هذا التأني وهذا الحلمُ قد فَعلا

هذا التأني وهذا الحلمُ قد فَعلا

ما أَعجزَ البيضَ يوم الروع والأسلا

ما أَعجزَ البيضَ يوم الروع والأسلا

This deliberation and this forbearance have accomplished

This patience and this dream have acted

what gleaming swords and spears could not achieve on the day of terror.

What weakened the whites on the day of fright and night weapons

حلمٌ ورأي وليس السنُّ سنهما

حلمٌ ورأي وليس السنُّ سنهما

لم يكملا قبلهُ في سيدَ كَمُلا

لم يكملا قبلهُ في سيدَ كَمُلا

Forbearance and judgment—his age is not their age—

A dream and opinion, not their age

have reached a perfection no lord before him possessed.

They were not complete before in the master of completion

فما بأفعالهِ الحسنى إذا امتحنَت

فما بأفعالهِ الحسنى إذا امتحنَت

فعل له موضعُ في غيره جُعلا

فعل له موضعُ في غيره جُعلا

Among his noble deeds, when examined, there is no

So his good deeds, when tested

deed whose equal has been found in anyone else.

Made for him a place among others

الأشرفُ الملك بن الناصر الملك اب

الأشرفُ الملك بن الناصر الملك اب

ن الأشرف الملك ابن الأفضل الفضلا

ن الأشرف الملك ابن الأفضل الفضلا

King al-Ashraf, son of King al-Nasir, son—

The noble king, son of Nasser the king, son

of King al-Ashraf, son of al-Afdal, the excellent.

Of the most virtuous, the most virtuous

أَبقى على كل من إبقاؤه حسنٌ

أَبقى على كل من إبقاؤه حسنٌ

ولم يصن بحسامِ يسبق العَذلا

ولم يصن بحسامِ يسبق العَذلا

He spared everyone whom it was good to spare,

Kept alive all whose life was good

nor did he defend with a keen sword that outruns reproach.

And did not make with a sword that precedes rebuke

تلقى العدى منه قبل الجيش يبعثهُ

تلقى العدى منه قبل الجيش يبعثهُ

جيشُ من الرأي وَالتدبير ماخُذلا

جيشُ من الرأي وَالتدبير ماخُذلا

Before the army he sends, his enemies are met

He meets the enemies before the army he sends

by an army of judgment and strategy that never failed.

An army of opinion and management, unfailing

والرأى مغنٍ إذا ما السعدُ ساعدَهُ

والرأى مغنٍ إذا ما السعدُ ساعدَهُ

عن بعثك الجيشَ أو إرسالك الرُسلا

عن بعثك الجيشَ أو إرسالك الرُسلا

And judgment suffices, when good fortune aids it,

And opinion helps when luck assists it

in place of dispatching your army or sending your messengers.

About sending your army or dispatching your messengers

فاليوم ما مفسد في الأرض تعرفه

فاليوم ما مفسد في الأرض تعرفه

إِلا على بابه للنصح قد بَذلا

إِلا على بابه للنصح قد بَذلا

So today, no troublemaker you know in the land

So today whatever corrupter on earth you know

has failed to offer sincere counsel at his gate.

Is at his door for advice, exerted

فخيلُه صافناتٌ في مرابطها

فخيلُه صافناتٌ في مرابطها

وبيضُه لم تجد عن غمدِها حِولا

وبيضُه لم تجد عن غمدِها حِولا

So his horses stand poised in their tethering places,

His horses are swords in their sheaths

and his gleaming swords have found no departure from their sheaths.

And his whites have not found a way out of their sheaths

سعد به آجهل الباغين بات وقد

سعد به آجهل الباغين بات وقد

اوتى من الحزم مالم يؤته العقلا

اوتى من الحزم مالم يؤته العقلا

Through him the most ignorant rebel has prospered, and now

Happy with him are the ignorant rebels overnight and

has been granted a prudence the wise were never given.

He has been given wisdom that the mind did not give

من هم منهم بأن يعصيك لاح له

من هم منهم بأن يعصيك لاح له

ما في عواقب من يعصيك ما امتثلا

ما في عواقب من يعصيك ما امتثلا

Whoever among them thought to disobey you saw

Those who dare disobey you have no solution

what awaits one who disobeys you and does not comply.

In the consequences of disobeying you, compliant

فهم لديك وفود يتقون سطا

فهم لديك وفود يتقون سطا

بيض لديها ضراب يقطع الأجلا

بيض لديها ضراب يقطع الأجلا

So they are delegations before you, guarding against the onslaught

They are with you delegations who fear

of gleaming swords with a mighty wielder who cuts life short.

Whites who have executioners that shorten life

ويحفظون رؤوساً في منابتها

ويحفظون رؤوساً في منابتها

بما يجب ولا نقص لما كفلا

بما يجب ولا نقص لما كفلا

And they preserve their heads where they grow,

And they protect heads in their roots

by giving what is due, without falling short of what was pledged.

