وَنَتْfaltered مِنْfrom دونshort of غَايَتِكَyour pinnacle العُقولُminds
وَنَتْ مِنْ دون غَايَتِكَ العُقولُ
وعَيَّand faltered بِفِعْلِbefore the deeds of راحَتِكَyour palm المَقولُspeech
وعَيَّ بِفِعْلِ راحَتِكَ المَقولُ
Minds have faltered short of your pinnacle,
You are beyond the reach of minds,
and speech has faltered before your palm's deeds.
While the worlds are awed by your acts of grace.
تَزيدُit surpasses عَلىabove الغَوادِيmorning rainclouds والعَوَادِيand charging steeds
تَزيدُ عَلى الغَوادِي والعَوَادِي
عُلُواin loftiness إذْwhen تصوبُit pours down وَإذand when تَصولُit strikes
عُلُوا إذْ تصوبُ وَإذ تَصولُ
It surpasses the morning rainclouds and charging steeds
You tower high above valleys and hills,
in loftiness, when it pours down and when it strikes.
Whether you march or charge.
فَمَاfor never مَتَعَrose high الضُّحىthe forenoon إلاwithout استَحَلتْit turned
فَمَا مَتَعَ الضُّحى إلا استَحَلتْ
دَماًblood وَندىًand dew or bounty ولاnor جَنحَdeclined الأصيلُthe late afternoon
دَماً وَندىً ولا جَنحَ الأصيلُ
For no forenoon rises without its turning
The light of dawn brings naught but blood
to blood and dew; nor does evening decline otherwise.
And dew, as the noble steeds advance.
وَلَولاand were it not for حَمْلُهاits bearing قَلَماًa pen وسَيْفاًand a sword
وَلَولا حَمْلُها قَلَماً وسَيْفاً
لمَاwould not have شَرُفَgained honor الصّريرُthe pen's scratching ولاnor الصَّليلُthe sword's clanging
لمَا شَرُفَ الصّريرُ ولا الصَّليلُ
Had it not borne a pen and a sword,
Without their bearing of swords and pens,
neither the scratching nor the clanging would have gained honor.
The clashing of arms would not ring so shrill.
بفَضْلِthrough the abundance of هِباتِهاits gifts انجَلتِcleared المُحولُdroughts
بفَضْلِ هِباتِها انجَلتِ المُحولُ
وعَنand through هَبَّاتِهاits onslaughts انْقَضَتِended الذُّحولُblood feuds
وعَن هَبَّاتِها انْقَضَتِ الذُّحولُ
Through its abundant gifts, droughts have lifted,
By the grace of their gifts, the hopeless thrive,
and through its onslaughts, blood feuds have ended.
And from their donations, the poor derive.
أَمَاis not الدُّنياworldly life أَمانٌsafety أَوْor ثَراءٌwealth
أَمَا الدُّنيا أَمانٌ أَوْ ثَراءٌ
لَهَاfor it مِنْهُfrom it عَلىof العَلْيَاexalted rank دَليلُproof
لَهَا مِنْهُ عَلى العَلْيَا دَليلُ
Is not worldly life safety or wealth?
Is worldly life a safe abode or wealth?
In either, its lofty rank finds proof.
For the Hereafter, it holds proof enough.
فَمَاso no تَرِبَتْbecame destitute بِماthrough what تُؤْتيit bestows يَمِينٌa right hand
فَمَا تَرِبَتْ بِما تُؤْتي يَمِينٌ
ولاnor خَافَتْfeared بِماthrough what تَأْتِيit does سَبيلُa road
ولا خَافَتْ بِما تَأْتِي سَبيلُ
For what it gives leaves no right hand destitute,
No hand grew tired of what it gave,
nor does any road fear, thanks to what it does.
No path feared what came its way.
أَلاah! بِأَبِيwith my father as ransom يَدُthe hand of الملْكKing يَحْيَىYahya
أَلا بِأَبِي يَدُ الملْك يَحْيَى
عَطَاياهاits gifts الدِّياتُblood-money payments إذاwhen تُنيلُit bestows
عَطَاياها الدِّياتُ إذا تُنيلُ
Ah, may my father ransom the hand of King Yahya!
