مَلكٌa king إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الوَفدُthe delegation حَلَّarrived بِبابِهِat his gate
مَلكٌ إِذا ما الوَفدُ حَلَّ بِبابِهِ
قالَتsaid شَمائِلُهُhis qualities الكَريمَةُnoble مَرحَباwelcome
قالَت شَمائِلُهُ الكَريمَةُ مَرحَبا
A king who, whenever a delegation arrives at his gate,
A king, when the delegation arrives at his door,
Has his noble qualities say, “Welcome!”
His noble features say "Welcome!"
أَندىmost generous المُلوكِthe kings نَدىًbounty وَأَطولُهُمand the longest of them يَداًin hand
أَندى المُلوكِ نَدىً وَأَطولُهُم يَداً
وَأَعَزُّهُمand the most illustrious of them خالاًin maternal uncle وَأَكرَمُهُمand the noblest of them أَباin father
وَأَعَزُّهُم خالاً وَأَكرَمُهُم أَبا
The most generous of kings in bounty, and the most openhanded of them,
The most generous of kings in bounty, the tallest in stature,
And with the most illustrious maternal uncle and the noblest father among them.
The proudest in lineage, the kindest father.
ثَبتُsteadfast الجَنانِthe heart إِذاwhen الجِبالُthe mountains تَزَعزَعَتtrembled
ثَبتُ الجَنانِ إِذا الجِبالُ تَزَعزَعَت
حاميguardian of الحَقيقَةِhonor to be defended حامِلٌbearer of ماwhat أَتعَباcaused weariness
حامي الحَقيقَةِ حامِلٌ ما أَتعَبا
Steadfast of heart when the mountains tremble,
Steadfast of soul when mountains crumble,
Guardian of honor, bearer of what brings weariness.
Defender of truth, bearing heavy burdens,
وَمُقَصِّرٌand falling short عَنof بَعضِsome of ماwhat أَولَيتُهُI entrusted to it
وَمُقَصِّرٌ عَن بَعضِ ما أَولَيتُهُ
شُكريmy gratitude وَإِنeven though كُنتُI am الفَصيحَthe eloquent speaker المُسهَباthe expansive speaker
شُكري وَإِن كُنتُ الفَصيحَ المُسهَبا
And falling short of some of what I have entrusted to it
Yet falling short of some duties I charged him,
Is my gratitude, even though I am eloquent and expansive in speech.
For which I thank him, eloquent as I am.
وَلَوand even if اَنَّنيthat I نَظَّمتُI strung فيكَin praise of you قَلائِدَnecklaces الـthe
وَلَو اَنَّني نَظَّمتُ فيكَ قَلائِدَ الـ
ـجَوزاءِOrion كُنتَyou would be أَجَلَّmore exalted مِنهاthan them مَنصِباin rank
ـجَوزاءِ كُنتَ أَجَلَّ مِنها مَنصِبا
And even if I strung in your praise the necklaces of
Had I strung hymns for you like pearls on a necklace,
Orion, you would be more exalted than they in rank.
You would still be nobler than my eulogy.
Sol 6.1