With what is owed, no shortage of what was guaranteed

أوتيتَ ملكاً ولم تسأله حين أتى

أوتيتَ ملكاً ولم تسأله حين أتى

لكنه لك دون الناس قد سألا

لكنه لك دون الناس قد سألا

You were granted kingship, yet did not ask for it when it came;

You were given a kingdom and did not ask for it when it came

instead, it asked for you alone among all people.

But it is yours, beyond all other people, asked

ولم يحجك إِله العرشِ فيه إلى

ولم يحجك إِله العرشِ فيه إلى

ضرب الرقاب ولا ما يؤثم الرُجلا

ضرب الرقاب ولا ما يؤثم الرُجلا

The God of the Throne did not make you resort, for its sake,

And the God of the throne did not deprive you of it

to striking off heads or what makes a man sinful.

To strike necks or what would sin the man

والعهد وافاك لم تسبقه اخوته

والعهد وافاك لم تسبقه اخوته

عليك بعد اشتياق قطّع الشَكِلا

عليك بعد اشتياق قطّع الشَكِلا

And the covenant came to you without its brethren preceding it,

And time kept its promise to you, not preceded by its brothers

after a longing for you that shattered its fetters.

Yearning for you cut the longing

تسابقت نحوك الأعيادُ وازدحمت

تسابقت نحوك الأعيادُ وازدحمت

ففاز منها بكم هذا الذي وصَلا

ففاز منها بكم هذا الذي وصَلا

The festivals raced toward you and crowded together;

The holidays raced toward you and crowded

and this one that has arrived won you from among them.

So this one, which arrived, won with you

وافاك والنصر والفتحُ المبينُ

وافاك والنصر والفتحُ المبينُ

على آثاره ومعالٍ تملأ السبُلا

على آثاره ومعالٍ تملأ السبُلا

It came to you, with victory and manifest triumph

And it reached you, and victory and clear conquest

following in its footsteps, and lofty honors filling the roads.

In its footsteps and possessions filling the roads

وافاك مستعظماً ما قد وصفت به

وافاك مستعظماً ما قد وصفت به

يظنه وصف من حاز المدى وعلا

يظنه وصف من حاز المدى وعلا

It came to you, thinking great the qualities ascribed to you,

And it reached you glorifying what you were described with

believing them the description of one who had reached the utmost and risen high,

Thinking it a description of one who attained greatness and ascended

حتى أراك امام الجيش مبتسماً

حتى أراك امام الجيش مبتسماً

فاستصغر الوصف واستردى الذي فعلا

فاستصغر الوصف واستردى الذي فعلا

until it revealed you smiling at the army's head;

Until I saw you in front of the army smiling

then it deemed the description small and its own deed poor.

So the description became small and the one who did recoiled

رأى خوارقَ عاداتٍ لك اتفقت

رأى خوارقَ عاداتٍ لك اتفقت

أمسى بها كل ملك يضربِ المثلا

أمسى بها كل ملك يضربِ المثلا

It saw wonders beyond ordinary custom come to pass for you,

Saw violating habits for you coincided

through which every king came to hold you up as an example.

And every king strikes with it as an example

أظهرت من رتبةً الملك العقيم به

أظهرت من رتبةً الملك العقيم به

ما ألبس العبد ثوب التيهِ والخجلا

ما ألبس العبد ثوب التيهِ والخجلا

You displayed through it such a rank of barren kingship

You revealed from the barren position of king

that it clothed your servant in the garment of pride and shame.

What dressed the slave in the garment of loss and shame

أقبلت والخلق قد غص الفضاء بهم

أقبلت والخلق قد غص الفضاء بهم

والجيش قد عم أقطار الفلا وملا

والجيش قد عم أقطار الفلا وملا

You approached, and the people choked the open space,

You came while creation filled the space with them

while the army covered and filled every reach of the wilderness.

And the army spread over the regions of elevation and height

وقد تطاولت الأعمال شاخصة

وقد تطاولت الأعمال شاخصة

ومدت الخلق أعناقاً لهم وِطلا

ومدت الخلق أعناقاً لهم وِطلا

And the deeds towered, standing upright,

And deeds had risen towering

and the people stretched their necks out long.

And people stretched out necks longing for them

وظل يركبُ بعض الناس بعضهم

وظل يركبُ بعض الناس بعضهم

والجو من حثو أيدي الخيل قد طحلا

والجو من حثو أيدي الخيل قد طحلا

And people kept climbing over one another,

And some people continued riding others

while the air darkened from dust flung by the horses' forelegs,

While the air from the dust of hooves was murky

حتى بدى وجهك الميمونُ فانقشعت

حتى بدى وجهك الميمونُ فانقشعت

تلك الغياهبُ بالنور الذي اشتعلا

تلك الغياهبُ بالنور الذي اشتعلا

until your auspicious face appeared, dispelling

Until your blessed face appeared and dispersed

those deep shadows with the light that blazed.

