همواthey resolved بحربon war ومناهمand gave them hopes بهof it الحلمdreams
هموا بحرب ومناهم به الحلم
وهمwhile they نيامwere asleep فلماthen when استيقضواthey awoke ندمواthey regretted
وهم نيام فلما استيقضوا ندموا
They resolved on war, and dreams beguiled them with hopes of it.
They aspired for war, and I dreamt of peace for them,
While they slept; when they awoke, they regretted it.
While they were asleep, but when they woke up, they regretted.
أغضيتyou looked away حلماin forbearance فنامواso they slept عنكheedless of you واحتملواand bore burdens
أغضيت حلما فناموا عنك واحتملوا
ماnothing غرهمdeceived them بكabout you إلاexcept الحلمforbearance لاnot الحلمdreams
ما غرهم بك إلا الحلم لا الحلم
You looked away in forbearance; they slept heedless of you and took on burdens.
I was forbearing, so they slept ignoring you, and endured
It was your forbearance, not their dreams, that deceived them about you.
What deluded them about you was a dream, not reality.
عصوكthey disobeyed you جهلاignorantly ولولاand were it not for أنتyou ماnot جهلواthey acted foolishly
عصوك جهلا ولولا أنت ما جهلوا
فهلthen will يقالونthey be pardoned أنif تابواthey repent وقدand already علمواthey have learned
فهل يقالون أن تابوا وقد علموا
They disobeyed you in ignorance; but for you, they would not have acted foolishly.
They disobeyed you out of ignorance, and had it not been for you, they would not have been ignorant,
Will they be pardoned if they repent, now that they know?
Can they say they repented while they knew?
هيهاتtoo late قدalready جاوزhas passed beyond الضبينthe two teats (probable reading) مجزمهاher girth (probable reading)
هيهات قد جاوز الضبين مجزمها
وثارتand flared up النارthe fire فالحلفاءso the esparto grass تضطرمblazes
وثارت النار فالحلفاء تضطرم
Too late! Her girth has passed beyond the two teats [probable reading].
Never! The flood has already crossed its dams,
The fire flared up, and the esparto grass is ablaze.
And the fire has blazed, so the flames are burning.
منwhoever ضيعsquandered الحزمprudence والأسبابwhile the means فيwere in يدهhis hand
من ضيع الحزم والأسباب في يده
لمwill not يجدهavail him الحزمprudence شيئاat all حينwhen تنصرمthey are severed
لم يجده الحزم شيئا حين تنصرم
Whoever squandered prudence while the means lay in his hand—
Whoever wasted his composure and means in his hands,
Prudence will avail him nothing when those means are severed.
Will not find composure when matters get grave.
توسعhas widened الخرقthe rent عنbeyond رقعa patch يحيطthat encompasses بهit
توسع الخرق عن رقع يحيط به
فماso nothing يغطيهcovers it إلاexcept العفوpardon والكرمand generosity
فما يغطيه إلا العفو والكرم
The rent has widened beyond any patch that could encompass it.
The tear has expanded beyond a patch that surrounds it,
Nothing covers it but pardon and generosity.
So nothing covers it except forgiveness and generosity.
أعمىblinded القضيfate وأصمand deafened القومthe people فارتكبواso they committed
أعمى القضي وأصم القوم فارتكبوا
ماwhat ليسnot تخطوsteps لهtoward it منof غافلa heedless person قدمa foot
ما ليس تخطو له من غافل قدم
Fate blinded and deafened the people, so they committed
The blind of fate and the deaf of people thus sinned,
What not even a heedless person's foot would approach.
No heedless foot would dare to tread this path.
وكمand how many قضاياdecrees علىaccording to غيرsomething other than الصوابwhat is right مضتtook effect
وكم قضايا على غير الصواب مضت
حكماas judgments وللهand to God belong فيin تنفيذهاtheir execution حكمwise purposes
حكما ولله في تنفيذها حكم
How many decrees have taken effect contrary to what is right,
And how many unjust judgments have passed,
As judgments—yet God has wise purposes in their execution.