Nay, by my father, their gifts are blood-money
Its gifts are blood-money whenever it bestows.
When afflictions befall.
بُيُوتُthe homes of النّاسِpeople عامِرَةٌthriving ولكِنbut
بُيُوتُ النّاسِ عامِرَةٌ ولكِن
بُيُوتُthe houses of المالِthe treasury خاوِيةٌempty طُلُولُruined remains
بُيُوتُ المالِ خاوِيةٌ طُلُولُ
People's homes are thriving, yet
Men’s homes may flourish, but houses of wealth
the treasury-houses stand empty, mere ruins.
Lie vacant, devoid of inhabitants.
حُصونُthe fortresses of لُجينهاits silver أنحَتْit assailed علَيهِagainst it
حُصونُ لُجينها أنحَتْ علَيهِ
بِماwith what جَعَلَتit wrought ودائِلَةand prevailing تُديلُit reverses fortunes
بِما جَعَلَت ودائِلَة تُديلُ
It has assailed the fortresses of its silver,
Its firm citadels carved by her hands,
with what it has wrought, prevailing and reversing fortunes.
With gifts that made even enemies gentle.
وأكثَرُand most of ماwhat يُضَارِبُهاcontends with it نُضارُpure gold
وأكثَرُ ما يُضَارِبُها نُضارُ
عَريضٌbroad نَفعُهُits benefit أبداًforever طَويلُlong-lasting
عَريضٌ نَفعُهُ أبداً طَويلُ
Most of what contends with it is pure gold,
And most often, its sharp blades
its benefit broad and forever enduring.
Bring lasting benefit and high renown.
عَلَىupon الحَيوانِliving creatures أجْمعهall of them مُفاضٌpoured out
عَلَى الحَيوانِ أجْمعه مُفاضٌ
حَبَاthe bounty of إفْضَالِهاits generosity وهوَand it is الجَزيلُabundant
حَبَا إفْضَالِها وهوَ الجَزيلُ
Upon all living creatures is poured
On all creatures, its overflowing grace,
the bounty of its generosity—and abundant it is.
Which is ever bountiful and grand.
وَسَلْand ask مُسْتَحمِليهاthose seeking its loads ماwhat حَملْتُمyou have borne
وَسَلْ مُسْتَحمِليها ما حَملْتُم
يَقولواthey will say ماwhat تَكِلُّgrow weary بهِbeneath it الحُمولُbeasts of burden
يَقولوا ما تَكِلُّ بهِ الحُمولُ
And ask those who seek its loads: 'What have you borne?'
Ask those who carry its loads, they will say
They will say, 'What beasts of burden grow weary beneath.'
Even mules would not bear such burdens!
تؤودُweigh down المُعقلِينthose bound بهاby them الأَيادِيthe benefactions
تؤودُ المُعقلِين بها الأَيادِي
وَيَضْبحُand pant تَحتَهاbeneath them حتَّىeven الخُيولُhorses
وَيَضْبحُ تَحتَها حتَّى الخُيولُ
Its benefactions weigh down those bound by them,
It strengthens the hands of strongholds’ guards,
and even horses pant beneath them.
Till even steeds kneel beneath its weight.
لئِنْif indeed وَرَدُواthey arrive يُنَشِّطُهمcheers them قُدومٌarrival
لئِنْ وَرَدُوا يُنَشِّطُهم قُدومٌ
لقَدsurely صَدَرُواthey depart يُنَشِّطهمcheers them قُفولُreturning home
لقَد صَدَرُوا يُنَشِّطهم قُفولُ
If arrival cheers them as they approach,
Whether they come or go, an arrival
return surely cheers them as they depart.
Revives them, and so does a departure.
