أُعطيتَ حُكمكَ في الأيام فاحْتكمِ

أُعطيتَ حُكمكَ في الأيام فاحْتكمِ

وإن تملّكتَ رقّ المجد والكرمِ

وإن تملّكتَ رقّ المجد والكرمِ

You have been granted dominion over the days, so rule,

You were given your rule in the days, so rule justly,

Even if you take glory and generosity into bondage.

And if you possessed the softness of glory and generosity,

وحالفتك سعودٌ لو يُخَصّ بها

وحالفتك سعودٌ لو يُخَصّ بها

عصرُ الشبابِ لما أفْضى إلى الهرمِ

عصرُ الشبابِ لما أفْضى إلى الهرمِ

And good fortunes have allied with you: were they granted to

And good fortune allied with you, even if restricted

The season of youth, it would never pass into old age.

To the prime of youth before reaching old age,

إنّ الزّمانَ ليجري في تصرّفِهِ

إنّ الزّمانَ ليجري في تصرّفِهِ

على مُرادك منه غيرَ مُتّهمِ

على مُرادك منه غيرَ مُتّهمِ

Indeed, time runs its course in all its changes

Indeed time flows according to its disposition,

As you desire of it, beyond suspicion.

Not according to your desire, without blame,

فما هممتَ بأمْرٍ أو أشرتَ به

فما هممتَ بأمْرٍ أو أشرتَ به

إلا وقامتْ له الدنيا على قدمِ

إلا وقامتْ له الدنيا على قدمِ

So you never resolve upon a matter or give a sign of it

So whatever matter you intended or pointed to,

But the world rises to its feet for it.

The world stood for it immediately.

إنّ القسنطينة الكبرى مُمَلَّكُها

إنّ القسنطينة الكبرى مُمَلَّكُها

قد اتّقى منك حدّ السيفِ بالقلمِ

قد اتّقى منك حدّ السيفِ بالقلمِ

Indeed, the ruler of great Constantinople

Indeed great Constantinople, its ruler

Has warded off your sword's edge with the pen.

Feared your sword’s edge with the pen,

وخاف قَدْحَ زنادٍ أمره عجبٌ

وخاف قَدْحَ زنادٍ أمره عجبٌ

يَرميه في الماءِ ذي التيّار بالضرمِ

يَرميه في الماءِ ذي التيّار بالضرمِ

And feared the striking of a firesteel, wondrous in its working,

And feared the striking of a flint whose matter is wondrous,

That hurls blazing fire at him amid the flowing water.

That hurls him in the violent sea with deafness,

ورام حَقْنَ دماءِ الرّومِ معتمداً

ورام حَقْنَ دماءِ الرّومِ معتمداً

على وفاءِ وفيّ منك بالذممِ

على وفاءِ وفيّ منك بالذممِ

And sought to spare the Romans' blood, relying

And he intended to spare the blood of the Romans, relying

On your faithful keeping of covenants.

On the loyalty of a faithful one from you in covenants,

فكفَّ عزم كفاة صدقُ بأسِهِمُ

فكفَّ عزم كفاة صدقُ بأسِهِمُ

مستأصلٌ نِعَمَ الأعداءِ بالنقمِ

مستأصلٌ نِعَمَ الأعداءِ بالنقمِ

So he checked the resolve of capable warriors whose proven might

So the strength of determination of the hands of its protectors stopped,

Uproots the enemies' blessings through retribution.

Uprooting the best enemies completely.

وأقبلتْ مع رُسْلٍ منه مألكةٌ

وأقبلتْ مع رُسْلٍ منه مألكةٌ

تأسو كلومك في الأعلاج بالكلمِ

تأسو كلومك في الأعلاج بالكلمِ

And with envoys from him came a message

And angels came to you with messengers from him,

To heal with words the wounds you dealt the foreign foes.

Praising your justice in treaties with words.

رآك بالقلب لا بالعين من جَزَعٍ

رآك بالقلب لا بالعين من جَزَعٍ

في دَسْتِ مُلْكِ عليه هَيْبةُ العِظَمِ

في دَسْتِ مُلْكِ عليه هَيْبةُ العِظَمِ

He saw you with his heart, not his eye, in terror,

He saw you with the heart, not with the eyes, in fear

On a royal throne invested with the awe of greatness.

Of the mighty awe of your kingdom upon him.

مُطَيَّبُ الذكرِ في الدنْيا مُوَاصِلُهُ

مُطَيَّبُ الذكرِ في الدنْيا مُوَاصِلُهُ

كأنّما عَرْفُهُ مسكٌ بكلّ فمِ

كأنّما عَرْفُهُ مسكٌ بكلّ فمِ

His associate has fragrant renown throughout the world,

Good in reputation in the world, keeping to it,

As though his scent were musk in every mouth.

As if his glory is musk in every mouth,

مشى إليك بتدريج على شفةٍ

مشى إليك بتدريج على شفةٍ

من لثم أرضِ عظيم الملك ذي هممِ

من لثم أرضِ عظيم الملك ذي هممِ

He advanced toward you, step by step, upon a lip,

He walked to you gradually on the bank

By kissing the ground of a mighty sovereign of lofty aims.

