يا بديع الزمان في كل فن

يا بديع الزمان في كل فن

وامام الانشاء في كل عصر

وامام الانشاء في كل عصر

O marvel of the age in every art,

O most excellent of the age in every art

And master of prose composition in every era,

And leader of prose in every era

وشهابا ما السبعة الشهب الا

وشهابا ما السبعة الشهب الا

دونه في ارتفاع مجد وقدر

دونه في ارتفاع مجد وقدر

And a blazing star—the seven bright stars are but

A shooting star, not like the seven stars

Below him in lofty glory and rank.

In the height of glory and honor

نحو يمناك قد جعلت التفاتي

نحو يمناك قد جعلت التفاتي

لا لزيد ولا لعمرو لعمري

لا لزيد ولا لعمرو لعمري

I have turned my attention toward your right hand,

Towards your right side I have turned

Not to Zayd or to ʿAmr, by my life.

Not for the sake of Zayd or Amr, by my life

وسوى الشعر حرفة لا ارى لي

وسوى الشعر حرفة لا ارى لي

اترى نافع عسى ليت شعري

اترى نافع عسى ليت شعري

I see no craft for myself other than poetry.

And except for poetry, I see no craft for myself

Do you think 'perhaps' will help? If only I knew!

I wonder, will it be beneficial? If only I knew!

فتفضل مولاي منك ببرد

فتفضل مولاي منك ببرد

او بظهر فالبرد حرق ظهري

او بظهر فالبرد حرق ظهري

So favor me, my lord, with a cloak from you,

So bestow upon me, my Master, either wealth

Or a fur coat, for the cold has scorched my back.

Or good health, for poverty has burnt my back

ليس عار على الأديب اذا ما

ليس عار على الأديب اذا ما

قابل النظم في الطباق ينثر

قابل النظم في الطباق ينثر

There is no shame for a man of letters when

It is no shame for the literary man if he

The recipient of verse scatters gifts, in antithesis.

Exchanges verse for prose

بل من العار بيع مثل بمثل

بل من العار بيع مثل بمثل

وربا ان يباع شعر بشعر

وربا ان يباع شعر بشعر

Rather, the shame lies in selling like for like,

But it is shameful to sell the like for the like

And it is usury for verse to be sold for hair.

And even more to sell poetry for poetry

سيدي عن تأخري اليوم عذر

سيدي عن تأخري اليوم عذر

فالهوى لا اطيقه وهو عذري

فالهوى لا اطيقه وهو عذري

My lord, there is an excuse for my delay today:

My Lord, for my lateness today, here is an excuse

For I cannot bear the air, and it is my excuse.

Passion, I cannot bear it, and that is my excuse

هاك مدحا لقد تكرر حتى

هاك مدحا لقد تكرر حتى

جاء من حسنه محلى بدر

جاء من حسنه محلى بدر

Take this praise: it has indeed been repeated until

That it came in its beauty to rival the full moon

It has come, in its beauty, adorned with pearls.

I have not forgotten your memory among mankind

انا لم انس في الورى لك ذكرا

انا لم انس في الورى لك ذكرا

لا تكن ناسيا بحقك ذكري

لا تكن ناسيا بحقك ذكري

I have not forgotten to mention you among mankind;

Do not be forgetful of your right over my memory

Do not forget me, by your own worth.

And if you bestow favor upon me

واذا ما منحتني منك فضلا

واذا ما منحتني منك فضلا

فجدير اذا منحتك شكري

فجدير اذا منحتك شكري

And if you grant me a favor from yourself,

Then it is fitting, if I bestow my gratitude upon you

It is fitting, then, that I give you my thanks.

So remain an ocean, abundant in generosity, whose pearls

فابق بحرا يا وافر الجود يهدي

فابق بحرا يا وافر الجود يهدي

دره المنتقى إلى كل نحر

دره المنتقى إلى كل نحر

So remain a sea, O lavish in generosity, bestowing

Are guided to every throat

Its choicest pearls to every neck,

No equivalent has adorned the excellent

ما حلا بالبديع مسك ختام

ما حلا بالبديع مسك ختام

وأتى طيبه بأطيب نشر

وأتى طيبه بأطيب نشر

So long as an ending's musk is sweet with poetic art,

Or brought its perfume to the finest scattering

And its perfume wafts with the sweetest fragrance.