من عاشَ حدَّث عن أَيامهِ العجَبا

من عاشَ حدَّث عن أَيامهِ العجَبا

وأَدبتهُ ليالٍ تحسنُ الأَدبا

وأَدبتهُ ليالٍ تحسنُ الأَدبا

Whoever has lived recounts wonders of his days,

He who lived, told of his wondrous days,

and nights have schooled him, skilled in discipline.

And his manners were refined by nights that better manners.

فما يمرُّ به حال ويسخطه

فما يمرُّ به حال ويسخطه

إلاّ رآهَا لما يرضى بهِ سببا

إلاّ رآهَا لما يرضى بهِ سببا

No circumstance befalls him that displeases him

So whatever state comes upon him that angers him,

but he sees it as a cause of something pleasing.

He only sees it as a cause for that which satisfies him.

من كان يؤمنُ أن العسر يتبعَهُ

من كان يؤمنُ أن العسر يتبعَهُ

يسرٌ وضاق رأى المرجوَّ قد قرَبا

يسرٌ وضاق رأى المرجوَّ قد قرَبا

Whoever believes that hardship is followed by

He who believes that hardship will follow him,

ease, when straitened, sees what he hopes for draw near.

Ease and confined space, he sees what he hopes for has drawn near.

وفي التجارِب ما يلجي البيب إِلى

وفي التجارِب ما يلجي البيب إِلى

تجنبِ الحرص في المطلوب إِنْ طلبا

تجنبِ الحرص في المطلوب إِنْ طلبا

In experience is what compels the discerning man

And in experiences is that which steers the intelligent one

to shun greed in what he seeks, if he seeks it.

To avoid greediness in seeking the desired, if he seeks.

رزقُ الفتى رزقه والله قاسمهُ

رزقُ الفتى رزقه والله قاسمهُ

لا يأخذُ المرءُ منه فوقَ مَا كُتَبِا

لا يأخذُ المرءُ منه فوقَ مَا كُتَبِا

A man's provision is his allotted provision, and God apportions it;

The livelihood of a youth is his livelihood, and God apportions it,

no man takes from it more than has been decreed.

A person does not take from it more than what is decreed.

والسعيُ في الرزقِ بالاجمال مفترضٌ

والسعيُ في الرزقِ بالاجمال مفترضٌ

فكنْ وعرضك تحتَ الصونِ مكتسبا

فكنْ وعرضك تحتَ الصونِ مكتسبا

Seeking a livelihood with moderation is a duty;

And striving for livelihood in general is obligatory,

so earn your living while your honor is protected.

So be, taking your means of living virtuously.

إِني لأحمد عما كان آخرهُ

إِني لأحمد عما كان آخرهُ

خير ثواباً وخير عندكم عقبا

خير ثواباً وخير عندكم عقبا

I indeed praise Him for what proved, in the end,

Surely I praise the One whose end was

better in reward and better in its outcome with you.

Good reward and the best with you last.

وما أوفيه شكراً حيثُ أمهلني

وما أوفيه شكراً حيثُ أمهلني

حتى قضيت من الدنيا بك الأربا

حتى قضيت من الدنيا بك الأربا

Yet I cannot thank Him fully, since He granted me time

And I have not fully thanked Him who granted me respite

until, through you, I fulfilled my worldly desire.

Until I was fulfilled in the world through you.

وأَبصرتك عيوني والهدى نهجٌ

وأَبصرتك عيوني والهدى نهجٌ

والحقُّ ينصر والبهتانُ قد غُلبا

والحقُّ ينصر والبهتانُ قد غُلبا

My eyes beheld you, with guidance a clear path,

And my eyes saw you and guidance is a path

truth championed, and slander already vanquished.

And truth aids and falsehood has been overcome.

وأَنت كالليثِ دون الدين منتصباً

وأَنت كالليثِ دون الدين منتصباً

تذبُّ عنه وتنفي دونه الرِّيبا

تذبُّ عنه وتنفي دونه الرِّيبا

And you stood like a lion in defense of the faith,

And you are like a lion rising to defend the faith,

defending it and driving doubts away from it.

Repelling from it and removing doubt from it.

