بَدْرٌa full moon بقُبّتِكَin your dome الغرّاءِradiant مَطْلعُهُits rising-place
بَدْرٌ بقُبّتِكَ الغرّاءِ مَطْلعُهُ
تبارَكَblessed be اللهُGod مُبْدِيهwho reveals it ومُطْلِعُهُand makes it rise
تبارَكَ اللهُ مُبْدِيه ومُطْلِعُهُ
A full moon has its rising-place in your radiant dome;
The full moon rises in your luminous dome,
Blessed be God, who reveals it and makes it rise.
Blessed is He who originated it and made it rise.
حمْراؤهاits Alhambra هالةٌa halo تَبْدوappear أشعّتُهاits rays
حمْراؤها هالةٌ تَبْدو أشعّتُها
لأفْقِهاfor its horizon مرْقَبٌa lookout بالعِزّin glory تَفْرَعُهُyou ascend it
لأفْقِها مرْقَبٌ بالعِزّ تَفْرَعُهُ
Its Alhambra is a halo whose rays appear;
Its redness appears as a halo whose rays shine forth
Its horizon has a lookout that you ascend in glory.
To the horizon, a watchtower fortified with might.
فأنتَso you ياO مَلكَking of الإسْلامِIslam ناصرُهُits champion
فأنتَ يا مَلكَ الإسْلامِ ناصرُهُ
منfrom كُلّevery حادثَةٍcalamity فيin الدهْرِtime تمنَعُهُyou shield it
من كُلّ حادثَةٍ في الدهْرِ تمنَعُهُ
For you, O king of Islam, are its champion;
You, O king of Islam, are its defender,
You shield it from every calamity in time.
Guarding it from every misfortune in time.
وأنتَand you فوقَabove المُلوكِthe kings الصّيدِproud منزلةًin rank
وأنتَ فوقَ المُلوكِ الصّيدِ منزلةً
وتحتَand under طوْعِكَyour command مُلكُthe dominion of الأرضِthe earth أجْمَعُهُall of it
وتحتَ طوْعِكَ مُلكُ الأرضِ أجْمَعُهُ
And you stand above the proud kings in rank,
You are above kings in rank and station
And all the earth's dominion lies under your command.
While all the kings of earth are under your command.
فإنso if دَجاgrows dark ليلُthe night of روْعٍterror أنتyou مَلجأُهُits refuge
فإن دَجا ليلُ روْعٍ أنت مَلجأُهُ
وإنand if تفاقَمَgrows grave أمْرٌan affair أنتَyou مَفْزَعُهُits haven
وإن تفاقَمَ أمْرٌ أنتَ مَفْزَعُهُ
If a night of terror grows dark, you are its refuge,
If the night of turmoil grows dark, you are its refuge,
And if an affair grows grave, you are its haven.
And if a matter worsens, you are its recourse.
للجُودِfor bounty تمنحُهُyou bestow it للدّينِfor the faith تمنَعُهُyou defend it
للجُودِ تمنحُهُ للدّينِ تمنَعُهُ
للسّيْفِfor the sword تسْرِعُهُyou hasten it للرُمْحِfor the spear تشْرعُهُyou level it
للسّيْفِ تسْرِعُهُ للرُمْحِ تشْرعُهُ
You bestow bounty and defend the faith;
You grant generosity, you guard the faith,
You hasten the sword and level the spear;
You hasten the sword, you ready the spear,
للسّعْدِfor good fortune تحْرزُهُyou secure it للوَعْدِfor the promise تُنجزُهُyou fulfill it
للسّعْدِ تحْرزُهُ للوَعْدِ تُنجزُهُ
للصّدْرfor the breast تَشرحُهyou open it للقَدْرِfor rank ترفعُهُyou raise it
للصّدْر تَشرحُه للقَدْرِ ترفعُهُ
You secure good fortune and fulfill the promise;
You protect good fortune, you fulfill promises,
You open the breast and elevate rank.
You gladden hearts, you raise destinies.
ياO طالباًseeker معْهداًa dwelling للرّفْدِfor bounty ينزِلُهُhe lodges in it
يا طالباً معْهداً للرّفْدِ ينزِلُهُ
ارْبعْpause قليلاًa little فقدْfor already حيّتكَhave greeted you أربُعُهُits dwellings
ارْبعْ قليلاً فقدْ حيّتكَ أربُعُهُ
O seeker of a dwelling of bounty in which to lodge,
O you who seek aid to confer it,
Pause a little: its dwellings have already greeted you.
Rest awhile, for your life has four quarters.