Of the land of the great king of ambitions.

مقدِّماً كلّ علقٍ من هديّته

مقدِّماً كلّ علقٍ من هديّته

كروضَةٍ فَوّفَتها راحةُ الدّيمِ

كروضَةٍ فَوّفَتها راحةُ الدّيمِ

Presenting every precious treasure from his gift,

Presenting every necklace of his gift

Like a garden embroidered by the palm of steady rains.

Like a garden whose space is adorned by the rainwater.

في زاخرٍ من بحورِ الروم عادتُهُ

في زاخرٍ من بحورِ الروم عادتُهُ

ألا يزال مشوباً منهمُ بدمِ

ألا يزال مشوباً منهمُ بدمِ

Upon a swelling sea among the seas of the Romans, whose custom

It is his habit not to cease being mixed with their blood,

Is ever to be mingled with their blood,

In the abundant sea of the Romans,

لولا النواتي وأثقالٌ لها حُمِلَتْ

لولا النواتي وأثقالٌ لها حُمِلَتْ

من البطاريق إجلالاً على القممِ

من البطاريق إجلالاً على القممِ

But for the sailors and loads borne for it

If not for the females and the heavy burdens carried

By patricians, in reverence, upon their heads.

From the patriarchs out of glorification of the summits.

فعاد بالسلم من حرب سلاهبها

فعاد بالسلم من حرب سلاهبها

دُهْمٌ بأرجلها تَغْنَى عن اللجمِ

دُهْمٌ بأرجلها تَغْنَى عن اللجمِ

So he returned with peace from a war whose tall steeds

So he returned in peace from a war whose cavalry

Are black, their legs sparing them the need for bridles.

Galloped on their legs dispensing with spurs,

ومنشآتٌ إذا ريحٌ لها نشأتْ

ومنشآتٌ إذا ريحٌ لها نشأتْ

جرين في زاخرٍ بالموت ملتطمِ

جرين في زاخرٍ بالموت ملتطمِ

And lofty ships, when a wind rises for them,

And sailing ships which when the wind blew to them sail

Course through a swelling sea surging with death.

Swiftly in the abundant sea colliding with death,

راحتْ من الشحْم فوق القار لابسةً

راحتْ من الشحْم فوق القار لابسةً

فيه تأزُّرَ أنوارٍ على ظُلَمِ

فيه تأزُّرَ أنوارٍ على ظُلَمِ

They sailed forth, clad in grease above the pitch,

They rested from fat over tar wearing

Girdled there with lights upon darkness.

Upon it attire of lights over darkness,

تبدي سواعدَ أكمامٍ تُريكَ بها

تبدي سواعدَ أكمامٍ تُريكَ بها

مَشْيَ العقارب في ألوانها السخمِ

مَشْيَ العقارب في ألوانها السخمِ

They bare forearms from sleeves, showing you through them

Showing you forearms whose sleeves make you see

The gait of scorpions in their soot-black colors.

The walk of scorpions in their bold colors,

من كلّ مدَّرعٍ بالحزْم ذي جَلَدٍ

من كلّ مدَّرعٍ بالحزْم ذي جَلَدٍ

لا يشتكي في أليم الضرب من أَلمِ

لا يشتكي في أليم الضرب من أَلمِ

From every man armored in prudence, endowed with endurance,

Armored belted men of courage

Who complains of no pain amid agonizing blows.

Who do not complain of the pain of blows,

وما رأيْتُ أُسوداً قبلهم فَتَحَتْ

وما رأيْتُ أُسوداً قبلهم فَتَحَتْ

مدائناً نازَلَتْها وهي في الأجُمِ

مدائناً نازَلَتْها وهي في الأجُمِ

And never before them have I seen lions conquer

And I have not seen black lions who opened

Cities they besieged while still within their thickets.

Cities while still clouded in darkness before them.

سُدْتم وجدْتم فأوطان النجوم لكم

سُدْتم وجدْتم فأوطان النجوم لكم

مراتبٌ من علوّ القدر والهممِ

مراتبٌ من علوّ القدر والهممِ

You have ruled and given freely: the stars' abodes are yours,

You reached and found, so the lands of stars are for you

Stations attained through lofty worth and aspirations.

Levels of high worth and ambitions,

وأرْضُ بُنْصُرَ قد أهْدى غرائبها

وأرْضُ بُنْصُرَ قد أهْدى غرائبها

لملكهم مَلْكُهَا في سالف القدمِ

لملكهم مَلْكُهَا في سالف القدمِ

And the land of Bunsur—its rarities were offered

And the land of Venice sent its wondrous things

To their king by its king, in ancient times.

To their king, its possession in ancient times,

قل للعفاة أديموا قصد ساحته

قل للعفاة أديموا قصد ساحته

إن نمتمُ عن نداه الغمرِ لم ينمِ

إن نمتمُ عن نداه الغمرِ لم ينمِ

Tell the seekers of bounty: keep coming to his courtyard;

Say to the chiefs: frequent his court

If you sleep, heedless of his overflowing bounty, he does not sleep.