Those dark clouds with the light that sparked

وأعلن الخلق بالتكبير حينَ جلا

وأعلن الخلق بالتكبير حينَ جلا

لهم محياكَ بعد الظلمةِ ابن جلا

لهم محياكَ بعد الظلمةِ ابن جلا

The people cried 'God is greatest' when there shone

And people declared by glorification when

your face upon them after darkness, O Ibn Jala.

Your smile appeared to them after the darkness, son of prominence

وخفَّ كل حليمِ منك أذهله

وخفَّ كل حليمِ منك أذهله

أمرٌ به عن شروط الحلم قد غَفلا

أمرٌ به عن شروط الحلم قد غَفلا

Every forbearing man grew restless, dazed by you

And every forbearing one was humbled by you

with a spectacle that made him forget the rules of forbearance.

By a matter which distracted him from the conditions of forbearance

لو خوطب المرَء منهم وهو مشتغلٌ

لو خوطب المرَء منهم وهو مشتغلٌ

عن نفسه بأليمِ الضرب ما عَقلا

عن نفسه بأليمِ الضرب ما عَقلا

Had any of them been addressed, while so distracted

If one of them was addressed while busy

from himself, with painful blows, he would not have understood.

With the pain of blows, he would not understand

هذا يشير وذا يثنى عليك وذا

هذا يشير وذا يثنى عليك وذا

يهدي الدعا رافعاً كفَّيه مُبتهلا

يهدي الدعا رافعاً كفَّيه مُبتهلا

One points, another praises you, and another

This one gestures and that praises you and that

offers prayers, lifting both palms in supplication.

Offers prayer, raising his palms pleading

حتى أتيتَ مصلى لَو أطاق بأن

حتى أتيتَ مصلى لَو أطاق بأن

يسعى إليك على هاماته فعلا

يسعى إليك على هاماته فعلا

Until you reached a prayer ground which, had it been able

Until you came to a mosque, if it could

to hasten to you upon its own heads, would have done so.

Run to you on its pillars, it would have done

أتيته خاضعاً لله مبتهلاً

أتيته خاضعاً لله مبتهلاً

مكبّرا قائماً بالأمر ممتثلا

مكبّرا قائماً بالأمر ممتثلا

You came to it humbled before God, supplicating,

You came to it submitting to God, praying

proclaiming 'God is greatest,' carrying out the command obediently.

Glorifying, standing by the order, compliant

لديك من فضلهِ ما لست تجهلهُ

لديك من فضلهِ ما لست تجهلهُ

إِذا امرؤً بحقوقِ الله قد جهلا

إِذا امرؤً بحقوقِ الله قد جهلا

You possess of His grace what you are not ignorant of,

You have from His favor what you do not ignore

when a man has been ignorant of God's due rights.

When a man ignores the rights of God

سألته عنه راضياً ومبتغياً

سألته عنه راضياً ومبتغياً

رضاه عنك وما تبغيه قد حَصلا

رضاه عنك وما تبغيه قد حَصلا

You asked Him about it, content and seeking

You asked Him for it, satisfied and seeking

His pleasure with you—and what you seek has been attained.

His satisfaction with you and what you seek has been attained

من يلهُ بالعيدِ أو يلعب فأنت به

من يلهُ بالعيدِ أو يلعب فأنت به

لله مرضٍ تعالى جده وعَلا

لله مرضٍ تعالى جده وعَلا

Some take diversion or play in the feast, but through it you

Whoever is distracted on the holiday or plays, while you

please God—exalted and lofty is His majesty.

Are pleasing to God most high in grandeur

والعيدُ هذا فإنَ هني به ملك

والعيدُ هذا فإنَ هني به ملك

فأنت فيه مهنىً بالذي عملا

فأنت فيه مهنىً بالذي عملا

As for this feast, if a king is congratulated on it,

And this holiday, if an idle king enjoys it

you are congratulated in it for the deed performed:

You in it are forbidden by the one who acted

تقوى الإِله فما صنع يَقاربها

تقوى الإِله فما صنع يَقاربها

وطاعة الله ما شيء بها عدلا

وطاعة الله ما شيء بها عدلا

reverence for God—no deed comes close to it—

Fear of God, nothing approximates it

and obedience to God, which nothing can equal.

And obeying God, nothing equals it

فابشر فأنت من الرحمن حيثُيرى

فابشر فأنت من الرحمن حيثُيرى

ملك عقيم وأفضال وحسن حلا

ملك عقيم وأفضال وحسن حلا

So rejoice: with the Most Merciful you are where one sees

So receive good tidings, for with the Merciful you are

barren kingship, generous favors, and beautiful adornments.

An idle king, and virtues, and excellent conditions