بِناصرthrough Nasir الدّينthe Faith قدalready لاحَتْhave appeared مَعالمُهُits landmarks
بِناصر الدّين قد لاحَتْ مَعالمُهُ
وراقَand shone in beauty فيin أفُقِthe horizon of العَلياءِeminence مصْنَعُهُits palace
وراقَ في أفُقِ العَلياءِ مصْنَعُهُ
Through Nasir al-Din its landmarks have appeared,
With al-Nasir your features have shone forth
And its palace shines on the horizon of eminence.
And your craft has blossomed among the exalted.
ويوسُفٌand Yusuf شُرّفwas ennobled المُلْكُkingship العزيزُmighty بِهthrough him
ويوسُفٌ شُرّف المُلْكُ العزيزُ بِه
فأينَwhere, then قيْصَرُهُits Caesar صِيتاًin renown وتُبَّعُهُand its Tubbaʿ
فأينَ قيْصَرُهُ صِيتاً وتُبَّعُهُ
And Yusuf—through him mighty kingship was ennobled—
Joseph was ennobled by the mighty king,
Where, then, are its Caesar and its Tubbaʿ in renown?
Yet where is his fame and following compared to yours?
فقيصرٌfor Caesar قاصِرٌfalls short عنof جودِthe generosity of راحَتِهhis palm
فقيصرٌ قاصِرٌ عن جودِ راحَتِه
وتُبّعٌand Tubbaʿ فيin مضاءِthe firmness of العزْمِresolve يتبَعُهُfollows him
وتُبّعٌ في مضاءِ العزْمِ يتبَعُهُ
For Caesar falls short of the generosity of his palm,
So Caesar is lacking beside your open hand
And Tubbaʿ follows him in firmness of resolve.
And Tubba' follows the resolute course you set.
أبْدىhe displayed الجَمالَbeauty وقدand indeed أوْلىbestowed الجميلَkindness بهthrough him
أبْدى الجَمالَ وقد أوْلى الجميلَ به
فالحُسْنُso beauty يُبْدِيهreveals him والإحسانُand beneficence يُبدِعُهُmakes him wondrous
فالحُسْنُ يُبْدِيه والإحسانُ يُبدِعُهُ
He displayed beauty, and kindness was bestowed through him;
You have revealed beauty and given favor to the beautiful,
Beauty reveals him, and beneficence makes him a marvel.
So charm makes it manifest while kindness brings it to perfection.
كلّمْتَyou addressed ياO ملِكَking of الأمْلاكِkings منfrom كثَبٍclose at hand
كلّمْتَ يا ملِكَ الأمْلاكِ من كثَبٍ
عبْداًa servant يُناديكَwho calls to you منfrom بُعْدٍafar فتسْمَعُهُand so you hear him
عبْداً يُناديكَ من بُعْدٍ فتسْمَعُهُ
You spoke, O king of kings, from close at hand
You spoke, O king of kings, though from afar,
To a servant who calls to you from afar, and you hear him.
To a servant calling you from a distance and you heard.
فماso what اعْتِذاريmy excuse لمَوْلىًto a lord لمdid not يُحِطْtake full account خجلاًout of shame
فما اعْتِذاري لمَوْلىً لم يُحِطْ خجلاً
سَمْعيmy hearing بلَفْظٍof an utterance لهُof his فيin القلبthe heart موقِعُهُits impact
سَمْعي بلَفْظٍ لهُ في القلب موقِعُهُ
What excuse have I before a lord, when shame kept
What is my excuse to a master not humbled
My ears from grasping words of his that touch the heart?
By my words that touch his heart?
كمْhow much حلّsettled فيin كبِدthe liver of الممْلوكِthe bondsman منof ظَمإٍthirst
كمْ حلّ في كبِد الممْلوكِ من ظَمإٍ
إذْwhen لمْnot يُمتّعْbe delighted بعَذْبِwith the sweetness of اللفْظutterance مسْمَعُهُhis ear
إذْ لمْ يُمتّعْ بعَذْبِ اللفْظ مسْمَعُهُ
How much thirst has lodged in the bondsman's liver,
How much thirst is trapped in the slave’s liver
When his ear was not delighted with sweet utterance!
When his hearing is not indulged with the sweetness of speech!
أستغفرُI ask forgiveness from اللهَGod كمْhow often راقتْwas delightful حديقتُهُhis garden
أستغفرُ اللهَ كمْ راقتْ حديقتُهُ
وكمand how often علىin ظَمإٍthirst روّاهُslaked his thirst مَشْرَعُهُhis watering-place
وكم على ظَمإٍ روّاهُ مَشْرَعُهُ
I ask God's forgiveness—how often his garden has been delightful,
I ask Allah’s forgiveness - how many times has He quenched his thirst
And how often his watering-place has quenched him in his thirst!
