أَلاَbehold هَكَذَاin this way تُبْنَىare built الْمَدَارِسُthe schools لِلْعِلْمِfor learning
أَلاَ هَكَذَا تُبْنَى الْمَدَارِسُ لِلْعِلْمِ
وَتَبْقَىand endure عُهُودُthe covenants الْمَجْدِof glory ثَابِتَةُfirm الرَّسْمِthe imprint
وَتَبْقَى عُهُودُ الْمَجْدِ ثَابِتَةُ الرَّسْمِ
Behold, this is how schools are built for learning,
and glory's covenants endure, their imprint firm.
وَيُقْصَدُand is sought وَجْهُthe countenance اللَّهِof God بِالْعَمَلِthrough the deed الرّضَىpleasing
وَيُقْصَدُ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ بِالْعَمَلِ الرّضَى
وَتُجْنَىand are gathered ثِمَارُthe fruits الْعِزِّof honor مِنْfrom شَجَرِthe trees الْعَزْمِof resolve
وَتُجْنَى ثِمَارُ الْعِزِّ مِنْ شَجَرِ الْعَزْمِ
And God's countenance is sought through pleasing deeds,
and the fruits of honor are gathered from the trees of resolve.
تُفَاخُرِboasts مِنِّيthrough me حَضْرَةَthe court الْمُلْكِof kingship كُلَّمَاwhenever
تُفَاخُرِ مِنِّي حَضْرَةَ الْمُلْكِ كُلَّمَا
تَقَدَّمَadvances خَصمٌa rival فِيin الْفَخَارِboasting إِلَىtoward خَصْمِa rival
تَقَدَّمَ خَصمٌ فِي الْفَخَارِ إِلَى خَصْمِ
Through me the royal court boasts whenever
one rival advances against another in a contest of pride,
بِأَجْدَىwith something more bountiful إِذَاwhen ضَنَّwithholds الْغَمَامُthe clouds مِنَthan الْحَيَاrain
بِأَجْدَى إِذَا ضَنَّ الْغَمَامُ مِنَ الْحَيَا
وَأَهْدَىand more guiding إِذَاwhen جَنَّfalls الظَّلاَمُthe darkness مِنَthan النَّجْمِthe star
وَأَهْدَى إِذَا جَنَّ الظَّلاَمُ مِنَ النَّجْمِ
with something more bountiful than rain when the clouds withhold it,
and a better guide than a star when darkness falls.
فَيَاso, O ظَاعِناًtraveler لِلْعِلْمِfor learning يَطْلُبُseeking رِحْلَةًa journey
فَيَا ظَاعِناً لِلْعِلْمِ يَطْلُبُ رِحْلَةً
كُفِيتَyou have been spared اعْتَرِاضَcrossing الْبِيدِthe deserts أَوْor لُجَجَthe deep waters الْيَمِّof the sea
كُفِيتَ اعْتَرِاضَ الْبِيدِ أَوْ لُجَجَ الْيَمِّ
So, O traveler seeking to journey in pursuit of learning,
you have been spared crossing deserts or the sea's deep waters.
بِبَابِيَat my gate حُطَّset down الرَّحْلَthe saddle لاَdo not تَنْوِintend وِجْهةًa destination
بِبَابِيَ حُطَّ الرَّحْلَ لاَ تَنْوِ وِجْهةً
فَقَدْfor indeed فُزْتَyou have won فِيin حَالِthe state of الإِقَامَةِstaying بِالْغُنْمِwith gain
فَقَدْ فُزْتَ فِي حَالِ الإِقَامَةِ بِالْغُنْمِ
At my gate, set down your saddle; seek no other destination,
for by staying here you have already reaped the benefit.
فَكَمْfor how many مِنْof شَهَابٍa meteor فِيin سَمَائِيmy sky ثَاقِبpiercingly bright
فَكَمْ مِنْ شَهَابٍ فِي سَمَائِي ثَاقِب
وَمِنْand of هَالَةٍa halo دَارَتْhas circled عَلَىaround قَمَرٍa moon تِمٍّfull
وَمِنْ هَالَةٍ دَارَتْ عَلَى قَمَرٍ تِمٍّ
For many a piercing meteor shines in my sky,
and many a halo has circled a full moon.
يُفِيضُونَthey pour forth مِنْof نُورٍlight مُبِينٍclear إِلىto هُدىًguidance
يُفِيضُونَ مِنْ نُورٍ مُبِينٍ إِلى هُدىً
وَمِنْand of حِكْمَةٍwisdom تَجْلُوpolishes الْقُلُوبَthe hearts إِلَىto حُكْمِjudgment
وَمِنْ حِكْمَةٍ تَجْلُو الْقُلُوبَ إِلَى حُكْمِ
They pour forth clear light that leads to guidance,
and wisdom that polishes hearts and leads to judgment.
جَزَىmay reward اللَّهُGod يُوسُفاًYusuf خَيْرَthe best مَاthat which جَزَىHe has rewarded
جَزَى اللَّهُ يُوسُفاً خَيْرَ مَا جَزَى
مُلُوكَthe kings بَنِيof the sons of نَصْرٍNasr عَنِon behalf of الدِّينِfaith وِالْعِلْمِand learning
مُلُوكَ بَنِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ الدِّينِ وِالْعِلْمِ
May God reward Yusuf with the best reward He has bestowed
upon the kings of Banu Nasr, on behalf of faith and learning.
Sol 6.1