As verdicts, yet God has wisdom in executing them.
لولاwere it not for ذووthose possessing الجهلignorance لمwould not يعرفbe recognized لربfor a man of حجاreason
لولا ذوو الجهل لم يعرف لرب حجا
قدرworth ولمand would not تتفاوتdiffer للورىfor humankind قيمvalues
قدر ولم تتفاوت للورى قيم
Without the ignorant, none would recognize a man of reason's
Were it not for the ignorant, the power of the Lord would not have been known,
Worth, nor would people's values differ.
Nor would values among people have varied.
ماhow كانwas أغناهمneedless for them عنto قتلkill أنفسهمthemselves
ما كان أغناهم عن قتل أنفسهم
طارواthey flew فراشاas moths لنارtoward the fire of الحربwar فاضطرمواand they burned
طاروا فراشا لنار الحرب فاضطرموا
How little need they had to bring about their own deaths!
Their wealth did not avail them against killing themselves,
They flew like moths toward the fire of war, and burned.
They flew moths to the fire of war and so blazed.
رامواthey sought لقاكmeeting you فلمbut did not تشجنyou feel grief غداةon the morning of إذنthat time
راموا لقاك فلم تشجن غداة إذن
علىfor ذيابwolves أرادتwished نطحهاto butt them غنمsheep
على ذياب أرادت نطحها غنم
They sought to face you, but that morning you felt no grief
They wanted to face you, but did not become enraged when
For wolves that sheep had wished to butt.
At bleating sheep wanting to butt them in the morning.
ثارواthey rose إلىto الحربwar إذwhen حانتarrived مصارعهمtheir deaths
ثاروا إلى الحرب إذ حانت مصارعهم
وضاقتand grew narrow الأرضthe earth عمنfor those who جاشsurged منهfrom them دمblood
وضاقت الأرض عمن جاش منه دم
They rose to war when their hour of death had come.
They rose up to war when their fate was sealed,
And the earth grew too narrow for those from whom blood surged.
And the earth became too narrow for those whose blood gushed from them.
قدalready كنتyou had أنذرتwarned منthose who عاداكopposed you يومهمtheir day
قد كنت أنذرت من عاداك يومهم
هذاthis فلوso had قبلواthey accepted نصحاcounsel لهمfor them سلمواthey would have been safe
هذا فلو قبلوا نصحا لهم سلموا
You had already warned those who opposed you of their day—
You had warned those who opposed you on their day,
This one; had they accepted counsel meant for them, they would have been safe.
This day, so had they accepted advice, they would have been safe.
وكمand how often رأواthey saw مثلهits like قدماformerly وكمand how often سمعواthey heard
وكم رأوا مثله قدما وكم سمعوا
وعظاadmonition فصمواso they grew deaf لأحكامby the decrees of القضاfate وعمواand grew blind
وعظا فصموا لأحكام القضا وعموا
How often they had seen its like before, and how often heard
And how much the like of it they have seen before and how much
Admonition! Yet, by fate's decrees, they grew deaf and blind.
Advice they have heard, but they were deaf to the verdicts of fate and blind.
عفوتyou pardoned عنfrom قدرةa position of power فضلاout of generosity وقدalthough already ملكتhad taken possession
عفوت عن قدرة فضلا وقد ملكت
يداكyour two hands منthose whom غرهمdeceived them نسيانكمyour forgetting لهمof them
يداك من غرهم نسيانكم لهم
You pardoned generously, though able to punish, even as
You forgave out of abundant grace, though your hands possessed
Your hands held those whom your disregard for them had deceived.
Power over them, their forgetfulness of you deluded them.