هِيَit البَركاتُblessings تسمِيَةًin name وَمَعْنىًand in meaning
هِيَ البَركاتُ تسمِيَةً وَمَعْنىً
إذاwhen طَلَعَتْit rises فَلِلْبُؤْسَىthen for misery أفُولُa setting
إذا طَلَعَتْ فَلِلْبُؤْسَى أفُولُ
It is blessings, in name and in meaning;
These are blessings by name and by deed,
when it rises, misery sets.
Whereby sorrows fade away when they rise.
وَماand none أَحْيَاrevived النَّدىgenerosity إلاexcept إمامٌan imam
وَما أَحْيَا النَّدى إلا إمامٌ
قَؤُولٌever speaking كُلَّevery صالِحَةgood deed فَعولُever doing
قَؤُولٌ كُلَّ صالِحَة فَعولُ
Only an imam has brought generosity back to life,
No life was revived except by a leader
ever speaking of every good deed, ever performing it.
Who fulfills every righteous goal.
يُجيزُhe rewards إِذاwhen يُجيرُhe grants refuge مِنfrom الليالِيthe nights
يُجيزُ إِذا يُجيرُ مِن الليالِي
ويُجْزِلُand makes abundant ماwhat يُنِيلُhe bestows إِذاwhen يُقيلُhe pardons
ويُجْزِلُ ما يُنِيلُ إِذا يُقيلُ
He rewards as he grants refuge from the nights,
He compensates the afflicted nights,
and makes what he bestows abundant when he pardons.
And grants generously when he settles scores.
كَساهُمhe clothed them ثُمَّthen قلّدهمhe girded them بِعَصْبٍwith striped cloth
كَساهُم ثُمَّ قلّدهم بِعَصْبٍ
وَشيجٍclosely woven فَوْقهُabove it عَضْبٌa keen sword صَقيلُpolished
وَشيجٍ فَوْقهُ عَضْبٌ صَقيلُ
He clothed them, then girded them with striped cloth,
He adorned them with gowns and swords,
closely woven, with a keen, polished sword above it.
Above it, a belt and polished blade.
وأَيْنَand where مِنbeside السماحgenerosity البأسُmight يَطمُوsurges
وأَيْنَ مِن السماح البأسُ يَطمُو
بِيُمْناهin his right hand كماas طَمَتِsurged السُّيولُthe torrents
بِيُمْناه كما طَمَتِ السُّيولُ
And where does might stand beside generosity, surging
Where is wrath, when magnanimity surges
in his right hand as the torrents surge?
Like a flood, submerging all in its midst?
إِذاwhen الأقتالُadversaries هاجَهُمroused them اغْتِزارٌseeking plentiful yield
إِذا الأقتالُ هاجَهُم اغْتِزارٌ
فَقتْلُهُمُthen their killing لِصارِمِهِby his keen sword قَتيلُslain
فَقتْلُهُمُ لِصارِمِهِ قَتيلُ
When the quest for plenty rouses his adversaries,
When battles inflame, their swords blaze,
their killing is itself slain by his keen sword.
And in killing foes, they themselves are killed.
تخَلّقَmade its habit جِدُّهhis earnest resolve ضَرْبَstriking الهَوَادِيnecks
تخَلّقَ جِدُّه ضَرْبَ الهَوَادِي
بِآيَةas a sign ماthat لَهُhe has حَدّan edge نَحيلُslender
بِآيَة ما لَهُ حَدّ نَحيلُ
His resolve has made neck-striking its habit,
His grandfather mastered striking frontiers
as the slender edge of his blade attests.
With a miracle that has no parallel.
وَلِلأَحْبَارِand for the learned عَنهُfrom him إِذاwhen دَعاهُمhe summons them
وَلِلأَحْبَارِ عَنهُ إِذا دَعاهُم
لِيبلُوَto test صِدْقَthe truth of دَعْواهُمtheir claims نَكولُrecoil
لِيبلُوَ صِدْقَ دَعْواهُم نَكولُ
And the learned, from him, when he summons them
The wise, when summoned to prove their claim,
to test the truth of their claims, recoil.