And how often has His spring watered the thirsty!
هَذيthis صلاةُa prayer of صِلاتٍgifts والنّداءُand the call لَهاto it
هَذي صلاةُ صِلاتٍ والنّداءُ لَها
إنif كانَit is وتْراًodd-numbered فموْلَىthen the lord of الخَلْقِcreation يَشفَعُهُmakes it even
إن كانَ وتْراً فموْلَى الخَلْقِ يَشفَعُهُ
This is a prayer of gifts; and the call to it,
This is the prayer of prayers and my call for it;
If it is odd, the lord of creation makes it even.
If improper, then the Lord of creation will intercede for it.
وكمْand how many عجائِبَwonders أبْداهاrevealed them النّظامُthe verse بهاwithin it
وكمْ عجائِبَ أبْداها النّظامُ بها
قدindeed راقَwas enchanting منamong زَهَرthe blossoms of الآدابِliterature أيْنَعُهُits ripest
قد راقَ من زَهَر الآدابِ أيْنَعُهُ
And how many wonders the verse has revealed in it!
How many wonders has composition displayed in it!
The ripest blossom of letters has been enchanting.
How delightful is the bloom of literature it has produced!
ولاand none كعذْراءَlike a maiden منfrom مَولىthe lord of المُلوكِkings أتَتْshe came
ولا كعذْراءَ من مَولى المُلوكِ أتَتْ
بابَthe gate of القَبولacceptance أمامَbefore العبْدِthe servant تشرَعُهُshe opens it
بابَ القَبول أمامَ العبْدِ تشرَعُهُ
And none is like a maiden who came from the lord of kings,
Never has a virgin come to the slave’s door
Opening the gate of acceptance before the servant.
From the king of kings to open acceptance before him.
إذاwhen بَداappears طِرْسُهاher written page للهِGod be praised! كمْhow many حِكَمٍwise sayings
إذا بَدا طِرْسُها للهِ كمْ حِكَمٍ
وكمand how many بَدائِعَmarvels مِلْءَfilling العيْنِthe eye تُودِعُهُshe deposits in it
وكم بَدائِعَ مِلْءَ العيْنِ تُودِعُهُ
When her written page appears—God be praised!—how many wise sayings,
When her veil parts for God, how much wisdom
And how many eye-filling marvels she sets within it!
And how many marvels filling the eyes does it harbor!
بحْرُthe sea of المكارِمِnoble deeds أبْدىbrought forth منfrom بَدائِعِهits marvels
بحْرُ المكارِمِ أبْدى من بَدائِعِه
دُرّاًpearls يروقُlook beautiful بجيدِupon the neck of الملْكِkingship أنْصَعُهُits whitest
دُرّاً يروقُ بجيدِ الملْكِ أنْصَعُهُ
The sea of noble deeds has brought forth from its marvels
The sea of noble deeds has brought forth from its wonders
Pearls, whose whitest gleam upon the neck of kingship.
A pearl that adorns the neck of the king, the most radiant of them.
فلَفْظُهاso her wording الدّرُّpearls والزهْرُand blossoms الأنيقُgraceful إذاwhen
فلَفْظُها الدّرُّ والزهْرُ الأنيقُ إذا
ماever (emphatic) راقَcharms أضوأُهُits brightest أوor رقّis delicate أضْوَعُهُits most fragrant
ما راقَ أضوأُهُ أو رقّ أضْوَعُهُ
Her words are pearls and graceful blossoms, whenever
Its words are pearls and delicate blossoms that,
Their brightest shine, or their most fragrant grow tender.
When their brightness shines or softness stirs, delight.
مالتْshe swayed بناwith us طَرباًin rapture أوor لوْعَةًin anguish فحَكَتْand so she resembled
مالتْ بنا طَرباً أو لوْعَةً فحَكَتْ
كأسَa cup of المُدامِwine أمالَmade sway القوْمَthe company مُتْرَعُهُits brimming cup
كأسَ المُدامِ أمالَ القوْمَ مُتْرَعُهُ
She swayed us with rapture or anguish, resembling
Inclining us with joy or yearning, it tells
A cup of wine whose fullness made the company sway.
The tale that turns the wine cup and inebriates the group.
