهُ جُودِهِمُ الْغَوادِي
إِذاwhen هَطَلَتْpoured down وَمِثْلُهُمُand like them الْبُدُورُthe full moons
إِذا هَطَلَتْ وَمِثْلُهُمُ الْبُدُورُ
And I said: morning rainclouds are like their generosity
when they pour, and full moons are like them.
Sol 6.1