Shun and evade his challenge.
يُنَاظِرُهُمhe debates them عَلَىon terms of الإنظارِrespite حَوْلاa year
يُنَاظِرُهُم عَلَى الإنظارِ حَوْلا
بِحُجَّتِهِمwith their argument وَماand no لهُمُfor them حويلُrecourse
بِحُجَّتِهِم وَما لهُمُ حويلُ
He debates them, allowing a year of respite,
He debates them in learned discourses,
using their own proof, and they have no recourse.
With proofs, while they have no escape.
خِلالٌvirtues لِلْمَلائِكِfor the angels مُنْتَهاهاtheir culmination
خِلالٌ لِلْمَلائِكِ مُنْتَهاها
ثَنَاءُthe praise of العالَمِينَall the worlds بِهاbeside them خَليلُimpoverished
ثَنَاءُ العالَمِينَ بِها خَليلُ
Virtues whose pinnacle belongs to the angels:
His ascent reached the pinnacle,
the praise of all the worlds is poor beside them.
Where prophets' praises of him never cease.
عَنfrom العُمَرَيْنِthe two Umars أحْرَزَهاhe acquired them فَمنْso who ذَاthis one
عَن العُمَرَيْنِ أحْرَزَها فَمنْ ذَا
يُفاخِرُهُvies with him in pride وسُؤْدَدُهُand his nobility الأَثيلُdeep-rooted
يُفاخِرُهُ وسُؤْدَدُهُ الأَثيلُ
He acquired them from the two Umars—who, then,
He excelled both worlds, so who
can rival him, when his nobility is so deeply rooted?
Can rival him, with his lofty pedigree?
تَفَرَّدَhe stood alone بِالمَكارِمِin noble deeds والْمَعالِيand lofty honors
تَفَرَّدَ بِالمَكارِمِ والْمَعالِي
فَماso there is no لِقِداحِهاfor their lot-arrows مَعَهalongside him مُجيلُcaster
فَما لِقِداحِها مَعَه مُجيلُ
He stands alone in noble deeds and lofty honors,
He monopolized all merits and sublimities,
so none can cast their lot-arrows alongside him.
None can equal him in glory.
وَلولاand were it not أَنthat تَوَاضَعَhe humbled himself فيin الترَقِّيascending
وَلولا أَن تَوَاضَعَ في الترَقِّي
لأعْيَانَاwould have exhausted us لِسُدَّتِهِto his threshold وُصولُaccess
لأعْيَانَا لِسُدَّتِهِ وُصولُ
Had he not humbled himself in his ascent,
Had he not been modest in his rise,
reaching his threshold would have defeated us.
The lofty summits would have bowed to him.
بِهِthrough him ذلّwas humbled العزيزُthe mighty وتِلكَand that سيماthe mark of
بِهِ ذلّ العزيزُ وتِلكَ سيما
جَلالَتِهhis majesty كَماjust as عَزَّbecame mighty الذليلُthe lowly
جَلالَتِه كَما عَزَّ الذليلُ
Through him the mighty are humbled, and that is the mark
By him the mighty were abased, such is the sign
of his majesty, just as the lowly are exalted.
Of his might, just as the lowly were empowered.
صَميمُthe very heart of المَجْدِglory أمنَعُmost protective ماwhat يُلاقيone encounters
صَميمُ المَجْدِ أمنَعُ ما يُلاقي
ذِماراًa sacred charge إِذْwhen يُلِمُّcomes بِهِto him دَخِيلُa seeker of refuge
ذِماراً إِذْ يُلِمُّ بِهِ دَخِيلُ
Glory's very heart, the strongest defender one can meet,
The heart of glory is invincible,
in guarding a sacred charge when a suppliant comes to him.
Whenever a foe confronts with conceit.