ما استخلفُ الله عبدالله مصطفياً

ما استخلفُ الله عبدالله مصطفياً

إِلاّ ليكشفَ باستخلافهِ الكُرَبا

إِلاّ ليكشفَ باستخلافهِ الكُرَبا

God appointed Abdullah as successor, choosing him,

God only made Muhammad His trustee

only to dispel afflictions through his appointment,

To uncover hardship through his trusteeship.

ويستضيفُ إِلى ما فيه من حسنٍ

ويستضيفُ إِلى ما فيه من حسنٍ

ما في أوائله فضلاً أبا فأبا

ما في أوائله فضلاً أبا فأبا

and to add to the goodness within him

And to invite to the good that was in it,

the merit of his forebears, father after father.

What excellent merit in the first of it, time after time.

يا نجلَ أَحمدَ يا منصورُ حيثُ غزاً

يا نجلَ أَحمدَ يا منصورُ حيثُ غزاً

نصرت ربَّكَ فالبس نصَره حِقبا

نصرت ربَّكَ فالبس نصَره حِقبا

O son of Ahmad, O Mansur, wherever you campaign,

O son of Ahmad, O Mansur when you fought,

you championed your Lord; wear His victory for ages.

You aided your Lord so wear His victory for aeons.

يا صفوةَ الناصرِ بن الأَشرفِ

يا صفوةَ الناصرِ بن الأَشرفِ

ابن الأَفضل بن عليّ انجبِ النُجُبا

ابن الأَفضل بن عليّ انجبِ النُجُبا

O chosen scion of al-Nasir, son of al-Ashraf,

O elite of the Victor son of Al-Ashraf,

son of al-Afdal, son of Ali, noblest of the noble!

Son of Al-Afdal son of Ali, most noble of the noble.

قاتلْ بربّك إِنَّ الجِيشَ قد علموا

قاتلْ بربّك إِنَّ الجِيشَ قد علموا

غِناك عنهم به فأغمدوا القضَبا

غِناك عنهم به فأغمدوا القضَبا

Fight with your Lord's aid: the army has learned

Fight for your Lord, the army has known

that through Him you need none of them, so they sheathed their blades.

Your independence from them through Him so sheathe the swords.

فما لياليكَ والأيامُ شاهدةٌ

فما لياليكَ والأيامُ شاهدةٌ

إِلاَّ تواريخُ خيرٍ تكتُبُ العَجبا

إِلاَّ تواريخُ خيرٍ تكتُبُ العَجبا

Your nights, with the days bearing witness,

For your nights and days bear witness,

are only chronicles of good that record wonders.

Only to histories of good that write wonders.

سعدٌ رمى كلَّ ذي بغي بِقارعةٍ

سعدٌ رمى كلَّ ذي بغي بِقارعةٍ

يمشي بها خائفاً للموت مُرتقبا

يمشي بها خائفاً للموت مُرتقبا

Good fortune struck every aggressor with a calamity,

Saad cast down with his sword every transgressor,

leaving him to walk in fear, awaiting death.

Terrified of death, walking cautiously expecting it.

ينامُ جيشُك آمناً وادعين ومن

ينامُ جيشُك آمناً وادعين ومن

عاداكَ في شكلٍ الأ وجالِ مُضطَرِبا

عاداكَ في شكلٍ الأ وجالِ مُضطَرِبا

Your army sleeps safe and at ease, while whoever

Your army sleeps safe and calm while those

opposes you trembles in the guise of the fearful.

Who opposed you are restless and anxious.

مَنْ كانَ مثلَكَ سيفُ اللهِ في يدهِ

مَنْ كانَ مثلَكَ سيفُ اللهِ في يدهِ

فما يقومُ له شيء إذا انتدبا

فما يقومُ له شيء إذا انتدبا

Whoever is like you, with God's sword in his hand—

Who was like you, sword of God in his hand?

nothing can withstand him when he steps forward.

So nothing could stand when you were appointed.

نصرتَ بالرُّعبِ نصرَ المرسلين بهِ

نصرتَ بالرُّعبِ نصرَ المرسلين بهِ

والرعبُ من كان منصوراً به غلبا

والرعبُ من كان منصوراً به غلبا

You were aided by terror, as the messengers were aided by it;

You won by fear, the victory of the Messengers through it,

and whoever is aided by terror prevails.

And fear - he who wins through it, overwhelms.