If you slept from his light he did not sleep

لولا مكارمُ يحيى والحياةُ بها

لولا مكارمُ يحيى والحياةُ بها

ما رُدّ روحُ الغنى في ميّتِ العدمِ

ما رُدّ روحُ الغنى في ميّتِ العدمِ

Were it not for Yahya's noble deeds and the life they bring,

If not for the generous acts of Yahya and the life in them

Wealth's spirit would not be restored to one dead from want.

The soul of wealth would not return in one dead.

مَلْكٌ إذا جادَ جادَ الغيثُ من يده

مَلْكٌ إذا جادَ جادَ الغيثُ من يده

فَمَسْقَطُ القطر منه مَنْبِتُ النعمِ

فَمَسْقَطُ القطر منه مَنْبِتُ النعمِ

A king—when he gives, rain pours from his hand;

A king when he is generous, the rain is generous from his hand

So where his raindrops fall, blessings grow.

So the place the drops fall from him grows blessings.

إذا أثار عجاجَ الحرب ألحفها

إذا أثار عجاجَ الحرب ألحفها

ليلاً بهيماً بكرّ الخيل بالبُهَمِ

ليلاً بهيماً بكرّ الخيل بالبُهَمِ

When he raises the dust of war, he shrouds it

If he rouses the millstones of war, he attires it

In pitch-black night, with the charge of horses bearing mighty warriors.

At night, roaming with the horses in the dark,

أنسيتنا بأيادٍ منك نذكرها

أنسيتنا بأيادٍ منك نذكرها

خصيبَ مصرٍ وما أسداه للحكمي

خصيبَ مصرٍ وما أسداه للحكمي

With favors of yours that we remember, you have made us forget

You made us forget with hands from you we mention

Khasib of Egypt and what he bestowed upon al-Hakami.

The prosperity of Egypt and how he established the rule.

وقد طويتَ من الطّائيّ ما نَشَرَتْ

وقد طويتَ من الطّائيّ ما نَشَرَتْ

من المفاخرِ عنه ألسنُ الأممِ

من المفاخرِ عنه ألسنُ الأممِ

And you have folded away what was spread abroad of al-Ta'i:

And you folded what the far spread

His glorious deeds, voiced by the tongues of nations.

Of glories from it the tongues of nations narrate.

هدَيْتَ من ضلّ عن مجدٍ وعن كرَمٍ

هدَيْتَ من ضلّ عن مجدٍ وعن كرَمٍ

بما تجاوَزَ قَدْرَ النار والعلمِ

بما تجاوَزَ قَدْرَ النار والعلمِ

You have guided whoever strayed from glory and generosity

You guided one who strayed from glory and generosity

With what surpasses the power of fire and landmark.

With what exceeds the extent of fire and knowledge.

خُصِصْتَ بالجود والبأس المنوط به

خُصِصْتَ بالجود والبأس المنوط به

والجودُ والبأسُ مولودان في الشيمِ

والجودُ والبأسُ مولودان في الشيمِ

You were singled out for generosity and the valor bound to it,

You were distinguished with generosity and valor entrusted with it

And generosity and valor are born within one's character.

Generosity and valor born in character.

ولو رآك زهيرٌ في العلى لثنى

ولو رآك زهيرٌ في العلى لثنى

لسانَهُ في كريمِ المدح عن هرمِ

لسانَهُ في كريمِ المدح عن هرمِ

And had Zuhayr seen you in your eminence, he would have turned

If Zuhayr saw you in the height he would

His tongue away from Harim in his finest praise.

Restrain his tongue in generous praise from senility.

فاشرَبْ خبيئةَ دنّ أظْهَرَتْ حبباً

فاشرَبْ خبيئةَ دنّ أظْهَرَتْ حبباً

للثم منه ثغر مبتسمِ

للثم منه ثغر مبتسمِ

So drink the jar's hidden wine, which has revealed bubbles—

So drink the sediment of vines which showed

A smiling mouth within it, offered for a kiss.

Lips smiling to sip from it,

لها تألقُ برقٍ كيف قَيّدَهُ

لها تألقُ برقٍ كيف قَيّدَهُ

في الكأسِ ساقٍ يُنيلُ الوَرْدَ في عنَمِ

في الكأسِ ساقٍ يُنيلُ الوَرْدَ في عنَمِ

It has lightning's flash—how was it held captive

It has the radiance of lightning, how it chained it

In the cup by a cupbearer offering the rose amid red 'anam twigs?

In the cup, a wrist pouring roses in droplets,

وكيف تُسْمِعُ في هامٍ تُفَلّقها

وكيف تُسْمِعُ في هامٍ تُفَلّقها

صهيلَ صمصامك الماضي لذي الصممِ

صهيلَ صمصامك الماضي لذي الصممِ

And how, in skulls you split, do you make audible

And how it makes you hear in intoxication bursting it

The neighing of your keen sword to one who is deaf?

The neighing of your white horse, responding to the deaf.