مَساعِيهِhis endeavors الكِرامُnoble هُدىًguidance ونورٌand light
مَساعِيهِ الكِرامُ هُدىً ونورٌ
ومِلْءُand the filling of بُرودِهِhis robes جُودٌgenerosity وَجولُand sound judgment
ومِلْءُ بُرودِهِ جُودٌ وَجولُ
His noble endeavors are guidance and light,
His honorable deeds give guidance and light,
and his robes are filled with generosity and sound judgment.
His cool composure, generosity and might.
يعِزُّgains honor بِذاتِهِthrough his very being دَهْرٌan age وهَدْيٌand guidance
يعِزُّ بِذاتِهِ دَهْرٌ وهَدْيٌ
يُعَزِّزُstrengthens ذَاthis وَذَاand that رَأيٌjudgment أَصيلُfirmly grounded
يُعَزِّزُ ذَا وَذَا رَأيٌ أَصيلُ
An age and guidance gain honor through his very being;
By his essence, he brings honor to an age,
well-grounded judgment strengthens them both,
And by his guidance makes many eminent.
إلَىalongside حِلْمٍforbearance تَقَاصَرَfell short عَنهof it قَيسٌQays
إلَى حِلْمٍ تَقَاصَرَ عَنه قَيسٌ
وعلمand learning ضلَّcould not find مدركَهits attainment الخَليلُal-Khalil
وعلم ضلَّ مدركَه الخَليلُ
together with forbearance that Qays fell short of,
His wisdom transcended that of Qais,
and learning whose attainment eluded al-Khalil.
And his knowledge surpassed even Luqman.
ألَمْhave you not تَرَهُseen him إذاwhen هفَتِtottered الرَّواسيthe firm mountains
ألَمْ تَرَهُ إذا هفَتِ الرَّواسي
يَهونُbecomes easy علىfor نُهاهhis intellect ماwhat يَهولُappalls
يَهونُ على نُهاه ما يَهولُ
Have you not seen him when the firm mountains totter?
Have you not seen how when foundations shake,
What appalls is easy for his intellect.
What terrifies others is trivial to him?
وَإِنand if هَدَرتroars فَصاحَتُهُhis eloquence بِحَفْلٍin an assembly
وَإِن هَدَرت فَصاحَتُهُ بِحَفْلٍ
أرَمَّتْfell silent لاnot تُراجِعُهُanswer him الفحولُthe stallions (master orators)
أرَمَّتْ لا تُراجِعُهُ الفحولُ
And if his eloquence roars in an assembly,
If tumults erupt, his shout in an assembly
the stallions of speech fall silent and make him no reply.
Silences them, no brave soul repeats it.
أَجادَhe excelled مُؤَيَّداًaided فيin كُلِّevery علياًlofty pursuit
أَجادَ مُؤَيَّداً في كُلِّ علياً
وَجادَand gave generously بِماwhat الغَمامthe clouds بهِwith it بَخيلُmiserly
وَجادَ بِما الغَمام بهِ بَخيلُ
He excelled, aided, in every lofty pursuit,
He excelled in supporting every high cause,
and gave generously what the clouds begrudge.
While the clouds fall short in generosity.
وَبَثّand spread العَدْلَjustice والعُدوانُand oppression فاشٍrampant
وَبَثّ العَدْلَ والعُدوانُ فاشٍ
فَلَيْسَso there is not مِنَamong المُلوكِthe kings لَهُfor him عَديلُan equal
فَلَيْسَ مِنَ المُلوكِ لَهُ عَديلُ
And he spread justice while oppression ran rampant,
He spread justice, though injustice rages,
so among kings he has no equal.
No king can match him in fairness.
بَديلٌa substitute فيin الخلائِقcharacter traits لِلْبَراياfor all creatures
بَديلٌ في الخلائِق لِلْبَرايا
وَشَأْوُand the reach of عُلاهُhis glory ماnot منْهُin its stead بَديلُa substitute
وَشَأْوُ عُلاهُ ما منْهُ بَديلُ
In character he stands in for all creation,
He is peerless among all creations,
but the reach of his glory has no replacement.
And nothing can substitute his exalted resolve!
Sol 6.1