وسلَّ سعدك دون الجيش صارمَهَ

وسلَّ سعدك دون الجيش صارمَهَ

والجيشُ ناوٍ فقضيّ عنه ما وَجَبا

والجيشُ ناوٍ فقضيّ عنه ما وَجَبا

Your good fortune unsheathed its keen sword in the army's stead;

Saad unsheathed his sword from the army

while the army intended to act, its duty was discharged for it.

And the army rested, so he carried out what was obligatory.

ولم يحجهم إِلى غزوٍ يكلفُهم

ولم يحجهم إِلى غزوٍ يكلفُهم

إِن يحملوا الزاد أو أنْ يأخذوا الأهبا

إِن يحملوا الزاد أو أنْ يأخذوا الأهبا

Nor did it oblige them to a campaign requiring them

You did not task them with a raid that would require

to carry provisions or take their equipment.

Their taking provision or seizing the prizes.

تعجّبَ الناسُ من أشياءَ معجزةٍ

تعجّبَ الناسُ من أشياءَ معجزةٍ

لكم بانتْ وما أَلقوا لها سَبَبا

لكم بانتْ وما أَلقوا لها سَبَبا

People marveled at miraculous things

The people were amazed by miraculous events

that appeared for you, though they offered no cause for them.

That were clear, though they found no cause for them.

وزادهم عجباً قل احتفالكم

وزادهم عجباً قل احتفالكم

لمن يداري ومن يرضى إِذا غَضبا

لمن يداري ومن يرضى إِذا غَضبا

Their wonder grew at how little regard you had

And it increased their wonder how little you celebrated

for those humored or appeased when angry.

He who yields and is content when angry.

أَلبستهم ثوبَ ذلٍ أَيقنوا معه

أَلبستهم ثوبَ ذلٍ أَيقنوا معه

أَن البقاءَ لهم في الذُّلِ قد وهبا

أَن البقاءَ لهم في الذُّلِ قد وهبا

You clothed them in a robe of humiliation, and they knew

You clothed them in a garment of humiliation, through which

that survival had been granted them in humiliation,

They knew abiding in humiliation was granted them.

وأَنَّ من ذُلَّ منهم واستكان نجا

وأَنَّ من ذُلَّ منهم واستكان نجا

منكم ومن شمخت أَنفٌ به عُطبا

منكم ومن شمخت أَنفٌ به عُطبا

and that whoever among them was humbled and submitted escaped

And that he who was humiliated and resigned was saved

from you, while whoever held his nose high perished.

From you, and he whose ego rebelled was ruined.

فإنَهُ الليلُ لا منجي لخائفهِ

فإنَهُ الليلُ لا منجي لخائفهِ

وهارب منهُ كالآتي له طَلبا

وهارب منهُ كالآتي له طَلبا

For he is the night: none can rescue one who fears him,

For night has no savior for its fearful one,

and one fleeing him is like one coming to seek him.

And its fleer is like the seeker pursuing it.

ولستَ تقوى على من للالهِ به

ولستَ تقوى على من للالهِ به

عنايةٌ واهتمامٌ لم يكن لِعبا

عنايةٌ واهتمامٌ لم يكن لِعبا

Nor can you prevail over one for whom God has

And you cannot overpower one whom for the sake of God

care and concern that are no idle play.

There is concern and care that was no game.

تحيّلوا في النَجا منه لانفسِكم

تحيّلوا في النَجا منه لانفسِكم

ولا ترومون إقداماً ولا هربا

ولا ترومون إقداماً ولا هربا

Devise a way to save yourselves from him,

They scheme to save themselves from it

but seek neither to advance nor to flee.

And do not intend either daring or fleeing.

فما يطاعُ ببذلِ المالِ واهبهُ

فما يطاعُ ببذلِ المالِ واهبهُ

كما يطاعُ بحدِّ السيفِ منْ ضَربا

كما يطاعُ بحدِّ السيفِ منْ ضَربا

For the giver of money is not obeyed for his gifts

For not by wealth is the Giver obeyed

as one who strikes with the sword's edge is obeyed.

As is obeyed the sword’s edge of the striker.

للهِ فيكَ ولم يدرِ الجهولَ بهِ

للهِ فيكَ ولم يدرِ الجهولَ بهِ

سرٌّ خفيٌّ ووعدٌ لم يكن كِذبا

سرٌّ خفيٌّ ووعدٌ لم يكن كِذبا

God has in you—though the ignorant know it not—

God has in you a secret, hidden promise not falsehood,

a hidden secret and a promise that was no lie.