وهلand does يناهزseize منfrom أعدائهhis enemies فرصاopportunities
وهل يناهز من أعدائه فرصا
إلاexcept امرؤa man فيin امتناعinaccessibility منهfrom him حالهمtheir condition
إلا امرؤ في امتناع منه حالهم
Does anyone seize opportunities against his enemies
Does an enemy attempt any opportunities
Except a man whose enemies remain beyond his reach?
Except a man restrained from them by his own state?
أطلقتهمyou released them ألفa thousand مأسورcaptives وقدalthough already فرحواthey had rejoiced
أطلقتهم ألف مأسور وقد فرحوا
بقتلهمat their killing أمسyesterday عبداa slave منamong عبيدكمyour slaves
بقتلهم أمس عبدا من عبيدكم
You released them—a thousand captives—although they had rejoiced
You released a thousand captives, and they rejoiced
Yesterday at killing one of your slaves.
At killing yesterday a servant of your servants.
فرسانهاher horsemen مائةone hundred فيin الأسرcaptivity ليسnot يرىis seen
فرسانها مائة في الأسر ليس يرى
منهمof them (masculine) ومنهنand of them (feminine) إلاexcept اللحظeyes or glances واللثمand face-veils
منهم ومنهن إلا اللحظ واللثم
Her horsemen, a hundred, were captive; nothing could be seen
Its horsemen are a hundred in captivity. None can be seen
Of either group except eyes and face-veils.
Among them but glances and veils.
والقتلand killing ليسis not بخافhidden عنكfrom you كثرتهits abundance
والقتل ليس بخاف عنك كثرته
فإنماfor only الأسرcaptivity فيمنamong those whom سيرled away الخدمthe servants
فإنما الأسر فيمن سير الخدم
The great number slain is no secret to you;
And killing is no shame to you however numerous,
For the captives were only those whom the servants led away.
For captivity is only for those who served well.
قدalready أطفأhas quenched الغيظanger فضلabundance of الاقتدارpower فلوso had
قد أطفأ الغيظ فضل الاقتدار فلو
رأيتyou considered قتلهمkilling them فخراa source of pride قتلتهمyou would have killed them
رأيت قتلهم فخرا قتلتهم
Abundant power has quenched your anger; had you
Restraint has extinguished rage by sufficient power, else had
Seen glory in killing them, you would have killed them.
You seen their killing as glory, you would have killed them.
ليسdoes not القوىthe strong man يرىregard إدراكهhis attainment ظفراa triumph
ليس القوى يرى إدراكه ظفرا
يهتمconcerns himself بالثأرwith revenge منwhoever بالعجزof weakness يتهمis accused
يهتم بالثأر من بالعجز يتهم
The strong man does not deem his attainment a triumph;
The strong do not see gaining victory as care,
Whoever is suspected of weakness is preoccupied with revenge.
Nor do they worry about revenge like the weak do.
ملكتهمyou mastered them ملكwith the mastery of منone who همthey فيare in يديهhis two hands فماand did not
ملكتهم ملك من هم في يديه فما
رأيتyou consider تقتيلslaughtering منthose who فيare in الكفthe palm يغتنمworth seizing as a gain
رأيت تقتيل من في الكف يغتنم
You mastered them as one who holds them in his hands, and did not
You possessed them, the possession of those in your hands, so I have not
Think slaughtering those already in your palm an opportunity to seize.
Seen you kill those in your grasp to take advantage of.
فيin قدرةthe power of المرءa person تسكينcalming لشهوتهfor his desire
في قدرة المرء تسكين لشهوته
إفراطexcess of شهوةdesire among أربابpossessors of الغنىwealth نهمgreed
إفراط شهوة أرباب الغنى نهم
A man's power brings calm to his desire;
It is in one's power to restrain their desires,
Excessive desire among the wealthy is greed.
But the desires of the wealthy are gluttonous greed.
