والي الوُلاةِ وواحِدَ الزّمنِ الذي

والي الوُلاةِ وواحِدَ الزّمنِ الذي

تبْأى المُلوكُ بمثْلِهِ وتُفاخِرُ

تبْأى المُلوكُ بمثْلِهِ وتُفاخِرُ

O ruler of rulers and peerless one of the age,

O governor of governors, unique one of the age

in whose like kings take pride and vie in boasting.

Whom kings wish to emulate and boast of

صيّرْتَ حاتِمَ طَيّئٍ يُزْري بهِ

صيّرْتَ حاتِمَ طَيّئٍ يُزْري بهِ

زارٍ ويسْخَرُ إنْ تُذوكِرَ ساخِرُ

زارٍ ويسْخَرُ إنْ تُذوكِرَ ساخِرُ

You have made Hatim of Tayyiʾ an object of scorn

You made Hatem al-Tai seem stingy

for a detractor, and of mockery for a scoffer if he is mentioned.

Mocked if a mocker mentions him

إنْ كانَ طَلاًّ أنْتَ جَوْدٌ ساجِمٌ

إنْ كانَ طَلاًّ أنْتَ جَوْدٌ ساجِمٌ

أو كانَ نهْراً أنتَ بحْرٌ زاخِرُ

أو كانَ نهْراً أنتَ بحْرٌ زاخِرُ

If he was drizzle, you are abundant, pouring rain;

If he was a stream, you are a torrential sea

or if he was a river, you are a surging sea.

If he was a rivulet, you are a generous downpour

وإذا الزّمانُ الأوّلُ استَعْلى بأهْ

وإذا الزّمانُ الأوّلُ استَعْلى بأهْ

لِيهِ أنافَ بكَ الزّمانُ الآخِرُ

لِيهِ أنافَ بكَ الزّمانُ الآخِرُ

And if the earlier age rose high through its

When the first era acted superior with its people

people, the later age rose higher through you.

The latter era is proud to have you