Which the ignorant do not know thereby.

سعادةُ مستحيل الأمرِ صارَ بها

سعادةُ مستحيل الأمرِ صارَ بها

في الممكناتِ من الأشيآءِ قد حَسبا

في الممكناتِ من الأشيآءِ قد حَسبا

A blessed fortune by which the impossible has come

The ease of the impossible became through it

to be counted among possible things.

Among possibilities of things already decreed.

من عونِه الله لم يبعد عليه مدى

من عونِه الله لم يبعد عليه مدى

وكان أَسهل ما يرجوه ما صَعُبا

وكان أَسهل ما يرجوه ما صَعُبا

For one whose helper is God, no goal is too distant,

He whom God aids, no distance is too far for him,

and what was difficult becomes the easiest thing he hopes for.

And the hardest thing he desires is easiest.

من ينفقِ المالَ من خوفٍ لطالبهِ

من ينفقِ المالَ من خوفٍ لطالبهِ

فأَنتَ تنفقَهُ للأجر مُكتَسبا

فأَنتَ تنفقَهُ للأجر مُكتَسبا

Others spend money out of fear of those who demand it;

Who spends money fearing its seeker,

you spend it seeking to earn a reward.

While you spend it for reward that is earned!

فما تخافُ سوى الباري وخوُكُمُ

فما تخافُ سوى الباري وخوُكُمُ

أخافَ منك براياهَ ولا عجبا

أخافَ منك براياهَ ولا عجبا

You fear none but the Creator, and your fear of Him

So you fear none but the Creator, while their fear of you

has made His creatures fear you—and no wonder.

Terrified them, and no wonder.

نفسي فداؤك للإِفلاس بي ولعٌ

نفسي فداؤك للإِفلاس بي ولعٌ

أَكرمت نفسي عليه الصبر محتسبا

أَكرمت نفسي عليه الصبر محتسبا

My soul be your ransom! Destitution is enamored of me;

My soul is your redemption though destitution pleases me,

I honored my soul by bearing it patiently, seeking reward.

I esteemed my soul though patience its credit.

أَعطيتني عادتي فضلاً وجدتَ وما

أَعطيتني عادتي فضلاً وجدتَ وما

أبيت لكنَّه حظي الضعيف أَبى

أبيت لكنَّه حظي الضعيف أَبى

You granted me my customary allowance as a favor and were generous; you did not

You gave me my wont undeservedly, and found not

refuse—but my weak fortune did.

That I refuse, but it is my meager fortune that declined.

فما ألوم صديقاً في معارضةٍ

فما ألوم صديقاً في معارضةٍ

ولا أُسمّيهِ في تعويقهِا سبَبا

ولا أُسمّيهِ في تعويقهِا سبَبا

So I blame no friend for an obstruction,

So I do not blame a friend in disagreement

nor call him the cause of its delay.

Nor name him in its obstruction as cause.

المالُ أهونُ قدراً أَن أَضيعَ لهُ

المالُ أهونُ قدراً أَن أَضيعَ لهُ

حقوقَ خلٍّ أراه خيرَ من صَحِبا

حقوقَ خلٍّ أراه خيرَ من صَحِبا

Money is too slight in worth for me to neglect for its sake

Wealth is of lesser value that I waste it

the rights of a friend I deem the best of companions.

Than rights of a confidant I see as better than a companion.

وما أُخاصم في غير الإله فتىً

وما أُخاصم في غير الإله فتىً

إِليكَ لو خلتهُ للروحِ مُنتهبا

إِليكَ لو خلتهُ للروحِ مُنتهبا

Nor would I bring a case against a man, except for God's sake,

And I dispute not in other than God, a youth

before you, even if I thought him a plunderer of my soul.

If I left him to the spirit to seize.

رزقُ الفتى رزقُه واللهُ قاسمُهُ

رزقُ الفتى رزقُه واللهُ قاسمُهُ

لا ياخذُ المرءُ منه فوقَ ما كَتبا

لا ياخذُ المرءُ منه فوقَ ما كَتبا

A man's provision is his allotted provision, and God apportions it;

The livelihood of a youth is his livelihood, and God apportions it,

no man takes from it more than He has decreed.

A person does not take from it more than what is decreed.