لهاhers is النّسيبُthe love-prelude إذاwhen مرّpasses الخليُّthe man free of love بهِby it
لها النّسيبُ إذا مرّ الخليُّ بهِ
يَعودُhe returns وهْوَand he is شجيُّsorrowful القلبِat heart مُولَعُهُcaptivated by it
يَعودُ وهْوَ شجيُّ القلبِ مُولَعُهُ
Hers is the love-prelude: when the carefree man passes by it,
For it the ode, when the boon companion passes by,
He returns heartsick, captivated by it.
Returns while its heart is raging with passion,
يُبْديhe reveals الذيwhat قدalready أكَنّتْهُhave concealed it جوانِحُهُhis inner ribs
يُبْدي الذي قد أكَنّتْهُ جوانِحُهُ
وضُمِّنَتْهُand were made to contain it منof الأشواقِyearnings أضْلُعُهُhis ribs
وضُمِّنَتْهُ من الأشواقِ أضْلُعُهُ
He reveals what his inner ribs have concealed,
Revealing what its soul has harbored
And the longings with which his ribs have been filled.
And what sighs of longing have filled its ribs,
ماذاwhat يقولُsays بَليغٌan eloquent man فيabout محاسنِهاher beauties
ماذا يقولُ بَليغٌ في محاسنِها
وأبلَغُand the most eloquent القولspeech فيهاabout her ليسَdoes not يُقنعُهُsatisfy him
وأبلَغُ القول فيها ليسَ يُقنعُهُ
What can an eloquent man say of her beauties,
Saying what can an eloquent one say in praising it
When the most eloquent words about her do not satisfy him?
When the most eloquent speech cannot satisfy him?
لكنّyet يأتيhe comes بماwith what تُبديهِreveals it فكْرتُهُhis thought
لكنّ يأتي بما تُبديهِ فكْرتُهُ
وفضْلُand the grace of مَولايَmy lord فيin الإغْضاءِoverlooking faults يُطْمِعُهُgives him hope
وفضْلُ مَولايَ في الإغْضاءِ يُطْمِعُهُ
Yet he brings what his thought reveals,
Rather, he brings what occurs to his thoughts
And my lord's grace in overlooking faults gives him hope.
While my master’s grace gives hope though he falls short.
لاdo not تُنكِرواdeny نَفحاتِthe fragrant breaths of الزّهْرِflowers منْfrom مِدَحيmy praises
لا تُنكِروا نَفحاتِ الزّهْرِ منْ مِدَحي
فَروْضُfor the garden of فِكريmy thought نَدىthe dew of كفّيْكَyour two palms يُمْرِعُهُmakes it lush
فَروْضُ فِكري نَدى كفّيْكَ يُمْرِعُهُ
Do not deny the flower-scents in my praises:
Do not reject the scent of flowers from my praise
For the dew of your palms makes the garden of my thought lush.
For the duty of my mind is to water your palm.
مَدْحٌa praise-poem يَروقُdelights ذويthose possessing الألْبابِunderstanding ناظِمُهُits composer
مَدْحٌ يَروقُ ذوي الألْبابِ ناظِمُهُ
يُذيعُهُhe proclaims it فيin praise of إمامٍan imam لاnot يُضيِّعُهُneglects him
يُذيعُهُ في إمامٍ لا يُضيِّعُهُ
A praise-poem that delights discerning minds; its composer
Praise whose author pleases the discerning
Proclaims it for an imam who does not neglect him.
Circulating it about an imam who will not waste it.
قدindeed سالَمتْهُhave made peace with him اللياليthe nights إذsince عِنايتُهُhis care
قد سالَمتْهُ الليالي إذ عِنايتُهُ
قدindeed أمّنتْهُhas made him safe فلاso no دهْرٌtime يُروِّعُهُfrightens him
قد أمّنتْهُ فلا دهْرٌ يُروِّعُهُ
The nights have made peace with him, since the imam's care
The nights have greeted him as his care
Has made him safe, so time cannot frighten him.
Has secured him, so time will not alarm him.
بَقيتَmay you remain للحمدِfor gratitude أوor للمَدْحِfor praise مُنْفَرداًuniquely distinguished
بَقيتَ للحمدِ أو للمَدْحِ مُنْفَرداً
بهِin it ودُمْتَand may you endure لشمْلِfor the unity of الدّينthe faith تجْمَعُهُyou gather it together
بهِ ودُمْتَ لشمْلِ الدّين تجْمَعُهُ
May you remain uniquely worthy of thanks or praise,
You have remained unmatched in praise or eulogy,
And endure, gathering the fellowship of the faith together.
Through it you have united the faith and gathered it.
Sol 6.1