فياso O معاديenemy of ابنson of إسماعيلIsma'il كنbe غرضاa target
فيا معادي ابن إسماعيل كن غرضا
للسيفfor the sword أوor ارضهplease him تصفوbecome unclouded لكfor you النعمblessings
للسيف أو ارضه تصفو لك النعم
O enemy of Ibn Isma'il, be a target
So O enemy, son of Ishmael, either be a target
For the sword, or please him, and blessings will be unclouded for you.
For the sword or accept it to have prosperity conferred on you.
وايand what a ابنson منof one whose مهدestablished الإِسلامIslam صارمهhis keen sword
واي ابن من مهد الإِسلام صارمه
ياO أحمدAhmad (most praiseworthy) المالكينthose possessing الحمدpraise ياO علمbeacon
يا أحمد المالكين الحمد يا علم
And what a son of one whose keen sword established Islam!
And O son of the cradle of Islam, may its sword
O Ahmad, most praiseworthy among those who possess praise, O beacon!
Help you, O Ahmed the King, O Flag.
اشقىmost wretched of الورىhumankind بكthrough you مغرورa deluded man نهضتyou rose لهagainst him
اشقى الورى بك مغرور نهضت له
وإنand indeed أسعدهمtheir happiest قومpeople بكin you اعتصمواthey sought refuge
وإن أسعدهم قوم بك اعتصموا
The most wretched of mortals through you is a deluded man against whom you rise;
The blindly arrogant were ruined by you, while those
And their happiest are people who seek refuge in you.
Made fortunate by you clung to you.
فمنso whoever يواليكallies himself with you فالنعماءthen blessings مرتعهhis pasture
فمن يواليك فالنعماء مرتعه
ومنand whoever يعاديكopposes you قدalready حلتَّhave descended بهupon him النقمretributions
ومن يعاديك قد حلتَّ به النقم
Whoever allies himself with you has blessings for his pasture,
Whoever supports you, the blessings are his pasture,
And upon whoever opposes you, retributions have descended.
And whoever opposes you, destruction has befallen him.
وياand O بقيةremnants of منthose whom أفنتannihilated صوارمهhis keen swords
ويا بقية من أفنت صوارمه
لوhad شئتمyou wished ماwould not خلتhave become empty منكمof you دياركمyour homes
لو شئتم ما خلت منكم دياركم
O remnants of those whom his keen swords annihilated,
O remainder of those whose swords I destroyed,
Had you wished, your homes would not have been emptied of you.
Had I wished, your lands would not have been devoid of you.
هذاthis علىaccording to رأيكمyour view فأسواso grieve ونحنwhile we نرىsee
هذا على رأيكم فأسوا ونحن نرى
خروجكمyour going forth للقضاfor fate's decree الجاريtaking effect بقتلكمin your being killed
خروجكم للقضا الجاري بقتلكم
That is your view, so grieve; but we see
This is your view, so travel, while we see
Your going forth as fate's decree ordaining your killing.
Your going out to the fate proceeding by your killing.
ليبرزنwill surely go forth منwhoever عليهagainst him القتلbeing killed مكتتبis written down
ليبرزن من عليه القتل مكتتب
لمضجعto a resting place لوeven if تكونواyou were فيin بيوتكمyour homes
لمضجع لو تكونوا في بيوتكم
Those marked down to be killed will surely go forth
Whoever is destined for death should come out to the battlefield,
To their resting place, even if you were in your homes.
To a resting place, if only you would stay in your homes!
أخشىI fear إذاif عدتمyou return استيصالextermination of ساقتكمyour rear guard
أخشى إذا عدتم استيصال ساقتكم
فاستعطفواso seek compassion واسئلواand ask أنthat تعقدbe concluded الذممcovenants of protection
فاستعطفوا واسئلوا أن تعقد الذمم
I fear, if you return, the extermination of your rear guard.
I fear that when you return, your legs will be cut off,
So plead for compassion and ask that covenants of protection be concluded.
So plead and ask that the protection be tied.
لوذواseek refuge بأحمدin Ahmad واستبقواand preserve بهthrough him رمقاa last breath
لوذوا بأحمد واستبقوا به رمقا
إنindeed الهشائمwithered stalks تجنىmake fruitful نبتهاtheir growth الديمsteady rains
إن الهشائم تجنى نبتها الديم
Seek refuge in Ahmad, and through him preserve a last breath of life.
Take refuge in Ahmed and cling to him for a respite,
For steady rains bring fresh growth to withered stalks.
For calamities reap their harvest of blood.
الناصرal-Nasir الملكthe king البانيwho builds لمعشرةfor his clan (probable reading)
الناصر الملك الباني لمعشرة
منfrom المفاخرglories بيتاa house ليسnot ينهدمcollapses
من المفاخر بيتا ليس ينهدم
Al-Nasir, the king who builds for his clan
The victorious King, builder for the group
A house of glories that will never crumble.
Of glories, a house that will not be demolished.
وهمand they لهمhave مفخرa source of pride لكنbut فخارهمtheir pride
وهم لهم مفخر لكن فخارهم
بأحمدin Ahmad ضعفdouble ضعفيtwice فخرهhis pride بهمin them
بأحمد ضعف ضعفي فخره بهم
They have their own glory, yet their pride
They have a glory, but their pride in Ahmed
In Ahmad is four times his pride in them.
Is twice, nay thrice, their pride in themselves!
أوصافهhis qualities فوقabove ماwhat ذوa possessor of العقلreason يعهدهknows
أوصافه فوق ما ذو العقل يعهده
وفوقand above ماwhat عهدتhave known فيamong أهلهاtheir people أممnations
وفوق ما عهدت في أهلها أمم
His qualities surpass what a man of reason knows,
His traits are beyond what the rational would assume
And what nations have known among their own people.
And beyond what nations have known of their people.
أدنتbrought close ذويهhis kin واقضتهمand unsettled them سياستهhis governance
أدنت ذويه واقضتهم سياسته
فهمso they لديهare beside him ولاand do not يدرونknow أينwhere همthey are
فهم لديه ولا يدرون أين هم
His governance drew his kin close and unsettled them;
His rule brought his followers close and his wisdom
They are beside him, yet do not know where they stand.
Drew them near, while they know not where they are.
فليسso not يعلمknows منهof him منwhoever يجالسهsits with him
فليس يعلم منه من يجالسه
إلاexcept بماwhat الناسthe people منfrom بعدafar بهof him علمواhave learned
إلا بما الناس من بعد به علموا
One who sits with him knows nothing of him
None who sit with him know anything about him
Except what people from afar have learned.
Except what people afterwards came to know.
يبداhe begins بأمرwith an undertaking فيخفيand conceals ماwhat يريدhe intends بهby it
يبدا بأمر فيخفي ما يريد به
فليسso not يعرفis known إلاexcept حينwhen يختتمit is completed
فليس يعرف إلا حين يختتم
He begins an undertaking, concealing what he intends by it,
He begins a matter, hiding what he intends with it,
So it is understood only when it is completed.
So it is not known until he concludes it.
ملكsovereignty عقيمٌbarren, recognizing no kinship واراءand counsels مسددةwell-directed
ملك عقيمٌ واراء مسددة
وشيمةand a character لاnot تدانيapproach فضلهاits excellence الشيمother characters
وشيمة لا تداني فضلها الشيم
Sovereignty that recognizes no kinship, and well-directed counsels,
A fruiful rule and penetrating insights,
And a character whose excellence no other character approaches.
And a noble character, none can match his virtues.
فازتprospered رجالmen تولاهمtook charge of them خيارهمthe finest among them
فازت رجال تولاهم خيارهم
وأحمدand Ahmad فأحمدواso praise ربيmy Lord وليكمyour guardian
وأحمد فأحمدوا ربي وليكم
Men have prospered under the care of the finest among them
The best of his followers have won,
And Ahmad; so praise my Lord, your guardian.
And Ahmed - so praise my Lord and your Master!
Sol 6.1